and then Macdonald Bhain began to prepare wood for the winter； and
to make all things snug about the house and barn； and when the
first fall of snow fell softly； he took down his broad…ax； and then
Ranald knew that the gang would soon be off again for the shanties。
That night his uncle talked long with him about his future。
〃I have no son； Ranald；〃 he said； as they sat talking； 〃and； for
your father's sake and for your own； it is my desire that you
should become a son to me； and there is no one but yourself to whom
the farm would go。 And glad will I be if you will stay with me。
But； stay or not； all that I have will be yours； if it please the
Lord to spare you。〃
〃I would want nothing better；〃 said Ranald； 〃than to stay with you
and work with you； but I do not draw toward the farm。〃
〃And what else would you do； Ranald？〃
〃Indeed； I know not；〃 said Ranald； 〃but something else than farming。
But meantime I should like to go to the shanties with you this
winter。〃
And so； when the Macdonald gang went to the woods that winter；
Ranald； taking his father's ax； went with them。 And so clever did
the boy prove himself that by the time they brought down their raft
in the spring there was not a man in all the gang that Macdonald
Bhain would sooner have at his back in a tight place than his
nephew Ranald。 And； indeed； those months in the woods made a man
out of the long； lanky boy； so that； on the first Sabbath after the
shantymen came home； not many in the church that day would have
recognized the dark…faced； stalwart youth had it not been that he
sat in the pew beside Macdonald Bhain。 It was with no small
difficulty that the minister's wife could keep her little boy quiet
in the back seat； so full of pride and joy was he at the appearance
of his hero； but after the service was over； Hughie could be no
longer restrained。 Pushing his way eagerly through the crowd； he
seized upon Ranald and dragged him to his mother。
〃Here he is； mother！〃 he exclaimed； to Ranald's great confusion；
and to the amusement of all about him。 〃Isn't he splendid？〃
And as Ranald greeted Mrs。 Murray with quiet； grave courtesy； she
felt that his winter in the woods and on the river had forever put
behind him his boyhood； and that henceforth he would take his place
among the men。 And looking at his strong； composed； grave face；
she felt that that place ought not to be an unworthy one。
CHAPTER XVII
LENOIR'S NEW MASTER
The shantymen came back home to find the revival still going on。
Not a home but had felt its mighty power； and not a man； woman； or
even child but had come more or less under its influence。 Indeed；
so universal was that power that Yankee was heard to say； 〃The boys
wouldn't go in swimmin' without their New Testaments〃not but that
Yankee was in very fullest sympathy with the movement。 He was
regular in his attendance upon the meetings all through spring and
summer； but his whole previous history made it difficult for him to
fully appreciate the intensity and depth of the religious feeling
that was everywhere throbbing through the community。
〃Don't see what the excitement's for；〃 he said to Macdonald Bhain
one night after meeting。 〃Seems to me the Almighty just wants a
feller to do the right thing by his neighbor and not be too
independent； but go 'long kind o' humble like and keep clean。
Somethin' wrong with me； perhaps； but I don't seem to be able to
work up no excitement about it。 I'd like to； but somehow it ain't
in me。〃
When Macdonald Bhain reported this difficulty of Yankee's to Mrs。
Murray； she only said： 〃'What doth the Lord require of thee； but
to do justly； and to love mercy； and to walk humbly with thy God？'〃
And with this Macdonald Bhain was content； and when he told Yankee；
the latter came as near to excitement as he ever allowed himself。
He chewed vigorously for a few moments； then； slapping his thigh；
he exclaimed： 〃By jings！ That's great。 She's all right； ain't
she？ We ain't all built the same way； but I'm blamed if I don't
like her model。〃
But the shantymen noticed that the revival had swept into the
church； during the winter months； a great company of the young
people of the congregation； and of these； a band of some ten or
twelve young men； with Don among them； were attending daily a
special class carried on in the vestry of the church for those who
desired to enter training for the ministry。
Mrs。 Murray urged Ranald to join this class； for； even though he
had no intention of becoming a minister； still the study would
be good for him； and would help him in his after career。 She
remembered how Ranald had told her that he had no intention of
being a farmer or lumberman。 And Ranald gladly listened to her；
and threw himself into his study； using his spare hours to such
good purpose throughout the summer that he easily kept pace with
the class in English； and distanced them in his favorite subject；
mathematics。
But all these months Mrs。 Murray felt that Ranald was carrying with
him a load of unrest； and she waited for the time when he would
come to her。 His uncle； Macdonald Bhain； too； shared her anxiety
in regard to Ranald。
〃He is the fine； steady lad；〃 he said one night； walking home with
her from the church； 〃and a good winter's work has he put behind
him。 He is that queeck； there is not a man like him on the drive；
but he is not the same boy that he was。 He will not be telling me
anything； but when the boys will be sporting； he is not with them。
He will be reading his book； or he will be sitting by himself
alone。 He is like his father in the courage of him。 There is no
kind of water he will not face； and no man on the river would put
fear on him。 And the strength of him！ His arms are like steel。
But；〃 returning to his anxiety； 〃there is something wrong with him。
He is not at peace with himself； and I wish you could get speech
with him。〃
〃I would like it； too；〃 replied Mrs。 Murray。 〃Perhaps he will come
to me。 At any rate； I must wait for that。〃
At last； when the summer was over； and the harvest all gathered in；
the days were once more shortening for the fall； Ranald drove
Lisette one day to the manse； and went straight to the minister's
wife and opened up his mind to her。
〃I cannot keep my promise to my father； Mrs。 Murray；〃 he said；
going at once to the heart of his trouble。 〃I cannot keep the
anger out of my heart。 I cannot forgive the man that killed my
father。 I will be waking at night with the very joy of feeling my
fingers on his throat； and I feel myself longing for the day when I
will meet him face to face and nothing between us。 But；〃 he added；
〃I promised my father； and I must keep my word； and that is what I
cannot do； for the feeling of forgiveness is not here；〃 smiting his
breast。 〃I can keep my hands off him； but the feeling I cannot
help。〃
For a long time Mrs。 Murray let him go on without seeking to check
the hot flow of his words and without a word of reproof。 Then；
when he had talked himself to silence； she took her Bible and read
to him of the servant who； though forgiven； took his fellow…servant
by the throat； refusing to forgive。 And then she turned over the
leaves and read once more： 〃'God commendeth his love toward us； in
that； while we were yet sinners； Christ died for us。'〃
She closed the book and sat silent； waiting for Ranald to speak。
〃I know；〃 he said； deliberately； 〃I have read that often through
the winter； but it does not help the feeling I have。 I think it
only makes it worse。 There is some one holding my arm； and I want
to strike。〃
〃And do you forget；〃 said Mrs。 Murray； and her voice was almost
stern； 〃and do you forget how； for you； God gave His Son to die？〃
Ranald shook his head。 〃I am far from forgetting that。〃
〃And are you forgetting the great mercy of God to your father？〃
〃No； no；〃 said Ranald； 〃I often think of that。 But when I think of
that man； something stirs within me and I cannot see； for the daze
before my eyes； and I know that some day I will be at him。 I
cannot help my feeling。〃
〃Ranald；〃 said Mrs。 Murray； 〃have you ever thought how he will need
God's mercy like yourself？ And have you never thought that perhaps
he has never had the way of God's mercy put before him？ To you the
Lord has given much； to him little。 It is a terrible thing to be
ungrateful for the mercy of God； and it is a shameful thing。 It is
unworthy of any true man。 How can any one take the fullness of
God's mercy and his patience every day； and hold an ungrateful
heart？〃
She did not spare him； and as Ranald sat and listened； his life and
character began to appear to him small and mean and unworthy。
〃The Lord means you to be a noble man； Ranalda man with the heart
and purpose to do some good in the world； to be a blessing to his
fellows； and it is a poor thing to be so filled up with selfishness
as to have no thought of the honor of God or of the good of men。
Louis LeNoir has done you a great wrong； but what is that wrong
compared with the wrong you have done to Him who loved you to His
own death？〃
Then she gave him her last word： 〃When you see Louis LeNoir； think
of God's mercy； and remember you are to do him good and not evil。〃
And with that word in his heart； Ranald went away； ashamed and
humbled； but not forgiving。 The time for that had not yet come。
But before he left for the shanties； he saw Mrs。 Murray again to
say good by。 He met her with a shamed face； fearing that she must
feel nothing but contempt for him。
〃You will think ill of me；〃 he said； and in spite of his self…
control his voice shook。 〃I could not bear that。〃
〃No； I could never think ill of you； Ranald； but I would be grieved
to think that you should fail of becoming a noble man； strong and
brave； strong enough to forgive and brave enough to serve。〃
Once more Ranald went to the woods； with earnest thoughts in his
mind； hoping he should not meet LeNoir； and fighting out his battle
to victory； and by the time the drive had reached the big water
next spring； that battle was almost over。 The days in the silent
woods and the nights spent with his uncle in the camp； and
afterward in his cabin on th