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good time。 Don't trouble Ranald too much； and bring me back some
sugar。〃 Her last word braced the lad as nothing else could。
〃Oh； mother； I'll bring you heaps！〃 he cried； and with the vision
of what he would bring home again shining vividly before his eyes；
he got through the parting without tears； and was soon speeding
down the lane beside Ranald； in the jumper。
The mother stood and watched the little figure holding tight to
Ranald with one hand； and with the other waving frantically his
bonnet by the tails； till at last the bush hid him from her sight。
Then she turned back again to the house that seemed so empty； with
her hand pressed hard against her side and her lip quivering as
with sharp pain。
〃How foolish！〃 she said； impatiently to herself； 〃he will be home
in two days。〃 But in spite of herself she went again to the door；
and looked 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 was that in her face that told that her heart had had
its first touch of the sword that； sooner or later； must pierce all
mothers' hearts。
CHAPTER VII
MAIMIE
Before Hughie came back from the sugar camp； the minister had
returned from the presbytery； bringing with him his wife's niece；
Maimie St。 Clair； who had come from her home in a Western city to
meet him。 Her father； Eugene St。 Clair； was president of Raymond
and St。 Clair Lumber Company。 Nineteen years before this time he
had married Mrs。 Murray's eldest sister； and established his home
with every prospect of a prosperous and happy life； but after three
short； bright years of almost perfect joy； his young wife； his
heart's idol； after two days' illness； fluttered out from her
beautiful home； leaving with her broken…hearted husband her little
boy and a baby girl two weeks old。 Then Eugene St。 Clair besought
his sister to come out from England and preside over his home and
care for his children； and that he might forget his grief； he gave
himself； heart and mind； to his business。 Wealth came to him； and
under his sister's rule his home became a place of cultured
elegance and a center of fashionable pleasure。
Miss Frances St。 Clair was a woman of the world； proud of her
family…tree； whose root disappeared in the depths of past centuries；
and devoted to the pursuit and cultivation of those graces and
manners that are supposed to distinguish people of birth and
breeding from the common sort。 Indeed； from common men and things
she shrank almost with horror。 The entrance of 〃trade〃 into the
social sphere of her life she would regard as an impertinent
intrusion。 It was as much as she could bear to allow the approach
of 〃commerce；〃 which her brother represented。 She supposed； of
course； there must be people to carry on the trades and industries
of the countryvery worthy people； toobut these were people one
could not be expected to know。 Miss St。 Clair thanked heaven that
she had had the advantages of an English education and up…bringing；
and she lamented the stubborn democratic opinions of her brother；
who insisted that Harry should attend the public school。 She was
not surprised； therefore； though greatly grieved； that Harry chose
his friends in school with a fine disregard of 〃their people。〃 It
was with surprise amounting to pain that she found herself one day
introduced by her nephew to Billie Barclay； who turned out to be the
son of Harry's favorite confectioner。 To his aunt's remonstrance it
seemed to Harry a sufficient reply that Billy was a 〃brick〃 and a
shining 〃quarter〃 on the school Rugby team。
〃But； Harry； think of his people！〃 urged his aunt。
〃Oh； rot！〃 replied her irreverent nephew； 〃I don't play with his
people。〃
〃Yes； but Harry； you don't expect to make him your friend？〃
〃But he is my friend； and I don't care what his people are。
Besides； I think his governor is a fine old boy； and I know he
gives us jolly good taffy。〃
〃But； Harry；〃 answered his aunt； in despair； 〃you are positively
dreadful。 Why can't you make friends in your own set？ There is
Hubert Evans and the Langford boys。〃
〃Evans！〃 snorted Harry； with contempt； 〃beastly snob； and the
Langfords are regular Mollies！〃 Whereupon Miss St。 Clair gave up
her nephew as impossible。 But Billie did not repeat his visit to
his friend Harry's home。 Miss Frances St。 Clair had a way of
looking through her pince…nez that even a boy could understand and
would seek to avoid。
With Maimie； Miss St。 Clair achieved better results。 She was a
gentle girl； with an affectionate； yielding disposition； tending
towards indolence and self…indulgence。 Her aunt's chief concern
about her was that she should be frocked and mannered as became her
position。 Her education was committed to a very select young
ladies' school； where only the daughters of the first families ever
entered。 What or how they were taught； her aunt never inquired。
She felt quite sure that the lady principal would resent； as indeed
she ought； any such inquiry。 Hence Maimie came to have a smattering
of the English poets； could talk in conversation…book French； and
could dash off most of the notes of a few waltzes and marches from
the best composers； her piece de resistance； however； being 〃La
Priere d'une Vierge。〃 She carried with her from school a portfolio
of crayons of apparently very ancient and very battered castles； and
water…colors of landscapes； where the water was quite as solid as
the land。 True； she was quite unable to keep her own small
accounts； and when her father chanced to ask her one day to do for
him a simple addition； he was amazed to find that only after the
third attempt did she get it right； but； in the eyes of her aunt；
these were quite unimportant deficiencies； and for young ladies she
was not sure but that the keeping of accounts and the adding of
figures were almost vulgar accomplishments。 Her father thought
otherwise； but he was a busy man； and besides； he shrank from
entering into a region strange to him； but where his sister moved
with assured tread。 He contented himself with gratifying his
daughter's fancies and indulging her in every way allowed him by her
system of training and education。 The main marvel in the result was
that the girl did not grow more selfish； superficial； and ignorant
than she did。 Something in her blood helped her； but more； it was
her aunt's touch upon her life。 For every week a letter came from
the country manse； bringing with it some of the sweet simplicity of
the country and something like a breath of heaven。
She was nearing her fifteenth birthday； and though almost every
letter brought an invitation to visit the manse in the backwoods；
it was only when the girl's pale cheek and languid air awakened her
father's anxiety that she was allowed to accept the invitation to
spend some weeks in the country。
* * * * *
When Ranald and Hughie drove up to the manse on Saturday evening in
the jumper the whole household rushed forth to see them。 They were
worth seeing。 Burned black with the sun and the March winds； they
would have easily p