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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 admire and like。 He surely might
have avoided that； and yet whenever he thought of the game that had
swept away from Rouleau all his winter's earnings； and of the cruel
blow that had followed； he felt his muscles stiffen and his teeth
set tight in rage。 No； he would do it all again； nor would he
retreat one single step from the position he had taken； but would
see his quarrel through to the end。 But worst of all he had not
seen Maimie all the week。 His experience with Harry in the ordering
of his suit had taught him the importance of clothes； and he now
understood as he could not before； Maimie's manner to him。 〃That
would be it；〃 he said to himself； 〃and no wonder。 What would she
do with a great； coarse tyke like me！〃 Then； in spite of all his
loyalty； he could not help contrasting with Maimie's uncertain and
doubtful treatment of him； the warm； frank friendliness of Kate。
〃SHE did not mind my clothes；〃 he thought； with a glow of gratitude；
but sharply checking himself； he added； 〃but why should she care？〃
It rather pleased him to think that Maimie cared enough to feel
embarrassed at his rough dress。 So he kept away from the Hotel de
Cheval Blanc till his new suit should be ready。 It was not because
of his dress； however； that he steadily refused Harry's invitation
to the picnic。
〃No； I will not go；〃 he said； with blunt decision； after listening
to Harry's pleading。 〃It is Lieutenant De Lacy's picnic； and I
will have nothing to do with him； and indeed he will not be wanting
me！〃
〃Oh； he's forgotten all about that little affair；〃 cried Harry。
〃Has he？ Indeed then if he is a man he has not！〃
〃I guess he hasn't remembered much of anything for the last week；〃
said Harry； with a slight laugh。
〃Why not？〃
〃Oh； pshaw； he's been on a big tear。 He only sobered up yesterday。〃
〃Huh！〃 grunted Ranald； contemptuously。 He had little respect for a
man who did not know when he had had enough。 〃What about his job？〃
he asked。
〃His job？ Oh； I see。 His job doesn't worry him much。 He's absent
on sick…leave。 But he's all fit again and I know he will be
disappointed if you do not come to…morrow。〃
〃I will not go；〃 said Ranald； with final decision； 〃and you can
tell him so； and you can tell him why。〃
And Harry did tell him with considerable fullness and emphasis not
only of Ranald's decision； but also Ranald's opinion of him； for he
felt that it would do that lordly young man no harm to know that a
man whom he was inclined to patronize held him in contempt and for
cause。 The lieutenant listened for a time to all Harry had to say
with apparent indifference； then suddenly interrupting him； he
said： 〃Oh； I say； old chap； I wouldn't rub it in if I were you。 I
have a more or less vague remembrance of having rather indulged in
heroics。 One can't keep his head with poker and unlimited brandy…
and…sodas； they don't go together。 It's a thing I almost never do；
never in a big game； but the thing got interesting before I knew。
But I say； that Glengarry chap plays a mighty good game。 Must get
him on again。 Feels hot； eh？ I will make that all right； and
what's the French chap's nameBoileau； Rondeau； eh？ Rouleau。
Yes； and where could one see him？〃
〃I can find out from LeNoir； who will be somewhere near Ranald。
You can't get him away from him。〃
〃Well； do；〃 said the lieutenant； lazily。 〃Bring LeNoir to see me。
I owe that Rouleau chap an apology。 Beastly business！ And I'll
fix it up with Macdonald。 He has the right of it； by Jove！ Rather
lucky； I fancy； he didn't yield to my solicitations for a try at
the other gamefrom what I remember of the street riot； eh？ Would
not mind having a go with him with the gloves； though。 I will see
him to…morrow morning。 Keep your mind at rest。〃
Next morning when LeNoir came to his work he was full of the
lieutenant's praises to Ranald。
〃Das fine feller le Capitaine； eh？ Das de Grand Seigneur for sure！
He's mak eet all right wit Rouleau！ He's pay de cash money and
he's mak eet de good posish for him； an' set h