the man from glengarry-第24章

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took　his　psalm…book　from　the　window…sill；　and　striking　up　with　the
congregation；　〃Blest　is　the　man　whose　strength　thou　art；〃　marched
up　to　the　pulpit　again；　with　only　an　added　flash　in　his　blue　eyes
and　a　little　more　triumphant　swing　to　his　coat…tails　to　indicate
that　anything　had　taken　place。　　But　Murdie　looked　in　vain　for
Ranald　to　appear；　and　waited；　uncertain　what　to　do。　　He　had　a
wholesome　fear　of　the　minister；　more　especially　in　his　present
mood。　　Instinctively　he　turned　toward　the　minister's　pew；　and
reading　the　look　of　anxious　entreaty　from　the　pale　face　there；　he
waited　till　the　congregation　rose　for　prayer　and　then　slipped　out；
and　was　seen　no　more　in　church　that　day。

On　the　way　home　not　a　word　was　said　about　the　disturbance。　　But
after　the　evening　worship；　when　the　minister　had　gone　to　his　study
for　a　smoke；　Hughie；　who　had　heard　the　whole　story　from　Don；　told
it　to　his　mother　and　Maimie　in　his　most　graphic　manner。

〃It　was　not　Ranald's　fault；　mother；〃　he　declared。　　〃You　know　Peter
would　not　let　him　alone；　and　Ranald　hit　him　in　the　nose；　and　served
him　right；　too。　　But　they　made　it　all　up；　and　they　were　just　going
into　the　church　again；　when　that　Aleck　McRae　pulled　Ranald　back；
and　Ranald　did　not　want　to　fight　at　all；　but　he　called　Ranald　a
liar；　and　he　could　not　help　it；　but　just　hit　him。〃

〃Who　hit　who？〃　said　Maimie。　　〃You're　not　making　it　very　clear；
Hughie。〃

〃Why；　Ranald；　of　course；　hit　Aleck；　and　knocked　him　over；　too；〃
said　Hughie；　with　much　satisfaction；　〃and　then　Aleckhe　is　an
awful　fighter；　you　knowjumped　on　Ranald　and　was　pounding　him　just
awful；　the　great　big　brute；　when　out　came　papa。　　He　stepped　up　and
caught　Aleck　by　the　neck　and　shook　him　just　like　a　baby；　saying；
all　the　time；　'Would　ye？　　I　will　teach　you　to　fight　on　the　Sabbath
day！　　Here！　in　with　you；　every　one　of　you！'　and　he　threw　him　nearly
into　the　door；　and　then　they　all　skedaddled　into　the　church；　I　tell
you；　Don　said。　　They　were　pretty　badly　scart；　too；　but　Don　did　not
know　what　papa　did　to　Ranald；　and　he　did　not　know　where　Ranald
went；　but　he　is　pretty　badly　hurted；　I　am　sure。　　That　great　big
Aleck　McRae　is　old　enough　to　be　his　father。　　Wasn't　it　mean　of　him；
mother？〃

Poor　Hughie　was　almost　in　tears；　and　his　mother；　who　sat　listening
too　eagerly　to　correct　her　little　boy's　ethics　or　grammar；　was　as
nearly　overcome　as　he。　　She　wished　she　knew　where　Ranald　was。　　He
had　not　appeared　at　the　evening　Bible　class；　and　Murdie　had
reported　that　he　could　not　find　him　anywhere。

She　put　Hughie　to　bed；　and　then　saw　Maimie　to　her　room。　　But　Maimie
was　very　unwilling　to　go　to　bed。

〃Oh；　auntie；〃　she　whispered；　as　her　aunt　kissed　her　good　night；　〃I
cannot　go　to　sleep！〃　　And　then；　after　a　pause；　she　said；　shyly；　〃Do
you　think　he　is　badly　hurt？〃

Then　the　minister's　wife；　looking　keenly　into　the　girl's　face；　made
light　of　Ranald's　misfortune。

〃Oh；　he　will　be　all　right；〃　she　said；　〃as　far　as　his　hurt　is
concerned。　　That　is　the　least　part　of　his　trouble。　　You　need　not
worry　about　that。　　Good　night；　my　dear。〃　　And　Maimie；　relieved　by
her　aunt's　tone；　said　〃good　night〃　with　her　heart　at　rest。

Then　Mrs。　Murray　went　into　the　study；　determined　to　find　out　what
had　passed　between　her　husband　and　Ranald。　　She　found　him　lying　on
his　couch；　luxuriating　in　the　satisfaction　of　a　good　day's　work
behind　him；　and　his　first　pipe　nearly　done。　　She　at　once　ventured
upon　the　thing　that　lay　heavy　upon　her　heart。　　She　began　by　telling
all　she　knew　of　the　trouble　from　its　beginning　in　the　church；　and
then　waited　for　her　husband's　story。

For　some　moments　he　lay　silently　smoking。

〃Ah；　well；〃　he　said；　at　length；　knocking　out　his　pipe；　〃perhaps　I
was　a　little　severe　with　the　lad。　　He　may　not　have　been　so　much　to
blame。〃

〃Oh；　papa！　　What　did　you　do？〃　said　his　wife；　in　an　anxious　voice。

〃Well；〃　said　the　minister；　hesitating；　〃I　found　that　the　young
rascal　had　struck　Aleck　McRae　first；　and　a　very　bad　blow　it　was。
So　I　administered　a　pretty　severe　rebuke　and　sent　him　home。〃

〃Oh；　what　a　shame！〃　cried　his　wife；　in　indignant　tears。　　〃It　was
far　more　the　fault　of　Peter　and　Aleck　and　the　rest。　　Poor　Ranald！〃

〃Now；　my　dear；〃　said　the　minister；　〃you　need　not　fear　for　Ranald。
I　do　not　suppose　he　cares　much。　　Besides；　his　face　was　not　fit　to
be　seen；　so　I　sent　him　home。　　Well；　it〃

〃Yes；〃　burst　in　his　wife；　〃great；　brutal　fellow；　to　strike　a　boy
like　that！〃

〃Boy？〃　said　her　husband。　　〃Well；　he　may　be；　but　not　many　men　would
dare　to　face　him。〃　　Then　he　added；　〃I　wish　I　had　knownI　fear　I
spokeperhaps　the　boy　may　feel　unjustly　treated。　　He　is　as　proud
as　Lucifer。〃

〃Oh；　papa！〃　said　his　wife；　〃what　did　you　say？〃

〃Nothing　but　what　was　true。　　I　just　told　him　that　a　boy　who　would
break　the　Lord's　Day　by　fighting；　and　in　the　very　shadow　of　the
Lord's　house；　when　Christian　people　were　worshiping　God；　was　acting
like　a　savage；　and　was　not　fit　for　the　company　of　decent　folk。〃

To　this　his　wife　made　no　reply；　but　went　out　of　the　study；　leaving
the　minister　feeling　very　uncomfortable　indeed。　　But　by　the　end　of
the　second　pipe　he　began　to　feel　that；　after　all；　Ranald　had　got　no
more　than　was　good　for　him；　and　that　he　would　be　none　the　worse　of
it；　in　which　comforting　conviction　he　went　to　rest；　and　soon　fell
into　the　sleep　which　is　supposed　to　be　the　right　of　the　just。

Not　so　his　wife。　　Wearied　though　she　was　with　the　long　day；　its
excitements　and　its　toils；　sleep　would　not　come。　　Anxious　thoughts
about　the　lad　she　had　come　to　love　as　if　he　were　her　own　son　or
brother　kept　crowding　in　upon　her。　　The　vision　of　his　fierce；　dark；
stormy　face　held　her　eyes　awake　and　at　length　drew　her　from　her
bed。　　She　went　into　the　study　and　fell　upon　her　knees。　　The　burden
had　grown　too　heavy　for　her　to　bear　alone。　　She　would　share　it　with
Him　who　knew　what　it　meant　to　bear　the　sorrows　and　the　sins　of
others。

As　she　rose；　she　heard　Fido　bark　and　whine　in　the　yard　below；　and
going　to　the　window；　she　saw　a　man　standing　at　the　back　door；　and
Fido　fawning　upon　him。　　Startled；　she　was　about　to　waken　her
husband；　when　the　man　turned　his　face　so　that　the　moonlight　fell
upon　it；　and　she　saw　Ranald。　　Hastily　she　threw　on　her　dressing…
gown；　put　on　her　warm　bedroom　slippers　and　cloak；　ran　down　to　the
door；　and　in　another　moment　was　standing　before　him；　holding　him　by
the　shoulders。

〃Ranald！〃　she　cried；　breathlessly；　〃what　is　it？〃

〃I　am　going　away；〃　he　said；　simply。　　〃And　I　was　just　passing　by
and〃　he　could　not　go　on。

〃Oh；　Ranald！〃　she　cried；；　〃I　am　glad　you　came　this　way。　　Now　tell
me　where　you　are　going。〃

The　boy　looked　at　her　as　if　she　had　started　a　new　idea　in　his　mind；
and　then　said；　〃I　do　not　know。〃

〃And　what　are　you　going　to　do；　Ranald？〃

〃Work。　　There　is　plenty　to　do。　　No　fear　of　that。〃

〃But　your　father；　Ranald？〃

The　boy　was　silent　for　a　little；　and　then　said；　〃He　will　soon　be
well；　and　he　will　not　be　needing　me；　and　he　said　I　could　go。〃　　His
voice　broke　with　the　remembrance　of　the　parting　with　his　father。

〃And　why　are　you　going；　Ranald？〃　she　said；　looking　into　his　eyes。

Again　the　boy　stood　silent。

〃Why　do　you　go　away　from　your　home　and　your　father；　andandall
of　us　who　love　you？〃

〃Indeed；　there　is　no　one；〃　he　replied；　bitterly；　〃and　I　am　not　for
decent　people。　　I　am　not　for　decent　people。　　I　know　that　well
enough。　　There　is　no　one　that　will　care　much。〃

〃No　one；　Ranald？〃　she　asked；　sadly。　　〃I　thought〃　she　paused；
looking　steadily　into　his　face。

Suddenly　the　boy　turned　to　her；　and　putting　out　both　his　hands；
burst　forth；　his　voice　coming　in　dry　sobs：　　〃Oh；　yes；　yes！　　I　do
believe　you。　　I　do　believe　you。　　And　that　is　why　I　came　this　way。
I　wanted　to　see　your　door　again　before　I　went。　　Oh；　I　will　never
forget　you！　　Never；　never；　and　I　am　glad　I　am　seeing　you；　for　now
you　will　knowhow　much〃　　The　boy　was　unable　to　proceed。　　His
sobs　were　shaking　his　whole　frame；　and　to　his　shy　Highland　Scotch
nature；　words　of　love　and　admiration　were　not　easy。　　〃You　will　not
be　sending　me　back　home　again？〃　he　pleaded；　anticipating　her。
〃Indeed；　I　cannot　stay　in　this　place　after　to…day。〃

But　the　minister's　wife　kept　her　eyes　steadily　upon　his　face
without　a　wor