the man from glengarry-第58部分

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singin'　through　the　air　and　smashed　to　a　thousand　bits　on　the　beam
above。　　'Is　that　the　kind　of　cowards　you　are？'　says　the　Boss；　quite
cool。　　He　didn't　speak　loud；　but　I　tell　you　everybody　heard　him　and
got　dead　still。　　'No；　Boss；'　says　one　feller；　'not　all。'　　'The　man
that　threw　that　bottle；'　says　the　boss；　'is　a　coward；　and　the
meanest　kind。　　He's　afraid　to　step　out　here　for　five　minutes。'
Nobody　moved。　　'Step　up；　ye　baste；'　says　an　Irishman；　'or　it's
mesilf　will　kick　ye　out　of　the　camp。'　　And　out　the　feller　comes。
It　was　the　same　duck　that　the　Boss　scared　out　of　the　door　the　first
night。　　'Sthand　up　till　'im　Billie；'　says　the　Irishman；　'we'll　see
fair　play。　　Sthand　up　to　the　gintleman。'　　'Billie；'　says　the　Boss；
and　his　eyes　was　blazin'　like　candles；　'yer　goin'　to　leave　this
camp　to…morrow　mornin'。　　You　can　take　your　choice；　will　you　get
onto　your　knees　now　or　later？'　　With　that　Billie　whipped　out　a
knife　and　rushes　at　him；　but　the　Boss　grabs　his　wrist　and　gives　it
a　twist；　and　the　knife　fell　onto　the　floor。　　The　Boss　holds　him
like　a　baby；　and　picks　up　the　knife　and　throws　it　into　the　fire。
'Now；'　says　he；　'get　onto　your　knees。　　Quick！'　　And　the　feller
drops　on　his　knees；　and　bellered　like　a　calf。

〃'Let's　pray；'　says　some　one；　and　the　crowd　howls。　　'Give　us　yer
hand；　Boss；'　says　the　Irishman。　　'Yer　the　top　o'　this　gang。'　　The
Irishman　shoves　out　his　clipper；　and　the　Boss　takes　it　in　an　easy
kind　of　a　way。　　My　you　o't　to　seen　that　Irishman　squirm。　　'Howly
Mither！'　he　yells；　and　dances　round；　'what　do　ye　think　yer　got？'
and　he　goes　off　lookin'　at　his　fingers；　and　the　Boss　stands　lookin'
at　'em；　and　says；　'You'r　a　nice　lot　of　fellers；　you　don't　deserve
it；　but　I'm　goin'　to　treat　you　fair。　　I　know　you　feel　Sunday　pretty
slow；　and　I'll　try　to　make　it　better　for　you；　but　I　want　you　to
know　that　I　won't　have　any　more　row　in　this　camp；　and　I　won't　have
any　man　here　that　can't　behave　himself。　　To…morrow　morning；　YOU；'
pointin'　at　the　foreman；　'and　you；　Billie；'　and　YOU；　pointin'　at
another　chap；　leave　the　camp；　and　they　did　too；　though　they　begged
and　prayed　to　let　'em　stay；　and　by　next　Sunday　we　had　a　lot　of
papers　and　books；　with　pictures　in　'em；　and　a　bang…up　dinner；　and
everything　went　nice。　　I　am　likin'　it　fine。　　I'm　time…keeper；　and
look　after　the　store；　but　I　drive　the　team　too　every　chance　I　get；
and　I'd　ruther　do　that　a　long　way。　　But　many　a　night　I　tell　you
when　the　Boss　and　me　is　alone　we　talk　about　you　and　the　Institute
fellers；　and　the　Boss〃


〃Well；　that's　all；〃　said　Kate；　〃but　isn't　it　terrible？　　Aren't　they
dreadful？〃

〃Poor　fellows；〃　said　Mrs。　Murray；　〃it's　a　very　hard　life　for　them。〃

〃But　isn't　it　awful；　auntie？　　They　might　kill　him；〃　said　Kate。

〃Yes；　dear；〃　said　Mrs。　Murray；　in　a　soothing　voice；　〃but　it　sounds
worse　to　us　perhaps　than　it　is。〃

Mrs。　Murray　had　not　lived　in　the　Indian　Lands　for　nothing。

〃Oh；　if　anything　should　happen　to　him？〃　said　Kate；　with　sudden
agitation。

〃We　must　just　trust　him　to　the　great　Keeper；〃　said　Mrs。　Murray；
quietly；　〃in　Whose　keeping　all　are　safe　whether　there　or　here。〃

Then　going　to　her　valise；　she　took　out　a　letter　and　handed　it　to
Kate；　saying：　　〃That's　his　last　to　me。　　You　can　look　at　it；　Kate。〃

Kate　took　the　letter　and　put　it　in　her　desk。　　〃I　think；　perhaps；　we
had　better　go　down　now；〃　she　said；　〃I　expect　Colonel　Thorp　has
come。　　I　think　you　will　like　him。　　He　seems　a　little　rough；　but　he
is　a　gentleman；　and　has　a　true　heart；〃　and　they　went　downstairs。

It　is　the　mark　of　a　gentleman　to　know　his　kind。　　He　has　an　instinct
for　what　is　fine　and　offers　ready　homage　to　what　is　worthy。　　Any
one　observing　Colonel　Thorp's　manner　of　receiving　Mrs。　Murray　would
have　known　him　at　once　for　a　gentleman；　for　when　that　little　lady
came　into　the　drawing…room；　dressed　in　her　decent　silk　gown；　with
soft　white　lace　at　her　throat；　bearing　herself　with　sweet　dignity；
and　stepping　with　dainty　grace　on　her　toes；　after　the　manner　of　the
fine　ladies　of　the　old　school；　and　not　after　the　flat…footed；　heel…
first　modern　style；　the　colonel　abandoned　his　usual　careless　manner
and　rose　and　stood　rigidly　at　attention。

〃Auntie；　this　is　my　friend；　Colonel　Thorp；〃　said　Kate。

〃Proud　to　know　you　madam；〃　said　the　colonel；　with　his　finest
military　bow。

〃And　I　am　glad　to　meet　Colonel　Thorp；　I　have　heard　so　much　of　him
through　my　friends；〃　and　she　smiled　at　him　with　such　genuine
kindliness　that　the　gallant　colonel　lost　his　heart　at　once。

〃Your　friends　have　been　doing　me　proud；〃　he　said；　bowing　to　her　and
then　to　Kate。

〃Oh；　you　needn't　look　at　me；〃　said　Kate；　〃you　don't　imagine　I　have
been　saying　nice　things　about　you？　　She　has　other　friends　that
think　much　of　you。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Mrs。　Murray；　〃Ranald　has　often　spoken　of　you；　Colonel
Thorp；　and　of　your　kindness；〃　said　Mrs。　Murray。

The　colonel　looked　doubtful。　　〃Well；　I　don't　know　that　he　thinks
much　of　me。　　I　have　had　to　be　pretty　hard　on　him。〃

〃Why？〃　asked　Mrs。　Murray。

〃Well；　I　reckon　you　know　him　pretty　well；〃　began　the　colonel。

〃Well；　she　ought　to；〃　said　Kate；　〃she　brought　him　up；　and　his　many
virtues　he　owes　mostly　to　my　dear　aunt's　training。〃

〃Oh；　Kate；　you　must　not　say　that；〃　said　Mrs。　Murray；　gravely。

〃Then；〃　said　the　colonel；　〃you　ought　to　be　proud　of　him。　　You
produced　a　rare　article　in　the　commercial　world；　and　that　is　a　man
of　honor。　　He　is　not　for　sale；　and　I　want　to　say　that　I　feel　as
safe　about　the　company's　money　out　there　as　if　I　was　settin'　on　it；
but　he　needs　watching；〃　added　the　colonel；　〃he　needs　watching。〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃　said　Mrs。　Murray；　whose　pale　face　had　flushed
with　pleasure　and　pride　at　the　colonel's　praise　of　Ranald。

〃Too　much　philanthropy；〃　said　the　colonel；　bluntly；　〃the　British…
American　Coal　and　Lumber　Company　ain't　a　benevolent　society
exactly。〃

〃I　am　glad　you　spoke　of　that；　Colonel　Thorp；　I　want　to　ask　you
about　some　things　that　I　don't　understand。　　I　know　that　the　company
are　criticising　some　of　Ranald's　methods；　but　don't　know　why
exactly。〃

〃Now；　Colonel；〃　cried　Kate；　〃stand　to　your　guns。〃

〃Well；〃　said　the　colonel；　〃I　am　going　to　execute　a　masterly
retreat；　as　they　used　to　say　when　a　fellow　ran　away。　　I　am　going　to
get　behind　my　company。　　They　claim；　you　see；　that　Ranald　ain't　a
paying　concern。〃

〃But　how？〃　said　Mrs。　Murray。

Then　the　colonel　enumerated　the　features　of　Ranald's　management
most　severely　criticised　by　the　company。　　He　paid　the　biggest　wages
going；　the　cost　of　supplies　for　the　camps　was　greater；　and　the
company's　stores　did　not　show　as　large　profits　as　formerly；　〃and　of
course；〃　said　the　colonel；　〃the　first　aim　of　any　company　is　to　pay
dividends；　and　the　manager　that　can't　do　that　has　to　go。〃

Then　Mrs。　Murray　proceeded　to　deal　with　the　company's　contentions；
going　at　once　with　swift　intuition　to　the　heart　of　the　matter。
〃You　were　speaking　of　honor　a　moment　ago；　Colonel。　　There　is　such　a
thing　in　business？〃

〃Certainly；　that's　why　I　put　that　young　man　where　he　is。〃

〃That　means　that　the　company　expect　him　to　deal　fairly　by　them。〃

〃That's　about　it。〃

〃And　being　a　man　of　honor；　I　suppose　he　will　also　deal　fairly　by
the　men　and　by　himself。〃

〃I　guess　so；〃　said　the　colonel。

〃I　don't　pretend　to　understand　the　questions　fully；　but　from
Ranald's　letters　I　have　gathered　that　he　did　not　consider　that
justice　was　being　done　either　to　the　men　or　to　the　company。　　For
instance；　in　the　matter　of　storesI　may　be　wrong　in　this；　you　will
correct　me；　ColonelI　understand　it　was　the　custom　to　charge　the
men　in　the　camps　for　the　articles　they　needed　prices　three　or　four
times　what　was　fair。〃

〃Well；〃　said　the　colonel；　〃I　guess　things　WERE　a　little　high；　but
that's　the　way　every　company　does。〃

〃And　then　I　understand　that　the　men　were　so　poorly　housed　and　fed
and　so　poorly　paid　that　only　those　of　the　inferior　class　could　be
secured。〃

〃Well；　I　guess　they　weren't　very　high…class；〃　said　the　colonel；
〃that's　right　enough。〃

〃But；　Colonel；　if　you　secure　a　better　class　of　men；　and　you　treat
them　in　a　fair　and　honorable　way　with　some　regard　to　their　comfort
you　ought　to　get　better　results　in　work；　shouldn't　you？〃

〃Well；　that's　so；〃　said　the　colonel；　〃there　never　was　such　an
amount　of　timber　got　out　with　the　same　number　of　men　since　the
company　started　work；　but　yet　the　thing　don't　pay；　and　that's　the
trouble。　　The　concern　must　pay　or　go　under。〃

〃Yes；　that's　quite　true；　Colonel；〃　said　Mrs。　Murray；　〃but　why
doesn't　your　concern　pay？〃

〃Well；　you　see；　there's　no　market；　trade　is　dull　and　we　can't　sell
to　advantage。〃

〃But　surely　that　is　not　your　manager's　fault；〃　said　Mrs。　Murray；
〃and　surely　it　would　be　an　unjust　thing　to　hold　him　responsible　for
that。〃

〃But　the　company　don't　look　at　things　in　that　light；〃　said　the
colonel。　　〃You　see　they　figure　it　this　way；　stores　ain't　bringing
in　the　returns　they　used　to；　the　camps　cost　a　little　more；　wages
are　a　little　higher；　there　ain't　nothing　coming　in；　and　they　say；
Well；　that　chap　out　there　means　well　with　his　reading…rooms　for　the
mill　hands；　his　library　in　the　camp；　and　that　sort　of　thing；　but　he
ain't　sharp　enough！〃

〃Sharp　enough！　that's　a　hard　word；　Colonel；〃　said　Mrs。　Murray；
earnestly；　〃and　it　may　be　a　cruel　word；　but　if　Ranald　were　ever　so
sharp　he　really　couldn't　remove　the　real　cause　of　the　trouble。　　You
say　he　has　produced　larger　results　than　ever　before；　and　if　the
market　were　normal　there　would　be　larger　returns。　　Then；　it　seems
to　me；　Colonel；　that　if　Ranald　suffers　he　is　suffering；　not　because
he　has　been　unfaithful　or　incompetent；　but　because　the　market　is
bad；　and　that　I　am　certain　you　would　not　consider　fair。〃

〃You　must　not　be　too　hard　on　us；〃　said　the　colonel。　　〃So　far　as　I
am　concerned；　I　think　you　are　right；　but　it　is　a　hard　thing　to　make
business　men　look　at　these　things　in　anything　but　a　business　way。〃

〃But　it　should　not　be　hard；　Colonel；〃　said　Mrs。　Murray；　with　sad
earnestness；　〃to　make　even　business　men　see　that　when　honor　is　the
price　of　dividends　the　cost　is　too　great；〃　and　without　giving　the
colonel　an　opportunity　of　replying；　she　went　on　with　eager
enthusiasm　to　show　how　the　laws　of　the　kingdom　of　heaven　might　be
applied　to　the　great　problems　of