Bob took his father with him back to headquarters. They rode in near the close of day; and, as usual, from the stovepipe of the roofless kitchen a brave pillar of white smoke rose high in the shadows of the firs. Amy came forth1 at Bob's shout, starched2 and fresh, her cheeks glowing with their steady colour, her intelligent eyes alight with interest under the straight, serene3 brows. At sight of Orde, the vivacity4 of her manner quieted somewhat, but Bob could see that she was excited about something. He presented his father, who dismounted and greeted her with a hearty5 shake of the hand.
"We've heard of you, Miss Thorne," said he simply, but it was evident he was pleased with the frankness of her manner, the clear steadiness of her eye, the fresh daintiness of her appearance, and the respect of her greeting. On the other hand, she looked back with equal pleasure on the tanned, sturdy old man with the white hair and moustache, the clear eyes, and the innumerable lines of quaint6 good-humour about them. After they had thus covertly7 surveyed each other for a moment, the aforesaid lines about Orde's eyes deepened, his eyes twinkled with mischief8, and he thrust forth his hand for the second time. "Shake again!" he offered. Amy gurgled forth a little chuckle9 of good feeling and understanding, and laid her fingers in his huge palm.
After this they turned and walked slowly to the hitch10 rails where the men tied their horses.
"Where's the Supervisor11?" Bob asked of Amy.
"In the office," she replied; and then burst out excitedly: "I've the greatest news!"
"So have I," returned Bob, promptly12. "Best kind."
"Oh, what is it?" she cried, forgetting all about her own. "Is it Mr. Welton?"
"It'll take some time to tell mine," said Bob, "and we must hunt up Mr. Thorne. Yours first."
"Pollock is free!"
"Pollock free!" echoed Bob. "How is that? I thought his trial was not until next week!"
"The prosecuting13 attorney quashed the indictment--or whatever it is they do. Anyhow, he let George go for lack of evidence to convict."
"I guess he was relying on evidence promised by Oldham, which he never got," Bob surmised14.
"And never will," Orde cautioned them. "You two young people must be careful never to know anything of this."
Bob opened his mouth to say something; was suddenly struck by a thought, and closed it again.
"Why do you say that?" he asked at last. "Why do you think Miss Thorne must know of this?"
But Orde only smiled amusedly beneath his white moustache.
They found Ashley Thorne, and acquainted him with the whole situation. He listened thoughtfully.
"The matter is over our heads, of course; but we must do our best. Of course, by all rights the man ought to be indicted15; but there can be no question that there is a common sense that takes the substance of victory and lets the shadow go."
Orde stayed to supper and over night. In the course of the evening California John drifted in, and Ware16, and Jack17 Pollock, and such other of the rangers18 as happened to be in from the Forest. Orde was at his best; and ended, to Bob's vast pride, in getting himself well liked by these conservative and quietly critical men of the mountains.
The next morning Bob and his father saddled their horses and started early for the mill, Bob having been granted a short leave of absence. For some distance they rode in silence.
"Father," said Bob, "why did you stop me from contradicting Baker19 the other day when he jumped to the conclusion that I was going to quit the Service?"
"I think you are."
"But--"
"Only if you want to, Bob. I don't want to force you in any way; but both Welton and I are getting old, and we need younger blood. We'd rather have you." Bob shook his head. "I know what you mean, and I realize how you feel about the whole matter. Perhaps you are right. I have nothing to say against conservation and forestry20 methods theoretically. They are absolutely correct. I agree that the forests should be cut for future growths, and left so that fire cannot get through them; but it is a grave question in my mind whether, as yet, it can be done."
"But it is being done!" cried Bob. "There is no difficulty in doing it."
"That's for you to prove, if you want to," said Orde. "If you care to resign from the Service, we will for two years give you full swing with our timber, to cut and log according to your ideas--or rather the ideas of those over you. In that time you can prove your point, or fail. Personally," he repeated, "I have grave doubts as to whether it can be done at present; it will be in the future of course."
"Why, what do you mean?" asked Bob. "It is being done every day! There's nothing complicated about it. It's just a question of cutting and piling the tops, and--"
"I know the methods advocated," broke in Orde. "But it is not being done except on Government holdings where conditions as to taxation21, situation and a hundred other things are not like those of private holdings; or on private holdings on an experimental scale, or in conjunction with older methods. The case has not been proved on a large private tract22. Now is your chance so to prove it."
Bob's face was grave.
"That means a pretty complete about-face for me, sir," said he. "I fought this all out with myself some years back. I feel that I have fitted myself into the one thing that is worth while for me."
"I know," said Orde. "Don't hurry. Think it over. Take advice. I have a notion you'll find this--if its handled right, and works out right--will come to much the same thing."
He rode along in silence for some moments.
"I want to be fair," he resumed at last, "and do not desire to get you in this on mistaken premises23. This will not be a case of experiment, of plaything, but of business. However desirable a commercial theory may be, if it's commercial, _it must pay_! It's not enough if you don't lose money; or even if you succeed in coming out a little ahead. You must make it pay on a commercial basis, or else it's as worthless in the business world as so much moonshine. That is not sordid24; it is simply common sense. We all agree that it would be better to cut our forests for the future; but _can it be done under present conditions?_"
"There is no question of that," said Bob confidently.
"There is quite a question of it among some of us old fogies, Bobby," stated Orde good-humouredly. "I suppose we're stupid and behind the times; but we've been brought up in a hard school. We are beyond the age when we originate much, perhaps; but we're willing to be shown."
He held up his hand, checking over his fingers as he talked.
"Here's the whole proposition," said he. "You can consider it. Welton and I will turn over the whole works to you, lock, stock and barrel, for two years. You know the practical side of the business as well as you ever will, and you've got a good head on you. At the end of that time, turn in your balance sheet. We'll see how you come out, and how much it costs a thousand feet to do these things outside the schoolroom."
"If I took it up, I couldn't make it pay quite as well as by present methods," Bob warned.
"Of course not. Any reasonable man would expect to spend something by way of insurance for the future. But the point is, the operations must pay. Think it over!"
They emerged into the mill clearing. Welton rolled out to greet them, his honest red face aglow25 with pleasure over greeting again his old friend. They pounded each other on the back, and uttered much facetious26 and affectionate abuse. Bob left them cursing each other heartily27, broad grins illuminating28 their weatherbeaten faces.
收听单词发音 |
1
forth
|
|
| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
starched
|
|
| adj.浆硬的，硬挺的，拘泥刻板的v.把（衣服、床单等）浆一浆( starch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
serene
|
|
| adj. 安详的，宁静的，平静的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
vivacity
|
|
| n.快活，活泼，精神充沛 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
hearty
|
|
| adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
quaint
|
|
| adj.古雅的，离奇有趣的，奇怪的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
covertly
|
|
| adv.偷偷摸摸地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
mischief
|
|
| n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
chuckle
|
|
| vi.／n.轻声笑，咯咯笑 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
hitch
|
|
| v.免费搭(车旅行)；系住；急提；n.故障；急拉 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
supervisor
|
|
| n.监督人，管理人，检查员，督学，主管，导师 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
promptly
|
|
| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
prosecuting
|
|
| 检举、告发某人( prosecute的现在分词 )； 对某人提起公诉； 继续从事（某事物）； 担任控方律师 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
surmised
|
|
| v.臆测，推断( surmise的过去式和过去分词 )；揣测；猜想 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
indicted
|
|
| 控告，起诉( indict的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
ware
|
|
| n.(常用复数)商品，货物 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
jack
|
|
| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
rangers
|
|
| 护林者( ranger的名词复数 )； 突击队员 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
baker
|
|
| n.面包师 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
forestry
|
|
| n.森林学；林业 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
taxation
|
|
| n.征税，税收，税金 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
tract
|
|
| n.传单，小册子，大片(土地或森林) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
premises
|
|
| n.建筑物，房屋 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
sordid
|
|
| adj.肮脏的，不干净的，卑鄙的，暗淡的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
aglow
|
|
| adj.发亮的；发红的；adv.发亮地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
facetious
|
|
| adj.轻浮的，好开玩笑的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
heartily
|
|
| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
illuminating
|
|
| a.富于启发性的，有助阐明的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |