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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 the stores。 But the colonel passed over these
points as insignificant。 〃It is clear；〃 he proceeded； 〃that the
cause of failure does not lie in the management； but in the state
of the market。 The political situation in that country is very
doubtful； and this has an exceedingly depressing effect upon
business。〃
〃Then；〃 interrupted a share…holder； 〃it is time the company should
withdraw from that country and confine itself to a district where
the market is sure and the future more stable。〃
〃What about these fads； Colonel？〃 asked another share…holder；
〃these reading…rooms； libraries； etc？ Do you think we pay a man to
establish that sort of thing？ To my mind they simply put a lot of
nonsense into the heads of the working…men and are the chief cause
of dissatisfaction。〃 Upon this point the colonel did not feel
competent to reply； consequently the feeling of the meeting became
decidedly hostile to the present manager； and a resolution was
offered demanding his resignation。 It was also agreed that the
board of directors should consider the advisability of withdrawing
altogether from British Columbia； inasmuch as the future of that
country seemed to be very uncertain。 Thereupon Colonel Thorp rose
and begged leave to withdraw his name from the directorate of the
company。 He thought it was unwise to abandon a country where they
had spent large sums of money； without a thorough investigation of
the situation； and he further desired to enter his protest against
the injustice of making their manager suffer for a failure for
which he had in no way been shown to be responsible。 But the
share…holders refused to even consider Colonel Thorp's request；
and both the president and secretary exhausted their eloquence
in eulogizing his value to the company。 As a compromise it was
finally decided to continue operations in British Columbia for
another season。 Colonel Thorp declared that the reforms and
reorganization schemes inaugurated by Ranald would result in great
reductions in the cost of production； and that Ranald should be
given opportunity to demonstrate the success or failure of his
plans； and further； the political situation doubtless would be more
settled。 The wisdom of this decision was manifested later。
The spirit of unrest and dissatisfaction appeared again at the next
annual meeting； for while conditions were improving； dividends were
not yet forthcoming。 Once again Colonel Thorp successfully
championed Ranald's cause； this time insisting that a further test
of two seasons be made； prophesying that not only would the present
deficit disappear； but that their patience and confidence would be
amply rewarded。
Yielding to pressure； and desiring to acquaint himself with actual
conditions from personal observation； Colonel Thorp concluded to
visit British Columbia the autumn preceding the annual meeting
which was to succeed Ranald's period of probation。
Therefore it was that Colonel Thorp found himself on the coast
steamship Oregon approaching the city of Victoria。 He had not
enjoyed his voyage； and was； consequently； in no mood to receive
the note which was handed him by a brisk young man at the landing。
〃Who's this from； Pat；〃 said the colonel； taking the note。
〃Mike； if you please； Michael Cole； if you don't mind； and the note
is from the boss； Mr。 Macdonald； who has gone up the country； and
can't be here to welcome you。〃
〃Gone up the country！〃 roared the colonel； 〃what the blank； blank；
does he mean by going up the country at this particular time？〃
But Mr。 Michael Cole was quite undisturbed by the colonel's wrath。
〃You might find the reason in the note；〃 he said； coolly； and the
colonel； glaring at him； opened the note and read：
〃MY DEAR COLONEL THORP： I am greatly disappointed in not being
able to meet you。 The truth is I only received your letter this
week。 Our mails are none too prompt； and so I have been unable to
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 su