the man from glengarry-第70章

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Ranald　as　he　did。〃

〃He　didn't　take　off　Ranald。　　Ranald　was　going　off　anyway。〃

〃How　do　you　know？〃　said　Harry。

〃I　know；〃　replied　Kate；　with　a　little　color　in　her　cheek。　　〃He　told
me　himself。〃

〃Well；　old　Thorp　was　mighty　glad　to　get　him；　I　can　tell　you　that。
The　old　sinner！〃

〃He's　just　a　dear！〃　cried　Kate。　　〃Yes；　he　was　glad　to　get　Ranald。
What　a　splendid　position　he　gave　him。〃

〃Oh；　yes；　I　know；　he　adores　you　like　all　the　rest；　and　so　you　think
him　a　dear。〃

But　this　Kate　ignored　for　the　team　were　speeding　along　at　an
alarming　pace。　　With　amazing　skill　and　dash　she　threaded　her　way
through　the　crowded　streets　with　almost　no　checking　of　her　speed。

〃Do　be　careful；〃　cried　Harry；　as　the　wheels　of　their　carriage
skimmed　the　noses　of　the　car…horses。　　〃I　am　quite　sure　my　aunt　will
not　be　able　to　recognize　me。〃

〃And　why　not？〃

〃Because　I　shall　be　gray…haired　by　the　time　I　reach　the　station。〃

〃There's　the　train　I　do　believe；〃　cried　Kate；　flourishing　her　whip
over　her　horses'　backs。　　〃We　must　not　be　late。〃

〃If　we　ever　get　there　alive；〃　said　Harry。

〃Here　we　are　sure　enough。〃

〃Shall　I　go　to　the　train？〃

〃No；　indeed；〃　cried　Kate。　　〃Do　you　think　I　am　going　to　allow　any
one　to　meet　MY　Aunt　Murray　but　myself？　　I　shall　go；　you　hold　the
horses。〃

〃I　am　afraid；　really；〃　cried　Harry；　pretending　terror。

〃Oh；　I　fancy　you　will　do；〃　cried　Kate；　smiling　sweetly；　as　she　ran
off　to　meet　the　incoming　train。　　In　a　few　moments　she　returned　with
Mrs。　Murray　and　carrying　a　large；　black　valise。

〃Hello；　auntie　dear；〃　cried　Harry。　　〃You　see　I　can't　leave　these
brutes　of　Kate's；　but　believe　me　it　does　me　good　to　see　you。　　What
a　blessing　a　wedding　is　to　bring　you　to　us。　　I　suppose　you　won't
come　again　until　it　is　Kate's　or　mine。〃

〃That　would　be　sure　to　bring　me；〃　cried　Mrs。　Murray；　smiling　her
bright　smile；　〃provided　you　married　the　right　persons。〃

〃Why；　auntie；〃　said　Harry；　dismally；　〃Kate　is　so　unreasonable。　　She
won't　take　even　me。　　You　see　she's　so　tremendously　impressed　with
herself；　and　all　the　fellows　spoil　her。〃

By　this　time　Kate　had　the　reins　and　Harry　had　climbed　into　the　back
seat。

〃Dear　old　auntie；〃　he　said；　kissing　his　aunt；　〃I　am　really
delighted　to　see　you。　　But　to　return　to　Kate。　　Look　at　her！
Doesn't　she　look　like　a　Roman　princess？〃

〃Now；　Harry；　do　be　sensible；　or　I　shall　certainly　drive　you　at　once
to　the　office；〃　said　Kate；　severely。

〃Oh；　the　heartlessness　of　her。　　She　knows　well　enough　that　Colonel
Thorp　is　there；　and　she　would　shamelessly　exult　over　his　abject
devotion。　　She　respects　neither　innocent　youth　nor　gray　hairs；　as
witness　myself　and　Colonel　Thorp。〃

〃Isn't　he　a　silly　boy；　auntie？〃　said　Kate；　〃and　he　is　not　much
improving　with　age。〃

〃But　what's　this　about　Colonel　Thorp？〃　said　Mrs。　Murray。　　〃Sometimes
Ranald　writes　of　him；　in　high　terms；　too。〃

〃Well；　you　ought　to　hear　Thorp　abuse　Ranald。　　Says　he's　ruining　the
company　with　his　various　philanthropic　schemes；〃　said　Harry；　〃but
you　can　never　tell　what　he　means　exactly。　　He's　a　wily　old　customer。〃

〃Don't　believe　him；　auntie；〃　said　Kate；　with　a　sagacious　smile。
〃Colonel　Thorp　thinks　that　the　whole　future　of　his　company　and　of
the　Province　depends　solely　upon　Ranald。　　It　is　quite　ridiculous　to
hear　him；　while　all　the　time　he　is　abusing　him　for　his　freaks。〃

〃It　must　be　a　great　country　out　there；　though；〃　said　Harry；　〃and
what　a　row　they　are　making　over　Confederation。〃

〃What　do　you　mean；　Harry？〃　said　Mrs。　Murray。　　〃We　hear　so　little　in
the　country。〃

〃Well；　I　don't　know　exactly；　but　those　fellows　in　British　Columbia
are　making　all　sorts　of　threats　that　unless　this　railway　is　built
forthwith　they　will　back　out　of　the　Dominion；　and　some　of　them　talk
of　annexation　with　the　United　States。　　Don't　I　wish　I　was　there！
What　a　lucky　fellow　Ranald　is。　　Thorp　says　he's　a　big　gun　already。
No　end　of　a　swell。　　Of　course；　as　manager　of　a　big　concern　like　the
British…American　Coal　and　Lumber　Company；　he　is　a　man　of　some
importance。〃

〃I　don't　think　he　is　taking　much　to　do　with　public　questions；〃　said
Kate；　〃though　he　did　make　a　speech　at　New　Westminster　not　long　ago。
He　has　been　up　in　those　terrible　woods　almost　ever　since　he　went。〃

〃Hello；　how　do　you　know？〃　said　Harry；　looking　at　her　suspiciously；
〃I　get　a　fragment　of　a　note　from　Ranald　now　and　then；　but　he　is
altogether　too　busy　to　remember　humble　people。〃

〃I　hear　regularly　from　Coley。　　You　remember　Coley；　don't　you？〃　said
Kate；　turning　to　Mrs。　Murray。

〃Oh；　yes；　that's　the　lad　in　whom　Ranald　was　so　interested　in　the
Institute。〃

〃Yes；〃　replied　Kate；　〃Coley　begged　and　prayed　to　go　with　Ranald；
and　so　he　went。〃

〃She　omits　to　state；〃　said　Harry；　〃that　she　also　'begged　and
prayed'　and　further　that　she　outfitted　the　young　rascal；　though
I've　reason　to　thank　Providence　for　removing　him　to　another　sphere。〃

〃How　does　it　affect　you？〃　said　Mrs。　Murray。

〃Why；　haven't　you　heard；　Aunt　Murray；　of　the　tremendous　heights　to
which　I　have　attained？　　I　suppose　she　didn't　tell　you　of　her　dinner
party。　　That　was　after　you　had　left　last　fall。　　It　was　a　great　bit
of　generalship。　　Some　of　Ranald's　foot…ball　friends；　Little
Merrill；　Starry　Hamilton；　that's　the　captain；　you　know；　and　myself
among　them；　were　asked　to　a　farewell　supper　by　this　young　lady；　and
when　the　men　had　well　drunkfed；　I　meanand　were　properly
dissolved　in　tears　over　the　prospect　of　Ranald's　departure；　at　a
critical　moment　the　Institute　was　introduced　as　a　side　issue。　　It
was　dear　to　Ranald's　heart。　　A　most　effective　picture　was　drawn　of
the　Institute　deserted　and　falling　into　ruins；　so　to　speak；　with
Kate　heroically　struggling　to　prevent　utter　collapse。　　Could　this
be　allowed？　　No！　a　thousand　times　no！　　Some　one　would　be　found
surely！　　Who　would　it　be！　　At　this　juncture　Kate；　who　had　been
maintaining　a　powerful　silence；　smiled　upon　Little　Merrill；　who
being　distinctly　inflammable；　and　for　some　mysterious　reason
devoted　to　Ranald；　and　for　an　even　more　mysterious　reason　devoted
to　Kate；　swore　he'd　follow　if　some　one　would　lead。　　What　could　I
do？　　My　well…known　abilities　naturally　singled　me　out　for
leadership；　so　to　prevent　any　such　calamity；　I　immediately　proposed
that　if　Starry　Hamilton；　the　great　foot…ball　chief；　would　command
this　enterprise　I　would　follow。　　Before　the　evening　was　over　the
Institute　was　thoroughly　manned。〃

〃It　is　nearly　half　true；　aunt；〃　said　Kate。

〃And　by　our　united　efforts；〃　continued　Harry；　〃the　Institute　has
survived　the　loss　of　Ranald。〃

〃I　cannot　tell　you　how　overjoyed　I　am；　Harry；　that　both　of　my　boys
are　taking　hold　of　such　good　work；　you　here　and　Ranald　in　British
Columbia。　　He　must　have　a　very　hard　time　of　it；　but　he　speaks　very
gratefully　of　Colonel　Thorp；　who；　he　says；　often　opposes　but
finally　agrees　with　his　proposals。〃

Harry　laughed　aloud。　　〃Agrees；　does　he？　　And　do　you　know　why？　　I
remember　seeing　him　one　day；　and　he　was　in　a　state　of　wild　fury　at
Ranald's　notions。　　I　won't　quote　his　exact　words。　　The　next　day　I
found　him　in　a　state　of　bland　approval。　　Then　I　learn　incidentally
that　in　the　meantime　Kate　has　been　giving　him　tea　and　music。〃

〃Don't　listen　to　his　mean　insinuations；　auntie；〃　said　Kate；
blushing　a　little。

Mrs。　Murray　turned　and　looked　curiously　into　her　face　and　smiled；
and　then　Kate　blushed　all　the　more。

〃I　think　that　may　explain　some　things　that　have　been　mysterious　to
me；〃　she　said。

〃Oh；　what；　auntie？〃　cried　Harry；　〃I　am　most　anxious　to　know。〃

〃Never　mind；〃　said　Mrs。　Murray；　〃I　will　explain　to　Kate。〃

〃That　won't　help　me　any。　　She　is　a　most　secretive　person；　twiddles
us　all　round　her　fingers　and　never　lets　us　know　anything　until　it's
done。　　It　is　most　exasperating。　　Oh；　I　say；　Kate；〃　added　Harry；
suddenly；　〃would　you　mind　dropping　me　at　the　florist's　here？〃

〃Why？　　Oh；　I　see；〃　said　Kate；　drawing　in　her　team。　　〃How　do　you　do；
Lily？　　Harry　is　anxious　to　select　some　flowers；〃　she　said；　bowing
to　a　very　pretty　girl　on　the　sidewalk。

〃Kate；　do　stop　it；〃　besought　Harry；　in　a　low　voice；　as　he　leaped
out　of　the　carriage。　　〃Good　by；　auntie；　I'll　see　you　this　evening。
Don't　believe　all　Kate　tells　you；〃　he　added；　as　they　drove　away。

〃Are　you　too　tired