the man from glengarry-第79章

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！


you。〃

〃Ah；　Lady　Mary；〃　said　Sir　John；　〃you　have　captured　the　man　from
Glengarry；　I　see。〃

〃I　hope　so；　indeed；〃　said　Lady　Mary；　〃but　why　from　Glengarry？　　He
is　from　the　West；　is　he　not？〃

〃Once　from　Glengarry；　now　from　the　West；　and　I　hope　he　will　often
come　from　the　West；　and　he　will；　no　doubt；　if　those　people　know
what　is　good　for　them。〃　　And　Sir　John；　skillfully　drawing　Ranald
aside；　led　him　to　talk　of　the　political　situation　in　British
Columbia；　now　and　then　putting　a　question　that　revealed　a　knowledge
so　full　and　accurate　that　Ranald　exclaimed；　suddenly；　〃Why；　Sir
John；　you　know　more　about　the　country　than　I　do！〃

〃Not　at　all；　not　at　all；〃　replied　Sir　John；　and　then；　lowering　his
voice　to　a　confidential　tone；　he　added；　〃You　are　the　first　man　from
that　country　that　knows　what　I　want　to　know。〃　　And　once　more　he
plied　Ranald　with　questions；　listening　eagerly　and　intelligently　to
the　answers　so　enthusiastically　given。

〃We　want　to　make　this　Dominion　a　great　empire；〃　said　Sir　John；　as
he　said　good　by　to　Ranald；　〃and　we　are　going　to　do　it；　but　you　and
men　like　you　in　the　West　must　do　your　part。〃

Ranald　was　much　impressed　by　the　premier's　grave　earnestness。

〃I　will　try；　Sir　John；〃　he　said；　〃and　I　shall　go　back　feeling
thankful　that　you　are　going　to　show　us　the　way。〃

〃Going　so　soon？〃　said　Maimie；　when　he　came　to　say　good　by。　　〃Why　I
have　seen　nothing　of　you；　and　I　have　not　had　a　moment　to　offer　you
my　congratulations；〃　she　said；　with　a　significant　smile。　　Ranald
bowed　his　thanks。

〃And　Kate；　dear　girl；〃　went　on　Maimie；　〃she　never　comes　to　see　me
now；　but　I　am　glad　she　will　be　so　happy。〃

Ranald　looked　at　her　steadily　for　a　moment　or　two；　and　then　said；
quietly；　〃I　am　sure　I　hope　so；　and　Harry　is　a　very　lucky　chap。〃

〃Oh；　isn't　he；〃　cried　Maimie；　〃and　he　is　just　daft　about　her。　　Must
you　go？　　I　am　so　sorry。　　I　wanted　to　talk　about　old　times；　the　dear
old　days。〃　　The　look　in　Maimie's　eyes　said　much　more　than　her
words。

〃Yes；〃　said　Ranald；　with　an　easy；　frank　smile；　〃they　were　dear
days；　indeed；　I　often　think　of　them。　　And　now　I　must　really　go。
Say　good　by　to　De　Lacy　for　me。〃

He　came　away　from　her　with　an　inexplicable　feeling　of　exultation。
He　had　gone　with　some　slight　trepidation　in　his　heart；　to　meet　her；
and　it　was　no　small　relief　to　him　to　discover　that　she　had　lost　all
power　over　him。

〃What　sort　of　man　could　I　have　been；　I　wonder？〃　he　asked　himself；
〃and　it　was　only　three　years　ago。〃

Near　the　door　Lady　Mary　stopped　him。　　〃Going　so　early；　and　without
saying　good　by？〃　she　said；　reproachfully。

〃I　must　leave　town　to…night；〃　he　replied；　〃but　I　am　glad　to　say
good　by　to　you。〃

〃I　think　you　ought　to　stay。　　I　am　sure　His　Excellency　wants　to　see
you。〃

〃I　am　sure　you　are　good　to　think　so；　but　I　am　also　quite　sure　that
he　has　never　given　a　thought　to　my　insignificant　self。〃

〃Indeed　he　has。　　Now；　can't　you　stay　a　few　days？　　I　want　to　see
morewe　all　want　to　hear　more　about　the　West。〃

〃You　will　never　know　the　West　by　hearing　of　it；〃　said　Ranald；
offering　his　hand。

〃Good　by；〃　she　said；　〃I　am　coming。〃

〃Good；〃　he　said；　〃I　shall　look　for　you。〃

As　Ranald　approached　his　hotel；　he　saw　a　man　that　seemed　oddly
familiar；　lounging　against　the　door　and　as　he　drew　near；　he
discovered　to　his　astonishment　and　joy　that　it　was　Yankee。

〃Why；　Yankee！〃　he　exclaimed；　rushing　at　him；　〃how　in　the　world　did
you　come　to　be　here；　and　what　brought　you？〃

〃Well；　I　came　for　you；　I　guess。　　Heard　you　were　going　to　be　here
and　were　comin'　home　afterwards；　so　I　thought　it　would　be　quicker
for　you　to　drive　straight　across　than　to　go　round　by　Cornwall；　so　I
hitched　up　Lisette　and　came　right　along。〃

〃Lisette！　　You　don't　mean　to　tell　me？　　How　is　the　old　girl？
Yankee；　you　have　done　a　fine　thing。　　Now　we　will　start　right　away。〃

〃All　right；〃　said　Yankee。

〃How　long　will　it　take　us　to　get　home？〃

〃'Bout　two　days　easy　goin；'　I　guess。　　Of　course　if　you　want；　I
guess　we　can　do　it　in　a　day　and　a　half。　　She　will　do　all　you　tell
her。〃

〃Well；　we　will　take　two　days；〃　said　Ranald。

〃I　guess　we　had　better　take　a　pretty　early　start；〃　said　Yankee。

〃Can't　we　get　off　to…night？〃　inquired　Ranald；　eagerly。　　〃We　could
get　out　ten　miles　or　so。〃

〃Yes；〃　replied　Yankee。　　〃There's　a　good　place　to　stop；　about　ten
miles　out。　　I　think　we　had　better　go　along　the　river　road；　and　then
take　down　through　the　Russell　Hills　to　the　Nation　Crossing。〃

In　half　an　hour　they　were　off　on　their　two　days'　trip　to　the　Indian
Lands。　　And　two　glorious　days　they　were。　　The　open　air　with　the
suggestion　of　the　coming　fall；　the　great　forests　with　their　varying
hues　of　green　and　brown；　yellow　and　bright　red；　and　all　bathed　in
the　smoky　purple　light　of　the　September　sun；　these　all　combined　to
bring　to　Ranald's　heart　the　rest　and　comfort　and　peace　that　he　so
sorely　needed。　　And　when　he　drove　into　his　uncle's　yard　in　the　late
afternoon　of　the　second　day；　he　felt　himself　more　content　to　live
the　life　appointed　him；　and　if　anything　more　were　needed　to
strengthen　him　in　this　resolution；　and　to　fit　him　for　the　fight
lying　before　him；　his　brief　visit　to　his　home　brought　it　to　him。
It　did　him　good　to　look　into　the　face　of　the　great　Macdonald　Bhain
once　more；　and　to　hear　his　deep；　steady　voice　welcome　him　home。　　It
was　the　face　and　the　voice　of　a　man　who　had　passed　through　many　a
sore　battle；　and　not　without　honor　to　himself。　　And　it　was　good；
too；　to　receive　the　welcome　greetings　of　his　old　friends　and　to
feel　their　pride　in　him　and　their　high　expectation　of　him。　　More
than　ever；　he　resolved　that　he　would　be　a　man　worthy　of　his　race。

His　visit　to　the　manse　brought　him　mingled　feelings　of　delight　and
perplexity　and　pain。　　The　minister's　welcome　was　kind；　but　there
was　a　tinge　of　self…complacent　pride　in　it。　　Ranald　was　one　of　〃his
lads；〃　and　he　evidently　took　credit　to　himself　for　the　young　man's
success。　　Hughie　regarded　him　with　reserved　approval。　　He　was　now　a
man　and　teaching　school；　and　before　committing　himself　to　his　old…
time　devotion；　he　had　to　adjust　his　mind　to　the　new　conditions。
But　before　the　evening　was　half　done　Ranald　had　won　him　once　more。
His　tales　of　the　West；　and　of　how　it　was　making　and　marring　men；　of
the　nation　that　was　being　built　up；　and　his　picture　of　the　future
that　he　saw　for　the　great　Dominion；　unconsciously　revealed　the
strong　manhood　and　the　high　ideals　in　the　speaker；　and　Hughie　found
himself　slipping　into　the　old　attitude　of　devotion　to　his　friend。

But　it　struck　Ranald　to　the　heart　to　see　the　marks　of　many　a　long
day's　work　upon　the　face　of　the　woman　who　had　done　more　for　him
than　all　the　rest　of　the　world。　　Her　flock　of　little　children　had
laid　upon　her　a　load　of　care　and　toil；　which　added　to　the　burden
she　was　already　trying　to　carry；　was　proving　more　than　her　delicate
frame　could　bear。　　There　were　lines　upon　her　face　that　only
weariness　often　repeated　cuts　deep；　but　there　were　other　lines
there；　and　these　were　lines　of　heart　pain；　and　as　Ranald　watched
her　closely；　with　his　heart　running　over　with　love　and　pity　and
indignation　for　her；　he　caught　her　frequent　glances　toward　her
first　born　that　spoke　of　anxiety　and　fear。

〃Can　it　be　the　young　rascal　is　bringing　her　anything　but　perfect
satisfaction　and　joy　in　return　for　the　sacrifice　of　her　splendid
life？〃　he　said　to　himself。　　But　no　word　fell　from　her　to　show　him
the　secret　of　her　pain；　it　was　Hughie's　own　lips　that　revealed　him；
and　as　the　lad　talked　of　his　present　and　his　future；　his　impatience
of　control；　his　lack　of　sympathy　to　all　higher　ideals；　his
determination　to　please　himself　to　the　forgetting　of　all　else；　his
seeming　unconsciousness　of　the　debt　he　owed　to　his　mother；　all
these　became　easily　apparent。　　With　difficulty　Ranald　restrained
his　indignation。　　He　let　him　talk　for　some　time　and　then　opened　out
upon　him。　　He　read　him　no　long　lecture；　but　his　words　came　forth
with　such　fiery　heat　that　they　burned　their　way　clear　through　all
the　faults　and　flimsy　selfishness　of　the　younger　man　till　they
reached　the　true　heart　of　him。　　His　last　words　Hughie　never　forgot。

〃Do　you　know；　Hughie；〃　he　said；　and　the　fire　in　his　eyes　seemed　to
burn　into　Hughie's；　〃do　you　know