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Ranald was certainly not lovely to look at。 His shirt was open at
the neck； torn； and dirty。 His trousers and boots were much the
worse of their struggle with the bush。
〃This is Mr。 Macdonald； Lieutenant De Lacy；〃 Maimie hurried to say。
The lieutenant offered a limp hand。
〃Chawmed； I'm suah；〃 he murmured。
〃What？〃 said Ranald。
〃Lovely weather；〃 murmured the lieutenant again； looking at his
fingers that Ranald had just let go。
〃Well； old chap；〃 said Harry； grasping Ranald's hand and throwing
his arm about his shoulder； 〃I am awfully glad to find you。 We
have been hunting you for half an hour。 But hold up； here you are。
Let me introduce you to Miss Kate Raymond； the best girl anywhere。〃
Kate came forward with a frank smile。 〃I am very glad to meet
you；〃 she said。 〃I have heard so much about you； and I am going to
call you Ranald； as they all do。〃
〃How lovely！〃 sighed De Lacy。
Her greeting warmed Ranald's heart that somehow had been chilled in
the meeting。 Something was wrong。 Was it this fop of a soldier；
or had Maimie changed？ Ranald glanced at her face。 No； she was
the same； only more beautiful than he had dreamed。
But while she was shaking hands with him； there flashed across his
mind the memory of the first time he had seen her； and the look of
amusement upon her face then； that had given him such deadly
offense。 There was no amusement now； but there was embarrassment
and something else。 Ranald could not define it； but it chilled his
heart； and at once he began to feel how badly dressed he was。 The
torn shirt； the ragged trousers； and the old； unshapely boots that
he had never given a thought to before； now seemed to burn into his
flesh。 Unconsciously he backed away and turned to go。
〃Where are you off to？〃 cried Harry； 〃do you think we are going to
let you go now？ We had hard enough work finding you。 Come up to
the office and see the governor。 He wants to see you badly。〃
Ranald glanced at the lieutenant； immaculate except where the slush
had speckled his shiny boots； and then at his own ragged attire。
〃I think I will not go up now；〃 he said。
〃Well； come up soon；〃 said Maimie； evidently relieved。
〃No！〃 said Kate； impetuously； 〃come right along now。〃 As she spoke
she ranged herself beside him。
For a moment or two Ranald hesitated； shot a searching glance at
Maimie's face； and then； with a reckless laugh； said； 〃I will go
now；〃 and set off forthwith； Kate proudly marching at one side； and
Harry on the other； leaving Maimie and the lieutenant to follow
after。
And a good thing it was for Ranald that he did go that day with
Harry to his 〃governor's〃 office。 They found the office in a
〃swither；〃 as Harry said； over the revelations of fraud that were
coming to light every daybook…keeper； clerk； and timber…checker
having all been in conspiracy to defraud the company。
〃Where have you been； Harry？〃 said his father in an annoyed tone as
his son entered the office。 〃You don't seem to realize how much
there is to do just now。〃
〃Looking up Ranald； father；〃 said Harry； cheerfully。
〃Ah； the young man from Glengarry？〃 said Mr。 St。 Clair； rising。 〃I
am glad to know you； and to thank you in person for your prompt
courage in saving my daughter。〃
〃Lucky dog！〃 groaned the lieutenant； in an undertone to Maimie。
Mr。 St。 Clair spoke to Ranald of his father and his uncle in words
of highest appreciation； and as Ranald listened； the reckless and
hard look which had been gathering ever since his meeting with
Maimie passed away； and his face became earnest and touched with a
tender pride。
〃I hear about you frequently from my sister； Mr。 Macdonaldor
shall I say Ranald？〃 said Mr。 St。 Clair； kindly。 〃She apparently
thinks something of you〃
〃I am proud to think so；〃 replied Ranald； his face lighting up as
he spoke； 〃but every one loves her。 She is a wonderful woman； and
good。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Mr。 St。 Clair； 〃that's it； wonderful and good。〃
Then Maimie drew nearer。 〃How is auntie？〃 she said。 〃What a shame
not to have asked before！〃
〃She was very well last fall；〃 said Ranald； looking keenly into
Maimie's face； 〃but she is working too hard at the meetings。〃
〃Meetings！〃 exclaimed Harry。
〃Aye； for a year and more she has been at them every night till
late。〃
〃At meetings for a year！ What meetings？〃 cried Harry； astonished。
〃Oh； Harry； you know about the great revival going on quite well；〃
said Maimie。
〃Oh； yes。 I forgot。 What a shame！ What is the use of her killing
herself that way？〃
〃There is much use；〃 said Ranald； gravely。 〃They are making bad
men good； and the whole countryside is new； and she is the heart of
it all。〃
〃I have no doubt about that；〃 said Mr。 St。 Clair。 〃She will be the
head and heart and hands and feet。〃
〃You're just right； governor；〃 said Harry； warmly。 〃There is no
woman living like Aunt Murray。〃
There was silence for a few moments。 Then Mr。 St。 Clair said
suddenly： 〃We are in an awful fix here。 Not a man to be found
that we can depend upon for book…keeper； clerk； or checker。〃
Harry coughed slightly。
〃Oh； of course； Harry is an excellent book…keeper；〃 Harry bowed
low； 〃while he is at it；〃 added Mr。 St。 Clair。
〃Very neat one；〃 murmured the lieutenant。
〃Now； father； do not spoil a fine compliment in that way；〃 cried
Harry。
〃But now the checker is gone；〃 said Mr。 St。 Clair； 〃and that is
extremely awkward。〃
〃I say；〃 cried Harry； 〃what will you give me for a checker right
now？〃
Mr。 St。 Clair looked at him and then at the lieutenant。
〃Pardon me； Mr。 St。 Clair；〃 said that gentleman； holding up his
hand。 〃I used to check a little at Rugby； but〃
〃Not you； by a long hand；〃 interrupted Harry； disdainfully。
〃This awfully charming brother of yours； so very frank； don't you
know！〃 said the lieutenant； softly； to Maimie； while they all
laughed。
〃But here is your man； governor；〃 said Harry； laying his hand on
Ranald。
〃Ranald！〃 exclaimed Mr。 St。 Clair。 〃Why； the very man！ You
understand timber； and you are honest。〃
〃I will answer for both with my head；〃 said Harry。
〃What do you say； Ranald？〃 said Mr。 St。 Clair。 〃Will you take a
day to think it over？〃
〃No；〃 said Ranald； 〃I will be your checker。〃 And so Ranald became
part of the firm of Raymond & St。 Clair。
〃Come along； Ranald；〃 said Harry。 〃We will take the girls home；
and then come back to the office。〃
〃Yes； do come；〃 said Kate； heartily。 Maimie said nothing。
〃No；〃 said Ranald； 〃I will go back to the raft first； and then come
to the office。 Shall I begin tonight？〃 he said to Mr。 St。 Clair。
〃To…morrow morning will do； Ranald；〃 said Mr。 St。 Clair。 〃Come up
to the hotel and see us tonight。〃 But Ranald said nothing。 Then
Maimie went up to him。
〃Good by； just now；〃 she said； smiling into his face。 〃You will
come and see us to…night； perhaps？〃
Ranald looked at her； while the blood mounted slowly into his dark
cheek； and said： 〃Yes； I will come。〃
〃What's the matter with you； Maimie？〃 said Harry； indignantly； when
they had got outside。 〃You would think Ranald was a stranger； the
way you treat him。〃
〃And he is just splendid！ I wish he h