the man from glengarry-第68节

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〃D'ye　think　ye　cud　find　one　that　cud？〃　pointing　to　the　halting　saw。
〃An　that's　the　machine　that　turned　oot　thae　piles　yonder。　　Gie　him
a　chance；　though；　an'　when　the　stuff　is　deesposed　of　ye'll　get　y're
profit。〃　　Urquhart　knew　what　he　was　about；　and　the　colonel　went
back　with　Coley　to　his　rooms　convinced　of　two　facts；　that　the
company　had　a　plant　that　might　easily　be　improved；　but　a　manager
that；　in　the　estimation　of　those　who　wrought　with　him；　was　easily
first　in　his　class。　　Ranald　could　have　adopted　no　better　plan　for
the　enhancing　of　his　reputation　than　by　allowing　Colonel　Thorp　to
go　in　and　out　among　the　workmen　and　his　friends。　　More　and　more　the
colonel　became　impressed　with　his　manager's　genius　for　the　picking
of　his　men　and　binding　them　to　his　interests；　and　as　this　impression
deepened　he　became　the　more　resolved　that　it　was　a　waste　of　good
material　to　retain　a　man　in　a　country　offering　such　a　limited　scope
for　his　abilities。

But　after　four　weeks　spent　in　exploring　the　interior；　from
Quesnelle　to　Okanagan；　and　in　the　following　in　and　out　the　water…
ways　of　the　coast　line；　the　colonel　met　Ranald　at　Yale　with　only　a
problem　to　be　solved；　and　he　lost　no　time　in　putting　it　to　his
manager。

〃How　in　thunder　can　I　get　those　narrow…gauge；　hidebound　Easterners
to　launch　out　into　business　in　this　country？〃

〃I　can't　help　you　there；　Colonel。　　I've　tried　and　failed。〃

〃By　the　great　Sam；　so　you　have！〃　said　the　colonel；　with　a　sudden
conviction　of　his　own　limitations　in　the　past。　　〃No　use　tryin'　to
tell　'em　of　this；〃　swinging　his　long　arm　toward　the　great　sweep　of
the　Fraser　Valley；　clothed　with　a　mighty　forest。　　〃It's　only　a
question　of　holdin'　on　for　a　few　years；　the　thing's　dead　sure。〃

〃I　have　been　through　a　good　part　of　it；〃　said　Ranald；　quietly；　and
I　am　convinced　that　here　we　have　the　pick　of　Canada；　and　I　venture
to　say　of　the　American　Continent。　　Timber；　hundreds　of　square　miles
of　it；　fishI've　seen　that　river　so　packed　with　salmon　that　I
couldn't　shove　my　canoe　through〃

〃Hold　on；　now；〃　said　the　colonel；　〃give　me　time。〃

〃Simple；　sober　truth　of　my　own　proving；〃　replied　Ranald。　　〃And　you
saw　a　fringe　of　the　mines　up　in　the　Cariboo。　　The　Kootenai　is　full
of　gold　and　silver；　and　in　the　Okanagan　you　can　grow　food　and
fruits　for　millions　of　people。　　I　know　what　I　am　saying。〃

〃Tell　you　what；〃　said　the　colonel；　〃you　make　me　think　you're
speakin'　the　truth　anyhow。〃　　Then；　with　a　sudden　inspiration；　he
exclaimed：　　〃By　the　great　Sammy；　I've　got　an　idea！〃　and　then；　as　he
saw　Ranald　waiting；　added；　〃But　I　guess　I'll　let　it　soak　till　we
get　down　to　the　mill。〃

〃Do　you　think　you　could　spare　me；　Colonel？〃　asked　Ranald；　in　a
dubious　voice；　〃I　really　ought　to　run　through　a　bit　of　timber
here。〃

〃No；　by　the　great　Sam；　I　can't！　　I　want　you　to　come　right　along；〃
replied　the　colonel；　with　emphasis。

〃What　is　he　saying；　Colonel？〃　asked　Mr。　Blair。

〃Wants　to　run　off　and　leave　me　to　paddle　my　way　home　alone。　　Not
much！　　I　tell　you　what；　we　have　some　important　business　to　do
before　I　go　East。　You　hear　me？〃

〃And　besides；　Macdonald；　I　want　you　for　that　big　meeting　of　ours
next　week。　　You　simply　must　be　there。〃

〃You　flatter　me；　Mr。　Blair。〃

〃Not　a　bit；　you　know　there　are　a　lot　of　hot…heads　talking　separation
and　that　sort　of　thing；　and　I　want　some　level…headed　fellow　who
is　in　with　the　working　men　to　be　there。〃

And　as　it　turned　out　it　was　a　good　thing　for　Mr。　Blair　and　for　the
cause　he　represented　that　Ranald　was　present　at　the　great　mass…
meeting　held　in　New　Westminster　the　next　week。　　For　the　people　were
exasperated　beyond　all　endurance　at　the　delay　of　the　Dominion　in
making　good　the　solemn　promises　given　at　the　time　of　Confederation；
and　were　in　a　mood　to　listen　to　the　proposals　freely　made　that　the
useless　bond　should　be　severed。　　〃Railway　or　separation；〃　was　the
cry；　and　resolutions　embodying　this　sentiment　were　actually
proposed　and　discussed。　　It　was　Ranald's　speech；　every　one　said；
that　turned　the　tide。　　His　calm　logic　made　clear　the　folly　of　even
considering　separation；　his　knowledge　of；　and　his　unbounded　faith
in；　the　resources　of　the　province；　and　more　than　all；　his
impassioned　picturing　of　the　future　of　the　great　Dominion　reaching
from　ocean　to　ocean；　knit　together　by　ties　of　common　interest；　and
a　common　loyalty　that　would　become　more　vividly　real　when　the
provinces　had　been　brought　more　closely　together　by　the　promised
railway。　　They　might　have　to　wait　a　little　longer；　but　it　was　worth
while　waiting；　and　there　was　no　future　in　any　other　policy。　　It　was
his　first　speech　at　a　great　meeting；　and　as　Mr。　Blair　shook　him
warmly　by　the　hand；　the　crowd　burst　into　enthusiastic　cries；
〃Macdonald！　　Macdonald！〃　and　in　one　of　the　pauses　a　single　voice
was　heard；　〃Glengarry　forever！〃　　Then　again　the　crowd　broke　forth；
〃Glengarry！　　Glengarry！〃　for　all　who　knew　Ranald　personally　had
heard　of　the　gang　that　were　once　the　pride　of　the　Ottawa。　　At　that
old　cry　Ranald's　face　flushed　deep　red；　and　he　had　no　words　to
answer　his　friends'　warm　congratulations。

〃Send　him　East；〃　cried　a　voice。

〃Yes；　yes；　that's　it。　　Send　him　to　Ottawa　to　John　A。　　It's　the　same
clan！〃

Swiftly　Mr。　Blair　made　up　his　mind。　　〃Gentlemen；　that　is　a　good
suggestion。　　I　make　it　a　motion。〃　　It　was　seconded　in　a　dozen
places；　and　carried　by　a　standing　vote。　　Then　Ranald　rose　again　and
modestly　protested　that　he　was　not　the　man　to　go。　　He　was　quite
unknown　in　the　province。

〃We　know　you！〃　the　same　voice　called　out；　followed　by　a　roar　of
approval。

〃And；　besides；〃　went　on　Ranald；　〃it　is　impossible　for　me　to　get
away；　I'm　a　working　man　and　not　my　own　master。〃

Then　the　colonel；　who　was　sitting　on　the　platform；　rose　and　begged
to　be　heard。　　〃Mr。　Chairman　and　gentlemen；　I　ain't　a　Canadian〃

〃Never　mind！　　You　can't　help　that；〃　sang　out　a　man　from　the　back；
with　a　roar　of　laughter　following。

〃But　if　I　weren't　an　American；　I　don't　know　anything　that　I'd
rather　be。〃　　（Great　applause。）　　〃Four　weeks　ago　I　wouldn't　have
taken　your　province　as　a　gift。　　Now　I　only　wish　Uncle　Sam　could
persuade　you　to　sell。〃　　（Cries　of　〃He　hasn't　got　money　enough。
Don't　fool　yourself。〃）　　〃But　I　want　to　say　that　this　young　man　of
mine；〃　pointing　to　Ranald；　〃has　given　you　good　talk；　and　if　you
want　him　to　go　East；　why；　I'll　let　him　off　for　a　spell。〃　　（Loud
cheers　for　the　colonel　and　for　Macdonald。）

A　week　later　a　great　meeting　in　Victoria　indorsed　the　New　Westminster
resolutions　with　the　added　demand　that　the　railway　should　be
continued　to　Esquinalt　according　to　the　original　agreement。　　Another
delegate　was　appointed　to　represent　the　wishes　of　the　islanders；　and
before　Ranald　had　fully　realized　what　had　happened　he　found　himself
a　famous　man；　and　on　the　way　to　the　East　with　the　jubilant　colonel。

〃What　was　the　great　idea；　Colonel；　that　struck　you　at　Yale？〃
inquired　Ranald；　as　they　were　fairly　steaming　out　of　the　Esquinalt
harbor。

〃This　is　it；　my　boy！〃　exclaimed　the　colonel；　slapping　him　on　the
back。　　〃This　here　trip　East。　　Now　we've　got　'em　over　the　ropes；　by
the　great　and　everlasting　Sammy！〃　the　form　of　oath　indicating　a
climax　in　the　colonel's　emotion。

〃Got　who？〃　inquired　Ranald；　mystified。

〃Them　gol…blamed；　cross…road　hayseeds　down　East。〃　　And　with　this
the　colonel　became　discreetly　silent。　　He　knew　too　well　the
sensitive　pride　of　the　man　with　whom　he　had　to　deal；　and　he　was
chiefly　anxious　now　that　Ranald　should　know　as　little　as　possible
of　the　real　object　of　his　going　to　British　Columbia。

〃We've　got　to　make　the　British…American　Coal　and　Lumber　Company
know　the　time　of　day。　　It's　gittin'…up　time　out　in　this　country。
They　were　talkin'　a　little　of　drawin'　out。〃　　Ranald　gasped。　　〃Some
of　them　only；〃　the　colonel　hastened　to　add；　〃but　I　want　you　to　talk
like　you　did　the　other　night；　and　I'll　tell　my　little　tale；　and　if
that　don't　fetch　'em　then　I'm　a　Turk。〃

〃Well；　Colonel；　here's　my　word；〃　said　Ranald；　deliberately；　〃if　the
company　wish　to　withdraw　they　may　do　so；　but　my　future　is　bound　up
with　that　of　the　West；　and　I　have　no　fear　that　it　will　fail　me。　　I
stake　my　all　upon　the　West。〃



CHAPTER　XXV

GLENGARRY　FOREVER


The　colonel　was　an　experienced　traveler；　and　believed　in　making
himself　comfortable。　　Ranald　looked　on　with　some　amusement；　and　a
little　wonder；　while　the　colonel　arranged　his　things　about　the
stateroom。

〃May　as　well　make　things　comfortable　while　we　can；〃　said　the
colonel；　〃we　have　the　better　part　of　three　days　before　us　on　this
boat；　and　if　it　gets　rough；　it　is　better　to　have　things　neat。　　Now
you　go　ahead；〃　he　added；　〃and　get　your　things　out。〃

〃I　think　you　are　right；　Colonel。　　I　am　not　much　used　to　travel；　but
I　shall　take　your　advice　on　this。〃

〃Well；　I　have　traveled　considerable　these　last　twenty　years；〃
replied　the　colonel。　　〃I　say；　would　you　mind　leaving　those　out？〃

〃What？〃

〃Those　photos。　　They're　the　two　you　had　up　by　the　glass　in　your
room；　aren't　they？〃　　Ranald　flushed　a　little。

〃Of　course　it　ain't　for　every　one　to　see；　and　I　would　not　ask　you；
but　those　two　ain't　like　any　other　two　that　I　have　seen；　and　I　have
seen　a　good　many　in　forty　years。〃　　Ranald　said　nothing；　but　set　the
photographs　on　a