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！
Then； when you have fetched him down to the right figure； you pulls
out your wad； thinkin' how that colt will make the rest look like a
line of fence…posts。 'But hold on；' says you； 'is this here colt
Blue Grass bred？' 'Blue Grass！ Not much。 This here's Grey Eagle
stock； North Virginny' says he。 'Don't want her；' says you。
'What's the matter with the colt？' says he。 'Nothin'； only she
ain't Blue Grass。 Got to be Blue Grass。' 'But she's got the gait；
ain't she？' 'Yes； the gait's all right； action fine； good…looking；
too； nothing wrong； but she ain't Blue Grass bred。' And so you
lose your race。 Now what kind of a name would you call yourself？〃
Peter saw Yankee's point； but he only shook his head more
hopelessly than before； and turned to enter the house； followed by
Straight Rory； still sighing deeply； and old Donald Ross。 But
Kenny remained a moment behind the others； and offering his hand to
Yankee； said： 〃You are a right man； and I will be proud to know
you better。〃
Yankee turned a puzzled face to Kenny。 〃I say；〃 he inquired； in an
amazed voice； 〃do you think he didn't catch on to me？〃
Kenny nodded。 〃Yes； he understood your point。〃
〃But look here；〃 said Yankee； 〃they don't hold thatthat he is〃
Yankee paused。 The thought was too horrible； and these men were
experts； and were supposed to know。
〃It's hard to say；〃 said Kenny； diplomatically。
〃See here；〃 said Yankee； facing Kenny squarely； 〃you're a purty
level…headed man； and you're up in this business。 Do you think
with them？ No monkeying。 Straight talk now。〃 Yankee was in no
mood to be trifled with。 He was in such deadly earnest that he had
forgotten all about Ranald； who was now standing behind him；
waiting； with white face and parted lips； for Kenny's answer。
〃Whisht！〃 said Kenny； pointing into the kitchen behind。 Yankee
looked and saw Bella Peter and her father entering。 But Ranald was
determined to know Kenny's opinion。
〃Mr。 Campbell；〃 he whispered； eagerly； and forgetting the respect
due to an elder； he grasped Kenny's arm； 〃do you think with them？〃
〃That I do not；〃 said Kenny； emphatically； and Yankee； at that
word； struck his hand into Kenny's palm with a loud smack。
〃I knew blamed well you were not any such dumb fool；〃 he said；
softening his speech in deference to Kenny's office and the
surrounding circumstances。 So saying； he went away to the stable；
and when Ranald and his uncle； Macdonald Bhain； followed a little
later to put up Peter McGregor's team； they heard Yankee inside；
swearing with a fluency and vigor quite unusual with him。
〃Whisht； man！〃 said Macdonald Bhain； sternly。 〃This is no place
or time to be using such language。 What is the matter with you；
anyway？〃
But Macdonald could get no satisfaction out of him； and he said to
his nephew； 〃What is it； Ranald？〃
〃It is the elders； Peter McRae and Straight Rory；〃 said Ranald；
sullenly。 〃They were saying that Mack wasthat Mack was〃
〃Look here； boss；〃 interrupted Yankee； 〃I ain't well up in
Scriptures； and don't know much about these things； and them elders
do； and they saysome of them； anywayare sending Mack to hell。
Now； I guess you're just as well up as they are in this business；
and I want your solemn opinion。〃 Yankee's face was pale； and his
eyes were glaring like a wild beast's。 〃What I say is；〃 he went
on； 〃if a feller like Mack goes to hell； then there ain't any。 At
least none to scare me。 Where Mack is will be good enough for me。
What do you say； boss？〃
〃Be quiet； man；〃 said Macdonald Bhain； gravely； but kindly。 〃Do
you not know you are near to blasphemy there？ But I forgive you
for the sore heart you have； and about poor Mack yonder； no one
will be able to say for certain。 I am a poor sinner； and the only
claim I have to God's mercy is the claim of a poor sinner。 But I
will dare to say that I have hope in the Lord for myself； and I
will say that I have a great deal more for Mack。〃
〃I guess that settles it all right； then；〃 said Yankee； drawing a
big breath of content and biting off a huge chew from his plug。
〃But what the blank blank；〃 he went on； savagely； 〃do these fellers
mean； stirring up a man's feelin's like that？ Seem to be not a bad
sort； either；〃 he added； meditatively。
〃Indeed； they are good men；〃 said Macdonald Bhain； 〃but they will
not be knowing Mack as I knew him。 He never made any profession at
all； but he had the root of the matter in him。〃
Ranald felt as if he had wakened out of a terrible nightmare； and
followed his uncle into the house； with a happier heart than he had
known since he had received Yankee's letter。
As they entered the room where the people were gathered； Donald
Ross was reading the hundred and third psalm； and the words of love
and pity and sympathy were dropping from his kindly lips like
healing balm upon the mourning hearts； and as they rose and fell
upon the cadences of 〃Coleshill；〃 the tune Straight Rory always
chose for this psalm； the healing sank down into all the sore
places； and the peace that passeth understanding began to take
possession of them。
Softly and sweetly they sang； the old women swaying with the music：
〃For； as the heaven in its height
The earth surmounteth far；
So great to those that do him fear；
His tender mercies are。〃
When they reached that verse； the mother took up the song and went
bravely on through the words of the following verse：
〃As far as east is distant from
The west； so far hath he
From us removed； in his love；
All our iniquity。〃
As she sang the last words her hand stole over to Bella； who sat
beside her quiet but tearless； looking far away。 But when the next
words rose on the dear old minor strains；
〃Such pity as a father hath
Unto his children dear；〃
Bella's lip began to tremble； and two big tears ran down her pale
cheeks； and one could see that the sore pain in her heart had been
a little eased。
After Donald Ross had finished his part of the 〃exercises；〃 he
called upon Kenny Crubach； who read briefly； and without comment；
the exquisite Scottish paraphrase of Luther's 〃little gospel〃：
〃Behold the amazing gift of love
The Father hath bestowed
On us； the sinful sons of men；
To call us sons of God〃
and so on to the end。
All this time Peter McRae； the man of iron； had been sitting with
hardening face； his eyes burning in his head like glowing coals；
and when Donald Ross called upon him for 〃some words of exhortation
and comfort suitable to the occasion；〃 without haste and without
hesitation the old man rose； and trembling with excitement and
emotion； he began abruptly： 〃An evil spirit has been whispering to
me； as to the prophet of old； 'Speak that which is good；' but the
Lord hath delivered me from mine enemy； and my answer is； 'As the
Lord liveth； what the Lord said unto me； that will I speak'； and it
is not easy。〃
As the old man paused； a visible terror fell upon all the company
assembled。 The poor mother sat looking at him with the look of one
shrinking from a blow； while Bella Peter's face expressed only
star