the man from glengarry-第58章

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The　lieutenant　sprang　to　his　feet。

〃Hold！〃　he　cried；　〃you　forget；　there　is　something　else！〃

〃No；〃　said　Ranald；　as　Harry　and　Mr。　Sims　put　themselves　in　De
Lacy's　way；　〃there　is　nothing　else　to…night；　another　day；　and　any
day　you　wish；　you　can　have　the　other　game；〃　and　with　that　he　passed
out　of　the　room。



CHAPTER　XX

HER　CLINGING　ARMS


The　ancient　capital　of　Canadathe　old　gray　queen　of　the　mighty　St。
Lawrenceis　a　city　of　many　charms　and　of　much　stately　beauty。　　Its
narrow；　climbing　streets；　with　their　quaint　shops　and　curious
gables；　its　old　market；　with　chaffering　habitant　farmers　and　their
wives；　are　full　of　living　interest。　　Its　noble　rock；　crowned　with
the　ancient　citadel；　and　its　sweeping　tidal　river；　lend　it　a　dignity
and　majestic　beauty　that　no　other　city　knows；　and　everywhere　about
its　citadel　and　walls；　and　venerable；　sacred　buildings；　there　still
linger　the　romance　and　chivalry　of　heroic　days　long　gone。　　But　there
are　times　when　neither　the　interests　of　the　living　present　nor　the
charms　of　the　romantic　past　can　avail；　and　so　a　shadow　lay　upon
Maimie's　beautiful　face　as　she　sat　in　the　parlor　of　the　Hotel　de
Cheval　Blanc；　looking　out　upon　the　mighty　streets　and　the　huddled
roofs　of　the　lower　town。　　She　held　in　her　hand　an　open　note。

〃It　is　just　awfully　stupid；〃　she　grumbled；　〃and　I　think　pretty　mean
of　him！〃

〃Of　whom；　may　I　ask？〃　said　Kate；　pausing　in　her　singing；　〃or　is
there　any　need？　　What　says　the　gallant　lieutenant？〃

Maimie　tossed　her　the　note。

〃The　picnic　is　postponed。　　Well；　of　course　the　rain　told　us　that；
and　he　is　unavoidably　prevented　from　calling；　and　entreats　your
sympathy　and　commiseration。　　Well；　that's　a　very　nice　note；　I　am
sure。〃

〃Where　has　he　been　these　three　days！　　He　might　have　known　it　would
be　stupid；　and　Harry　gives　one　no　satisfaction。〃　　Maimie　was
undeniably　cross。　　〃And　Ranald；　too；〃　she　went　on；　〃where　has　he
been？　　Not　even　your　music　could　bring　him！〃　with　a　little　spice　of
spite。　　〃I　think　men　are　just　horrid；　anyway。〃

〃Especially　when　they　will　keep　away；〃　said　Kate。

〃Well；　what　are　they　good　for　if　not　to　entertain　us？　　I　wish　we
could　do　without　them！　　But　I　do　think　Ranald　might　have　come。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Kate；　emphatically；　〃I　can't　see　why　you　should　expect
him。〃

〃Why　not？〃

〃I　think　you　ought　to　know。〃

〃I；　how　should　I　know？〃　　Maimie's　innocent　blue　eyes　were　wide　open
with　surprise。

〃Nonsense；〃　cried　Kate；　with　impatience　rare　in　her；　〃don't　be
absurd；　Maimie；　I　am　not　a　child。〃

〃What　do　YOU　mean？〃

〃You　needn't　tell　me　you　don't　know　why　Ranald　comes。　　Do　you　want
him　to　come？〃

〃Why；　of　course　I　do；　how　silly　you　are。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Kate；　deliberately；　〃I　would　rather　be　silly　than
cruel　and　unkind。〃

〃Why；　Kate；　how　dreadful　of　you！〃　exclaimed　Maimie；　〃'cruel　and
unkind！'〃

〃Yes。〃　said　Kate；　〃you　are　not　treating　Ranald　well。　　You　should
not　encourage　him　totocare　for　you　when　you　do　not　mean　to
togo　on　with　it。〃

〃Oh；　what　nonsense；　Ranald　is　not　a　baby；　he　will　not　take　any
hurt。〃

〃Oh；　Maimie；〃　said　Kate；　and　her　voice　was　low　and　earnest；　〃Ranald
is　not　like　other　men。　　He　does　not　understand　things。　　He　loves
you　and　he　will　love　you　more　every　day　if　you　let　him。　　Why　don't
you　let　him　go？〃

〃Let　him　go！〃　cried　Maimie；　〃who's　keeping　him？〃　　But　as　she　spoke
the　flush　in　her　cheek　and　the　warm　light　in　her　eye　told　more
clearly　than　words　that　she　did　not　mean　to　let　him　go　just　then。

〃You　are；〃　said　Kate；　〃and　you　are　making　him　love　you。〃

〃Why；　how　silly　you　are；〃　cried　Maimie；　〃of　course　he　likes　me；
but〃

〃No；　Maimie；〃　said　Kate；　with　sad　earnestness；　〃he　loves　you；　you
can　see　it　in　the　way　he　looks　at　you；　in　his　voice　when　he　speaks
andoh；　you　shouldn't　let　him　unless　you　mean　totogo　on。　　Send
him　right　away！〃　　There　were　tears　in　Kate's　dark　eyes。

〃Why；　Katie；〃　cried　Maimie；　looking　at　her　curiously；　〃what
difference　does　it　make　to　you？　　And　besides；　how　can　I　send　him
away？　　I　just　treat　him　as　I　do　Mr。　De　Lacy。〃

〃De　Lacy！〃　cried　Kate；　indignantly。　　〃De　Lacy　can　look　after
himself；　but　Ranald　is　different。　　He　is　so　serious　andand　so
honest；　and　he　means　just　what　he　says；　and　you　are　so　nice　to　him；
and　you　look　at　him　in　such　a　way！〃

〃Why；　Kate；　do　you　mean　that　I　try　to〃　Maimie　was　righteously
indignant。

〃You　perhaps　don't　know；〃　continued　Kate；　〃but　you　can't　help　being
fascinating　to　men；　you　know　you　are；　and　Ranald　believes　you　so；
andand　you　ought　to　be　quite　straightforward　with　him！〃　　Poor
Kate　could　no　longer　command　her　voice。

〃There；　now；〃　said　Maimie；　caressing　her　friend；　not　unpleased　with
Kate's　description　of　her；　〃I'm　going　to　be　good。　　I　will　just　be
horrid　to　both　of　them；　and　they'll　go　away！　　But；　oh；　dear；　things
are　all　wrong！　　Poor　Ranald；〃　she　said　to　herself；　〃I　wonder　if　he
will　come　to　the　picnic　on　Saturday？〃

Kate　looked　at　her　friend　a　moment　and　wiped　away　her　tears。

〃Indeed　I　hope　he　will　not；〃　she　said；　indignantly；　〃for　I　know　you
mean　to　just　lead　him　on。　　I　have　a　mind　to　tell　him。〃

〃Tell　him　what？〃　said　Maimie；　smiling。

〃Just　what　you　mean　to　do。〃

〃I　wish　you　would　tell　me　that。〃

〃Now　I　tell　you；　Maimie；〃　said　Kate；　〃if　you　go　on　with　Ranald　so
any　longer　I　will　just　tell　him　you　are　playing　with　him。〃

〃Do；〃　said　Maimie；　scornfully；　〃and　be　careful　to　make　clear　to　him
at　the　same　time　that　you　are　speaking　solely　in　his　interest！〃

Kate's　face　flushed　red　at　the　insinuation；　and　then　grew　pale。
She　stood　for　some　time　looking　in　silence　at　her　friend；　and　then
with　a　proud　flash　of　her　dark　eyes；　she　swept　from　the　room
without　a　word；　nor　did　Maimie　see　her　again　that　afternoon；　though
she　stood　outside　her　door　entreating　with　tears　to　be　forgiven。
Poor　Kate！　　Maimie's　shaft　had　gone　too　near　a　vital　spot；　and　the
wound　amazed　and　terrified　her。　　Was　it　for　Ranald's　sake　alone　she
cared？　　Yes；　surely　it　was。　　Then　why　this　sharp　new　pain　under　the
hand　pressing　hard　upon　her　heart？

Oh；　what　did　that　mean？　　She　put　her　face　in　her　pillow　to　hide　the
red　that　she　knew　was　flaming　in　her　cheeks；　and　for　a　few　moments
gave　herself　up　to　the　joy　that　was　flooding　her　whole　heart　and
soul　and　all　her　tingling　veins。　　Oh；　how　happy　she　was。　　For　long
she　had　heard　of　the　Glengarry　lad　from　Maimie　and　more　from　Harry
till　there　had　grown　up　in　her　heart　a　warm；　admiring　interest。
And　now　she　had　come　to　know　him　for　herself！　　How　little　after　all
had　they　told　her　of　him。　　What　a　man　he　was！　　How　strong　and　how
fearless！　　How　true…hearted　and　how　his　eyes　could　fill　with　love！
She　started　up。　　Love？　　Love？　　Ah；　where　was　her　joy！　　How　chill
the　day　had　grown　and　how　hateful　the　sunlight　on　the　river。　　She
drew　down　the　blind　and　threw　herself　once　more　upon　the　bed；
shivering　and　sick　with　painthe　bitterest　that　heart　can　know。
Once　more　she　started　up。

〃She　is　not　worthy　of　him！〃　she　exclaimed；　aloud；　〃her　heart　is　not
deep　enough；　she　does　not；　cannot　love　him；　and　oh；　if　some　one
would　only　let　him　know！〃

She　would　tell　him　herself。　　No！　　No！　　Maimie's　sharp　arrow　was
quivering　still　in　her　heart。　　Once　more　she　threw　herself　upon　the
bed。　　How　could　she　bear　this　that　had　stricken　her？　　She　would　go
home。　　She　would　go　to　her　mother　to…morrow。　　Go　away　forever　from
ahcould　she？　　No；　anything　but　that！　　She　could　not　go　away。

Over　the　broad　river　the　warm　sunlight　lay　with　kindly　glow；　and
the　world　was　full　of　the　soft；　sweet　air　of　spring；　and　the　songs
of　mating　birds；　but　the　hours　passed；　and　over　the　river　the
shadows　began　to　creep；　and　the　whole　world　grew　dark；　and　the
songs　of　the　birds　were　hushed　to　silence。　　Then；　from　her　room；
Kate　came　down　with　face　serene；　and　but　for　the　eyes　that　somehow
made　one　think　of　tears；　without　a　sign　of　the　storm　that　had　swept
her　soul。　　She　did　not　go　home。　　She　was　too　brave　for　that。　　She
would　stay　and　fight　her　battle　to　the　end。

That　was　a　dreary　week　for　Ranald。　　He　was　lonely　and　heartsick　for
the　woods　and　for　his　home　and　friends；　but　chiefly　was　he　oppressed
with　the　sense　of　having　played　the　fool　in　his　quarrel　with　De
Lacy；　whom　he　was　beginning　to