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〃Oh； I am sure she would be very glad！ She has never been outside
of the city； and I want her to learn all she can of the country and
the woods。 It is positively painful to see the ignorance of these
city children in regard to all living thingsbeasts and birds and
plants。 Why； many of them couldn't tell a beech from a basswood。〃
〃Oh； mother！〃 protested Hughie； aghast at such ignorance。
〃Yes； indeed； it is dreadful； I assure you；〃 said his mother；
smiling。 〃Why； I know a grown…up woman who didn't know till after
she was married the difference between a spruce and a pine。〃
〃But you know them all now；〃 said Hughie； a little anxious for his
mother's reputation。
〃Yes； indeed；〃 said his mother； proudly； 〃every one； I think； at
least when the leaves are out。 So I want Maimie to learn all she
can。〃
Ranald did not like the idea any too well； but after they had gone
his thoughts kept turning to the proposed visit of Mrs。 Murray and
her niece。
〃Maimie；〃 said Ranald to himself。 〃So that is her name。〃 It had a
musical sound； and was different from the names of the girls he
knewBetsy and Kirsty and Jessie and Marget and Jinny。 It was
finer somehow than these； and seemed to suit better a city girl。
He wondered if she would be nice； but he decided that doubtless she
would be 〃proud。〃 To be 〃proud〃 was the unpardonable sin with the
Glengarry boy。 The boy or girl convicted of this crime earned the
contempt of all self…respecting people。 On the whole； Ranald was
sorry she was coming。 Even in school he was shy with the girls；
and kept away from them。 They were always giggling and blushing
and making one feel queer； and they never meant what they said。 He
had no doubt Maimie would be like the rest； and perhaps a little
worse。 Of course； being Mrs。 Murray's niece； she might be
something like her。 Still； that could hardly be。 No girl could
ever be like the minister's wife。 He resolved he would turn Maimie
over to Don。 He remembered； with great relief； that Don did not
mind girls； indeed； he suspected Don rather enjoyed playing the
〃forfeit〃 games at school with them； in which the penalties were
paid in kisses。 How often had he shuddered and admired from a
distance； while Don and the others played those daring games！ Yes；
Don would do the honors for Maimie。 Perhaps Don would even venture
to play 〃forfeits〃 with her。 Ranald felt his face grow hot at this
thought。 Then； with sudden self…detection； he cried； angrily；
aloud： 〃I don't care； let him； he may for all I care。〃
〃Who may what？〃 cried a voice behind him。 It was Don himself。
〃Nothing；〃 said Ranald； blushing shamefacedly。
〃Why； what are you mad about？〃 asked Don； noticing his flushed
face。
〃Who is mad？〃 said Ranald。 〃I am not mad whatever。〃
〃Well； you look mighty like it；〃 said Don。 〃You look mad enough to
fight。〃
But Ranald； ignoring him； simply said； 〃We will need to be
gathering the sap this evening； for the troughs will be full。〃
〃Huh…huh；〃 said Don。 〃I guess we can carry all there is to…day；
but we will have to get the colt to…morrow。 Got the spiles ready？〃
〃Enough for to…day；〃 said Ranald； wondering how he could tell Don
of the proposed visit of Mrs。 Murray and her niece。 Taking each a
bundle of spiles and an ax； the boys set out for the part of the
sugar bush as yet untapped； and began their work。
〃The minister's wife and Hughie were here just now；〃 began Ranald。
〃Huh…huh； I met them down the road。 Hughie said he was coming day
after to…morrow。〃
〃Did Mrs。 Murray tell you〃
〃Tell me what？〃
〃Did she tell you she would like to see a sugaring…off？〃
〃No； they didn't stop long enough to tell me anything。 Hughie
shouted at me as they passed。〃
〃Well；〃 said Ranald； speaking slowly and with difficulty； 〃she
wanted bad to see the sugar…making； and I asked her to come。〃
〃You did； eh？ I wonder at you。〃
〃And she wanted to bring her niece； andandI let her；〃 said
Ranald。
〃Her niece！ Jee…roo…sa…LEM！〃 cried Don。 〃Do you know who her
niece is？〃
〃Not I；〃 said Ranald； looking rather alarmed。
〃Well； she is the daughter of the big lumberman； St。 Clair； and she
is a great swell。〃
Ranald stood speechless。
〃That does beat all；〃 pursued Don； 〃and you asked her to our camp？〃
Then Ranald grew angry。 〃And why not？〃 he said； defiantly。 〃What
is wrong about that？〃
〃O； nothing much；〃 laughed Don； 〃if I had done it； but for you；
Ranald！ Why； what will you do with that swell young lady from the
city？〃
〃I will just do nothing；〃 said Ranald。 〃There will be you and Mrs。
Murray； and〃
〃Oh； I say；〃 burst in Don； 〃that's bully！ Let's ask some of the
boys； andyour aunt； andmy mother； andsome of the girls。〃
〃Oh； shucks！〃 said Ranald； angrily。 〃You just want Marget Aird。〃
〃You get out！〃 cried Don； indignantly； 〃Marget Aird！〃 Then； after
a pause； he added； 〃All right； I don't want anybody else。 I'll
look after Mrs。 Murray； and you and Maimie can do what you like。〃
This combination sounded so terrible to Ranald that he surrendered
at once； and it was arranged that there should be a grand sugaring…
off； and that others besides the minister's wife and her niece
should be invited。
But Mrs。 Murray had noticed the falling of Ranald's face at the
mention of Maimie's visit to the camp； and feeling that she had
taken him at a disadvantage； she determined that she would the very
next day put herself right with him。 She was eager to follow up
the advantage she had gained the day before in establishing terms
of friendship with Ranald； for her heart went out to the boy； in
whose deep； passionate nature she saw vast possibilities for good
or ill。 On her return from her daily visit to Macdonald Dubh； she
took the camp road； and had the good fortune to find Ranald alone；
〃rigging up〃 his kettles preparatory to the boiling。 But she had
no time for kettles to…day； and she went straight to her business。
〃I came to see you； Ranald；〃 she said； after she had shaken hands
with him； 〃about our sugaring…off。 I've been thinking that it
would perhaps be better to have no strangers； but just old friends；
you and Don and Hughie and me。〃
Ranald at once caught her meaning； but found himself strangely
unwilling to be extricated from his predicament。
〃I mean；〃 said Mrs。 Murray； frankly； 〃we might enjoy it better
without my niece； and so； perhaps； we could have the sugaring when
I come to bring Hughie home on Friday。 Maimie does not come till
Saturday。〃
Her frankness disarmed Ranald of his reserve。 〃I know well what
you mean；〃 he said； without his usual awkwardness； 〃but I do not
mind now at all having your niece come； and Don is going to have a
party。〃 The quiet； grave tone was that of a man； and Mrs。 Murray
looked at the boy with new eyes。 She did not know that it was her
own frank confidence that had won like confidence from him。
〃How old are you； Ranald？〃 she said； in her wonder。
〃I will be going on eighteen。〃
〃You will soon be a man； Ranald。〃 Ranald remained silent； and she
went on earnestly： 〃A strong； good； brave man； Ranald。〃
The blood rushed to the boy's face with a sudden flood； but still
he stood silent。
〃I'm going to give you Hughie for two days；〃 she continued； in the
same earnest voice； and leaning down over her pony's neck toward
him： 〃I want him to know strong and manly boys。 He is very fond
of you； Ranald。 He thinks you are better than any man in the
world。〃 She paused； her lips parting in a smile that made Ranald's
heart beat quick。 Then she went on with a shy hesitancy： 〃Ranald；
I know the boys sometimes drop words they should not and tell
stories unfit to hear〃； the blood was beginning to show in her
cheek； 〃and I would not like my little boy〃 Her voice broke
suddenly； but recovering quickly she went on in grave； sweet tones：
〃I trust him to you； Ranald； for this time and afterward。 He looks
up to you。 I want him to be a good； brave man； and to keep his
heart pure。〃 Ranald could not speak； but he looked steadily into
Mrs。 Murray's eyes as he took the hand she offered； and she knew he
was pledging himself to her。
〃You'll come for him to…morrow；〃 she said； as she turned away。 By
this time Ranald had found his voice。
〃Yes； ma'am；〃 he replied。 〃And I will take good care of him。〃
Once more Mrs。 Murray found herself looking at Ranald as if seeing
him for the first time。 He had the solemn voice and manner of a
man making oath of allegiance； and she rode away with her heart at
rest concerning her little boy。 With Ranald； at least； he would be
safe。
* * * * *
Those two days had been for Hughie long and weary； but at last the
great day came for him； as all great days will come for those who
can wait。 Ranald appeared at the manse before the breakfast was
well begun； and Hughie； with the unconscious egoism of childhood；
was for rushing off without thought of preparation for himself or
of farewell for those left behind。 Indeed； he was for leaving his
porridge untasted； declaring he 〃wasn't a bit hungry；〃 but his
mother brought him to his senses。
〃No breakfast； no sugar bush to…day； Hughie；〃 she said； 〃we c