the man from glengarry-第31章

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will　be　thinking　of　a　fery　joyful　thing；　and　that　is　that　'He　came
to　call；　not　the　righteous；　but　sinners；'　and　that　in　His　day　many
sinners　came　about　Him　and　not　one　would　He　turn　away。　　And　I　will
be　remembering　a　fery　great　sinner　who　cried　out　in　his　dying　hour；
'Lord；　remember　me；'　and　not　in　vain。　　And　I'm　thinking　that　the
Lord　will　be　making　it　easy　for　men　to　be　saved；　and　not　hard；　for
He　was　that　anxious　about　it　that　He　gave　up　His　own　life。　　But　it
is　not　given　me　to　argue；　only　to　tell　you　what　I　know　about　the
lad　who　is　lying　yonder　silent。　　It　will　be　three　years　since　he
will　be　coming　on　the　shanties　with　me；　and　from　the　day　that　he
left　his　mother's　door；　till　he　came　back　again；　never　once　did　he
fail　me　in　his　duty　in　the　camp；　or　on　the　river；　or　in　the　town；
where　it　was　fery　easy　to　be　forgetting。　　And　the　boys　would　be
telling　me　of　the　times　that　he　would　be　keeping　them　out　of　those
places。　　And　it　is　not　soon　that　Dannie　Ross　will　be　forgetting　who
it　was　that　took　him　back　from　the　camp　when　the　disease　was　upon
him　and　all　were　afraid　to　go　near　him；　and　for　seex　weeks；　by　day
and　by　night；　watched　by　him　and　was　not　thinking　of　himself　at
all。　　And　sure　am　I　that　the　lessons　he　would　be　hearing　from　his
mother　and　in　the　Bible　class　and　in　the　church　were　not　lost　on
him　whatever。　　For　on　the　river；　when　the　water　was　quiet　and　I
would　be　lying　in　the　tent　reading；　it　is　often　that　Mack　Cameron
would　come　in　and　listen　to　the　Word。　　Aye；　he　was　a　good　lad〃the
great　voice　shook　a　little〃he　would　not　be　thinking　of　himself；
and　at　the　last；　it　was　for　another　man　he　gave　his　life。〃

Macdonald　stood　for　a　few　moments　silent；　his　face　working　while　he
struggled　with　himself。　　And　then　all　at　once　he　grew　calm；　and
throwing　back　his　head；　he　looked　through　the　door；　and　pointing
into　the　darkness；　said：　　〃And　yonder　is　the　lad；　and　with　him　a
great　company；　and　his　face　is　smiling；　and；　oh！　it　is　a　good　land；
a　good　land！〃　　His　voice　dropped　to　a　whisper；　and　he　sank　into　his
seat。

〃God　preserve　us！〃　Kenny　Crubach　ejaculated；　but　old　Donald　Ross
rose　and　said；　〃Let　us　call　upon　the　name　of　the　Lord。〃　　From　his
prayer　it　was　quite　evident　that　for　him　at　least　all　doubts　and
fears　as　to　poor　Mack's　state　were　removed。　　And　even　Peter　McRae；
subdued　not　so　much　by　any　argument　of　Macdonald　Bhain's　as　by　his
rapt　vision；　followed　old　Donald's　prayer　with　broken　words　of　hope
and　thanksgiving；　and　it　was　Peter　who　was　early　at　the　manse　next
morning　to　repeat　to　the　minister　the　things　he　had　seen　and　heard
the　night　before。　　And　all　next　day；　where　there　had　been　the
horror　of　unnamable　fear；　hope　and　peace　prevailed。

The　service　was　held　under　the　trees；　and　while　the　mother　and
Bella　Peter　sat　softly　weeping；　there　was　no　bitterness　in　their
tears；　for　the　sermon　breathed　of　the　immortal　hope；　and　the　hearts
of　all　were　comforted。　　There　was　no　parade　of　grief；　but　after　the
sermon　was　over　the　people　filed　quietly　through　the　room　to　take
the　last　look；　and　then　the　family；　with　Bella　and　her　father；　were
left　alone　a　few　moments　with　their　dead；　while　the　Macdonald　men
kept　guard　at　the　door　till　the　time　for　〃the　lifting〃　would　come。

After　Long　John　passed　out；　followed　by　the　family；　Macdonald　Bhain
entered　the　room；　closed　the　lid　down　upon　the　dead　face；　and　gave
the　command　to　bear　him　forth。

So；　with　solemn　dignity；　as　befitted　them；　they　carried　Big　Mack
from　his　home　to　Farquhar　McNaughton's　light　wagon。　　Along　the
concession　road；　past　the　new　church；　through　the　swamp；　and　on　to
the　old　churchyard　the　long　procession　slowly　moved。　　There　was　no
unseemly　haste；　and　by　the　time　the　last　words　were　spoken；　and　the
mound　decently　rounded；　the　long　shadows　from　the　woods　lay　far
across　the　fields。　　Quietly　the　people　went　their　ways　homeward；
back　to　their　life　and　work；　but　for　many　days　they　carried　with
them　the　memory　of　those　funeral　scenes。　　And　Ranald；　though　he
came　back　from　Big　Mack's　grave　troubled　with　questions　that
refused　to　be　answered；　still　carried　with　him　a　heart　healed　of
the　pain　that　had　torn　it　these　last　days。　　He　believed　it　was　well
with　his　friend；　but　about　many　things　he　was　sorely　perplexed；　and
it　was　this　that　brought　him　again　to　the　minister's　wife。



CHAPTER　XII

SEED…TIME


The　day　after　Big　Mack's　funeral；　Ranald　was　busy　polishing
Lizette's　glossy　skin；　before　the　stable　door。　　This　was　his
favorite　remedy　for　gloomy　thoughts；　and　Ranald　was　full　of　gloomy
thoughts　to…day。　　His　father；　though　going　about　the　house；　was
still　weak；　and　worse　than　all；　was　fretting　in　his　weakness。　　He
was　oppressed　with　the　terrible　fear　that　he　would　never　again　be
able　to　do　a　man's　work；　and　Ranald　knew　from　the　dark　look　in　his
father's　face　that　day　and　night　the　desire　for　vengeance　was
gnawing　at　his　heart；　and　Ranald　also　knew　something　of　the
bitterness　of　this　desire　from　the　fierce　longing　that　lay　deep　in
his　own。　　Some　day；　when　his　fingers　would　be　feeling　for　LeNoir's
throat；　he　would　drink　long　and　fully　that　sweet　draught　of
vengeance。　　He　knew；　too；　that　it　added　to　the　bitterness　in　his
father's　heart　to　know　that；　in　the　spring's　work　that　every　warm
day　was　bringing　nearer；　he　could　take　no　part；　and　that　was　partly
the　cause　of　Ranald's　gloom。　　With　the　slow…moving　oxen；　he　could
hardly　hope　to　get　the　seed　in　in　time；　and　they　needed　the　crop
this　year　if　ever　they　did；　for　last　year's　interest　on　the
mortgage　was　still　unpaid　and　the　next　installment　was　nearly　due。

As　he　was　putting　the　finishing　touches　upon　Lisette's　satin　skin；
Yankee　drove　up　to　the　yard　with　his　Fox　horse　and　buckboard。　　His
box　was　strapped　on　behind；　and　his　blankets；　rolled　up　in　a
bundle；　filled　the　seat　beside　him。

〃Mornin'；〃　he　called　to　Ranald。　　〃Purty　fine　shine；　that；　and　purty
fine　mare；　all　round；〃　he　continued；　walking　about　Lisette　and
noting　admiringly　her　beautiful　proportions。

〃Purty　fine　beast；〃　he　said；　in　a　low　tone；　running　his　hands　down
her　legs。　　〃Guess　you　wouldn't　care　to　part　with　that　mare？〃

〃No；〃　said　Ranald；　shortly；　but　as　he　spoke　his　heart　sank　within
him。

〃Ought　to　fetch　a　fairly　good　figure；〃　continued　Yankee；
meditatively。　　〃Le's　see。　　She's　from　La　Roque's　Lisette；　ain't
she？　　Ought　to　have　some　speed。〃　　He　untied　Lisette's　halter。
〃Take　her　down　in　the　yard　yonder；〃　he　said　to　Ranald。

Ranald　threw　the　halter　over　Lisette's　neck；　sprang　on　her　back；
and　sent　her　down　the　lane　at　a　good　smart　pace。　　At　the　bottom　of
the　lane　he　wheeled　her；　and　riding　low　upon　her　neck；　came　back　to
the　barn　like　a　whirlwind。

〃By　jings！〃　exclaimed　Yankee；　surprised　out　of　his　lazy　drawl；
〃she's　got　it；　you　bet　your　last　brick。　　See　here；　boy；　there's
money　into　that　animal。　　Thought　I　would　like　to　have　her　for　my
buckboard；　but　I　have　got　an　onfortunit　conscience　that　won't　let
me　do　up　any　partner；　so　I　guess　I　can't　make　any　offer。〃

Ranald　stood　beside　Lisette；　his　arm　thrown　over　her　beautiful
neck；　and　his　hand　fondling　her　gently　about　the　ears。　　〃I　will　not
sell　her。〃　　His　voice　was　low　and　fierce；　and　all　the　more　so
because　he　knew　that　was　just　what　he　would　do；　and　his　heart　was
sick　with　the　pain　of　the　thought。

〃I　say；〃　said　Yankee；　suddenly；　〃cudn't　bunk　me　in　your　loft；　cud
you！　　Can't　stand　the　town。　　Too　close。〃

The　confining　limitations　of　the　Twentieth；　that　metropolitan
center　of　some　dozen　buildings；　including　the　sawmill　and
blacksmith　shop；　were　too　trying　for　Yankee's　nervous　system。

〃Yes；　indeed；〃　said　Ranald；　heartily。　　〃We　will　be　very　glad　to
have　you；　and　it　will　be　the　very　best　thing　for　father。〃

〃S'pose　old　Fox　cud　nibble　round　the　brule；〃　continued　Yankee；
nodding　his　head　toward　his　sorrel　horse。　　〃Don't　think　I　will　do
much　drivin'　machine　business。　　Rather　slow。〃　　Yankee　spent　the
summer　months　selling　sewing…machines　and　new　patent　churns。

〃There's　plenty　of　pasture；〃　said　Ranald；　〃and　Fox　will　soon　make
friends　with　Lisette。　　She　is　very　kind；　whatever。〃

〃Ain't　ever　hitched　her；　have　you？〃　said　Yankee。

〃No。〃

〃Well；　might　hitch　her　up　some　day。　　Guess