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〃He will be my son；〃 said Macdonald Bhain to his brother； 〃and my
home will be his while I live。〃
So in every way there was quiet preparation for Macdonald Dubh's
going； and when at last the day came； there was no haste or fear。
It was in the afternoon of a bright September day； as the sun was
nearing the tops of the pine…trees in the west。 His brother was
supporting him in his strong arms； while Ranald knelt by the
bedside。 Near him sat the minister's wife； and at a little
distance Kirsty。
〃Lift me up； Tonal；〃 said the dying man； 〃I will be wanting to see
the sun again； and then I will be going。 I will be going to the
land where they will not need the light of the sun。 Tonal；
bhodaich； it is the good brother you have been to me； and many's
the good day we have had together。〃
〃Och； Hugh； man。 Are you going from me？〃 said Macdonald Bhain；
with great sorrow in his voice。
〃Aye； Tonal； for a little。〃 Then he looked for a few moments at
Kirsty； who was standing at the foot of the bed。
〃Come near me； Kirsty；〃 he said； and Kirsty came to the bedside。
〃You have always been kind to me and mine； and you were kind to HER
as well； and the reward will come to you。〃 Then he turned to Mrs。
Murray； and said； with a great light of joy in his eyes： 〃It is
you that came to me as the angel of God with a word of salvation；
and forever more I will be blessing you。〃 And then he added； in a
voice full of tenderness； 〃I will be telling her about you。〃 He
took Mrs。 Murray's hand and tremblingly lifted it to his lips。
〃It has been a great joy to me；〃 said Mrs。 Murray； with difficulty
steadying her voice； 〃to see you come to your Saviour； Mr。
Macdonald。〃
〃Aye； I know it well；〃 he said； and then he added； in a voice that
sank almost to a whisper； 〃Now you will be reading the prayer。〃
And Mrs。 Murray； opening her Gaelic Bible； repeated in her clear；
soft voice； the words of the Lord's Prayer。 Through all the
petitions he followed her； until he came to the words； 〃Forgive us
our debts。〃 There he paused。
〃Ranald； my man；〃 he said； raising his hand with difficulty and
laying it upon the boy's head； 〃you will listen to me now。 Some
day you will find the man that brought me to this； and you will say
to him that your father forgave him freely； and wished him all the
blessing of God。 You will promise me this； Ranald？〃 said Macdonald
Dubh。
〃Yes； father；〃 said Ranald； lifting his head； and looking into his
father's face。
〃And； Ranald； you； too； will be forgiving him？〃 But to this there
was no reply。 Ranald's head was buried in the bed。
〃Ah；〃 said Macdonald Dubh； with difficulty； 〃you are your father's
son； but you will not be laying this bitterness upon me now。 You
will be forgiving him； Ranald？〃
〃Oh； father！〃 cried Ranald； with a breaking voice； 〃how can I
forgive him？ How can I forgive the man who has taken you away from
me？〃
〃It is no man；〃 replied his father； 〃but the Lord himself； the Lord
who has forgiven your father much。 I am waiting to hear you；
Ranald。〃
Then； with a great sob； Ranald broke forth： 〃Oh； father； I will
forgive him；〃 and immediately became quiet； and so continued to the
end。
After some moments of silence； Macdonald Dubh looked once more
toward the minister's wife； and a radiant smile spread over his
face。
〃You will be finishing；〃 he said。
Her face was wet with tears； and for a few moments she could not
speak。 But it was no time to fail in duty； so； commanding her
tears； with a clear； unwavering voice she went on to the end of the
prayer
〃For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory； forever and
ever。 Amen。〃
〃Glory！〃 said Macdonald Dubh after her。 〃Aye； the Glory。 Ranald；
my boy； where are you？ You will be following me； lad； to the
Glory。 SHE will be asking me about you。 You will be following me；
lad？〃
The anxious note in his voice struck Ranald to the heart。
〃Oh； father； it is what I want；〃 he replied； brokenly。 〃I will
try。〃
〃Aye；〃 said Macdonald Dubh； 〃and you will come。 I will be telling
HER。 Now lay me down； Tonal； I will be going。〃
Macdonald Bhain laid him quietly back on his pillow； and for a
moment he lay with his eyes closed。
Once more he opened his eyes； and with a troubled look upon his
face； and in a voice of doubt and fear； he cried： 〃It is a sinful
man； O Lord； a sinful man。〃
His eyes wandered till they fell on Mrs。 Murray's face； and then
the trouble and fear passed out of them； and in a gentler voice he
said： 〃Forgive us our debts。〃 Then； feeling with his hand till it
rested on his son's head； Macdonald Dubh passed away； at peace with
men and with God。
There was little sadness and no bitter grief at Macdonald Dubh's
funeral。 The tone all through was one of triumph； for they all
knew his life； and how sore the fight had been； and how he had won
his victory。 His humility and his gentleness during the last few
weeks of his life had removed all the distance that had separated
him from the people； and had drawn their hearts toward him； and now
in his final triumph they could not find it in their hearts to
mourn。
But to Ranald the sadness was more than the triumph。 Through the
wild； ungoverned years of his boyhood his father had been more than
a father to him。 He had been a friend； sharing a common lot； and
without much show of tenderness； understanding and sympathizing
with him； and now that his father had gone from him； a great
loneliness fell upon the lad。
The farm and its belongings were sold。 Kirsty brought with her the
big box of blankets and linen that had belonged to Ranald's mother。
Ranald took his mother's Gaelic Bible； his father's gun and ax； and
with the great deerhound； Bugle； and his colt； Lisette； left the
home of his childhood behind him； and with his Aunt Kirsty； went to
live with his uncle。
Throughout the autumn months he was busy helping his uncle with the
plowing； the potatoes； and the fall work。 Soon the air began to
nip； and the night's frost to last throughout the shortening day；
and then Macdonald Bhain began to prepare wood for the winter； and
to make all things snug about the house and barn； and when the
first fall of snow fell softly； he took down his broad…ax； and then
Ranald knew that the gang would soon be off again for the shanties。
That night his uncle talked long with him about his future。
〃I have no son； Ranald；〃 he said； as they sat talking； 〃and； for
your father's sake and for your own； it is my desire that you
should become a son to me； and there is no one but yourself to whom
the farm would go。 And glad will I be if you will stay with me。
But； stay or not； all that I have will be yours； if it please the
Lord to spare you。〃
〃I would want nothing better；〃 said Ranald； 〃than to stay with you
and work with you； but I do not draw toward the farm。〃
〃And what else would you do； Ranald？〃
〃Indeed； I know not；〃 said Ranald； 〃but something else than farming。
But meantime I should like to go to the shanties with you this
winter。〃
And so； when the Macdonald gang went to the woods that winter；
Ranald； taking his father's ax； went with them。 And so clever did
the boy