the foreigner-第38部分

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〃Hurt；　indeed！〃　ejaculated　a　muffled　voice。　　〃It　was　nearer　killed；　I　was。〃

Upon　this；　Miss　Marjorie　ran　to　the　tent　door。　　〃Aunt；〃　she　cried；　lifting　up　the　flap；　〃you　might　as　well　come　out　and　meet　Mr。〃

〃French；　Jack　French；　as　I　am　known　in　this　free　country。〃

〃My　Aunt；　Miss　Menzies。〃

〃Very　happy　to　meet　you；　madam。〃　　Jack's　bow　was　so　inexpressibly　elegant　that　Aunt　Janet　found　herself　adopting　her　most　gracious；　Glasgow　society　manner。

French　was　profuse　in　his　apologies　and　sympathetic　regrets；　as　he　gravely　listened　to　Aunt　Janet's　excited　account　of　her　warm　adventure。　　The　perfect　gravity　and　the　profuse　sympathy　with　which　he　heard　the　tale　won　Aunt　Janet's　heart；　and　she　privately　decided　that　here；　at　last；　she　had　found　in　this　wild　and　terrible　country　a　man　in　whom　she　could　entirely　confide。

Under　Miss　Marjorie's　direction；　French　unloaded　his　oats；　the　girl　pouring　forth　the　while　a　stream　of　observations；　exclamations；　and　interrogations　upon　all　subjects　imaginable；　and　with　such　an　abandonment　of　good　fellowship　that　French；　for　the　first　time　in　twenty　years；　found　himself　offering　hospitality　to　a　party　in　which　ladies　were　to　be　found。　　Miss　Menzies　accepted　the　invitation　with　eager　alacrity。

〃Oh！　it　will　be　lovely；　won't　it；　Aunt　Janet？　　We　have　not　yet　seen　a　real　ranch；　and　besides；〃　she　added；　〃we　have　no　money　to　pay　for　our　oats。〃

〃That　matters　not　at　all；〃　said　French；　〃but　if　your　Aunt　will　condescend　to　grace　with　her　presence　my　poor　bachelor's　hall；　we　shall　be　most　grateful。〃

Aunt　Janet　was　quite　captivated；　and　before　she　knew　it；　she　had　accepted　the　invitation　for　the　party。

〃Oh；　good！〃　cried　Miss　Marjorie　in　ecstasy；　〃we　shall　come　to…　morrow；　Mr。　French。〃

And　with　this　news　French　drove　back　to　the　ranch；　to　the　disgust　of　old　Mackenzie；　who　dreaded　〃women　folks；〃　and　to　Kalman's　alternating　delight　and　dismay。　　That　short　visit　had　established　between　the　young　girl　and　Jack　French　a　warm　and　abiding　friendship　that　in　a　more　conventional　atmosphere　it　would　have　taken　years　to　develop。　　To　her　French　realized　at　once　all　her　ideals　of　what　a　Western　rancher　should　be；　and　to　French　the　frank；　fresh　innocence　of　her　unspoiled　heart　appealed　with　irresistible　force。　　They　had　discovered　each　other　in　that　single　hour。



CHAPTER　XVI

HOW　KALMAN　FOUND　HIS　MINE


The　girl's　enthusiasm　for　her　new…found　friend　was　such　that　the　whole　party　decided　to　accept　his　invitation。　　And　so　they　did；　spending　a　full　day　and　night　on　the　ranch；　exploring；　under　French's　guidance；　the　beauty　spots；　and　investigating　with　the　greatest　interest；　especially　on　Miss　Marjorie's　part；　the　farming　operations；　over　which　Kalman　was　presiding。

That　young　man；　in　dumb　and　abashed　confusion　of　face；　strictly　avoided　the　party；　appearing　only　at　meals。　　There；　while　he　made　a　brave　show；　he　was　torn　between　the　conflicting　emotions　of　admiration　of　the　easy　nonchalance　and　self…possession　with　which　Jack　played　the　host；　and　of　furious　rage　at　the　air　of　proprietorship　which　Mr。　Edgar　Penny　showed　towards　Miss　Marjorie。　Gladly　would　he　have　crushed　into　a　shapeless　pulp　the　ruddy；　chubby　face　of　that　young　man。　　Kalman　found　himself　at　times　with　his　eyes　fixed　upon　the　very　spot　where　his　fingers　itched　to　grip　that　thick…set　neck；　but　in　spite　of　these　passing　moments　of　fury；　the　whole　world　was　new　to　him。　　The　blue　of　the　sky；　the　shimmer　of　the　lake；　the　golden　yellow　of　the　poplars；　all　things　in　earth　and　heaven；　were　shining　with　a　new　glory。　　For　him　the　day's　work　had　no　weariness。　　He　no　longer　trod　the　solid　ground；　but　through　paths　of　airy　bliss　his　soul　marched　to　the　strains　of　celestial　music。

Poor　Kalman！　　When　on　that　fateful　morning　upon　his　virgin　soul　there　dawned　the　vision　of　the　maid；　the　hour　of　fate　struck　for　him。　　That　most　ancient　and　most　divine　of　frenzies　smote　him。　　He　was　deliciously；　madly　in　love；　though　he　knew　it　not。　　It　is　something　to　his　credit；　however；　that　he　allowed　the　maiden　to　depart　without　giving　visible　token　of　this　divine　frenzy　raging　within　his　breast；　unless　it　were　that　in　the　blue　of　his　eyes　there　came　a　deeper　blue；　and　that　under　the　tan　of　his　cheek　a　pallor　crept。　　But　when　on　their　going　the　girl　suddenly　turned　in　her　saddle　and；　waving　her　hand；　cried；　〃Good…by；　Kalman；〃　the　pallor　fled；　chased　from　his　cheek　by　a　hot　rush　of　Slavic　blood　as　he　turned　to　answer；　〃Good…by。〃　　He　held　his　hat　high　in　a　farewell　salutation；　as　he　had　seen　Jack　do；　and　then　in　another　moment　she　was　gone；　and　with　her　all　the　glory　of　that　golden　autumn　day。

To　Kalman　it　seemed　as　if　months　or　years　must　have　passed　since　he　first　saw　her　by　her　Aunt's　tent　on　that　eventful　morning。　　To　take　up　the　ordinary　routine　was　impossible　to　him。　　That　very　night；　rolling　up　his　blankets　and　grub　for　three　days；　and　strapping　on　to　his　saddle　an　axe　and　a　shovel；　Kalman　rode　off　down　the　Night　Hawk　Creek；　telling　Mackenzie　gruffly；　as　he　called　his　dogs　to　follow；　that　he　purposed　digging　out　a　coyote's　den　that　he　knew　lay　somewhere　between　the　lake　and　the　Creek　mouth。

The　afternoon　of　the　second　day　found　him　far　down　the　Creek；　where　it　plunged　headlong　into　the　black　ravine　below；　not　having　discovered　his　wolf　den　and　not　much　caring　whether　he　should　or　not；　for　as　he　rode　through　the　thick　scrub　he　seemed　to　see　dancing　before　him　in　the　glancing　beams　that　rained　down　through　the　yellow　poplar　leaves　a　maiden's　face　with　saucy　brown　eyes　that　laughed　at　him　and　lured　him　and　flouted　him　all　at　once。

At　the　edge　of　the　steep　descent　he　held　up　his　broncho。　　He　had　never　been　down　this　way　before。　　The　sides　of　the　ravine　pitched　sharply　into　a　narrow　gorge　through　which　the　Night　Hawk　brawled　its　way　to　the　Saskatchewan　two　miles　farther　down。

〃We'll　scramble　down　here；　Jacob；〃　he　said　to　his　broncho；so　named　by　Brown；　for　that　he　had　〃supplanted〃　in　Kalman's　affection　his　first　pony；　the　pinto。

He　dismounted；　drew　the　reins　over　the　broncho's　head；　and　began　the　descent；　followed　by　his　horse；　slipping；　sliding；　hanging　on　now　by　trees　and　now　by　jutting　rocks。　　By　the　edge　of　what　had　once　been　a　small　landslip；　he　clutched　a　poplar　tree　to　save　himself　from　going　over；　but　the　tree　came　away　with　him；　and　horse　and　man　slid　and　rolled　down　the　slope；　bringing　with　them　a　great　mass　of　earth　and　stone。　　Unhappily；　Jacob　in　his　descent　rolled　over　upon　the　boy's　leg。　　There　was　a　snap；　a　twinge　of　sharp　pain；　and　boy　and　horse　lay　half　imbedded　in　the　loose　earth。　　Kalman　seized　a　stick　that　lay　near　at　hand。

〃Get　up；　Jacob；　you　brute！〃　he　cried；　giving　him　a　sharp　blow。

Jacob　responded　with　a　mighty　plunge　and　struggled　free；　making　it　possible　for　Kalman　to　extricate　himself。　　He　was　relieved　to　discover　that　he　could　stand　on　his　feet　and　could　walk；　but　only　with　extreme　pain。　　Upon　examination　he　could　find　no　sign　of　broken　bones。　　He　took　a　large　handkerchief　from　his　neck；　bound　it　tightly　about　his　foot　and　ankle。

〃I　say；　Jacob；　we're　well　out　of　that；〃　he　said；　looking　up　at　the　great　cave　that　had　been　excavated　by　the　landslip。　　〃Quite　a　hole；　eh？　　A　great　place　to　sleep　in。　　Lots　of　spruce　about；　too。　　We'll　just　camp　here　for　the　night。　　I　guess　I'll　have　to　let　those　coyotes　go　this　trip。　　This　beastly　foot　of　mine　won't　let　me　dig　much。　　Hello！〃　he　continued；　〃that's　a　mighty　queer　rock。　　I'll　just　take　a　look　at　that　hole。〃

He　struggled　up　over　the　debris　and　entered　the　cave。　　Through　the　earth　there　showed　a　glistening　seam　slanting　across　one　side　and　ending　in　a　broken　ledge。

〃By　Jove！〃　he　cried；　copying　Jack　French　in　his　habit　of　speech　as　in　other　habits；　〃that　looks　like　the　coal　we　used　to　find　along　the　Winnipeg　tracks。〃

He　broke　off　a　piece　of　the　black　seam。　　It　crumbled　in　his　hands。

〃I　guess　not；〃　he　said；　〃but　we'll　get　the　shovel　at　it。〃

Forgetting　for　the　time　the　pain　of　his　foot；　he　scrambled　down　over　the　soft　earth；　got　his　shovel；　and　was　soon　hard　at　work　excavating　the　seam。　　Soon　he　had　a　very　considerable　pile　lying　at　the　front　of　the　cave。

〃Now　we'll　soon　see；〃　he　cried。

He　hurriedly　gathered　some　dry　wood；　heaped　the　black　stuff　upon　it；　lighted　it；　and　sat　down　to　wait　the　issue。　　Wild　hopes　were　throbbing　at　his　heart。　　He　knew　enough　of　the　value　of　coal　to　realize　the　importance　of　the　discovery。　　If　it　should　prove　to　be　coal；　what　a　splendid　thing　it　would　be　for　Jack　and　for　him！　　How　much　they　would　be　able　to　do　for　Mrs。　French　and　for　his　sister　Irma！　　Amid　his　dreams　a　new　face　mingled；　a　face　with　saucy　brown　eyes；　but　on　that　face　he　refused　to　allow　himself　the　rapture　of　looking。　　He　dared　not；　at　least　not　yet。　　Keenly　he　watched　the　fire。　　Was　it　taking　hold　of　the　black　lumps？　　The　flames　were　dying　down。　　The　wood　had　nearly　burned　itself　out。　　The　black　lumps　were　charred　and　dead；　and　with　their　dying　died　his　hopes。

He　glanced　out　upon　the　ravine。　　Large　soft　flakes　of　snow　were　falling　lazily　through　the　trees。

〃I'll　get　my　blankets　and　grub　under　cover；　and　get　some　more　wood　for　the　night。　　It's　going　to　be　cold。〃

He　heaped　the　remains　of　the　wood　he　had　gathered　upon　the　fire；　and　with　great　difficulty；　for　his　foot　was　growing　more　and　more　painful　with　every　move；　he　set　about　gathering　wood；　of　which　there　was　abundance　near　at　hand；　and　making　himself　snug　for　the　night。　　He　brought　up　a　pail　of　water　from　the　Creek；　and　tethered　his　broncho　where　there　was　a　bunch　of　grass　at　the　bottom　of　the　ravine。　　Before　he　had　finished　these　operations　the　ground　was　white　with　snow；　and　the　wind　was　beginning　to　sigh　ominously　through　the　trees。

〃Going　to　be　a　blizzard；　sure；〃　he　said。　　〃But　let　her　blow。　　We're　all　right　in　here。　　Hello！　where　are　those　dogs？　　After　the　wolves；　I'll　be　bound。　　They'll　come　back　when　they're　ready。〃

With　every　moment　the　snow　came　down　more　thickly；　and　the　wind　grew　toward　a　gale。

〃If　it's　going　to　be　a　storm；　I'd　better　lay　in　some　more　wood。〃

At　the　cost　of　great　pain　and　labour；　he　dragged　within　reach　of　the　cave　a　number　of　dead　trees。　　He　was　disgusted　to　find　his　stock　of　provisions　rather　low。

〃I　wish　I'd　eaten　less；〃　he　grumbled。　　〃If　I'm　in　for　a　three　da