the man from glengarry-第63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！


do？　　My　well…known　abilities　naturally　singled　me　out　for
leadership；　so　to　prevent　any　such　calamity；　I　immediately　proposed
that　if　Starry　Hamilton；　the　great　foot…ball　chief；　would　command
this　enterprise　I　would　follow。　　Before　the　evening　was　over　the
Institute　was　thoroughly　manned。〃

〃It　is　nearly　half　true；　aunt；〃　said　Kate。

〃And　by　our　united　efforts；〃　continued　Harry；　〃the　Institute　has
survived　the　loss　of　Ranald。〃

〃I　cannot　tell　you　how　overjoyed　I　am；　Harry；　that　both　of　my　boys
are　taking　hold　of　such　good　work；　you　here　and　Ranald　in　British
Columbia。　　He　must　have　a　very　hard　time　of　it；　but　he　speaks　very
gratefully　of　Colonel　Thorp；　who；　he　says；　often　opposes　but
finally　agrees　with　his　proposals。〃

Harry　laughed　aloud。　　〃Agrees；　does　he？　　And　do　you　know　why？　　I
remember　seeing　him　one　day；　and　he　was　in　a　state　of　wild　fury　at
Ranald's　notions。　　I　won't　quote　his　exact　words。　　The　next　day　I
found　him　in　a　state　of　bland　approval。　　Then　I　learn　incidentally
that　in　the　meantime　Kate　has　been　giving　him　tea　and　music。〃

〃Don't　listen　to　his　mean　insinuations；　auntie；〃　said　Kate；
blushing　a　little。

Mrs。　Murray　turned　and　looked　curiously　into　her　face　and　smiled；
and　then　Kate　blushed　all　the　more。

〃I　think　that　may　explain　some　things　that　have　been　mysterious　to
me；〃　she　said。

〃Oh；　what；　auntie？〃　cried　Harry；　〃I　am　most　anxious　to　know。〃

〃Never　mind；〃　said　Mrs。　Murray；　〃I　will　explain　to　Kate。〃

〃That　won't　help　me　any。　　She　is　a　most　secretive　person；　twiddles
us　all　round　her　fingers　and　never　lets　us　know　anything　until　it's
done。　　It　is　most　exasperating。　　Oh；　I　say；　Kate；〃　added　Harry；
suddenly；　〃would　you　mind　dropping　me　at　the　florist's　here？〃

〃Why？　　Oh；　I　see；〃　said　Kate；　drawing　in　her　team。　　〃How　do　you　do；
Lily？　　Harry　is　anxious　to　select　some　flowers；〃　she　said；　bowing
to　a　very　pretty　girl　on　the　sidewalk。

〃Kate；　do　stop　it；〃　besought　Harry；　in　a　low　voice；　as　he　leaped
out　of　the　carriage。　　〃Good　by；　auntie；　I'll　see　you　this　evening。
Don't　believe　all　Kate　tells　you；〃　he　added；　as　they　drove　away。

〃Are　you　too　tired　for　a　turn　in　the　park；〃　said　Kate；　〃or　shall　we
drive　home？〃

A　drive　is　always　pleasant。　　Besides；　one　can　talk　about　some
things　with　more　freedom　in　a　carriage　than　face　to　face　in　one's
room。　　The　horses　require　attention　at　critical　moments；　and　there
are　always　points　of　interest　when　it　is　important　that　conversation
should　be　deflected　from　the　subject　in　hand；　so　since　Mrs。　Murray
was　willing；　Kate　turned　into　the　park。　　For　an　hour　they　drove
along　its　shady；　winding　roads　while　Mrs。　Murray　talked　of　many
things；　but　mostly　of　Ranald；　and　of　the　tales　that　the　Glengarry
people　had　of　him。　　For　wherever　there　was　lumbering　to　be　done；
sooner　or　later　there　Glengarry　men　were　to　be　found；　and　Ranald　had
found　them　in　the　British　Columbia　forests。　　And　to　their　people
at　home　their　letters　spoke　of　Ranald　and　his　doings　at　first
doubtfully；　soon　more　confidently；　but　always　with　pride。　　To
Macdonald　Bhain　a　rare　letter　came　from　Ranald　now　and　then；　which
he　would　carry　to　Mrs。　Murray　with　a　difficult　pretense　of　modesty。
For　with　Macdonald　Bhain；　Ranald　was　a　great　man。

〃But　he　is　not　quite　sure　of　him；〃　said　Mrs。　Murray。　　〃He　thinks
it　is　a　very　queer　way　of　lumbering；　and　the　wages　he　considers
excessive。〃

〃Does　he　say　that？〃　asked　Kate。　　〃That's　just　what　Colonel　Thorp
says　his　company　are　saying。　　But　he　stands　up　for　Ranald　even　when
he　can't　see　that　his　way　is　the　best。　　The　colonel　is　not　very　sure
about　Ranald's　schemes　for　the　men；　his　reading…room；　library；　and
that　sort　of　thing。　　But　I'm　sure　he　will　succeed。〃　　But　Kate's
tone　belied　her　confident　words。

Mrs。　Murray　noticed　the　anxiety　in　Kate's　voice。　　〃At　least　we　are
sure；〃　she　said；　gently；　〃that　he　will　do　right；　and　after　all　that
is　success。〃

〃I　know　that　right　well；〃　replied　Kate；　〃but　it　is　hard　for　him　out
there　with　no　one　to　help　him　or　to　encourage　him。〃

Again　Mrs。　Murray　looked　at　Kate；　curiously。

〃It　must　be　a　terrible　place；〃　Kate　went　on；　〃especially　for　one
like　Ranald；　for　he　has　no　mind　to　let　things　go。　　He　will　do　a
thing　as　it　ought　to　be　done；　or　not　at　all。〃　　Soon　after　this　Kate
gave　her　mind　to　her　horses；　and　in　a　short　time　headed　them　for
home。

〃What　a　delightful　drive　we　have　had；〃　said　Mrs。　Murray；　gratefully；
as　Kate　took　her　upstairs　to　her　room。

〃I　hope　I　have　not　worried　you　with　my　dismal　forebodings；〃　she
said；　with　a　little　laugh。

〃No；　dear；〃　said　Mrs。　Murray；　drawing　her　face　down　to　the　pillow
where　Kate　had　made　her　lay　her　head。　　〃I　think　I　understand；〃　she
added；　in　a　whisper。

Then　Kate　laid　her　face　beside　that　of　her　friend　and　whispered；
〃Oh；　auntie；　it　is　so　hard　for　him〃；　but　Mrs。　Murray　stroked　her
head　softly　and　said：　　〃There　is　no　fear；　Kate；　all　will　be　well
with　him。〃

Immediately　after　dinner　Kate　carried　Mrs。　Murray　with　her　to　her
own　room；　and　after　establishing　her　in　all　possible　comfort；　she
began　to　read　extracts　from　Coley's　letters。

〃Here　is　the　first；　auntie；　they　are　more　picturesque　than　elegant；
but　if　you　knew　Coley；　you　wouldn't　mind；　you'd　be　glad　to　get　any
letter　from　him。〃　　So　saying　Kate　turned　her　back　to　the　window；　a
position　with　the　double　advantage　of　allowing　the　light　to　fall
upon　the　paper　and　the　shadow　to　rest　upon　her　face；　and　so
proceeded　to　read：


DEAR　MISS　KATE：　　We　got　here（〃That　is　to　New　Westminster。〃）　last
night；　and　it　is　a　queer　town。　　The　streets　run　every　way；　the
houses　are　all　built　of　wood；　and　almost　none　of　them　are　painted。
The　streets　are　full　of　all　sorts　of　people。　　I　saw　lots　of
Chinamen　and　Indians。　　It　makes　a　feller　feel　kind　o'　queer　as　if
he　was　in　some　foreign　country。　　The　hotel　where　we　stopped　was　a
pretty　good　lookin'　place。　　Of　course　nothin'　like　the　hotel　we
stopped　at　in　San　Francisco。　　It　was　pretty　fine　inside；　but　after
supper　when　the　crowd　began　to　come　in　to　the　bar　you　never　saw
such　a　gang　in　your　life！　　They　knew　how　to　sling　their　money；　I
can　tell　you。　　And　then　they　begun　to　yell　and　cut　up。　　I　tell　you
it　would　make　the　Ward　seem　like　a　Sunday　school。　　The　Boss；　that's
what　they　call　him　here；　I　guess　didn't　like　it　much；　and　I　don't
think　you　would；　either。　　Next　morning　we　went　to　look　at　the
mills。　　They　are　just　sheds　with　slab　roofs。　　I　don't　think　much　of
them　myself；　though　I　don't　know　much　about　mills。　　The　Boss　went
round　askin'　questions　and　I　don't　think　he　liked　the　look　of　them
much　either。　　I　know　he　kept　his　lips　shut　pretty　tight　as　we　used
to　see　him　do　sometimes　in　the　Institute。　　I　am　awful　glad　he
brought　me　along。　　He　says　I　have　got　to　write　to　you　at　least　once
a　month；　and　I've　got　to　take　care　of　my　writin'　too　and　get　the
spellin'　right。　　When　I　think　of　the　fellers　back　in　the　alleys
pitchin'　pennies　I　tell　you　I'd　ruther　die　than　go　back。　　Here　a
feller　feels　he's　alive。　　I　wish　I'd　paid　more　attention　to　my
writin'　in　the　night　school；　but　I　guess　I　was　pretty　much　of　a
fool　them　days；　and　you　were　awful　good　to　me。　　The　Boss　says　that
a　man　must　always　pay　his　way；　and　when　I　told　him　I　wanted　to　pay
for　them　clothes　you　gave　me　he　looked　kind　o'　funny；　but　he　said
〃that's　right；〃　so　I　want　you　to　tell　me　what　they　cost　and　I　will
pay　you　first　thing；　for　I'm　goin'　to　be　a　man　out　in　this　country。
We're　goin'　up　the　river　next　week　and　see　the　gangs　workin'　up
there　in　the　bush。　　It's　kind　o'　lonesome　here　goin'　along　the
street　and　lookin'　people　in　the　faces　to　see　if　you　can　see　one
you　know。　　Lots　of　times　I　though　I　did　see　some　one　I　knew　but　it
wasn't。　　Good　by；　I'll　write　you　soon　again。

Yours　truly；

MICHAEL　COLE。


〃The　second　letter；〃　Kate　went　on；　〃is　written　from　the　camp；
Twentymile　Camp；　he　calls　it。　　He　tells　how　they　went　up　the　river
in　the　steamer；　taking　with　them　some　new　hands　for　their　camp；　and
how　these　men　came　on　board　half　drunk；　and　how　all　the　way　up　to
Yale　they　were　drinking　and　fighting。　　It　must　have　been　horrible。
After　that　they　went　on　smaller　boats　and　then　by　wagons。　　On　the
roads　it　must　have　been　terrible。　　Coley　seems　much　impressed　with
the　big　trees。　　He　says：


〃These　big　trees　are　pretty　hard　to　write　about　without　sayin'
words　the　Boss　don't　allow。　　It　makes　you　think　of　bein'　in　St。
Michaels；　it's　so　quiet　and　solemn…like；　and　I　never　felt　so　small
in　all　my　life。　　The　Boss　and　me　walked　the　last　part　of　the　way；
and　got　to　camp　late　and　pretty　tired；　and　the　men　we　brought　in
with　us　was　all　pretty　mad；　but　the　Boss　never　paid　no　attention　to
'em　but　went　whistlin'　about　as　if　everything　was　lovely。　　We　had
some　pork　and　beans　for　supper；　then　went　to　sleep　in　a　bunk　nailed
up　against　the　side　of　the　shanty。　　It　was　as　hard　as　a　board；　but
I　tell　you　it　felt　pretty　good。　　Next　day　I　went　wanderin'　'round
with　the　foreman　and　the　Boss。　　I　tell　you　I　was　afraid　to　get　very
far　away　from　'em；　for　I'd　be　sure　to　get　lost；　the　bush　is　that
thick　that　you　can't　see　your　own　length　ahead　of　you。　　That　night；
when　the　Boss　and　me　and　the　foreman　was　in　the　shanty　they　call
the　office；　after　supper；　we　heard