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there aint no use goin on like this。 All I say is； ther's a purty
big hole in the world for us to…night。 Boss says you'd better tell
the minister。 He says he's good stuff and he'll know what to do at
Mack's home。 No more at present。 Good…bye。 Yours truely；
J。 LATHAM。
The minister's wife began reading the letter； wondering not a
little at Ranald's manner； but when she came to the words； 〃Mack
Cameron got drownded；〃 she laid the letter down with a little cry。
Her husband came quickly to her； took up the letter； and read it to
the end。
〃I will go at once；〃 he said； and rang the bell。 〃Tell Lambert to
put Black in the buggy immediately； Jessie；〃 he said； when the maid
appeared。 〃Do you think you ought to go； my dear？〃
〃Yes； yes； I shall be ready in a moment； but； oh； what can we do or
say？〃
〃Perhaps you had better not go。 It will be very trying；〃 said the
minister。
〃Oh； yes； I must go。 I must。 The poor mother！〃 Then she turned
to Ranald as the minister left the room。 〃You are going home；
Ranald； I suppose；〃 she said。
〃No； I was thinking I would go to tell the people。 Donald Ross
will go； and the Campbells； and Farquhar McNaughton's light wagon
would be bestfor thefor Mack。 And then I will go round by the
McGregors。〃
Ranald had been thinking things out and making his plans。
〃But that will be a long round for you；〃 said Mrs。 Murray。 〃Could
not we go by the Campbells'； and they will send word to Donald
Ross？〃
〃I think it would be better for me to go； to make sure of the
teams。〃
〃Very well； then。 Good by； Ranald；〃 said the minister's wife；
holding out her hand to him。
But still Ranald lingered。 〃It will be hard on Bella Peter；〃 he
said； in a low voice； looking out of the window。
〃Bella Peter？ Bella McGregor？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Ranald； embarrassed and hesitating。 〃She was Mack's
Mack was very fond of her； whatever。〃
〃Oh； Ranald！〃 she cried； 〃do you say so？ Are you sure of that？〃
〃Yes； I am sure；〃 said Ranald； simply。 〃The boys in the shanty
would be teasing Mack about it； and one day Mack told me something；
and I know quite well。〃
〃I will go to her；〃 said Mrs。 Murray。
〃That will be very good；〃 said Ranald； much relieved。 〃And I will
be going with you that way。〃
As Mrs。 Murray left the room； Maimie came around to where Ranald
was standing and said to him； gently； 〃You knew him well； didn't
you？〃
〃Yes；〃 replied Ranald； in an indifferent tone； as if unwilling to
talk with her about it。
〃And you were very fond of him？〃 went on Maimie。
Ranald caught the tremor in her voice and looked at her。 〃Yes；〃 he
said； with an effort。 〃He was good to me in the camp。 Many's the
time he made it easy for me。 He was next to Macdonald Bhain with
the ax； and； man； he was the grand fighterthat is；〃 he added；
adopting the phrase of the Macdonald gang； 〃when it was a plain
necessity。〃 Then； forgetting himself； he began to tell Maimie how
Big Mack had borne himself in the great fight a few weeks before。
But he had hardly well begun when suddenly he stopped with a groan。
〃But now he is deadhe is dead。 I will never see him no more。〃
He was realizing for the first time his loss。 Maimie came nearer
him； and laying her hand timidly on his arm； said； 〃I am sorry；
Ranald〃； and Ranald turned once more and looked at her； as if
surprised that she should show such feeling。
〃Yes；〃 he said； 〃I believe you are sorry。〃
Her big blue eyes filled suddenly with tears。
〃Do you wonder that I am sorry？ Do you think I have no heart at
all？〃 she burst forth； impetuously。
〃Indeed； I don't know；〃 said Ranald。 〃Why should you care？ You do
not know him。〃
〃But haven't you just told me how splendid he was； and how good he
was to you； and how much you thought of him； and〃 Maimie checked
her rush of words with a sudden blush； and then hurried on to say；
〃Besides； think of his mother； and all of them。〃
While Maimie was speaking； Ranald had been scanning her face as if
trying to make up his mind about her。
〃I am glad you are sorry；〃 he said； slowly； gazing with so searching
a look into her eyes that she let them fall。
At this moment Mrs。 Murray entered ready for her ride。
〃Is the pony come？〃 she asked。
〃Indeed； it is the slouch I am；〃 said Ranald； and he hurried off to
the stable； returning in a very short time with the pony saddled。
〃You would not care to go with your uncle； Maimie？〃 said Mrs。
Murray； as Lambert drove up Black in the buggy。
〃No； auntie； I think not；〃 said Maimie。 〃I will take care of
Hughie and the baby。〃
〃Good by； then； my dear；〃 said Mrs。 Murray； kissing her。
〃Good by； Ranald；〃 said Maimie； as he turned away to get his colt。
〃Good by；〃 he said； awkwardly。 He felt like lifting his cap； but
hesitated to do anything so extremely unnatural。 With the boys in
that country such an act of courtesy was regarded as a sign of
〃pride；〃 if not of weakness。
Their way lay along the concession line for a mile； and then
through the woods by the bridle…path to Peter McGregor's clearing。
The green grass ran everywherealong the roadside； round the great
stump roots； over the rough pasture…fields； softening and smoothing
wherever it went。 The woods were flushing purple； with just a
tinge of green from the bursting buds。 The balsams and spruces
still stood dark in the swamps； but the tamaracks were shyly
decking themselves in their exquisite robes of spring； and through
all the bush the air was filled with soft sounds and scents。 In
earth and air； in field and forest； life； the new spring life； ran
riot。 How strangely impertinent death appeared； and how unlovely
in such a world of life！
As they left the concession road and were about to strike into
the woods； Mrs。 Murray checked her pony； and looking upon the
loveliness about her； said； softly； 〃How beautiful it all is！〃
There was no response from Ranald； and Mrs。 Murray； glancing at his
gloomy face； knew that his heart was sore at the thought of the
pain they were bearing with them。 She hesitated a few moments； and
then said； gently： 〃And I saw a new heaven and a new earth。 And
there shall be no more death。〃
But still Ranald made no reply； and they rode on through the bush
in silence till they came to the clearing beyond。 As they entered
the brule； Ranald checked his colt； and holding up his hand； said；
〃Listen！〃
Through the quiet evening air； sweet and clear as a silver bell；
came the long； musical note of the call that brings the cows home
for the milking。 It was Bella's voice： 〃Koboss； koboss；
koboss！〃
Far across the brule they could see her standing on a big pine
stump near the bars； calling to her cows that were slowly making
toward her through the fallen timber； pausing here and there to
crop an especially rich mouthful； and now and then responding to
her call with soft lowings。 Gently Bella chid them。 〃Come；
Blossom； come away now； you are very lazy。 Come； Lily； what are
you waiting for？ You slow old poke！〃 Then again the long； musical
note： 〃Koboss； koboss； koboss！〃
Ranald groaned aloud； 〃Och…hone！ It will be her last glad hour；〃
he said； 〃it is a hard； hard thing。〃
〃Poor child； poor child！〃 said Mrs。 Murray； 〃the Lord help her。 It
will be a cruel blow。〃
〃That it is； a cruel blow；〃 said Ranald； bitterly； so bitterly that
Mrs。 Murray glanced at him in surprise and saw his face set in
angry pain。
〃The Lord knows best； Ranald；〃 she said； gravely； 〃and loves best；
too。〃
〃It will break her heart； whatever；〃 answered Ranald； shortly。
〃He healeth the broken in heart；〃 said Mrs。 Murray； softly。 Ranald
made no reply； but let the colt take her way through the brule
toward the lane into which Bella had now got her cows。 How happy
the girl was！ Joy filled every tone of her voice。 And why not？
It was the springtime； the time of life and love。 Long winter was
gone； and soon her brothers would be back from the shanties。 〃And
Mack； too；〃 she whispered to her happy heart。
〃And are ye sure the news is true？
And are ye sure he's weel？
Is this a time to think o' wark？
Ye jades； fling by your wheel。
〃For there's nae luck aboot the hoose；
There's nae luck ava；
There's little pleesure in the hoose
When oor gude man's awa。〃
So she sang； not too loud； for the boys were at the barn and she
would never hear the end of it。
〃Well； Bella； you are getting your cows home。 How are you； my
dear？〃
Bella turned with a scarlet face to meet the minister's wife； and
her blushes only became deeper when she saw Ranald； for she felt
quite certain that Ranald would understand the meaning of her song。
〃I will go on with the cows；〃 said Ranald； in a hoarse voice； and
Mrs。 Murray； alighting； gave him her pony to lead。
Peter McGregor was a stern man to his own family； and to all the
world； with the single exception of his only daughter； Bella。 His
six boys he kept in order with a firm hand； and not one of them
would venture to take a liberty with him。 But Bella had no fear of
his grim face and stern ways； and 〃just twiddled her father round
her finger；〃 as her mother said； with a great show of impatience。