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down and in simple words poured out her heart in prayer。 Before
she rose from her knees she opened the Gaelic Bible； and turned to
the words of the Lord's Prayer。
〃We will say this prayer together；〃 she said； gently。
Macdonald； bowing his head gravely； answered： 〃It is what she
would often be doing with me。〃
There was still only one woman to this lonely hearted man； and with
a sudden rush of pity that showed itself in her breaking voice； the
minister's wife began in Gaelic； 〃Our Father which art in heaven。〃
Macdonald followed her in a whisper through the petitions until
they came to the words； 〃And forgive us our debts as we forgive our
debtors；〃 when he paused and would say no more。 Mrs。 Murray
repeated the words of the petition； but still there was no
response。 Then the minister's wife knew that she had her finger
upon a sore spot； and she finished the prayer alone。
For a time she sat silent； unwilling to probe the wound； and yet
too brave to flinch from what she felt to be duty。
〃We have much to be forgiven；〃 she said； gently。 〃More than we can
ever forgive。〃 Still there was silence。
〃And the heart that cannot forgive an injury is closed to the
forgiveness of God。〃
The morning sun was gleaming through the treetops； and Mrs。 Murray
was worn with her night's vigil； and anxious to get home。 She
rose； and offering Macdonald her hand； smiled down into his face；
and said： 〃Good by！ We must try to forgive。〃
As he took her hand； Macdonald's dark face began to work； and he
broke forth into a bitter cry。
〃He took me unawares！ And it was a coward's blow！ and I will not
forgive him until I have given him what he deserves； if the Lord
spares me！〃 And then he poured forth； in hot and bitter words； the
story of the great fight。 By the time he had finished his tale
Ranald had come in from the kitchen； and was standing with clenched
fists and face pale with passion at the foot of the bed。
As Mrs。 Murray listened to this story her eyes began to burn； and
when it was over； she burst forth： 〃Oh； it was a cruel and
cowardly and brutal thing for men to do！ And did you beat them
off？〃 she asked。
〃Aye； and that we did；〃 burst in Ranald。 And in breathless haste
and with flashing eye he told them of Macdonald Bhain's part in the
fight。
〃Splendid！〃 cried the minister's wife； forgetting herself for the
moment。
〃But he let him go；〃 said Ranald； sadly。 〃He would not strike him；
but just let him go。〃
Then the minister's wife cried again： 〃Ah； he is a great man； your
uncle！ And a great Christian。 Greater than I could have been； for
I would have slain him then and there。〃 Her eyes flashed； and the
color flamed in her face as she uttered these words。
〃Aye；〃 said Macdonald Dubh； regarding her with deep satisfaction。
His tone and look recalled the minister's wife； and turning to
Ranald； she added； sadly：
〃But your uncle was right； Ranald； and we must forgive even as he
did。〃
〃That；〃 cried Ranald； with fierce emphasis； 〃I will never do； until
once I will be having my hands on his throat。〃
〃Hush； Ranald！〃 said the minister's wife。 〃I know it is hard； but
we must forgive。 You see we MUST forgive。 And we must ask Him to
help us； who has more to forgive than any other。〃
But she said no more to Macdonald Dubh on that subject that morning。
The fire of the battle was in her heart； and she felt she could
more easily sympathize with his desire for vengeance than with the
Christian grace of forgiveness。 But as they rode home together
through the bush； where death had trailed them so closely the night
before； the sweet sunlight and the crisp； fresh air； and all the
still beauty of the morning； working with the memory of their
saving； rebuked and soothed and comforted her； and when Ranald
turned back from the manse door； she said softly： 〃Our Father in
heaven was very good to us； Ranald； and we should be like him。 He
forgives and loves； and we should； too。〃
And Ranald； looking into the sweet face； pale with the long night's
trials； but tinged now with the faintest touch of color from the
morning； felt somehow that it might be possible to forgive。
But many days had to come and go； and many waters flow over the
souls of Macdonald Dubh and his son Ranald； before they were able
to say； 〃Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors。〃
CHAPTER VI
A NEW FRIEND
The night race with the wolves began a new phase of life for
Ranald； for in that hour he gained a friend such as it falls to few
lads to have。 Mrs。 Murray's high courage in the 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 saint in her stirred his poetic and
fervent soul and set it aglow with a feeling near to adoration。 To
Mrs。 Murray also the events of that night set forth Ranald in a new
light。 In the shy； awkward； almost sullen lad there had suddenly
been revealed in those moments of peril the cool； daring man； full
of resource and capable of self…sacrifice。 Her heart went out
toward him； and she set herself to win his confidence and to
establish a firm friendship with him； but this was no easy matter。
Macdonald Dubh and his son； living a half…savage life in their
lonely back clearing； were regarded by their neighbors with a
certain degree of distrust and fear。 They were not like other
people。 They seldom mingled in the social festivities of the
community； and consequently were more or less excluded from
friendship and free intercourse with their neighbors。 Ranald； shy；
proud； and sensitive； felt this exclusion； and in return kept
himself aloof even 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 qualities that go to establish leadership among boys；
Ranald was easily first。 In the sport that called for speed；
courage； and endurance Ranald was chief of all。 Fleet of foot；
there was no runner from the Twelfth to the Twentieth that could
keep him in sight； and when he stood up to fight； the mere blaze of
his eyes often won him victory before a blow was struck。 To Don；
Ranald opened his heart more than to any one else； all others he
kept at a distance。
It was in vain that Mrs。 Murray； in her daily visits to Macdonald
Dubh； sought to find out Ranald and to come to speech with him。
Aunt Kirsty never knew where he was； and to her calls； long and
loud； from the back door and from the front； no response ever came。
It was Hughie Murray who finally brought Ranald once more into
touch with the minister's wife。
They had come one early morning； Hughie with Fido 〃hitched〃 in a
sled driving over the 〃crust〃 on the snow banks by the roadside；
and his mother on the pony； to make their call upon the sick