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the last look； and then the family； with Bella and her father； were
left alone a few moments with their dead； while the Macdonald men
kept guard at the door till the time for 〃the lifting〃 would come。
After Long John passed out； followed by the family； Macdonald Bhain
entered the room； closed the lid down upon the dead face； and gave
the command to bear him forth。
So； with solemn dignity； as befitted them； they carried Big Mack
from his home to Farquhar McNaughton's light wagon。 Along the
concession road； past the new church； through the swamp； and on to
the old churchyard the long procession slowly moved。 There was no
unseemly haste； and by the time the last words were spoken； and the
mound decently rounded； the long shadows from the woods lay far
across the fields。 Quietly the people went their ways homeward；
back to their life and work； but for many days they carried with
them the memory of those funeral scenes。 And Ranald； though he
came back from Big Mack's grave troubled with questions that
refused to be answered； still carried with him a heart healed of
the pain that had torn it these last days。 He believed it was well
with his friend； but about many things he was sorely perplexed； and
it was this that brought him again to the minister's wife。
CHAPTER XII
SEED…TIME
The day after Big Mack's funeral； Ranald was busy polishing
Lizette's glossy skin； before the stable door。 This was his
favorite remedy for gloomy thoughts； and Ranald was full of gloomy
thoughts to…day。 His father； though going about the house； was
still weak； and worse than all； was fretting in his weakness。 He
was oppressed with the terrible fear that he would never again be
able to do a man's work； and Ranald knew from the dark look in his
father's face that day and night the desire for vengeance was
gnawing at his heart； and Ranald also knew something of the
bitterness of this desire from the fierce longing that lay deep in
his own。 Some day； when his fingers would be feeling for LeNoir's
throat； he would drink long and fully that sweet draught of
vengeance。 He knew； too； that it added to the bitterness in his
father's heart to know that； in the spring's work that every warm
day was bringing nearer； he could take no part； and that was partly
the cause of Ranald's gloom。 With the slow…moving oxen； he could
hardly hope to get the seed in in time； and they needed the crop
this year if ever they did； for last year's interest on the
mortgage was still unpaid and the next installment was nearly due。
As he was putting the finishing touches upon Lisette's satin skin；
Yankee drove up to the yard with his Fox horse and buckboard。 His
box was strapped on behind； and his blankets； rolled up in a
bundle； filled the seat beside him。
〃Mornin'；〃 he called to Ranald。 〃Purty fine shine； that； and purty
fine mare； all round；〃 he continued； walking about Lisette and
noting admiringly her beautiful proportions。
〃Purty fine beast；〃 he said； in a low tone； running his hands down
her legs。 〃Guess you wouldn't care to part with that mare？〃
〃No；〃 said Ranald； shortly； but as he spoke his heart sank within
him。
〃Ought to fetch a fairly good figure；〃 continued Yankee；
meditatively。 〃Le's see。 She's from La Roque's Lisette； ain't
she？ Ought to have some speed。〃 He untied Lisette's halter。
〃Take her down in the yard yonder；〃 he said to Ranald。
Ranald threw the halter over Lisette's neck； sprang on her back；
and sent her down the lane at a good smart pace。 At the bottom of
the lane he wheeled her； and riding low upon her neck； came back to
the barn like a whirlwind。
〃By jings！〃 exclaimed Yankee； surprised out of his lazy drawl；
〃she's got it； you bet your last brick。 See here； boy； there's
money into that animal。 Thought I would like to have her for my
buckboard； but I have got an onfortunit conscience that won't let
me do up any partner； so I guess I can't make any offer。〃
Ranald stood beside Lisette； his arm thrown over her beautiful
neck； and his hand fondling her gently about the ears。 〃I will not
sell her。〃 His voice was low and fierce； and all the more so
because he knew that was just what he would do； and his heart was
sick with the pain of the thought。
〃I say；〃 said Yankee； suddenly； 〃cudn't bunk me in your loft； cud
you！ Can't stand the town。 Too close。〃
The confining limitations of the Twentieth； that metropolitan
center of some dozen buildings； including the sawmill and
blacksmith shop； were too trying for Yankee's nervous system。
〃Yes； indeed；〃 said Ranald； heartily。 〃We will be very glad to
have you； and it will be the very best thing for father。〃
〃S'pose old Fox cud nibble round the brule；〃 continued Yankee；
nodding his head toward his sorrel horse。 〃Don't think I will do
much drivin' machine business。 Rather slow。〃 Yankee spent the
summer months selling sewing…machines and new patent churns。
〃There's plenty of pasture；〃 said Ranald； 〃and Fox will soon make
friends with Lisette。 She is very kind； whatever。〃
〃Ain't ever hitched her； have you？〃 said Yankee。
〃No。〃
〃Well； might hitch her up some day。 Guess you wudn't hurt the
buckboard。〃
〃Not likely；〃 said Ranald； looking at the old； ramshackle affair。
〃Used to drive some myself；〃 said Yankee。 But to this idea Ranald
did not take kindly。
Yankee stood for a few moments looking down the lane and over the
fields； and then； turning to Ranald； said； 〃Guess it's about ready
to begin plowin'。 Got quite a lot of it to do； too； ain't you？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Ranald； 〃I was thinking I would be beginning to…morrow。〃
〃Purty slow business with the oxen。 How would it do to hitch up
Lisette and old Fox yonder？〃
Then Ranald understood the purpose of Yankee's visit。
〃I would be very glad；〃 said Ranald； a great load lifting from his
heart。 〃I was afraid of the work with only the oxen。〃 And then；
after a pause； he added； 〃What did you mean about buying Lisette？〃
He was anxious to have that point settled。
〃I said what I meant；〃 answered Yankee。 〃I thought perhaps you
would rather have the money than the colt； but I tell you what； I
hain't got money enough to put into that bird； and don't you talk
selling to any one till we see her gait hitched up。 But I guess a
little of the plow won't hurt for a few weeks or so。〃
Next day Lisette left behind her forever the free； happy days of
colthood。 At first Ranald was unwilling to trust her to any other
hands than his own； but when he saw how skillfully and gently
Yankee handled her； soothing her while he harnessed and hitched her
up； he recognized that she was safer with Yankee than with himself；
and allowed him to have the reins。
They spent the morning driving up and down the lane with Lisette
and Fox hitched to the stone…boat。 The colt had been kindly
treated from her earliest days； and consequently knew nothing of
fear。 She stepped daintily beside old Fox； fretting and chafing in
the harness； but without thought of any violent objection。 In the
afternoon the colt was put through her morning experience； with the
variation that the stone…boat was piled up with a fairly heavy load
of earth and stone。 And about noon the day following； Lisette was
turning her furrow with all the steadiness of a horse twice her
age。
Before two weeks were over； Yankee； with the horses； and Ranald；
with the oxen； had finished the plowing； and in another ten days
the fields lay smooth and black； with the seed harrowed safely in；
waiting for the rain。
Yankee's visit had been a godsend； not only to Ranald with his
work； but also to Macdonald Dubh。 He would talk to the grim；
silent man by the hour； after the day's work was done； far into the
night； till at length he managed to draw from him the secret of his
misery。
〃I will never be a man again；〃 he said； bitterly； to Yankee。 〃And
there is the farm all to pay for。 I have put it off too long and
now it is too late； and it is all because of thatthatbrute
beast of a Frenchman。〃
〃Mean cuss！〃 ejaculated Yankee。
〃And I am saying；〃 continued Macdonald Dubh； opening his heart
still further； 〃I am saying； it was no fair fight； whatever。 I
could whip him with one hand。 It was when I was pulling out Big
Mack； poor fellow； from under the heap； that he took me unawares。〃
〃That's so；〃 assented Yankee。 〃Blamed lowdown trick。〃
〃And； oh； I will be praying God to give me strength just to meet
him！ I will ask no more。 But；〃 he added； in bitter despair；
〃there is no use for me to pray。 Strength will come to me no
more。〃
〃Well；〃 said Yankee； brightly； 〃needn't worry about that varmint。
He ain't worth it； anyhow。〃
〃Aye； he is not worth it； indeed； and that is the man who has
brought me to this。〃 That was the bitter part to Macdonald Dubh。
A man he despised had beaten him。
〃Now look here；〃 said Yankee； 〃course I ain't much good at this；
but if you will just quit worryin'； I'll undertake to settle this
little account with Mr。 LeNware。〃
〃And what good would that be to me？〃 said Macdonald Dubh。 〃It is
myself that wants to meet him。〃 It was not so much the destruction
of LeNoir that he desired as that he should have the destroying