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Kate nodded。
〃She wasn't quite sure about it； but I declare till I die I will
never forget the wonder and the delight in her face。 I tell you I
wept that night； but not at the play。 And how she criticised the
actors； even Booth himself didn't escape；〃 continued Harry； 〃and so
I say it's a beastly shame that you should spend your whole life in
the backwoods there and have so little of the other sort of thing。
Why you are made for it！〃
〃Harry；〃 answered Mrs。 Murray； in surprise； 〃that was my work；
given me to do。 Could I refuse it？ And besides after all； fun； as
you say； passes； music stops； books get done with； but those other
things； the things that Ranald and I have seen； will go on long
after my poor body is laid away。〃
〃But still you must get tired；〃 persisted Harry。
〃Yes； I get tired；〃 she replied； quietly。 At the little touch of
weariness in the voice； Kate； who was looking at the beautiful
face； so spiritual； and getting； oh； so frail； felt a sudden rush
of tears in her eyes。 But there was no self…pity in that heroic
soul。 〃Yes； I get tired；〃 she repeated； 〃but； Harry； what does
that matter？ We do our work and then we will rest。 But oh； Harry；
my boy； when I come to your city and see all there is to do； I wish
I were a girl again； and I wonder at people thinking life is just
for fun。〃
Harry； like other young men； hated to be lectured； but from his
aunt he never took anything amiss。 He admired her for her
brilliant qualities； and loved her with a love near to worship。
〃I say； auntie；〃 he said； with a little uncertain laugh； 〃it's like
going to church to hear you； only it's a deal more pleasant。〃
〃But； Harry； am I not right？〃 she replied； earnestly。 〃Do you
think that you will get the best out of your life by just having
fun？ Oh； do you know when I went with Kate to the Institute the
other night and saw those boys my heart ached。 I thought of my own
boys； and〃 The voice ceased in a pathetic little catch； the
sensitive lips trembled； the beautiful gray…brown eyes filled with
sudden tears。 For a few moments there was silence； then； with a
wavering smile； and a gentle； apologetic air； she said： 〃But I
must not make Harry think he is in church。〃
〃Dear Aunt Murray；〃 cried Harry； 〃do lecture me。 I'd enjoy it； and
you can't make it too strong。 You are just an angel。〃 He left his
seat； and going over to her chair； knelt down and put his arms
about her。
〃Don't you all wish she was your aunt？〃 he said； kissing her。
〃She IS mine；〃 cried Kate； smiling at her through shining tears。
〃She's more；〃 said Ranald； and his voice was husky with emotion。
But with the bright； joyous little laugh Ranald knew so well； she
smoothed back Harry's hair； and kissing him on the forehead； said：
〃I am sure you will do good work some day。 But I shall be quite
spoiled here； I must really get home。〃
As Ranald left the Raymond house he knew well what he should say to
Mr。 St。 Clair next morning。 He wondered at himself that he had
ever been in doubt。 He had been for an hour in another world where
the atmosphere was pure and the light clear。 Never till that night
had he realized the full value of that life of patient self…
sacrifice； so unconscious of its heroism。 He understood then； as
never before； the mysterious influence of that gentle； sweet…faced
lady over every one who came to know her； from the simple；
uncultured girls of the Indian Lands to the young men about town of
Harry's type。 Hers was the power of one who sees with open eyes
the unseen； and who loves to the forgetting of self those for whom
the Infinite love poured Itself out in death。
〃Going home； Harry？〃 inquired Ranald。
〃Yes； right home； don't want to go anywhere else to…night。 I say；
old chap； you're a better and cleaner man than I am； but it ain't
your fault。 That woman ought to make a saint out of any man。〃
〃Man； you would say so if you knew her；〃 said Ranald； with a touch
of impatience； 〃but then no one does know her。 They certainly
don't down in the Indian Lands； for they don't know what she's
given up。〃
〃That's the beauty of it；〃 replied Harry； 〃she doesn't feel it that
way。 Given up？ not she！ She thinks she's got everything that's
good！〃
〃Well；〃 said Ranald； thoughtfully； after a pause； 〃she knows； and
she's right。〃
When they came to Harry's door Ranald lingered just a moment。
〃Come in a minute；〃 said Harry。
〃I don't know； I'm coming in to…morrow。〃
〃Oh； come along just now。 Aunt Frank is in bed； but Maimie will be
up；〃 said Harry； dragging him along to the door。
〃No； I think not to…night。〃 While they were talking the door
opened and Maimie appeared。
〃Ranald；〃 she cried； in an eager voice； 〃I knew you would be at
Kate's； and I was pretty sure you would come home with Harry。
Aren't you coming in？〃
〃Where's Aunt Frank？〃 asked Harry。
〃She's upstairs；〃 said Maimie。
〃Thank the Lord； eh？〃 added Harry； pushing in past her。
〃Go away in and talk to her；〃 said Maimie。 Then turning to Ranald
and looking into his devouring eyes； she said； 〃Well？ You might
say you're glad to see me。〃 She stood where the full light of the
doorway revealed the perfect beauty of her face and figure。
〃Glad to see you！ There is no need of saying that；〃 replied Ranald；
still gazing at her。
〃How beautiful you are； Maimie；〃 he added； bluntly。
〃Thank you； and you are really quite passable。〃
〃And I AM glad to see you。〃
〃That's why you won't come in。〃
〃I am coming to…morrow night。〃
〃Everybody will be here to…morrow night。〃
〃Yes； that's certainly a drawback。〃
〃And I shall be very busy looking after my guests。 Still；〃 she
added； noticing the disappointment in his face； 〃it's quite
possible〃
〃Exactly；〃 his face lighting up again。
〃Have you seen father's study？〃 asked Maimie； innocently。
〃No；〃 replied Ranald； wonderingly。 〃Is it so beautiful？〃
〃No； but it's upstairs； andquiet。〃
〃Well？〃 said Ranald。
〃And perhaps you might like to see it to…morrow night。〃
〃How stupid I am。 Will you show it to me？〃
〃I will be busy； but perhaps Harry〃
〃Will you？〃 said Ranald； coming close to her； with the old
imperative in his voice。
Maimie drew back a little。
〃Do you know what you make me think of？〃 she asked； lowering her
voice。
〃Yes； I do。 I have thought of it every night since。〃
〃You were very rude； I remember。〃
〃You didn't think so then；〃 said Ranald； boldly。
〃I ought to have been very angry；〃 replied Maimie； severely。
〃But you weren't； you know you weren't； and do you remember what
you said？〃
〃What I said？ How awful of you； don't you dare！ How can I
remember？〃
〃Yes； you do remember； and then do you remember what _I_ said？〃
〃What YOU said indeed！ Such assurance！〃
〃I have kept my word；〃 said Ranald； 〃and I am coming to…morrow
night。 Oh； Maimie； it has been a long； long time。〃 He came close
to her and caught her hand； the slumbering fire in his eyes blazing
now in flame。
〃Don't； don't； I'm sure there's Aunt Frank。 No； no；〃 she pleaded；
in terror； 〃not to…night； Ranald！〃
〃Then will you show me the study to…morrow night？〃
〃Oh； you are very mean。 Let me go！〃
〃Will you？〃 he demanded； still holding her hand。
〃Yes； yes； you ought to be ashamed of yourself。 My hand is quite
sore。 There； now； good night。 No； I won't shake hands！ Well；
then； if you must have it； good night。〃
CHAPTER XXII
FORGET THAT I LOVED YOU
〃The night for dreaming； but the morn for seeing。〃 And so Ranald
found it； for with the cold； calm light of the morning； he found
himself facing his battle with small sense of victory in his blood。
He knew he had to deal that morning with the crisis of his life。
Upon the issue his whole future would turn； but his heart without
haste or pause preserved its even beat。 The hour of indecision had
passed。 He saw his way and he meant to walk it。 What was beyond
the turn was hid from his eyes； but with that he need not concern
himself now。 Meantime he would clear away some of this accumulated
correspondence lying on his desk。 In the midst of his work Harry
came in and laid a bundle of bills before him。
〃Here you are； old chap；〃 he said； quietly。 〃That's the last of
it。〃
Ranald counted the money。
〃You are sure you can spare all this？ There is no hurry； you know。〃
〃No；〃 said Harry； 〃I can't spare it； but it's safer with you than
with me； and besides； it's yours。 And I owe you more than money。〃
He drew a deep breath to steady himself； and then went on： 〃And I
want to say； Ranald； that I have bet my last stake。〃
Ranald pushed back his chair and rose to his feet。
〃Now that's the best thing I've heard for some time；〃 he said；
offering Harry his hand； 〃and that's the last of that business。〃
He sat down； drew in his chair； and turning over his papers with a
nervousness that he rarely showed； he continued： 〃And； Harry； I
want you to do something for me。 Before you go home this afternoon；
will you come in here？ I may want to send a note to Maimie by you。〃
〃But〃 began Harry。
〃Wait a moment。 I want to prevent all possibility of mistake。
There may be a reply； and Harry； old chap； I'd rather not answer
an