the foreigner-第40节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ore　and　more　to　depend。　　Brown's　Canadian　training　on　an　Ontario　farm　before　he　entered　college　had　greatly　enriched　his　experience；　and　his　equipment　for　the　battle　of　life。　　He　knew　all　about　farming　operations；　and　to　him；　rather　than　to　French　or　to　Mackenzie；　Kalman　had　come　to　look　for　advice　on　all　practical　details　connected　with　cattle；　horses；　and　crops。　　The　breach　between　the　two　men　was　an　unspeakable　grief　to　the　lad；　and　all　the　greater　because　he　had　an　instinctive　feeling　that　the　fault　lay　with　the　man　to　whom　from　the　first　he　had　given　the　complete　and　unswerving　devotion　of　his　heart。　　Without　explaining　to　Kalman；　French　had　suddenly　ceased　his　visits　to　Wakota；　but　he　had　taken　care　to　indicate　his　desire　that　Kalman　continue　his　studies　with　Brown；　and　that　he　should　assist　him　in　every　way　possible　with　the　work　he　was　seeking　to　carry　on　among　the　Galicians。　　This　desire　both　Brown　and　Kalman　were　only　too　eager　to　gratify；　for　the　two　had　grown　into　a　friendship　that　became　a　large　part　of　the　lives　of　both。　　Every　Sunday　Kalman　was　to　be　found　at　Wakota。　　There；　in　the　hospitable　home　of　the　Browns；　he　came　into　contact　with　a　phase　of　life　new　and　delightful　to　him。　　Brown's　wife；　and　Brown's　baby；　and　Brown's　home　were　to　him　never…ending　sources　of　wonder　and　joy。　　That　French　was　shut　out　from　all　this　was　the　abiding　grief　of　Kalman's　life；　and　this　grief　was　emphasized　by　the　all…　too…evident　effect　of　this　exclusion。　　For　with　growing　frequency　French　would　ride　off　on　Sunday　afternoon　to　the　Crossing；　and　often　stay　for　three　or　four　days　at　a　time。　　On　such　occasions　life　would　be　to　Kalman　one　long　agony　of　anxiety。　　Through　the　summer　he　bore　his　grief　in　silence；　never　speaking　of　it　even　to　Brown；　but　on　one　occasion；　when　French's　absence　had　been　extended　from　one　Sunday　to　the　next；　his　anxiety　and　grief　became　unsupportable；　and　he　poured　it　forth　to　Brown。

〃He　has　not　been　home　for　a　week；　Mr。　Brown；　and　oh！　I　can't　stand　it　any　longer；〃　cried　the　distracted　boy。　　〃I　can't　stay　here　while　Jack　is　over　there　in　such　a　terrible　way。　　I　must　go　to　him。〃

〃He　won't　like　it；　Kalman；〃　said　Brown；　〃he　won't　stand　it；　I　am　afraid。　　I　would　go；　but　I　know　it　would　only　offend　him。〃

〃I　am　going　down　to　the　Crossing　to…day；〃　said　Kalman。　　〃I　don't　care　if　he　kills　me；　I　must　go。〃

But　his　experience　was　such　that　he　never　went　again；　for　Jack　French　in　his　madness　nearly　killed　the　boy；　who　was　brought　sadly　battered　to　Brown's　hospital；　where　he　lay　for　a　week　or　more。　Every　day；　French；　penetrated　with　penitence；　visited　him；　lavishing　on　the　boy　a　new　tenderness。　　But　when　Kalman　was　on　his　feet　again；　French　laid　it　upon　him；　and　bound　him　by　a　solemn　promise　that　he　should　never　again　follow　him　to　the　Crossing；　or　interfere　when　he　was　not　master　of　himself。　　It　was　a　hard　promise　to　give；　but　once　given；　that　settled　the　matter　for　both。　　With　Brown　he　never　discussed　Jack　French's　weakness；　but　every　Sunday　afternoon；　when　in　his　own　home　Brown　prayed　for　friends　near　and　dear；　committing　them　into　the　Heavenly　Father's　keeping；　in　their　minds；　chiefly　and　before　all　others　was　the　man　whom　they　had　all　come　to　love　as　an　elder　brother；　and　for　whose　redemption　they　were　ready　to　lay　down　their　lives。　　And　this　was　the　strongest　strand　in　the　bond　that　bound　Kalman　and　his　friend　together。　　So　to　Brown　Kalman　went　with　his　plans　for　the　coming　summer；　and　with　most　happy　results。　　For　through　the　spring　and　summer；　following　Brown's　advice　and　under　Kalman's　immediate　directions；　a　strong　force　of　Galicians　with　horse　teams　and　ox　teams　were　kept　hard　at　work；　breaking　and　back…setting；　in　anticipation　of　an　early　sowing　in　the　following　spring。　　In　the　meantime　Brown　himself　was　full　of　work。　　The　addition　to　his　hospital　was　almost　always　full　of　patients；　his　school　had　begun　to　come　back　to　him　again；　for　the　gratitude　of　his　warm…hearted　Galician　people；　in　return　for　his　many　services　to　their　sick　and　suffering；　sufficed　to　overcome　their　fear　of　the　Polish　priest；　whose　unpriestly　habits　and　whose　mercenary　spirit　were　fast　turning　against　him　even　the　most　loyal　of　his　people。　　In　the　expressive　words　of　old　Portnoff；　who；　it　is　to　be　feared；　had　little　religion　in　his　soul；　was　summed　up　the　general　opinion：　　〃Dat　Klazowski　bad　man。　　He　drink；　drink　all　time；　take　money；　money　for　everyting。　　He　damn　school；　send　doctor　man　hell　fire；〃　the　meaning　of　which　was　abundantly　obvious　to　both　Brown　and　his　wife。

So　full　of　work　were　they　all；　both　at　the　ranch　and　at　Wakota；　that　almost　without　their　knowing　it　the　summer　had　gone；　and　autumn；　with　its　golden　glorious　days；　nippy　evenings；　and　brilliant　starry　nights；　Canada's　most　delightful　season；　was　upon　them。　　Throughout　the　summer　the　construction　gangs　had　steadily　worked　their　way　north　and　west；　and　had　crossed　the　Saskatchewan；　and　were　approaching　the　Eagle　Hill　country。　　Preceding　the　construction　army；　and　following　it；　were　camp　followers　and　attendants　of　various　kinds。　　On　the　one　hand　the　unlicensed　trader　and　whiskey　pedlar；　the　bane　of　the　contractor　and　engineer；　on　the　other　hand　the　tourist；　the　capitalist；　and　the　speculator；　whom　engineers　and　contractors　received　with　welcome　or　with　scant　tolerance；　according　to　the　letters　of　introduction　they　brought　from　the　great　men　in　the　East。

Attached　to　the　camp　of　Engineer　Harris　was　a　small　and　influential　party；　consisting　of　Mr。　Robert　Menzies　of　Glasgow；　capitalist；　and；　therefore；　possible　investor　in　Canadian　lands；　mines；　and　railroads；consequently；　a　man　to　be　considered；　with　him；　his　daughter　Marjorie；　a　brown…haired　maid　of　seventeen；　out　for　the　good　of　her　health　and　much　the　better　of　her　outing；　and　Aunt　Janet；　maiden　sister　to　Mr。　Menzies；　and　guardian　to　both　brother　and　niece。　　With　this　party　travelled　Mr。　Edgar　Penny；　a　young　English　gentleman　of　considerable　means；　who；　having　been　a　year　in　the　country；　felt　himself　eminently　qualified　to　act　as　adviser　and　guide　to　the　party。　　At　present；　however；　Mr。　Penny　was　far　more　deeply　interested　in　the　study　of　the　lights　that　lurked　in　Miss　Marjorie's　brown　eyes；　and　the　bronze　tints　of　her　abundant　hair；　than　in　the　opportunities　for　investments　offered　by　Canadian　lands；　railroads；　and　mines。

With　an　elaborate　equipment；　this　party　had　spent　three　months　travelling　as　far　as　Edmonton；　and　now；　on　their　way　back；　were　attached　to　the　camp　of　Engineer　Harris；　in　order　that　the　Scotch　capitalist　might　personally　investigate　methods　of　railway　construction　as　practised　in　Western　Canada。　　At　present；　the　party　were　encamped　at　a　little　distance　from　the　Wakota　trail；　and　upon　the　sunny　side　of　a　poplar　bluff；　for　it　was　growing　late　in　the　year。

It　was　on　a　rare　October　morning　that　Kalman；　rising　before　the　sun；　set　out　upon　his　broncho　to　round　up　the　horses　for　their　morning　feed　in　preparation　for　the　day's　back…setting。　　With　his　dogs　at　his　horse's　heels；　he　rode　down　to　the　Night　Hawk；　and　crossed　to　the　opposite　side　of　the　ravine。　　As　he　came　out　upon　the　open　prairie；　Captain；　the　noble　and　worthy　son　of　Blucher；　caught　sight　of　a　prairie　wolf　not　more　than　one　hundred　yards　distant；　and　was　off　after　him　like　the　wind。

〃Aha！　my　boy；〃　cried　Kalman；　getting　between　the　coyote　and　the　bluff；　and　turning　him　towards　the　open　country；　〃you　have　got　your　last　chicken；　I　guess。　　It　is　our　turn　now。〃

Headed　off　from　the　woods　that　marked　the　banks　of　the　Night　Hawk　Creek；　the　coyote　in　desperation　took　to　the　open　prairie；　with　Captain　and　Queen；　a　noble　fox…hound　bitch；　closing　fast　upon　him。　Two　miles　across　the　open　country　could　be　seen　the　poplar　bluff；　behind　which　lay　the　camp　of　the　Engineer　and　his　travelling　companions。　　Steadily　the　gap　between　the　wolf　and　the　pursuing　hounds　grew　less；　till　at　length；　fearing　the　inevitable；　the　hunted　beast　turned　towards　the　little　bluff；　and　entered　it　with　the　dogs　only　a　few　yards　behind。　　Alas！　for　him；　the　bluff　afforded　no　shelter。　　Right　through　the　little　belt　of　timber　dashed　the　wolf　with　the　dogs　and　Kalman　hard　upon　his　trail。　　At　the　very　instant　that　the　wolf　came　opposite　the　door　of　Aunt　Janet's　tent；　Captain　reached　for　the　extreme　point　of　the　beast's　extended　tail。　　Like　a　flash；　the　brute　doubled　upon　his　pursuer；　snapping　fiercely　as　the　hound　dashed　past。　　With　a　howl　of　rage　and　pain；　Captain　clawed　the　ground　in　his　effort　to　recover　himself；　but　before　he　could　renew　his　attack；　and　just　as　the　wolf　was　setting　forth　again；　like　a　cyclone　Queen　was　upon　them。　　So　terrific　was　her　impact；　that　dogs　and　wolf　rolled　under　the　tent　door　in　one　snarling；　fighting；　snapping　mass　of　legs　and　tails　and　squirming　bodies。　　Immediately　from　within　rose　a　wild　shriek　of　terror。

〃Mercy　sakes　alive！　　What；　what　is　this？　　Help！　　Help！　　Help！　Where　are　you　all？　　Will　some　one　not　come　to　my　help？〃　　Kalman　sprang　from　his　horse；　rushed　forward；　and　lifted　the　tent　door。　　A　new　outcry　greeted　his　ear。

〃Get　out；　get　out；　you　man！〃　　He　dropped　the　flap；　fled　aghast　before　the　appalling　vision　of　Aunt　Janet　in　night　attire；　with　a　ring　of　curl…papers　round　her　head；　driven　back　into　the　corner　of　the　tent；　and　crouched　u