the man from glengarry-第60部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


reorganization　schemes　inaugurated　by　Ranald　would　result　in　great
reductions　in　the　cost　of　production；　and　that　Ranald　should　be
given　opportunity　to　demonstrate　the　success　or　failure　of　his
plans；　and　further；　the　political　situation　doubtless　would　be　more
settled。　　The　wisdom　of　this　decision　was　manifested　later。

The　spirit　of　unrest　and　dissatisfaction　appeared　again　at　the　next
annual　meeting；　for　while　conditions　were　improving；　dividends　were
not　yet　forthcoming。　　Once　again　Colonel　Thorp　successfully
championed　Ranald's　cause；　this　time　insisting　that　a　further　test
of　two　seasons　be　made；　prophesying　that　not　only　would　the　present
deficit　disappear；　but　that　their　patience　and　confidence　would　be
amply　rewarded。

Yielding　to　pressure；　and　desiring　to　acquaint　himself　with　actual
conditions　from　personal　observation；　Colonel　Thorp　concluded　to
visit　British　Columbia　the　autumn　preceding　the　annual　meeting
which　was　to　succeed　Ranald's　period　of　probation。

Therefore　it　was　that　Colonel　Thorp　found　himself　on　the　coast
steamship　Oregon　approaching　the　city　of　Victoria。　　He　had　not
enjoyed　his　voyage；　and　was；　consequently；　in　no　mood　to　receive
the　note　which　was　handed　him　by　a　brisk　young　man　at　the　landing。

〃Who's　this　from；　Pat；〃　said　the　colonel；　taking　the　note。

〃Mike；　if　you　please；　Michael　Cole；　if　you　don't　mind；　and　the　note
is　from　the　boss；　Mr。　Macdonald；　who　has　gone　up　the　country；　and
can't　be　here　to　welcome　you。〃

〃Gone　up　the　country！〃　roared　the　colonel；　〃what　the　blank；　blank；
does　he　mean　by　going　up　the　country　at　this　particular　time？〃

But　Mr。　Michael　Cole　was　quite　undisturbed　by　the　colonel's　wrath。
〃You　might　find　the　reason　in　the　note；〃　he　said；　coolly；　and　the
colonel；　glaring　at　him；　opened　the　note　and　read：


〃MY　DEAR　COLONEL　THORP：　　I　am　greatly　disappointed　in　not　being
able　to　meet　you。　　The　truth　is　I　only　received　your　letter　this
week。　　Our　mails　are　none　too　prompt；　and　so　I　have　been　unable　to
re…arrange　my　plans。　　I　find　it　necessary　to　run　up　the　river　for　a
couple　of　weeks。　　In　the　meantime；　thinking　that　possibly　you　might
like　to　see　something　of　our　country；　I　have　arranged　that　you
should　join　the　party　of　the　Lieutenant　Governor　on　their　trip　to
the　interior；　and　which　will　take　only　about　four　weeks'　time。　　The
party　are　going　to　visit　the　most　interesting　districts　of　our
country；　including　both　the　famous　mining　district　of　Cariboo　and
the　beautiful　valley　of　the　Okanagan。　　Mr。　Cole；　my　clerk；　will
introduce　you　to　Mr。　Blair；　our　member　of　Parliament　for　Westminster；
who　will　present　you　to　the　rest　of　the　party。　　Mr。　Blair；　I　need
not　say；　is　one　of　the　brightest　business　men　in　the　West。　　I　shall
meet　you　at　Yale　on　your　return。　　If　it　is　absolutely　impossible　for
you　to　take　this　trip；　and　necessary　that　I　should　return　at　once；
Mr。　Cole　will　see　that　a　special　messenger　is　sent　to　me；　but　I
would　strongly　urge　that　you　go；　if　possible。

〃With　kind　regards。〃


〃Look　here；　young　man；〃　yelled　the　colonel；　〃do　you　think　I've　come
all　this　way　to　go　gallivanting　around　the　country　with　any　blank；
blank　royal　party？〃

〃I　don't　know；　Colonel；〃　said　young　Cole；　brightly；　〃but　I　tell　you
I'd　like　mighty　well　to　go　in　your　place。〃

〃And　where　in　the　nation　IS　your　boss；　and　what's　he　after；　anyway？〃

〃He's　away　up　the　river　looking　after　business；　and　pretty　big
business；　too；〃　said　Coley；　not　at　all　overawed　by　the　colonel's
wrath。

〃Well；　I　hope　he　knows　himself；〃　said　the　colonel。

〃Oh；　don't　make　any　mistake　about　that；　Colonel；〃　said　young　Cole；
〃he　always　knows　where　he's　going　and　what　he　wants；　and　he　gets
it。〃　　But　the　colonel　made　no　reply；　nor　did　he　deign　to　notice　Mr。
Michael　Cole　again　until　they　had　arrived　at　the　New　Westminster
landing。

〃The　boss　didn't　know；〃　said　Coley；　approaching　the　colonel　with
some　degree　of　care；　〃whether　you　would　like　to　go　to　the　hotel　or
to　his　rooms；　you　can　take　your　choice。　　The　hotel　is　not　of　the
best；　and　he　thought　perhaps　you　could　put　up　with　his　rooms。〃

〃All　right；〃　said　the　colonel；　〃I　guess　they'll　suit　me。〃

The　colonel　made　no　mistake　in　deciding　for　Ranald's　quarters。
They　consisted　of　two　rooms　that　formed　one　corner　of　a　long；
wooden；　single…story　building　in　the　shape　of　an　L。　　One　of　these
rooms　Ranald　made　his　dining…room　and　bedroom；　the　other　was　his
office。　　The　rest　of　the　building　was　divided　into　three　sections；
and　constituted　a　dining…room；　reading…room；　and　bunk…room　for　the
men。　　The　walls　of　these　rooms　were　decorated　not　inartistically
with　a　few　colored　prints　and　with　cuts　from　illustrated　papers；
many　and　divers。　　The　furniture　throughout　was　home…made；　with　the
single　exception　of　a　cabinet　organ　which　stood　in　one　corner　of
the　reading…room。　　On　the　windows　of　the　dining…room　and　bunk…room
were　green　roller　blinds；　but　those　of　the　reading…room　were　draped
with　curtains　of　flowered　muslin。　　Indeed　the　reading…room　was
distinguished　from　the　others　by　a　more　artistic　and　elaborate
decoration；　and　by　a　greater　variety　of　furniture。　　The　room　was
evidently　the　pride　of　the　company's　heart。　　In　Ranald's　private
room　the　same　simplicity　in　furniture　and　decoration　was　apparent；
but　when　the　colonel　was　ushered　into　the　bedroom　his　eye　fell　at
once　upon　two　photographs；　beautifully　framed；　hung　on　each　side　of
the　mirror。

〃Hello；　guess　I　ought　to　know　this；〃　he　said；　looking　at　one　of
them。

Coley　beamed。　　〃You　do；　eh？　　Well；　then；　she's　worth　knowin'　and
there's　only　one　of　her　kind。〃

〃Don't　know　about　that；　young　man；〃　said　the　colonel；　looking　at
the　other　photograph；　〃here's　one　that　ought　to　go　in　her　class。〃

〃Perhaps；〃　said　Coley；　doubtfully；　〃the　boss　thinks　so；　I　guess；
from　the　way　he　looks　at　it。〃

〃Young　man；　what　sort　of　a　fellow's　your　boss？〃　said　the　colonel；
suddenly　facing　Coley。

〃What　sort？〃　　Coley　thought　a　moment。　　〃Well；　'twould　need　a　good
eddication　to　tell；　but　there's　only　one　in　his　class；　I　tell　you。〃

〃Then　he　owes　it　to　this　little　woman；〃　pointing　to　one　of　the
photographs；　〃and　she；〃　pointing　to　the　other；　〃said　so。〃

〃Then　you　may　bet　it's　true。〃

〃I　don't　bet　on　a　sure　thing；〃　said　the　colonel；　his　annoyance
vanishing　in　a　slow　smile；　his　first　since　reaching　the　province。

〃Dinner'll　be　ready　in　half　an　hour；　sir；〃　said　Coley；　swearing
allegiance　in　his　heart　to　the　man　that　agreed　with　him　in　regard
to　the　photograph　that　stood　with　Coley　for　all　that　was　highest　in
humanity。

〃John；〃　he　said；　sharply；　to　the　Chinese　cook；　〃got　good　dinner；
eh？〃

〃Pitty　good；〃　said　John；　indifferently。

〃Now；　look　here；　John；　him　big　man。〃　　John　was　not　much　impressed。
〃Awful　big　man；　I　tell　you；　big　soldier。〃　　John　preserved　a　stolid
countenance。

〃John；〃　said　the　exasperated　Coley；　〃I'll　kick　you　across　this　room
and　back　if　you　don't　listen　to　me。　　Want　big　dinner；　heap　good；
eh？〃

〃Huh…huh；　belly　good；〃　replied　John；　with　a　slight　show　of　interest。

〃I　say；　John；　what　you　got　for　dinner；　eh？〃　asked　Coley；　changing
his　tactics。

〃Ham；　eggs；　lice；〃　answered　the　Mongolian；　imperturbably。

〃Gee　whiz！〃　said　Coley；　〃goin'　to　feed　the　boss'　uncle　on　ham　and
eggs？〃

〃What？〃　said　John；　with　sudden　interest；　〃Uncle　boss；　eh？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　the　unblushing　Coley。

〃Huh！　　Coley　heap　fool！　　Get　chicken；　quick！　meat　shop；　small；　eh？〃
The　Chinaman　was　at　last　aroused。　　Pots；　pans；　and　other　utensils
were　in　immediate　requisition；　a　roaring　fire　set　a…going；　and　in
three…quarters　of　an　hour　the　colonel　sat　down　to　a　dinner　of　soup；
fish；　and　fowl；　with　various　entrees　and　side　dishes　that　would
have　done　credit　to　a　New　York　chef。　　Thus　potent　was　the　name　of
the　boss　with　his　cook。

John's　excellent　dinner　did　much　to　soothe　and　mollify　his　guest；
but　the　colonel　was　sensitive　to　impressions　other　than　the　purely
gastronomic；　for　throughout　the　course　of　the　dinner；　his　eyes
wandered　to　the　photographs　on　the　wall；　and　in　fancy　he　was　once
more　in　the　presence　of　the　two　women；　to　whom　he　felt　pledged　in
Ranald's　behalf。　　〃It's　a　one…horse　looking　country；　though；〃　he
said　to　himself；　〃and　no　place　for　a　man　with　any　snap。　　Best　thing
would　be　to　pull　out；　I　guess；　and　take　him　along。〃　　And　it　was　in
this　mind　that　he　received　the　Honorable　Archibald　Blair；　M。　P。　P。；
for　New　Westminster；　president　of　the　British　Columbia　Canning
Company；　recently　organized；　and　a　director　in　half　a　dozen　other
business　concerns。

〃Colonel　Thorp；　this　is　Mr。　Blair；　of　the　British　Columbia　Canning
Company；〃　said　Coley；　with　a　curious　suggestion　of　Ranald　in　his
manner。

〃Glad　to　welcome　a　friend　of　Mr。　Macdonald's；〃　said　Mr。　Blair；　a
little　man　of　about　thirty；　with　a　shrewd　eye　and　a　kindly　frank
manner。

〃Well；　I　guess　I　can　say　the　same；〃　said　Colonel　Thorp；　shaking
hands。　　〃I　judge　his　friends　are　of　the　right　sort。〃

〃You'll　find　plenty　in　this　country　glad　to　class　themselves　in
that　list；〃　laughed　Mr。　Blair；　〃I　wouldn't　undertake　to　guarantee
them　all；　but　those　he　lists　that　way；　you　can　pretty　well　bank　on。
He's　a　young　man　for　reading　men。〃

〃Yes？〃　said　the　colonel；　interrogatively；　〃he's　very　young。〃

〃Young；　for　that　matter　so　are　we　all；　especially　on　this　side　the
water　here。　　It's　a　young　man's　country。〃

〃Pretty　young；　I　judge；〃　said　the　colonel；　dryly。　　〃Lots　of　room　to
grow。〃

〃Yes；　thank　Providence！〃　said　Mr。　Blair；　enthusiastically；　〃but
there's　lots　of　life　and　lots　to　feed　it。　　But　I'm　not　going　to
talk；　Colonel。　　It　is　always　wasted　breath　on　an　Easterner。　　I'll
let　the　country　talk。　　You　are　coming　with　us；　of　course。〃

〃Hardly　think　so；　my　time　is　rather　limited；　and；　well；　to　tell
the　truth；　I'm　from　across　the　line　and　don't　cater　much　to　your
royalties。〃

〃Royalties！〃　exclaimed　Mr。　Blair。　　〃Oh；　you　mean　our　governor。
Well；　that's　good　rather；　must　tell　the　governor　that。〃　　Mr。　Blair
laughed　long　and　loud。　　〃You'll　forget　all　that　when　you　are　out
with　us　an　hour。　　No；　we　think　it　well　to　hedge　our　government　with
dignity；　but　on　this　trip　we　shall　leave　the　gold　lace　and　red　tape
behind。〃

〃How　long　do　you　propose　to　be　gone？〃

〃About　four　weeks。　　But　I　make　you