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〃Yes； I know quite well； you would not invite Ranald； for instance；
to dine at your house； to meet your Aunt Frank and the Evanses and
the Langfords and the Maitlands；〃 said Kate； spacing her words with
deliberate indignation。
〃Well； I would not； if you put it in that way；〃 said Maimie；
petulantly； 〃and you wouldn't either！〃
〃I would ask him to meet every Maitland of them if I could；〃 said
Kate； 〃and it wouldn't hurt them either。〃
〃Oh； you are so peculiar；〃 said Maimie； with a sigh of pity。
〃Am I；〃 said Kate； 〃ask Harry；〃 she continued； as that young man
came into the room。
〃No； you needn't mind；〃 said Maimie； 〃I know well he will just side
with you。 He always does。〃
〃How very amiable of me；〃 said Harry； 〃but what's the particular
issue？〃
〃Ranald；〃 said Kate。
〃Then I agree at once。 Besides； he is coming to supper next Sunday
evening！〃
〃Oh； Harry；〃 exclaimed Maimie； in dismay； 〃on Sunday evening？〃
〃He can't get off any other night； works all night； I believe； and
would work all Sunday； too； if his principles didn't mercifully
interfere。 He will be boss of the concern before summer is over。〃
〃Oh； Harry；〃 said Maimie； in distress； 〃and I asked Lieutenant De
Lacy and his friend； Mr。 Sims； for Sunday evening〃
〃Sims；〃 cried Harry； 〃little cad！〃
〃I'm sure he's very nice；〃 said Maimie； 〃and his family〃
〃Oh； hold up； don't get on to your ancestor worship；〃 cried Harry；
impatiently。 〃Anyway； Ranald's coming up Sunday evening。〃
〃Well； it will be very awkward；〃 said Maimie。
〃I don't see why；〃 said Kate。
〃Oh；〃 cried Harry； scornfully； 〃he will have on his red flannel
shirt and a silk handkerchief； and his trousers will be in his
boots； that's what Maimie is thinking of！〃
〃You are very rude； Harry；〃 said Maimie。 〃You know quite well that
Ranald will not enjoy himself with the others。 He has nothing in
common with them。〃
〃Oh； I wouldn't worry about that Maimie；〃 said Kate； 〃I will talk
to Ranald。〃 But Maimie was not quite sure how she should like
that。
〃You are just your Aunt Frank over again；〃 said Harry； in a
disgusted tone； 〃clothes and people！〃
Maimie was almost in tears。
〃I think you are both very unkind。 You know Ranald won't enjoy it。
He will be quite miserable； andthey'll just laugh at him！〃
〃Well； they'd better laugh at him when he isn't observing；〃 said
Harry。
〃Do you think Ranald would really mind？〃 interposed Kate； addressing
Harry。 〃Do you think he will feel shy and awkward？ Perhaps we'd
better have him another evening。〃
〃No；〃 said Harry； decidedly； 〃he is coming； and he's coming on
Sunday evening。 He can't get off any other night； and besides； I'd
have to lie to him； and he has an unpleasant way of finding you out
when you are doing it； and once he does find out why he is not
asked for Sunday evening； then you may say good by to him for good
and all。〃
〃Oh； no fear of that；〃 said Maimie； confidently； 〃Ranald has good
sense； and I know he will come again。〃
〃Well；〃 cried Harry； 〃if you are not going to treat him as you
would treat De Lacy and that idiotic Sims； I won't bring him！〃 And
with that he flung out of the room。
But Harry changed his mind； for next Sunday evening as the young
ladies with De Lacy and his friend were about to sit down to supper
in their private parlor； Harry walked in with Ranald； and announced
in triumph： 〃The man from Glengarry！〃 Maimie looked at him in
dismay； and indeed she well might； for Ranald was dressed in his
most gorgeous shanty array； with red flannel shirt and silk
handkerchief； and trousers tucked into his boots。 Sims gazed at
him as if he were an apparition。 It was Kate who first broke the
silence。
〃We are delighted to see you；〃 she cried； going forward to Ranald
with hands outstretched； 〃you are become quite a hero in this
town。〃
〃Quite； I assure you；〃 said the lieutenant； in a languid voice； but
shaking Ranald heartily by the hand。
Then Maimie came forward and greeted him with ceremonious politeness
and introduced him to Mr。 Sims； who continued to gaze at the
shantyman's attire with amused astonishment。
The supper was not a success； Ranald sat silent and solemn； eating
little and smiling not at all； although Mr。 Sims executed his very
best jokes。 Maimie was nervous and visibly distressed； and at the
earliest possible moment broke up the supper party and engaged in
conversation with the lieutenant and his witty friend； leaving
Harry and Kate to entertain Ranald。 But in spite of all they could
do a solemn silence would now and then overtake the company； till
at length Maimie grew desperate； and turning to Ranald； said：
〃What are you thinking of？ You are looking very serious？〃
〃He is 'thinking of home and mother；'〃 quoted Mr。 Sims； in a thin；
piping voice； following his quotation with a silly giggle。
Kate flushed indignantly。 〃I am quite sure his thoughts will bear
telling；〃 she said。
〃I am sure they would；〃 said Maimie； not knowing what to say。
〃What were they； RanMr。 Macdonald？〃
〃I was thinking of you；〃 said Ranald； gravely； looking straight at
her。
〃How lovely；〃 murmured the lieutenant。
〃And of your aunt； Mrs。 Murray； and of what they would be doing
this night〃
〃And what would that be？〃 said Kate； coming to the relief of her
friend。 But Ranald was silent。
〃I know；〃 cried Harry。 〃Let's see； it is ten o'clock； they will
all be sitting in the manse dining…room before the big fire； or；
no； they will be in the parlor where the piano is； and John 'Aleck'
will be there； and they will be singing〃； and he went on to
describe his last Sabbath evening； two years before； in the
Glengarry manse。 As he began to picture his aunt and her work；
his enthusiasm carried him away； and made him eloquent。
〃I tell you；〃 he concluded； 〃she's a rare woman； and she has a
hundred men there ready to die for her； eh； Ranald？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Ranald； and his deep voice vibrated with intense
feeling。 〃They would just die for her； and why not？ She is a
great woman and a good。〃 His dark face was transformed； and his
eyes glowed with an inner light。
In the silence that followed Kate went to the harmonium and began
to play softly。 Ranald stood up as to go； but suddenly changed his
mind； and went over and stood beside her。
〃You sing； don't you？〃 said Kate； as she played softly。
〃You ought to just hear him；〃 said Harry。
〃Oh； what does he sing？〃
〃I only sing the psalm tunes in church；〃 said Ranald； 〃and a few
hymns。〃
〃Ye gods！〃 ejaculated the lieutenant to Maimie； 〃psalms and hymns；
and how the fellow knocked those Frenchmen about！〃
〃Sing something； Kate； won't you？〃 said Maimie； and Kate； without a
word began the beautiful air from Mendelssohn's St。 Paul：
〃But the Lord is mindful of His own；〃
singing it with a power of expression marvellous in so young a
girl。 Then； without further request； she glided into the lovely
aria； 〃O Rest in the Lord。〃 It was all new and wonderful to
Ranald。 He did not dream that such majesty and sweetness could be
expressed in music。 He sat silent with eyes looking far away； and
face alight with the joy that filled his soul。
〃Oh； thanks；