old ken was "down on his luck." for well-nigh fifty years he had "gone the pace" in a district where certain men say glibly, "there's no god west of the rockies." the old prospector had been, according to those who knew him best, in one of three conditions for some years. he was either "getting drunk, drunk, or sobering up." and yet in spite of his weakness and sin, and in spite of the curses he got, there was no more popular man in the whole camp than old ken, although likely he was not conscious of it. one of the miners had once expressed a conviction about ken that was dangerously popular. it was at the time frank stacey's mother died, in the east, and frank had not "two bits" to his credit. as might have been expected, it was old ken who started the hat to wire that frank was leaving on the next train, and to see that he had "enough of the needful to do the decent thing." "it's his last chance, boys," said ken, as he made the rounds during the noon hour. "i got twenty-two dollars since eleven o'clock, so i guess, with what you fellers is a-going to do, the old camp's on the job, as usual, when a chap like frank wants to pay his last respects." there was some mystery about those twenty-two dollars until andy the bar-tender told how old ken had "got it out of the boss" on the solemn promise that for two weeks he would "work like a texas steer" without touching a cent until the debt of thirty dollars, minus eight for board, was discharged. then it was that one of the boys expressed himself thus about ken: "by gosh, fellers, he's white clear through, that same old soak is, when there's any trouble on. he's a pile decenter than his thirsty old carcase 'll let him be."

on a particular morning some months ago the old prospector stood at the little station a mile or so away from the camp centre. the "mixed" was winding her way slowly around the curves of the summit of the rockies. from the windows of the solitary passenger car a young man looked somewhat anxiously across the valley below. a few shacks nestled among the poplar brush, and in the distance an unpainted building stood, with distinct outline, towering against the dark background of the mountain range opposite. the young man knew well enough, from his work among the miners and loggers, that yonder building was as a moral cancer eating out the best life of the community. the outlook was not bright, but he was on the king's business, and he knew that he had in his care the mightiest thing, and the greatest remedy, the world knows of.

alone he stepped off the train, and being the only arrival he received the entire benefit of old ken's curious but not unfriendly gaze. the new-comer, who was conducting special services at selected mining and lumbering camps that were considered especially needy, looked around for a district missionary who was expected to act as his pilot for a few days. no one but old ken and the station agent were in sight, so after friendly greetings to the former the young preacher made known the purpose of his visit. old ken listened courteously. "well, stranger, you've hit the right spot alright; we kin stand the gospel in big doses here for sure; most of us is whiskey soaks or bums, and some of us is both. i wish you luck, partner, but i'm feared most of us is incurable. yes, partner, i'm feared you've come too late, too late."

the frenchman who was hotel-keeper, professional gambler, lumberman and mine-owner, was not enthusiastic about allowing the sky-pilot to board in his notorious hotel and gambling den, but eventually accommodation was secured.

the dance-hall was procured for the services, and ken volunteered the information that the preacher wouldn't likely be disturbed, because there were only four women left in the camp, and he added, "two of 'em can dance like elephants and one's got ingrowing toenails or something else, so there's only one on duty, and that ain't enough variety for a good hop."

a few days after the services commenced, old ken managed to replenish his treasury by the fortunate desire on the part of two men to get a haircut. the old man boasted that he knew how to do most things. "i'm never idle, preacher," he said with a wink; "when i ain't doing something i'm a-doing nothin', so i'm always a-doing something you see."

no sooner were the locks shorn than the old man made his way to the bar-room. he was emerging from his favourite haunt when the preacher met him. "'taint no use pretending i'm what i ain't, preacher," he said after a few minutes' conversation. "i'm an old fool and i know it, but what does it matter? who cares?"

"it matters a good deal to you, ken," the preacher replied quietly, "and there are some of us who care. ken, if you would give god as big a place in your life as you've given whiskey there wouldn't be room for the things that have made you call yourself an old fool. i know he could make a mighty good man of you, ken."

"thank you kindly, preacher, but you don't know me: i'm the hardest old guy in this country; the fellers around here think they can go it some, but let 'em all get as full as they kin hold and i'll take as much as any one of 'em and then put twelve glasses more on top of that to keep it kind of settled, and then pile the whole gang under the table and walk out like a gentleman. yes, sir, i kin do it; and if a feller's as big as a house i'll whittle him down to my size and lick him. yer intentions are good, partner, but you're about fifty years late on this job."

the days allotted to the mission were rapidly passing away, and while not a few had given evidence of seeing "the vision splendid," there were some after whom "the little preacher," as he had come to be generally spoken of in the camp, greatly longed.

coming down the stairs one day he saw old ken standing with his back to the stair rail. putting his hand on the old man's shoulder he entered into conversation.

"ken, you haven't been to one of the services yet, and i want you to come to-night."

"lord bless you, preacher, if i went to a religious meeting the roof 'ud fall in for sure, and i don't want to bust up the dance-hall."

but the little preacher was not in a mood to be "jollied" that day. "ken," he continued, "i'd like you to give god a chance. do you know, i like the look of you, and——"

the old prospector cut the sentence short, straightened up, and gazed appreciatively into the speaker's eyes. "what's that you said, preacher? what's that you said? you like the look o' me! well, siree, that's the decentest thing that's been said to me in thirty years! yes, sir, it is: i'm treated like a yaller dog around here; but you speak decently to a yaller dog, he'll wag his tail. he likes it, you know. say, preacher, when you need me just you whistle and i'm on the job!"

"i take your offer, old man," said the preacher. "i've been here for some time and i've heard a good deal that i didn't want to hear. some of you fellows have been cursing pretty nearly day and night since i came. i didn't want to hear it, but i couldn't get away from it. i've heard the boys; it's only fair they should hear me. ken, you round them up and bring them to the dance-hall."

ken's hand was extended. "here's my hand on it, preacher; i'm yer man. if the boys ain't there you'll see my head in a sling in the morning."

at 7.30 ken organized himself into an invitation committee. there were rumours that he even brushed his coat. at any rate, at 7.45 he stood at the door of the gambling den, and with an air of unusual importance he succeeded in getting silence long enough to tell "the boys" that there was "a religious show on in the dance-hall." "the procession will form in ten minutes," he continued, "and every —— man in this place has got to be in it." a few laughed; some cursed at the interruption, and others were so engrossed in their game that they appeared not to have heard.

in a few minutes ken entered the barroom and started his round-up. after telling one or two quietly that it was "up to him" to get the boys to the religious show, he made his proclamation. "come out of this, you —— fellers, and come up to the —— dance-hall and give the —— little preacher a fair show, or i'll kick the —— hide off you." the writer has no apology to make for blasphemy either in the east or west, but like classical music, to some ears, old ken's blasphemous language was not so bad as it sounded.

after the old man had brought into use all his remarkable reserve of western mining camp vocabulary, there was only one man besides the bar-tender who failed to join the procession.

the services had become well advertised throughout the entire district by this time, so that when old ken arrived with his company the little hall was fairly well filled. but the old man was "going to see this thing through," and so, despite the protestations that almost upset the gravity of the preacher conducting the preliminary song service, the gang was coaxed and forced to the front seats. ken directed the seating operations in a way that suggested his ownership of the entire place. in a stage whisper he instructed the boys to "get a squint at the preacher's hair." with pride he continued, "mighty good cut that, i performed the operation this afternoon."

at the close of the service he came to the platform. "say, preacher, that was a great bunch. there ain't a —— (excuse me, preacher, i forgot you don't swear), but say, there ain't a man of 'em but's done time. i'll tell you, preacher, we'll run this show together. i'll round 'em up and you hit 'em;" then with a swing of his big arm he added, "and hit 'em hard. see here, preacher, you take a tip from me; us old sinners don't want to listen to none of yer stroke-'em-down-easy preachers; we wants a feller what 'll tell us we're d—— fools to be hoodwinked by hitting the pace, and what'll help us to get up after he shows us we're down."

a few nights later the preacher had ken's "bunch" particularly in view as he delivered his message. near the close he asked during one of those times of reverent silence that may be felt but not described: "are not some of you men tired of going the pace? you know it doesn't pay. many a time you curse yourselves for being fools, and yet you go back to the old ways that blast your life. men! god knows how some of you are tempted, and he is ready to help. his son came into the world to save sinners. he stood in the face of the fiercest temptations, and with the command of a conqueror he said, 'get thee behind me.' and, men! he is ready to stand alongside of every passion-torn man to-day and to help him to overcome. isn't there some man here to-night who wants to do the decent thing, and who will accept his offer of help in the biggest fight any man has?"

the words were simple and commonplace enough, but the one who uses stumbling lips was present that night. unexpectedly one man arose, pulling himself up by the back of the seat in front of him—a sin-marred man, trembling as a result of daily dissipation—and said in a muffled voice, "i want to do the decent." a confirmed gambler not far away stood up and merely said, "me too, bob." another, in a tone of despair, cried, "god and me knows there's nothing in this kind of life! oh the d——, d—— whiskey, it's ruined me." late into the night the preacher walked along the trail with one of these sin-wrecked men; but the transformation of that life and other lives must constitute a separate story.

a few days before the mission closed old ken came to the preacher and announced his intended departure from the camp. "you see, stranger, the camp's pretty quiet, and i ain't a-making enough money to buy a dress for a humming-bird. i ain't got the wherewithal for a ticket, but if i strike the right kind of conductor i guess i'll make the grade. you see they can't put a feller off between stations in this country. so i'll get one station along anyway, and if they chuck me off i'll wait for the next train, and a few chucks and i'll get to n—— anyway."

the following morning prospector and preacher walked together down the railway track to the little station. a farewell word was spoken, and a farewell token slipped into the big hard hand. old ken stood a moment or two on the steps of the car. there was a far-away look in the old man's eyes as he gazed in the direction of the distant cascade range. "good-bye, preacher. yes, maybe, maybe we'll strike the main trail that leads home. i hope so—god knows—maybe it ain't too late for me yet. i kinder think lately that god wants old ken. good-bye, preacher; god bless you."

three months later "the little preacher" received a letter from a british columbia miner. one paragraph may be quoted here: "poor old ken was burned to death in a hotel fire in s—— three weeks ago. he was the kindest old man i ever met, and as long as i live i shall thank god for the night he rounded us up and brought us to your meeting in the dance-hall."