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〃Yes！ Yes！〃 cried Ranald； eagerly； the glad light of battle coming
into his eyes。
〃Good；〃 said De Lacy； slowly putting back his chair； and proceeding
to remove his coat。
〃Glengarry！〃 cried LeNoir； raising the battle cry he had cause to
remember so well； and flinging off his coat upon the floor； he
patted Ranald on the back； yelling； 〃Go in； bully boy！〃
〃Shut the door； LeNoir；〃 said Ranald； quickly； 〃and keep it shut。〃
〃De Lacy；〃 cried Harry； 〃this must not go on！ Ranald； think what
you are doing！〃
〃You didn't notice his remark； apparently； St。 Clair；〃 said the
lieutenant； calmly。
〃Never mind；〃 cried Harry； 〃he was excited； and anyway the thing
must end here。〃
〃There is only one way。 Does he retract？〃 said De Lacy； quietly。
〃Ranald；〃 Harry cried； beseechingly； 〃you know he is no coward； you
did not mean that。〃
By this time Ranald had himself in hand。
〃No；〃 he said； regretfully； forcing himself to speak the truth。 〃I
know he is no coward； I have seen him where no coward would be；
but；〃 he added； 〃he struck a man unguarded； and that was a coward's
blow。〃
〃Macdonald；〃 said De Lacy deliberately； 〃you are right。 True； he
called me a cheat； but I should have given him time。 Still；〃 he
added； rolling up his sleeves； 〃I hope you will not deprive
yourself or me of the privilege of settling this little business。〃
〃I will be glad；〃 said Ranald； his eyes once more lighting up。
〃Very glad indeed； if you wish。〃
〃Nonsense；〃 cried Harry； passionately； 〃I tell you I will not have
it。 He has given you ample apology； De Lacy； and you； Ranald； I
thought a Macdonald never fought except for sufficient cause！〃
Harry remembered the fighting rule of the Macdonald gang。
〃That is true；〃 said Ranald； gravely； 〃but it was a cruel blow；〃
pointing to Rouleau； who； supported by LeNoir； was sitting on a
chair； his face badly cut and bleeding； 〃and that； too； after
taking from him the wages of six months in the bush！〃
〃I suppose you admit the game was fair；〃 said the lieutenant；
moving nearer to Ranald； the threat in his tone evident to all。
〃The game was fair；〃 said Ranald； facing De Lacy； 〃but I will say
the lad was no fair match for you！〃
〃He chose to risk his money； which you were not willing to do。〃
De Lacy felt that he was being put in an unpleasant light and was
determined to anger Ranald beyond control。 Ranald caught the
sneer。
〃If I did not play；〃 he cried； hotly； 〃it was for no fear of you
or any of you。 It was no man's game whatever；〃 he continued；
contemptuously。
〃Now； De Lacy；〃 cried Harry； again； 〃let this stop。 The man who
fights will first fight me！〃
〃Perhaps Mr。 Macdonald would show us how the game should be
played；〃 said Mr。 Sims； coming as near to a sneer as he dared。
〃It would not be hard to show you this game；〃 said Ranald； ignoring
Mr。 Sims； and looking the lieutenant in the eyes； 〃or perhaps the
other！〃
〃Good！〃 cried Harry； gladly seizing the opportunity of averting a
fight。 〃The game！ Take your places； gentlemen！〃
The lieutenant hesitated for a moment； as if uncertain what to do。
Then； with a slight laugh； he said； 〃Very well； one thing at a
time； the other can wait。〃
〃Come on！〃 cried Harry； 〃who goes in？ LeNoir； you？〃
LeNoir looked at Ranald。
〃What you say？〃
〃No；〃 said Ranald； shortly； 〃this is my game！〃 With that he turned
aside from the table and spoke a few words in a low tone to LeNoir；
who assisted Rouleau from the room； and after some minutes' absence；
returned with a little linen bag。 Ranald took the bag and began
to count out some money upon the table before him。
〃I will play to one hundred dollars；〃 he said。
The lieutenant and Mr。 Sims each laid the same amount before them
upon the table。
〃I have not so much on me；〃 said Harry； 〃but perhaps my I。 O。 U。
will do。〃
〃What shall we say；〃 said Mr。 Sims； 〃a dollar to play and five
dollars limit？〃
〃Say five and twenty…five；〃 said De Lacy； who was commanding
himself with a great effort。
〃Is that too high？〃 said Harry； looking toward Ranald。
〃No；〃 said Ranald； 〃the higher the better。〃
It was soon evident that Ranald knew the game。 He had learned it
during the long winter nights in the shanty from Yankee； who was a
master at it； and he played it warily and with iron nerve。 He
seemed to know as by instinct when to retreat and when to pursue；
and he played with the single purpose of bleeding the lieutenant
dry。 Often did he refuse to take toll of Harry or Mr。 Sims when
opportunity offered； but never once did he allow the lieutenant to
escape。
〃You flatter me；〃 said the lieutenant； sarcastically； as Ranald's
purpose became increasingly clear。
〃I will have from you all you have won；〃 replied Ranald； in a tone
of such settled resolve that it seemed as if nothing could prevent
the accomplishment of his purpose。 In vain the lieutenant sought
to brace his nerves with his brandy…and…sodas。 He played now
recklessly and again with over…caution； while Ranald； taking
advantage of every slip and every sign of weakness； followed him
with relentless determination。
With such stakes the game was soon over。 It was not long before
the lieutenant was stripped of his hundred； while Harry and Mr。
Sims had each lost smaller amounts。
〃You will try another hundred？〃 said the lieutenant； burning to get
revenge。
Without a word Ranald laid down his hundred； the others did
likewise； and once more the game proceeded。 There was no change
in Ranald's play。 Thorough knowledge of the game； absolute self…
command； an instinctive reading of his opponent's mind； and
unswerving purpose soon brought about the only result possible。
The lieutenant's second hundred with a part of Harry's and Mr。
Sims's passed into Ranald's possession。
Again De Lacy challenged to play。
〃No；〃 said Ranald； 〃I have done。〃 He put back into his linen bag
his one hundred dollars； counted out two hundred； and gave it to
LeNoir； saying： 〃That is Rouleau's；〃 and threw the rest upon the
table。 〃I want no man's money；〃 he said； 〃that I do not earn。〃
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