the man from glengarry-第71节

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time　devotion；　he　had　to　adjust　his　mind　to　the　new　conditions。
But　before　the　evening　was　half　done　Ranald　had　won　him　once　more。
His　tales　of　the　West；　and　of　how　it　was　making　and　marring　men；　of
the　nation　that　was　being　built　up；　and　his　picture　of　the　future
that　he　saw　for　the　great　Dominion；　unconsciously　revealed　the
strong　manhood　and　the　high　ideals　in　the　speaker；　and　Hughie　found
himself　slipping　into　the　old　attitude　of　devotion　to　his　friend。

But　it　struck　Ranald　to　the　heart　to　see　the　marks　of　many　a　long
day's　work　upon　the　face　of　the　woman　who　had　done　more　for　him
than　all　the　rest　of　the　world。　　Her　flock　of　little　children　had
laid　upon　her　a　load　of　care　and　toil；　which　added　to　the　burden
she　was　already　trying　to　carry；　was　proving　more　than　her　delicate
frame　could　bear。　　There　were　lines　upon　her　face　that　only
weariness　often　repeated　cuts　deep；　but　there　were　other　lines
there；　and　these　were　lines　of　heart　pain；　and　as　Ranald　watched
her　closely；　with　his　heart　running　over　with　love　and　pity　and
indignation　for　her；　he　caught　her　frequent　glances　toward　her
first　born　that　spoke　of　anxiety　and　fear。

〃Can　it　be　the　young　rascal　is　bringing　her　anything　but　perfect
satisfaction　and　joy　in　return　for　the　sacrifice　of　her　splendid
life？〃　he　said　to　himself。　　But　no　word　fell　from　her　to　show　him
the　secret　of　her　pain；　it　was　Hughie's　own　lips　that　revealed　him；
and　as　the　lad　talked　of　his　present　and　his　future；　his　impatience
of　control；　his　lack　of　sympathy　to　all　higher　ideals；　his
determination　to　please　himself　to　the　forgetting　of　all　else；　his
seeming　unconsciousness　of　the　debt　he　owed　to　his　mother；　all
these　became　easily　apparent。　　With　difficulty　Ranald　restrained
his　indignation。　　He　let　him　talk　for　some　time　and　then　opened　out
upon　him。　　He　read　him　no　long　lecture；　but　his　words　came　forth
with　such　fiery　heat　that　they　burned　their　way　clear　through　all
the　faults　and　flimsy　selfishness　of　the　younger　man　till　they
reached　the　true　heart　of　him。　　His　last　words　Hughie　never　forgot。

〃Do　you　know；　Hughie；〃　he　said；　and　the　fire　in　his　eyes　seemed　to
burn　into　Hughie's；　〃do　you　know　what　sort　of　woman　you　have　for　a
mother？　　And　do　you　know　that　if　you　should　live　to　be　a　hundred
years；　and　devoted　every　day　of　your　life　to　the　doing　of　her
pleasure；　you　could　not　repay　the　debt　you　owe　her？　　Be　a　man；
Hughie。　　Thank　God　for　her；　and　for　the　opportunity　of　loving　and
caring　for　her。〃

The　night　of　his　first　visit　to　the　manse　Ranald　had　no　opportunity
for　any　further　talk　with　the　minister's　wife；　but　he　came　away
with　the　resolve　that　before　his　week's　visit　was　over；　he　would
see　her　alone。　　On　his　return　home；　however；　he　found　waiting　him　a
telegram　from　Colonel　Thorp；　mailed　from　Alexandria；　announcing　an
early　date　for　the　meeting　of　shareholders　at　Bay　City；　so　that　he
found　it　necessary　to　leave　immediately　after　the　next　day；　which
was　the　Sabbath。　　It　was　no　small　disappointment　to　him　that　he　was
to　have　no　opportunity　of　opening　his　heart　to　his　friend。　　But　as
he　sat　in　his　uncle's　seat　at　the　side　of　the　pulpit；　from　which　he
could　catch　sight　of　the　minister's　pew；　and　watched　the　look　of
peace　and　quiet　courage　grow　upon　her　face　till　all　the　lines　of
pain　and　care　were　quite　smoothed　out；　he　felt　his　heart　fill　up
with　a　sense　of　shame　for　all　his　weakness；　and　his　soul　knit
itself　into　the　resolve　that　if　he　should　have　to　walk　his　way；
bearing　his　cross　alone；　he　would　seek　the　same　high　spirit　of
faith　and　patience　and　courage　that　he　saw　shining　in　her　gray…
brown　eyes。

After　the　service　he　walked　home　with　the　minister's　wife；　seeking
opportunity　for　a　few　last　words　with　her。　　He　had　meant　to　tell
her　something　of　his　heart's　sorrow　and　disappointment；　for　he
guessed　that　knowing　and　loving　Kate　as　she　did；　she　would
understand　its　depth　and　bitterness。　　But　when　he　told　her　of　his
early　departure；　and　of　the　fear　that　for　many　years　he　could　not
return；　his　heart　was　smitten　with　a　great　pity　for　her。　　The　look
of　disappointment　and　almost　of　dismay　he　could　not　understand
until；　with　difficulty；　she　told　him　how　she　had　hoped　that　he　was
to　spend　some　weeks　at　home　and　that　Hughie　might　be　much　with　him。

〃I　wish　he　could　know　you　better；　Ranald。　　There　is　no　one　about
here　to　whom　he　can　look　up；　and　some　of　his　companions　are　not　of
the　best。〃　　The　look　of　beseeching　pain　in　her　eyes　was　almost　more
than　Ranald　could　bear。

〃I　would　give　my　life　to　help　you；〃　he　said；　in　a　voice　hoarse　and
husky。

〃I　know；〃　she　said；　simply；　〃you　have　been　a　great　joy　to　me；
Ranald；　and　it　will　always　comfort　me　to　think　of　you；　and　of　your
work；　and　I　like　to　remember；　too；　how　you　helped　Harry。　　He　told
me　much　about　you；　and　I　am　so　glad；　especially　as　he　is　now　to　be
married。〃

〃Yes；　yes；〃　replied　Ranald；　hurriedly；　〃that　will　be　a　great　thing
for　him。〃　　Then；　after　a　pause；　he　added：　　〃Mrs。　Murray；　the　West
is　a　hard　country　for　young　men　who　are　notnot　very　firmly
anchored；　but　if　at　any　time　you　think　I　could　help　Hughie　and　you
feel　like　sending　him　to　me；　I　will　gladly　do　for　him　all　that　one
man　can　do　for　another。　　And　all　that　I　can　do　will　be　a　very　poor
return　for　what　you　have　done　for　me。〃

〃It's　little　I　have　done；　Ranald；〃　she　said；　〃and　that　little　has
been　repaid　a　thousand…fold；　for　there　is　no　greater　joy　than　that
of　seeing　my　boys　grow　into　good　and　great　men　and　that　joy　you
have　brought　me。〃　　Then　she　said　good　by；　holding　his　hand　long；　as
if　hating　to　let　him　go。

〃I　will　remember　your　promise；　Ranald；〃　she　said；　〃for　it　may　be
that　some　day　I　shall　need　you。〃　　And　when　the　chance　came　to
Ranald　before　many　years　had　gone；　he　proved　himself　not　unworthy
of　her　trust。

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At　the　meeting　of　share…holders　of　the　British…American　Coal　and
Lumber　Company；　held　in　Bay　City；　the　feeling　uppermost　in　the
minds　of　those　present　was　one　of　wrath　and　indignation　at　Colonel
Thorp；　for　he　still　clung　to　the　idea　that　it　would　be　unwise　to
wind　up　the　British　Columbia　end　of　the　business。　　The　colonel's
speech　in　reply　was　a　triumph　of　diplomacy。　　He　began　by　giving　a
detailed　and　graphic　account　of　his　trip　through　the　province；
lighting　up　the　narrative　with　incidents　of　adventure；　both　tragic
and　comic；　to　such　good　purpose　that　before　he　had　finished　his
hearers　had　forgotten　all　their　anger。　　Then　he　told　of　what　he　had
seen　of　Ranald's　work；　emphasizing　the　largeness　of　the　results　he
had　obtained　with　his　very　imperfect　equipment。　　He　spoke　of　the
high　place　their　manager　held　in　the　esteem　of　the　community　as
witness　his　visit　to　Ottawa　as　representative；　and　lastly　he
touched　upon　his　work　for　the　men　by　means　of　the　libraries　and
reading…room。　　Here　he　was　interrupted　by　an　impatient　exclamation
on　the　part　of　one　of　the　share…holders。　　The　colonel　paused；　and
fastening　his　eye　upon　the　impatient　share…holder；　he　said；　in
tones　cool　and　deliberate：　　〃A　gentleman　says；　'Nonsense！'　　I
confess　that　before　my　visit　to　the　West　I　should　have　said　the
same；　but　I　want　to　say　right　here　and　now；　that　I　have　come　to　the
opinion　that　it　pays　to　look　after　your　mensoul；　mind；　and　body。
You'll　cut　more　lumber；　get　better　contracts；　and　increase　your
dividends。　　There　ain't　no　manner　of　doubt　about　that。　　Now；〃
concluded　the　colonel；　〃you　may　still　want　to　close　up　that
business；　but　before　you　do　so；　I　want　you　to　hear　Mr。　Macdonald。〃

After　some　hesitation；　Ranald　was　allowed　to　speak　for　a　few
minutes。　　He　began　by　expressing　his　amazement　that　there　should
be　any　thought　on　the　part　of　the　company　of　withdrawing　from　the
province　at　the　very　time　when　other　firms　were　seeking　to　find
entrance。　　He　acknowledged　that　the　result　for　the　last　years　did
not　warrant　any　great　confidence　in　the　future　of　their　business；
but　a　brighter　day　had　dawned；　the　railroad　was　coming；　and　he　had
in　his　pocket　three　contracts　that　it　would　require　the　company's
whole　force　for　six　months　to　fulfill；　and　these　contracts　would　be
concluded　the　day　the　first　rail　was　laid。

〃And　when　will　that　be？〃　interrupted　a　shareholder；　scornfully。

〃I　have　every　assurance；〃　said　Ranald；　quietly；　〃from　the　premier
himself；　that　the　building　of　the　railroad　will　be　started　this
fall。〃

〃Did　Sir　John　A。　MacDonald　give　you　a　definite　promise？〃　asked　the
man；　in　surprise。

〃Not　exactly　a　promise；〃　said　Ranald。

A　chorus　of　scornful　〃Ohs〃　greeted　this　admission。

〃But　the　premier　assured　me　that　all　his　influence　would　be　thrown
in　favor　of　immediate　construction。〃

〃For　my　part；〃　replied　the　share…holder；　〃I　place　not　the　slightest
confidence　in　any　such　promise　as　that。〃

〃And　I；〃　said　Ranald；　calmly；　〃have　every　confidence　that　work　on
the　line　will　be　started　this　fall。〃　　And　then　he　went　on　to　speak
of　the　future　that　he　saw　stretching　out　before　the　province　and
the　whole　Dominion。　　The　feeling　of　opposition　in　the　air　roused
him　like　a　call　to　battle；　and　the　thought　that　he　was　pleading　for
the　West　that　he　had　grown　to　love；　stimulated　him　like　a　draught
of　strong　wine。　　In　th