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〃En roulant ma boule roulant；
En roulant me boule。〃
〃This； I suppose； is one of your beloved shantymen；〃 said the
lieutenant； turning to Kate； who was walking with Harry behind。
〃Isn't he lovely！〃 exclaimed Kate。
〃Oh；〃 cried Maimie； in terror； 〃let us get into a shop！〃
〃Quite unnecessary； I assure you；〃 said the lieutenant；
indifferently； 〃I have not the least idea that he will molest you。〃
The lumberman by this time had swaggered up to the party； expecting
them to make way； but instead； De Lacy stiffened his shoulder；
caught the Frenchman in the chest； and rolled him off into the
street。 Surprised and enraged； the Frenchman turned to demolish
the man who had dared to insult the 〃boss bully on de reever
Hottawa。〃
〃Vous n'avez pas remarque la demoiselle；〃 said the lieutenant； in a
tone of politeness。
The lumberman； who had swaggered up ready to strike； glanced at
Maimie； took off his hat； and made a ceremonious bow。
〃Eh bien！ Non！ Pardon； Mams'elle。〃
〃Bon jour；〃 said Lieutenant De Lacy； with a military salute； and
moved on； leaving the lumberman staring after them as if he had
seen a vision。
〃Beauty and the Beast；〃 murmured the lieutenant。 〃Thought I was in
for it； sure。 Really wonderful； don't you know！〃
〃Do you think we had better go on？〃 said Maimie； turning to Kate
and Harry。
〃Why not？ Why； certainly！〃 they exclaimed。
〃These horrid men；〃 replied Maimie。
〃Dear creatures！〃 said the lieutenant； glancing at Kate with a
mildly pathetic look。 〃Sweet； but not always fragrant。〃
〃Oh； they won't hurt us。 Let us go on。〃
〃Certainly； go on；〃 echoed Harry； impatiently。
〃Safe enough； Miss St。 Clair； but；〃 pulling out his perfumed
handkerchief； 〃rather trying。〃
〃Oh； get on； De Lacy；〃 cried Harry； and so they moved on。
The office of Raymond & St。 Clair stood near the wharves。 Harry
paused at the door； not quite sure whether to go in or not。 It was
easy to discover work in that office。
〃You might ask if Ranald has come；〃 said Kate。 〃Maimie is too
shy。〃
Harry returned in a few moments； quite excited。
〃The Macdonald gang are in； and the Big Macdonald was here not half
an hour ago； and Ranald is down at the raft beyond the last wharf。
I know the place。〃
〃Oh； do let us go on！〃 cried Kate； to whom Harry had been extolling
Ranald on the way down。 〃You really ought to inspect your timber；
Harry； shouldn't you？〃
〃Most certainly； and right away。 No saying what might happen。〃
〃Awful slush；〃 said the lieutenant； glancing at Maimie's face。 〃Do
you think the timber wouldn't keep for a week？〃
〃Oh； rubbish！ A week！〃 cried Harry。 〃He is thinking of his boots
again。〃
To be quite fair to the lieutenant； it was Maimie's doubtful face；
rather than his shiny boots； that made him hesitate。 She was
evidently nervous and embarrassed。 The gay； easy manner which was
her habit was gone。
〃I think perhaps we had better go； since we are here；〃 she said；
doubtfully。
〃Exactly； it is what I most desired；〃 said the lieutenant； gallantly。
Scores of rafts lay moored along the wharves and shore； and hundred
of lumbermen were to be seen everywhere； not only on the timber and
wharves； but crowding the streets and the doors of the little
saloons。
For half an hour they walked along； watching the men at work with
the timber on the river。 Some were loading the vessels lying at
anchor； some were shifting the loose timber about。 When they
reached the end of the last wharf； they saw a strapping young
lumberman； in a shanty costume that showed signs of the woods；
running some loose sticks of timber round the end of the raft。
With great skill he was handling his pike； walking the big sticks
and running lightly over the timber too small to carry him；
balancing himself on a single stick while he moved the timber to
the bit of open water behind the raft； and all with a grace and
dexterity that excited Kate's admiration to the highest degree。
〃Rather clever； that；〃 said the lieutenant； lazily。 〃Hello！ close
call； that； ha！ bravo！〃 It was not often the lieutenant allowed
himself the luxury of excitement； but the lumberman running his
timber slipped his pike pole and found himself balancing on the
edge of open water。 With a mighty spring he cleared the open
space； touched a piece of small timber that sank under him； and at
the next spring landed safe on the raft。 Maimie's scream sounded
with the lieutenant's 〃bravo。〃 At the cry the young fellow looked
up。 It was Ranald。
〃Hello； there！〃 cried Harry； and with an answering shout； Ranald；
using his pike as a jumping…pole； cleared the open space； ran
lightly over the floating sticks； and with another spring reached
the shore。 Without a moment's hesitation he dropped his pole and
came almost running toward them； his face radiant with delight。
〃Maimie！〃 he exclaimed； holding out his hand； wet and none too
clean。
〃How do you do？〃 said Maimie。 She had noticed the look of surprise
and mild disgust on the lieutenant's face； and she was embarrassed。
Ranald was certainly not lovely to look at。 His shirt was open at
the neck； torn； and dirty。 His trousers and boots were much the
worse of their struggle with the bush。
〃This is Mr。 Macdonald； Lieutenant De Lacy；〃 Maimie hurried to say。
The lieutenant offered a limp hand。
〃Chawmed； I'm suah；〃 he murmured。
〃What？〃 said Ranald。
〃Lovely weather；〃 murmured the lieutenant again； looking at his
fingers that Ranald had just let go。
〃Well； old chap；〃 said Harry； grasping Ranald's hand and throwing
his arm about his shoulder； 〃I am awfully glad to find you。 We
have been hunting you for half an hour。 But hold up； here you are。
Let me introduce you to Miss Kate Raymond； the best girl anywhere。〃
Kate came forward with a frank smile。 〃I am very glad to meet
you；〃 she said。 〃I have heard so much about you； and I am going to
call you Ranald； as they all do。〃
〃How lovely！〃 sighed De Lacy。
Her greeting warmed Ranald's heart that somehow had been chilled in
the meeting。 Something was wrong。 Was it this fop of a soldier；
or had Maimie changed？ Ranald glanced at her face。 No； she was
the same； only more beautiful than he had dreamed。
But while she was shaking hands with him； there flashed across his
mind the memory of the first time he had seen her； and the look of
amusement upon her face then； that had given him such deadly
offense。 There was no amusement now； but there was embarrassment
and something else。 Ranald could not define it； but it chilled his
heart； and at once he began to feel how badly dressed he was。 The
torn shirt； the ragged trousers； and the old； unshapely boots that
he had never given a thought to before； now seemed to burn into his
flesh。 Unconsciously he backed away and turned to go。
〃Where are you off to？〃 cried Harry； 〃do you think we are going to
let you go now？ We had hard enough work finding you。 Come up to
the office and see the governor。 He wants to see you badly。〃
Ranald glanced at the lieutenant； immaculate except where the slush
had speckled his shiny boots； and then at his own ragged attire。
〃I think I will not go up now；〃 he said。
〃Well； come up soon；〃 said Maimie； evidently relieved。
〃No！〃 said Kate； impetuously； 〃come right along now。〃 As she spoke
she ranged herself beside him。
For a moment or two Ranald hesitated； shot a searching glance at
Maimie's face； and then； with a reckless laugh； said； 〃I will go
now；〃 and set off forthwith； Kate proudly marching at one side； and
Harry on the other； leaving Maimie and the lieutenant to follow
after。
And a good thing it was for Ranald that he did go that day with
Harry to his 〃governor's〃 office。 They found the office in a
〃swither；〃 as Harry said； over the revelations of fraud that were
coming to light every daybook…keeper； clerk； and timber…checker
having all been in conspiracy to defraud the company。
〃Where have you been； Harry？〃 said his father in an annoyed tone as
his son entered the office。 〃You don't seem to realize how much
there is to do just now。〃
〃Looking up Ranald； father；〃 said Harry； cheerfully。
〃Ah； the young man from Glengarry？〃 said Mr。 St。 Clair； rising。 〃I
am glad to know you； and to thank you in person for your prompt
courage in saving my daughter。〃
〃Lucky dog！〃 groaned the lieutenant； in an undertone to Maimie。
Mr。 St。 Clair spoke to Ranald of his father and his uncle in words
of highest appreciation； and as Ranald listened； the reckless and
hard look which had been gathering ever since his meeting with
Maimie passed away； and his face became earnest and touched with a
tender pride。
〃I hear about you frequently from my sister； Mr。 Macdonaldor
shall I say Ranald？〃 said Mr。 St。 Clair； kindly。 〃She apparently
thinks something of you〃
〃I am proud to think so；〃 replied Ranald； his face lighting up as
he spoke； 〃but every one loves her。 She is a wonderful woman； and
good。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Mr。 St。 Clair； 〃that's it； wonderful and good。〃
Then Maimie drew nearer。 〃How is auntie？〃 she said。 〃What a shame
not to have asked before！〃
〃She was very well last fall；〃 said Ranald； looking keenly into
Maimie's face；