the foreigner-第41部分

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　be　riding　from　morning　till　night　with　her　niece。　　For　Jack；　meanwhile；　was　attending　with　assiduous　courtesy　the　Aunt　and　receiving　radiant　looks　of　gratitude　from　the　niece。　　Two　days　of　Heaven；　when　Kalman　forgot　all　but　that　she　was　beside　him；　two　days　of　hell　when　he　remembered　that　he　was　but　a　poor　foreign　boy　and　she　a　great　English　lady。　　Two　days　and　they　said　farewell。　　Marjorie　was　the　last；　turning　first　to　French；　who　kissed　her；　saying；　〃Come　back　again；　little　girl；〃　and　then　to　Kalman；　sitting　on　his　broncho；　for　he　hated　to　go　lame　before　them　all。

〃Good…by；　Kalman；〃　she　said；　smiling　bravely；　while　her　lips　quivered。　　〃I'll　no　forget　yon　awful　and；〃　leaning　slightly　toward　him　as　he　took　her　hand；　〃yon　happy　night。　　Good…by　for　now。　　I'll　no　forget。〃

And　Kalman；　looking　straight　into　her　eyes；　held　her　hand　without　a　word　till；　withdrawing　it　from　his　hold；　she　turned　away；　leaving　the　smile　with　him　and　carrying　with　her　the　quivering　lips。

〃I　shall　ride　a　bit　with　you；　little　girl；〃　said　Jack　French；　who　was　ever　quick　with　his　eyes。

She　tried　to　smile　at　him；　but　failed　piteously。　　But　Jack　rode　close　to　her；　talking　bright　nothings　till　she　could　smile　again。

〃Oh；　Jack；　but　you　are　the　dear！〃　she　said　to　him　as　they　galloped　together　up　the　trail；　Mr。　Penny　following　behind。　　〃I'll　mind　this　to　you。〃

But　before　they　took　the　descent　to　the　Night　Hawk　ravine；　they　heard　a　thunder　of　hoofs；　and　wheeling；　found　Kalman　bearing　down　upon　them。

〃Mercy　me！〃　cried　Aunt　Janet；　〃what's　wrang　wi'　the　lad？〃

〃I　have　come　to　say　good…by；〃　he　shouted；　his　broncho　tearing　up　the　earth　by　Marjorie's　side。

Reaching　out　his　hands；　he　drew　her　toward　him　and　kissed　her　before　them　all；　once；　again；　and　yet　again；　with　Aunt　Janet　screaming；　〃Mercy　sakes　alive！　　The　lad　is　daft！　　He'll　do　her　a　hurt！〃

〃Hoots！　woman；　let　the　bairns　be；〃　cried　Marjorie's　father。　　〃He　saved　her　for　us。〃

But　having　said　his　farewell；　Kalman　rode　away；　waving　his　hand　and　singing　at　the　top　of　his　voice　his　Hungarian　love…song；


　　　　　〃While　the　flower　blooms　in　the　meadow；　　　　　　　　　And　fishes　swim　the　sea；　　　　　　　Heart　of　my　heart；　soul　of　my　soul；　　　　　　　　　I'll　love　and　live　for　thee；〃


which　none　but　Marjorie　could　understand；　but　they　all　stood　watching　as　he　rode　away；　and　listening；


　　　　　〃With　my　lances　at　my　back；　　　　　　　　　My　good　sword　at　my　knee；　　　　　　　Light　of　my　life；　joy　of　my　soul；　　　　　　　　　I'll　fight；　I'll　die　for　thee！〃


And　as　the　song　ceased　she　rode　away；　and　as　she　rode　she　smiled。



CHAPTER　XVII

THE　FIGHT　FOR　THE　MINE


The　early　approach　of　winter　checked　the　railroad　construction　proper；　but　with　the　snow　came　good　roads；　and　contractors　were　quick　to　take　advantage　of　the　easier　methods　of　transportation　furnished　by　winter　roads　to　establish　supply　depots　along　the　line；　and　to　open　tie　camps　up　in　the　hills。　　And　so　the　old　Edmonton　Trail　was　once　more　humming　with　life　and　activity　far　exceeding　that　of　its　palmiest　days。

As　for　Kalman；　however；　it　was　the　mine　that　absorbed　his　attention　and　his　energies。　　By　day　and　by　night　he　planned　and　dreamed　and　toiled　for　the　development　of　his　mine。　　With　equal　enthusiasm　Brown　and　French　joined　in　this　enterprise。　　It　was　French　that　undertook　to　deal　with　all　matters　pertaining　to　the　organization　of　a　company　by　which　the　mine　should　be　operated。　　Registration　of　claim；　the　securing　of　capital；　the　obtaining　of　charter；　all　these　matters　were　left　in　his　hands。　　A　few　weeks'　correspondence；　however；　revealed　the　fact　that　for　Western　enterprises　money　was　exceedingly　difficult　to　secure。　　French　was　eager　to　raise　money　by　mortgaging　his　ranch　and　all　his　possessions；　but　this　proposal　Kalman　absolutely　refused　to　consider。　　Brown；　too；　was　opposed　to　this　scheme。　　Determined　that　something　should　be　done；　French　then　entered　into　contracts　with　the　Railroad　Company　for　the　supply　of　ties。　　But　though　he　and　Mackenzie　took　a　large　force　into　the　woods；　and　spent　their　three　months　in　arduous　toil；　when　the　traders　and　the　whiskey　runners　had　taken　their　full　toll　little　was　left　for　the　development　of　the　mine。

The　actual　working　of　the　mine　fell　to　Kalman；　aided　by　Brown。　There　was　an　immediate　market　for　coal　among　the　Galicians　of　the　colony；　who　much　preferred　it　to　wood　as　a　fuel　for　the　clay　ovens　with　which　they　heated　their　houses。　　But　they　had　little　money　to　spare；　and　hence；　at　the　beginning　of　the　work；　Kalman　hit　upon　the　device　of　bartering　coal　for　labour；　two　days'　work　in　the　mine　entitling　a　labourer　to　a　load　of　coal。　　Brown；　too；　needed　coal　for　his　mill。　　At　the　Crossing　there　was　large　demand　for　coal；　while　correspondence　with　the　Railroad　Company　discovered　to　Kalman　a　limitless　market　for　the　product　of　his　mine。　　By　outside　sales　Kalman　came　to　have　control　of　a　little　ready　money；　and　with　this　he　engaged　a　small　force　of　Galicians；　who；　following　lines　suggested　by　Brown；　pushed　in　the　tunnel；　ran　cross　drifts；　laid　down　a　small　tramway；　and　accomplished　exploration　and　development　work　that　appeared　to　Kalman's　uninstructed　eyes　wonderful　indeed。　The　interest　of　the　whole　colony　centred　in　the　mine　and　in　its　development；　and　the　confidence　of　the　people　in　Kalman's　integrity　and　efficiency　became　more　and　more　firmly　established。

But　Brown　was　too　fully　occupied　with　his　own　mission　to　give　much　of　his　time　to　the　mine。　　The　work　along　the　line　of　construction　and　in　the　camps　meant　sickness　and　accident；　and　consequently　his　hospital　accommodation　had　once　more　to　be　increased；　and　this　entailed　upon　himself　and　his　wife；　who　acted　as　matron；　a　heavy　burden　of　responsibility　and　of　toil。

It　was　a　happy　inspiration　of　Jack　French's　that　led　Brown　to　invoke　the　aid　of　Mrs。　French　in　securing　the　services　of　a　nurse；　and　Mrs。　French's　proposal　that　Irma；　who　for　two　years　had　been　in　regular　training；　should　relieve　Mrs。　Brown　of　her　duties　as　matron；　was　received　by　all　concerned　with　enthusiastic　approval。　And　so；　to　the　great　relief　of　Mrs。　Brown　and　to　the　unspeakable　joy　of　both　Kalman　and　his　sister；　Irma　and　Paulina　with　her　child　were　installed　in　the　Wakota　institution；　Irma　taking　charge　of　the　hospital　and　Paulina　of　the　kitchen。

It　was　not　by　Brown's　request　or　even　desire　that　Paulina　decided　to　make　her　home　in　the　Wakota　colony。　　She　was　there　because　nothing　could　prevent　her　coming。　　Her　life　was　bound　up　with　the　children　of　her　lord；　and　for　their　sakes　she　toiled　in　the　kitchen　with　a　devotion　that　never　flagged　and　never　sought　reward。

The　school；　too；　came　back　to　Brown　and　in　larger　numbers　than　before。　　Through　the　autumn　and　early　winter；　by　his　drunkenness　and　greed；　Klazowski　had　fallen　deeper　and　deeper　into　the　contempt　of　his　parishioners。　　It　was　Kalman；　however；　that　gave　the　final　touch　to　the　tottering　edifice　of　his　influence　and　laid　it　in　ruins。　　It　was　the　custom　of　the　priest　to　gather　his　congregation　for　public　worship　on　Sunday　afternoon　in　the　schoolhouse　which　Brown　placed　at　his　disposal；　and　of　which　he　assumed　possession　as　his　right；　by　virtue　of　the　fact　that　it　was　his　people　who　had　erected　the　building。　　On　a　Sunday　afternoon；　as　the　winter　was　nearing　an　end；　Klazowski；　under　the　influence　of　a　too　complete　devotion　to　the　beer　barrel　that　stood　in　his　host's　kitchen；　spent　an　hour　in　a　furious　denunciation　of　the　opponents　of　his　holy　religion；　and　especially　of　the　heretic　Brown　and　all　his　works；　threatening　with　excommunication　those　who　in　any　degree　would　dare　after　this　date　to　countenance　him。　　His　character　was　impugned；　his　motives　declared　to　be　of　the　basest。　　This　was　too　much　for　his　congregation。　　Deep　murmurs　rose　among　the　people；　but　unwarned；　the　priest　continued　his　execrations　of　the　hated　heretic。

At　length　Kalman；　unable　any　longer　to　contain　his　indignation；　sprang　to　his　feet；　gave　the　priest　the　lie　direct　and　appealed　to　the　people。

〃You　all　know　Mr。　Brown；〃　he　cried；　〃what　sort　of　man　is　he？　　And　what　sort　of　man　is　this　priest　who　has　spoken　to　you？　　You；　Simon　Simbolik；　when　your　child　lay　dead　and　you　sought　help　of　this　Klazowski；　what　answer　did　he　give　you？〃

〃He　asked　me　for　ten　dollars；〃　said　Simon　promptly；　〃and　when　I　could　not　give　it　he　cursed　me　from　him。　　Yes；〃　continued　Simbolik；　〃and　Mr。　Brown　made　the　coffin　and　paid　for　it；　and　would　take　no　money。　　My　daughter　is　in　his　school；　and　is　learning　English　and　sewing；　beautiful　sewing；　and　she　will　stay　there。〃

〃You；　Bogarz；〃　cried　Kalman；　〃when　your　children　were　down　with　scarlet　fever　and　you　went　to　the　priest　for　help；　what　was　his　reply？〃

〃He　drove　me　from　his　house。　　He　was　afraid　to　death。〃

〃Yes；〃　continued　Kalman；　〃and　Mr。　Brown　came　and　took　the　children　to　his　hospital；　and　they　are　well　to…day。〃

〃Yes；〃　cried　Bogarz；　〃and　he　would　take　nothing　for　it　all；　but　I　paid　him　all　I　could；　and　I　will　gladly　pay　him　more。〃

And　so　from　one　to　another　went　the　word。　　The　friends　of　Klazowski；　for　he　still　had　a　following；　were　beaten　into　silence。　　Then　rose　more　ominous　murmurs。

〃I　would　not　have　Klazowski　in　my　house　with　my　family；〃　cried　one；　〃a　single　day。　　It　would　not　be　safe。　　I　need　say　no　more。〃

Others　were　found　with　similar　distrust　of　Klazowski's　morals。　Klazowski　was　furious；　and　sought　with　loud　denunciations　and　curses　to　quell　the　storm　of　indignation　that　had　been　roused　against　him。　　Then　Kalman　executed　a　flank　movement。

〃This　man；〃　he　cried；　his　loud；　clear　voice　gaining　him　a　hearing；　〃This　man　is　promising　to　build　us　a　church。　　He　has　been　collecting　money。　　How　much　money　do　you　think　he　has　by　this　time？　I；　myself；　gave　him　ten　dollars；　Mr。　French　gave　him　twenty…five。〃

At　once　cries　came　from　all　parts　of　the　building。　　〃I　gave　him　twenty…five。〃　　〃And　I　ten。〃　　〃And　I　five。〃　　And　so　on；　Kalman　keeping　count。

〃I　make　it　nearly　two　hundred　dollars；〃　he　cried。　　〃Has　any　one　seen　the　books？　　Does　any　one　know　where　the　money　is？〃

〃No；　no；〃　cried　the　crowd。

〃Then；〃　cried　Kalinan；　〃let　us　enquire。　　We　are　not　sheep。　　This　is　a　free　country；　and　we　are　free　men。　　The　days　of　the　old　tyranny　are　gone。〃　　The　house　rocked　with　the　wild　cheers　of　the　excited　crowd。　　〃Let　us　examine　into