the man from glengarry-第69节

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seen　a　good　many　in　forty　years。〃　　Ranald　said　nothing；　but　set　the
photographs　on　a　little　bracket　on　the　wall。

〃There；　that　makes　this　room　feel　better；〃　said　the　colonel。　　〃That
there　is　the　finest；　sweetest；　truest　girl　that　walks　this　sphere；〃
he　said；　pointing　at　Kate's　photograph；　〃and　the　other；　I　guess　you
know　all　about　her。〃

〃Yes；　I　know　about　her；〃　said　Ranald；　looking　at　the　photograph；
〃it　is　to　her　I　owe　everything　I　have　that　is　any　good。　　And
Colonel；〃　he　added；　with　an　unusual　burst　of　confidence；　〃when　my
life　was　broken　off　short；　that　woman　put　me　in　the　way　of　getting
hold　of　it　again。〃

〃Well；　they　both　think　a　pile　of　you；〃　was　the　colonel's　reply。

〃Yes；　I　think　they　do；〃　said　Ranald。　　〃They　are　not　the　kind　to
forget　a　man　when　he　is　out　of　sight；　and　it　is　worth　traveling　two
thousand　miles　to　see　them　again。〃

〃Ain't　it　queer；　now；　how　the　world　is　run？〃　said　the　colonel。
〃There's　two　women；　now；　the　very　best；　one　has　been　buried　all　her
life　in　a　little　hole　in　the　woods；　and　the　other　is　giving　herself
to　a　fellow　that　ain't　fit　to　carry　her　boots。〃

〃What！〃　said　Ranald；　sharply；　〃Kate？〃

〃Yes；　they　say　she　is　going　to　throw　herself　away　on　young　St。
Clair。　　He　is　all　right；　I　suppose；　but　he　ain't　fit　for　her。〃
Ranald　suddenly　stooped　over　his　valise　and　began　pulling　out　his
things。

〃I　didn't　hear　of　that；〃　he　said。

〃I　did；〃　said　the　colonel；　〃you　see　he　is　always　there；　and　acting
as　if　he　owned　her。　　He　stuck　to　her　for　a　long　time；　and　I　guess
she　got　tired　holding　out。〃

〃Harry　is　a　very　decent　fellow；〃　said　Ranald；　rising　up　from　his
unpacking；　〃I　say；　this　boat's　close。　　Let　us　go　up　on　deck。〃

〃Wait；〃　said　the　colonel；　〃I　want　to　talk　over　our　plans；　and　we
can　talk　better　here。〃

〃No；〃　said　Ranald；　〃I　want　some　fresh　air。　　Let　us　go　up。〃　　And
without　further　words；　he　hurried　up　the　gangway。　　It　was　some
time　before　Colonel　Thorp　found　him　in　the　bow　of　the　boat；　and
immediately　began　to　talk　over　their　plans。

〃You　spoke　of　going　to　Toronto　first　thing；〃　he　said　to　Ranald。

〃Yes；〃　said　Ranald；　〃but　I　think　I　ought　to　go　to　Ottawa　at　once；
and　then　I　shall　see　my　people　in　Glengarry　for　a　few　days。　　Then　I
will　be　ready　for　the　meeting　at　Bay　City　any　time　after　the　second
week。〃

〃But　you　have　not　put　Toronto　in　there；〃　said　the　colonel；　〃you　are
not　going　to　disappoint　that　little　girl？　　She　would　take　it　pretty
hard。　　Mind　you；　she　wants　to　see　you。〃

〃Oh；　of　course　I　shall　run　in　for　a　day。〃

〃Well；〃　said　the　colonel；　〃I　want　to　give　you　plenty　of　time。　　I
will　arrange　that　meeting　for　a　month　from　to…day。〃

〃No；　no；〃　said　Ranald；　impatiently；　〃I　must　get　back　to　the　West。
Two　weeks　will　do　me。〃

〃Well；　we　will　make　it　three；〃　said　the　colonel。　　He　could　not
understand　Ranald's　sudden　eagerness　to　set　out　for　the　West　again。
He　had　spoken　with　such　enthusiastic　delight　of　his　visit　to
Toronto；　and　now　he　was　only　going　to　run　in　for　a　day　or　so。　　And
if　Ranald　himself　were　asked；　he　would　have　found　it　difficult　to
explain　his　sudden　lack　of　interest；　not　only　in　Toronto；　but　in
everything　that　lay　in　the　East。　　He　was　conscious　of　a　deep；　dull
ache　in　his　heart；　and　he　could　not　quite　explain　it。

After　the　colonel　had　gone　down　for　the　night；　Ranald　walked　the
deck　alone　and　resolutely　faced　himself。　　His　first　frank　look
within　revealed　to　him　the　fact　that　his　pain　had　come　upon　him
with　the　colonel's　information　that　Kate　had　given　herself　to
Harry。　　It　was　right　that　he　should　be　disappointed。　　Harry；　though
a　decent　enough　fellow；　did　not　begin　to　be　worthy　of　her；　and
indeed　no　one　that　he　knew　was　worthy　of　her。　　But　why　should　he
feel　so　sorely　about　it？　　For　years　Harry　had　been　her　devoted
slave。　　He　would　give　her　the　love　of　an　honest　man；　and　would
surround　her　with　all　the　comforts　and　luxuries　that　wealth　could
bring。　　She　would　be　very　happy。　　He　had　no　right　to　grieve　about
it。　　And　yet　he　did　grieve。　　The　whole　sky　over　the　landscape　of
his　life　had　suddenly　become　cold　and　gray。　　During　these　years
Kate　had　grown　to　be　much　to　him。　　She　had　in　many　ways　helped　him
in　his　work。　　The　thought　of　her　and　her　approval　had　brought　him
inspiration　and　strength　in　many　an　hour　of　weakness　and　loneliness。
She　had　been　so　loyal　and　so　true　from　the　very　first；　and　it　was　a
bitter　thing　to　feel　that　another　had　come　between　them。　　Over　and
over　again　he　accused　himself　of　sheer　madness。　　Why　should　she　not
love　Harry？　　That　need　not　make　her　any　less　his　friend。　　But　in
spite　of　his　arguments；　he　found　himself　weary　of　the　East　and　eager
to　turn　away　from　it。　　He　must　hurry　on　at　once　to　Ottawa；　and　with
all　speed　get　done　his　business　there。

At　Chicago　he　left　the　colonel　with　a　promise　to　meet　him　in　three
weeks　at　the　headquarters　of　the　British…American　Coal　and　Lumber
Company　at　Bay　City。　　He　wired　to　Ottawa；　asking　an　appointment
with　the　government；　and　after　three　days'　hard　travel　found
himself　in　the　capital　of　the　Dominion。　　The　premier；　Sir　John　A。
Macdonald；　with　the　ready　courtesy　characteristic　of　him；
immediately　arranged　for　a　hearing　of　the　delegation　from　British
Columbia。　　Ranald　was　surprised　at　the　indifference　with　which　he
approached　this　meeting。　　He　seemed　to　have　lost　capacity　for　keen
feeling　of　any　kind。　　Sir　John　A。　MacDonald　and　his　cabinet
received　the　delegation　with　great　kindness；　and　in　every　possible
way　strove　to　make　them　feel　that　the　government　was　genuinely
interested　in　the　western　province；　and　were　anxious　to　do　all　that
could　be　done　in　their　interest。　　In　the　conference　that　ensued；
the　delegate　for　Victoria　took　a　more　prominent　part；　being　an
older　man；　and　representing　the　larger　and　more　important
constituency。　　But　when　Sir　John　began　to　ask　questions；　the
Victoria　delegate　was　soon　beyond　his　depth。　　The　premier　showed
such　an　exactness　of　knowledge　and　comprehensiveness　of　grasp　that
before　long　Ranald　was　appealed　to　for　information　in　regard　to　the
resources　of　the　country；　and　especially　the　causes　and　extent　of
the　present　discontent。

〃The　causes　of　discontent　are　very　easy　to　see；　〃　said　Ranald；
〃all　British　Columbians　feel　hurt　at　the　failure　of　the　Dominion
government　to　keep　its　solemn　obligations。〃

〃Is　there　nothing　else　now；　Mr。　Macdonald？〃

〃There　may　be；〃　said　Ranald；　〃some　lingering　impatience　with　the
government　by　different　officials；　and　there　is　a　certain　amount　of
annexation　sentiment。〃

〃Ah；〃　said　Sir　John；　〃I　think　we　have　our　finger　upon　it　now。〃

〃Do　not　over…estimate　that；〃　said　Ranald；　〃I　believe　that　there　are
only　a　very　few　with　annexation　sentiments；　and　all　these　are　of
American　birth。　　The　great　body　of　the　people　are　simply　indignant
at；　and　disappointed　with；　the　Dominion　government。〃

〃And　would　you　say　there　is　no　other　cause　of　discontent；　Mr。
Macdonald？〃　said　Sir　John；　with　a　keen　look　at　Ranald。

〃There　is　another　cause；　I　believe；〃　said　Ranald；　〃and　that　is　the
party　depression；　but　that　depression　is　due　to　the　uncertainty　in
regard　to　the　political　future　of　the　province。　　When　once　we　hear
that　the　railroad　is　being　built；　political　interest　will　revive。〃

〃May　I　ask　where　you　were　born？〃　said　Sir　John。

〃In　Glengarry；〃　said　Ranald；　with　a　touch　of　pride　in　his　voice。

〃Ah；　I　am　afraid　your　people　are　not　great　admirers　of　my　government；
and　perhaps　you；　Mr。　Macdonald；　share　in　the　opinion　of　your　county。〃

〃I　have　no　opinion　in　regard　to　Dominion　politics。　　I　am　for
British　Columbia。〃

〃Well；　Mr。　Macdonald；〃　said　Sir　John；　rising；　〃that　is　right；　and
you　ought　to　have　your　road。〃

〃Do　I　understand　you　to　say　that　the　government　will　begin　to　build
the　road　at　once？〃　said　Ranald。

〃Ah；〃　smiled　Sir　John；　〃I　see　you　want　something　definite。〃

〃I　have　come　two　thousand　miles　to　get　it。　　The　people　that　sent　me
will　be　content　with　nothing　else。　　It　is　a　serious　time　with　us；
and　I　believe　with　the　whole　of　the　Dominion。〃

〃Mr。　Macdonald；〃　said　Sir　John；　becoming　suddenly　grave；　〃believe
me；　it　is　a　more　serious　time　than　you　know；　but　you　trust　me　in
this　matter。〃

〃Will　the　road　be　begun　this　year？〃　said　Ranald。

〃All　I　can　say　to…day；　Mr。　Macdonald；〃　said　Sir　John；　earnestly；
〃is　this；　that　if　I　can　bring　it　about；　the　building　of　the　road
will　be　started　at　once。〃

〃Then；　Sir　John；〃　said　Ranald；　〃you　may　depend　that　British
Columbia　will　be　grateful　to　you；〃　and　the　interview　was　over。

Outside　the　room；　he　found　Captain　De　Lacy　awaiting　him。

〃By　Jove；　Macdonald；　I　have　been　waiting　here　three…quarters　of　an
hour。　　Come　along。　　Maimie　has　an　afternoon　right　on；　and　you　are
our　lion。〃　　Ranald　would　have　refused；　but　De　Lacy　would　not　accept
any　apology；　and　carried　him　off。

Maimie's　rooms　were　crowded　with　all　the　great　social　and　political
people　of　the　city。　　With　an　air　of　triumph；　De　Lacy　piloted　Ranald
through　the　crowd　and　presented　him　to　Maimie。　　Ranald　was　surprised
to　find　himself　shaking　hands　with　the　woman　he　had　once　loved；　with
unquickened　pulse　and　nerves　cool　and　steady。　　Here　Maimie；　who　was
looking　more　beautiful　than　ever；　and　who　was　dressed　in　a　gown　of
exquisite　richn