第106章 CHAPTER XXIII(5)

It is the mark of a gentleman to know his kind. He has an instinct for what is fine and offers ready homage to what is worthy. Any one observing Colonel Thorp's manner of receiving Mrs. Murray would have known him at once for a gentleman, for when that little lady came into the drawing-room, dressed in her decent silk gown, with soft white lace at her throat, bearing herself with sweet dignity, and stepping with dainty grace on her toes, after the manner of the fine ladies of the old school, and not after the flat-footed, heel-first modern style, the colonel abandoned his usual careless manner and rose and stood rigidly at attention.

"Auntie, this is my friend, Colonel Thorp," said Kate.

"Proud to know you madam," said the colonel, with his finest military bow.

"And I am glad to meet Colonel Thorp; I have heard so much of him through my friends," and she smiled at him with such genuine kindliness that the gallant colonel lost his heart at once.

"Your friends have been doing me proud," he said, bowing to her and then to Kate.

"Oh, you needn't look at me," said Kate; "you don't imagine I have been saying nice things about you? She has other friends that think much of you.""Yes," said Mrs. Murray, "Ranald has often spoken of you, Colonel Thorp, and of your kindness," said Mrs. Murray.

The colonel looked doubtful. "Well, I don't know that he thinks much of me. I have had to be pretty hard on him.""Why?" asked Mrs. Murray.

"Well, I reckon you know him pretty well," began the colonel.

"Well, she ought to," said Kate, "she brought him up, and his many virtues he owes mostly to my dear aunt's training.""Oh, Kate, you must not say that," said Mrs. Murray, gravely.

"Then," said the colonel, "you ought to be proud of him. You produced a rare article in the commercial world, and that is a man of honor. He is not for sale, and I want to say that I feel as safe about the company's money out there as if I was settin' on it;but he needs watching," added the colonel, "he needs watching.""What do you mean?" said Mrs. Murray, whose pale face had flushed with pleasure and pride at the colonel's praise of Ranald.

"Too much philanthropy," said the colonel, bluntly; "the British-American Coal and Lumber Company ain't a benevolent society exactly.""I am glad you spoke of that, Colonel Thorp; I want to ask you about some things that I don't understand. I know that the company are criticising some of Ranald's methods, but don't know why exactly.""Now, Colonel," cried Kate, "stand to your guns.""Well," said the colonel, "I am going to execute a masterly retreat, as they used to say when a fellow ran away. I am going to get behind my company. They claim, you see, that Ranald ain't a paying concern.""But how?" said Mrs. Murray.

Then the colonel enumerated the features of Ranald's management most severely criticised by the company. He paid the biggest wages going; the cost of supplies for the camps was greater, and the company's stores did not show as large profits as formerly; "and of course," said the colonel, "the first aim of any company is to pay dividends, and the manager that can't do that has to go."Then Mrs. Murray proceeded to deal with the company's contentions, going at once with swift intuition to the heart of the matter.

"You were speaking of honor a moment ago, Colonel. There is such a thing in business?""Certainly, that's why I put that young man where he is.""That means that the company expect him to deal fairly by them.""That's about it."

"And being a man of honor, I suppose he will also deal fairly by the men and by himself.""I guess so," said the colonel.