按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
before。 As they were sitting one evening at tea； the door
unexpectedly opened； and without announcement； in walked Ranald；
splashed with hard riding； pale； and dazed。 Without a word of
reply to the greetings that met him from all at the table； he went
straight to the minister's wife； handed her an opened letter； and
stood waiting。 It was addressed to Ranald himself； and was the
first he had ever received in his life。 It was from Yankee Jim；
and read as follows：
Dear RanaldThe Boss aint feelin like ritin much and the rest of
the boys is all broke up； and so he told me to rite to you and to
tell you some purty bad news。 I don't know how to go about it； but
the fact is； Mack Cameron got drownded yesterday tryin to pull a
little fool of a Frenchman out of the river just below the Lachine。
We'd just got through the rough water and were lyin nice and quiet；
gettin things together again when that ijit Frenchman got tite and
got tryin some fool trick or other walking a timber stick and got
upsot into the wet。 I'd a let him go； you bet； but Mack cudn't
stand to see him bobbin up and down so he ripped off and in after
him。 He got him too； but somehow the varmint gripped him round
the neck。 They went down but we got em out purty quick and the
Frenchman come round all right； but somehow Mack wouldn't； choked
appearinly by that tarnel little fool who aint worth one of Mack's
fingers； and if killin him wud do any good； then he wudn't be livin
long。 We are all feelin purty bad。 We are comin' home on Thursday
by Cornwall； eight or ten of us。 The rest will go on with the
rafts。 The Boss says； better have rigs to meet us and Mack。
That's all。 I haint no good at weepin'； never was； wish I cud
somehow； it might ease off a feller a little； but tell you what；
Ranald； I haint felt so queer since I was a boy lookin at my mother
in her coffin。 There was nothin mean about Mack。 He was good to
the heart。 He wud do his work slick and never a growl or a groan；
and when you wanted a feller to your back； Mack was there。 I know
there aint no use goin on like this。 All I say is； ther's a purty
big hole in the world for us to…night。 Boss says you'd better tell
the minister。 He says he's good stuff and he'll know what to do at
Mack's home。 No more at present。 Good…bye。 Yours truely；
J。 LATHAM。
The minister's wife began reading the letter； wondering not a
little at Ranald's manner； but when she came to the words； 〃Mack
Cameron got drownded；〃 she laid the letter down with a little cry。
Her husband came quickly to her； took up the letter； and read it to
the end。
〃I will go at once；〃 he said； and rang the bell。 〃Tell Lambert to
put Black in the buggy immediately； Jessie；〃 he said； when the maid
appeared。 〃Do you think you ought to go； my dear？〃
〃Yes； yes； I shall be ready in a moment； but； oh； what can we do or
say？〃
〃Perhaps you had better not go。 It will be very trying；〃 said the
minister。
〃Oh； yes； I must go。 I must。 The poor mother！〃 Then she turned
to Ranald as the minister left the room。 〃You are going home；
Ranald； I suppose；〃 she said。
〃No； I was thinking I would go to tell the people。 Donald Ross
will go； and the Campbells； and Farquhar McNaughton's light wagon
would be bestfor thefor Mack。 And then I will go round by the
McGregors。〃
Ranald had been thinking things out and making his plans。
〃But that will be a long round for you；〃 said Mrs。 Murray。 〃Could
not we go by the Campbells'； and they will send word to Donald
Ross？〃
〃I think it would be better for me to go； to make sure of the
teams。〃
〃Very well； then。 Good by； Ranald；〃 said the minister's wife；
holding out her hand to him。
But still Ranald lingered。 〃It will be hard on Bella Peter；〃 he
said； in a low voice； looking out of the window。
〃Bella Peter？ Bella McGregor？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Ranald； embarrassed and hesitating。 〃She was Mack's
Mack was very fond of her； whatever。〃
〃Oh； Ranald！〃 she cried； 〃do you say so？ Are you sure of that？〃
〃Yes； I am sure；〃 said Ranald； simply。 〃The boys in the shanty
would be teasing Mack about it； and one day Mack told me something；
and I know quite well。〃
〃I will go to her；〃 said Mrs。 Murray。
〃That will be very good；〃 said Ranald； much relieved。 〃And I will
be going with you that way。〃
As Mrs。 Murray left the room； Maimie came around to where Ranald
was standing and said to him； gently； 〃You knew him well； didn't
you？〃
〃Yes；〃 replied Ranald； in an indifferent tone； as if unwilling to
talk with her about it。
〃And you were very fond of him？〃 went on Maimie。
Ranald caught the tremor in her voice and looked at her。 〃Yes；〃 he
said； with an effort。 〃He was good to me in the camp。 Many's the
time he made it easy for me。 He was next to Macdonald Bhain with
the ax； and； man； he was the grand fighterthat is；〃 he added；
adopting the phrase of the Macdonald gang； 〃when it was a plain
necessity。〃 Then； forgetting himself； he began to tell Maimie how
Big Mack had borne himself in the great fight a few weeks before。
But he had hardly well begun when suddenly he stopped with a groan。
〃But now he is deadhe is dead。 I will never see him no more。〃
He was realizing for the first time his loss。 Maimie came nearer
him； and laying her hand timidly on his arm； said； 〃I am sorry；
Ranald〃； and Ranald turned once more and looked at her； as if
surprised that she should show such feeling。
〃Yes；〃 he said； 〃I believe you are sorry。〃
Her big blue eyes filled suddenly with tears。
〃Do you wonder that I am sorry？ Do you think I have no heart at
all？〃 she burst forth； impetuously。
〃Indeed； I don't know；〃 said Ranald。 〃Why should you care？ You do
not know him。〃
〃But haven't you just told me how splendid he was； and how good he
was to you； and how much you thought of him； and〃 Maimie checked
her rush of words with a sudden blush； and then hurried on to say；
〃Besides； think of his mother； and all of them。〃
While Maimie was speaking； Ranald had been scanning her face as if
trying to make up his mind about her。
〃I am glad you are sorry；〃 he said； slowly； gazing with so searching
a look into her eyes that she let them fall。
At this moment Mrs。 Murray entered ready for her ride。
〃Is the pony come？〃 she asked。
〃Indeed； it is the slouch I am；〃 said Ranald； and he hurried off to
the stable； returning in a very short time with the pony saddled。
〃You would not care to go with your uncle； Maimie？〃 said Mrs。
Murray； as Lambert drove up Black in the buggy。
〃No； auntie； I think not；〃 said Maimie。 〃I will take care of
Hughie and the baby。〃
〃Good by； then； my dear；〃 said Mrs。 Murray； kissing her。
〃Good by； Ranald；〃 said Maimie； as he turned away to get his colt。
〃Good by；〃 he said； awkwardly。 He felt like lifting his cap； but
hesitated to do anything so extremely unnatural。 With the boys in
that country such an act of courtesy was regarded as a sign of
〃pride；〃 if not of weakness。
Their way lay along the concession line for a mile； and then
through the woods by the bridle…path to Peter McGregor's clearing。
The green grass ran everywherealong the roadside； round the great