Such of the daughters of men make life beautiful; but themselves are
selfish who do not see the almost intolerable pathos of unselfishness
and sacrifice. At the moment I was bitter with the thought that, if Mrs.
Falchion intended anything which could steal away this girl’s happiness
from her, even for a time, I should myself seek to retaliate--which was,
as may appear, in my power. But I could not go to Mrs. Falchion now
and say: “You intend some harm to these two: for God’s sake go away
and leave them alone!” I had no real ground for making such a request.
Besides, if there was any catastrophe, any trouble, coming, or possible,
that might hasten it, or, at least, give it point.
I could only wait. I had laid another plan, and from a telegram I had
received in answer to one I had sent, I believed it was working. I did
not despair. I had, indeed, sent a cable to my agent in England, which
was to be forwarded to the address given me by Boyd Madras at Aden. I
had got a reply saying that Boyd Madras had sailed for Canada by the
Allan Line of steamers. I had then telegraphed to a lawyer I knew in
Montreal, and he had replied that he was on the track of the wanderer.
All Viking and Sunburst turned out to Phil Boldrick’s funeral.
Everything was done that he had requested. The great whistle roared
painfully, revolvers and guns were fired over his grave, and the
new-formed corporation appeared. He was buried on the top of a
foot-hill, which, to this day, is known as Boldricks’ Own. The grave was
covered by an immense flat stone bearing his name. But a flagstaff was
erected near, no stouter one stands on Beachy Head or elsewhere,--and on
it was engraved:
PHIL BOLDRICK,
Buried with Municipal Honours on
the Thirtieth day of June 1883.
This to his Memory, and for the honour of
Viking and Sunburst.
“Padre,” said a river-driver to Galt Roscoe after the rites were
finished, “that was a man you could trust.”
“Padre,” added another, “that was a man you could bank on, and draw your
interest reg’lar. He never done a mean thing, and he never pal’d with
a mean man. He wasn’t for getting his teeth on edge like some in the
valley. He didn’t always side with the majority, and he had a gift of
doin’ things on the square.”
Others spoke in similar fashion, and then Viking went back to work, and
we to our mountain cottage.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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