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the minister feeling very uncomfortable indeed。 But by the end of
the second pipe he began to feel that； after all； Ranald had got no
more than was good for him； and that he would be none the worse of
it； in which comforting conviction he went to rest； and soon fell
into the sleep which is supposed to be the right of the just。
Not so his wife。 Wearied though she was with the long day； its
excitements and its toils； sleep would not come。 Anxious thoughts
about the lad she had come to love as if he were her own son or
brother kept crowding in upon her。 The vision of his fierce； dark；
stormy face held her eyes awake and at length drew her from her
bed。 She went into the study and fell upon her knees。 The burden
had grown too heavy for her to bear alone。 She would share it with
Him who knew what it meant to bear the sorrows and the sins of
others。
As she rose； she heard Fido bark and whine in the yard below； and
going to the window； she saw a man standing at the back door； and
Fido fawning upon him。 Startled； she was about to waken her
husband； when the man turned his face so that the moonlight fell
upon it； and she saw Ranald。 Hastily she threw on her dressing…
gown； put on her warm bedroom slippers and cloak； ran down to the
door； and in another moment was standing before him； holding him by
the shoulders。
〃Ranald！〃 she cried； breathlessly； 〃what is it？〃
〃I am going away；〃 he said； simply。 〃And I was just passing by
and〃 he could not go on。
〃Oh； Ranald！〃 she cried；； 〃I am glad you came this way。 Now tell
me where you are going。〃
The boy looked at her as if she had started a new idea in his mind；
and then said； 〃I do not know。〃
〃And what are you going to do； Ranald？〃
〃Work。 There is plenty to do。 No fear of that。〃
〃But your father； Ranald？〃
The boy was silent for a little； and then said； 〃He will soon be
well； and he will not be needing me； and he said I could go。〃 His
voice broke with the remembrance of the parting with his father。
〃And why are you going； Ranald？〃 she said； looking into his eyes。
Again the boy stood silent。
〃Why do you go away from your home and your father； andandall
of us who love you？〃
〃Indeed； there is no one；〃 he replied； bitterly； 〃and I am not for
decent people。 I am not for decent people。 I know that well
enough。 There is no one that will care much。〃
〃No one； Ranald？〃 she asked； sadly。 〃I thought〃 she paused；
looking steadily into his face。
Suddenly the boy turned to her； and putting out both his hands；
burst forth； his voice coming in dry sobs： 〃Oh； yes； yes！ I do
believe you。 I do believe you。 And that is why I came this way。
I wanted to see your door again before I went。 Oh； I will never
forget you！ Never； never； and I am glad I am seeing you； for now
you will knowhow much〃 The boy was unable to proceed。 His
sobs were shaking his whole frame； and to his shy Highland Scotch
nature； words of love and admiration were not easy。 〃You will not
be sending me back home again？〃 he pleaded； anticipating her。
〃Indeed； I cannot stay in this place after to…day。〃
But the minister's wife kept her eyes steadily upon his face
without a word； trying in vain to find her voice； and the right
words to say。 She had no need of words； for in her face； pale； wet
with her flowing tears； and illumined with her gray…brown eyes；
Ranald read her heart。
〃Oh！〃 he cried again； 〃you are wanting me to stay； and I will be
ashamed before them all； and the minister； too。 I cannot stay。 I
cannot stay。〃
〃And I cannot let you go； Ranald； my boy；〃 she said； commanding her
voice to speech。 〃I want you to be a brave man。 I don't want you
to be afraid of them。〃
〃Afraid of them！〃 said the boy； in scornful surprise。 〃Not if they
were twice as more and twice as beeg。〃
Mrs。 Murray saw her advantage； and followed it up。
〃And the minister did not know the whole truth； Ranald； and he was
sorry he spoke to you as he did。〃
〃Did he say that？〃 said Ranald； in surprise。 It was to him； as to
any one in that community； a terrible thing to fall under the
displeasure of the minister and to be disgraced in his eyes。
〃Yes； indeed； Ranald； and he would be sorry if you should go away。
I am sure he would blame himself。〃
This was quite a new idea to the boy。 That the minister should
think himself to be in the wrong was hardly credible。
〃And how glad we would be；〃 she continued； earnestly； 〃to see you
prove yourself a man before them all。〃
Ranald shook his head。 〃I would rather go away。〃
〃Perhaps； but it's braver to stay； and to do your work like a man。〃
And then； allowing him no time for words； she pictured to him the
selfish； cowardly part the man plays who marches bravely enough in
the front ranks until the battle begins； but who shrinks back and
seeks an easy place when the fight comes on； till his face fell
before her in shame。 And then she showed him what she would like
him to do； and what she would like him to be in patience and in
courage； till he stood once more erect and steady。
〃Now； Ranald；〃 she said； noting the effect of her words upon him；
〃what is it to be？〃
〃I will go back；〃 he said； simply； and turning with a single word
of farewell； he sprang over the fence and disappeared in the woods。
The minister's wife stood looking the way he went long after he had
passed out of sight； and then； lifting her eyes to the radiant sky
with its shining lights； 〃He made the stars also；〃 she whispered；
and went up to her bed and laid her down and slept in peace。 Her
Sabbath day's work was done。
CHAPTER X
THE HOME…COMING OF THE SHANTYMEN
For some weeks Ranald was not seen by any one belonging to the
manse。 Hughie reported that he was not at church； nor at Bible
class； and although this was not in itself an extraordinary thing；
still Mrs。 Murray was uneasy； and Hughie felt that church was a
great disappointment when Ranald was not there。
In their visits to Macdonald Dubh the minister and his wife never
could see Ranald。 His Aunt Kirsty could not understand or explain
his reluctance to attend the public services； nor his unwillingness
to appear in the house on the occasion of the minister's visits。
〃He is busy with the fences and about the stables preparing for the
spring's work；〃 she said； 〃but； indeed； he is very queer whatever；
and I cannot make him out at all。〃 Macdonald Dubh himself said
nothing。 But the books and magazines brought by the minister's
wife were always read。 〃Indeed； when once he gets down to his
book；〃 his aunt complained； 〃neither his bed nor his dinner will
move him。〃
The minister thought little of the boy's 〃vagaries；〃 but to his
wife came many an anxious thought about Ranald and his doings。 She
was more disappointed than she cared to confess； even to herself；
that the boy seemed to be quite indifferent to the steadily
deepening interest in spiritual things that marked the members of
her Bible class。
While she was planning how to reach him once more； an event
occurred which brought him nearer to her than he had ever been
before。 As they were sitting one evening at tea； the door
unexpectedly opened； and without