Where Strongest Tide Winds Blew

“Buchan must have had this in mind, for while he was running his engine he was always trying to help some poor fellow. He accepted his lot in life and worked for years content with the love of that woman and when people saw he was made of the right sort of stuff they elected him to the legislature and his very first act was to put through a bill making eight hours a legal day’s work. That very act took the yoke of bondage off more than half a million workers.

“It turned out just as the girl said. He has served the people three terms and if he had not worked for their interests they would never have sent him back the third time.

“Adversity, sir, is oftimes the making of us. I never thought so when Bob Lee surrendered and our dreams of imperialism vanished and left most of us without a dollar. But I can see now it is all for the best. As a nation united we welcome all men regardless of their nationality, and, in return, they give us the best thoughts the world can produce.”

“Rayder, what became of him?” asked his companion.

“When Rayder bought the mine he thought he had millions but he only took out of it about enough to get even when the vein gave out between two big slabs of granite that came together like the thin end of a wedge. A widow who had fits sued him about this time for a breach of promise, and either to get out of that or get square with some old enemy, he married the widow Amos.”

I arose and stood before the attorney and his companion. “I want to shake hands with you, sir,” I said. He arose, and in extending his hand, said: “Your name, please?”

“I am the other fellow you rescued from the cabin,” I replied.