the man from glengarry-第59节

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country？　　Wall；　it　will　not　hurt　you　to　leave　it　alone；〃　solemnly
winking　at　St。　Clair；　and　taking　a　long　pull　himself。　　〃Good　for
the　breath；〃　he　continued；　putting　the　flask　in　his　pocket。　　〃Now；
about　those　limits　of　mine；　the　boss　here　has　been　telling　you
about　our　deal？〃

〃A　little；〃　said　Ranald。

〃We've　hardly　had　time　to　look　into　anything　yet；〃　said　Mr。　St。
Clair；　〃but　if　you　will　step　into　my　office；　Colonel；　I　have　the
papers　and　maps　there。〃　　Mr。　St。　Clair's　tone　was　anxious。　　Once
more　the　colonel　shot　a　glance　at　him。

〃You　have　been　on　the　spot；　I　judge；〃　he　said　to　Ranald；　rising　and
following　Mr。　St。　Clair。

〃Yes；　over　it　all。〃

〃Wall；　come　along；　you're　the　map　we　want；　eh？　　Maps　are　chiefly
for　purposes　of　deception；　I　have　found；　ha；　ha！　and　there　ain't
none　of　'em　right；〃　and　he　held　the　door　for　Ranald　to　enter。

Mr。　St。　Clair　was　evidently　annoyed。　　Unfolding　a　map　he　laid　it
out　on　the　table。　　〃This　is　the　place；　I　believe；〃　he　said；　putting
his　finger　down　upon　the　map。

〃Ain't　surveyed；　I　judge；〃　said　the　colonel　to　Ranald。

〃No；　only　in　part；　the　old　Salter　lines　are　there；　but　I　had　to　go
away　beyond　these。〃

〃Warn't　'fraid　of　gettin'　lost；　eh？　　Ha；　ha！　　Wall　show　us　your
route。〃

Ranald　put　his　finger　on　the　map；　and　said：　　〃I　struck　the　Bass
River　about　here；　and　using　that　as　a　base；　first　explored　the
whole　west　side；　for；　I　should　say；　about　ten　miles　back　from　the
river。〃

〃Don't　say！　　How'd　you　grub？　　Game　mostly？〃

〃Well；　we　carried　some　pork　and　Hudson　Bay　hard　tack　and　tea；　and
of　course；　we　could　get　all　the　fish　and　game　we　wanted。〃

〃Lots　of　game；　eh？　　Small　and　big？〃　　The　colonel　was　evidently　much
interested　in　this　part　of　Ranald's　story。　　〃By　the　great　Sam；　must
go　up　there！〃

〃It　would　do　you　all　the　good　in　the　world；　Colonel；〃　said　Mr。　St。
Clair；　heartily。　　〃You　must　really　go　up　with　your　men　and　help
them　lay　out　the　ground；　you　know。〃

〃That's　so！　　Now　if　you　were　lumbering　in　there；　how'd　you　get　the
timber　out？〃

〃Down　the　Bass　River　to　Lake　Nipissing；〃　said　Ranald；　pointing　out
the　route。

〃Yes；　but　how'd　you　get　it　to　the　Bass？　　These　limits；　I　understand；
lie　on　both　sides　of　the　Bass；　don't　they？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃And　the　Bass　cuts　through　it　the　short　way？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Wall；　does　that　mean　six　or　eight　or　ten　miles　of　a　haul？〃

〃On　the　west　side；〃　replied　Ranald；　〃no。　　There　are　a　number　of
small　streams　and　lakes　which　you　could　utilize。〃

〃And　on　the　east　side？〃

〃You　see；　Colonel；〃　broke　in　Mr。　St。　Clair；　〃that　whole　country　is
one　net…work　of　water…ways。　　Notice　the　map　here；　and　there　are
always　a　number　of　lakes　not　marked。〃

〃That　is　quite　true；〃　said　Ranald；　〃as　a　rule；　but　on　the　east
side〃

〃Oh；　of　course；〃　said　Mr。　St。　Clair；　hastily；　〃you　will　find　great
differences　in　different　parts　of　the　country。〃

Mr。　St。　Clair　folded　up　the　map　and　threw　it　on　the　table。

〃Let's　see；〃　said　the　colonel；　taking　up　the　map　again。　　〃Now　how
about　the　camps；　Mr。　Macdonald；　where　do　you　locate　them？〃

〃I　have　a　rough　draught　here　in　which　the　bases　for　camps　are
indicated；〃　said　Ranald；　ignoring　the　imploring　and　angry　looks　of
his　chief。

〃Let's　have　a　look　at　'em；〃　said　the　colonel。

〃Oh；　you　haven't　shown　me　this；〃　said　Mr。　St。　Clair；　taking　the
draught　from　Ranald。

〃No；　sir；　you　have　not　seen　my　final　report。〃

〃No；　not　yet；　of　course。　　We　have　hardly　had　time　yet；　Colonel；　but
Mr。　Macdonald　will　make　a　copy　of　this　for　you　and　send　it　in　a　day
or　two；〃　replied　Mr。　St。　Clair；　folding　up　the　sketch；　nervously；
and　placing　it　on　his　desk。　　The　colonel　quietly　picked　up　the
sketch　and　opened　it　out。

〃You　have　got　that　last　report　of　yours；　I　suppose；〃　he　said；　with
a　swift　glance　at　Mr。　St。　Clair。　　That　gentleman's　face　was　pallid
and　damp；　his　whole　fortune　hung　on　Ranald's　reply。　　It　was　to　him
a　moment　of　agony。

Ranald　glanced　at　his　face；　and　paused。　　Then　drawing　his　lips　a
little　tighter；　he　said：　　〃Colonel　Thorp；　my　final　report　has　not
yet　been　handed　in。　　Mr。　St。　Clair　has　not　seen　it。　　In　my
judgment〃　here　Mr。　St。　Clair　leaned　his　hand　hard　upon　his　desk
〃you　are　getting　full　value　for　your　money；　but　I　would　suggest
that　you　go　yourself　or　send　your　inspector　to　explore　the　limits
carefully　before　you　complete　the　deal。〃

Colonel　Thorp；　who　had　been　carefully　scanning　the　sketch　in　his
hand；　suddenly　turned　and　looked　Ranald　steadily　in　the　eye。
〃These　marks　on　the　west　side　mean　camps？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃There　are　very　few　on　the　east　side？〃

〃There　are　very　few；　the　east　side　is　inferior　to　the　west。〃

〃Much？〃

〃Yes；　much　inferior。〃

〃But　in　your　opinion　the　limit　is　worth　the　figure？〃

〃I　would　undertake　to　make　money　out　of　it；　it　is　good　value。〃

The　colonel　chewed　hard　for　a　minute；　then　turning　to　Mr。　St。
Clair；　he　said：　　〃Wall；　Mr。　St。　Clair；　I'll　give　you　one　hundred
thousand　for　your　limit；　but　by　the　great　Sam；　I'd　give　twice　the
sum　for　your　manager；　if　he's　for　sale！　　He's　a　man！〃　　The　emphasis
on　the　he　was　ever　so　slight；　but　it　was　enough。　　Mr。　St。　Clair
bowed；　and　sinking　down　into　his　chair；　busied　himself　with　his
papers。

〃Wall；〃　said　the　colonel；　〃that's　settled；　and　that　reminds　me；〃　he
added；　pulling　out　his　flask；　〃good　luck　to　the　Bass　River　Limits！〃

He　handed　the　flask　to　Mr。　St。　Clair；　who　eagerly　seized　it　and
took　a　long　drink。

〃Goes　good　sometimes；〃　said　the　colonel；　innocently。　　〃Wall；　here's
lookin'　at　you；〃　he　continued；　bowing　toward　Ranald；　〃and　by　the
great　Sam；　you　suit　me　well！　　If　you　ever　feel　like　a　change　of
air；　indicate　the　same　to　Colonel　Thorp。〃

〃Ah；　Colonel；〃　said　Mr。　St。　Clair；　who　had　recovered　his　easy；
pleasant　manner；　〃we　can　sell　limits　but　not　men。〃

〃No；　by　the　great　Sammy；〃　replied　the　colonel；　using　the　more
emphatic　form　of　his　oath；　〃ner　buy　'em！　　Wall；〃　he　added；　〃when
you　have　the　papers　ready；　let　me　know。　　Good　day！〃

〃Very　good；　Colonel；　good　by；　good　by！〃

The　colonel　did　not　notice　Mr。　St。　Clair's　offered　hand；　but
nodding　to　Ranald；　sauntered　out　of　the　office；　leaving　the　two　men
alone。　　For　a　few　moments　Mr。　St。　Clair　turned　over　his　papers　in
silence。　　His　face　was　flushed　and　smiling。

〃Well；　that　is　a　most　happy　deliverance；　Ranald；〃　he　said；　rubbing
his　hands。　　〃But　what　is　the　matter？　　You　are　not　well。〃

White　to　the　lips；　Ranald　stood　looking　at　his　chief　with　a
resolved　face。

〃Mr。　St。　Clair；　I　wish　to　offer　you　my　resignation　as　manager。〃

〃Nonsense；　Ranald；　we　will　say　no　more　about　that。　　I　was　a　little
hasty。　　I　hope　the　change　I　spoke　of　will　go　into　immediate　effect。〃

〃I　must　beg　to　decline。〃　　The　words　came　slowly；　sternly　from
Ranald's　white　lips。

〃And　why；　pray？〃

〃I　have　little　doubt　you　can　discover　the　reason；　Mr。　St。　Clair。
A　few　moments　ago；　for　honorable　dealing；　you　would　have　dismissed
me。　　It　is　impossible　that　I　should　remain　in　your　employ。〃

〃Mr。　Macdonald；　are　you　serious　in　this？　　Do　you　know　what　you　are
doing？　　Do　you　know　what　you　are　saying？〃　　Mr。　St。　Clair　rose　and
faced　his　manager。

〃Only　too　well；〃　said　Ranald；　with　lips　that　began　to　quiver；　〃and
all　the　more　because　of　what　I　must　say　further。　　Mr。　St。　Clair；　I
love　your　daughter。　　I　have　loved　her　for　seven　years。　　It　is　my
one　desire　in　life　to　gain　her　for　my　wife。〃

Mr。　St。　Clair　gazed　at　him　in　utter　astonishment。

〃And　in　the　same　breath；〃　he　said　at　length；　〃you　insult　me　and　ask
my　permission。〃

〃It　is　vain　to　ask　your　permission；　I　fear；　but　it　is　right　that
you　should　know　my　desire　and　my　purpose。〃

〃Your　purpose？〃

〃My　unalterable　purpose。〃

〃You　take　my　daughter　out　of　my　house　inin　spite　of　my　teeth？〃
Mr。　St。　Clair　could　hardly　find　words。

〃She　will　come　with　me；〃　said　Ranald；　a　little　proudly。

〃And　may　I　ask　how　you　know？　　Have　you　spoken　to　my　daughter？〃

〃I　have　not　spoken　to　her　openly。〃　　The　blood　rose　in　his　dark
face。　　〃But　I　believe　she　loves　me。〃

〃Well；　Mr。　Macdonald；　your　confidence　is　only　paralleled　by　your
prodigious　insolence。〃

〃I　hope　not；〃　said　Ranald；　lowering　his　head　from　its　proud　pose。
〃I　have　no　desire　to　be　insolent。〃

Once　more　Mr。　St。　Clair　looked　at　him　in　silence。　　Then　slowly　and
with　quiet　emphasis；　he　said：　　〃Mr。　Macdonald；　you　are　a　determined
man；　but　as　God　lives；　this　purpose　of　yours　you　will　never　carry
out。　　I　know　my　daughter；　I　think；　better　than　you　know　her；　and　I
tell　you；〃　here　a　slight　smile　of　confidence　played　for　a　moment　on
his　face；　〃she　will　never　be　your　wife。〃

Ranald　bowed　his　head。

〃It　shall　be　as　she　wills；〃　he　said；　in　a　grave；　almost　sad；　voice。
〃She　shall　decide；〃　and　he　passed　into　his　office。

All　day　long　Ranald　toiled　at　his　desk；　leaving　himself　no　time　for
thought。　　In　the　late　afternoon　Harry　came　in　on　his　way　home。

〃Thanks；　old　chap；〃　said　Ranald；　looking　up　from　his　work；　〃sha'n't
be　able　to　come　to…night；　I　am　sorry　to　say。〃

〃Not　come？〃　cried　Harry。

〃No；　it　is　impossible。〃

〃What　rot；　and　Maimie　has　waited　ten　days　for　you。　　Come　along！〃

〃It　is　quite　impossible；　Harry；〃　said　Ranald；　〃and　I　want　you　to
take　this　note　to　Maimie。　　The　note　will　explain　to　her。〃

〃But；　Ranald；　this　is〃

〃