The Man From Glengarry

e bush, her skill in the sick-room, and that fine spiritual air she carried with her made for her a place in his imagination where men set their divinities. The hero and the s

ol, daring man, full of resource and capable of self-sacrifice. Her heart went out toward him, and she s

from the boys, and especially from the girls, of his own age. His attendance at school was of a fragmentary and spasmodic nature, and he never really came to be on friendly terms with his fellow-pupils. His one friend was Don Cameron, whom the boys called "Wobbles," from his gait in running, whose father's farm backed that of Macdonald Dubh. And though Don was a year older, he gave to Ranald a homage almost amounting to worship, for in all those qual

h with him. Aunt Kirsty never knew where he was, and to her calls, long and loud, from the back door and from the fron

e "crust" on the snow banks by the roadside, and his mother on the pony, to make thei

imed Hughie. "Let me go and fi

y"; and Hughie faithfully promised. But alas for Hughie's promises! when his mo

be at the camp

e c

the sugar bush. It is not far off from

here it is, and I can go home that way quite well. Besides, I wan

se since coming back from the shanties." Ki

e must just be patient. Ranald is going on fast to

doubt his father will never be abl

, smiling, "I'm afraid

, and his father and his uncle would be getting it then, when they we

the bush. She found the camp road easily, and after a quarter of an hour's ride, she heard the sound of an ax, and soon came upon the sugar camp. Ranald wa

rs. Murray; "I should like to l

d Don are going to live in it all the sugaring time, and Ra

ghie?" she said. "It will be very dark in the woods here, and very cold, too. Ranald and Don are

nd oh, you might let me!" Hughie's tears were restraine

hat your father says

ill just say 'no'

er mind just now, Hughie; we will think of it. Besides," she added, "I

a quick, shy gla

ughie's imploring face, he ventured to add, "and indeed, I

rray he

ing her hesitation, "just one n

king down into the brave young face.

aid." Hughie's confidence in hi

nald, "How about our friends of the other night?" she said. "W

keep a big fire all night, and beside

terror for her boy. "I'm afraid I cannot t

, and from his tone and the look in his face, Mrs. Murray felt

aid Mrs. Murray; but Hughie hung back sulking, unwi

ready. We must hurry,"

hat Hughie started immediately for his dog, and without another word of entreaty made ready to go. The mother noted his quick obedience

after with the jumper," said Ranald, pointing to the stout, home

apping," said Mrs. Murray;

maples that stood behind the shanty. "Ranald and Don did all those, and made the spiles,

. How do you make them? I

ull of pity for her ignorance. He

. I believe I shall learn just now, if Ranal

"There is not much to see," he said, apologetically. "You

hat's just what I wanted to s

ightly concave chisel or gouge, and slit a slim

drive it into the tree, and the sap

horoughgoing to do things by halves. "How do you drive thi

is." So saying, with two or three blows of his ax, he made a slanting notch in the tree. "And then you make a place for the spile th

ough under the drip from the spile

some of them belong to the Camerons. But it is easy enough. You j

ll ask me, I should like to see you make the sugar." Had her request been made before the night of their famous ride, Ranald would have found

very good of you to ask me, and I shall bring my niece, who is

nd courtesy forbade retreat. "If s

can of the country and the woods. It is positively painful to see the ignorance of these city children in reg

sted Hughie, aghast

smiling. "Why, I know a grown-up woman who didn't know till af

said Hughie, a little anxious

ry one, I think, at least when the leaves are

fter they had gone his thoughts kept turning to

ald was sorry she was coming. Even in school he was shy with the girls, and kept away from them. They were always giggling and blushing and making one feel queer, and they never meant what they said. He had no doubt Maimie would be like the rest, and perhaps a little worse. Of course, being Mrs. Murray's niece, she might be something like her. Still, that could hardly be. No girl could ever be like the minister's wife. He resolved he would turn Maimie over to Don. He remembered, with great relief, that Don di

d a voice behind him

Ranald, blushi

about?" asked Don, no

d Ranald. "I am n

ike it," said Don. "You

We will need to be gathering the sap thi

all there is to-day, but we will have to ge

visit of Mrs. Murray and her niece. Taking each a bundle of spiles and an ax, the

nd Hughie were here ju

he road. Hughie said he was

Murray t

me w

she would like to

ugh to tell me anything. Hughi

with difficulty, "she wanted bad to see t

eh? I wond

ng her niece, and-and-

LEM!" cried Don. "Do yo

anald, looking

f the big lumberman, St. Cla

tood spe

pursued Don; "and you

why not?" he said, defiantl

e it, but for you, Ranald! Why, what will you

said Ranald. "There will b

Let's ask some of the boys, and-your aun

nald, angrily. "You j

r a pause, he added, "All right, I don't want anybody else. I'll

nce; and it was arranged that there should be a grand sugaring-off, and

eager to follow up the advantage she had gained the day before in establishing terms of friendship with Ranald, for her heart went out to the boy, in whose deep, passionate nature she saw vast possibilities for good or ill. On her return f

"about our sugaring-off. I've been thinking that it would perhaps be bette

t found himself strangely unwilling t

ut my niece; and so, perhaps, we could have the sugaring when I come

mind now at all having your niece come; and Don is going to have a party." The quiet, grave tone was that of a man, and Mrs. Mu

Ranald?" she sai

going on

remained silent, and she went on earnes

's face with a sudden flood

ade Ranald's heart beat quick. Then she went on with a shy hesitancy: "Ranald, I know the boys sometimes drop words they should not and tell stories unfit to hear"; the blood was beginning to show in her cheek; "and I would not like my little boy-" Her voice broke suddenly, but recovering quickly she went on i

he said, as she turned away. By th

lied. "And I will ta

He had the solemn voice and manner of a man making oath of allegiance, and she rode away

he manse before the breakfast was well begun, and Hughie, with the unconscious egoism of childhood, was for rushing off without thought of preparation for himself

she said; "we cannot send men out to the woo

igor, while Ranald, who was much too shy to

ister's house every one present took part. It was Hughie's special joy to lead the singing of the psalm. His voice rose high and clear, even ab

lls will li

e doth com

f he had never heard the psalm sung before. In the reading he took his verse with the others, stumbling a little, not because the words were too big for him, but because

oor because he was too brave to be untrue to his lord, and then, in a few words, made them all see that still so

nd answer. Every one was remembered-the absent head of the family and those present; the young man worshiping with them, that he might be a true man and a good soldier of Jesus Christ; and at the close, the little lad going away this morning, that he might be kept from all harm and from all evil thoughts and deeds. The

hed for the jumper, and in a few minutes his mother had all the spa

like you and Don and Hughie will not objec

l not," said Ra

as actually leaving home, and climbing ou

r, good by

, my darling," she said, in a low voice; "I trust you t

r's heart all the morning, that when night came he would lie down to sleep, for

ng her tight about the neck, "won't you c

, was more than glad to find that the pain was not all on her side; so she kissed him again, and said, in a cheery voice: "Now h

ld bring home again shining vividly before his eyes, he got through the parting

antically his bonnet by the tails, till at last the bush hid him from her sight. Then she turned back again to the

ooked long at the spot where the bush swallowed up the road. Then she went upstairs and shut her door, and when she came down again there