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waiting for his horse。〃
〃So you won a great victory； Ranald； I hear；〃 said the minister； as
Ranald brought Black to the door。
〃It was a tie；〃 said Ranald。
〃Oh； Ranald！〃 cried Hughie； 〃you beat him。 Everybody says so。 You
had your chain hitched up and everything before Aleck。〃
〃I hear it was a great exhibition； not only of skill； but of
endurance and patience； Ranald；〃 said the minister。 〃And these are
noble virtues。 It is a great thing to be able to endure。〃
But Ranald made no reply； busying himself with Black's bridle。
Mrs。 Murray noticed his gloom and guessed its cause。
〃We will see you at the Bible class； Ranald；〃 she said； kindly； but
still Ranald remained silent。
〃Can you not speak； man？〃 said his father。 〃Do you not hear the
minister's wife talking to you？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Ranald； 〃I will be there。〃
〃We will be glad to see you；〃 said Mrs。 Murray； offering him her
hand。 〃And you might come in with Hughie for a few minutes
afterward；〃 she continued； kindly； for she noted the misery in his
face。
〃And we will be glad to see you； too； Mr。 Macdonald； if it would
not be too much for you； and if you do not scorn a woman's
teaching。〃
〃Indeed； I would be proud；〃 said Macdonald Dubh； courteously； 〃as
far as that is concerned； for I hear there are better men than me
attending。〃
〃I am sure Mrs。 Murray will be glad to see you； Mr。 Macdonald；〃
said the minister。
〃I will be thinking of it；〃 said Macdonald Dubh； cautiously。 〃And
you are both very kind； whatever；〃 he said； losing for a time his
habitual gloom。
〃Well； then； I will look for you both；〃 said Mrs。 Murray； as they
were about to drive off； 〃so do not disappoint me。〃
〃Good by； Ranald；〃 said Maimie； offering Ranald her hand。
〃Good by；〃 said Ranald； holding her hand for a moment and looking
hard into her eyes； 〃and I hope you will enjoy your ride； whatever。〃
Then Maimie understood Ranald's savage manner； and as she thought
it over she smiled to herself。 She was taking her first sips of
that cup； to woman's lips the sweetest； and she found it not
unpleasant。 She had succeeded in making one man happy and another
miserable。 But it was when she said to herself； 〃Poor Ranald！〃
that she smiled most sweetly。
CHAPTER XIV
SHE WILL NOT FORGET
If Mrs。 Murray was not surprised to see Macdonald Dubh and Yankee
walk in on Sabbath evening and sit down in the back seat； her class
were。 Indeed the appearance of these two men at the class was
considered an event so extraordinary as to give a decided shock to
those who regularly attended； and their presence lent to the meeting
an unusual interest； and an undertone of excitement。 To see
Macdonald Dubh； whose attendance at the regular Sabbath services was
something unusual； present at a religious meeting which no one would
consider it a duty to attend； was enough in itself to excite
surprise； but when Yankee came in and sat beside him； the surprise
was considerably intensified。 For Yankee was considered to be quite
outside the pale； and indeed； in a way； incapable of religious
impression。 No one expected Yankee to be religious。 He was not a
Presbyterian； knew nothing of the Shorter Catechism； not to speak of
the Confession of Faith； and consequently was woefully ignorant of
the elements of Christian knowledge that were deemed necessary to
any true religious experience。
It was rumored that upon Yankee's first appearance in the country；
some few years before； he had； in an unguarded moment； acknowledged
that his people had belonged to the Methodists； and that he himself
〃leaned toward〃 that peculiar sect。 Such a confession was in
itself enough to stamp him； in the eyes of the community； as one
whose religious history must always be attended with more or less
uncertainty。 Few of them had ever seen a Methodist in the flesh。
There were said to be some at Moose Creek （Mooscrick； as it was
called）； but they were known only by report。 The younger and more
untraveled portion of the community thought of them with a certain
amount of awe and fear。
It was no wonder； then； that Yankee's appearance in Bible class
produced a sensation。 It was an evening of sensations； for not
only were Macdonald Dubh and Yankee present； but Aleck McRae had
driven up a load of people from below the Sixteenth。 Ranald
regarded his presence with considerable contempt。
〃It is not much he cares for the Bible class； whatever；〃 he confided
to Don； who was sitting beside him。
But more remarkable and disturbing to Ranald than the presence of
Aleck McRae； was that of a young man sitting between Hughie and
Maimie in the minister's pew。 He was evidently from the city。 One
could see that from his fine clothes and his white shirt and
collar。 Ranald looked at him with deepening contempt。 〃Pride〃 was
written all over him。 Not only did he wear fine clothes； and a
white shirt and collar； but he wore them without any sign of
awkwardness or apology in his manner； and indeed as if he enjoyed
them。 But the crowning proof of his 〃pride；〃 Don noted with
unutterable scorn。
〃Look at him；〃 he said； 〃splits his head in the middle。〃
Ranald found himself wondering how the young fop would look sitting
in a pool of muddy water。 How insufferable the young fellow's
manners were！ He sat quite close to Maimie； now and then
whispering to her； evidently quite ignorant of how to behave in
church。 And Maimie； who ought to know better； was acting most
disgracefully as well； whispering back and smiling right into his
face。 Ranald was thoroughly ashamed of her。 He could not deny
that the young fellow was handsome； hatefully so； but he was
evidently stuck full of conceit； and as he let his eyes wander over
the congregation assembled； with a bold and critical stare； making
remarks to Maimie in an undertone which could be heard over the
church； Ranald felt his fingers twitching。 The young man was older
than Ranald； but Ranald would have given a good deal for an
opportunity to 〃take him with one hand。〃
At this point Ranald's reflections were interrupted by Mrs。 Murray
rising to open the class。
〃Will some one suggest a Psalm？〃 she asked； her cheek； usually
pale； showing a slight color。 It was always an ordeal for her to
face her class； ever since the men had been allowed to come； and
the first moments were full of trial to her。 Only her conscience
and her fine courage kept her from turning back from this； her path
of duty。
At once； from two or three came responses to her invitation； and a
Psalm was chosen。
The singing was a distinct feature of the Bible class。 There was
nothing like it； not only in the other services of the congregation；
but in any congregation in the whole county。 The young people that
formed that Bible class have long since grown into old men and
women； but the echoes of that singing still reverberate through the
chambers of their hearts when they stand up to sing certain tunes or
certain Psalms。 Once a week； through the long winter； they used to
meet and sing to John 〃Aleck's〃 sounding beat for two or three
hours。 They learned to sing； not only the old psalm tunes but psalm
tunes never heard in th