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he heard old Farquhar cry； 〃Hurry； man！ Hurry； for the life of
you！〃
Without waiting to inquire the reason； Ranald wheeled his team；
gave the stump a half turn； released his chain； and drove off from
the pile； to find Aleck still busy hooking his chain to his
whiffletree。
Aleck had had the same difficulty in freeing his chain as Ranald；
but instead of trying to detach it from the stump； he had unhooked
the other end； and then； with a mighty backward jerk； had snatched
it from the stump。 But before he could attach it to his place on
the whiffletree again； Ranald stood ready for work。
〃A win； lad！ A win！〃 cried old Farquhar； more excited than he had
been for years。
〃It is no win；〃 said Aleck； hotly。
〃No； no； lads；〃 said Macdonald Bhain； before Farquhar could reply。
〃It is as even a match as could well be。 It is fine teams you both
have got； and you have handled them well。〃
But all the same； Ranald's friends were wildly enthusiastic over
what they called his victory； and Don could hardly keep his hands
off him； for very joy。
Aleck； on the other hand； while claiming the victory because his
team was at the pile first； was not so sure of it but that he was
ready to fight with any one venturing to dispute his claim。 But
the men all laughed at him and his rage； until he found it wiser to
be good…humored about it。
〃Yon lad will be making as good a man as yourself；〃 said Farquhar；
enthusiastically； to Macdonald Bhain； as Ranald drove his team to
the stable。
〃Aye； and a better； pray God；〃 said Macdonald Bhain； fervently；
looking after Ranald with loving eyes。 There was no child in his
home； and his brother's son was as his own。
Meanwhile Don had hurried on； leaving his team with Murdie that he
might sing Ranald's praises to 〃the girls；〃 with whom Ranald was
highly popular； although he avoided them； or perhaps because he did
so； the ways of women being past understanding。
To Mrs。 Murray and Maimie； who with the minister and Hughie； had
come over to the supper； he went first with his tale。 Graphically
he depicted the struggle from its beginning to the last dramatic
rush to the pile； dilating upon Ranald's skill and pluck； and upon
the wonderful and hitherto unknown virtues of Farquhar's shiny
blacks。
〃You ought to see them！〃 cried Don。 〃You bet they never moved in
their lives the way they did today。 Tied him！〃 he continued。
〃Tied him！ Beat him； I say； but Macdonald Bhain says 'Tied him'
Aleck McRae； who thinks himself so mighty smart with his team。〃
Don forgot in his excitement that the McRaes and their friends were
there in numbers。
〃So he is；〃 cried Annie Ross； one of Aleck's admirers。 〃There is
not a man in the Indian Lands that can beat Aleck and his team。〃
〃Well；〃 exulted Don； 〃a boy came pretty near it to…day。〃
But Annie only stuck out her lip at him in the inimitable female
manner； and ran off to add to the mischief that Don had already
made between Ranald and his rival。
But now the day's work was over； and the hour for the day's event
had come； for supper was the great event to which all things moved
at bees。 The long tables stood under the maple trees； spread with
the richest； rarest； deadliest dainties known to the housewives and
maidens of the countryside。 About the tables stood in groups the
white…aproned girls； tucked and frilled； curled and ribboned into
all degrees of bewitching loveliness。 The men hurried away with
their teams； and then gave themselves to the serious duty of
getting ready for supper； using many pails of water in their
efforts to remove the black from the burnt wood of the brule。
At length the women lost all patience with them； and sent Annie
Ross； with two or three companions； to call them to supper。 With
arms intertwined； and with much chattering and giggling； the girls
made their way to the group of men； some of whom were engaged in
putting the finishing touches to their toilet。
〃Supper is ready；〃 cried Annie； 〃and long past ready。 You need not
be trying to fix yourselves up so fine。 You are just as bad as any
girls。 Oh！〃 Her speech ended in a shriek； which was echoed by the
others； for Aleck McRae rushed at them； stretching out his black
hands toward them。 But they were too quick for him； and fled for
protection to the safe precincts of the tables。
At length； when the last of the men had made themselves； as they
thought； presentable； they began to make their approach to the
tables； slowly and shyly for the most part； each waiting for the
other。 Aleck McRae； however； knew little of shyness； but walked
past the different groups of girls； throwing on either hand a
smile； a wink； or a word； as he might find suitable。
Suddenly he came upon the group where the minister's wife and her
niece were standing。 Here； for the moment； his ease forsook him；
but Mrs。 Murray came to meet him with outstretched hand。
〃So you still retain your laurels？〃 she said； with a frank smile。
〃I hear it was a great battle。〃
Aleck shook hands with her rather awkwardly。 He was not on the
easiest terms with the minister and his wife。 He belonged
distinctly to the careless set； and rather enjoyed the distinction。
〃Oh； it was not much；〃 he said； 〃the teams were well matched。〃
〃Oh； I should like to have been there。 You should have told us
beforehand。〃
〃Oh； it was more than I expected myself；〃 he said。 〃I didn't think
it was in Farquhar's team。〃
He could not bring himself to give any credit to Ranald； and though
Mrs。 Murray saw this； she refused to notice it。 She was none the
less anxious to win Aleck's confidence； because she was Ranald's
friend。
〃Do you know my niece？〃 she said； turning to Maimie。
Aleck looked into Maimie's face with such open admiration that she
felt the blush come up in her cheeks。
〃Indeed； she is worth knowing； but I don't think she will care to
take such a hand as that；〃 he said； stretching out a hand still
grimy in spite of much washing。 But Maimie had learned something
since coming to her aunt； and she no longer judged men by the fit
of their clothes； or the color of their skin； or the length of
their hair； and indeed； as she looked at Aleck； with his close…
buttoned smock； and overalls with the legs tucked neatly into the
tops of his boots； she thought he was the trimmest figure she had
seen since coming to the country。 She took Aleck's hand and shook
it warmly； the full admiration in his handsome black eyes setting
her blood tingling with that love of conquest that lies in every
woman's heart。 So she flung out her flag of war； and smiled back
at him her sweetest。
〃You have a fine team； I hear；〃 she said； as her aunt moved away to
greet some of the other men； who were evidently waiting to get a
word with her。
〃That I have； you better believe；〃 replied Aleck； proudly。
〃It was very clever of Ranald to come so near beating you； wasn't
it？〃 she said； innocently。 〃He must be a splendid driver。〃
〃He drives pretty well；〃 admitted Aleck。 〃He did nothing else all
last winter in the shanties。〃
〃He is so young； too；〃 went on Maimie。 〃Just a boy； isn't he？〃
Aleck was not sure how to take this。 〃He does not think so；〃 he
answered； shortly。 〃He thinks he is no end of a man； but he will
have to learn something before he is much older。〃
〃But he can drive； you say；〃 continued Maimie； wickedly keeping her
finger on the sore spot。
〃Oh； pshaw！〃 replied Aleck； boldly。 〃You think a lot of him； don't
you？ And I guess you are a pair。〃
Maimie tossed her head at this。 〃We are very good friends； of
course；〃 she said； lightly。 〃He is a very nice boy； and we are all
fond of him； but he is just a boy； he is Hughie's great friend。〃
〃A boy； is he？〃 laughed Aleck。 〃That may be； but he is very fond
of you； whatever； and indeed； I don't wonder at that。 Anybody
would be；〃 he added； boldly。
〃You don't know a bit about it；〃 said Maimie； with cheeks glowing。
〃About what？〃
〃About Ranald andandwhat you said。〃
〃What I said？ About being fond of you？ Indeed； I know all about
that。 The boys are all broke up； not to speak of myself。〃
This was going a little too fast for Maimie。 She knew nothing； as
yet； of the freedom of country banter。 She was new to the warfare；
but she was not going to lower her flag or retreat。 She changed
the subject。 〃Your team must have been very tired。〃
〃Tired！〃 exclaimed Aleck； 〃not a bit。 They will go home like
birds。 Come along with me； and you will see。〃
Maimie gasped。 〃I〃 she hesitated； glanced past Aleck； blushed；
and stammered。
Aleck turned about quickly and saw Ranald staring at Maimie。 〃Oh；〃
he said； banteringly； 〃I see。 You would not be allowed。〃
〃Allowed！〃 echoed Maimie。 〃And why not； pray？ Who will hinder
me？〃
But Aleck only shrugged his shoulders and looked at Ranald； who
passed on to his place at the table； black as a thunder…cloud。
Maimie was indignant at him。 What right had he to stare and look
so savage？ She would just show him。 So she turned once more to
Aleck； and with a gay laugh； cried； 〃Some day I will accept your
invitation； so just make ready。〃
〃Any day； or every day； and the more days the better；〃 cried Aleck；