stories of a western town-第24章

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swered　Harry；　quietly；　〃goes　without　any　servant　at　all　in　order　to　keep　her　two　children　at　the　kindergarten；　and　the　boy's　elder　sister　was　ill　at　home。　　The　boy　got　on　the　car；　and　when　he　got　off　at　the　crossing　above　his　house；　he　started　to　run　across；　the　other　train…car　was　coming；　the　little　fellow　didn't　notice；　and　ran　to　cross；　he　stumbled　and　fell　right　in　the　path　of　the　coming　car！〃　〃Where　was　the　conductor？　　He　didn't　seem　much　good！〃　〃They　had　left　off　the　conductor　on　that　line。〃　〃Well；　did　they　run　over　the　boy？　　Why　haven't　I　been　informed　of　the　accident？〃　〃There　was　no　accident。　　A　man　on　the　front　platform　saw　the　boy　fall；　made　a　flying　leap　off　the　moving　car；　fell；　but　scrambled　up　and　pulled　the　boy　off　the　track。　　It　was　sickening；　I　thought　we　were　both　gone！〃　〃Oh；　you　were　the　man？〃　〃I　was　the　man；　and　don't　you　see；　Mr。　Armorer；　why　I　feel　strongly　on　the　subject？　　If　the　conductor　had　been　on；　there　wouldn't　have　been　any　occasion　for　any　accident。〃　〃Well；　sir；　you　may　be　assured　that　we　will　take　precautions　against　any　such　accidents。　　It　is　more　for　our　interest　than　anyone's　to　guard　against　them。　　And　I　have　explained　to　you　the　necessity　of　cutting　down　our　expense　list。〃　〃That　is　just　it；　you　think　you　have　to　risk　our　lives　to　cut　down　expenses；　but　we　get　all　the　risk　and　none　of　the　benefits。　I　can't　see　my　way　clear　to　helping　you；　sir；　I　wish　I　could。〃　〃Then　there　is　nothing　more　to　say；　Mr。　Lossing；〃　said　Armorer；　coldly。　〃I'm　sorry　a　mere　sentiment　that　has　no　real　foundation　should　stand　in　the　way　of　our　arranging　a　deal　that　would　be　for　the　advantage　of　both　the　city　and　our　road。〃　　He　rose。　Harry　rose　also；　but　lifted　his　hand　to　arrest　the　financier。　〃Pardon　me；　there　is　something　else；　I　wouldn't　mention　it；　but　I　hear　you　are　going　to　leave　to…morrow　and　go　abroad　withMiss　Armorer。　I　am　conscious　I　haven't　introduced　myself　very　favorably；　by　refusing　you　a　favor　when　I　want　to　ask　the　greatest　one　possible；　but　I　hope；　sir；　you　will　not　think　the　less　of　a　man　because　he　is　not　willing　to　sacrifice　the　interests　of　the　people　who　trust　him；　to　please　ANYONE。　　II　hope　you　will　not　object　to　my　asking　Miss　Armorer　to　marry　me；〃　concluded　Harry；　very　hot　and　shaky；　and　forgetting　the　beginning　of　his　sentences　before　he　came　to　the　end。　〃Does　my　daughter　love　you；　do　I　understand；　Mr。　Lossing？〃　〃I　don't　know；　sir。　　I　wish　I　did。〃

〃Well；　Mr。　Lossing；〃　said　Armorer；　wishing　that　something　in　the　young　man's　confusion　would　not　remind　him　of　the　awful　moment　when　he　asked　old　Forrester　for　his　Jenny；　〃I　am　afraid　I　can　do　nothing　for　you。　If　you　have　too　nice　a　conscience　to　oblige　me；　I　am　afraid　it　will　be　too　nice　to　let　you　get　on　in　the　world。　　Good…morning。〃　〃Stop　a　minute；〃　said　Harry；　〃if　it　is　only　my　ability　to　get　on　in　the　world　that　is　the　trouble；　I　think　〃　〃It　is　your　love　for　my　daughter；〃　said　Armorer；　〃if　you　don't　love　her　enough　to　give　up　a　sentimental　notion　for　her；　to　win　her；　I　don't　see　but　you　must　lose　her；　I　bid　you　good…morning；　sir。〃　〃Not　quite　yet；　sir〃Harry　jumped　before　the　door；　〃you　give　me　the　alternative　of　being　what　I　call　dishonorable　or　losing　the　woman　I　love！〃　　He　pronounced　the　last　word　with　a　little　effort　and　his　lips　closed　sharply　as　his　teeth　shut　under　them。　　〃Well；　I　decline　the　alternative。　I　shall　try　to　do　my　duty　and　get　the　wife　I　want；　BOTH。〃　〃Well；　you　give　me　fair　warning；　don't　you？〃　said　Armorer。　Harry　held　out　his　hand；　saying；　〃I　am　sorry　that　I　detained　you。　I　didn't　mean　to　be　rude。〃　　There　was　something　boyish　and　simple　about　the　action　and　the　tone；　and　Armorer　laughed。　As　Harry　attended　him　through　the　outer　office　to　the　door；　he　complimented　the　shops。　〃Miss　Armorer　and　Mrs。　Ellis　have　promised　to　give　me　the　pleasure　of　showing　them　to　them　this　afternoon；〃　said　Harry；　〃can't　I　show　them　and　part　of　our　city　to　you；　also？　It　has　changed　a　good　deal　since　you　left　it。〃　The　remark　threw　Armorer　off　his　balance；　for　a　rejected　suitor　this　young　man　certainly　kept　an　even　mind。　　But　he　had　all　the　helplessness　of　the　average　American　with　regard　to　his　daughter's　amusements。　The　humor　in　the　situation　took　him；　and　it　cannot　be　denied　that　he　began　to　have　a　vivid　curiosity　about　Harry。　　In　less　time　than　it　takes　to　read　it；　his　mind　had　swung　round　the　circle　of　these　various　points　of　view；　and　he　had　blandly　accepted　Harry's　invitation。　But　he　mopped　a　warm　and　furrowed　brow；　outside；　and　drew　a　prodigious　sigh　as　he　opened　the　note…book　in　his　hand　and　crossed　out；　〃_See　L。_〃　〃That　young　fellow　ain't　all　conscience；〃　said　he；　〃not　by　a　long　shot。〃　He　found　Mrs。　Ellis　very　apologetic　about　the　Lossing　engagement。　It　was　made　through　the　telephone；　Esther　had　been　anxious　to　have　her　father　meet　Lossing；　Lossing　was　to　drive　them　there；　and　later　show　Mr。　Armorer　the　town。　〃Mr。　Lossing　is　a　very　clever　young　man；　very；〃　said　Armorer；　gravely；　as　he　went　out　to　smoke　his　cigar　after　luncheon。　He　wished　he　had　stayed；　however；　when　he　returned　to　find　that　a　visitor　had　called；　and　that　this　visitor　was　the　mother　of　the　little　boy　that　Harry　Lossing　had　saved　from　the　car。　The　two　women　gave　him　the　accident　in　full；　and　were　lavish　of　harrowing　detail；　including　the　mother's　feelings。　〃So　you　see；　'Raish；〃　urged　Mrs。　Ellis；　timidly；　〃there　is　some　reason　for　opposition　to　the　ordinance。〃　Esther's　cheeks　were　red　and　her　eyes　shone；　but　she　had　not　spoken。　Her　father　put　his　arm　around　her　waist　and　kissed　her　hair。　〃And　what　did　you　say；　Essie；〃　he　asked；　gently；　〃to　all　the　criticisms？〃　〃I　told　her　I　thought　you　would　find　some　way　to　protect　the　children　even　if　the　conductors　were　taken　off；　you　didn't　enjoy　the　slaughter　of　children　any　more　than　anyone　else。〃　〃I　guess　we　can　fix　it。　　Here　is　your　young　man。〃　Harry　drove　a　pair　of　spirited　horses。　　He　drove　well；　and　looked　both　handsome　and　happy。　〃Did　you　know　that　ladythe　mother　of　the　boy　that　wasn't　run　over　was　coming　to　see　my　sister？〃　said　Armorer；　on　the　way。　〃I　did；〃　said　Harry；　〃I　sent　her；　I　thought　she　could　explain　the　reason　why　I　shall　have　to　oppose　the　bill；　better　than　I。〃　Armorer　made　no　reply。　At　the　shops　he　kept　his　eye　on　the　young　man。　　Harry　seemed　to　know　most　of　his　workmen；　and　had　a　nod　or　a　word　for　all　the　older　men。　He　stopped　several　moments　to　talk　with　one　old　German　who　complained　of　everything；　but　looked　after　Harry　with　a　smile；　nodding　his　head。　〃That　man；　Lieders；　is　our　best　workman；　you　can't　get　any　better　work　in　the　country；〃　said　he。　　〃I　want　you　to　see　an　armoire　that　he　has　carved；　it　is　up　in　our　exhibition　room。〃　Armorer　said；　〃You　seem　to　get　on　very　well　with　your　working　people；　Mr。　Lossing。〃　〃I　think　we　generally　get　on　well　with　them；　and　they　do　well　themselves；　in　these　Western　towns。　　For　one　thing；　we　haven't　much　organization　to　fight；　and　for　another　thing；　the　individual　workman　has　a　better　chance　to　rise。　That　man　Lieders；　whom　you　saw；　is　worth　a　good　many　thousand　dollars；　my　father　invested　his　savings　for　him。〃　〃You　are　one　of　the　philanthropists；　aren't　you；　Mr。　Lossing；　who　are　trying　to　elevate　the　laboring　classes？〃　〃Not　a　bit　of　it；　sir。　　I　shall　never　try　to　elevate　the　laboring　classes；　it　is　too　big　a　contract。　　But　I　try　as　hard　as　I　know　how　to　have　every　man　who　has　worked　for　Harry　Lossing　the　better　for　it。　I　don't　concern　myself　with　any　other　laboring　men。〃　Just　then　a　murmur　of　exclamations　came　from　Mrs。　Ellis　and　Esther；　whom　the　superintendent　was　piloting　through　the　shops。　　〃Oh；　no；　it　is　too　heavy；　oh；　don't　do　it；　Mr。　Cardigan！〃　　〃Oh；　we　can　see　it　perfectly　well　from　here！　PLEASE　don't；　you　will　break　yourself　somewhere！〃　Mrs。　Ellis　shrieked　this；　but　the　shrieks　turned　to　a　murmur　of　admiration　as　a　huge　carved　sideboard　came　bobbing　and　wobbling；　like　an　intoxicated　piece　of　furniture　in　a　haunted　house；　toward　the　two　gentlewomen。　　Immediately；　a　short　but　powerfully　built　man；　whose　red　face　beamed　above　his　dusty　shoulders　like　a　full　moon　with　a　mustache；　emerged；　and　waved　his　hand　at　the　sideboard。　〃I　could　tackle　the　two　of　them；　begging　your　pardon；　ladies。〃　〃That's　Cardigan；〃　explained　Harry；　〃Miss　Armorer　may　have　told　you　about　him。　　Oh；　SHUEY！〃　Cardigan　approached　and　was　presented。　　He　brought　both　his　heels　together　and　bowed　solemnly；　bending　his　head　at　the　same　time。　〃Pleased　to　meet　you；　sir；〃　said　Shuey。　　Then　he　assumed　an　attitude　of　military　attention。　〃Take　us　up　in　the　elevator；　will　you；　Shuey？〃　said　Harry。　〃Step　in；　Mr。　Armorer；　please；　we　will　go　and　see　the　reproductions　of　the　antique；　we　have　a　room　upstairs。〃　Mr。　Armorer　stepped　in；　Shuey　following；　and　then；　before　Harry　could　enter　it；　the　elevator　shot　upward　andstuck！　〃What's　the　matter？〃　cried　Armorer。　Shuey　was　tugging　at　the　wire　rope。　　He　called；　in　tones　that　seemed　to　come　from　a　panting　chest：　　〃Take　a　pull　at　it　yourself；　sir！　Can　you　move　it？〃　Armorer　grasped　the　rope　viciously；　Shuey　was　on　the　seat　pulling　from　above。　　〃We're　stuck；　sir；　fast！〃　〃Can't　you　get　down　either？〃　〃Divil　a　bit；　saving　your　presence；　sir。　　Do　ye　think　like　the　water…works　could　be　busted？〃　〃Can't　you　make　somebody　hear？〃　panted　Armorer。　〃Well；　you　see　there's　a　deal　of　noise　of　the　machinery；〃　said