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in　his　final　triumph　they　could　not　find　it　in　their　hearts　to
mourn。

But　to　Ranald　the　sadness　was　more　than　the　triumph。　　Through　the
wild；　ungoverned　years　of　his　boyhood　his　father　had　been　more　than
a　father　to　him。　　He　had　been　a　friend；　sharing　a　common　lot；　and
without　much　show　of　tenderness；　understanding　and　sympathizing
with　him；　and　now　that　his　father　had　gone　from　him；　a　great
loneliness　fell　upon　the　lad。

The　farm　and　its　belongings　were　sold。　　Kirsty　brought　with　her　the
big　box　of　blankets　and　linen　that　had　belonged　to　Ranald's　mother。
Ranald　took　his　mother's　Gaelic　Bible；　his　father's　gun　and　ax；　and
with　the　great　deerhound；　Bugle；　and　his　colt；　Lisette；　left　the
home　of　his　childhood　behind　him；　and　with　his　Aunt　Kirsty；　went　to
live　with　his　uncle。

Throughout　the　autumn　months　he　was　busy　helping　his　uncle　with　the
plowing；　the　potatoes；　and　the　fall　work。　　Soon　the　air　began　to
nip；　and　the　night's　frost　to　last　throughout　the　shortening　day；
and　then　Macdonald　Bhain　began　to　prepare　wood　for　the　winter；　and
to　make　all　things　snug　about　the　house　and　barn；　and　when　the
first　fall　of　snow　fell　softly；　he　took　down　his　broad…ax；　and　then
Ranald　knew　that　the　gang　would　soon　be　off　again　for　the　shanties。
That　night　his　uncle　talked　long　with　him　about　his　future。

〃I　have　no　son；　Ranald；〃　he　said；　as　they　sat　talking；　〃and；　for
your　father's　sake　and　for　your　own；　it　is　my　desire　that　you
should　become　a　son　to　me；　and　there　is　no　one　but　yourself　to　whom
the　farm　would　go。　　And　glad　will　I　be　if　you　will　stay　with　me。
But；　stay　or　not；　all　that　I　have　will　be　yours；　if　it　please　the
Lord　to　spare　you。〃

〃I　would　want　nothing　better；〃　said　Ranald；　〃than　to　stay　with　you
and　work　with　you；　but　I　do　not　draw　toward　the　farm。〃

〃And　what　else　would　you　do；　Ranald？〃

〃Indeed；　I　know　not；〃　said　Ranald；　〃but　something　else　than　farming。
But　meantime　I　should　like　to　go　to　the　shanties　with　you　this
winter。〃

And　so；　when　the　Macdonald　gang　went　to　the　woods　that　winter；
Ranald；　taking　his　father's　ax；　went　with　them。　　And　so　clever　did
the　boy　prove　himself　that　by　the　time　they　brought　down　their　raft
in　the　spring　there　was　not　a　man　in　all　the　gang　that　Macdonald
Bhain　would　sooner　have　at　his　back　in　a　tight　place　than　his
nephew　Ranald。　　And；　indeed；　those　months　in　the　woods　made　a　man
out　of　the　long；　lanky　boy；　so　that；　on　the　first　Sabbath　after　the
shantymen　came　home；　not　many　in　the　church　that　day　would　have
recognized　the　dark…faced；　stalwart　youth　had　it　not　been　that　he
sat　in　the　pew　beside　Macdonald　Bhain。　　It　was　with　no　small
difficulty　that　the　minister's　wife　could　keep　her　little　boy　quiet
in　the　back　seat；　so　full　of　pride　and　joy　was　he　at　the　appearance
of　his　hero；　but　after　the　service　was　over；　Hughie　could　be　no
longer　restrained。　　Pushing　his　way　eagerly　through　the　crowd；　he
seized　upon　Ranald　and　dragged　him　to　his　mother。

〃Here　he　is；　mother！〃　he　exclaimed；　to　Ranald's　great　confusion；
and　to　the　amusement　of　all　about　him。　　〃Isn't　he　splendid？〃

And　as　Ranald　greeted　Mrs。　Murray　with　quiet；　grave　courtesy；　she
felt　that　his　winter　in　the　woods　and　on　the　river　had　forever　put
behind　him　his　boyhood；　and　that　henceforth　he　would　take　his　place
among　the　men。　　And　looking　at　his　strong；　composed；　grave　face；
she　felt　that　that　place　ought　not　to　be　an　unworthy　one。



CHAPTER　XVII

LENOIR'S　NEW　MASTER


The　shantymen　came　back　home　to　find　the　revival　still　going　on。
Not　a　home　but　had　felt　its　mighty　power；　and　not　a　man；　woman；　or
even　child　but　had　come　more　or　less　under　its　influence。　　Indeed；
so　universal　was　that　power　that　Yankee　was　heard　to　say；　〃The　boys
wouldn't　go　in　swimmin'　without　their　New　Testaments〃not　but　that
Yankee　was　in　very　fullest　sympathy　with　the　movement。　　He　was
regular　in　his　attendance　upon　the　meetings　all　through　spring　and
summer；　but　his　whole　previous　history　made　it　difficult　for　him　to
fully　appreciate　the　intensity　and　depth　of　the　religious　feeling
that　was　everywhere　throbbing　through　the　community。

〃Don't　see　what　the　excitement's　for；〃　he　said　to　Macdonald　Bhain
one　night　after　meeting。　　〃Seems　to　me　the　Almighty　just　wants　a
feller　to　do　the　right　thing　by　his　neighbor　and　not　be　too
independent；　but　go　'long　kind　o'　humble　like　and　keep　clean。
Somethin'　wrong　with　me；　perhaps；　but　I　don't　seem　to　be　able　to
work　up　no　excitement　about　it。　　I'd　like　to；　but　somehow　it　ain't
in　me。〃

When　Macdonald　Bhain　reported　this　difficulty　of　Yankee's　to　Mrs。
Murray；　she　only　said：　　〃'What　doth　the　Lord　require　of　thee；　but
to　do　justly；　and　to　love　mercy；　and　to　walk　humbly　with　thy　God？'〃
And　with　this　Macdonald　Bhain　was　content；　and　when　he　told　Yankee；
the　latter　came　as　near　to　excitement　as　he　ever　allowed　himself。
He　chewed　vigorously　for　a　few　moments；　then；　slapping　his　thigh；
he　exclaimed：　　〃By　jings！　　That's　great。　　She's　all　right；　ain't
she？　　We　ain't　all　built　the　same　way；　but　I'm　blamed　if　I　don't
like　her　model。〃

But　the　shantymen　noticed　that　the　revival　had　swept　into　the
church；　during　the　winter　months；　a　great　company　of　the　young
people　of　the　congregation；　and　of　these；　a　band　of　some　ten　or
twelve　young　men；　with　Don　among　them；　were　attending　daily　a
special　class　carried　on　in　the　vestry　of　the　church　for　those　who
desired　to　enter　training　for　the　ministry。

Mrs。　Murray　urged　Ranald　to　join　this　class；　for；　even　though　he
had　no　intention　of　becoming　a　minister；　still　the　study　would
be　good　for　him；　and　would　help　him　in　his　after　career。　　She
remembered　how　Ranald　had　told　her　that　he　had　no　intention　of
being　a　farmer　or　lumberman。　　And　Ranald　gladly　listened　to　her；
and　threw　himself　into　his　study；　using　his　spare　hours　to　such
good　purpose　throughout　the　summer　that　he　easily　kept　pace　with
the　class　in　English；　and　distanced　them　in　his　favorite　subject；
mathematics。

But　all　these　months　Mrs。　Murray　felt　that　Ranald　was　carrying　with
him　a　load　of　unrest；　and　she　waited　for　the　time　when　he　would
come　to　her。　　His　uncle；　Macdonald　Bhain；　too；　shared　her　anxiety
in　regard　to　Ranald。

〃He　is　the　fine；　steady　lad；〃　he　said　one　night；　walking　home　with
her　from　the　church；　〃and　a　good　winter's　work　has　he　put　behind
him。　　He　is　that　queeck；　there　is　not　a　man　like　him　on　the　drive；
but　he　is　not　the　same　boy　that　he　was。　　He　will　not　be　telling　me
anything；　but　when　the　boys　will　be　sporting；　he　is　not　with　them。
He　will　be　reading　his　book；　or　he　will　be　sitting　by　himself
alone。　　He　is　like　his　father　in　the　courage　of　him。　　There　is　no
kind　of　water　he　will　not　face；　and　no　man　on　the　river　would　put
fear　on　him。　　And　the　strength　of　him！　　His　arms　are　like　steel。
But；〃　returning　to　his　anxiety；　〃there　is　something　wrong　with　him。
He　is　not　at　peace　with　himself；　and　I　wish　you　could　get　speech
with　him。〃

〃I　would　like　it；　too；〃　replied　Mrs。　Murray。　　〃Perhaps　he　will　come
to　me。　　At　any　rate；　I　must　wait　for　that。〃

At　last；　when　the　summer　was　over；　and　the　harvest　all　gathered　in；
the　days　were　once　more　shortening　for　the　fall；　Ranald　drove
Lisette　one　day　to　the　manse；　and　went　straight　to　the　minister's
wife　and　opened　up　his　mind　to　her。

〃I　cannot　keep　my　promise　to　my　father；　Mrs。　Murray；〃　he　said；
going　at　once　to　the　heart　of　his　trouble。　　〃I　cannot　keep　the
anger　out　of　my　heart。　　I　cannot　forgive　the　man　that　killed　my
father。　　I　will　be　waking　at　night　with　the　very　joy　of　feeling　my
fingers　on　his　throat；　and　I　feel　myself　longing　for　the　day　when　I
will　meet　him　face　to　face　and　nothing　between　us。　　But；〃　he　added；
〃I　promised　my　father；　and　I　must　keep　my　word；　and　that　is　what　I
cannot　do；　for　the　feeling　of　forgiveness　is　not　here；〃　smiting　his
breast。　　〃I　can　keep　my　hands　off　him；　but　the　feeling　I　cannot
help。〃

For　a　long　time　Mrs。　Murray　let　him　go　on　without　seeking　to　check
the　hot　flow　of　his　words　and　without　a　word　of　reproof。　　Then；
when　he　had　talked　himself　to　silence；　she　took　her　Bible　and　read
to　him　of　the　servant　who；　though　forgiven；　took　his　fellow…servant
by　the　throat；　refusing　to　forgive。　　And　then　she　turned　over　the
leaves　and　read　once　more：　　〃'God　commendeth　his　love　toward　us；　in
that；　while　we　were　yet　sinners；　Christ　died　for　us。'〃

She　closed　the　book　and　sat　silent；　waiting　for　Ranald　to　speak。

〃I　know；〃　he　said；　deliberately；　〃I　have　read　that　often　through
the　winter；　but　it　does　not　help　the　feeling　I　have。　　I　think　it
only　makes　it　worse。　　There　is　some　one　holding　my　arm；　and　I　want
to　strike。〃

〃And　do　you　forget；〃　said　Mrs。　Murray；　and　her　voice　was　almost
stern；　〃and　do　you　forget　how；　for　you；　God　gave　His　Son　to　die？〃

Ranald　shook　his　head。　　〃I　am　far　from　forgetting　that。〃

〃And　are　you　forgetting　the　great　mercy　of　God　to　your　father？〃

〃No；　no；〃　said　Ranald；　〃I　often　think　of　that。　　But　when　I　think　of
that　man；　something　stirs　within　me　and　I　cannot　see；　for　the　daze
before　my　eyes；　and　I　know　that　some　day　I　will　be　at　him。　　I
cannot　help　my　feeling。〃

〃Ranald；〃　said　Mrs。　Murray；　〃have　you　ever　thought　how　he　will　need
God's　mercy　like　yourself？　　And　have　you　never　t