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said： 〃You may trust me； madam； I shall do my best。〃
〃I only wish papa were here；〃 said Kate。 〃He is a share…holder；
isn't he？ And wish he could hear you； auntie； but he and mamma
won't be home for two weeks。〃
〃Oh； Kate；〃 cried Mrs。 Murray； 〃you make me ashamed； and I fear I
have been talking too much。〃
At this point Harry came in。 〃I just came over to send you to
bed；〃 he said； kissing his aunt； and greeting the others。 〃You are
all to look your most beautiful to…morrow。〃
〃Well；〃 said the colonel； slowly； 〃that won't be hard for the rest
of you； and it don't matter much for me； and I hope we ain't going
to lose our music。〃
〃No； indeed！〃 cried Kate； sitting down at the piano； while the
colonel leaned back in his easy chair and gave himself up to an
hour's unmingled delight。
〃You have given more pleasure than you know to a wayfaring man；〃 he
said； as he bade her good night。
〃Come again； when you are in town； you are always welcome； Colonel
Thorp；〃 she said。
〃You may count me here every time；〃 said the colonel。 Then turning
to Mrs。 Murray； with a low bow； he said； 〃you have given me some
ideas madam； that I hope may not be quite unfruitful； and as for
that young man of yours； wellIguessyou ain'thurt his cause
any。 We'll put up a fight； anyway。〃
〃I am glad to have met you； Colonel Thorp；〃 said Mrs。 Murray； 〃and
I am quite sure you will stand up for what is right；〃 and with
another bow the colonel took his leave。
〃Now； Harry； you must go； too；〃 said Kate； 〃you can see your aunt
again after to…morrow； and I must get my beauty sleep； besides I
don't want to stand up with a man gaunt and hollow…eyed for lack of
sleep；〃 and she bundled him off in spite of his remonstrances。 But
eager as Kate was for her beauty sleep； the light burned late in
her room； and long after she had seen Mrs。 Murray snugly tucked in
for the night； she sat with Ranald's open letter in her hand；
reading it till she almost knew it by heart。 It told； among other
things； of his differences with the company in regard to stores；
wages； and supplies； and of his efforts to establish a reading…room
at the mills； and a library at the camps； but there was a sentence
at the close of the letter that Kate read over and over again with
the light of a great love in her eyes and with a cry of pain in her
heart。 〃The magazines and papers that Kate sends are a great boon。
Dear Kate； what a girl she is！ I know none like her； and what a
friend she has been to me ever since the day she stood up for me at
Quebec。 You remember I told you about that。 What a guy I must
have been； but she never showed a sign of shame。 I often think of
that now； how different she was from another！ I see it now as I
could not thena man is a fool once in his life； but I have got my
lesson and still have a good true friend。〃 Often she read and long
she pondered the last words。 It was so easy to read too much into
them。 〃A good； true friend。〃 She looked at the words till the
tears came。 Then she stood up and looked at herself in the glass。
〃Now； young woman；〃 she said； severely； 〃be sensible and don't
dream dreams until you are asleep； and to sleep you must go
forthwith。〃 But sleep was slow to come； and strange to say； it was
the thought of the little woman in the next room that quieted her
heart and sent her to sleep； and next day she was looking her best。
And when the ceremony was over； and the guests were assembled at
the wedding breakfast； there were not a few who agreed with Harry
when； in his speech； he threw down his gage as champion for the
peerless bridesmaid； whom for the houralas； too shorthe was
privileged to call his 〃lady fair。〃 For while Kate had not the
beauty of form and face and the fascination of manner that turned
men's heads and made Maimie the envy of all her set； there was in
her a wholesomeness； a fearless sincerity； a noble dignity； and
that indescribable charm of a true heart that made men trust her
and love her as only good women are loved。 At last the brilliant
affair was all over； the rice and old boots were thrown； the
farewell words spoken； and tears shed； and then the aunts came back
to the empty and disordered house。
〃Well； I am glad for Maimie；〃 said Aunt Frank； 〃it is a good match。〃
〃Dear Maimie；〃 replied Aunt Murray； with a gentle sigh； 〃I hope she
will be happy。〃
〃After all it is much better；〃 said Aunt Frank。
〃Yes； it is much better；〃 replied Mrs。 Murray； and then she added；
〃How lovely Kate looked！ What a noble girl she is；〃 but she did
not explain even to herself； much less to Aunt Frank； the nexus of
her thoughts。
CHAPTER XXIV
THE WEST
The meeting of the share…holders of the British…American Lumber and
Coal Company was； on the whole； a stormy one； for the very best of
reasonsthe failure of the company to pay dividends。 The annual
report which the president presented showed clearly that there was
a slight increase in expenditure and a considerable falling off in
sales； and it needed but a little mathematical ability to reach the
conclusion that in a comparatively short time the company would be
bankrupt。 The share…holders were thoroughly disgusted with the
British Columbia end of the business； and were on the lookout for a
victim。 Naturally their choice fell upon the manager。 The concern
failed to pay。 It was the manager's business to make it pay and
the failure must be laid to his charge。 Their confidence in their
manager was all the more shaken by the reports that had reached
them of his peculiar fadshis reading…room； library； etc。 These
were sufficient evidence of his lack of business ability。 He was
undoubtedly a worthy young man； but there was every ground to
believe that he was something of a visionary； and men with great
hesitation intrust hard cash to the management of an idealist。
It was； perhaps； unfortunate for Mr。 St。 Clair that he should be
appealed to upon this point； for his reluctance to express an
opinion as to the ability of the manager； and his admission that
possibly the young man might properly be termed a visionary；
brought Colonel Thorp sharply to his feet。
〃Mr。 St。 Clair；〃 said the colonel； in a cool； cutting voice； 〃will
not hesitate to bear testimony to the fact that our manager is a
man whose integrity cannot be tampered with。 If I mistake not； Mr。
St。 Clair has had evidence of this。〃
Mr。 St。 Clair hastened to bear the very strongest testimony to the
manager's integrity。
〃And Mr。 St。 Clair； I have no doubt；〃 went on the colonel； 〃will
be equally ready to bear testimony to the conspicuous ability our
manager displayed while he was in the service of the Raymond and
St。 Clair Lumber Company。〃
Mr。 St。 Clair promptly corroborated the colonel's statement。
〃We are sure of two things； therefore；〃 continued the colonel；
〃that our manager is a man of integrity； and that he has displayed
conspicuous business ability in his former positions。〃
At this point the colonel was interrupted； and his attention was
called to the fact that the reports showed an increase of expenditure
for supplies and for wages； and on the other hand a falling off in
the revenue from