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！
Ranald； taking his father's ax； went with them。 And so clever did
the boy prove himself that by the time they brought down their raft
in the spring there was not a man in all the gang that Macdonald
Bhain would sooner have at his back in a tight place than his
nephew Ranald。 And； indeed； those months in the woods made a man
out of the long； lanky boy； so that； on the first Sabbath after the
shantymen came home； not many in the church that day would have
recognized the dark…faced； stalwart youth had it not been that he
sat in the pew beside Macdonald Bhain。 It was with no small
difficulty that the minister's wife could keep her little boy quiet
in the back seat； so full of pride and joy was he at the appearance
of his hero； but after the service was over； Hughie could be no
longer restrained。 Pushing his way eagerly through the crowd； he
seized upon Ranald and dragged him to his mother。
〃Here he is； mother！〃 he exclaimed； to Ranald's great confusion；
and to the amusement of all about him。 〃Isn't he splendid？〃
And as Ranald greeted Mrs。 Murray with quiet； grave courtesy； she
felt that his winter in the woods and on the river had forever put
behind him his boyhood； and that henceforth he would take his place
among the men。 And looking at his strong； composed； grave face；
she felt that that place ought not to be an unworthy one。
CHAPTER XVII
LENOIR'S NEW MASTER
The shantymen came back home to find the revival still going on。
Not a home but had felt its mighty power； and not a man； woman； or
even child but had come more or less under its influence。 Indeed；
so universal was that power that Yankee was heard to say； 〃The boys
wouldn't go in swimmin' without their New Testaments〃not but that
Yankee was in very fullest sympathy with the movement。 He was
regular in his attendance upon the meetings all through spring and
summer； but his whole previous history made it difficult for him to
fully appreciate the intensity and depth of the religious feeling
that was everywhere throbbing through the community。
〃Don't see what the excitement's for；〃 he said to Macdonald Bhain
one night after meeting。 〃Seems to me the Almighty just wants a
feller to do the right thing by his neighbor and not be too
independent； but go 'long kind o' humble like and keep clean。
Somethin' wrong with me； perhaps； but I don't seem to be able to
work up no excitement about it。 I'd like to； but somehow it ain't
in me。〃
When Macdonald Bhain reported this difficulty of Yankee's to Mrs。
Murray； she only said： 〃'What doth the Lord require of thee； but
to do justly； and to love mercy； and to walk humbly with thy God？'〃
And with this Macdonald Bhain was content； and when he told Yankee；
the latter came as near to excitement as he ever allowed himself。
He chewed vigorously for a few moments； then； slapping his thigh；
he exclaimed： 〃By jings！ That's great。 She's all right； ain't
she？ We ain't all built the same way； but I'm blamed if I don't
like her model。〃
But the shantymen noticed that the revival had swept into the
church； during the winter months； a great company of the young
people of the congregation； and of these； a band of some ten or
twelve young men； with Don among them； were attending daily a
special class carried on in the vestry of the church for those who
desired to enter training for the ministry。
Mrs。 Murray urged Ranald to join this class； for； even though he
had no intention of becoming a minister； still the study would
be good for him； and would help him in his after career。 She
remembered how Ranald had told her that he had no intention of
being a farmer or lumberman。 And Ranald gladly listened to her；
and threw himself into his study； using his spare hours to such
good purpose throughout the summer that he easily kept pace with
the class in English； and distanced them in his favorite subject；
mathematics。
But all these months Mrs。 Murray felt that Ranald was carrying with
him a load of unrest； and she waited for the time when he would
come to her。 His uncle； Macdonald Bhain； too； shared her anxiety
in regard to Ranald。
〃He is the fine； steady lad；〃 he said one night； walking home with
her from the church； 〃and a good winter's work has he put behind
him。 He is that queeck； there is not a man like him on the drive；
but he is not the same boy that he was。 He will not be telling me
anything； but when the boys will be sporting； he is not with them。
He will be reading his book； or he will be sitting by himself
alone。 He is like his father in the courage of him。 There is no
kind of water he will not face； and no man on the river would put
fear on him。 And the strength of him！ His arms are like steel。
But；〃 returning to his anxiety； 〃there is something wrong with him。
He is not at peace with himself； and I wish you could get speech
with him。〃
〃I would like it； too；〃 replied Mrs。 Murray。 〃Perhaps he will come
to me。 At any rate； I must wait for that。〃
At last； when the summer was over； and the harvest all gathered in；
the days were once more shortening for the fall； Ranald drove
Lisette one day to the manse； and went straight to the minister's
wife and opened up his mind to her。
〃I cannot keep my promise to my father； Mrs。 Murray；〃 he said；
going at once to the heart of his trouble。 〃I cannot keep the
anger out of my heart。 I cannot forgive the man that killed my
father。 I will be waking at night with the very joy of feeling my
fingers on his throat； and I feel myself longing for the day when I
will meet him face to face and nothing between us。 But；〃 he added；
〃I promised my father； and I must keep my word； and that is what I
cannot do； for the feeling of forgiveness is not here；〃 smiting his
breast。 〃I can keep my hands off him； but the feeling I cannot
help。〃
For a long time Mrs。 Murray let him go on without seeking to check
the hot flow of his words and without a word of reproof。 Then；
when he had talked himself to silence； she took her Bible and read
to him of the servant who； though forgiven； took his fellow…servant
by the throat； refusing to forgive。 And then she turned over the
leaves and read once more： 〃'God commendeth his love toward us； in
that； while we were yet sinners； Christ died for us。'〃
She closed the book and sat silent； waiting for Ranald to speak。
〃I know；〃 he said； deliberately； 〃I have read that often through
the winter； but it does not help the feeling I have。 I think it
only makes it worse。 There is some one holding my arm； and I want
to strike。〃
〃And do you forget；〃 said Mrs。 Murray； and her voice was almost
stern； 〃and do you forget how； for you； God gave His Son to die？〃
Ranald shook his head。 〃I am far from forgetting that。〃
〃And are you forgetting the great mercy of God to your father？〃
〃No； no；〃 said Ranald； 〃I often think of that。 But when I think of
that man； something stirs within me and I cannot see； for the daze
before my eyes； and I know that some day I will be at him。 I
cannot help my feeling。〃
〃Ranald；〃 said Mrs。 Murray； 〃have you ever thought how he will need
God's mercy like yourself？ And have you never thought that perhaps