按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
something。〃 And Murdie walked away with her； followed by the winks
and nods of the others。
What she said Murdie never told； but he came back to them more
determined upon peace than ever。 The difficulty lay； not with the
good…natured Peter； who was ready enough to settle with Ranald； but
with the fiery Aleck； who represented the non…respectable section
of the clan McRae； who lived south of the Sixteenth； and had a
reputation for wildness。 Fighting was their glory； and no one
cared to enter upon a feud with any one of them。 Murdie had
interfered on Ranald's behalf； chiefly because he was Don's friend；
but also because he was unwilling that Ranald should be involved in
a quarrel with the McRaes； which he knew would be a serious affair
for him。 But now his strongest reason for desiring peace was that
he had pledged himself to the minister's wife to bring it about in
some way or other。 So he took Peter off by himself； and without
much difficulty； persuaded him to act the magnanimous part and drop
the quarrel。
With Ranald he had a harder task。 That young man was prepared to
see his quarrel through at whatever consequences to himself。 He
knew the McRaes； and knew well their reputation； but that only made
it more impossible for him to retreat。 But Murdie knew better than
to argue with him； so he turned away from him with an indifferent
air； saying： 〃Oh； very well。 Peter is willing to let it drop。
You can do as you please； only I know the minister's wife expects
you to make it up。〃
〃What did she say to you； then？〃 asked Ranald； fiercely。
〃She said a number of things that you don't need to know； but she
said this； whatever； 'He will make it up for my sake； I know。'〃
Ranald stood a moment silent； then said； suddenly： 〃I will； too；〃
and walking straight over to Peter； he offered his hand； saying； 〃I
was too quick； Peter； and I am willing to take as much as I gave。
You can go on。〃
But Peter was far too soft…hearted to accept that invitation； and
seizing Ranald's hand； said； heartily： 〃Never mind； Ranald； it was
my own fault。 We will just say nothing more about it。〃
〃There is the singing； boys；〃 said Murdie。 〃Come away。 Let us go
in。
He was all the more anxious to get the boys into the church when he
saw Aleck making toward them。 He hurried Peter in before him； well
pleased with himself and his success as peacemaker； but especially
delighted that he could now turn his face toward the minister's
pew； without shame。 And as he took his place in the back seat；
with Peter Ruagh beside him； the glance of pride and gratitude that
flashed across the congregation to him from the gray…brown eyes
made Murdie feel more than ever pleased at what he had been able to
do。 But he was somewhat disturbed to notice that neither Ranald
nor Don nor Aleck had followed him into the church； and he waited
uneasily for their coming。
In the meantime Straight Rory was winding his sinuous way through
Coleshill； the Gaelic rhythm of the psalm allowing of quavers and
turns impossible in the English。
In the pause following the second verse； Murdie was startled at the
sound of angry voices from without。 More than Murdie heard that
sound。 As Murdie glanced toward the pulpit he saw that the
minister had risen and was listening intently。
〃Beholdthesparrowfindethout〃 chanted the precentor。
〃You are a liar！〃 The words； in Aleck's fiery voice outside； fell
distinctly upon Murdie's ear； though few in the congregation seemed
to have heard。 But while Murdie was making up his mind to slip
out； the minister was before him。 Quickly he stepped down the
pulpit stairs； psalm…book in hand； and singing as he went； walked
quietly to the back door； and leaving his book on the window…sill；
passed out。 The singing went calmly on； for the congregation were
never surprised at anything their minister did。
The next verse was nearly through； when the door opened； and in
came Don； followed by Aleck； looking somewhat disheveled and shaken
up； and two or three more。 In a few moments the minister came in；
took his psalm…book from the window…sill； and striking up with the
congregation； 〃Blest is the man whose strength thou art；〃 marched
up to the pulpit again； with only an added flash in his blue eyes
and a little more triumphant swing to his coat…tails to indicate
that anything had taken place。 But Murdie looked in vain for
Ranald to appear； and waited； uncertain what to do。 He had a
wholesome fear of the minister； more especially in his present
mood。 Instinctively he turned toward the minister's pew； and
reading the look of anxious entreaty from the pale face there； he
waited till the congregation rose for prayer and then slipped out；
and was seen no more in church that day。
On the way home not a word was said about the disturbance。 But
after the evening worship； when the minister had gone to his study
for a smoke； Hughie； who had heard the whole story from Don； told
it to his mother and Maimie in his most graphic manner。
〃It was not Ranald's fault； mother；〃 he declared。 〃You know Peter
would not let him alone； and Ranald hit him in the nose； and served
him right； too。 But they made it all up； and they were just going
into the church again； when that Aleck McRae pulled Ranald back；
and Ranald did not want to fight at all； but he called Ranald a
liar； and he could not help it； but just hit him。〃
〃Who hit who？〃 said Maimie。 〃You're not making it very clear；
Hughie。〃
〃Why； Ranald； of course； hit Aleck； and knocked him over； too；〃
said Hughie； with much satisfaction； 〃and then Aleckhe is an
awful fighter； you knowjumped on Ranald and was pounding him just
awful； the great big brute； when out came papa。 He stepped up and
caught Aleck by the neck and shook him just like a baby； saying；
all the time； 'Would ye？ I will teach you to fight on the Sabbath
day！ Here！ in with you； every one of you！' and he threw him nearly
into the door； and then they all skedaddled into the church； I tell
you； Don said。 They were pretty badly scart； too； but Don did not
know what papa did to Ranald； and he did not know where Ranald
went； but he is pretty badly hurted； I am sure。 That great big
Aleck McRae is old enough to be his father。 Wasn't it mean of him；
mother？〃
Poor Hughie was almost in tears； and his mother； who sat listening
too eagerly to correct her little boy's ethics or grammar； was as
nearly overcome as he。 She wished she knew where Ranald was。 He
had not appeared at the evening Bible class； and Murdie had
reported that he could not find him anywhere。
She put Hughie to bed； and then saw Maimie to her room。 But Maimie
was very unwilling to go to bed。
〃Oh； auntie；〃 she whispered； as her aunt kissed her good night； 〃I
cannot go to sleep！〃 And then； after a pause； she said； shyly； 〃Do
you think he is badly hurt？〃
Then the minister's wife； looking keenly into the girl's face； made
light of Ranald's misfortune。
〃Oh； he will be all right；〃 she said； 〃as far as his hurt is
concerned。 That is the least part of his trouble。 You need not
worry about that。 Good night； my dear。〃 And Maimie； relieved by
her aunt's tone； said 〃good night〃 with her heart at rest。
Then Mrs。 Murray went into the study； determined to find out what
had passed between her husband and Ranald。 She found him lying on
his couch； luxuriating in the satisfaction of a good day's work
behind him； and his first pipe nearly done。 She at once ventured
upon the thing that lay heavy upon her heart。 She began by telling
all she knew of the trouble from its beginning in the church； and
then waited for her husband's story。
For some moments he lay silently smoking。
〃Ah； well；〃 he said； at length； knocking out his pipe； 〃perhaps I
was a little severe with the lad。 He may not have been so much to
blame。〃
〃Oh； papa！ What did you do？〃 said his wife； in an anxious voice。
〃Well；〃 said the minister； hesitating； 〃I found that the young
rascal had struck Aleck McRae first； and a very bad blow it was。
So I administered a pretty severe rebuke and sent him home。〃
〃Oh； what a shame！〃 cried his wife； in indignant tears。 〃It was
far more the fault of Peter and Aleck and the rest。 Poor Ranald！〃
〃Now； my dear；〃 said the minister； 〃you need not fear for Ranald。
I do not suppose he cares much。 Besides； his face was not fit to
be seen； so I sent him home。 Well； it〃
〃Yes；〃 burst in his wife； 〃great； brutal fellow； to strike a boy
like that！〃
〃Boy？〃 said her husband。 〃Well； he may be； but not many men would
dare to face him。〃 Then he added； 〃I wish I had knownI fear I
spokeperhaps the boy may feel unjustly treated。 He is as proud
as Lucifer。〃
〃Oh； papa！〃 said his wife； 〃what did you say？〃
〃Nothing but what was true。 I just told him that a boy who would
break the Lord's Day by fighting； and in the very shadow of the
Lord's house； when Christian people were worshiping God； was acting
like a savage； and was not fit for the company of decent folk。〃
To this his wife made no reply； but went out of the study； leaving
the minister feeling very uncomfortable indeed。 But by the end of
the second pipe he began to feel that； after all； Rana