the foreigner-第43部分

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and　me？　　And　what　ofofall　your　friends？　　For　this　one　fierce　and　sinful　passionfor　it　is　sinful；　Kalmanyou　would　sacrifice　yourself　and　all　of　us。〃

〃I　know　all　that。　　It　would　sacrifice　all；　but　in　here；〃　smiting　his　breast；　〃there　is　a　cry　that　will　not　cease　till　I　see　that　man's　blood。〃

〃God　pity　you；　Kalman。　　And　you　call　yourself　a　follower　of　Him　who　for　His　murderers　prayed；　'Father；　forgive　them。'〃　　Then　Brown's　voice　grew　stern。　　〃Kalman；　you　are　not　thinking　clearly。　　You　must　face　this　as　a　Christian　man。　　The　issue　is　quite　straight。　　It　is　no　longer　between　you　and　your　enemy；　it　is　between　you　and　your　Lord。　　Are　you　prepared　to…night　to　reject　your　Lord　and　cut　yourself　off　from　Him？　　Listen。〃　　Brown　took　his　Bible；　and　turning　over　the　leaves；　found　the　words；　〃'If　ye　forgive　not　men　their　trespasses；　neither　will　your　Father　forgive　your　trespasses'；　and　remember；　these　are　the　words　of　Him　who　forgave　those　who　had　done　their　worst　on　Him；　blighting　his　dearest　hopes；　ruining　His　cause；　breaking　His　heart。　　Kalman；　you　dare　not。〃

And　Kalman　went　his　way　to　meet　his　Gethsemane　in　the　Night　Hawk　ravine；　till　morning　found　him　on　his　face　under　the　trees；　with　his　victory　still　in　the　balance。　　The　hereditary　instincts　of　Slavic　blood　cried　out　for　vengeance。　　The　passionate　loyalty　of　his　heart　to　the　memory　of　his　mother　and　to　his　father　cried　out　for　vengeance。　　His　own　wrongs　cried　out　for　vengeance；　and　against　these　cries　there　stood　that　single　word；　〃Father；　forgive　them；　they　know　not　what　they　do。〃

Before　a　week　was　gone　old　Portnoff　came　hot　foot　to　Brown　to　report　that　early　that　morning　Rosenblatt　had　ridden　off　in　the　direction　of　the　Fort；　where　was　the　Government　Land　Office。

〃It　is　something　about　the　mine。　　He　was　in　good　spirits。　　He　offered　me　something　good　on　his　return。　　If　this　were　only　Russia！〃　said　the　old　Nihilist。

〃Yes；　yes；〃　growled　his　friend　Malkarski；　in　his　deep　voice；　〃we　should　soon　do　for　him。〃

〃Left　this　morning？〃　said　Brown。　　〃How　long　ago？〃

〃Two　hours。〃

Brown　thought　quickly。　　What　could　it　mean？　　Was　it　possible　the　registration　had　been　neglected？　　Knowing　French's　easy…going　methods　of　doing　business；　he　knew　it　to　be　quite　possible。　　French　was　still　away　in　his　tie　camp。　　Kalman　was　ten　miles　off　at　the　mine。　　It　was　too　great　a　chance　to　take。

〃Throw　the　saddle　on　my　horse；　Portnoff；〃　he　cried。　　〃I　must　ride　to　the　Fort。〃

〃It　would　be　good　to　kill　this　man；〃　said　old　Malkarski　quietly。

〃What　are　you　saying？〃　cried　Brown　in　horror。　　〃Be　off　with　you。〃

He　made　a　few　hurried　preparations；　sent　word　to　Kalman；　and　departed。　　He　had　forty　miles　before　him；　and　his　horse　was　none　of　the　best。　　Rosenblatt　had　two　hours'　lead　and　was；　doubtless；　well　mounted。　　There　was　a　chance；　however；　that　he　would　take　the　journey　by　easy　stages。　　But　a　tail　chase　is　a　long　chase；　especially　when　cupidity　and　hate　are　spurring　on　the　pursued。　　Five　hours'　hard　riding　brought　Brown　to　the　wide　plain　upon　which　stood　the　Fort。　As　he　entered　upon　the　plain；　he　discovered　his　man　a　few　miles　before　him。　　At　almost　the　same　instant　of　his　discovery；　Rosenblatt　became　aware　of　his　pursuer；　and　the　last　five　miles　were　done　at　racing　speed。　　But　Brown's　horse　was　spent；　and　when　he　arrived　at　the　Land　Office；　it　was　to　find　that　application　had　been　made　for　one　hundred　and　sixty　acres　of　mining　land；　including　both　sides　of　the　Night　Hawk　ravine。　　Brown　stared　hard　at　the　entry。

〃Is　there　no　record　of　this　claim　having　been　entered　before？〃　said　Brown。

〃None；〃　said　the　agent。

〃This　man；〃　Brown　said　at　length　to　the　agent；　〃never　saw　the　mine。　He　is　not　the　discoverer。〃

〃Who　is？〃

〃A　young　friend　of　mine；　Kalman　Kalmar。　　To　that　I　can　swear。〃　　And　he　told　the　story　of　the　discovery；　adding　such　details　as　he　thought　necessary　in　regard　to　Rosenblatt's　character。

The　official　was　sympathetic　and　interested。

〃And　how　long　is　it　since　the　discovery　was　made？〃　he　enquired。

〃Six　months　or　so。〃

〃And　why　was　there　no　application　sent　in？〃

Brown　was　silent。

〃The　Government　cannot　be　responsible　for　neglect；〃　he　said。　　〃You　have　yourselves　to　blame　for　it。　　Nothing　can　be　done　now。〃

The　door　opened；　and　Brown　turned　to　find　Rosenblatt　with　a　smile　of　triumph　upon　his　face。　　Before　he　was　aware；　his　open　hand　had　swung　hard　upon　the　grinning　face；　and　Rosenblatt　fell　in　a　huddled　heap　into　the　corner。　　He　rose　up　sputtering　and　spitting。

〃I　will　have　the　law　on　you！〃　he　shouted。　　〃I　call　you　as　witness；〃　he　continued　to　the　agent。

〃What's　the　matter　with　you？〃　said　the　agent。　　〃I　didn't　see　anything。　　If　you　trip　yourself　up　and　pitch　into　the　corner；　that　is　your　own　business。　　Get　out　of　this　office；　you　disorderly　beast！　　Hurry　up！〃　　The　agent　put　his　hand　upon　the　counter　and　leaped　over。

Rosenblatt　fled；　terrified。

〃Brute！〃　said　the　agent；　〃I　can't　stand　these　claim　jumpers。　　You　did　that　very　neatly；〃　he　said　to　Brown；　shaking　him　warmly　by　the　hand。　　〃I　am　awfully　sorry；　but　the　thing　can't　be　helped　now。〃

Brown　was　too　sick　at　heart　to　reply。　　The　mine　was　gone；　and　with　it　all　the　splendid　castles　he　and　Kalman　had　been　building　for　the　last　six　months。　　He　feared　to　meet　his　friend。　　With　what　heart　now　could　he　ask　that　this　brute；　who　had　added　another　to　the　list　of　the　wrongs　he　had　done；　should　be　forgiven？　　It　was　beyond　all　human　strength　to　wipe　out　from　one's　mind　such　an　accumulation　of　injuries。　　Well　for　Brown　and　well　for　his　friend　that　forty　miles　lay　before　him。　　For　forty　miles　of　open　country　and　of　God's　sun　and　air；　to　a　man　whose　heart　is　open　to　God；　work　mighty　results。　When　at　last　they　came　together；　both　men　had　won　their　victory。

Quietly　Brown　told　his　story。　　He　was　amazed　to　find　that　instead　of　rousing　Kalman　to　an　irrepressible　fury；　it　seemed　to　make　but　little　impression　upon　him　that　he　had　lost　his　mine。　　Kalman　had　faced　his　issue；　and　fought　out　his　fight。　　At　all　costs　he　could　not　deny　his　Lord；　and　under　this　compulsion　it　was　that　he　had　surrendered　his　blood　feud。　　The　fierce　lust　for　vengeance　which　had　for　centuries　run　mad　in　his　Slavic　blood；　had　died　beneath　the　stroke　of　the　Cross；　and　under　the　shock　of　that　mighty　stroke　the　loss　of　the　mine　had　little　effect　upon　him。　　Brown　wondered　at　him。

The　whole　colony　was　thrown　into　a　ferment　of　indignation　by　the　news　that　Kalman　had　been　robbed　of　his　mine。　　But　the　agents　of　Rosenblatt　and　Sprink　were　busy　among　the　people。　　Feast　days　were　made　hilarious　through　their　lavish　gifts　of　beer。　　Large　promises　in　connection　with　the　development　of　the　mine　awakened　hopes　of　wealth　in　many　hearts。　　After　all；　what　could　they　hope　from　a　young　man　without　capital；　without　backing；　without　experience？　True；　it　was　a　pity　he　should　lose　his　mine；　but　men　soon　forget　the　losses　and　injuries　of　others　under　the　exhilaration　of　their　own　ambitions　and　dreams　of　success。　　Kalman's　claims　and　Kalman's　wrongs　were　soon　obliterated。　　He　had　been　found　guilty　of　the　unpardonable　crime　of　failure。　　The　new　firm　went　vigorously　to　work。　　Cabins　were　erected　at　the　mine；　a　wagon　road　cut　to　the　Saskatchewan。　　In　three　weeks　the　whole　face　of　the　ravine　was　changed。

It　was　in　the　end　of　April　before　French　returned　from　his　tie　camp；　with　nothing　for　his　three　months'　toil　but　battered　teams　and　empty　pockets；　a　worn　and　ill…favoured　body；　and　with　a　heart　sick　with　the　sense　of　failure　and　of　self…scorn。　　Kalman；　reading　at　a　glance　the　whole　sordid　and　heartbreaking　story；　met　him　with　warm　and　cheery　welcome。　　It　was　for　French；　more　than　for　himself；　that　he　grieved　over　the　loss　of　the　mine。　　Kalman　was　busy　with　his　preparations　for　the　spring　seeding。　　He　was　planning　a　large　crop　of　everything　the　ranch　would　grow；　for　the　coming　market。

〃And　the　mine；　Kalman？〃　enquired　French。

〃I've　quit　mining。　　The　ranch　for　me；〃　exclaimed　Kalman；　with　cheerful　enthusiasm。

〃But　what's　up？〃　said　French；　with　a　touch　of　impatience。

〃Jack；　we　have　lost　the　mine；〃　said　Kalman　quietly。　　And　he　told　the　story。

As　he　concluded　the　tale；　French's　listlessness　vanished。　　He　was　his　own　man　again。

〃We　will　ride　down　and　see　Brown；〃　he　said　with　decision。

〃No　use；〃　said　Kalman；　wishing　to　save　him　further　pain。　　〃Brown　saw　the　entry　at　the　Land　Office；　and　the　agent　plainly　told　him　nothing　could　be　done。〃

〃Well；　we　won't　just　lie　down　yet；　boy；〃　said　Jack。　　〃Come　along　orwell；　perhaps　I'd　better　go　alone。　　You　saddle　my　horse。〃

In　half　an　hour　French　appeared　clean　shaven；　dressed　in　his　〃civilization　clothes；〃　and　looking　his　old　self　again。

〃You're　fine；　Jack；〃　said　Kalman　in　admiration。　　〃We　have　got　each　other　yet。〃

〃Yes；　boy；〃　said　Jack；　gripping　his　hand；　〃and　that　is　the　best。　But　we'll　get　the　mine；　too；　or　I'm　a　Dutchman。〃　　All　the　old；　easy；　lazy　air　was　gone。　　In　every　line　of　his　handsome　face；　in　every　movement　of　his　body；　there　showed　vigour　and　determination。　The　old　English　fighting　spirit　was　roused；　whose　tradition　it　was　to　snatch　victory　from　the　jaws　of　defeat　and　despair。

Four　weeks　passed　before　Kalman　saw　him　again。　　Those　four　weeks　he　spent　in　toil　from　early　dawn　till　late　at　night　at　the　oats　and　the　potatoes；　working　to　the　limit　of　their　endurance　Mackenzie　and　the　small　force　of　Galicians　he　could　secure；　for　the　mine　and　the　railroad　offered　greater　attractions。　　At　length　the　level　black　fields　lay　waiting　the　wooing　of　the　sun　and　rain　and　genial　air。　Then　Kalman　rode　down　for　a　day　at　Wakota；　for　heart　and　body　were　exhausted　of　their　vital　forces。　　He　wanted　rest；　but　he　wanted　more　the　touch　of　a　friend's　hand。

At　Wakota；　the　first　sight　that　caught　his　eye　was　French's　horse　tethered　on　the　grassy　sward　before　Brown's　house；　and　as　he　rode　up；　from　within　there　came　to　his　ear　the　sound　of　unusual　and　hilarious　revelry。

〃Hello　there！〃　yelled　Kalman；　still　sitting　his　horse。　　〃What's　happened　to　you　all？〃

The　cry　brought　them　all　out；Brown　and　his　wife；　French　and　Irma；　with　Paulina　in　the　background。　　They　crowded　around　him　with　vociferous　welcome；　Brown　leading　in　a　series　of　wild　cheers。　After　the　cheering　was　done；　Brown　rushed　for　him。

〃Congratulations；　old　boy！〃