the foreigner-第48部分

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d　upon　the　plain；　he　discovered　his　man　a　few　miles　before　him。　　At　almost　the　same　instant　of　his　discovery；　Rosenblatt　became　aware　of　his　pursuer；　and　the　last　five　miles　were　done　at　racing　speed。　　But　Brown's　horse　was　spent；　and　when　he　arrived　at　the　Land　Office；　it　was　to　find　that　application　had　been　made　for　one　hundred　and　sixty　acres　of　mining　land；　including　both　sides　of　the　Night　Hawk　ravine。　　Brown　stared　hard　at　the　entry。

〃Is　there　no　record　of　this　claim　having　been　entered　before？〃　said　Brown。

〃None；〃　said　the　agent。

〃This　man；〃　Brown　said　at　length　to　the　agent；　〃never　saw　the　mine。　He　is　not　the　discoverer。〃

〃Who　is？〃

〃A　young　friend　of　mine；　Kalman　Kalmar。　　To　that　I　can　swear。〃　　And　he　told　the　story　of　the　discovery；　adding　such　details　as　he　thought　necessary　in　regard　to　Rosenblatt's　character。

The　official　was　sympathetic　and　interested。

〃And　how　long　is　it　since　the　discovery　was　made？〃　he　enquired。

〃Six　months　or　so。〃

〃And　why　was　there　no　application　sent　in？〃

Brown　was　silent。

〃The　Government　cannot　be　responsible　for　neglect；〃　he　said。　　〃You　have　yourselves　to　blame　for　it。　　Nothing　can　be　done　now。〃

The　door　opened；　and　Brown　turned　to　find　Rosenblatt　with　a　smile　of　triumph　upon　his　face。　　Before　he　was　aware；　his　open　hand　had　swung　hard　upon　the　grinning　face；　and　Rosenblatt　fell　in　a　huddled　heap　into　the　corner。　　He　rose　up　sputtering　and　spitting。

〃I　will　have　the　law　on　you！〃　he　shouted。　　〃I　call　you　as　witness；〃　he　continued　to　the　agent。

〃What's　the　matter　with　you？〃　said　the　agent。　　〃I　didn't　see　anything。　　If　you　trip　yourself　up　and　pitch　into　the　corner；　that　is　your　own　business。　　Get　out　of　this　office；　you　disorderly　beast！　　Hurry　up！〃　　The　agent　put　his　hand　upon　the　counter　and　leaped　over。

Rosenblatt　fled；　terrified。

〃Brute！〃　said　the　agent；　〃I　can't　stand　these　claim　jumpers。　　You　did　that　very　neatly；〃　he　said　to　Brown；　shaking　him　warmly　by　the　hand。　　〃I　am　awfully　sorry；　but　the　thing　can't　be　helped　now。〃

Brown　was　too　sick　at　heart　to　reply。　　The　mine　was　gone；　and　with　it　all　the　splendid　castles　he　and　Kalman　had　been　building　for　the　last　six　months。　　He　feared　to　meet　his　friend。　　With　what　heart　now　could　he　ask　that　this　brute；　who　had　added　another　to　the　list　of　the　wrongs　he　had　done；　should　be　forgiven？　　It　was　beyond　all　human　strength　to　wipe　out　from　one's　mind　such　an　accumulation　of　injuries。　　Well　for　Brown　and　well　for　his　friend　that　forty　miles　lay　before　him。　　For　forty　miles　of　open　country　and　of　God's　sun　and　air；　to　a　man　whose　heart　is　open　to　God；　work　mighty　results。　When　at　last　they　came　together；　both　men　had　won　their　victory。

Quietly　Brown　told　his　story。　　He　was　amazed　to　find　that　instead　of　rousing　Kalman　to　an　irrepressible　fury；　it　seemed　to　make　but　little　impression　upon　him　that　he　had　lost　his　mine。　　Kalman　had　faced　his　issue；　and　fought　out　his　fight。　　At　all　costs　he　could　not　deny　his　Lord；　and　under　this　compulsion　it　was　that　he　had　surrendered　his　blood　feud。　　The　fierce　lust　for　vengeance　which　had　for　centuries　run　mad　in　his　Slavic　blood；　had　died　beneath　the　stroke　of　the　Cross；　and　under　the　shock　of　that　mighty　stroke　the　loss　of　the　mine　had　little　effect　upon　him。　　Brown　wondered　at　him。

The　whole　colony　was　thrown　into　a　ferment　of　indignation　by　the　news　that　Kalman　had　been　robbed　of　his　mine。　　But　the　agents　of　Rosenblatt　and　Sprink　were　busy　among　the　people。　　Feast　days　were　made　hilarious　through　their　lavish　gifts　of　beer。　　Large　promises　in　connection　with　the　development　of　the　mine　awakened　hopes　of　wealth　in　many　hearts。　　After　all；　what　could　they　hope　from　a　young　man　without　capital；　without　backing；　without　experience？　True；　it　was　a　pity　he　should　lose　his　mine；　but　men　soon　forget　the　losses　and　injuries　of　others　under　the　exhilaration　of　their　own　ambitions　and　dreams　of　success。　　Kalman's　claims　and　Kalman's　wrongs　were　soon　obliterated。　　He　had　been　found　guilty　of　the　unpardonable　crime　of　failure。　　The　new　firm　went　vigorously　to　work。　　Cabins　were　erected　at　the　mine；　a　wagon　road　cut　to　the　Saskatchewan。　　In　three　weeks　the　whole　face　of　the　ravine　was　changed。

It　was　in　the　end　of　April　before　French　returned　from　his　tie　camp；　with　nothing　for　his　three　months'　toil　but　battered　teams　and　empty　pockets；　a　worn　and　ill…favoured　body；　and　with　a　heart　sick　with　the　sense　of　failure　and　of　self…scorn。　　Kalman；　reading　at　a　glance　the　whole　sordid　and　heartbreaking　story；　met　him　with　warm　and　cheery　welcome。　　It　was　for　French；　more　than　for　himself；　that　he　grieved　over　the　loss　of　the　mine。　　Kalman　was　busy　with　his　preparations　for　the　spring　seeding。　　He　was　planning　a　large　crop　of　everything　the　ranch　would　grow；　for　the　coming　market。

〃And　the　mine；　Kalman？〃　enquired　French。

〃I've　quit　mining。　　The　ranch　for　me；〃　exclaimed　Kalman；　with　cheerful　enthusiasm。

〃But　what's　up？〃　said　French；　with　a　touch　of　impatience。

〃Jack；　we　have　lost　the　mine；〃　said　Kalman　quietly。　　And　he　told　the　story。

As　he　concluded　the　tale；　French's　listlessness　vanished。　　He　was　his　own　man　again。

〃We　will　ride　down　and　see　Brown；〃　he　said　with　decision。

〃No　use；〃　said　Kalman；　wishing　to　save　him　further　pain。　　〃Brown　saw　the　entry　at　the　Land　Office；　and　the　agent　plainly　told　him　nothing　could　be　done。〃

〃Well；　we　won't　just　lie　down　yet；　boy；〃　said　Jack。　　〃Come　along　orwell；　perhaps　I'd　better　go　alone。　　You　saddle　my　horse。〃

In　half　an　hour　French　appeared　clean　shaven；　dressed　in　his　〃civilization　clothes；〃　and　looking　his　old　self　again。

〃You're　fine；　Jack；〃　said　Kalman　in　admiration。　　〃We　have　got　each　other　yet。〃

〃Yes；　boy；〃　said　Jack；　gripping　his　hand；　〃and　that　is　the　best。　But　we'll　get　the　mine；　too；　or　I'm　a　Dutchman。〃　　All　the　old；　easy；　lazy　air　was　gone。　　In　every　line　of　his　handsome　face；　in　every　movement　of　his　body；　there　showed　vigour　and　determination。　The　old　English　fighting　spirit　was　roused；　whose　tradition　it　was　to　snatch　victory　from　the　jaws　of　defeat　and　despair。

Four　weeks　passed　before　Kalman　saw　him　again。　　Those　four　weeks　he　spent　in　toil　from　early　dawn　till　late　at　night　at　the　oats　and　the　potatoes；　working　to　the　limit　of　their　endurance　Mackenzie　and　the　small　force　of　Galicians　he　could　secure；　for　the　mine　and　the　railroad　offered　greater　attractions。　　At　length　the　level　black　fields　lay　waiting　the　wooing　of　the　sun　and　rain　and　genial　air。　Then　Kalman　rode　down　for　a　day　at　Wakota；　for　heart　and　body　were　exhausted　of　their　vital　forces。　　He　wanted　rest；　but　he　wanted　more　the　touch　of　a　friend's　hand。

At　Wakota；　the　first　sight　that　caught　his　eye　was　French's　horse　tethered　on　the　grassy　sward　before　Brown's　house；　and　as　he　rode　up；　from　within　there　came　to　his　ear　the　sound　of　unusual　and　hilarious　revelry。

〃Hello　there！〃　yelled　Kalman；　still　sitting　his　horse。　　〃What's　happened　to　you　all？〃

The　cry　brought　them　all　out；Brown　and　his　wife；　French　and　Irma；　with　Paulina　in　the　background。　　They　crowded　around　him　with　vociferous　welcome；　Brown　leading　in　a　series　of　wild　cheers。　After　the　cheering　was　done；　Brown　rushed　for　him。

〃Congratulations；　old　boy！〃　he　cried；　shaking　him　by　the　hand。　〃It's　all　right；　we've　won；　after　all！　　Hurrah！　　Hurrah！　　Hurrah！〃　Brown　had　clearly　gone　mad。

Then　Irma　came　running　toward　him。

〃Yes；　it's　all　true；　Kalman　dear；〃　she　cried；　pulling　down　his　head　to　kiss　him；　her　voice　breaking　in　a　sob　and　her　eyes　radiant　with　smiles　and　tears。

〃Don't　be　alarmed；　old　man；〃　said　French；　taking　him　by　the　hand　when　Irma　had　surrendered　her　place。　　〃They　are　all　quite　sane。　We've　got　it；　right　enough。　　We've　won　out。〃

Kalman　sat　still　on　his　horse；　looking　from　one　to　the　other　in　utter　bewilderment。　　Brown　was　still　yelling　at　intervals；　and　wildly　waving　his　hat。　　At　length　Kalman　turned　to　Mrs。　Brown。

〃You　seem　to　be　sane；　anyway；〃　he　said；　〃perhaps　you　will　tell　me　what　they　all　mean？〃

〃It　means；　Kalman；〃　said　the　little　woman；　offering　him　both　hands；　〃we　are　so　glad　that　we　don't　know　what　to　do。　　We　have　got　back　our　mine。〃

〃The　mine！〃　gasped　Kalman　faintly。　　〃Impossible！　　Why；　Brown　there〃

〃Yes！　　Brown　here；〃　yelled　that　individual；　〃I　know　Brown。　　He's　a　corker！　　But　he's　sometimes　wrong；　and　this　is　one　of　the　times。　　A　mine；　and　a　company！　　And　there's　the　man　that　did　it！　　Jack　French；　to　whom　I　take　off　my　hat！　　He　has　just　got　home；　and　we　have　just　heard　his　tale；　andschool's　out　and　the　band's　going　to　play　and　the　game　begin。　　And　get　down　from　your　broncho；　you　graven　image！〃　　Here　Brown　pulled　Kalman　headlong　from　his　horse。　〃And　Jack　will　perform。　　I　have　not　been　mad　like　this　for　a　thousand　years。　　I　have　been　in　Hades　for　the　last　month；　and　now　I'm　out！　　I　know　I　am　quite　mad；　but　it's　fine　while　it　lasts。　Now；　Jack；　the　curtain's　up。　　Let　the　play　proceed。〃

The　story　was　simple　enough。　　Immediately　after　the　discovery　of　the　mine　French　had　arranged　with　Mr。　Robert　Menzies　that　he　should　make　application　with　the　Department　of　the　Interior　at　Ottawa　for　the　necessary　mining　rights。　　The　application　had　been　made；　but　the　Department　had　failed　to　notify　the　local　agent。

〃So；〃　said　Jack；　〃th