the foreigner-第46部分

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ork　that　appeared　to　Kalman's　uninstructed　eyes　wonderful　indeed。　The　interest　of　the　whole　colony　centred　in　the　mine　and　in　its　development；　and　the　confidence　of　the　people　in　Kalman's　integrity　and　efficiency　became　more　and　more　firmly　established。

But　Brown　was　too　fully　occupied　with　his　own　mission　to　give　much　of　his　time　to　the　mine。　　The　work　along　the　line　of　construction　and　in　the　camps　meant　sickness　and　accident；　and　consequently　his　hospital　accommodation　had　once　more　to　be　increased；　and　this　entailed　upon　himself　and　his　wife；　who　acted　as　matron；　a　heavy　burden　of　responsibility　and　of　toil。

It　was　a　happy　inspiration　of　Jack　French's　that　led　Brown　to　invoke　the　aid　of　Mrs。　French　in　securing　the　services　of　a　nurse；　and　Mrs。　French's　proposal　that　Irma；　who　for　two　years　had　been　in　regular　training；　should　relieve　Mrs。　Brown　of　her　duties　as　matron；　was　received　by　all　concerned　with　enthusiastic　approval。　And　so；　to　the　great　relief　of　Mrs。　Brown　and　to　the　unspeakable　joy　of　both　Kalman　and　his　sister；　Irma　and　Paulina　with　her　child　were　installed　in　the　Wakota　institution；　Irma　taking　charge　of　the　hospital　and　Paulina　of　the　kitchen。

It　was　not　by　Brown's　request　or　even　desire　that　Paulina　decided　to　make　her　home　in　the　Wakota　colony。　　She　was　there　because　nothing　could　prevent　her　coming。　　Her　life　was　bound　up　with　the　children　of　her　lord；　and　for　their　sakes　she　toiled　in　the　kitchen　with　a　devotion　that　never　flagged　and　never　sought　reward。

The　school；　too；　came　back　to　Brown　and　in　larger　numbers　than　before。　　Through　the　autumn　and　early　winter；　by　his　drunkenness　and　greed；　Klazowski　had　fallen　deeper　and　deeper　into　the　contempt　of　his　parishioners。　　It　was　Kalman；　however；　that　gave　the　final　touch　to　the　tottering　edifice　of　his　influence　and　laid　it　in　ruins。　　It　was　the　custom　of　the　priest　to　gather　his　congregation　for　public　worship　on　Sunday　afternoon　in　the　schoolhouse　which　Brown　placed　at　his　disposal；　and　of　which　he　assumed　possession　as　his　right；　by　virtue　of　the　fact　that　it　was　his　people　who　had　erected　the　building。　　On　a　Sunday　afternoon；　as　the　winter　was　nearing　an　end；　Klazowski；　under　the　influence　of　a　too　complete　devotion　to　the　beer　barrel　that　stood　in　his　host's　kitchen；　spent　an　hour　in　a　furious　denunciation　of　the　opponents　of　his　holy　religion；　and　especially　of　the　heretic　Brown　and　all　his　works；　threatening　with　excommunication　those　who　in　any　degree　would　dare　after　this　date　to　countenance　him。　　His　character　was　impugned；　his　motives　declared　to　be　of　the　basest。　　This　was　too　much　for　his　congregation。　　Deep　murmurs　rose　among　the　people；　but　unwarned；　the　priest　continued　his　execrations　of　the　hated　heretic。

At　length　Kalman；　unable　any　longer　to　contain　his　indignation；　sprang　to　his　feet；　gave　the　priest　the　lie　direct　and　appealed　to　the　people。

〃You　all　know　Mr。　Brown；〃　he　cried；　〃what　sort　of　man　is　he？　　And　what　sort　of　man　is　this　priest　who　has　spoken　to　you？　　You；　Simon　Simbolik；　when　your　child　lay　dead　and　you　sought　help　of　this　Klazowski；　what　answer　did　he　give　you？〃

〃He　asked　me　for　ten　dollars；〃　said　Simon　promptly；　〃and　when　I　could　not　give　it　he　cursed　me　from　him。　　Yes；〃　continued　Simbolik；　〃and　Mr。　Brown　made　the　coffin　and　paid　for　it；　and　would　take　no　money。　　My　daughter　is　in　his　school；　and　is　learning　English　and　sewing；　beautiful　sewing；　and　she　will　stay　there。〃

〃You；　Bogarz；〃　cried　Kalman；　〃when　your　children　were　down　with　scarlet　fever　and　you　went　to　the　priest　for　help；　what　was　his　reply？〃

〃He　drove　me　from　his　house。　　He　was　afraid　to　death。〃

〃Yes；〃　continued　Kalman；　〃and　Mr。　Brown　came　and　took　the　children　to　his　hospital；　and　they　are　well　to…day。〃

〃Yes；〃　cried　Bogarz；　〃and　he　would　take　nothing　for　it　all；　but　I　paid　him　all　I　could；　and　I　will　gladly　pay　him　more。〃

And　so　from　one　to　another　went　the　word。　　The　friends　of　Klazowski；　for　he　still　had　a　following；　were　beaten　into　silence。　　Then　rose　more　ominous　murmurs。

〃I　would　not　have　Klazowski　in　my　house　with　my　family；〃　cried　one；　〃a　single　day。　　It　would　not　be　safe。　　I　need　say　no　more。〃

Others　were　found　with　similar　distrust　of　Klazowski's　morals。　Klazowski　was　furious；　and　sought　with　loud　denunciations　and　curses　to　quell　the　storm　of　indignation　that　had　been　roused　against　him。　　Then　Kalman　executed　a　flank　movement。

〃This　man；〃　he　cried；　his　loud；　clear　voice　gaining　him　a　hearing；　〃This　man　is　promising　to　build　us　a　church。　　He　has　been　collecting　money。　　How　much　money　do　you　think　he　has　by　this　time？　I；　myself；　gave　him　ten　dollars；　Mr。　French　gave　him　twenty…five。〃

At　once　cries　came　from　all　parts　of　the　building。　　〃I　gave　him　twenty…five。〃　　〃And　I　ten。〃　　〃And　I　five。〃　　And　so　on；　Kalman　keeping　count。

〃I　make　it　nearly　two　hundred　dollars；〃　he　cried。　　〃Has　any　one　seen　the　books？　　Does　any　one　know　where　the　money　is？〃

〃No；　no；〃　cried　the　crowd。

〃Then；〃　cried　Kalinan；　〃let　us　enquire。　　We　are　not　sheep。　　This　is　a　free　country；　and　we　are　free　men。　　The　days　of　the　old　tyranny　are　gone。〃　　The　house　rocked　with　the　wild　cheers　of　the　excited　crowd。　　〃Let　us　examine　into　this。　　Let　us　appoint　a　committee　to　find　out　how　much　money　has　been　paid　and　where　it　is。〃

With　enthusiasm　Kalman's　suggestion　was　carried　into　effect。　　A　committee　was　appointed　and　instructed　to　secure　the　information　with　all　speed。

Next　day　Klazowski　was　not　to　be　found　in　the　colony。　　He　had　shaken　the　Wakota　snow　from　off　his　feet；　and　had　departed；　carrying　with　him　the　people's　hard…earned　money；　their　fervent　curses；　and　a　deep；　deep　grudge　against　the　young　man　upon　whom　he　laid　the　responsibility　for　the　collapse　of　his　influence　among　the　faithful　and　long…suffering　people　of　Wakota。

A　few　days　later；　to　an　interested　and　devout　congregation　in　the　city　of　Winnipeg；　he　gave　an　eloquent　account　of　his　labours　as　a　missionary　in　the　remote　colony　of　Wakota；　depicted　in　lurid　colours　the　persecutions　he　had　endured　at　the　hands　of　the　heretic　Brown；　reserving　his　most　fervid　periods　for　the　denunciation　of　the　unscrupulous　machinations　of　an　apostate　and　arch　traitor；　Kalman　Kalmar；　whose　name　would　forever　be　remembered　by　his　people　with　infamy。

Among　those　who　remained　to　congratulate　and　sympathize　with　the　orator；　none　was　more　cordial　than　Mr。　Rosenblatt；　with　whom　the　preacher　went　home　to　dine；　and　to　whom；　under　the　mellowing　influence　of　a　third　bottle；　he　imparted　full　and　valuable　information　in　regard　to　Wakota；　its　possibilities　as　a　business　centre；　its　railroad　prospects；　its　land　values；　its　timber　limits；　and　especially　in　regard　to　the　character　and　work　of　Kalman　Kalmar；　and　the　wonderful　mine　which　the　young　man　had　discovered。

The　information　thus　obtained　Rosenblatt　was　careful　to　impart　to　his　friend　and　partner；　Samuel　Sprink。　　As　a　result　of　further　interviews　with　the　priest　and　of　much　shrewd　bargaining　with　railroad　contractors　and　officials；　in　early　spring；　before　the　break　up　of　the　roads；　Mr。　Samuel　Sprink　had　established　himself　along　the　line　of　construction　as　a　vendor　of　〃gents'　furnishings；〃　working　men's　supplies；　tobaccos　and　cigars；　and　other　useful　and　domestic　articles。　　It　was　not　announced；　however；　in　the　alluring　posters　distributed　among　the　people　in　language　suited　to　their　comprehension；　that　among　his　stores　might　be　found　a　brand　of　whiskey　of　whose　virtues　none　could　speak　with　more　confidence　than　Mr。　Sprink　himself；　for　the　sufficient　reason　that　he　was　for　the　most　part　the　sole　manufacturer　thereof。

Chief　among　Mr。　Sprink's　activities　was　that　of　〃claim　jumping；〃　to　wit；　the　securing　for　himself　of　homesteads　for　which　patents　had　not　been　obtained；　the　homesteaders　for　one　reason　or　another　having　not　been　able　to　complete　the　duties　required　by　Government。　In　the　prosecution　of　this　business　Mr。　Sprink　made　a　discovery；　which　he　conveyed　in　a　letter　to　Mr。　Rosenblatt；　who　was　still　in　charge　of　the　Winnipeg　end　of　the　Company's　business。

〃You　must　come　at　once；〃　wrote　Mr。　Sprink。　　〃I　save　a　great　business　on　hand。　　I　have　discovered　that　no　application　has　been　made　for　the　coal　mine　claimed　by　young　Kalmar；　and　this　means　that　the　mine　is　still　open。　　Had　I　the　full　description　of　the　property；　I　should　have　jumped　the　claim　at　once；　you　bet。　　So　get　a　move　on　and　come。　Get　the　description　of　the　land　on　the　quiet；　and　then　do　some　work　among　the　Galician　people　to　prepare　for　the　change　of　ownership；　because　there　will　be　trouble；　sure。　　So；　come　along。　　There　is　other　big　business　too；　so　you　must　come。〃

Rosenblatt　needed　no　further　urging。　　In　a　week　he　was　on　the　ground。

Meanwhile；　Kalman　was　developing　his　mine；　and　dreaming　great　dreams　as　to　what　he　should　do　when　he　had　become　a　great　mine　owner。　　It　was　his　custom；　ever　since　Irma's　coming；　to　spend　the　Sunday　evening　with　her　at　the　hospital。　　His　way　to　the　mine　lay　through　scrub　and　sleugh；　a　heavy　trail；　and　so　he　welcomed　the　breaking　up　of　the　ice　on　the　Eagle　River。　　For；　taking　Brown's　canoe；　he　could　paddle　down　to　the　Saskatchewan；　and　thence　to　the　mouth　of　the　Night　Hawk　Creek；　from　which　point　it　was　only　a　short　walk　to　camp。

It　was　a　most　fortunat