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not to have asked before！〃
〃She was very well last fall；〃 said Ranald； looking keenly into
Maimie's face； 〃but she is working too hard at the meetings。〃
〃Meetings！〃 exclaimed Harry。
〃Aye； for a year and more she has been at them every night till
late。〃
〃At meetings for a year！ What meetings？〃 cried Harry； astonished。
〃Oh； Harry； you know about the great revival going on quite well；〃
said Maimie。
〃Oh； yes。 I forgot。 What a shame！ What is the use of her killing
herself that way？〃
〃There is much use；〃 said Ranald； gravely。 〃They are making bad
men good； and the whole countryside is new； and she is the heart of
it all。〃
〃I have no doubt about that；〃 said Mr。 St。 Clair。 〃She will be the
head and heart and hands and feet。〃
〃You're just right； governor；〃 said Harry； warmly。 〃There is no
woman living like Aunt Murray。〃
There was silence for a few moments。 Then Mr。 St。 Clair said
suddenly： 〃We are in an awful fix here。 Not a man to be found
that we can depend upon for book…keeper； clerk； or checker。〃
Harry coughed slightly。
〃Oh； of course； Harry is an excellent book…keeper；〃 Harry bowed
low； 〃while he is at it；〃 added Mr。 St。 Clair。
〃Very neat one；〃 murmured the lieutenant。
〃Now； father； do not spoil a fine compliment in that way；〃 cried
Harry。
〃But now the checker is gone；〃 said Mr。 St。 Clair； 〃and that is
extremely awkward。〃
〃I say；〃 cried Harry； 〃what will you give me for a checker right
now？〃
Mr。 St。 Clair looked at him and then at the lieutenant。
〃Pardon me； Mr。 St。 Clair；〃 said that gentleman； holding up his
hand。 〃I used to check a little at Rugby； but〃
〃Not you； by a long hand；〃 interrupted Harry； disdainfully。
〃This awfully charming brother of yours； so very frank； don't you
know！〃 said the lieutenant； softly； to Maimie； while they all
laughed。
〃But here is your man； governor；〃 said Harry； laying his hand on
Ranald。
〃Ranald！〃 exclaimed Mr。 St。 Clair。 〃Why； the very man！ You
understand timber； and you are honest。〃
〃I will answer for both with my head；〃 said Harry。
〃What do you say； Ranald？〃 said Mr。 St。 Clair。 〃Will you take a
day to think it over？〃
〃No；〃 said Ranald； 〃I will be your checker。〃 And so Ranald became
part of the firm of Raymond & St。 Clair。
〃Come along； Ranald；〃 said Harry。 〃We will take the girls home；
and then come back to the office。〃
〃Yes； do come；〃 said Kate； heartily。 Maimie said nothing。
〃No；〃 said Ranald； 〃I will go back to the raft first； and then come
to the office。 Shall I begin tonight？〃 he said to Mr。 St。 Clair。
〃To…morrow morning will do； Ranald；〃 said Mr。 St。 Clair。 〃Come up
to the hotel and see us tonight。〃 But Ranald said nothing。 Then
Maimie went up to him。
〃Good by； just now；〃 she said； smiling into his face。 〃You will
come and see us to…night； perhaps？〃
Ranald looked at her； while the blood mounted slowly into his dark
cheek； and said： 〃Yes； I will come。〃
〃What's the matter with you； Maimie？〃 said Harry； indignantly； when
they had got outside。 〃You would think Ranald was a stranger； the
way you treat him。〃
〃And he is just splendid！ I wish he had pulled ME out of the
fire；〃 cried Kate。
〃You might try the river；〃 said the lieutenant。 〃I fancy he would
go in。 Looks that sort。〃
〃Go in？〃 cried Harry； 〃he would go anywhere。〃 The lieutenant made
no reply。 He evidently considered that it was hardly worth the
effort to interest himself in the young lumberman； but before he
was many hours older he found reason to change his mind。
After taking the young ladies to their hotel there was still an
hour till the lieutenant's dinner； so； having resolved to cultivate
the St。 Clair family； he proposed accompanying Harry back to the
office。
As they approached the lower portion of the town they heard wild
shouts； and sauntering down a side street； they came upon their
French…Canadian friend of the afternoon。 He was standing with his
back against a wall trying to beat off three or four men； who were
savagely striking and kicking at him； and crying the while：
〃Gatineau！ Gatineau！〃
It was the Gatineau against the Ottawa。
〃Our friend seems to have found the object of his search；〃 said the
lieutenant； as he stood across the street looking at the melee。
〃I say； he's a good one； isn't he？〃 cried Harry； admiring the
Ottawa's dauntless courage and his fighting skill。
〃His eagerness for war will probably be gratified in a few minutes；
by the look of things；〃 replied the lieutenant。
The Gatineaus were crowding around； and had evidently made up their
minds to bring the Ottawa champion to the dust。 That they were
numbers to one mattered not at all。 There was little chivalry in a
shantymen's fight。
〃Ha！ Rather a good one； that；〃 exclaimed the lieutenant； mildly
interested。 〃He put that chap out somewhat neatly。〃 He lit a
cigar and stood coolly watching the fight。
〃Where are the Ottawasthe fellow's friends？〃 said Harry； much
excited。
〃I rather think they camp on another street further down。〃
The Ottawa champion was being sorely pressed； and it looked as if
in a moment or two more he would be down。
〃What a shame！〃 cried Harry。
〃Well；〃 said the lieutenant； languidly； 〃it's beastly dirty； but
the chap's done rather well； so here goes。〃
Smoking his cigar； and followed by Harry； he pushed across the
street to the crowd； and got right up to the fighters。
〃Here； you fellows；〃 he called out； in a high； clear voice； 〃what
the deuce do you mean； kicking up such a row？ Come now； stop； and
get out of here。〃
The astonished crowd stopped fighting and fell back a little。 The
calm； clear voice of command and her majesty's uniform awed them。
〃Mon camarade！〃 said the lieutenant； removing his cigar and
saluting； 〃rather warm； eh？〃
〃You bet！ Ver' warm tam；〃 was the reply。
〃Better get away； mon ami。 The odds are rather against you；〃 said
the lieutenant。 〃Your friends are some distance down the next
street。 You better go along。〃 So saying； he stepped out toward
the crowd of Gatineaus who were consulting and yelling。
〃Excuse me； gentlemen；〃 he said； politely； waving his little cane。
Those immediately in front gave back； allowed the lieutenant；
followed by the Ottawa man and Harry； to pass； and immediately
closed in behind。 They might have escaped had it not been that the
Ottawa man found it impossible to refrain from hurling taunts at
them and inviting them to battle。 They had gone not more than two
blocks when there was a rush from behind； and before they could
defend themselves they were each in the midst of a crowd； fighting
for their lives。 The principal attack was； of course； made upon
the Ottawa man； but the crowd was quite determined to prevent the
lieutenant and Harry from getting near him。 In vain they struggled
to break through the yelling mass of Gatineaus； who now had become
numerous enough to fill the street from wall to wall； and among
whom could be seen some few of the Ottawa men trying to force their
way toward their champion。 By degrees both Harry and De Lacy
fought their way to the wall； and toward each other。
〃Looks as if our man had met his Waterloo；〃 said the lieutenant；
waiting for his particular man to come again。
〃What a lot of beasts they are！〃 said Harry； disgustedly； beating
off his enemy。
〃Hello！ Here they come again。 We shall have to try another shot；
I suppose；〃 said the lieutenant； as the crowd； which had for a few
moments surged down the street； now came crushing back； with the
Ottawa leader； and some half…dozen of his followers in the center。
〃Well； here goes；〃 said De Lacy； leaving the wall and plunging into
the crowd； followed by Harry。 As they reached the center a voice
called out： 〃A bas les Anglais！〃
And immediately the cry； a familiar enough one in those days； was
taken up on all sides。 The crowd stiffened； and the attack upon
the center became more determined than ever。 The little company
formed a circle； and standing back to back； held their ground for a
time。
〃Make for the wall。 Keep together；〃 cried De Lacy； pushing out
toward the side； and followed by his company。 But； one by one； the
Ottawas were being dragged down and trampled beneath the 〃corked〃
boots of their foes； till only two of them； with their leader；
beside Harry and De Lacy； were left。
At length the wall was gained。 There they faced about and for a
time held their lives safe。 But every moment fresh men rushed in
upon them； yelling their cries； 〃Gatineau！ Gatineau！ A bas les
Anglais！〃
The Ottawa leader was panting hard； and he could not much longer
hold his own。 His two companions were equally badly off。 Harry
was pale and bleeding； but still in good heart。 The lieutenant was
unmarked as yet； and coolly smoking his cigar； but he knew well
that unless help arrived their case was hopeless。
〃We can't run；〃 he remarked； calmly； 〃but a dignified and speedy
retreat is in order if it can be executed。 There is a shop a
little distance down here。 Let us make for it。〃
But as soon as they moved two more of the Ottawas were dragged down
and trampled on。
〃It begins to look interesting；〃 said the lieutenant to Harry。