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affair　was　all　over；　the　rice　and　old　boots　were　thrown；　the
farewell　words　spoken；　and　tears　shed；　and　then　the　aunts　came　back
to　the　empty　and　disordered　house。

〃Well；　I　am　glad　for　Maimie；〃　said　Aunt　Frank；　〃it　is　a　good　match。〃

〃Dear　Maimie；〃　replied　Aunt　Murray；　with　a　gentle　sigh；　〃I　hope　she
will　be　happy。〃

〃After　all　it　is　much　better；〃　said　Aunt　Frank。

〃Yes；　it　is　much　better；〃　replied　Mrs。　Murray；　and　then　she　added；
〃How　lovely　Kate　looked！　　What　a　noble　girl　she　is；〃　but　she　did
not　explain　even　to　herself；　much　less　to　Aunt　Frank；　the　nexus　of
her　thoughts。



CHAPTER　XXIV

THE　WEST


The　meeting　of　the　share…holders　of　the　British…American　Lumber　and
Coal　Company　was；　on　the　whole；　a　stormy　one；　for　the　very　best　of
reasonsthe　failure　of　the　company　to　pay　dividends。　　The　annual
report　which　the　president　presented　showed　clearly　that　there　was
a　slight　increase　in　expenditure　and　a　considerable　falling　off　in
sales；　and　it　needed　but　a　little　mathematical　ability　to　reach　the
conclusion　that　in　a　comparatively　short　time　the　company　would　be
bankrupt。　　The　share…holders　were　thoroughly　disgusted　with　the
British　Columbia　end　of　the　business；　and　were　on　the　lookout　for　a
victim。　　Naturally　their　choice　fell　upon　the　manager。　　The　concern
failed　to　pay。　　It　was　the　manager's　business　to　make　it　pay　and
the　failure　must　be　laid　to　his　charge。　　Their　confidence　in　their
manager　was　all　the　more　shaken　by　the　reports　that　had　reached
them　of　his　peculiar　fadshis　reading…room；　library；　etc。　　These
were　sufficient　evidence　of　his　lack　of　business　ability。　　He　was
undoubtedly　a　worthy　young　man；　but　there　was　every　ground　to
believe　that　he　was　something　of　a　visionary；　and　men　with　great
hesitation　intrust　hard　cash　to　the　management　of　an　idealist。
It　was；　perhaps；　unfortunate　for　Mr。　St。　Clair　that　he　should　be
appealed　to　upon　this　point；　for　his　reluctance　to　express　an
opinion　as　to　the　ability　of　the　manager；　and　his　admission　that
possibly　the　young　man　might　properly　be　termed　a　visionary；
brought　Colonel　Thorp　sharply　to　his　feet。

〃Mr。　St。　Clair；〃　said　the　colonel；　in　a　cool；　cutting　voice；　〃will
not　hesitate　to　bear　testimony　to　the　fact　that　our　manager　is　a
man　whose　integrity　cannot　be　tampered　with。　　If　I　mistake　not；　Mr。
St。　Clair　has　had　evidence　of　this。〃

Mr。　St。　Clair　hastened　to　bear　the　very　strongest　testimony　to　the
manager's　integrity。

〃And　Mr。　St。　Clair；　I　have　no　doubt；〃　went　on　the　colonel；　〃will
be　equally　ready　to　bear　testimony　to　the　conspicuous　ability　our
manager　displayed　while　he　was　in　the　service　of　the　Raymond　and
St。　Clair　Lumber　Company。〃

Mr。　St。　Clair　promptly　corroborated　the　colonel's　statement。

〃We　are　sure　of　two　things；　therefore；〃　continued　the　colonel；
〃that　our　manager　is　a　man　of　integrity；　and　that　he　has　displayed
conspicuous　business　ability　in　his　former　positions。〃

At　this　point　the　colonel　was　interrupted；　and　his　attention　was
called　to　the　fact　that　the　reports　showed　an　increase　of　expenditure
for　supplies　and　for　wages；　and　on　the　other　hand　a　falling　off　in
the　revenue　from　the　stores。　　But　the　colonel　passed　over　these
points　as　insignificant。　　〃It　is　clear；〃　he　proceeded；　〃that　the
cause　of　failure　does　not　lie　in　the　management；　but　in　the　state
of　the　market。　　The　political　situation　in　that　country　is　very
doubtful；　and　this　has　an　exceedingly　depressing　effect　upon
business。〃

〃Then；〃　interrupted　a　share…holder；　〃it　is　time　the　company　should
withdraw　from　that　country　and　confine　itself　to　a　district　where
the　market　is　sure　and　the　future　more　stable。〃

〃What　about　these　fads；　Colonel？〃　asked　another　share…holder；
〃these　reading…rooms；　libraries；　etc？　　Do　you　think　we　pay　a　man　to
establish　that　sort　of　thing？　　To　my　mind　they　simply　put　a　lot　of
nonsense　into　the　heads　of　the　working…men　and　are　the　chief　cause
of　dissatisfaction。〃　　Upon　this　point　the　colonel　did　not　feel
competent　to　reply；　consequently　the　feeling　of　the　meeting　became
decidedly　hostile　to　the　present　manager；　and　a　resolution　was
offered　demanding　his　resignation。　　It　was　also　agreed　that　the
board　of　directors　should　consider　the　advisability　of　withdrawing
altogether　from　British　Columbia；　inasmuch　as　the　future　of　that
country　seemed　to　be　very　uncertain。　　Thereupon　Colonel　Thorp　rose
and　begged　leave　to　withdraw　his　name　from　the　directorate　of　the
company。　　He　thought　it　was　unwise　to　abandon　a　country　where　they
had　spent　large　sums　of　money；　without　a　thorough　investigation　of
the　situation；　and　he　further　desired　to　enter　his　protest　against
the　injustice　of　making　their　manager　suffer　for　a　failure　for
which　he　had　in　no　way　been　shown　to　be　responsible。　　But　the
share…holders　refused　to　even　consider　Colonel　Thorp's　request；
and　both　the　president　and　secretary　exhausted　their　eloquence
in　eulogizing　his　value　to　the　company。　　As　a　compromise　it　was
finally　decided　to　continue　operations　in　British　Columbia　for
another　season。　　Colonel　Thorp　declared　that　the　reforms　and
reorganization　schemes　inaugurated　by　Ranald　would　result　in　great
reductions　in　the　cost　of　production；　and　that　Ranald　should　be
given　opportunity　to　demonstrate　the　success　or　failure　of　his
plans；　and　further；　the　political　situation　doubtless　would　be　more
settled。　　The　wisdom　of　this　decision　was　manifested　later。

The　spirit　of　unrest　and　dissatisfaction　appeared　again　at　the　next
annual　meeting；　for　while　conditions　were　improving；　dividends　were
not　yet　forthcoming。　　Once　again　Colonel　Thorp　successfully
championed　Ranald's　cause；　this　time　insisting　that　a　further　test
of　two　seasons　be　made；　prophesying　that　not　only　would　the　present
deficit　disappear；　but　that　their　patience　and　confidence　would　be
amply　rewarded。

Yielding　to　pressure；　and　desiring　to　acquaint　himself　with　actual
conditions　from　personal　observation；　Colonel　Thorp　concluded　to
visit　British　Columbia　the　autumn　preceding　the　annual　meeting
which　was　to　succeed　Ranald's　period　of　probation。

Therefore　it　was　that　Colonel　Thorp　found　himself　on　the　coast
steamship　Oregon　approaching　the　city　of　Victoria。　　He　had　not
enjoyed　his　voyage；　and　was；　consequently；　in　no　mood　to　receive
the　note　which　was　handed　him　by　a　brisk　young　man　at　the　landing。

〃Who's　this　from；　Pat；〃　said　the　colonel；　taking　the　note。

〃Mike；　if　you　please；　Michael　Cole；　if　you　don't　mind；　and　the　note
is　from　the　boss；　Mr。　Macdonald；　who　has　gone　up　the　country；　and
can't　be　here　to　welcome　you。〃

〃Gone　up　the　country！〃　roared　the　colonel；　〃what　the　blank；　blank；
does　he　mean　by　going　up　the　country　at　this　particular　time？〃

But　Mr。　Michael　Cole　was　quite　undisturbed　by　the　colonel's　wrath。
〃You　might　find　the　reason　in　the　note；〃　he　said；　coolly；　and　the
colonel；　glaring　at　him；　opened　the　note　and　read：


〃MY　DEAR　COLONEL　THORP：　　I　am　greatly　disappointed　in　not　being
able　to　meet　you。　　The　truth　is　I　only　received　your　letter　this
week。　　Our　mails　are　none　too　prompt；　and　so　I　have　been　unable　to
re…arrange　my　plans。　　I　find　it　necessary　to　run　up　the　river　for　a
couple　of　weeks。　　In　the　meantime；　thinking　that　possibly　you　might
like　to　see　something　of　our　country；　I　have　arranged　that　you
should　join　the　party　of　the　Lieutenant　Governor　on　their　trip　to
the　interior；　and　which　will　take　only　about　four　weeks'　time。　　The
party　are　going　to　visit　the　most　interesting　districts　of　our
country；　including　both　the　famous　mining　district　of　Cariboo　and
the　beautiful　valley　of　the　Okanagan。　　Mr。　Cole；　my　clerk；　will
introduce　you　to　Mr。　Blair；　our　member　of　Parliament　for　Westminster；
who　will　present　you　to　the　rest　of　the　party。　　Mr。　Blair；　I　need
not　say；　is　one　of　the　brightest　business　men　in　the　West。　　I　shall
meet　you　at　Yale　on　your　return。　　If　it　is　absolutely　impossible　for
you　to　take　this　trip；　and　necessary　that　I　should　return　at　once；
Mr。　Cole　will　see　that　a　special　messenger　is　sent　to　me；　but　I
would　strongly　urge　that　you　go；　if　possible。

〃With　kind　regards。〃


〃Look　here；　young　man；〃　yelled　the　colonel；　〃do　you　think　I've　come
all　this　way　to　go　gallivanting　around　the　country　with　any　blank；
blank　royal　party？〃

〃I　don't　know；　Colonel；〃　said　young　Cole；　brightly；　〃but　I　tell　you
I'd　like　mighty　well　to　go　in　your　place。〃

〃And　where　in　the　nation　IS　your　boss；　and　what's　he　after；　anyway？〃

〃He's　away　up　the　river　looking　after　business；　and　pretty　big
business；　too；〃　said　Coley；　not　at　all　overawed　by　the　colonel's
wrath。

〃Well；　I　hope　he　knows　himself；〃　said　the　colonel。

〃Oh；　don't　make　any　mistake　about　that；　Colonel；〃　said　young　Cole；
〃he　always　knows　where　he's　going　and　what　he　wants；　and　he　gets
it。〃　　But　the　colonel　made　no　reply；　nor　did　he　deign　to　notice　Mr。
Michael　Cole　again　until　they　had　arrived　at　the　New　Westminster
landing。

〃The　boss　didn't　know；〃　said　Coley；　approaching　the　colonel　with
some　degree　of　care；　〃whether　you　would　like　to　go　to　the　hotel　or
to　his　rooms；　you　can　take　your　choice。　　The　hotel　is　not　of　the
best；　and　he　thought　perhaps　you　could　put　up　with　his　rooms。〃

〃All　right；〃　said　the　colonel；　〃I　guess　they'll　su