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face again。 The Vision was upon him。 〃Ah； Lord； it is the bloody
hands and feet I see。 It is enough。〃 At this Ranald slipped back
awe…stricken to the camp。 When； after an hour； Macdonald came back
into the firelight； his face was pale and wet； but calm； and there
was an exalted look in his eyes。 His men gazed at him with wonder
and awe in their faces。
〃Mercy on us！ He will be seeing something；〃 said Big Mack to
Yankee Jim。
〃Seein' somethin'？ What？ A bar？〃 inquired Yankee。
〃Whist now！〃 said Big Mack； in a low voice。 〃He has the sight。 Be
quate now； will you？ He will be speaking。〃
For a short time Macdonald sat gazing into the fire in silence；
then turning his face toward the men who were waiting； he said：
〃There will be no more of this。 'Vengeance is mine saith the
Lord！' It is not for me。 The Lord will do His own work。 It is
the will of the Lord。〃 And the men knew that the last word had
been said on that subject； and that LeNoir was safe。
CHAPTER III
THE MANSE IN THE BUSH
Straight north from the St。 Lawrence runs the road through the
Indian Lands。 At first its way lies through open country； from
which the forest has been driven far back to the horizon on either
side； for along the great river these many years villages have
clustered； with open fields about them stretching far away。 But
when once the road leaves the Front； with its towns and villages
and open fields； and passes beyond Martintown and over the North
Branch； it reaches a country where the forest is more a feature
of the landscape。 And when some dozen or more of the crossroads
marking the concessions which lead off to east and west have been
passed； the road seems to strike into a different world。 The
forest loses its conquered appearance； and dominates everything。
There is forest everywhere。 It lines up close and thick along the
road； and here and there quite overshadows it。 It crowds in upon
the little farms and shuts them off from one another and from the
world outside； and peers in through the little windows of the log
houses looking so small and lonely； but so beautiful in their
forest frames。 At the nineteenth cross…road the forest gives
ground a little； for here the road runs right past the new brick
church； which is almost finished； and which will be opened in a few
weeks。 Beyond the cross； the road leads along the glebe； and about
a quarter of a mile beyond the corner there opens upon it the big；
heavy gate that the members of the Rev。 Alexander Murray's
congregation must swing when they wish to visit the manse。 The
opening of this gate； made of upright poles held by auger…holes in
a frame of bigger poles； was almost too great a task for the
minister's seven…year…old son Hughie； who always rode down；
standing on the hind axle of the buggy； to open it for his father。
It was a great relief to him when Long John Cameron； who had the
knack of doing things for people's comfort； brought his ax and big
auger one day and made a kind of cradle on the projecting end of
the top bar； which he then weighted with heavy stones； so that the
gate； when once the pin was pulled out of the post； would swing
back itself with Hughie straddled on the top of it。
It was his favorite post of observation when waiting for his mother
to come home from one of her many meetings。 And on this particular
March evening he had been waiting long and impatiently。
Suddenly he shouted： 〃Horo； mamma！ Horo！〃 He had caught sight of
the little black pony away up at the church hill； and had become so
wildly excited that he was now standing on the top bar frantically
waving his Scotch bonnet by the tails。 Down the slope came the
pony on the gallop； for she knew well that soon Lambert would have
her saddle off； and that her nose would be deep into bran mash
within five minutes more。 But her rider sat her firmly and brought
her down to a gentle trot by the time the gate was reached。
〃Horo； mamma！〃 shouted Hughie； clambering down to open the gate。
〃Well； my darling！ have you been a good boy all afternoon？〃
〃Huh…huh！ Guess who's come back from the shanties！〃
〃I'm sure I can't guess。 Who is it？〃 It was a very bright and
very sweet face； with large； serious； gray…brown eyes that looked
down on the little boy。
〃Guess； mamma！〃
〃Why； who can it be？ Big Mack？〃
〃No！〃 Hughie danced delightedly。 〃Try again。 He's not big。〃
〃I am sure I can never guess。 Whoa； Pony！〃 Pony was most
unwilling to get in close enough to the gate…post to let Hughie
spring on behind his mother。
〃You'll have to be quick； Hughie； when I get near again。 There
now！ Whoa； Pony！ Take care； child！〃
Hughie had sprung clean off the post； and lighting on Pony's back
just behind the saddle； had clutched his mother round the waist；
while the pony started off full gallop for the stable。
〃Now； mother； who is it？〃 insisted Hughie； as Lambert； the French…
Canadian man…of…all…work； lifted him from his place。
〃You'll have to tell me； Hughie！〃
〃Ranald！〃
〃Ranald？〃
〃Yes； Ranald and his father； Macdonald Dubh； and he's hurted awful
bad； and〃
〃Hurt； Hughie；〃 interposed the mother； gently。
〃Huh…huh！ Ranald said he was hurted。〃
〃Hurt； you mean； Hughie。 Who was hurt？ Ranald？〃
〃No； his father was hurtedhurtawful bad。 He was lying down in
the sleigh； and Yankee Jim〃
〃Mr。 Latham； you mean； Hughie。〃
〃Huh…huh；〃 went on Hughie； breathlessly； 〃and YankeeMr。 Latham
asked if the minister was home； and I said 'No；' and then they went
away。〃
〃What was the matter？ Did you see them； Lambert？〃
〃Oui〃 （〃Way；〃 Lambert pronounced it）； 〃but dey not tell me what
he's hurt。〃
The minister's wife went toward the house； with a shadow on her
face。 She shared with her husband his people's sorrows。 She knew
even better than he the life…history of every family in the
congregation。 Macdonald Dubh had long been classed among the wild
and careless in the community； and it weighed upon her heart that
his life might be in danger。
〃I shall see him to…morrow；〃 she said to herself。
For a few moments she stood on the doorstep looking at the glow in
the sky over the dark forest； which on the west side came quite up
to the house and barn。
〃Look； Hughie； at the beautiful tints in the clouds； and see the
dark shadows pointing out toward us from the bush。〃 Hughie glanced
a moment。
〃Mamma；〃 he said； 〃I am just dead for supper。〃
〃Oh； not quite； I hope； Hughie。 But look； I want you to notice
those clouds and the sky behind them。 How lovely！ Oh； how
wonderful！〃
Her enthusiasm caught the boy； and for a few moment she forgot even
his hunger； and holding his mother's hand； gazed up at the western
sky。 It was a picture of rare beauty that lay stretched out from
the manse back door。 Close to the barn came the pasture…field
dotted with huge stumps； then the brule where the trees lay fallen
across one another； over which the fire had run； and then the solid
wall of forest here and there overtopped by the lofty crest of a
white pine。 Into the forest in the west the sun was descending in
gorgeous robes of glory。 The treetops caught the yellow light； and
gleamed like the golden spires of some great and fabled city。
〃Oh； mamma； see that big pine top！ Doesn't it look like windows？〃
cried Hughie； pointing to one of the lofty pine crests through
which the sky quivered like molten gold。
〃And the streets of the city are pure gold；〃 said the mother；
softly。
〃Yes； I know；〃 said Hughie； confidently； for to him all the scenes
and stories of the Bible had long been familiar。 〃Is it like that；
mamma？〃
〃Much better； ever so much better than you can think。〃
〃Oh； mamma； I'm just awful hungry！〃
〃Come away； then； so am I。 What have you got； Jessie； for two very
hungry people？〃
〃Porridge and pancakes；〃 said Jessie； the minister's 〃girl；〃 who
not only ruled in the kitchen； but using the kitchen as a base；
controlled the interior economy of the manse。
〃Oh； goody！〃 yelled Hughie； 〃just what I like。〃 And from the
plates of porridge and the piles of pancakes that vanished from his
plate no one could doubt his word。
Their reading that night was about the city whose streets were of
pure gold； and after a little talk； Hughie and his baby brother
were tucked away safely for the night； and the mother sat down to
her never…ending task of making and mending。
The minister was away at Presbytery meeting in Montreal； and for
ten days his wife would stand in the breach。 Of course the elders
would take the meeting on the Sabbath day and on the Wednesday
evening； but for all other ministerial duties when the minister was
absent the congregation looked to the minister's wife。 And soon it
came that the sick and the sorrowing and the sin…burdened found in
the minister's wife such help and comfort and guidance as made the
absence of the minister seem no great trial after all。 Eight years
ago the minister had brought his wife from a home of gentle
culture； from a life of intellectual and artistic pursuits； and
from a circle of loving friends of which she was the pride and joy；
to this home in the forest。 There； isolated from all congenial
compan