A CHANGE OF ENVIRONMENT.
On the evening after his arrival in Vancouver, Vane, who took Carroll
with him, paid a visit to one of his directors and, in accordance with
the invitation, reached the latter's dwelling some little time before
the arrival of other guests, whose acquaintance it was considered
advisable that he should make.
Vane and his companion were ushered into a small room with an uncovered
floor and simple, hardwood furniture. It was obviously a working room,
for, as a rule, the work of the Western business man goes on
continuously except when he is asleep; but a somewhat portly lady with a
good-humoured face reclined in a rocking-chair. A gaunt, elderly man of
rugged appearance rose from his seat at a writing-table as his guests
entered.
"So ye have come at last," he said. "I had you shown in here, because
this room is mine, and I can smoke when I like. The rest of the house is
Mrs. Nairn's, and it seems that her friends do not appreciate the smell
of my cigars. I'm not sure that I can blame them."
Mrs. Nairn smiled placidly. "Alec," she explained, "leaves them lying
everywhere, and I do not like the stubs on the stairs. But sit ye down
and he will give ye one."
Vane felt at home with both of them. He had met people of their kind
before, and, allowing for certain idiosyncrasies, considered them the
salt of the Dominion. Nairn had done good service to his adopted
country, developing her new industries, with some profit to himself, for
he was of Scottish extraction; but while close at a bargain he could be
generous afterwards. When his guests were seated he laid two cigar boxes
on the table.
"Those," he said, pointing to one of them, "are mine. I think ye had
better try the others; they're for visitors."
Vane, who had already noticed the aroma of the cigar that was
smouldering on a tray, decided that he was right, and dipped his hand
into the second box, which he passed to Carroll.
"Now," said Nairn, "we can talk comfortably, and Clara will listen.
Afterwards it's possible she will favour me with her opinion."
Mrs. Nairn smiled at them encouragingly, and her husband proceeded: "One
or two of my colleagues were no pleased at ye for putting off the
meeting."
"The sloop was small, and it was blowing rather hard," Vane explained.
"Maybe," said Nairn. "For all that, the tone of your message was not
altogether conciliatory. It informed us that ye would arrange for the
postponed meeting at your earliest convenience. Ye didna mention ours."
"I pointed that out to him, and he said it didn't matter," Carroll broke
in, laughing.
Nairn spread out his hands in expostulation, but there was dry
appreciation in his eyes. "Young blood must have its way." Then he
paused. "Ye will not have said anything to Horsfield yet about the
smelter?"
"No. So far, I'm not sure it would pay us to put up the plant, and the
other man's terms were lower."
"Maybe," Nairn answered, and he made the word very expressive. "Ye have
had the handling of the thing; but henceforward it will be necessary to
get the sanction of the board. However, ye will meet Horsfield to-night.
We expect him and his sister."
Vane thought he had been favoured with a hint, but he also fancied that
his host was not inimical and was merely reserving his judgment. The
latter changed the subject.
"So ye're going to England for a holiday," he remarked. "Ye'll have
friends who'll be glad to see ye?"
"I've one sister and no other near relatives, but I expect to spend some
time with folks you know. The Chisholms are old family friends and, as
you will remember, it was through them I first approached you." Then
obeying one of the impulses which occasionally swayed him he turned to
Mrs. Nairn. "I'm grateful to them for sending me the letter of
introduction to your husband. He didn't treat me as the others did when
I first went round this city with a few mineral specimens."
He had expected nothing when he spoke, but there was a responsive look
in the lady's face which hinted that he had made a friend; and as a
matter of fact, he owed a good deal to his host.
"So ye are meaning to stay with Chisholm," Nairn exclaimed. "We had
Evelyn here two years ago and Clara said something about her coming out
again."
"I never heard of that, but it's nine years since I saw Evelyn."
"Then there's a surprise in store for ye," said Nairn. "I believe
they've a bonny place, and there's no doubt Chisholm will make ye
welcome."
The slight pause was expressive. It implied that Nairn, who had a
somewhat biting humour, could furnish a reason for Chisholm's
hospitality if he desired, and Vane was confirmed in this supposition
when he saw the warning look which his hostess cast at her husband.
"It's likely that we'll have Evelyn again in the fall," she broke in.
"It's a very small world, Mr. Vane."
"It's a far cry from Vancouver to England," said Vane. "How did you come
to know Chisholm?"
Nairn answered him. "Our acquaintance began with business, and he's a
kind of connection of Colquhoun's."
Colquhoun was a man of some importance, who held a Crown appointment,
and Vane felt inclined to wonder why Chisholm had not sent him a letter
to him. Afterwards he guessed at the reason, which was not flattering to
himself or his host. The latter and he chatted awhile on business
topics, until there was a sound of voices below, and going down in
company with Mrs. Nairn they found two or three new arrivals in the
entrance hall. More came in, and when they sat down to supper, Vane was
given a place beside a lady whom he had already met.
Jessie Horsfield was about his own age; tall and slight of figure, with
regular features, a rather colourless face, and eyes of a cold, light
blue. There was, however, something which Vane considered striking in
her appearance, and he was gratified by her graciousness to him. Her
brother sat almost opposite to them, a tall, spare man, with an
expressionless countenance, except for the aggressive hardness in his
eyes. Vane had noticed this look in them, and it had roused his dislike;
but he had not observed it in those of Miss Horsfield, though it was
present now and then. Nor did he realise that while she chatted, she was
unobtrusively studying him; She had not favoured him with much notice
when she was in his company on a previous occasion; he had been a man of
no importance then.
"I suppose you are glad you have finished your work in the bush," she
remarked presently. "It must be nice to get back to civilisation."
"Yes," Vane assented; "it's remarkably nice after living for nine years
in the wilderness."
A fresh dish was laid before him, and his companion smiled. "You didn't
get things of this kind among the pines."
"No," said Vane. "In fact, cookery is one of the chopper's trials. You
come back dead tired, and often very wet, to your lonely tent, and then
there's a fire to make and supper to get before you can rest. It happens
now and then that you're too played out to trouble, and go to sleep
instead."
"Dreadful," said the girl, sympathetically. "But you have been in
Vancouver before."
"Except on the last occasion, I stayed down near the water-front. We
were not provided with luxurious quarters or suppers of this kind then."
Jessie nodded. "It's romantic, and though you must be glad it's over,
there must be some satisfaction in feeling that you owe the change to
your own efforts. Doesn't it give you a feeling that in some degree
you're master of your fate? I fancy I should like that."
It was subtle flattery, and there were reasons why it appealed to the
man. He had wandered about the province in search of employment, besides
being beaten down at many a small bargain by more fortunately situated
men. Now, however, he had resolved that there should be a difference:
instead of begging favours, he would dictate terms.
"I should have imagined it," he said, in answer to her last remark, and
he was right, for Jessie Horsfield was a clever woman, who loved power
and influence. Then she abruptly changed the subject.
"It was you who located the Clermont mine, wasn't it?" she asked. "I
read something about it in the papers; I think they said it was copper."
This vagueness was misleading, because her brother had given her a good
deal of information about the mine.
"Yes," said Vane, who was willing to take up any subject she suggested;
"it's copper, but there's some silver combined with it. Of course, the
value of any ore depends upon two things--the percentage of the metal,
and the cost of extracting it."
She waited with flattering interest, and he added: "In both respects,
Clermont produce is promising."
After that he did not remember what they talked about; but the time
passed rapidly and he was surprised when Mrs. Nairn rose and the company
drifted away by twos and threes towards the verandah. Left by himself a
moment, he came upon Carroll sauntering down a corridor, and the latter
stopped him.
"I've had a chat with Horsfield," he remarked.
"Well?" said Vane.
"He may have merely meant to make himself agreeable, and he may have
wished to extract information about you. If the latter was his object,
he was not successful."
"Ah!" said Vane thoughtfully. "Nairn's straight, anyway, and to be
relied upon. I like him and his wife."
"So do I," Carroll agreed.
He moved away, and a few moments later Horsfield joined Vane, who had
strolled out on to the verandah.
"I don't know if it's a very suitable time to mention it, but are you
any nearer a decision about that smelter yet?" he said. "Candidly, I'd
like the contract."
"No," said Vane. "I can't make up my mind, and I may postpone the matter
indefinitely. It might prove more profitable to ship the ore out for
reduction."
Horsfield examined his cigar. "Of course, I can't press you; but I may
perhaps suggest that as we'll have to work together in other matters, I
might be able to give you a quid pro quo."
"That occurred to me," said Vane, "On the other hand, I don't know how
much importance I ought to attach to the consideration."
His companion laughed with apparent good-humour. "Oh, well!" he
answered, "I must wait until you're ready."
He strolled away, and presently joined his sister.
"How does Vane strike you?" he asked. "You seem to get on with him."
"I've an idea that you won't find him easy to influence, and the girl
looked at her brother pointedly.
"I'm inclined to agree with you," said Horsfield. "In spite of that,
he's a man worth cultivating."
He passed on to speak to Nairn, and by and by Vane sat down beside
Jessie in a corner of a big room. It was simply furnished, but spacious
and lofty and looked out across the verandah. It was pleasant to lounge
there and feel that Miss Horsfield had good-naturedly taken him under
her wing, which seemed to describe her attitude.
"As Mrs. Nairn tells me you are going to England, I suppose we shall not
see you in Vancouver for some months," she said presently. "This city
really isn't a bad place to live in."
Vane felt gratified. She implied that he would be an acquisition and
included him among the number of her acquaintances. "I fancy I shall
find it a particularly pleasant one," he responded. "Indeed, I'm
inclined to be sorry I've made arrangements to leave it very shortly."
"That is pure good-nature," his companion laughed.
She changed the subject, and Vane found her conversation entertaining.
She said nothing of any consequence, but she knew how to make a glance
or a changed inflection expressive. He was sorry when she left him, but
she smiled at him before she moved away.
"If you and Mr. Carroll care to call, I am generally at home in the
afternoon," she said.
She crossed the room, and Vane, who joined Nairn, remained near him
until he took his departure.
It was late the next afternoon, and an Empress liner from China and
Japan had arrived an hour or two earlier, when he and Carroll reached
the C.P.R. station. The Atlantic train was waiting, and an unusual
number of passengers were hurrying about the cars. They were, for the
most part, prosperous people, business men and tourists from England,
going home that way, and when Vane found Mrs. Marvin and Kitty, he was
once more conscious of a stirring of compassion. Kitty smiled at him
diffidently.
"You have been so kind," she began, and, pausing, added with a tremor in
her voice: "But the tickets----"
"Pshaw!" said Vane. "If it will ease your mind, you can send me what
they cost after the first full house you draw."
"How shall we address you?"
"Clermont Mineral Exploitation. I don't want to think I'm going to lose
sight of you."
Kitty turned away from him a moment, and then looked back.
"I'm afraid you must make up your mind to that," she said.
Vane could not remember his answer, though he afterwards tried; but just
then an official strode along beside the cars calling to the passengers,
and when a bell began tolling Vane hurried the girl and her companions
on to a platform. Mrs. Marvin entered the car, Elsie held up her face to
kiss him before she disappeared, and he and Kitty were left alone. She
held out her hand, and a liquid gleam crept into her eyes.
"We can't thank you properly," she said. "Good-bye."
"No," Vane protested. "You mustn't say that."
"Yes," said Kitty firmly. "It's good-bye. You'll be carried on in a
moment."
Vane gazed down at her, and afterwards wondered at what he did; but she
looked so forlorn and desolate, and the pretty face was so close to him.
Stooping swiftly, he kissed her, and had a thrilling fancy that she did
not recoil; then the cars lurched forward, and he swung himself down.