But
ranching needs capital, too. It must be a great life! They practically
live in the saddle. It's a glorious country!"
"On the whole, then," said Mr. Rae, as if summing up the discussion, "a
young man has better opportunities of making his fortune, so to speak,
in the far West rather than in, say, Ontario."
"I didn't speak of fortune, Mr. Rae,--fortune is a chance thing, more or
less,--but what I say is this, that any young man not afraid of work,
of any kind of work, and willing to stay with his job, can make a living
and get a home in any part of Canada, with a bigger chance of fortune in
the West."
"All I say, Mr. Rae, is this," said Miss Brodie emphatically, "that I
only wish I were a man with just such a chance as young Cameron!"
"Ah, my dear young lady, if all the young men were possessed of your
spirit, it would matter little where they went, for they would achieve
distinct success." As he spoke Mr. Rae's smile burst forth in all its
effulgent glory.
"Dear Mr. Rae, how very clever of you to discover that!" replied Miss
Brodie, smiling sweetly into Mr. Rae's radiant face. "And how very sweet
of you--ah, I beg your pardon; that is--" The disconcerting rapidity
with which Mr. Rae's smile gave place to an appearance of grave, of even
severe solemnity, threw Miss Brodie quite "out of her stride," as
Martin said afterward, and left her floundering in a hopeless attempt to
complete her compliment.
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