the foreigner- 第27部分

The　strength　of　that　grip　on　his　neck　produced　a　salutary　effect　upon　the　excited　Galician。　　He　stood　a　few　moments　dazed；　looking　this　way　and　that　way；　as　if　uncertain　how　to　act。

〃Tell　the　fool；〃　said　French　to　Kalman　quietly；　〃to　get　hold　of　those　front　wheels　and　pull。〃

The　boy　stood　amazed。

〃Ain't　you　going　to　lick　him？〃　he　said。

〃Haven't　time　just　now；〃　said　French　cheerfully。

〃But　he　might　have　killed　you。〃

〃Would　have　if　you　hadn't　yelled。　　I'll　remember　that　too；　my　boy。　But　he　didn't；　and　he　won't　get　another　chance。　　Tell　him　to　take　hold　and　pull。〃

Kalman　turned　to　the　subdued　and　uncertain　Galician；　and　poured　forth　a　volume　of　angry　abuse　while　he　directed　him　as　to　his　present　duty。　　Humbly　enough　the　Galician　took　hold；　and　soon　the　wagon　was　put　to　rights；　and　after　half　an　hour's　work；　was　loaded　again　and　ready　for　its　further　journey。

By　this　time　the　man　had　quite　recovered　his　temper　and　stood　for　some　time　after　all　was　ready；　silent　and　embarrassed。　　Then　he　began　to　earnestly　address　French；　with　eager　gesticulations。

〃What　is　it？〃　said　French。

〃He　says　he　is　very　sorry；　and　feels　very　bad　here；〃　said　Kalman；　pointing　to　his　heart；　〃and　he　wants　to　do　something　for　you。〃

〃Tell　him；〃　said　French　cheerfully；　〃only　a　fool　loses　his　temper；　and　only　a　cad　uses　a　club　or　a　knife　when　he　fights。〃

Kalman　looked　puzzled。

〃A　cat？〃

〃No；　a　cad。　　Don't　you　know　what　a　cad　is？　　Well；　a　cad　ishanged　if　I　know　how　to　put　ityou　know　what　a　gentleman　is？〃

Kalman　nodded。

〃Well；　the　other　thing　is　a　cad。〃

The　Galician　listened　attentively　while　Kalman　explained；　and　made　humble　and　deprecating　reply。

〃He　says；〃　interpreted　Kalman；　〃that　he　is　very　sorry；　but　he　wants　to　know　what　you　fight　with。　　You　can't　hurt　a　man　with　your　hands。〃

〃Can't；　eh？〃　said　French。　　〃Tell　him　to　stand　up　here　to　me。〃

The　Galician　came　up　smiling；　and　French　proceeded　to　give　him　his　first　lesson　in　the　manly　art；　Kalman　interpreting　his　directions。

〃Put　up　your　hands　so。　　Now　I　am　going　to　tap　your　forehead。〃

Tap；　tap；　went　French's　open　knuckles　upon　the　Galician's　forehead。

〃Look　out；　man。〃

Tap；　tap；　tap；　the　knuckles　went　rapping　on　the　man's　forehead；　despite　his　flying　arms。

〃Now；〃　said　French；　〃hit　me。〃

The　Galician　made　a　feeble　attempt。

〃Oh；　don't　be　afraid。　　Hit　me　hard。〃

The　Galician　lunged　forward；　but　met　rigid　arms。

〃Come；　come；〃　said　French；　reaching　him　sharply　on　the　cheek　with　his　open　hand；　〃try　better　than　that。〃

Again　the　Galician　struck　heavily　with　his　huge　fists；　and　again　French；　easily　parrying；　tapped　him　once；　twice；　thrice；　where　he　would；　drawing　tears　to　the　man's　eyes。　　The　Galician　paused　with　a　scornful　exclamation。

〃He　says　that's　nothing；〃　interpreted　Kalman。　　〃You　can't　hurt　a　man　that　way。〃

〃Can't；　eh？　　Tell　him　to　come　on；　but　to　look　out。〃

Again　the　Galician　came　forward；　evidently　determined　to　land　one　blow　at　least。　　But　French；　taking　the　blow　on　his　guard；　replied　with　a　heavy　lefthander　fair　on　the　Galician's　chest；　lifted　him　clear　off　his　feet　and　hurled　him　breathless　against　his　load　of　hay。　　The　man　recovered　himself；　grinning　sheepishly；　nodding　his　head　vigorously　and　talking　rapidly。

〃That　is　enough。　　He　says　he　would　like　to　learn　how　to　do　that。　That　is　better　than　a　club；〃　interpreted　Kalman。

〃Tell　him　that　his　people　must　learn　to　fight　without　club　or　knife。　　We　won't　stand　that　in　this　country。　　It　lands　them　in　prison　or　on　the　gallows。〃

Kalman　translated；　his　own　face　fiery　red　meanwhile；　and　his　own　appearance　one　of　humiliation。　　He　was　wondering　how　much　of　his　own　history　this　man　knew。

〃Good…by；〃　said　French；　holding　out　his　hand　to　the　Galician。

The　man　took　it　and　raised　it　to　his　lips。

〃He　says　he　thanks　you　very　much；　and　he　wishes　you　to　forget　his　badness。〃

〃All　right；　old　man；〃　said　French　cheerfully。　　〃See　you　again　some　day。〃

And　so　they　parted；　Kalman　carrying　with　him　an　uncomfortable　sense　of　having　been　at　various　times　in　his　life　something　of　a　cad；　and　a　fear　lest　this　painful　fact　should　be　known　to　his　new　master　and　friend。

〃Well；　youngster；〃　said　French；　noticing　his　glum　face；　〃you　did　me　a　good　turn　that　time。　　That　beggar　had　me　foul　then；　sure　enough；　and　I　won't　forget　it。〃

Kalman　brightened　up　under　his　words；　and　without　further　speech；　each　busy　with　himself；　they　sped　along　the　trail　till　the　day　faded　toward　the　evening。

But　the　Edmonton　trail　that　day　set　its　mark　on　the　lives　of　boy　and　man；a　mark　that　was　never　obliterated。　　To　Kalman　the　day　brought　a　new　image　of　manhood。　　Of　all　the　men　whom　he　knew　there　was　none　who　could　command　his　loyalty　and　enthral　his　imagination。　It　is　true；　his　father　had　been　such　a　man；　but　now　his　father　moved　in　dim　shadow　across　the　horizon　of　his　memory。　　Here　was　a　man　within　touch　of　his　hand　who　illustrated　in　himself　those　qualities　that　to　a　boy's　heart　and　mind　combine　to　make　a　hero。　With　what　ease　and　courage　and　patience　and　perfect　self…command　he　had　handled　those　plunging　bronchos！　　The　same；　qualities　too；　in　a　higher　degree；　had　marked　his　interview　with　the　wrathful　and　murderous　Galician；　and；　in　addition；　all　that　day　Kalman　had　been　conscious　of　a　consideration　and　a　quickness　of　sympathy　in　his　moods　that　revealed　in　this　man　of　rugged　strength　and　forceful　courage　a　subtle　something　that　marks　the　finer　temper　and　nobler　spirit；　the　temper　and　the　spirit　of　the　gentleman。　　Not　that　Kalman　could　name　this　thing；　but　to　his　sensitive　soul　it　was　this　in　the　man　that　made　appeal　and　that　called　forth　his　loyal　homage。

To　French；　too；　the　day　had　brought　thoughts　and　emotions　that　had　not　stirred　within　him　since　those　days　of　younger　manhood　twenty　years　ago　when　the　world　was　still　a　place　of　dreams　and　life　a　tourney　where　glory　might　be　won。　　The　boy's　face；　still　with　its　spiritual　remembrances　in　spite　of　all　the　sordidness　of　his　past；　the　utter　and　obvious　surrender　of　soul　that　shone　from　his　eyes；　made　the　man　almost　shudder　with　a　new　horror　of　the　foulness　that　twenty　years　of　wild　license　upon　the　plains　had　flung　upon　him。　A　fierce　hate　of　what　he　had　become；　an　appalling　vision　of　what　he　was　expected　to　be；　grew　upon　him　as　the　day　drew　to　a　close。　Gladly　would　he　have　refused　the　awful　charge　of　this　young　soul　as　yet　unruined　that　so　plainly　exalted　him　to　a　place　among　the　gods；　but　for　a　vision　that　he　carried　ever　in　his　heart　of　a　face　sad　and　sweet　and　eloquent　with　trustful　love。

〃No；　by　Jove！〃　he　said　to　himself　between　his　shut　teeth；　〃I　can't　funk　it。　　I'd　be　a　cad　if　I　did。〃

And　with　these　visions　and　these　resolvings　they；　boy　and　man；　swung　off　from　the　Edmonton　trail　black　and　well　worn；　and　into　the　half…beaten　track　that　led　to　Wakota；　the　centre　of　the　Galician　colony。



CHAPTER　XII

THE　MAKING　OF　A　MAN


Wakota；　consisting　of　the　mud…house　of　a　Galician　homesteader　who　owned　a　forge　and　did　blacksmithing　for　the　colony　in　a　primitive　way；　they　left　behind　half　an　hour　before　nightfall；　with　ten　miles　of　bad　going　still　before　them。　　The　trail　wound　through　bluffs　and　around　sleughs；　dived　into　coulees　and　across　black　creeks；　and　only　the　most　skilful　handling　could　have　piloted　the　bronchos　through。

It　was　long　after　dark　when　they　reached　the　ravine　of　the　Night　Hawk　Creek；　through　which　they　must　pass　before　arriving　at　the　Lake。　　Down　the　sides　of　this　ravine　they　zigzagged；　dodging　trees　and　boulders　till　they　came　to　the　last　sharp　pitch；　at　the　foot　of　which　ran　the　Creek。　　During　this　whole　descent　Kalman　sat　clinging　to　the　back　and　side　of　the　seat；　expecting　every　moment　to　have　the　buckboard　turn　turtle　over　him；　but　when　they　reached　the　edge　of　the　final　pitch；　were　it　not　for　sheer　shame；　he　would　have　begged　permission　to　scramble　down　on　hands　and　knees　rather　than　trust　himself　to　the　swaying；　pitching　vehicle。　　A　moment　French　held　his　bronchos　steady；　poised　on　the　brink　of　this　rocky　steep；　and　then　reaching　back；　he　seized　the　hind　wheel　and；　holding　it　fast；　used　it　as　a　drag；　while　the　bronchos　slid　down　on　their　haunches　over　the　mass　of　gravel　and　rolling　stones　till　they　reached　the　bed　of　the　Creek　in　safety。　　A　splash　through　the　water；　a　scramble　up　the　other　bank；　a　long　climb；　and　they　were　out　again　on　the　prairie。　　A　mile　of　good　trail　and　they　were　at　home；　welcomed　by　the　baying　of　two　huge　Russian　wolf　hounds。

Through　the　dim　light　Kalman　could　discover　the　outlines　of　what　seemed　a　long　heap　of　logs；　but　what　he　afterwards　discovered　to　be　a　series　of　low　log　structures　which　did　for　house；　stable　and　sheds　of　various　kinds。

〃Down！　Bismark。　　Down！　Blucher。　　Hello　there；　Mac！　　Where　in　the　world　are　you？〃

After　some　time　Mackenzie　appeared　with　a　lantern；　a　short；　grizzled；　thick…set　man；　rubbing　his　eyes　and　yawning　prodigiously。

〃I　nefer　thought　you　would　be　coming　home　tonight；〃　he　said。　　〃What　brought　ye　at　this　time？〃

〃Never　mind；　Mac；〃　said　French。　　〃Get　the　horses　out；　and　Kalman　and　I　will　unload　this　stuff。〃

In　what　seemed　to　be　an　outer　shed；　they　deposited　the　pork；　flour；　and　other　articles　that　composed　the　load。　　As　Kalman　seized　the　straw…packed　case　to　carry　it　in；　French　interfered。

〃Here；　boy；　I'll　take　that；〃　he　said　quickly。

〃I'll　not　break　them；〃　said　Kalman；　lifting　the　case　with　great　care。

〃You　won't；　eh？〃　replied　French　in　rather　a　shamed　tone。　　〃Do　you　know　what　it　is？〃

〃Why；　sure；〃　said　Kalman。　　〃Lots　of　that　stuff　used　to　come　into　our　home　in　Winnipeg。〃

〃Well；　let　me　have　the　case；〃　said　French。　　〃And　you　needn't　say　anything　to　Mac　about　it。　　Mac　is　all　right；　but　a　case　of　liquor　in　the　house　makes　him　unhappy。〃

〃Unhappy？　　Doesn't　he　drink　any？〃

〃That's　just　it；　my　boy。　　He　is　unhappy　while　it's　outside　of　him。　He's　got　Indian　blood　in　him；　you　see；　and　he'd　die　for　whiskey。〃　So　saying；　French　took　up　the　case　and　carried　it　to　the　inner　room　and　stowed　it　away　under　his　bed。

But　as　he　rose　up　from　making　this　disposition　of　the　dangerous　stuff　Mac　himself　appeared　in　the　room。

〃What　are　you　standing　there　looking　at？〃　said　French　with　unusual　impatience。

〃Oh；　nothing　at　all；〃　said　Mackenzie；　whose　strong　Hi