the man from glengarry-第50部分

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they　ain't　none　of　'em　any　good　no　more；　them　ducks　is　too　pious
for　me。〃　　I　don't　know　whether　you　will　consider　that　a　compliment
or　not。　　So　the　Institute　and　all　its　people　will　welcome　you　with
acclaims　of　delight　and　sighs　of　relief。　　And　some　one　else　whom
you　adore；　and　who　adores　you；　will　rejoice　to　see　you。　　I　have
begged　her　from　Maimie　for　a　few　precious　days。　　But　that's　a
secret；　and　last　of　all　and　least　of　all；　there　is

Your　friend；

KATE。

P。　S。Of　course　you　will　be　at　the　party　to…morrow　night。　　Maimie
looks　lovelier　than　ever；　and　she　will　be　so　glad　to　see　you。

K。


〃What　a　trump　she　is；〃　murmured　Ranald；　〃unselfish；　honest　to　the
core；　and　steady　as　a　rock。　　'Some　one　else　whom　you　adore。'　　Who
can　that　be？　　By　Jove；　is　it　possible？　　I　will　go　right　up　to…night。〃

His　last　letter　was　from　Mr。　St。　Clair；　who　was　the　chief　executive
of　the　firm。　　He　glanced　over　it　hurriedly；　then　with　a　curious
blending　of　surprise；　perplexity；　and　dismay　on　his　face；　he　read
it　again　with　careful　deliberation：


MY　DEAR　RANALD：　　Welcome　home！　　We　shall　all　be　delighted　to　see
you。　　Your　letter　from　North　Bay；　which　reached　me　two　days　ago；
contained　information　that　places　us　in　rather　an　awkward　position。
Last　May；　just　after　you　left　for　the　north；　Colonel　Thorp；　of　the
British…American　Coal　and　Lumber　Company；　operating　in　British
Columbia　and　Michigan；　called　to　see　me；　and　made　an　offer　of
75；000　for　our　Bass　River　limits。　　Of　course　you　know　we　are
rather　anxious　to　unload；　and　at　first　I　regarded　his　offer　with
favor。　　Soon　afterwards　I　received　your　first　report；　sent
apparently　on　your　way　up。　　I　thereupon　refused　Colonel　Thorp's
offer。　　Then　evidently　upon　the　strength　of　your　report；　which　I
showed　him；　Colonel　Thorp；　who　by　the　way　is　a　very　fine　fellow；
but　a　very　shrewd　business　man；　raised　his　offer　to　an　even　hundred
thousand。　　This　offer　I　feel　inclined　to　accept。　　To　tell　you　the
truth；　we　have　more　standing　timber　than　we　can　handle；　and　as　you
know；　we　are　really　badly　crippled　for　ready　money。　　It　is　a　little
unfortunate　that　your　last　report　should　be　so　much　less　favorable
in　regard　to　the　east　half　of　the　limits。　　However；　I　don't　suppose
there　is　any　need　of　mentioning　that　to　Colonel　Thorp；　especially
as　his　company　are　getting　a　good　bargain　as　it　is；　and　one　which
of　themselves；　they　could　not　possibly　secure　from　the　government。
I　write　you　this　note　in　case　you　should　run　across　Colonel　Thorp
in　town　to…morrow；　and　inadvertently　say　something　that　might
complicate　matters。　　I　have　no　doubt　that　we　shall　be　able　to　close
the　deal　in　a　few　days。

Now　I　want　to　say　again　how　delighted　we　all　are　to　have　you　back。
We　never　realized　how　much　we　were　dependent　upon　you。　　Mr。　Raymond
and　I　have　been　talking　matters　over；　and　we　have　agreed　that　some
changes　ought　to　be　made；　which　I　venture　to　say　will　not　be
altogether　disagreeable　to　you。　　I　shall　see　you　first　thing　in　the
morning　about　the　matter　of　the　limits。

Maimie　has　got　home；　and　is；　I　believe；　expecting　you　at　her　party
to…morrow　night。　　Indeed；　I　understand　she　was　determined　that　it
should　not　come　off　until　you　had　returned；　which　shows　she　shares
the　opinion　of　the　firm　concerning　you。

I　am　yours　sincerely；

EUGENE　ST。　CLAIR。


Ranald　sat　staring　at　the　letter　for　a　long　time。　　He　saw　with
perfect　clearness　Mr。　St。　Clair's　meaning；　and　a　sense　of　keen
humiliation　possessed　him　as　he　realized　what　it　was　that　he　was
expected　to　do。　　But　it　took　some　time　for　the　full　significance　of
the　situation　to　dawn　upon　him。　　None　knew　better　than　he　how
important　it　was　to　the　firm　that　this　sale　should　be　effected。
The　truth　was　if　the　money　market　should　become　at　all　close　the
firm　would　undoubtedly　find　themselves　in　serious　difficulty。　　Ruin
to　the　company　meant　not　only　the　blasting　of　his　own　prospects；
but　misery　to　her　whom　he　loved　better　than　life；　and　after　all；
what　he　was　asked　to　do　was　nothing　more　than　might　be　done　any　day
in　the　world　of　business。　　Every　buyer　is　supposed　to　know　the
value　of　the　thing　he　buys；　and　certainly　Colonel　Thorp　should　not
commit　his　company　to　a　deal　involving　such　a　large　sum　of　money
without　thoroughly　informing　himself　in　regard　to　the　value　of　the
limits　in　question；　and　when　he；　as　an　employee　of　the　Raymond　and
St。　Clair　Lumber　Company；　gave　in　his　report；　surely　his
responsibility　ceased。　　He　was　not　asked　to　present　any　incorrect
report；　he　could　easily　make　it　convenient　to　be　absent　until　the
deal　was　closed。　　Furthermore；　the　chances　were　that　the　British…
American　Coal　and　Lumber　Company　would　still　have　good　value　for
their　money；　for　the　west　half　of　the　limits　was　exceptionally
good；　and　besides；　what　right　had　he　to　besmirch　the　honor　of　his
employer；　and　to　set　his　judgment　above　that　of　a　man　of　much
greater　experience？　　Ranald　understood　also　Mr。　St。　Clair's
reference　to　the　changes　in　the　firm；　and　it　gave　him　no　small
satisfaction　to　think　that　in　four　years　he　had　risen　from　the
position　of　lumber　checker　to　that　of　manager；　with　an　offer　of　a
partnership；　nor　could　he　mistake　the　suggestion　in　Mr。　St。　Clair's
closing　words。　　Every　interest　he　had　in　life　would　be　furthered　by
the　consummation　of　the　deal；　and　would　be　imperiled　by　his
refusing　to　adopt　Mr。　St。　Clair's　suggestion。　　Still；　argue　as　he
might；　Ranald　never　had　any　doubt　as　to　what；　as　a　man　of　honor；　he
ought　to　do。　　Colonel　Thorp　was　entitled　to　the　information　that　he
and　Mr。　St。　Clair　alone　possessed。　　Between　his　interests　and　his
conscience　the　conflict　raged。

〃I　wish　I　knew　what　I　ought　to　do；〃　he　groaned；　all　the　time
battling　against　the　conviction　that　the　information　he　possessed
should　by　rights　be　given　to　Colonel　Thorp。　　Finally；　in　despair　of
coming　to　a　decision；　he　seized　his　hat；　saying；　〃I　will　go　and　see
Kate；〃　and　slipping　out　of　a　side　door；　he　set　off　for　the　Raymond
home。　　〃I　will　just　look　up　Coley　on　the　way；〃　he　said　to　himself；
and　diving　down　an　alley；　he　entered　a　low　saloon　with　a　billiard
hall　attached。　　There；　as　he　had　expected；　acting　as　marker；　he
found　Coley。

Mike　Cole；　or　Coley；　as　his　devoted　followers　called　him；　was　king
of　St。　Joseph's　ward。　　Everywhere　in　the　ward　his　word　ran　as　law。
About　two　years　ago　Coley　had　deigned　to　favor　the　Institute　with　a
visit；　his　gang　following　him。　　They　were　welcomed　with
demonstrations　of　joy；　and　regaled　with　cakes　and　tea；　all　of　which
Coley　accepted　with　lordly　condescension。　　After　consideration；
Coley　decided　that　the　night　classes　might　afford　a　not　unpleasant
alternative　on　cold　nights；　to　alley…ways　and　saloons；　and　he
allowed　the　gang　to　join。　　Thenceforth　the　successful　conduct　of
the　classes　depended　upon　the　ability　of　the　superintendent　to
anticipate　Coley's　varying　moods　and　inclinations；　for　that　young
man　claimed　and　exercised　the　privilege　of　introducing　features
agreeable　to　the　gang；　though　not　necessarily　upon　the　regular
curriculum　of　study。　　Some　time　after　Ranald's　appearance　in　the
Institute　as　an　assistant；　it　happened　one　night　that　a　sudden
illness　of　the　superintendent　laid　upon　his　shoulders　the
responsibility　of　government。　　The　same　night　it　also　happened　that
Coley　saw　fit　to　introduce　the　enlivening　but　quite　impromptu
feature　of　a　song　and　dance。　　To　this　Ranald　objected；　and　was
invited　to　put　the　gang　out　if　he　was　man　enough。　　After　the　ladies
had　withdrawn　beyond　the　reach　of　missiles；　Ranald　adopted　the
unusual　tactics　of　preventing　exit　by　locking　the　doors；　and　then
immediately　became　involved　in　a　discussion　with　Coley　and　his
followers。　　It　cost　the　Institute　something　for　furniture　and
windows；　but　thenceforth　in　Ranald's　time　there　was　peace。　　Coley
ruled　as　before；　but　his　sphere　of　influence　was　limited；　and　the
day　arrived　when　it　became　the　ambition　of　Coley's　life　to　bring
the　ward　and　its　denizens　into　subjection　to　his　own　over…lord；
whom　he　was　prepared　to　follow　to　the　death。　　But　like　any　other
work　worth　doing；　this　took　days　and　weeks　and　months。

〃Hello；　Coley！〃　said　Ranald；　as　his　eyes　fell　upon　his　sometime
ally　and　slave。　　〃If　you　are　not　too　busy　I　would　like　you　to　go
along　with　me。〃

Coley　looked　around　as　if　seeking　escape。

〃Come　along；〃　said　Ranald；　quietly；　and　Coley；　knowing　that
anything　but　obedience　was　impossible；　dropped　his　marking　and
followed　Ranald　out　of　the　saloon。

〃Well；　Coley；　I　have　had　a　great　summer；〃　began　Ranald；　〃and　I　wish
very　much　you　could　have　been　with　me。　　It　would　have　built　you　up
and　made　a　man　of　you。　　Just　feel　that；〃　and　he　held　out　his　arm；
which　Coley　felt　with　admiring　reverence。　　〃That's　what　the　canoe
did；〃　and　then　he　proceeded　to　give　a　graphic　account　of　his　varied
adventures　by　land　and　water　during　the　last　six　months。　　As　they
neared　Mr。　Raymond's　house；　Ranald　turned　to　Coley　and　said：　　〃Now
I　want　you　to　cut　back　to　the　Institute　and　tell　Mr。　Locke；　if　he
is　there；　that　I　would　like　him　to　call　around　at　my　office　to…
morrow。　　And　furthermore；　Coley；　there's　no　need　of　your　going　back
into　that　saloon。　　I　was　a　little　ashamed　to　see　one　of　my　friends
in　a　place　like　that。　　Now；　good　night；　and　be　a　man；　and　a　clean
man。〃

Coley　stood　with　his　head　hung　in　abject　self…abasement；　and　then
ventured　to　say；　〃I　couldn't　stand　them　ducks　nohow！〃

〃Who　do　you　mean？〃　said　Ranald。

〃Oh；　them　fellers　that　runs　the　Institute　now；　and　so　I　cut。〃

〃Now　look　here；　Coley；〃　said　Ranald；　〃I　wouldn't　go　throwing　stones
at　better　men　than　yourself；　and　especially　at　men　who　are　trying
to　do　something　to　help　other　people　and　are　not　so　beastly　mean　as
to　think　only　of　their　own　pleasure。　　I　didn't　expect　that　of　you；
Coley。　　Now　quit　it　and　start　again；〃　and　Ranald　turned　away。

Coley　stood　looking　after　him　for　a　few　moments　in　silence；　and
then　said　to　himself；　in　a　voice　full　of　emphasis：　　〃Well；　there's
just　one　of　his　kind　and　there　ain't　any　other。〃　　Then　he　set　out
at　a　run　for　the　Institute。

It　was　Kate　herself　who　came　to　answer　Ranald's　ring。

〃I　knew　it　was　you；〃　she　cried；　with　her　hand　eagerly　outstretched
and　her　face　alight　with　joy。　　〃Come　in；　w