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take this note to Maimie。 The note will explain to her。〃
〃But； Ranald； this is〃
〃And； Harry； I want to tell you that this is my last day here。〃
Harry gazed at him speechless。
〃Mr。 St。 Clair and I have had a difference that can never be made
right； and to…night I leave the office for good。〃
〃Leave the office for good？ Going to leave us？ What the deuce can
the office do without you？ And what does it all mean？ Come；
Ranald； don't be such a confounded sphynx！ Why do you talk such
rubbish？〃
〃It is true；〃 said Ranald； 〃though I can hardly realize it myself；
it is absolutely and finally settled； and I say； old man； don't
make it harder for me。 You don't know what it means to me to leave
this place； andyou； andall！〃 In spite of his splendid nerve
Ranald's voice shook a little。 Harry gazed at him in amazement。
〃I will give your note to Maimie；〃 he said； 〃but you will be back
here if I know myself。 I'll see father about this。〃
〃Now； Harry；〃 said Ranald； rising and putting his hand on his
shoulder； 〃you are not going to mix up in this at all； and for my
sake； old chap； don't make any row at home。 Promise me；〃 said
Ranald again holding him fast。
〃Well； I promise；〃 said Harry； reluctantly； 〃but I'll be hanged if
I understand it at all； and I tell you this； that if you don't come
back here； neither shall I。〃
〃Now you are talking rot； Harry；〃 said Ranald； and sat down again
to his desk。 Harry went out in a state of dazed astonishment。
Alone Ranald sat in his office writing steadily except that now and
then he paused to let a smile flutter across his stern； set face；
as a gleam of sunshine over a rugged rock on a cloudy day。 He was
listening to his heart； whose every beat kept singing the refrain；
〃I love her； I love her； she will come to me！〃
At that very moment Maimie was showing her Aunt Murray her London
dresses and finery； and recounting her triumphs in that land of
social glory。
〃How lovely； how wonderfully lovely they are；〃 said Mrs。 Murray；
touching the beautiful fabrics with fond fingers； 〃and I am sure
they will suit you well； my dear。 Have you worn most of them？〃
〃No； not all。 This one I wore the evening I went with the Lord
Archers to the Heathcote's ball。 Lord Heathcote； you know； is an
uncle of Captain De Lacy。〃
〃Was Captain De Lacy there？〃 inquired Mrs。 Murray。
〃Yes； indeed；〃 cried Maimie； 〃and we had a lovely time！〃 either the
memory of that evening brought the warm blushes to her face； or it
may be the thought of what she was about to tell her aunt； 〃and
Captain De Lacy is coming to…morrow。〃
〃Coming to…morrow？〃
〃Yes； he has written to Aunt Frank； and to papa as well。〃
Mrs。 Murray sat silent； apparently not knowing what to say； and
Maimie stood with the dress in her hands waiting for her aunt to
speak。 At length Mrs。 Murray said： 〃You knew Captain De Lacy
before； I think。〃
〃Oh； I have known him for a long time； and he's just splendid；
auntie； and he's coming to〃 Maimie paused； but her face told her
secret。
〃Do you mean he is going to speak to your father about you；
Maimie？〃 Maimie nodded。 〃And are you glad？〃
〃He's very handsome； auntie； and very nice； and he's awfully well
connected； and that sort of thing； and when Lord Heathcote dies he
has a good chance of the estates and the title。〃
〃Do you love him； Maimie？〃 asked her aunt； quietly。
Maimie dropped the dress； and sitting down upon a low stool； turned
her face from her aunt； and looked out of the window。
〃Oh； I suppose so； auntie；〃 she said。 〃He's very nice and
gentlemanly and I like to be with him〃
〃But； Maimie； dear； are you not sure that you love him？〃
〃Oh； I don't know；〃 said Maimie； petulantly。 〃Are you not pleased；
auntie？〃
〃Well； I confess I am surprised。 I do not know Captain De Lacy；
and besides I thought it wasI thought you〃 Mrs。 Murray paused；
while Maimie's face grew hot with fiery blushes； but before she
could reply they heard Harry's step on the stairs； and in a moment
he burst into the room。
〃Ranald isn't coming！〃 he exclaimed。 〃Here's a note for you；
Maimie。 But what thebut what he means；〃 said Harry； checking
himself； 〃I can't make out。〃
〃Not coming？〃 cried Maimie； the flush fading from her face。 〃What
can he mean？〃 She opened the note； and as she read the blood
rushed quickly into her face again； and as quickly fled； leaving
her pale and trembling。
〃Well； what does he say？〃 inquired Harry； bluntly。
〃He says it is impossible for him to come tonight；〃 said Maimie；
putting the note into her bosom。
〃Huh！〃 grunted Harry； and flung out of the room。
Immediately Maimie pulled out the note。
〃Oh； auntie；〃 she cried； 〃I am so miserable； Ranald is not coming
and he saysthere read it。〃 She hurriedly thrust the note into
Mrs。 Murray's hands； and Mrs。 Murray； opening it； read：
MY DEAR MAIMIE： It is impossible for me to go to you tonight。
Your father and I have had a difference so serious that I can never
enter his house again； but I am writing now to tell you what I
meant to tell you to…night。 I love you； Maimie。 I love you with
all my heart and soul。 I have loved you since the night I pulled
you from the fire。
〃Maimie；〃 said Mrs。 Murray； handing her back the note； 〃I do not
think you ought to give me this。 That is too sacred for any eyes
but your own。〃
〃Oh； I know； auntie； but what can I do？ I am so sorry for Ranald！
What shall I do； auntie？〃
〃My dear child； in this neither I nor any one can advise you。 You
must be true to yourself。〃
〃Oh； I wish I knew what to do！〃 cried Maimie。 〃He wants me to tell
him〃 Maimie paused； her face once more covered with blushes；
〃and I do not know what to say！〃
〃What does your heart say； Maimie？〃 said Mrs。 Murray； quietly。
〃Oh； auntie； I am so miserable！〃
〃But； Maimie；〃 continued her aunt； 〃in this matter； as I said
before； you must be true to yourself。 Do you love Ranald？〃
〃Oh； auntie； I cannot tell；〃 cried Maimie； putting her face in her
hands。
〃If Ranald were De Lacy would you love him？〃
〃Oh yes； yes； how happy I would be！〃
Then Mrs。 Murray rose。 〃Maimie； dear；〃 she said； and her voice was
very gentle but very firm； 〃let me speak to you for your dear
mother's sake。 Do not deceive yourself。 Do not give your life for
anything but love。 Ranald is a noble man and he will be a great
man some day； and I love him as my own son； but I would not have
you give yourself to him unless you truly loved him。〃 She did not
mention De Lacy's name nor utter a word in comparison of the two；
but listening to her voice； Maimie knew only too well whither her
love had gone。
〃Oh； auntie；〃 she cried； 〃I cannot bear it！〃
〃Yes； Maimie dear； you can bear to do the right； for there is One
in whose strength we can do all things。〃
Before Maimie could reply her Aunt Frances came in。
〃It is dinner…time；〃 she announced； 〃and your father has just come
in； Maimie； and we must have dinner over at once。〃
Maimie rose； and going to the glass； smoothed back her hair。 Her
Aunt Frances glanced at her face and then at Mrs。 Murray； and as if
fearing Maimie's reply； went on hurriedly； 〃You must look your very
best to…night； and even better to…morrow；〃 she said； smiling；
significantly。 She came and put her hands on Maimie's shoulders；
and kissing her； said： 〃Have you told your Aunt Murray who is
coming to…morrow？ I am sure I'm very thankful； my dear； you will
be very happy。 It is an excellent match。 Half the girls in town
will be wild with envy。 He has written a very manly letter to your
father； and I am sure he is a noble fellow； and he has excellent
prospects。 But we must hurry down to dinner；〃 she said； turning to
Mrs。 Murray； who with a look of sadness on her pale face； left the
room without a word。
〃Ranald is not coming；〃 said Maimie； when her Aunt Murray had gone。
〃Indeed； from what your father says；〃 cried Aunt Frank； indignantly；
〃I do not very well see how he could。 He has been most impertinent。〃
〃You are not to say that； Aunt Frank；〃 cried Maimie。 〃Ranald could
not be impertinent； and I will not hear it。〃 Her tone was so
haughty and fierce that Aunt Frank thought it wiser to pursue this
subject no further。
〃Well；〃 she said； as she turned to leave the room； 〃I'm very glad
he has the grace to keep away tonight。 He has always struck me as
a young man of some presumption。〃
When the door closed upon her Maimie tore the note from her bosom
and pressed it again and again to her lips： 〃Oh； Ranald； Ranald；〃
she cried； 〃I love you！ I love you！ Oh； why can it not be？ Oh； I
cannotI cannot give him up！〃 She threw herself upon her knees
and laid her face in the bed。 In a few minutes there came a tap at
the door； and her Aunt Frances's voice was heard； 〃Maimie； your
father has gone down； we must not delay。〃 The tone was incisive
and matter…of…fact。 It said to Maimie； 〃Now let's have no
nonsense。 Be a sensible woman of the world。〃 Maimie rose from her
knees。 Hastily removing all traces of tears from her face； and
glancing in the glass； she touched the little ringlets into place
and went down to dinner。
It was a depressing meal。 Mr。 St。 Clair was irritable； Harr