s truely,

J. LATHAM.

The minister's wife began reading the letter, wondering not a little
at Ranald's manner, but when she came to the words, "Mack Cameron got
drownded," she laid the letter down with a little cry. Her husband came
quickly to her, took up the letter, and read it to the end.

"I will go at once," he said, and rang the bell. "Tell Lambert to
put Black in the buggy immediately, Jessie," he said, when the maid
appeared. "Do you think you ought to go, my dear?"

"Yes, yes, I shall be ready in a moment; but, oh, what can we do or
say?"

"Perhaps you had better not go. It will be very trying," said the
minister.

"Oh, yes, I must go. I must. The poor mother!" Then she turned to Ranald
as the minister left the room. "You are going home, Ranald, I suppose,"
she said.

"No, I was thinking I would go to tell the people. Donald Ross will
go, and the Campbells, and Farquhar McNaughton's light wagon would be
best--for the--for Mack. And then I will go round by the McGregors."

Ranald had been thinking things out and making his plans.

"But that will be a long round for you," said Mrs. Murray. "Could not we
go by the Campbells', and they will send word to Donald Ross?"

"I think it would be better for me to go, to make sure of the teams."

"Very well, then. Good by, Ranald," said the minister's wife, holding
out her hand to him.

But still Ranald lingered. "It will be hard on Bella Peter," he said, in
a low voice, looking out of the window.

"Bella Peter? Bella McGregor?"

"Yes," said Ranald, embarrassed and hesitating. "She was Mack's--Mack
was very fond of her, whatever."

"Oh, Ranald!" she cried, "do you say so? Are you sure of that?"

"Yes, I am sure," said Ranald, simply. "The boys in the shanty would be
teasing Mack about it, and one day Mack told me something, and I know
quite well."

"I will go to her," said Mrs. Murray.

"That will be very good," said Ranald, much relieved. "And I will be
going with you that way."

As Mrs. Murray left the room, Maimie came around to where Ranald was
standing and said to him, gently, "You knew him well, didn't you?"

"Yes," replied Ranald, in an indifferent tone, as if unwilling to talk
with her about it.

"And you were very fond of him?" went on Maimie.

Ranald caught the tremor in her voice and looked at her. "Yes," he said,
with an effort. "He was good to me in the camp. Many's the time he made
it easy for me. He was next to Macdonald Bhain