the man from glengarry-第76章

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behind。〃

〃How　long　do　you　propose　to　be　gone？〃

〃About　four　weeks。　　But　I　make　you　a　promise。　　If　after　the　first
week　you　want　to　return　from　any　point；　I　shall　send　you　back　with
all　speed。　　But　you　won't　want　to；　I　guarantee　you　that。　　Why；　my
dear　sir；　think　of　the　route；〃　and　Mr。　Blair　went　off　into　a
rapturous　description　of　the　marvels　of　the　young　province；　its
scenery；　its　resources；　its　climate；　its　sport；　playing　upon　each
string　as　he　marked　the　effect　upon　his　listener。　　By　the　time　Mr。
Blair's　visit　was　over；　the　colonel　had　made　up　his　mind　that　he
would　see　something　of　this　wonderful　country。

Next　day　Coley　took　him　over　the　company's　mills；　and　was　not　a
little　disappointed　to　see　that　the　colonel　was　not　impressed　by
their　size　or　equipment。　　In　Coley's　eyes　they　were　phenomenal；　and
he　was　inclined　to　resent　the　colonel's　lofty　manner。　　The　foreman；
Mr。　Urquhart；　a　shrewd　Scotchman；　who　had　seen　the　mills　of　the
Ottawa　River　and　those　in　Michigan　as　well；　understood　his　visitor's
attitude　better；　and　besides；　it　suited　his　Scotch　nature　to　refuse
any　approach　to　open　admiration　for　anything　out　of　the　old　land。
His　ordinary　commendation　was；　〃It's　no　that　bad〃；　and　his
superlative　was　expressed　in　the　daring　concession；　〃Aye；　it'll
maybe　dae；　it　micht　be　waur。〃　　So　he　followed　the　colonel　about　with
disparaging　comments　that　drove　Coley　to　the　verge　of　madness。　　When
they　came　to　the　engine　room；　which　was　Urquhart's　pride；　the　climax
was　reached。

〃It's　a　wee　bit　o'　a　place；　an'　no　fit　for　the　wark；〃　said
Urquhart；　ushering　the　colonel　into　a　snug　little　engine…room；
where　every　bit　of　brass　shone　with　dazzling　brightness；　and　every
part　of　the　engine　moved　in　smooth；　sweet　harmony。

〃Slick　little　engine；〃　said　the　colonel；　with　discriminating
admiration。

〃It's　no　that　bad　the　noo；　but　ye　sud　hae　seen　it　afore　Jem；　there；
took　a　hand　o'　ita　wheezin'　rattlin'　pechin　thing　that　ye　micht
expect　tae　flee　in　bits　for　the　noise　in　the　wame　o't。　　But　Jemmie
sorted　it　till　it's　nae　despicable　for　its　size。　　But　it's　no　fit
for　the　wark。　　Jemmie；　lad；　just　gie't　its　fill　an'　we'll　pit　the
saw　until　a　log；〃　said　Urquhart；　as　they　went　up　into　the　sawing…
room　where；　in　a　few　minutes；　the　colonel　had　an　exhibition　of　the
saw　sticking　fast　in　a　log　for　lack　of　power。

〃Man；　yon's　a　lad　that　kens　his　trade。　　He's　frae　Gleska。　　He　earns
his　money's　warth。〃

〃How　did　you　come　to　get　him？〃　said　the　colonel；　moved　to　interest
by　Urquhart's　unwonted　praise。

〃Indeed；　just　the　way　we've　got　all　our　best　men。　　It's　the　boss
picked　him　oot　o'　the　gutter；　and　there　he　is　earnin'　his　twa　and　a
half　a　day。〃

〃The　boss　did　that；　eh？〃　said　the　colonel；　with　one　of　his　swift
glances　at　the　speaker。

〃Aye；　that　he　did；　and　he's　only　one　o'　many。〃

〃He's　good　at　that　sort　of　business；　I　guess。〃

〃Aye；　he　kens　men　as　ye　can　see　frae　his　gang。〃

〃Doesn't　seem　to　be　able　to　make　the　company's　business　pay；〃
ventured　the　colonel。

〃D'ye　think　ye　cud　find　one　that　cud？〃　pointing　to　the　halting　saw。
〃An　that's　the　machine　that　turned　oot　thae　piles　yonder。　　Gie　him
a　chance；　though；　an'　when　the　stuff　is　deesposed　of　ye'll　get　y're
profit。〃　　Urquhart　knew　what　he　was　about；　and　the　colonel　went
back　with　Coley　to　his　rooms　convinced　of　two　facts；　that　the
company　had　a　plant　that　might　easily　be　improved；　but　a　manager
that；　in　the　estimation　of　those　who　wrought　with　him；　was　easily
first　in　his　class。　　Ranald　could　have　adopted　no　better　plan　for
the　enhancing　of　his　reputation　than　by　allowing　Colonel　Thorp　to
go　in　and　out　among　the　workmen　and　his　friends。　　More　and　more　the
colonel　became　impressed　with　his　manager's　genius　for　the　picking
of　his　men　and　binding　them　to　his　interests；　and　as　this　impression
deepened　he　became　the　more　resolved　that　it　was　a　waste　of　good
material　to　retain　a　man　in　a　country　offering　such　a　limited　scope
for　his　abilities。

But　after　four　weeks　spent　in　exploring　the　interior；　from
Quesnelle　to　Okanagan；　and　in　the　following　in　and　out　the　water…
ways　of　the　coast　line；　the　colonel　met　Ranald　at　Yale　with　only　a
problem　to　be　solved；　and　he　lost　no　time　in　putting　it　to　his
manager。

〃How　in　thunder　can　I　get　those　narrow…gauge；　hidebound　Easterners
to　launch　out　into　business　in　this　country？〃

〃I　can't　help　you　there；　Colonel。　　I've　tried　and　failed。〃

〃By　the　great　Sam；　so　you　have！〃　said　the　colonel；　with　a　sudden
conviction　of　his　own　limitations　in　the　past。　　〃No　use　tryin'　to
tell　'em　of　this；〃　swinging　his　long　arm　toward　the　great　sweep　of
the　Fraser　Valley；　clothed　with　a　mighty　forest。　　〃It's　only　a
question　of　holdin'　on　for　a　few　years；　the　thing's　dead　sure。〃

〃I　have　been　through　a　good　part　of　it；〃　said　Ranald；　quietly；　and
I　am　convinced　that　here　we　have　the　pick　of　Canada；　and　I　venture
to　say　of　the　American　Continent。　　Timber；　hundreds　of　square　miles
of　it；　fishI've　seen　that　river　so　packed　with　salmon　that　I
couldn't　shove　my　canoe　through〃

〃Hold　on；　now；〃　said　the　colonel；　〃give　me　time。〃

〃Simple；　sober　truth　of　my　own　proving；〃　replied　Ranald。　　〃And　you
saw　a　fringe　of　the　mines　up　in　the　Cariboo。　　The　Kootenai　is　full
of　gold　and　silver；　and　in　the　Okanagan　you　can　grow　food　and
fruits　for　millions　of　people。　　I　know　what　I　am　saying。〃

〃Tell　you　what；〃　said　the　colonel；　〃you　make　me　think　you're
speakin'　the　truth　anyhow。〃　　Then；　with　a　sudden　inspiration；　he
exclaimed：　　〃By　the　great　Sammy；　I've　got　an　idea！〃　and　then；　as　he
saw　Ranald　waiting；　added；　〃But　I　guess　I'll　let　it　soak　till　we
get　down　to　the　mill。〃

〃Do　you　think　you　could　spare　me；　Colonel？〃　asked　Ranald；　in　a
dubious　voice；　〃I　really　ought　to　run　through　a　bit　of　timber
here。〃

〃No；　by　the　great　Sam；　I　can't！　　I　want　you　to　come　right　along；〃
replied　the　colonel；　with　emphasis。

〃What　is　he　saying；　Colonel？〃　asked　Mr。　Blair。

〃Wants　to　run　off　and　leave　me　to　paddle　my　way　home　alone。　　Not
much！　　I　tell　you　what；　we　have　some　important　business　to　do
before　I　go　East。　You　hear　me？〃

〃And　besides；　Macdonald；　I　want　you　for　that　big　meeting　of　ours
next　week。　　You　simply　must　be　there。〃

〃You　flatter　me；　Mr。　Blair。〃

〃Not　a　bit；　you　know　there　are　a　lot　of　hot…heads　talking　separation
and　that　sort　of　thing；　and　I　want　some　level…headed　fellow　who
is　in　with　the　working　men　to　be　there。〃

And　as　it　turned　out　it　was　a　good　thing　for　Mr。　Blair　and　for　the
cause　he　represented　that　Ranald　was　present　at　the　great　mass…
meeting　held　in　New　Westminster　the　next　week。　　For　the　people　were
exasperated　beyond　all　endurance　at　the　delay　of　the　Dominion　in
making　good　the　solemn　promises　given　at　the　time　of　Confederation；
and　were　in　a　mood　to　listen　to　the　proposals　freely　made　that　the
useless　bond　should　be　severed。　　〃Railway　or　separation；〃　was　the
cry；　and　resolutions　embodying　this　sentiment　were　actually
proposed　and　discussed。　　It　was　Ranald's　speech；　every　one　said；
that　turned　the　tide。　　His　calm　logic　made　clear　the　folly　of　even
considering　separation；　his　knowledge　of；　and　his　unbounded　faith
in；　the　resources　of　the　province；　and　more　than　all；　his
impassioned　picturing　of　the　future　of　the　great　Dominion　reaching
from　ocean　to　ocean；　knit　together　by　ties　of　common　interest；　and
a　common　loyalty　that　would　become　more　vividly　real　when　the
provinces　had　been　brought　more　closely　together　by　the　promised
railway。　　They　might　have　to　wait　a　little　longer；　but　it　was　worth
while　waiting；　and　there　was　no　future　in　any　other　policy。　　It　was
his　first　speech　at　a　great　meeting；　and　as　Mr。　Blair　shook　him
warmly　by　the　hand；　the　crowd　burst　into　enthusiastic　cries；
〃Macdonald！　　Macdonald！〃　and　in　one　of　the　pauses　a　single　voice
was　heard；　〃Glengarry　forever！〃　　Then　again　the　crowd　broke　forth；
〃Glengarry！　　Glengarry！〃　for　all　who　knew　Ranald　personally　had
heard　of　the　gang　that　were　once　the　pride　of　the　Ottawa。　　At　that
old　cry　Ranald's　face　flushed　deep　red；　and　he　had　no　words　to
answer　his　friends'　warm　congratulations。

〃Send　him　East；〃　cried　a　voice。

〃Yes；　yes；　that's　it。　　Send　him　to　Ottawa　to　John　A。　　It's　the　same
clan！〃

Swiftly