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 day--book-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. "Iam 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. Macdonald--or 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; "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.
