tenant 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 t