silence in the darkened house, and then the old squire was laid in his
grave with such marks of honour as his fellow-townsmen could give.
People from other towns, and from all the country round, came to Gershom
that day, and many a kindly word was spoken of the dead, and many a tale
told of good deeds done in secret, of friendly help and counsel given in
time of need, and all agreed that a good man and true had gone to his
rest from among them, and that not many like him were left behind.
And though all that great multitude could not see the open grave and
Elizabeth and Clifton and Jacob at the head, and Betsey and her mother
and Ben and all the rest standing near, no man left Gershom that day who
had not heard how, when the first clods fell on the coffin-lid, and
Jacob shuddered and grew white as death, old David Fleming, one of the
bearers, went forward and gave him his arm to lean upon till the grave
was filled and the last word spoken. Of course these strangers did not
know all that this implied to both these men, but every one in Gershom
knew and was glad for them both.
And then when all was over, and Mr Maxwell, in a voice that was not
quite firm, had, in the name of the mourners, thanked the assembled
friends for their presence and sympathy on the solemn occasion,
Elizabeth and Clifton and Jacob went home with the feeling strong upon
them that the old life was at an end forever, and it was truer for them
all than either of them knew.
CHAPTER TWENTY SIX.
BUSINESS.
It would have been no longer possible for Clifton Holt to refuse all
active interest in the business that had hitherto been carried on by
Jacob in the name of himself and father. The brothers had long known
the arrangements made by their father with regard to the division of his
property among his children after his death, and this division made it
necessary that Clifton should give both time and pains to a right
understanding of how affairs stood.
Elizabeth was to have the house in the village and the home farm,
together with a certain sum of money, part of which was invested in the
business. She was not to be a partner in the business. It would be
wrong, her father said, at least it would be uncomfortable for her to be
made in that way responsible for risks of which she knew nothing. If
all should agree that her money should be retained in the business, then
of course her brothers would give her the same security that they would
give to any one else who intrusted property to them. The sum was a
large one, but, had all things been going well with them during the last
few years, not larger than was right as her share of her father's
wealth.
For the rest, the business was to be equally in the hands of the two
brothers, and the real estate equally divided between them. All this
had been arranged at the time when Jacob was formally received as his
father's partner. It was a just arrangement, giving the younger brother
no undue advantage, though it might seem to do so, for Jacob had before
that time spent a large part of the share of the property to which,
according to Canadian law, he had a claim at his father's second
marriage. He had acknowledged the arrangement to be just at the time it
was made, and still acknowledged it, although the fact that his brother
had not, as was expected, come to take his share of the work and risks
of the business when he came of age might have given him some cause to
complain.
He might have complained if all this time he had been prospering in his
management of their affairs; but as it was, he said little, and allowed
Clifton to come gradually to a knowledge of how it was with them.
Up to a late date Clifton's plan had been, either to remain as a sort of
sleeping partner in the business, thus securing a certain income to
himself without trouble; or to claim a division of the property, and
take his share, leaving Jacob to carry on the business in his own name.
This was the course which his sister foresaw and feared, knowing that
such a course must bring trouble and loss to them all.
But within the last few months Clifton's idea and plans had undergone a
change. By the way in which he set himself to work, intent on mastering
the details of the business in all its branches, it became evident that
before many years were over he would stand fair to take his father's
place as the first man in that part of the country.
The more Clifton looked into the state of their affairs, the less
satisfaction he felt with regard to them. When, in the course of his
investigation, he discovered the extent of the sacrifice of real estate
which had attended the settling up of the mining operations, it is
scarcely too much to say that he was for the moment utterly appalled.
He was, upon the whole, moderate in his expression of surprise and
vexation at the state of things, and whatever he said which went beyond
moderation, his brother did not often resent, at least he rarely
answered otherwise than mildly. But Jacob's cool way of answering
questions and suggesting expedients that might serve for a time, as
though he had been freed by his brother's presence from any special
responsibility with regard to their present straits, amazed and provoked
Clifton. Of course he could not now abandon the concern without
dishonour to the name, and without the sacrifice of plans and projects
to which he had of late been giving many of his thoughts.
No, there was nothing to be done but to make the best of matters as they
stood.
"If you had come into the firm two years ago, as you should have done,"
said Jacob one day, returning, as his manner was, to matters discussed
and dismissed too often already, in his brother's opinion; "if you had
thrown yourself right into it, you might have made the Gershom
Manufacturing Company go. I hadn't the time to give to it. And I
haven't the power of talking folks over to see a thing, as you have. It
was all square with us then, as far as folks generally knew, and if the
company had been formed, and the mills put right up and set a-going, it
would have made all the difference in the world to us."
"It's too late to talk now," said Clifton, shortly, and he rose and left
the room.
But he recognised the fact. If he had been in the business for the last
two years, he knew that he would now have been in a far better position
for carrying out the plans, which more than anything else had brought
him back to Gershom; and it was toward the forming of such a company--
or, rather, it was toward the commencing and carrying on of the work
which such a company might be expected to do, that all his plans now
pointed.
Business had not been a secondary consideration with Mr Langden when he
paid his visit to Gershom. The success which had been almost the
uniform result of his undertakings during the last ten years had been
very pleasant to him, and had made it difficult for him to resist the
temptation to engage in still other enterprises which offered fairly for
the making of money. It was not that he loved money for its own sake,
or for the sake of what it might bring. He parted with it readily
enough, and held himself responsible for more liberal giving in
proportion as his means increased.
There was nothing added to the enjoyment of his life by the luxurious
appliances which wealth can command. He took a certain pride in being
regarded as a man who had built up his own fortune, and who had
benefited his native place and the community generally, by his
increasing wealth. But the highest enjoyment he had was in the actual
doing of work--in the beginning and carrying on to a successful end any
enterprise which it required skill and will and a strong hand to guide.
It was not the passion for speculation--the passion of the gambler--
which may take possession of the man of business as of the man of
pleasure. He made no daring ventures and took no special risks. He
investigated patiently and saw clearly, and then he acted. His
weakness, if it could be called weakness, lay in this, that he found it
difficult to refrain from entering into new schemes when opportunity
occurred.
A less clear-sighted man than he might during a ten days' visit to
Gershom have seen enough of the state of affairs there, and enough of
Jacob Holt himself, to prevent him from entering into any serious
business relations with him. He had disappointed Jacob by his apparent
indifference to the evident advantages offered for the establishment of
new industries, and the opening of new sources of wealth to himself, and
of prosperity to Gershom. But he was not indifferent in the matter. He
saw the opportunity clearly enough, but he did not see in Jacob Holt, or
in any other man he met in Gershom, the right sort of agent by whom to
make the opportunity available.
He changed his opinion as to this, however, when he came to know more of
Clifton. Their long sail together, down the Saint Lawrence, and up the
Saguenay, gave time for much talk between them. Jacob was right when he
said that Clifton had his father's head for business, and the shrewd and
observing Mr Langden was not long in discovering his powers. Squire
Holt had been engrossed with business during the boyhood of his younger
son, and Clifton had been on too familiar terms with him, not to have
acquired much knowledge with regard to the details of business matters
without any effort on his part. His views and opinions, modified and
enlarged by contact with others during the two years' residence in the
city of Montreal, commended themselves to the judgment of his new
friend, and Mr Langden expressed surprise that he should not have
preferred entering on such a business as that left by his father, rather
than to take a new and untried path.
From one thing they went to another, till the capabilities of the Beaver
River as a water-power, and the chances of Gershom as a manufacturing
town, were fully discussed between them. The result was that Clifton
almost decided to give up for the present his legal studies, and take up
his abode in Gershom as Mr Langden's partner in such a business as it
had been Jacob's hope that the Gershom Manufacturing Company might
establish. Such an enterprise need not prevent him from going on as
Jacob's partner. On the contrary, his position in such a case would be
an advantage to him, and from his share of his father's wealth he
expected to obtain the means necessary as his part in the investment of
which Mr Langden was to supply the larger part. And so, to the
surprise and joy of Elizabeth, and of Jacob as well, Clifton came home
for good. Mr Langden did not see, or did not seem to see, one of the
chief motives that had influenced the young man in considering this
step. Clifton at first did not acknowledge to himself that his interest
in Mr Langden's daughter had much to do with the decision. There were
good reasons enough for it to fall back upon without this, and these
were so clearly and earnestly dwelt on in his talks with his sister,
that he went far toward convincing himself that to settle in Gershom and
do as his father had done before him was the most reasonable course to
take.
He had greatly admired Miss Langden everybody saw, and a good many
people had seemed to see that the admiration was mutual. But if their
intercourse had ended when they left Gershom, it would hardly have gone
further than admiration between them. Up to that time Clifton had
shared the general opinion that Miss Essie would at some future day
probably become a resident of the parsonage, and he had his doubts, as
some others in Gershom had, whether that might prove the most suitable
place for the dainty little lady.
But the sail together down the Saint Lawrence changed his opinion, and
set his doubts at rest. Mr Maxwell was almost her dearest friend, as
his mother had been the dearest friend of her Aunt Martha. He was like
a cousin or an elder brother, she said, admiring and praising him quite
openly, as no young lady would be likely to speak of her lover. And as
for the parsonage, well, the intimations, quite frankly given, as to
what she meant to see and to do in the future, did not point that way.
And Clifton told himself, as he listened to her, that having seen them
so much together, he might have known from the nature of their
intercourse that there was nothing but friendship between them.
In the comparative isolation of the sail on the two great rivers, these
young people became more intimate than they could have become in so
short a time in almost any other circumstances, and Miss Essie was a
pretty and winning little creature. She was very frank and friendly
with him, and an occasional touch of shyness and reserve made her
frankness and friendliness all the more charming. What with the one way
and the other, she bewitched the happy young fellow, and she had
bewitched several others since the Thanksgiving visit of Mr Maxwell.
Clifton scarcely knew what had happened to him till he stood in the
desolate station in Montreal, watching the train that carried her and
her friends to meet the upward-bound boat at Lachine. After that there
came with the thought of the pretty, bright little girl, the thought of
her father, who was a rich man, and who would not, he feared, be easily
approached in any matter that had reference to his daughter. Clifton
forth with came to what was probably the wisest resolution that he could
have taken in the circumstances, to keep silence at present, and to do
what might be done, at least to put himself in the way of becoming a
rich man also.
A good deal had passed between the gentlemen as to possible future
business relations, but nothing had been definitely settled while Mr
Langden was in Canada. That is, Clifton had not fully decided whether
he should change his plans and settle in Gershom. But there had been a
full discussion of all that was to follow should he do so.
The unsatisfactory state into which their own affairs had fallen under
his brother's management was doubly vexing to him, because of the
difficulties which were thus thrown in the way of the new enterprise.
Not only must there be delay, there must be a new plan of operations.
There was far more than enough of property of one kind or another in
their possession still to cover all the liabilities of the firm, but
money was needed and the banks were pressing. An honourable settlement
might be made, and their good name preserved, and even their fortunes
retrieved to some extent--provided that time should be given them, and
provided also the settlement of their affairs should be left in their
own hands. An extensive and varied country business like theirs might
be carried on through years of ill-success without an utter breakdown,
and years of care and labour would be required, if the sacrifice of much
valuable property was to be avoided, and this care and labour he saw
must fall on him. He could no longer hope for a partnership with Mr
Langden in the new enterprise. It seemed even doubtful whether,
occupied as he must be with their own affairs for the next year or two,
Mr Langden would consider the question of making him his agent in
carrying out his plans.
"You can but lay the matter before him," said his sister Elizabeth.
To her alone had Clifton permitted himself to speak of Mr Langden's
plans, and of the disappointment that threatened his own hopes because
of the losses that had come upon them.
"That is easily said," said he, impatiently. "A statement of our
affairs; such as it would be necessary to put before him, would be
almost impossible at the present moment, at least in writing."
"Why don't you go and see him, then?"
Clifton looked at her a moment in silence.
"The matter ought to be settled in one way or another, at once," said
his sister. "You would feel quite differently about Jacob's troubles
and your own if you were not in suspense."
And so it came about that Clifton found his opportunity, and went.
CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN.
CHANGES.
A surprise awaited the people of Gershom--indeed a series of surprises.
But the greatest of all was this, David Fleming not only sold that part
of his farm which bordered on the Black Pool and lay beyond it, higher
up the river, but he sold it to the Holts. He sold it on such terms
that the longstanding debt to them was more than cancelled, and in so
doing did well for himself and for the Holts also.
When the winter had fairly set in, and there was snow enough for good
winter roads, the stones and timber which Jacob Holt had accumulated on
the Varney place last year were all removed higher up the river, and
preparations on a larger scale than ever Jacob had attempted, commenced
for the making of the new dam, at the point long ago decided upon as the
best on the river for such a purpose. And the building of the dam was
to be but the beginning of what was to be done.
Clifton Holt did not say much to any one, except his sister Elizabeth,
of all that was to be undertaken soon in Gershom. But the good people
took too much interest in him and his undertakings not to give much time
and talk to them. Clifton Holt's undertakings, they were always called,
though he was but the agent of Mr Langden, the complications in the old
business with which he had still to do making it wiser for him to occupy
that position for the present. But that he was to be at the head of all
that was to be done, as far as buildings were concerned, was easily
seen.
And Mark Varney was to be one of his right hands. It was Mark who had
the immediate oversight of the numerous workmen who were employed during
the winter collecting the materials required. It was he who, when the
spring opened, superintended the digging and levelling, the cutting and
carting that were being carried on, on a scale and with a rapidity that
surprised even Jacob Holt, who in imagination had seen something like it
done a hundred times over. It was in Mark's pastures, once again his
own, that the horses and oxen used in the work found rest when it was
needed, and it was he who had all to say that was to be said of them,
and of much besides. And the surprise, as far as he was concerned, was
that he should be capable of taking all this in hand, and that being
trusted with it he should so quickly and clearly show that he was
capable of doing it all well.
No one was surprised at Clifton. He had the old squire's head for
business, they said, as Jacob had said before, and he had such an
education as the squire had never had, which must tell in the long run.
Then he had so good an opinion of his own powers, that he would never
think any work too great to undertake, and being "backed" by Mr
Langden, and by several other rich men, both at home and at a distance,
to whom Mr Langden's movement in the matter of the new mills had given
confidence, the chances were, everybody said, that he would do what he
had set out to do.
And so he did, as far as the new dam on the Beaver River, and the mills
and workshops, and many other works besides, which he put his hand to
for the benefit of Gershom and his own benefit, were concerned. And so
he did in the course of years in his own business--that is, he and Jacob
together did much to recover that which had been lost, and to make once
more the name of the firm a power in Gershom, and in all the
countryside. But a good many years passed before all that was brought
about.
Mr Fleming parted with a portion of his farm, not without regret,
indeed; but with none of the bitterness of feeling which in former days
had always risen within him at the thought of possibly having to do so;
and Davie was triumphant. Katie grieved over the prospect of having the
"bonny quiet place" spoiled with mills and shops and other folks'
houses, and the clatter of looms and factory-bells. Grannie thought as
Katie did, and would have grieved over this also if anything except a
fear of the wrong-doing of any of the bairns could have moved her from
the sweet content which, since the joyful ending of her long illness,
had rested in her heart, and made itself evident in every word and deed.
But still grannie found much that was to be rejoiced over in that which
made Katie grieve. It was a fine thing to be free of debt, and it was
well that since they must part with the land it was to be put to a good
use.
As for grandfather there was no sign of grumbling in him. Indeed, when
the spring opened, and the work at the Pool made progress, he began to
take much interest in all that was going on there, and his evening walk
often took him in that direction. It was a silent, and not always an
approving interest. But there was neither bitterness nor anger in his
thoughts now. He was content, like his dear old wife, to let the world
move on and take its way, since he had so nearly done with it all.
There was for Davie a constant fascination in the skill and power
displayed by those employed in directing the work that was going on. He
haunted the place at every spare moment, and even did a day's work
there, at leisure times, for the sake of getting an insight into the
principles of things of which he had read, but which he had never had an
opportunity of seeing applied. The engineer employed about the dam, a
scientific man, capable of doing far higher work than fell to him in
Gershom, well pleased with the lad's eager interest, gave him many a
hint that went beyond the work in hand, and lent him books, and
encouraged him in various other ways to educate himself in the direction
toward which his tastes and inclinations seemed to lead. He claimed his
help on occasions when intelligence and skill rather than strength were
needed, and Davie, well pleased, did his best. The end of it all was,
that the lad's vulgar wishes for other work and another kind of life
than that which had fallen to him on the farm, took a definite form, and
as usual his confidence was given to his sister, and as usual, also,
Katie's first thought was:
"But, Davie, think of grandfather."
"Oh, there is no special hurry about it, and we'll break it to him
easily. And you must mind that there is less land now, and Sandy and
Jamie are coming on. There is not room for so many of us here, Katie.
And I'll be first to slip out of the nest, that is all."
"But that you should be so glad to think about it, Davie," said Katie
mournfully.
"Oh, as to that, I'm no' awa' yet. You needna fear that I'll do
anything that grandfather will take to heart. And besides, Katie,
grandfather is different now."
Davie said these last words with a little hesitation, because he had
been taken up rather sharply on a former occasion when he had said
something of the same kind. Katie seemed to have forgotten her old
unhappy thoughts about her grandfather and Jacob Holt, and how hard it
had been for her grandfather to forgive his enemy, and it almost seemed
like reflection on his past life when it was said how greatly he was
changed.
"It is not so much that he is changed," said Katie; "it is just the
`shining more and more unto the perfect day.' It is that he is becoming
more like the `little child' our Lord speaks about, and so more fit for
the kingdom of heaven as the time draws nearer. For grandfather is
growing an old man now, Davie," said Katie, not without tears.
"Yes, that's so. Well, I'll never grieve him, Katie, you needna fear.
There is no hurry, and I am not losing time while Mr Davenport is here.
And I don't despair of being a civil engineer, as good as the best of
them yet."
"Shining more and more unto the perfect day." Yes, that was so. Mr
Fleming was almost as silent in these days as had been his way all his
life, but it was a different silence--a silence serene and peaceful,
that told better than words could have done, of the joy and confidence
with which he was waiting for all that life had to bring him, and for
all that lay beyond.
One Sabbath-day in the beginning of the winter, when Mrs Fleming had
gathered a little strength after her illness, grandfather and she, with
Davie and Katie and their mother, went to the village church and sat
down together at the table of our Lord. Jacob Holt was there too, and a
good many more who had sympathised with one or the other of them when
trouble was between them, and every one who saw the old man's bowed
head, and the childlike look on his face as he sat there among them all,
knew that all hard feelings had passed out of his heart forever.