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Lacy aside； hurling him crashing against the wall； and stood before
the shrinking girl。
〃Good by； Maimie； forget that I loved you once。〃
The words came slowly from his pallid lips。 For some moments he
stood with his burning eyes fastened upon her face。 Then he turned
slowly from her and groped blindly for his hat。 Miss St。 Clair
hurried toward him； found his hat； and putting it in his hand；
said； in a broken voice； while tears poured down her cheeks： 〃Here
it is； good by； good by。〃
He looked at her a moment as if in surprise； and then； with a smile
of rare sweetness on his white lips； he said； 〃I thank you；〃 and
passed out； going feebly like a man who has got a death wound。
CHAPTER XXIII
A GOOD TRUE FRIEND
It was springtime and the parks and avenues were in all the dainty
splendor of their new leaves。 The afternoon May sun was flooding
the city with gold and silver light； and all the air was tremulous
with the singing of birds。 A good day it was to live if one could
only live in the sunny air within sight of the green leaves and
within sound of the singing birds。 A day for life and love it was；
at least so Kate thought as she drew up her prancing team at the
St。 Clair house where Harry stood waiting for her。
〃DEAR Kate；〃 he cried； 〃how stunning you are！ I love you！〃
〃Come； Harry； jump up！ Breton is getting excited。〃
〃Stony…hearted wretch；〃 grumbled Harry。 〃Did you hear me tell you
I love you？〃
〃Nonsense； Harry； jump in； I'll report to Lily Langford。〃
〃Don't tell；〃 pleaded Harry； 〃and do keep Breton on all fours。
This isn't a circus。 You terrify me。〃
〃We have only time to make the train； hurry up！〃 cried Kate。
〃Steady； my boys。〃
〃Some day； Kate； those 'boys' of yours will be your death or the
death of some of your friends；〃 said Harry； as he sprang in and
took his place beside Kate。 〃That Breton ought to be shot。 It
really affects my heart to drive with you。〃
〃You haven't any； Harry； you know that right well； so don't be
alarmed。〃
〃Quite true；〃 said Harry； sentimentally； 〃not since that night；
don't you remember； Kate； when you〃
〃Now； Harry； I only remind you that I always tell my girl friends
everything you say。 It is this wedding that's got into your
blood。〃
〃I suppose so；〃 murmured Harry； pensively； 〃wish it would get into
yours。 Now seriously； Kate； at your years you ought〃
〃Harry；〃 said Kate； indignantly； 〃I really don't need you at the
station。 I can meet your aunt quite well without you。 Shall I set
you down here； or drive you to the office？〃
〃Oh； not to the office； I entreat！ I entreat！ Anything but that！
Surely I may be allowed this day！ I shall be careful of your
sensitive points； but I do hope this wedding of Maimie's will give
you serious thoughts。〃
Kate was silent； giving her attention doubtless to her team。 Then；
with seeming irrelevance； she said： 〃Didn't I see Colonel Thorp
yesterday in town？〃
〃Yes； the old heathen！ I haven't forgiven him for taking off
Ranald as he did。〃
〃He didn't take off Ranald。 Ranald was going off anyway。〃
〃How do you know？〃 said Harry。
〃I know；〃 replied Kate； with a little color in her cheek。 〃He told
me himself。〃
〃Well； old Thorp was mighty glad to get him； I can tell you that。
The old sinner！〃
〃He's just a dear！〃 cried Kate。 〃Yes； he was glad to get Ranald。
What a splendid position he gave him。〃
〃Oh； yes； I know； he adores you like all the rest； and so you think
him a dear。〃
But this Kate ignored for the team were speeding along at an
alarming pace。 With amazing skill and dash she threaded her way
through the crowded streets with almost no checking of her speed。
〃Do be careful；〃 cried Harry； as the wheels of their carriage
skimmed the noses of the car…horses。 〃I am quite sure my aunt will
not be able to recognize me。〃
〃And why not？〃
〃Because I shall be gray…haired by the time I reach the station。〃
〃There's the train I do believe；〃 cried Kate； flourishing her whip
over her horses' backs。 〃We must not be late。〃
〃If we ever get there alive；〃 said Harry。
〃Here we are sure enough。〃
〃Shall I go to the train？〃
〃No； indeed；〃 cried Kate。 〃Do you think I am going to allow any
one to meet MY Aunt Murray but myself？ I shall go； you hold the
horses。〃
〃I am afraid； really；〃 cried Harry； pretending terror。
〃Oh； I fancy you will do；〃 cried Kate； smiling sweetly； as she ran
off to meet the incoming train。 In a few moments she returned with
Mrs。 Murray and carrying a large； black valise。
〃Hello； auntie dear；〃 cried Harry。 〃You see I can't leave these
brutes of Kate's； but believe me it does me good to see you。 What
a blessing a wedding is to bring you to us。 I suppose you won't
come again until it is Kate's or mine。〃
〃That would be sure to bring me；〃 cried Mrs。 Murray； smiling her
bright smile； 〃provided you married the right persons。〃
〃Why； auntie；〃 said Harry； dismally； 〃Kate is so unreasonable。 She
won't take even me。 You see she's so tremendously impressed with
herself； and all the fellows spoil her。〃
By this time Kate had the reins and Harry had climbed into the back
seat。
〃Dear old auntie；〃 he said； kissing his aunt； 〃I am really
delighted to see you。 But to return to Kate。 Look at her！
Doesn't she look like a Roman princess？〃
〃Now； Harry； do be sensible； or I shall certainly drive you at once
to the office；〃 said Kate； severely。
〃Oh； the heartlessness of her。 She knows well enough that Colonel
Thorp is there； and she would shamelessly exult over his abject
devotion。 She respects neither innocent youth nor gray hairs； as
witness myself and Colonel Thorp。〃
〃Isn't he a silly boy； auntie？〃 said Kate； 〃and he is not much
improving with age。〃
〃But what's this about Colonel Thorp？〃 said Mrs。 Murray。 〃Sometimes
Ranald writes of him； in high terms； too。〃
〃Well； you ought to hear Thorp abuse Ranald。 Says he's ruining the
company with his various philanthropic schemes；〃 said Harry； 〃but
you can never tell what he means exactly。 He's a wily old customer。〃
〃Don't believe him； auntie；〃 said Kate； with a sagacious smile。
〃Colonel Thorp thinks that the whole future of his company and of
the Province depends solely upon Ranald。 It is quite ridiculous to
hear him； while all the time he is abusing him for his freaks。〃
〃It must be a great country out there； though；〃 said Harry； 〃and
what a row they are making over Confederation。〃
〃What do you mean； Harry？〃 said Mrs。 Murray。 〃We hear so little in
the country。〃
〃Well； I don't know exactly； but those fellows in British Columbia
are making all sorts of threats that unless this railway is built
forthwith they will back out of the Dominion； and some of them talk
of annexation with the United States。 Don't I wish I was there！
What a lucky fellow Ranald is。 Thorp says he's a big gun already。
No end of a swell。 Of course； as manager of a big concern like the
British…American Coal and Lumber Company； he is a man of some
importance。〃
〃I don't think he is taking much to do with public questions；〃 said
Kate； 〃though he did make a speech at New Westminster not long ago。
He has been up in those terrible woods almost ever since he went。〃
〃Hello； how do you know？〃 said Harry； looking at her suspiciously；
〃I get a fragment of a note from Ranald now and then； but he is
altogether too busy to remember humble people。〃
〃I hear regularly from Coley。 You remember Coley； don't you？〃 said
Kate； turning to Mrs。 Murray。
〃Oh； yes； that's the lad in whom Ranald was so interested in the
Institute。〃
〃Yes；〃 replied Kate； 〃Coley begged and prayed to go with Ranald；
and so he went。〃
〃She omits to state；〃 said Harry； 〃that she also 'begged and
prayed' and further that she outfitted the young rascal； though
I've reason to thank Providence for removing him to another sphere。〃
〃How does it affect you？〃 said Mrs。 Murray。
〃Why； haven't you heard； Aunt Murray； of the tremendous heights to
which I have attained？ I suppose she didn't tell you of her dinner
party。 That was after you had left last fall。 It was a great bit
of generalship。 Some of Ranald's foot…ball friends； Little
Merrill； Starry Hamilton； that's the captain； you know； and myself
among them； were asked to a farewell supper by this young lady； and
when the men had well drunkfed； I meanand were properly
dissolved in tears over the prospect of Ranald's departure； at a
critical moment the Institute was introduced as a side issue。 It
was dear to Ranald's heart。 A most effective picture was drawn of
the Institute deserted and falling into ruins； so to speak； with
Kate heroically struggling to prevent utter collapse。 Could this
be allowed？ No！ a thousand times no！ Some one would be found
surely！ Who would it be！ At this juncture Kate； who had been
maintaining a powerful silence； smiled upon Little Merrill； who
being distinctly inflammable； and for some mysterious reason
devoted to Ranald； and for an even more mysterious reason devoted
to Kate； swore he'd follow if some one would lead。 What could I
do？ My well…known abilities naturally singled me out for
leadership； so to prevent any such calamity； I immediately propose