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cleaving their way through the crowd like a wedge。 At their head；
and taller than the others； fought two men； whose arms worked with
the systematic precision of piston…rods； and before whom men fell
on either hand as if struck with sledge…hammers。
〃Hottawa a moi！〃 cried the Ottawa champion again； and the relieving
party faced in his direction。
〃I say；〃 said the lieutenant； 〃that first man is uncommonly like
your Glengarry friend。〃
〃What； Ranald？〃 cried Harry。 〃Then we are all right。 I swear it
is；〃 he said； after a few moments； and then； remembering the story
of the great fight on the Nation； which he had heard from Hughie
and Maimie； he raised the Macdonald war…cry： 〃Glengarry！
Glengarry！〃
Ranald paused and looked about him。
〃Here； Ranald！〃 yelled Harry； waving his white handkerchief。 Then
Ranald caught sight of him。
〃Glengarry！〃 he cried； and sprang far into the crowd in Harry's
direction。
〃Glengarry！ Glengarry forever！〃 echoed Yankeefor he it was
plunging after his leader。
Swift and sharp like the thrust of a lance； the Glengarry men
pierced the crowd； which gave back on either side； and soon reached
the group at the wall。
〃How in the world did YOU get here？〃 cried Ranald to Harry； then；
looking about him； cried： 〃Where is LeNware？ I heard he was being
killed by the Gatineaus； and I got a few of our men and came
along。〃
〃LeNware？ That is our Canadian friend； I suppose；〃 said the
lieutenant。 〃He was here a while ago。 By Jove！ There he is。〃
Surrounded by a crowd of the Gatineaus； LeNoir； for he was the
leader of the Ottawas； was being battered about and like to be
killed。
〃Glengarry！〃 cried Ranald； and like a lion he leaped upon them；
followed by Yankee and the others。 Right and left he hurled the
crowd aside； and seizing LeNoir； brought him out to his own men。
〃Who are you？〃 gasped LeNoir。 〃Why； no； it ees not possible。 Yes；
it is Yankee for sure！ And de Macdonald gang； but〃turning to
Ranald〃who are YOU？〃 he said again。
〃Never mind；〃 said Ranald； shortly； 〃let us get away now； quick！
Go on； Yankee。〃
At once； with Yankee leading； the Glengarry men marched off the
field of battle bearing with them the rescued party。 There was no
time to lose。 The enemy far outnumbered them； and would soon
return to the attack。
〃But how did you know we were in trouble； Ranald？〃 said Harry as he
marched along。
〃I didn't know anything about you；〃 said Ranald。 〃Some one came
and said that the bully of the Ottawa was being killed； so I came
along。〃
〃And just in time； by Jove！〃 said the lieutenant； aroused from his
languor for once。 〃It was a deucedly lucky thing； and well done；
too； 'pon my soul。〃
That night； as Ranald and his uncle were in their cabin on the raft
talking over the incidents of the day； and Ranald's plans for the
summer； a man stood suddenly in the doorway。
〃I am Louis LeNoir；〃 he said； 〃and I have some word to say to de
young Macdonald。 I am sore here；〃 he said； striking his breast。
〃I cannot spik your languige。 I cannot tell。〃 He stopped short；
and the tears came streaming down his face。 〃I cannot tell；〃 he
repeated； his breast heaving with mighty sobs。 〃I would be glad to
dieto mak' overto not mak'I cannot say de wordwhat I do to
your fadder。 I would give my life；〃 he said； throwing out both his
hands。 〃I would give my life。 I cannot say more。〃
Ranald stood looking at him for a few moments in silence when he
finished； then he said slowly and distinctly； 〃My father told me to
say that he forgave you everything； and that he prayed the mercy of
God for you； and；〃 added Ranald； more slowly； 〃Iforgiveyou
too。〃
The Frenchman listened in wonder； greatly moved； but he could only
reiterate his words： 〃I cannot spik what I feel here。〃
〃Sit down； Mr。 LeNoir；〃 said Macdonald Bhain； gravely； pointing to
a bench； 〃and I will be telling you something。〃
LeNoir sat down and waited。
〃Do you see that young man there？〃 said Macdonald Bhain； pointing
to Ranald。 He is the strongest man in my gang； and indeed； I will
not be putting him below myself。〃 Here Ranald protested。 〃And he
has learned to use his hands as I cannot。 And of all the men I
have ever seen since I went to the woods； there is not one I could
put against him。 He could kill you； Mr。 LeNoir。〃
The Frenchman nodded his head and said： 〃Das so。 Das pretty
sure。〃
〃Yes； that is very sure；〃 said Macdonald Bhain。 〃And he made a vow
to kill you；〃 went on Macdonald Bhain； 〃and to…night he saved your
life。 Do you know why？〃
〃No； not me。〃
〃Then I will be telling you。 It is the grace of God。〃
LeNoir stared at him； and then Macdonald Bhain went on to tell him
how his brother had suffered and struggled long； and how the
minister's wife had come to him with the message of the forgiveness
of the great God。 And then he read from Ranald's English Bible the
story of the unforgiving debtor； explaining it in grave and simple
speech。
〃That was why；〃 he concluded。 〃It was because he was forgiven； and
on his dying bed he sent you the word of forgiveness。 And that；
too； is the very reason； I believe； why the lad here went to your
help this day。〃
〃I promised the minister's wife I would do you good and not ill；
when it came to me；〃 said Ranald。 〃But I was not feeling at all
like forgiving you。 I was afraid to meet you。〃
〃Afraid？〃 said LeNoir； wondering that any of that gang should
confess to fear。
〃Yes； afraid of what I would do。 But now； tonight； it is gone；〃
said Ranald； simply； 〃I can't tell you how。〃
〃Das mos' surprise！〃 exclaimed LeNoir。 〃Ne comprenne pas。 I never
see lak dat； me！〃
〃Yes； it is wonderful；〃 said Macdonald Bhain。 〃It is very wonderful。
It is the grace of God；〃 he said again。
〃You mak' de good frien' wit me？〃 asked LeNoir； rising and putting
his hand out to Macdonald Bhain。 Macdonald Bhain rose from his
place and stepped toward the Frenchman； and took his hand。
〃Yes； I will be friends with you；〃 he said； gravely； 〃and I will
seek God's mercy for you。〃
Then LeNoir turned to Ranald； and said； 〃Will you be frien' of me？
Is it too moche？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Ranald； slowly； 〃I will be your friend； too。 It is a
little thing；〃 he added； unconsciously quoting his father's words。
Then LeNoir turned around to Macdonald Bhain； and striking an
attitude； exclaimed： 〃See！ You be my boss； I be your manwhat
you callslave。 I work for noting； me。 Das sure。〃
Macdonald Bhain shook his head。
〃You could not belong to us；〃 he said； and explained to him the
terms upon which the Macdonald men were engaged。 LeNoir had never
heard of such terms。
〃You not drink whisky？〃
〃Not too much；〃 said Macdonald Bhain。
〃How many glass？ One； two； tree？〃
〃I do not know；〃 said Macdonald Bhain。 〃It depends upon the man。
He must not take more than is good for him。〃
〃Bon！〃 said LeNoir； 〃das good。 One glass he mak' me feel good。
Two das nice he mak' me feel ver fonny。 Three glass yes das mak'
me de frien' of hevery bodie。 Four das mak' me feel big； I walk de
big walk； I am de bes' man all de place。 Das good place for stop；
eh？〃
〃No；〃 said Macdonald Bhain； gravely； 〃you n