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to　the　kitchen；　sat　down　to　watch　the　night。

In　half　an　hour　the　father　came　out　and　found　them　there。

〃You　have　done　what　you　could；　Mr。　Macdonald；〃　he　said；　addressing
him　for　all；　〃and　I　will　not　be　unmindful　of　your　kindness。　　But
now　you　can　do　no　more。　　Your　wife　and　your　people　will　be　waiting
you。〃

〃And；　please　God；　in　good　time　they　will　be　seeing　us。　　As　for　me；
I　will　neither　go　to　my　home　nor　up　into　my　bed；　but　I　will　watch
by　the　man　who　was　my　faithful　friend　and　companion　till　he　is　laid
away。〃

And　in　this　mind　he　and　his　men　remained　firm；　taking　turns　at　the
watching　all　that　night　and　the　next　day。

As　Macdonald　finished　speaking；　the　minister　came　into　the　kitchen；
bringing　with　him　the　mother　and　the　children。　　The　men　all　rose　to
their　feet；　doing　respect　to　the　woman　and　to　her　grief。　　When　they
were　seated　again；　the　minister　rose　and　said：　　〃My　friends；　this
is　a　night　for　silence　and　not　for　words。　　The　voice　of　the　Lord　is
speaking　in　our　ears。　　It　becomes　us　to　hear；　and　to　submit
ourselves　to　His　holy　will。　　Let　us　pray。〃

As　Ranald　listened　to　the　prayer；　he　could　not　help　thinking　how
different　it　was　from　those　he　was　accustomed　to　hear　from　the
pulpit。　　Solemn；　simple；　and　direct；　it　lifted　the　hearts　of　all
present　up　to　the　throne　of　God；　to　the　place　of　strength　and　of
peace。　　There　was　no　attempt　to　explain　the　〃mystery　of　the
Providence；〃　but　there　was　a　sublime　trust　that　refused　to　despair
even　in　the　presence　of　impenetrable　darkness。

After　the　minister　had　gone；　Macdonald　Bhain　took　Ranald　aside　and
asked　him　as　to　the　arrangements　for　the　funeral。　　When　Ranald　had
explained　to　him　every　detail；　Macdonald　laid　his　hand　on　his
nephew's　shoulder　and　said；　kindly；　〃It　is　well　done；　Ranald。　　Now
you　will　be　going　home；　and　in　the　morning　you　will　see　your　aunt；
and　if　she　will　be　wishing　to　come　to　the　wake　to…morrow　night；
then　you　will　bring　her。〃

Then　Ranald　went　home；　feeling　well　repaid　for　his　long　hours　of
anxiety　and　toil。



CHAPTER　XI

THE　WAKE


The　wake　was　an　important　feature　in　the　social　life　of　the　people
of　Indian　Lands。　　In　ancient　days；　in　the　land　of　their　forefathers；
the　wake　had　been　deemed　a　dire　necessity　for　the　safeguarding　of
the　dead；　who　were　supposed　to　be　peculiarly　exposed　to　the
malicious　attacks　of　evil　spirits。　　Hence；　with　many　lighted
candles；　and　with　much　incantation；　friends　would　surround　the　body
through　the　perilous　hours　of　darkness。　　It　was　a　weird　and　weary
vigil；　and　small　wonder　if　it　appeared　necessary　that　the　courage
and　endurance　of　the　watchers　should　be　fortified　with　copious
draughts　of　〃mountain　dew；〃　with　bread　and　cheese　accompaniments。
And　the　completeness　of　their　trust　in　the　efficacy　of　such　supports
was　too　often　evidenced　by　the　condition　of　the　watchers　toward　the
dawn　of　the　morning。　　And；　indeed；　if　the　spirits　were　not　too
fastidious；　and　if　they　had　so　desired；　they　could　have　easily　flown
away；　not　only　with　the　〃waked；〃　but　with　the　〃wakers〃　as　well。

But　those　days　and　those　notions　had　long　passed　away。　　The　wake
still　remained；　but　its　meaning　and　purpose　had　changed。　　No　longer
for　the　guarding　of　the　dead；　but　for　the　comfort　of　the　living；
the　friends　gathered　to　the　house　of　mourning　and　watched　the　weary
hours。　　But　Highland　courtesy　forbade　that　the　custom　of　refreshing
the　watchers　should　be　allowed　to　die　out；　and　hence；　through　the
night；　once　and　again；　the　whisky；　bread；　and　cheese　were　handed
around　by　some　close　friend　of　the　family；　and　were　then　placed
upon　the　table　for　general　use。　　It　was　not　surprising　that；　where
all　were　free　to　come　and　welcome　to　stay；　and　where　anything　like
scantiness　in　providing　or　niggardliness　in　serving　would　be　a
matter　of　family　disgrace；　the　wake　often　degenerated　into　a
frolic；　if　not　a　debauch。　　In　order　to　check　any　such　tendency；　it
had　been　the　custom　of　late　years　to　introduce　religious　services；
begun　by　the　minister　himself　and　continued　by　the　elders。

As　the　evening　fell；　a　group　of　elders　stood　by　the　back　door　of
Long　John　Cameron's　sorrow…stricken　home；　talking　quietly　over　the
sad　event　and　arranging　for　the　〃exercises〃　of　the　night。　　At　a
little　distance　from　them　sat　Yankee；　with　Ranald　beside　him；　both
silent　and　listening　somewhat　indifferently　to　the　talk　of　the
others。　　Yankee　was　not　in　his　element。　　He　was　always　welcome　in
the　homes　of　his　comrades；　for　he　was　ready　with　his　tongue　and
clever　with　his　fingers；　but　with　the　graver　and　religious　side　of
their　lives　he　had　little　in　common。　　It　was；　perhaps；　this　feeling
that　drew　him　toward　Macdonald　Dubh　and　Ranald；　so　that　for　weeks
at　a　time　he　would　make　their　house　his　home。　　He　had　〃no　use　for
wakes；〃　as　he　said　himself；　and　had　it　not　been　that　it　was　one　of
the　gang　that　lay　dead　within；　Yankee　would　have　avoided　the　house
until　all　was　over　and　the　elders　safely　away。

Of　the　elders；　only　four　were　present　as　yet：　Donald　Ross；　who　was
ever　ready　to　bring　the　light　of　his　kindly　face　to　cheer　the
hearts　of　the　mourners；　Straight　Rory；　who　never；　by　any　chance；
allowed　himself　to　miss　the　solemn　joy　of　leading　the　funeral
psalm；　Peter　McRae；　who　carried　behind　his　stern　old　face　a　heart
of　genuine　sympathy；　and　Kenny　Crubach；　to　whom　attendance　at
funerals　was　at　once　a　duty　and　a　horror。

Donald　Ross；　to　whom　all　the　elders　accorded；　instinctively；　the
place　of　leader；　was　arranging　the　order　of　〃the　exercises。〃

〃Mr。　McCuaig；〃　he　said　to　Straight　Rory；　〃you　will　take　charge　of
the　singing。　　The　rest　of　us　will；　in　turn；　give　out　a　psalm　and
read　a　portion　of　Scripture　with　a　few　suitable　remarks；　and　lead
in　prayer。　　We　will　not　be　forgetting；　brethren；〃　said　old　Donald；
〃that　there　will　be　sore　hearts　here　this　night。'

Straight　Rory's　answer　was　a　sigh　so　woeful　and　so　deep　that　Yankee
looked　over　at　him　and　remarked　in　an　undertone　to　Ranald；　〃He
ain't　so　cheerful　as　he　might　be。　　He　must　feel　awful　inside。〃

〃It　is　a　sad　and　terrible　day　for　the　Camerons；〃　said　Peter　McRae。

〃Aye；　it　is　sad；　indeed；〃　replied　Donald　Ross。　　〃He　was　a　good　son
and　they　will　be　missing　him　bad。　　It　is　a　great　loss。〃

〃Yes；　the　loss　is　great；〃　said　Peter；　grimly。　　〃But；　after　all；
that　is　a　small　thing。〃

Straight　Rory　sighed　again　even　more　deeply　than　before。　　Donald
Ross　said　nothing。

〃What　does　the　old　duck　mean；　anyhow？〃　said　Yankee　to　Ranald。

The　boy　made　no　reply。　　His　heart　was　sick　with　horror　at　Peter's
meaning；　which　he　understood　only　too　well。

〃Aye；〃　went　on　Peter；　〃it　is　a　terrible；　mysterious　Providence；　and
a　heavy　warning　to　the　ungodly　and　careless。〃

〃He　means　me；　I　guess；〃　remarked　Yankee　to　Ranald。

〃It　will　perhaps　be　not　amiss　to　any　of　us；〃　said　Kenny　Crubach；
sharply。

〃Indeed；　that　is　true；〃　said　Donald　Ross；　in　a　very　humble　voice。

〃Yes；　Mr。　Ross；〃　said　Peter；　ignoring　Kenny　Crubach；　〃but　at　times
the　voice　of　Providence　cannot　be　misunderstood；　and　it　will　not　do
for　the　elders　of　the　church　to　be　speaking　soft　things　when　the
Lord　is　speaking　in　judgment　and　wrath。〃

Donald　was　silent；　while　Straight　Rory　assented　with　a　heartrending
〃Aye；　aye；〃　which　stirred　Yankee's　bile　again。

〃What's　he　talkin'　about？　　He　don't　seem　to　be　usin'　my　language；〃
he　said；　in　a　tone　of　wrathful　perplexity。　　Ranald　was　too
miserable　to　answer；　but　Kenny　was　ready　with　his　word。

〃Judgment　and　wrath；〃　he　echoed；　quickly。　　〃The　man　would　require
to　be　very　skillful　whatever　in　interpreting　the　ways　of　Providence；
and　very　bold　to　put　such　a　meaning　into　the　death　of　a　young　man
such　as　Malcolm　yonder。〃　　The　little　man's　voice　was　vibrating　with
feeling。

Then　Yankee　began　to　understand。　　〃I'll　be　gol…blamed　to　a　cinder！〃
he　exclaimed；　in　a　low　voice；　falling　back　upon　a　combination　that
seemed　more　suitable　to　the　circumstances。　　〃They　ain't　sendin'　him
to　hell；　are　they？〃　　He　shut　up　the　knife　with　which　he　had　been
whittling　with　a　sharp　snap；　and　rising　to　his　feet；　walked　slowly
over　to　the　group　of　elders。

〃Far　be　it　from　me　to　judge　what　is　not　to　be　seen；〃　said　Peter。
〃But　we　are　allowed　and　commanded　to　discern　the　state　of　the　heart
by　the　fruits。〃

〃Fruits？〃　replied　Kenny；　quickly。　　〃He　was　a　good　son　and　brother
and　friend；　he　was　honest　and　clean；　and　he　gave　his　life　for
another　at　the　last。〃

〃Exactly　so；〃　said　Peter。　　〃I　am　not　denying　much　natural　goodness；
for　indeed　he　was　a　fine　lad；　but　I　will　be　looking　for　the
evidence　that　he　was　in　a　state　of　grace。　　I　have　not　heard　of　any；
and　glad　would　I　be　to　hear　it。〃

The　old　man's　emotion　took　the　sharpness　out　of　Kenny's　speech；　but
he　persisted；　stoutly；　〃Goodness　is　goodness；　Mr。　McRae；　for　all
that。〃

〃You　will　not　be　holding　the　Armenian　doctrine　of　works；　Mr。
Campbell？〃　said　Peter；　severely。　　〃You　would　not　be　pointing　to
good　works　as　a　ground　of　salvation？〃

Yankee；　who　had　been　following　the　conversation　intently；　thought
he　saw　meaning　in　it　at　last。

〃If　I　might　take　a　hand；〃　he　said；　diffidently；　〃I　might　contribute
somethin'　to　help　you　out。〃

Peter　regarded　him　a　little　impatiently。　　He　had　forgotten　the
concrete；　for　the　mo