the foreigner-第30章

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t。

He　held　her　to　him；　stroking　her　beautiful　hair；　his　brown　hand　trembling　and　his　strong　face　twisting　strangely。

〃Don't　cry；　dear　Margaret。　　Don't　cry　like　that。　　I　won't　make　you　weep。　　Never　mind。　　You　could　not　help　it。　　AndI'llgetover　itsomehow。　　Only　don't　cry。〃

Then　when　she　grew　quiet　again　he　kissed　her　and　went　out；　smiling　back　at　her　as　he　went；　and　for　fifteen　years　never　saw　her　face　again。

But　month　by　month　there　came　a　letter　telling　him　of　her　and　her　work；　and　this　helped　him　to　forget　his　pain。　　But　more　and　more　often　as　the　years　went　on；　Jack　French　and　his　man　Mackenzie　sat　long　nights　in　the　bare　ranch　house　with　a　bottle　between　them；　till　Mackenzie　fell　under　the　table　and　Jack　with　his　hard　head　and　his　lonely　heart　was　left　by　himself；　staring　at　the　fire　if　in　winter；　or　out　of　the　window　at　the　lake　if　in　summer；　till　the　light　on　the　water　grew　red；　to　his　great　hurt　in　body　and　in　soul。

One　spring　day　in　the　sixteenth　year；　in　the　middle　of　the　month　of　May；　when　Jack　had　driven　to　the　Crossing　for　supplies；　an　unexpected　letter　met　him；　which　gave　him　much　concern　and　changed　forever　the　even　current　of　his　life。　　And　this　was　the　letter：


'MY　DEAR　JACK；You　have　not　yet　answered　my　last；　you　bad　boy；　but　you　know　I　do　not　wait　for　answers；　or　you　would　seldom　hear　from　me。'　　〃And　that's　true　enough；〃　murmured　Jack。　　'But　this　is　a　special　letter；　and　is　to　ask　you　to　do　a　great　thing　for　me；　a　very　great　thing。　　Indeed；　you　may　not　be　able　to　do　it　at　all。'　〃Indeed！〃　said　Jack。　　'And　if　you　cannot　do　it；　I　trust　you　to　tell　me　so。'　　〃Trust　me！　well　rather；〃　said　Jack　again。

'You　know　something　of　my　work　among　the　Galicians；　but　you　do　not　know　just　how　sad　it　often　is。　　They　are　poor　ignorant　creatures；　but　really　they　have　kind　hearts　and　have　many　nice　things。'　　〃By　Jove！　　She'd　find　good　points　in　the　very　devil　himself！〃　　'And　I　know　you　would　pity　them　if　you　knew　them；　especially　the　women　and　the　children。　　The　women　have　to　work　so　hard；　and　the　children　are　growing　up　wild；　learning　little　of　the　good　and　much　of　the　bad　that　Winnipeg　streets　can　teach　them。'　　〃Heaven　help　them　of　their　school！〃　cried　Jack。

'Well；　I　must　tell　you　what　I　want。　　You　remember　seeing　in　the　papers　that　I　sent　you　some　years　ago；　the　account　of　that　terrible　murder　by　a　Russian　Nihilist　named　Kalmar；　and　you　remember　perhaps　how　he　nearly　killed　a　horrid　man　who　had　treated　him　badly；　very　badly；　named　Rosenblatt。　　Well；　perhaps　you　remember　that　Kalmar　escaped　from　the　penitentiary；　and　has　not　been　heard　of　since。　His　wife　and　children　have　somehow　come　under　the　power　of　this　Rosenblatt　again。　　He　has　got　a　mortgage　on　her　house　and　forces　the　woman　to　do　his　will。　　The　woman　is　a　poor　stupid　creature；　and　she　has　just　slaved　away　for　this　man。　　The　boy　is　different。　　He　is　a　fine　handsome　little　fellow；　thirteen　or　fourteen　years　old；　who　makes　his　living　selling　newspapers　and；　I　am　afraid；　is　learning　a　great　many　things　that　he　would　be　better　without。'　〃Which　is　true　of　more　than　him；〃　growled　Jack。　　'Of　course；　he　does　not　like　Rosenblatt。　　A　little　while　ago　there　was　a　dance　and；　as　always　at　the　dances；　that　awful　beer！　　The　men　got　drunk　and　a　good　deal　of　fighting　took　place。　　Rosenblatt　and　a　friend　of　his　got　abusing　the　girl。　　The　boy　flew　at　him　and　wounded　him　with　a　knife。'　　〃And　served　him　jolly　well　right；〃　said　Jack　with　an　oath。　　'And　then　Rosenblatt　nearly　killed　him　and　threw　him　out　in　the　snow。　　There　he　would　have　certainly　died；　had　not　Dr。　Wright　happened　along　and　carried　him　to　the　hospital；　where　he　has　been　ever　since。　　The　doctor　had　Rosenblatt　up　before　the　Court；　but　he　brought　a　dozen　men　to　swear　that　the　boy　was　a　bad　and　dangerous　boy　and　that　he　was　only　defending　himself。　　Fancy　a　great　big　man　against　a　boy　thirteen！　　Well；　would　you　believe　it；　Rosenblatt　escaped　and　laid　a　charge　against　the　boy；　and　would　actually　have　had　him　sent　to　jail；　but　I　went　to　the　magistrate　and　offered　to　take　him　and　find　a　home　for　him　outside　of　the　city。'　　〃Good　brave　little　lady！　　I'know　you　well；〃　cried　Jack。

'I　thought　of　you；　Jack。'　　〃Bless　your　kind　little　heart；〃　said　Jack。　　'And　I　knew　that　if　you　could　get　him　you　would　make　a　man　of　him。'　　〃Aha！　　You　did！〃　exclaimed　Jack。　　'Here　he　is　getting　worse　and　worse　every　day。　　He　is　so　quick　and　so　clever；　he　has　never　been　to　school；　but　he　reads　and　speaks　English　well。　　He　is　very　popular　with　his　own　people；　for　he　is　a　wonderful　singer；　and　they　like　him　at　their　feasts。　　And　I　have　heard　that　he　is　as　fond　of　beer　as　any　of　them。　　He　was　terribly　battered；　but　he　is　all　right　again；　and　has　been　living　with　his　sister　and　his　step…　mother　in　the　house　of　a　friend　of　his　father's。　　But　I　have　promised　to　get　him　out　of　the　city；　and　if　I　do　not；　I　know　Rosenblatt　will　be　after　him。　　Besides　this；　I　am　afraid　something　will　happen　if　he　remains。　　The　boy　says　quite　quietly；　but　you　can't　help　feeling　that　he　means　it；　that　he　will　kill　Rosenblatt　some　day。　　It　is　terribly　sad；　for　he　is　such　a　nice　boy。'　　〃Seems　considerable　of　an　angel；〃　agreed　Jack。　　'I　am　afraid　you　will　have　to　teach　him　a　good　many　things；　Jack；　for　he　has　some　bad　habits。　But　if　he　is　with　you　and　away　from　the　bad　people　he　meets　with　here；　I　am　sure　he　will　soon　forget　the　bad　things　he　has　learned。'　〃Dear　lady；　God　grant　you　may　never　know；〃　said　Jack　ruefully。

'This　is　a　long　letter；　dear　Jack。　　How　I　should　like　to　go　up　to　Night　Hawk　Ranch　and　see　you；　for　I　know　you　will　not　come　to　Winnipeg；　and　we　do　not　see　enough　of　each　other。　　We　ought　to；　for　my　sake　and　for　Herbert's　too。'　　〃Ah　God！　and　what　of　me？〃　groaned　Jack。　　'I　cannot　begin　to　thank　you　for　all　your　kindness。　　And；　Jack；　you　must　stop　sending　me　money；　for　I　do　not　need　it　and　I　will　not　use　it；　and　I　just　keep　putting　what　you　send　me　in　the　bank　for　you。　　The　Lord　has　given　me　many　friends；　and　He　never　has　allowed　me　to　want。

'I　shall　wait　two　weeks；　and　then　send　you　Kalmanthat　is　his　name；　Kalman　Kalmar；　a　nice　name；　isn't　it？　　And　he　is　a　dear　good　boy；　that　is；　be　might　be。'　　〃Good　heart；　so　might　we　all；〃　cried　Jack。　　'But　I　love　him　just　as　he　is。'　　〃Happy　boy。〃　　'Wouldn't　it　be　fine　if　you　could　make　him　a　good　man？　　How　much　he　might　do　for　his　peoples！　　And　if　he　stays　here　he　will　get　to　be　terrible；　for　his　father　was　terrible；　although；　poor　man；　it　was　hardly　his　fault。'　　〃I　surely　believe　in　God's　mercy；〃　said　poor　Jack。

'This　is　a　long　rambling　letter；　dear　Jack；　but　you　will　forgive　me。　　I　sometimes　get　pretty　tired。'　　And　Jack's　brown　lean　hand　closed　swiftly。　　'There　is　so　much　to　do。　　But　I　am　pretty　well　and　I　have　many　kind　friends。　　So　much　to　do；　so　many　sick　and　poor　and　lonely。　　They　need　a　friend。　　The　Winnipeg　people　are　very　kind；　but　they　are　very　busy。

'Now；　my　dear　Jack；　will　you　do　for　Kalman　all　you　can？　　Andmay　I　say　it？remember；　he　is　just　a　boy。　　I　do　not　want　to　preach　to　you；　but　he　needs　to　be　under　the　care　of　a　good　man；　and　that　is　why　I　send　him　to　you。

'Your　loving　sister；

'MARGARET。'


There　was　a　grim　look　on　Jack　French's　face　as　he　finished　reading　the　letter　the　second　time。

〃You're　a　good　one；〃　he　said；　〃and　you　have　a　wise　little　head　as　well　as　a　tender　heart。　　Don't　want　to　preach　to　me；　eh？　　But　you　get　your　work　in　all　the　same。　　Two　weeks！　　Let's　see；　this　letter　has　been　four　weeks　on　the　wayup　to　Edmonton　and　back！　　By　Jove！　That　boy　ought　to　be　along　with　Macmillan's　outfit。　　I　say；　Jimmy；〃　this　to　Jimmy　Green；　who；　besides　representing　Her　Majesty　in　the　office　of　Postmaster；　was　general　store　keeper　and　trader　to　the　community；　〃when　will　Macmillan　be　in？〃

〃Couple　of　days；　Jack。〃

〃Well；　I　guess　I'll　have　to　wait。〃

And　this　turned　out　an　unhappy　necessity　for　Jack　French；　for　when　the　Macmillan　outfit　drove　up　to　the　Crossing　he　was　lying　incapable　and　dead　to　all　around；　in　Jimmy　Green's　back　store。



CHAPTER　XI

THE　EDMONTON　TRAIL


Straight　across　the　country；　winding　over　plains；　around　sleughs；　threading　its　way　through　bluffs；　over　prairie　undulations；　fording　streams　and　crossing　rivers；　and　so　making　its　course　northwest　from　Winnipeg　for　nin