THE PILOT'S MEASURE
It was Hi Kendal that announced the arrival of the missionary.Iwas standing at the door of my school, watching the children ride off home on their ponies, when Hi came loping along on his bronco in the loose-jointed cowboy style.
"Well," he drawled out, bringing his bronco to a dead stop in a single bound, "he's lit.""Lit? Where? What?" said I, looking round for an eagle or some other flying thing.
"Your blanked Sky Pilot, and he's a beauty, a pretty kid--looks too tender for this climate.Better not let him out on the range." Hi was quite disgusted, evidently.
"What's the matter with him, Hi?"
"Why, HE ain't no parson! I don't go much on parsons, but when Icalls for one I don't want no bantam chicken.No, sirree, horse!
I don't want no blankety-blank, pink-and-white complected nursery kid foolin' round my graveyard.If you're goin' to bring along a parson, why bring him with his eye-teeth cut and his tail feathers on."That Hi was deeply disappointed was quite clear from the selection of the profanity with which he adorned this lengthy address.It was never the extent of his profanity, but the choice, that indicated Hi's interest in any subject.
Altogether, the outlook for the missionary was not encouraging.
With the single exception of the Muirs, who really counted for little, nobody wanted him.To most of the reckless young bloods of the Company of the Noble Seven his presence was an offence; to others simply a nuisance, while the Old Timer regarded his advent with something like dismay; and now Hi's impression of his personal appearance was not cheering.
My first sight of him did not reassure me.He was very slight, very young, very innocent, with a face that might do for an angel, except for the touch of humor in it, but which seemed strangely out of place among the rough, hard faces that were to be seen in the Swan Creek Country.It was not a weak face, however.The forehead was high and square, the mouth firm, and the eyes were luminous, of some dark color--violet, if there is such a color in eyes--dreamy or sparkling, according to his mood; eyes for which a woman might find use, but which, in a missionary's head, appeared to me one of those extraordinary wastes of which Nature is sometimes guilty.
He was gazing far away into space infinitely beyond the Foothills and the blue line of the mountains behind them.He turned to me as I drew near, with eyes alight and face glowing.
"It is glorious," he almost panted."You see this everyday!"Then, recalling himself, he came eagerly toward me, stretching out his hand."You are the schoolmaster, I know.Do you know, it's a great thing? I wanted to be one, but I never could get the boys on.They always got me telling them tales.I was awfully disappointed.I am trying the next best thing.You see, I won't have to keep order, but I don't think I can preach very well.I am going to visit your school.Have you many scholars? Do you know, I think it's splendid? I wish I could do it."I had intended to be somewhat stiff with him, but his evident admiration of me made me quite forget this laudable intention, and, as he talked on without waiting for an answer, his enthusiasm, his deference to my opinion, his charm of manner, his beautiful face, his luminous eyes, made him perfectly irresistible; and before Iwas aware I was listening to his plans for working his mission with eager interest.So eager was my interest, indeed, that before Iwas aware I found myself asking him to tea with me in my shack.
But he declined, saying:
"I'd like to, awfully; but do you know, I think Latour expects me."This consideration of Latour's feelings almost upset me.
"You come with me," he added, and I went.
