“No sir,” he said. “At least, not exactly, though Lancashire clothes half the people in the world with her cotton, and the roads that have opened up this continent are laid with Pennsylvania steel. Still, as we haven’t iron or coal here there’s very little probability of our doing what you seem afraid of with Carrington. We believe that the enterprise will prove a general benefit. We merely want good 355 wagon roads, a creamery, and a few other similar things, and we respectfully ask you not to veto them.”
“I can’t meet you,” said Carrington. “As I said, my suggestion is that this preposterous scheme be abandoned forthwith.”
There was for a few moments a silence which seemed intensified by the soft rustle of the curtains as the breeze from the prairie flowed into the room. Then one of the men who had spoken in favor of the creamery rose and looked hard at Lyle who made a little sign.
“Then as a matter of form and to take a vote I second that,” he said.
The others were very still, but I saw Carrington gaze at the speaker almost incredulously. Though, as one of them told me afterward, a vote had once before been asked for, it had only established their leader’s authority more firmly, and I think this was the first time that any determined opposition had been offered to his will.
“You mean to take a vote?” he asked.
“Yes sir,” said another man, and there was a little murmur of concurrence. “I’m afraid there is no other course left open to us.”
Again the Colonel stared at them incredulously, and it seemed to me that there was something almost pathetic about the old man’s position. Grim and overbearing as he was, he stood alone, and for the first time I think he to some extent realized it. Still, it was evident that he could not bring himself to believe that they would go so far as to overrule his plainly expressed decision.
“Then,” he said, “you must proceed to take it. As stipulated in the charter it must be by ballot.”
A man who had not spoken yet, stood up. “To save time I move as an amendment that a committee be appointed to confer with Mr. Lorimer, who is here for the purpose, as to 356 the construction of the creamery and to prepare a workable scheme which will if possible be submitted to this meeting.”