of the business； but I guess we are tryin' to make the same point。
Now supposin' you was in for a hoss race； which I hope ain't no
offense； seein' it ain't likely but suppose； and to take first
money you had to perdoose a two…fifteen gait。 'Purty good lick；'
says you； 'now where will I get the nag？' Then you sets down and
thinks； and； says you； 'By gum； which of course you wouldn't； but
supposin' says you； 'a Blue Grass bred is the hoss for that gait'；
and you begin to inquire around； but there ain't no Blue Grass bred
stock in the country； and that race is creepin' up close。 One day；
just when you was beginnin' to figure on takin' the dust to the
hull field； you sees a colt comin' along the road hittin' up a
purty slick gait。 'Hello；' says you； 'that looks likely；' and you
begin to negotiate； and you finds out that colt's all right and her
time's two…ten。 Then you begin to talk about the weather and the
crops until you finds out the price； and you offer him half money。
Then； when you have fetched him down to the right figure； you pulls
out your wad； thinkin' how that colt will make the rest look like a
line of fence…posts。 'But hold on；' says you； 'is this here colt
Blue Grass bred？' 'Blue Grass！ Not much。 This here's Grey Eagle
stock； North Virginny' says he。 'Don't want her；' says you。
'What's the matter with the colt？' says he。 'Nothin'； only she
ain't Blue Grass。 Got to be Blue Grass。' 'But she's got the gait；
ain't she？' 'Yes； the gait's all right； action fine； good…looking；
too； nothing wrong； but she ain't Blue Grass bred。' And so you
lose your race。 Now what kind of a name would you call yourself？〃
Peter saw Yankee's point； but he only shook his head more
hopelessly than before； and turned to enter the house； followed by
Straight Rory； still sighing deeply； and old Donald Ross。 But
Kenny remained a moment behind the others； and offering his hand to
Yankee； said： 〃You are a right man； and I will be proud to know
you better。〃
Yankee turned a puzzled face to Kenny。 〃I say；〃 he inquired； in an
amazed voice； 〃do you think he didn't catch on to me？〃
Kenny nodded。 〃Yes； he understood your point。〃
〃But look here；〃 said Yankee； 〃they don't hold thatthat he is〃
Yankee paused。 The thought was too horrible； and these men were
experts； and were supposed to know。
〃It's hard to say；〃 said Kenny； diplomatically。
〃See here；〃 said Yankee； facing Kenny squarely； 〃you're a purty
level…headed man； and you're up in this business。 Do you think
with them？ No monkeying。 Straight talk now。〃 Yankee was in no
mood to be trifled with。 He was in such deadly earnest that he had
forgotten all about Ranald； who was now standing behind him；
waiting； with white face and parted lips； for Kenny's answer。
〃Whisht！〃 said Kenny； pointing into the kitchen behind。 Yankee
looked and saw Bella Peter and her father entering。 But Ranald was
determined to know Kenny's opinion。
〃Mr。 Campbell；〃 he whispered； eagerly； and forgetting the respect
due to an elder； he grasped Kenny's arm； 〃do you think with them？〃
〃That I do not；〃 said Kenny； emphatically； and Yankee； at that
word； struck his hand into Kenny's palm with a loud smack。
〃I knew blamed well you were not any such dumb fool；〃 he said；
softening his speech in deference to Kenny's office and the
surrounding circumstances。 So saying； he went away to the stable；
and when Ranald and his uncle； Macdonald Bhain； followed a little
later to put up Peter McGregor's team； they heard Yankee inside；
swearing with a fluency and vigor quite unusual with him。
〃Whisht； man！〃 said Macdonald Bhain； sternly。 〃This is no place
or time to be using such language。 What is the matter with you；
anyway？〃
But Macdonald could get no satisfaction out of him； and he said to
his nephew； 〃What is it； Ranald？〃
〃It is the elders； Peter McRae and Straight Rory；〃 said Ranald；
sullenly。 〃They were saying that Mack wasthat Mack was〃
〃Look here； boss；〃 interrupted Yankee； 〃I ain't well up in
Scriptures； and don't know much about these things； and them elders
do； and they saysome of them； anywayare sending Mack to hell。
Now； I guess you're just as well up as they are in this business；
and I want your solemn opinion。〃 Yankee's face was pale； and his
eyes were glaring like a wild beast's。 〃What I say is；〃 he went
on； 〃if a feller like Mack goes to hell； then there ain't any。 At
least none to scare me。 Where Mack is will be good enough for me。
What do you say； boss？〃
〃Be quiet； man；〃 said Macdonald Bhain； gravely； but kindly。 〃Do
you not know you are near to blasphemy there？ But I forgive you
for the sore heart you have； and about poor Mack yonder； no one
will be able to say for certain。 I am a poor sinner； and the only
claim I have to God's mercy is the claim of a poor sinner。 But I
will dare to say that I have hope in the Lord for myself； and I
will say that I have a great deal more for Mack。〃
〃I guess that settles it all right； then；〃 said Yankee； drawing a
big breath of content and biting off a huge chew from his plug。
〃But what the blank blank；〃 he went on； savagely； 〃do these fellers
mean； stirring up a man's feelin's like that？ Seem to be not a bad
sort； either；〃 he added； meditatively。
〃Indeed； they are good men；〃 said Macdonald Bhain； 〃but they will
not be knowing Mack as I knew him。 He never made any profession at
all； but he had the root of the matter in him。〃
Ranald felt as if he had wakened out of a terrible nightmare； and
followed his uncle into the house； with a happier heart than he had
known since he had received Yankee's letter。
As they entered the room where the people were gathered； Donald
Ross was reading the hundred and third psalm； and the words of love
and pity and sympathy were dropping from his kindly lips like
healing balm upon the mourning hearts； and as they rose and fell
upon the cadences of 〃Coleshill；〃 the tune Straight Rory always
chose for this psalm； the healing sank down into all the sore
places； and the peace that passeth understanding began to take
possession of them。
Softly and sweetly they sang； the old women swaying with the music：
〃For； as the heaven in its height
The earth surmounteth far；
So great to those that do him fear；
His tender mercies are。〃
When they reached that verse； the mother took up the song and went
bravely on through the words of the following verse：
〃As far as east is distant from
The west； so far hath he
From us removed； in his love；
All our iniquity。〃
As she sang the last words her hand stole over to Bella； who sat
beside her quiet but tearless； looking far away。 But when the next
words rose on the dear old minor strains；
〃Such pity as a father hath
Unto his children dear；〃
Bella's lip began to tremble； and two big tears ran down her pale
cheeks； and one could see that the sore pain in her heart had been
a little eased。
After Donald Ross had finished his part of the 〃exercises；〃 he
called upon Kenny Crubach； who read briefly； and without comment；
the exquisite Scottish paraphrase of Luther's 〃little gospel〃：
〃Behold the amazing gift of love
The Father hath bestowed
On us； the sinful sons of men；
To call us sons of God〃
and so on to the end。
All this time Peter McRae； the man of iron； had been sitting with
hardening face； his eyes burning in his head like glowing coals；
and when Donald Ross called upon him for 〃some words of exhortation
and comfort suitable to the occasion；〃 without haste and without
hesitation the old man rose； and trembling with excitement and
emotion； he began abruptly： 〃An evil spirit has been whispering to
me； as to the prophet of old； 'Speak that which is good；' but the
Lord hath delivered me from mine enemy； and my answer is； 'As the
Lord liveth； what the Lord said unto me； that will I speak'； and it
is not easy。〃
As the old man paused； a visible terror fell upon all the company
assembled。 The poor mother sat looking at him with the look of one
shrinking from a blow； while Bella Peter's face expressed only
startled fear。
〃And this is the word of the Lord this night to me；〃 the elder went
on； his voice losing its tremor and ringing out strong and clear：
〃'There is none righteous； no； not one； for all have sinned and
come short of the glory of God。 He that believeth shall be saved；
and he that believeth not shall be damned。' That is my message；
and it is laid upon me as a sore burden to hear the voice of the
Lord in this solemn Providence； and to warn one and all to flee
from the wrath to come。〃
He paused long； while men could hear their hearts beat。 Then；
raising his voice； he cried aloud： 〃Woe is me！ Alas！ it is a
grievous burden。 The Lord pity us all； and give grace to this
stricken family to kiss the rod that smites。〃
At this word the old man's voice suddenly broke； and he sat down
amid an awful silence。 No one could misunderstand his meaning。 As
the awful horror of it gradually made its way into her mind； Mrs。
Cameron threw up her apron over her head and rocked in an agony of
sobs； while Long John sat with face white and rigid。 Bella Peter；
who had been gazing with a fascinated stare upon the old elder's
face while he was speaking his terrible words； startled by Mrs。
Cameron's sobs； suddenly looked wildly about as if for help； and
then； with a wild cry； fled toward the door。 But before she had
reached it a strong hand caught her and a great voice； deep and
tender； commanded her： 〃Wait； lassie； sit down here a meenute。〃
It was Macdonald Bhain。 He stood a short space silent before the
people； then； in a voice low； deep； and thrilling； he began： 〃You
have been hearing the word of the Lord through the lips of his
servant； and I am not saying but it is the true word； but I believe
that the Lord will be speaking by different voices； and although I
hev not the gift； yet it is laid upon me to declare what is in my
heart； and a sore heart it is； and sore hearts hev we all。 But I
will be thinking of a fery joyful thing； and that is that 'He came
to call； not the righteous； but sinners；' and th