the man from glengarry-第8节

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〃God　preserve　us！〃　said　Ranald　to　himself。　　He　had　caught　sight　of
a　dark　form　as　it　darted　through　the　gleam　of　light　in　front。

〃What　did　you　say；　Ranald？〃　　The　voice　was　quiet　and　clear。

〃It　is　a　great　pony　to　run　whatever；〃　said　Ranald；　ashamed　of
himself。

〃Is　she　not？〃

Ranald　glanced　over　his　shoulder。　　Down　the　road；　running　with
silent；　awful　swiftness；　he　saw　the　long；　low　body　of　the　leading
wolf　flashing　through　the　bars　of　moonlight　across　the　road；　and
the　pack　following　hard。

〃Let　her　go；　Mrs。　Murray；〃　cried　Ranald。　　〃Whip　her　and　never
stop。〃　　But　there　was　no　need；　the　pony　was　wild　with　fear；　and　was
doing　her　best　running。

Ranald　meantime　was　gradually　holding　in　the　colt；　and　the　pony
drew　away　rapidly。　　But　as　rapidly　the　wolves　were　closing　in
behind　him。　　They　were　not　more　than　a　hundred　yards　away；　and
gaining　every　second。　　Ranald；　remembering　the　suspicious　nature　of
the　brutes；　loosened　his　coat　and　dropped　it　on　the　road；　with　a
chorus　of　yelps　they　paused；　then　threw　themselves　upon　it；　and　in
another　minute　took　up　the　chase。

But　now　the　clearing　was　in　sight。　　The　pony　was　far　ahead；　and
Ranald　shook　out　his　colt　with　a　yell。　　He　was　none　too　soon；　for
the　pursuing　pack；　now　uttering　short；　shrill　yelps；　were　close　at
the　colt's　heels。　　Lizette；　fleet　as　the　wind；　could　not　shake　them
off。　　Closer　and　ever　closer　they　came；　snapping　and　snarling。
Ranald　could　see　them　over　his　shoulder。　　A　hundred　yards　more　and
he　would　reach　his　own　back　lane。　　The　leader　of　the　pack　seemed　to
feel　that　his　chances　were　slipping　swiftly　away。　　With　a　spurt　he
gained　upon　Lizette；　reached　the　saddle…girths；　gathered　himself　in
two　short　jumps；　and　sprang　for　the　colt's　throat。　　Instinctively
Ranald　stood　up　in　his　stirrups；　and　kicking　his　foot　free；　caught
the　wolf　under　the　jaw。　　The　brute　fell　with　a　howl　under　the
colt's　feet；　and　next　moment　they　were　in　the　lane　and　safe。

The　savage　brutes；　discouraged　by　their　leader's　fall；　slowed　down
their　fierce　pursuit；　and　hearing　the　deep　bay　of　the　Macdonalds'
great　deerhound；　Bugle；　up　at　the　house；　they　paused；　sniffed　the
air　a　few　minutes；　then　turned　and　swiftly　and　silently　slid　into
the　dark　shadows。　　Ranald；　knowing　that　they　would　hardly　dare
enter　the　lane；　checked　the　colt；　and　wheeling；　watched　them
disappear。

〃I'll　have　some　of　your　hides　some　day；〃　he　cried；　shaking　his　fist
after　them。　　He　hated　to　be　made　to　run。

He　had　hardly　set　the　colt's　face　homeward　when　he　heard　something
tearing　down　the　lane　to　meet　him。　　The　colt　snorted；　swerved；　and
then　dropping　his　ears；　stood　still。　　It　was　Bugle；　and　after　him
came　Mrs。　Murray　on　the　pony。

〃Oh；　Ranald！〃　she　panted；　〃thank　God　you　are　safe。　　I　was　afraid
youyou〃　　Her　voice　broke　in　sobs。　　Her　hood　had　fallen　back
from　her　white　face；　and　her　eyes　were　shining　like　two　stars。　　She
laid　her　hand　on　Ranald's　arm；　and　her　voice　grew　steady　as　she
said：　　〃Thank　God；　my　boy；　and　thank　you　with　all　my　heart。　　You
risked　your　life　for　mine。　　You　are　a　brave　fellow！　　I　can　never
forget　this！〃

〃Oh；　pshaw！〃　said　Ranald；　awkwardly。　　〃You　are　better　stuff　than　I
am。　　You　came　back　with　Bugle。　　And　I　knew　Liz　could　beat　the　pony
whatever。　　Then　they　walked　their　horses　quietly　to　the　stable；　and
nothing　more　was　said　by　either　of　them；　but　from　that　hour　Ranald
had　a　friend　ready　to　offer　life　for　him；　though　he　did　not　know　it
then　nor　till　years　afterward。



CHAPTER　V

FORGIVE　US　OUR　DEBTS


Macdonald　Dubh's　farm　lay　about　three　miles　north　and　west　from　the
manse；　and　the　house　stood　far　back　from　the　cross…road　in　a　small
clearing　encircled　by　thick　bush。　　It　was　a　hard　farm　to　clear；　the
timber　was　heavy；　the　land　lay　low；　and　Macdonald　Dubh　did　not　make
as　much　progress　as　his　neighbors　in　his　conflict　with　the　forest。
Not　but　that　he　was　a　hard　worker　and　a　good　man　with　the　ax；　but
somehow　he　did　not　succeed　as　a　farmer。　　It　may　have　been　that　his
heart　was　more　in　the　forest　than　in　the　farm。　　He　was　a　famous
hunter；　and　in　the　deer　season　was　never　to　be　found　at　home；　but
was　ever　ranging　the　woods　with　his　rifle　and　his　great　deerhound；
Bugle。

He　made　money　at　the　shanties；　but　money　would　not　stick　to　his
fingers；　and　by　the　time　the　summer　was　over　most　of　his　money
would　be　gone；　with　the　government　mortgage　on　his　farm　still
unlifted。　　His　habits　of　life　wrought　a　kind　of　wildness　in　him
which　set　him　apart　from　the　thrifty；　steady…going　people　among
whom　he　lived。　　True；　the　shanty…men　were　his　stanch　friends　and
admirers；　but　then　the　shanty…men；　though　well…doing；　could　hardly
be　called　steady；　except　the　boss　of　the　Macdonald　gang；　Macdonald
Bhain；　who　was　a　regular　attendant　and　stanch　supporter　of　the
church；　and　indeed　had　been　spoken　of　for　an　elder。　　But　from　the
church　Macdonald　Dubh　held　aloof。　　He　belonged　distinctly　to　the
〃careless；〃　though　he　could　not　be　called　irreligious。　　He　had　all
the　reverence　for　〃the　Word　of　God；　and　the　Sabbath　day；　and　the
church〃　that　characterized　his　people。　　All　these　held　a　high　place
in　his　esteem；　and　though　he　would　not　presume　to　〃take　the　books；〃
not　being　a　member　of　the　church；　yet　on　the　Sabbath　day　when　he
was　at　home　it　was　the　custom　of　the　household　to　gather　for　the
reading　of　the　Word　before　breakfast。　　He　would　never　take　his
rifle　with　him　through　the　woods　on　the　Sabbath；　and　even　when
absent　from　home　on　a　hunting　expedition；　when　the　Sabbath　day　came
round；　he　religiously　kept　camp。　　It　is　true；　he　did　not　often　go
to　church；　and　when　the　minister　spoke　to　him　about　this；　he　always
agreed　that　it　was　a　good　thing　to　go　to　church。　　When　he　had　no
better　excuse；　he　would　apologize　for　his　absence　upon　the　ground
〃that　he　had　not　the　clothes。〃　　The　greater　part　of　the　trouble　was
that　he　was　shy　and　proud；　and　felt　himself　to　be　different　from
the　church…going　people　of　the　community；　and　shrank　from　the
surprised　looks　of　members；　and　even　from　the　words　of　approving
welcome　that　often　greeted　his　presence　in　church。

It　was　not　according　to　his　desire　that　Ranald　was　sent　to　the
manse。　　That　was　the　doing　of　his　sister；　Kirsty；　who　for　the　last
ten　years　had　kept　house　for　him。　　Not　that　there　was　much
housekeeping　skill　about　Kirsty；　as　indeed　any　one　might　see　even
without　entering　Macdonald　Dubh's　house。　　Kirsty　was　big　and　strong
and　willing；　but　she　had　not　the　most　elemental　ideas　of　tidiness。
Her　red；　bushy　hair　hung　in　wisps　about　her　face；　after　the　greater
part　of　it　had　been　gathered　into　a　tight　knob　at　the　back　of　her
head。　　She　was　a　martyr　to　the　〃neuralagy；〃　and　suffered　from　a
perennial　cold　in　the　head；　which　made　it　necessary　for　her　to　wear
a　cloud；　which　was　only　removed　when　it　could　be　replaced　by　her
nightcap。　　Her　face　always　bore　the　marks　of　her　labors；　and　from
it　one　could　gather　whether　she　was　among　the　pots　or　busy　with　the
baking。　　But　she　was　kindhearted；　and；　up　to　her　light；　sought　to
fill　the　place　left　empty　by　the　death　of　the　wife　and　mother　in
that　home；　ten　years　before。

When　the　minister's　wife　opened　the　door；　a　hot；　close；　foul　smell
rushed　forth　to　meet　her。　　Upon　the　kitchen　stove　a　large　pot　of
pig's　food　was　boiling；　and　the　steam　and　smell　from　the　pot　made
the　atmosphere　of　the　room　overpoweringly　fetid。　　Off　the　kitchen
or　living…room　were　two　small　bedrooms；　in　one　of　which　lay
Macdonald　Dubh。

Kirsty　met　the　minister's　wife　with　a　warm　welcome。　　She　helped　her
off　with　her　hood　and　coat；　patting　her　on　the　shoulder　the　while；
and　murmuring　words　of　endearment。

〃Ah；　M'eudail！　　M'eudail　bheg！　and　did　you　come　through　the　night
all　the　way；　and　it　is　ashamed　that　I　am　to　have　sent　for　you；　but
he　was　very　bad　and　I　was　afraid。　　Come　away！　come　away！　　I　will
make　you　a　cup　of　tea。〃　　But　the　minister's　wife　assured　Kirsty
that　she　was　glad　to　come；　and　declining　the　cup　of　tea；　went　to
the　room　where　Macdonald　Dubh　lay　tossing　and　moaning　with　the
delirium　of　fever　upon　him。　　It　was　not　long　before　she　knew　what
was　required。

With　hot　fomentations　she　proceeded　to　allay　the　pain；　and　in　half
an　hour　Macdonald　Dubh　grew　quiet。　　His　tossings　and　mutterings
ceased　and　he　fell　into　a　sleep。

Kirsty　stood　by　admiring。

〃Mercy　me！　　Look　at　that　now；　and　it　is　yourself　that　is　the　great
doctor！〃

〃Now；　Kirsty；〃　said　Mrs。　Murray；　in　a　very　matter…of…fact　tone；　〃we
will　just　make　him　a　little　more　comfortable。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Kirsty；　not　quite　sure　how　the　feat　was　to　be　achieved。
〃A　little　hot　something　for　his　inside　will　be　good；　but　indeed；
many's　the　drink　I　have　given　him；〃　she　suggested。

〃What　have　you　been　giving　him；　Kirsty？〃

〃Senny　and　dandylion；　and　a　little　whisky。　　They　will　be　telling　me
it　is　ferry　good　whatever　for　the　stomach　and　bow'ls。〃

〃I　don't　think　I　would　give　him　any　more　of　that；　but　we　will　try
and　make　him　feel　a　little　more　comfortable。〃

Mrs。　Murray　knew　she　was　treading　on　delicate　ground。　　The　Highland
pride　is　quick　to　take　offense。

〃Sick　people；　you　see；〃　she　proceeded　carefully；　〃need　very
frequent　changessheets　and　clothing；　you　understand。〃

〃Aye；〃　said　Kirsty；　suspic