the man from glengarry-第62节

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Lacy　aside；　hurling　him　crashing　against　the　wall；　and　stood　before
the　shrinking　girl。

〃Good　by；　Maimie；　forget　that　I　loved　you　once。〃

The　words　came　slowly　from　his　pallid　lips。　　For　some　moments　he
stood　with　his　burning　eyes　fastened　upon　her　face。　　Then　he　turned
slowly　from　her　and　groped　blindly　for　his　hat。　　Miss　St。　Clair
hurried　toward　him；　found　his　hat；　and　putting　it　in　his　hand；
said；　in　a　broken　voice；　while　tears　poured　down　her　cheeks：　　〃Here
it　is；　good　by；　good　by。〃

He　looked　at　her　a　moment　as　if　in　surprise；　and　then；　with　a　smile
of　rare　sweetness　on　his　white　lips；　he　said；　〃I　thank　you；〃　and
passed　out；　going　feebly　like　a　man　who　has　got　a　death　wound。



CHAPTER　XXIII

A　GOOD　TRUE　FRIEND


It　was　springtime　and　the　parks　and　avenues　were　in　all　the　dainty
splendor　of　their　new　leaves。　　The　afternoon　May　sun　was　flooding
the　city　with　gold　and　silver　light；　and　all　the　air　was　tremulous
with　the　singing　of　birds。　　A　good　day　it　was　to　live　if　one　could
only　live　in　the　sunny　air　within　sight　of　the　green　leaves　and
within　sound　of　the　singing　birds。　　A　day　for　life　and　love　it　was；
at　least　so　Kate　thought　as　she　drew　up　her　prancing　team　at　the
St。　Clair　house　where　Harry　stood　waiting　for　her。

〃DEAR　Kate；〃　he　cried；　〃how　stunning　you　are！　　I　love　you！〃

〃Come；　Harry；　jump　up！　　Breton　is　getting　excited。〃

〃Stony…hearted　wretch；〃　grumbled　Harry。　　〃Did　you　hear　me　tell　you
I　love　you？〃

〃Nonsense；　Harry；　jump　in；　I'll　report　to　Lily　Langford。〃

〃Don't　tell；〃　pleaded　Harry；　〃and　do　keep　Breton　on　all　fours。
This　isn't　a　circus。　　You　terrify　me。〃

〃We　have　only　time　to　make　the　train；　hurry　up！〃　cried　Kate。
〃Steady；　my　boys。〃

〃Some　day；　Kate；　those　'boys'　of　yours　will　be　your　death　or　the
death　of　some　of　your　friends；〃　said　Harry；　as　he　sprang　in　and
took　his　place　beside　Kate。　　〃That　Breton　ought　to　be　shot。　　It
really　affects　my　heart　to　drive　with　you。〃

〃You　haven't　any；　Harry；　you　know　that　right　well；　so　don't　be
alarmed。〃

〃Quite　true；〃　said　Harry；　sentimentally；　〃not　since　that　night；
don't　you　remember；　Kate；　when　you〃

〃Now；　Harry；　I　only　remind　you　that　I　always　tell　my　girl　friends
everything　you　say。　　It　is　this　wedding　that's　got　into　your
blood。〃

〃I　suppose　so；〃　murmured　Harry；　pensively；　〃wish　it　would　get　into
yours。　　Now　seriously；　Kate；　at　your　years　you　ought〃

〃Harry；〃　said　Kate；　indignantly；　〃I　really　don't　need　you　at　the
station。　　I　can　meet　your　aunt　quite　well　without　you。　　Shall　I　set
you　down　here；　or　drive　you　to　the　office？〃

〃Oh；　not　to　the　office；　I　entreat！　　I　entreat！　　Anything　but　that！
Surely　I　may　be　allowed　this　day！　　I　shall　be　careful　of　your
sensitive　points；　but　I　do　hope　this　wedding　of　Maimie's　will　give
you　serious　thoughts。〃

Kate　was　silent；　giving　her　attention　doubtless　to　her　team。　　Then；
with　seeming　irrelevance；　she　said：　　〃Didn't　I　see　Colonel　Thorp
yesterday　in　town？〃

〃Yes；　the　old　heathen！　　I　haven't　forgiven　him　for　taking　off
Ranald　as　he　did。〃

〃He　didn't　take　off　Ranald。　　Ranald　was　going　off　anyway。〃

〃How　do　you　know？〃　said　Harry。

〃I　know；〃　replied　Kate；　with　a　little　color　in　her　cheek。　　〃He　told
me　himself。〃

〃Well；　old　Thorp　was　mighty　glad　to　get　him；　I　can　tell　you　that。
The　old　sinner！〃

〃He's　just　a　dear！〃　cried　Kate。　　〃Yes；　he　was　glad　to　get　Ranald。
What　a　splendid　position　he　gave　him。〃

〃Oh；　yes；　I　know；　he　adores　you　like　all　the　rest；　and　so　you　think
him　a　dear。〃

But　this　Kate　ignored　for　the　team　were　speeding　along　at　an
alarming　pace。　　With　amazing　skill　and　dash　she　threaded　her　way
through　the　crowded　streets　with　almost　no　checking　of　her　speed。

〃Do　be　careful；〃　cried　Harry；　as　the　wheels　of　their　carriage
skimmed　the　noses　of　the　car…horses。　　〃I　am　quite　sure　my　aunt　will
not　be　able　to　recognize　me。〃

〃And　why　not？〃

〃Because　I　shall　be　gray…haired　by　the　time　I　reach　the　station。〃

〃There's　the　train　I　do　believe；〃　cried　Kate；　flourishing　her　whip
over　her　horses'　backs。　　〃We　must　not　be　late。〃

〃If　we　ever　get　there　alive；〃　said　Harry。

〃Here　we　are　sure　enough。〃

〃Shall　I　go　to　the　train？〃

〃No；　indeed；〃　cried　Kate。　　〃Do　you　think　I　am　going　to　allow　any
one　to　meet　MY　Aunt　Murray　but　myself？　　I　shall　go；　you　hold　the
horses。〃

〃I　am　afraid；　really；〃　cried　Harry；　pretending　terror。

〃Oh；　I　fancy　you　will　do；〃　cried　Kate；　smiling　sweetly；　as　she　ran
off　to　meet　the　incoming　train。　　In　a　few　moments　she　returned　with
Mrs。　Murray　and　carrying　a　large；　black　valise。

〃Hello；　auntie　dear；〃　cried　Harry。　　〃You　see　I　can't　leave　these
brutes　of　Kate's；　but　believe　me　it　does　me　good　to　see　you。　　What
a　blessing　a　wedding　is　to　bring　you　to　us。　　I　suppose　you　won't
come　again　until　it　is　Kate's　or　mine。〃

〃That　would　be　sure　to　bring　me；〃　cried　Mrs。　Murray；　smiling　her
bright　smile；　〃provided　you　married　the　right　persons。〃

〃Why；　auntie；〃　said　Harry；　dismally；　〃Kate　is　so　unreasonable。　　She
won't　take　even　me。　　You　see　she's　so　tremendously　impressed　with
herself；　and　all　the　fellows　spoil　her。〃

By　this　time　Kate　had　the　reins　and　Harry　had　climbed　into　the　back
seat。

〃Dear　old　auntie；〃　he　said；　kissing　his　aunt；　〃I　am　really
delighted　to　see　you。　　But　to　return　to　Kate。　　Look　at　her！
Doesn't　she　look　like　a　Roman　princess？〃

〃Now；　Harry；　do　be　sensible；　or　I　shall　certainly　drive　you　at　once
to　the　office；〃　said　Kate；　severely。

〃Oh；　the　heartlessness　of　her。　　She　knows　well　enough　that　Colonel
Thorp　is　there；　and　she　would　shamelessly　exult　over　his　abject
devotion。　　She　respects　neither　innocent　youth　nor　gray　hairs；　as
witness　myself　and　Colonel　Thorp。〃

〃Isn't　he　a　silly　boy；　auntie？〃　said　Kate；　〃and　he　is　not　much
improving　with　age。〃

〃But　what's　this　about　Colonel　Thorp？〃　said　Mrs。　Murray。　　〃Sometimes
Ranald　writes　of　him；　in　high　terms；　too。〃

〃Well；　you　ought　to　hear　Thorp　abuse　Ranald。　　Says　he's　ruining　the
company　with　his　various　philanthropic　schemes；〃　said　Harry；　〃but
you　can　never　tell　what　he　means　exactly。　　He's　a　wily　old　customer。〃

〃Don't　believe　him；　auntie；〃　said　Kate；　with　a　sagacious　smile。
〃Colonel　Thorp　thinks　that　the　whole　future　of　his　company　and　of
the　Province　depends　solely　upon　Ranald。　　It　is　quite　ridiculous　to
hear　him；　while　all　the　time　he　is　abusing　him　for　his　freaks。〃

〃It　must　be　a　great　country　out　there；　though；〃　said　Harry；　〃and
what　a　row　they　are　making　over　Confederation。〃

〃What　do　you　mean；　Harry？〃　said　Mrs。　Murray。　　〃We　hear　so　little　in
the　country。〃

〃Well；　I　don't　know　exactly；　but　those　fellows　in　British　Columbia
are　making　all　sorts　of　threats　that　unless　this　railway　is　built
forthwith　they　will　back　out　of　the　Dominion；　and　some　of　them　talk
of　annexation　with　the　United　States。　　Don't　I　wish　I　was　there！
What　a　lucky　fellow　Ranald　is。　　Thorp　says　he's　a　big　gun　already。
No　end　of　a　swell。　　Of　course；　as　manager　of　a　big　concern　like　the
British…American　Coal　and　Lumber　Company；　he　is　a　man　of　some
importance。〃

〃I　don't　think　he　is　taking　much　to　do　with　public　questions；〃　said
Kate；　〃though　he　did　make　a　speech　at　New　Westminster　not　long　ago。
He　has　been　up　in　those　terrible　woods　almost　ever　since　he　went。〃

〃Hello；　how　do　you　know？〃　said　Harry；　looking　at　her　suspiciously；
〃I　get　a　fragment　of　a　note　from　Ranald　now　and　then；　but　he　is
altogether　too　busy　to　remember　humble　people。〃

〃I　hear　regularly　from　Coley。　　You　remember　Coley；　don't　you？〃　said
Kate；　turning　to　Mrs。　Murray。

〃Oh；　yes；　that's　the　lad　in　whom　Ranald　was　so　interested　in　the
Institute。〃

〃Yes；〃　replied　Kate；　〃Coley　begged　and　prayed　to　go　with　Ranald；
and　so　he　went。〃

〃She　omits　to　state；〃　said　Harry；　〃that　she　also　'begged　and
prayed'　and　further　that　she　outfitted　the　young　rascal；　though
I've　reason　to　thank　Providence　for　removing　him　to　another　sphere。〃

〃How　does　it　affect　you？〃　said　Mrs。　Murray。

〃Why；　haven't　you　heard；　Aunt　Murray；　of　the　tremendous　heights　to
which　I　have　attained？　　I　suppose　she　didn't　tell　you　of　her　dinner
party。　　That　was　after　you　had　left　last　fall。　　It　was　a　great　bit
of　generalship。　　Some　of　Ranald's　foot…ball　friends；　Little
Merrill；　Starry　Hamilton；　that's　the　captain；　you　know；　and　myself
among　them；　were　asked　to　a　farewell　supper　by　this　young　lady；　and
when　the　men　had　well　drunkfed；　I　meanand　were　properly
dissolved　in　tears　over　the　prospect　of　Ranald's　departure；　at　a
critical　moment　the　Institute　was　introduced　as　a　side　issue。　　It
was　dear　to　Ranald's　heart。　　A　most　effective　picture　was　drawn　of
the　Institute　deserted　and　falling　into　ruins；　so　to　speak；　with
Kate　heroically　struggling　to　prevent　utter　collapse。　　Could　this
be　allowed？　　No！　a　thousand　times　no！　　Some　one　would　be　found
surely！　　Who　would　it　be！　　At　this　juncture　Kate；　who　had　been
maintaining　a　powerful　silence；　smiled　upon　Little　Merrill；　who
being　distinctly　inflammable；　and　for　some　mysterious　reason
devoted　to　Ranald；　and　for　an　even　more　mysterious　reason　devoted
to　Kate；　swore　he'd　follow　if　some　one　would　lead。　　What　could　I
do？　　My　well…known　abilities　naturally　singled　me　out　for
leadership；　so　to　prevent　any　such　calamity；　I　immediately　propose