the man from glengarry-第64节

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when　the　Boss　and　me　and　the　foreman　was　in　the　shanty　they　call
the　office；　after　supper；　we　heard　a　most　awful　row。　　'What's
that？'　says　the　Boss。　　'O；　that's　nothin'；'　says　the　foreman；　'the
boys　is　havin'　a　little　fun；　I　guess。'　　He　didn't　say　anything；　but
went　on　talkin'；　but　in　a　little　while　the　row　got　worse；　and　we
heard　poundin'　and　smashin'。　　'Do　you　allow　that　sort　of　thing？'
says　the　Boss。　　'Well；'　he　says；　'Guess　the　boys　got　some　whiskey
last　night。　　I　generally　let　'em　alone。'　　'Well；'　says　the　Boss；
quiet…like；　'I　think　you'd　better　go　in　and　stop　it。'　　'Not　if　I
know　myself；'　says　the　foreman；　'I　ain't　ordered　my　funeral　yet。'
'Well；　we'll　go　in　and　see；　anyway；'　says　the　Boss。　　I　tell　you　I
was　kind　o'　scared；　but　I　thought　I　might　as　well　go　along。　　When
we　got　into　the　sleepin'　shanty　there　was　a　couple　of　fellers　with
hand…spikes　breakin'　up　the　benches　and　knockin'　things　around　most
terrible。　　'Say；　boys；'　yelled　the　foreman；　and　then　he　began　to
swear　most　awful。　　They　didn't　seem　to　pay　much　attention；　but　kept
on　knockin'　around　and　swearin'。　　'Come；　now；'　says　the　foreman；
kind　o'　coaxin'　like；　'this　ain't　no　way　to　act。　　Get　down　and
behave　yourselves。'　　But　still　they　didn't　pay　no　attention。　　Then
the　Boss　walked　up　to　the　biggest　one；　and　when　he　got　quite　close
to　'em　they　all　got　still　lookin'　on。　　'I'll　take　that　hand…spike；'
says　the　Boss。　　'Help　yourself；'　says　the　man　swingin'　it　up。　　I
don't　know　what　happened；　it　was　done　so　quick；　but　before　you
could　count　three　that　feller　was　on　his　knees　bleedin'　like　a　pig
and　the　hand…spike　was　out　of　the　door；　and　the　Boss　walks　up　to
the　other　feller　and　says；　'Put　that　hand…spike　outside。'　　He　begun
to　swear。　　'Put　it　out；'　says　the　Boss；　quiet…like；　and　the　feller
backs　up　and　throws　his　hand…spike　out。　　And　the　Boss　up　and　speaks
and　says；　'Look　here；　men；　I　don't　want　to　interfere　with　nobody；
and　won't　while　he　behaves　himself；　but　there　ain't　goin'　to　be　any
row　like　that　in　this　camp。　　Say；　you　ought　to　have　seen　'em！　　They
sat　like　the　gang　used　to　in　the　night　school；　and　then　he　turned
and　walked　out　and　we　all　follered　him。　　I　guess　they　ain't　used　to
that　sort　of　thing　in　this　camp。　　I　heard　the　men　talkin'　next　day
pretty　big　of　what　they　was　goin'　to　do；　but　I　don't　think　they'll
do　much。　　They　don't　look　that　kind。　　Anyway；　if　there's　goin'　to
be　a　fight；　I'd　feel　safer　with　the　Boss　than　with　the　whole　lot　of
'em。〃


〃The　letter　after　this；〃　went　on　Kate；　〃tells　of　what　happened　the
Sunday　following。〃


〃We'd　gone　out　in　the　afternoon；　Boss　and　me；　for　a　walk；　and　when
we　got　back　the　camp　was　just　howlin'　drunk；　and　the　foreman　was
worst　of　all。　　They　kind　o'　quieted　down　for　a　little　when　we　come
in　and　let　us　get　into　the　office；　but　pretty　soon　they　began
actin'　up　funny　again　and　swearin'　most　awful。　　Then　I　see　the　Boss
shut　up　his　lips　hard；　and　I　says　to　myself　'Look　out　for　blood。'
Then　he　starts　over　for　the　bunk　shanty。　　I　was　mighty　scared；　and
follered　him　close。　　Just　as　we　shoved　open　the　door　a　bottle　come
singin'　through　the　air　and　smashed　to　a　thousand　bits　on　the　beam
above。　　'Is　that　the　kind　of　cowards　you　are？'　says　the　Boss；　quite
cool。　　He　didn't　speak　loud；　but　I　tell　you　everybody　heard　him　and
got　dead　still。　　'No；　Boss；'　says　one　feller；　'not　all。'　　'The　man
that　threw　that　bottle；'　says　the　boss；　'is　a　coward；　and　the
meanest　kind。　　He's　afraid　to　step　out　here　for　five　minutes。'
Nobody　moved。　　'Step　up；　ye　baste；'　says　an　Irishman；　'or　it's
mesilf　will　kick　ye　out　of　the　camp。'　　And　out　the　feller　comes。
It　was　the　same　duck　that　the　Boss　scared　out　of　the　door　the　first
night。　　'Sthand　up　till　'im　Billie；'　says　the　Irishman；　'we'll　see
fair　play。　　Sthand　up　to　the　gintleman。'　　'Billie；'　says　the　Boss；
and　his　eyes　was　blazin'　like　candles；　'yer　goin'　to　leave　this
camp　to…morrow　mornin'。　　You　can　take　your　choice；　will　you　get
onto　your　knees　now　or　later？'　　With　that　Billie　whipped　out　a
knife　and　rushes　at　him；　but　the　Boss　grabs　his　wrist　and　gives　it
a　twist；　and　the　knife　fell　onto　the　floor。　　The　Boss　holds　him
like　a　baby；　and　picks　up　the　knife　and　throws　it　into　the　fire。
'Now；'　says　he；　'get　onto　your　knees。　　Quick！'　　And　the　feller
drops　on　his　knees；　and　bellered　like　a　calf。

〃'Let's　pray；'　says　some　one；　and　the　crowd　howls。　　'Give　us　yer
hand；　Boss；'　says　the　Irishman。　　'Yer　the　top　o'　this　gang。'　　The
Irishman　shoves　out　his　clipper；　and　the　Boss　takes　it　in　an　easy
kind　of　a　way。　　My　you　o't　to　seen　that　Irishman　squirm。　　'Howly
Mither！'　he　yells；　and　dances　round；　'what　do　ye　think　yer　got？'
and　he　goes　off　lookin'　at　his　fingers；　and　the　Boss　stands　lookin'
at　'em；　and　says；　'You'r　a　nice　lot　of　fellers；　you　don't　deserve
it；　but　I'm　goin'　to　treat　you　fair。　　I　know　you　feel　Sunday　pretty
slow；　and　I'll　try　to　make　it　better　for　you；　but　I　want　you　to
know　that　I　won't　have　any　more　row　in　this　camp；　and　I　won't　have
any　man　here　that　can't　behave　himself。　　To…morrow　morning；　YOU；'
pointin'　at　the　foreman；　'and　you；　Billie；'　and　YOU；　pointin'　at
another　chap；　leave　the　camp；　and　they　did　too；　though　they　begged
and　prayed　to　let　'em　stay；　and　by　next　Sunday　we　had　a　lot　of
papers　and　books；　with　pictures　in　'em；　and　a　bang…up　dinner；　and
everything　went　nice。　　I　am　likin'　it　fine。　　I'm　time…keeper；　and
look　after　the　store；　but　I　drive　the　team　too　every　chance　I　get；
and　I'd　ruther　do　that　a　long　way。　　But　many　a　night　I　tell　you
when　the　Boss　and　me　is　alone　we　talk　about　you　and　the　Institute
fellers；　and　the　Boss〃


〃Well；　that's　all；〃　said　Kate；　〃but　isn't　it　terrible？　　Aren't　they
dreadful？〃

〃Poor　fellows；〃　said　Mrs。　Murray；　〃it's　a　very　hard　life　for　them。〃

〃But　isn't　it　awful；　auntie？　　They　might　kill　him；〃　said　Kate。

〃Yes；　dear；〃　said　Mrs。　Murray；　in　a　soothing　voice；　〃but　it　sounds
worse　to　us　perhaps　than　it　is。〃

Mrs。　Murray　had　not　lived　in　the　Indian　Lands　for　nothing。

〃Oh；　if　anything　should　happen　to　him？〃　said　Kate；　with　sudden
agitation。

〃We　must　just　trust　him　to　the　great　Keeper；〃　said　Mrs。　Murray；
quietly；　〃in　Whose　keeping　all　are　safe　whether　there　or　here。〃

Then　going　to　her　valise；　she　took　out　a　letter　and　handed　it　to
Kate；　saying：　　〃That's　his　last　to　me。　　You　can　look　at　it；　Kate。〃

Kate　took　the　letter　and　put　it　in　her　desk。　　〃I　think；　perhaps；　we
had　better　go　down　now；〃　she　said；　〃I　expect　Colonel　Thorp　has
come。　　I　think　you　will　like　him。　　He　seems　a　little　rough；　but　he
is　a　gentleman；　and　has　a　true　heart；〃　and　they　went　downstairs。

It　is　the　mark　of　a　gentleman　to　know　his　kind。　　He　has　an　instinct
for　what　is　fine　and　offers　ready　homage　to　what　is　worthy。　　Any
one　observing　Colonel　Thorp's　manner　of　receiving　Mrs。　Murray　would
have　known　him　at　once　for　a　gentleman；　for　when　that　little　lady
came　into　the　drawing…room；　dressed　in　her　decent　silk　gown；　with
soft　white　lace　at　her　throat；　bearing　herself　with　sweet　dignity；
and　stepping　with　dainty　grace　on　her　toes；　after　the　manner　of　the
fine　ladies　of　the　old　school；　and　not　after　the　flat…footed；　heel…
first　modern　style；　the　colonel　abandoned　his　usual　careless　manner
and　rose　and　stood　rigidly　at　attention。

〃Auntie；　this　is　my　friend；　Colonel　Thorp；〃　said　Kate。

〃Proud　to　know　you　madam；〃　said　the　colonel；　with　his　finest
military　bow。

〃And　I　am　glad　to　meet　Colonel　Thorp；　I　have　heard　so　much　of　him
through　my　friends；〃　and　she　smiled　at　him　with　such　genuine
kindliness　that　the　gallant　colonel　lost　his　heart　at　once。

〃Your　friends　have　been　doing　me　proud；〃　he　said；　bowing　to　her　and
then　to　Kate。

〃Oh；　you　needn't　look　at　me；〃　said　Kate；　〃you　don't　imagine　I　have
been　saying　nice　things　about　you？　　She　has　other　friends　that
think　much　of　you。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Mrs。　Murray；　〃Ranald　has　often　spoken　of　you；　Colonel
Thorp；　and　of　your　kindness；〃　said　Mrs。　Murray。

The　colonel　looked　doubtful。　　〃Well；　I　don't　know　that　he　thinks
much　of　me。　　I　have　had　to　be　pretty　hard　on　him。〃

〃Why？〃　asked　Mrs。　Murray。

〃Well；　I　reckon　you　know　him　pretty　well；〃　began　the　colonel。

〃Well；　she　ought　to；〃　said　Kate；　〃she　brought　him　up；　and　his　many
virtues　he　owes　mostly　to　my　dear　aunt's　training。〃

〃Oh；　Kate；　you　must　not　say　that；〃　said　Mrs。　Murray；　gravely。

〃Then；〃　said　the　colonel；　〃you　ought　to　be　proud　of　him。　　You
produced　a　rare　article　in　the　commercial　world；　and　that　is　a　man
of　honor。　　He　is　not　for　sale；　and　I　want　to　say　that　I　feel　as
safe　about　the　company's　money　out　there　as　if　I　was　settin'　on　it；
but　he　needs　watching；〃　added　the　colonel；　〃he　needs　watching。〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃　said　Mrs。　Murray；　whose　pale　face　had　flushed
with　pleasure　and　pride　at　the　colonel's　praise　of　Ranald。

〃Too　much　philanthropy；〃　said　the　colonel；　bluntly；　〃the　British…
American　Coal　and　Lumber　Company　ain't　a　benevolent　society
exactly。〃

〃I　am　glad　you　spoke　of　that；　Colonel　Thorp；　I　want　to　ask　you
about　some　things　that　I　don't　understand。　　I　know　that　the　company
are　criticising　some　of　Ranald's　methods；　but　don't　know　why
exactly。〃

〃Now；　Colonel；〃　cried　Kate；　〃stand　to　your　guns。〃

〃Well；〃　said　the　colonel；　〃I　am　going