g. He was able to guess with some degree of accuracy the
workings of his friend's mind. Captain Herbert was a man who believed
in letting circumstances take care of themselves, particularly if they
were of the disagreeable variety; but he would willingly do no man a
wrong; and Monteith well knew that his warm heart was a prey to regret,
and he was therefore full of hope for Ralph. But the Captain had a
stormy journey to traverse before arriving at any conclusion.

"If the matter were taken into a law court now, no fool would say for a
moment that I wasn't the owner of this place after all these years. It
was a howling wilderness when I came here."

"But a court might say you were under some obligation to that boy,
Captain."

"Nonsense! Do you want me to present him with a deed of all my
property?"

"Not at all, but I want you to act fairly by him, as I am sure you
will."

The steady tramp ceased at last, and as Monteith had expected his host
came and stood before the fire.

"It's a mean business, the whole thing, I know, Archie; and I've hated
the thought of it all these years. But what could I do? It was too
late to mend matters when I found my mistake."

"It's never too late to mend," quoted the imperturbable guest. "And
you're comfortably well off now, Captain, with that last legacy."

Captain Herbert evidently did not hear him. "I'm sorry about that
boy," he said, staring into the grate with brows knit, "I'm truly
sorry."

Monteith felt that now was his opportunity, and he put Scotty's case
forward strongly. He was careful not to press the boy's legal claims,
but made much of the moral obligation. Here was a young man with
marked ability and no worldly resources, his high ambitions fettered by
poverty. He had already spent two winters in the lumber camps; he was
getting to be a famous river pilot, and, as matters stood, there seemed
nothing better ahead of him. Ralph was a youth who would probably make
his way in the world somehow, but just now he needed a helping hand. A
little assistance at present would make his fortune, and who so fitted
to give that assistance as Captain Herbert?

The appeal was received in silence. Captain Herbert sat, his brows
drawn together, his eyes fixed upon the fire. "There's another reason,
stronger than any you suspect for my sister's antipathy for the young
man," he said suddenly without looking up. Monteith's eyebrows rose.

"It is a very unpleasant su