the man from glengarry-第75章
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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
