ow he's the equal in birth to anyone in this part
of the country. You know, of course, that his name is not really
MacDonald?"

Captain Herbert seized the poker and attacked the fire again. He
seemed waiting for Monteith to proceed, but as he did not, he answered
rather shortly, "So I believe."

There was a long silence. The host sat back again, swung one foot over
the other impatiently, and at last turned upon his silent companion.

"Go on!" he cried. "Out with it! I know what you want to say!"

Monteith slowly turned his eyes from the fire and looked into his
host's face.

"I don't want to say anything disagreeable, Captain," he said
courteously.

Captain Herbert arose and walked to the window.

"I knew this would come some day, when I saw you were getting so
infernally chummy with all the MacDonald clan. That dear friend of
mine, old Firebrand Malcolm, has been telling you tales, I see."

"On the contrary, he has scarcely ever mentioned your name to me. Big
Malcolm is not that sort," said Monteith, with some dignity. "But it
was impossible for me not to remember Ralph Stanwell, Senior; it all
came to me the moment the boy told me his name."

There was a moment of intense silence, and at last the man turned from
the window.

"Well," he said, coming to the fireside, "why don't you speak? What
have you got to say about it?" His manner was half-defiant.

"I don't know that you'll think it's my place to say anything, Captain.
But--well, since you ask my opinion, I must confess that, though I am
not in possession of all the facts, the thing does not look
exactly--straight."

Captain Herbert glared at him. "You are the only man in Ontario who
would dare to say that to me, Archibald Monteith!" he cried.

Monteith arose, smiling. "Well, Captain, be thankful you have at least
one honest friend in Ontario. And," he added, with a sudden change of
tone, "look here, I haven't come to you about this in anger. I am
Ralph's friend, but I am yours, too, and have many debts of kindness
owing you. But, honestly now, is it or is it not true that you jumped
a claim and appropriated the boy's property, perhaps unwittingly?"

"It was unwittingly, Archie," burst out the other, with a look of
relief. "I know the affair must look nasty to you; but, as sure as I
stand here, I didn't know the child was alive until he was nearly seven
years old."

"But the grandfather? Did he never interfere in the child's inte