The Harrison times., 1911-07-08
CHAPTER XX.-Continued.

'T will tell you, Nicholas" said he at
last, wheeling swiftly upon me. Start
next week! An army of settlers waits
now for a leader along the Missouri.
Organize them; lead them out! Give
them enthusiasm! Tell them what
Oregon is! You may serve alike our
party and our nation. You cannot
measure the consequences Of prompt
action sometimes, done by a man who
is resolved upon the right. A thou
sand things may hinge on this, A
great future may hinge upon it,
while you have been busy, l have
not been idle" he continued. 81 have
here another little paper which have
roughly drafted" He handed me the
document as he spoke.
"a treaty-with Texas" l eX-
claimed.
THE first draft, yes. We have
signed the memorandum. We await
only one other signature"
"Of Van Zandt"
Yes. Now comes Mr.. Nicholas
Trist, with word of a certain woman
to the effect that Mr.. Van Zandt is
playing also with England"
And that woman also is playing
with England"
Calhoun smiled enigmatically.
but she has gone" said |, "who
knows where? She, too, may have
sailed for Oregon, for all we know
He looked at me as though with a
flash Of inspiration. That may be"
said he; "it may very well be! That
would cost us our hold over Paken'
ham. Neither would we have any
chance left with her"
How do you mean, Mr.. Calhoun"
said |. Il do not understand you"
Nicholas" said Mr. Calhoun, that
lady was much impressed with you
He regarded me calmly, contempla-
lively, appraisingly.
81 do not understand YOU" | reiter-
ated.
Il am glad that you do not and
did not. In that case, all would have
been over at once. You would never
have seen her a second time. Your
constancy was our salvation, and per
haps your own In due time you will
see many things more plainly, Mean
time, be sure England will be careful.
She will make no overt movement, l
should say, until she has heard from
Oregon; which will not be before my
lady baroness shall have returned and
reported to Pakenham here. All Of
which means more time for us
began to see something of the
structure Of bold enterprise which this
man deliberately was planning; but no
comment offered itself; so that pres
emily he went on, as though In solilo-
guy.
"The Hudson Bay Company have
deceived England splendidly enough,
DR.. Mclaughlin, good man that he is,
has not suited the Hudson Bay Com.
pany. His removal means less cour-
tesy to our settlers in oregon. Granted
a less tactful leader than himself,
there will be friction with our high
strung frontiersmen in that country.
No man can tell when the thing will
come to an issue. For my own part,
/ would agree with Polk that we ought
TO own that country to fiftyfour forty
but what we ought to do and what
we can do are two separate matters.
Should we force the issue now and
lose, we would lose for 100 years.
Should we advance firmly and hold
firmly what we gain in perhaps less
than 100 years we may win all Of that
country, as just said to Mr., Polk,
to the River Saskatchewan know
not wherel In my own soul, believe
no man may set limit to the growth
of the idea Of an honest government
by the people, And this continent Is
meant for that honest government
He sighed as he paused in his walk
and turned 20 me- But now, as !
said, we have at least time for Texas.
And in regard to Texas we need an
ottnr woman"