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〃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 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； th