e and a kindly frank manner.

"Well, I guess I can say the same," said Colonel Thorp, shaking hands.
"I judge his friends are of the right sort."

"You'll find plenty in this country glad to class themselves in that
list," laughed Mr. Blair; "I wouldn't undertake to guarantee them all,
but those he lists that way, you can pretty well bank on. He's a young
man for reading men."

"Yes?" said the colonel, interrogatively; "he's very young."

"Young, for that matter so are we all, especially on this side the water
here. It's a young man's country."

"Pretty young, I judge," said the colonel, dryly. "Lots of room to
grow."

"Yes, thank Providence!" said Mr. Blair, enthusiastically; "but there's
lots of life and lots to feed it. But I'm not going to talk, Colonel. It
is always wasted breath on an Easterner. I'll let the country talk. You
are coming with us, of course."

"Hardly think so; my time is rather limited, and, well, to tell the
truth; I'm from across the line and don't cater much to your royalties."

"Royalties!" exclaimed Mr. Blair. "Oh, you mean our governor. Well,
that's good rather, must tell the governor that." Mr. Blair laughed long
and loud. "You'll forget all that when you are out with us an hour. No,
we think it well to hedge our government with dignity, but on this trip
we shall leave the gold lace and red tape behind."

"How long do you propose to be gone?"

"About four weeks. But I make you a promise. If after the first week you
want to return from any point, I shall send you back with all speed. But
you won't want to, I guarantee you that. Why, my dear sir, think of
the route," and Mr. Blair went off into a rapturous description of the
marvels of the young province, its scenery, its resources, its climate,
its sport, playing upon each string as he marked the effect upon his
listener. By the time Mr. Blair's visit was over, the colonel had made
up his mind that he would see something of this wonderful country.

Next day Coley took him over the company's mills, and was not a little
disappointed to see that the colonel was not impressed by their size or
equipment. In Coley's eyes they were phenomenal, and he was inclined to
resent the colonel's lofty manner. The foreman, Mr. Urquhart, a shrewd
Scotchman, who had seen the mills of the Ottawa River and those in
Michigan as well, understood his visitor's attitude better; and besides,
it suited his Scotch nature to refuse any approach to open admira