.

"Good by," cried Harry, "don't forget us in your stately palace," but
Ranald made no reply. He had no thought for her. But still she stood and
watched the carriage till the beeches hid it from her view, and then,
with her hand pressed against her side, she turned slowly into the hall.

As the carriage rolled down the stately avenue, Ranald sat absorbed in
deepest thought, heeding not his companion's talk.

"What's the matter with you, Ranald? What are you thinking of?" at last
cried Harry, impatiently.

"What?" answered Ranald, in strange confusion, "I cannot tell you."
Unconsciously as he spoke he put up his hand to his neck, for he was
still feeling the pressure of those clinging arms, and all the way back
the sounds of the rolling wheels and noisy, rattling streets wrought
themselves into one sweet refrain, "You will not leave me, Ranald," and
often in his heart he answered, "No, I will not," with such a look on
his face as men wear when pledging life and honor.

CHAPTER XXI

I WILL REMEMBER

The Albert was by all odds the exclusive club in the capital city of
upper Canada, for men were loath to drop the old name. Its members
belonged to the best families, and moved in the highest circles, and the
entre was guarded by a committee of exceeding vigilance. They had a very
real appreciation of the rights and privileges of their order, and they
cherished for all who assayed to enter the most lofty ideal. Not wealth
alone could purchase entrance within those sacred precincts unless,
indeed, it were of sufficient magnitude and distributed with judicious
and unvulgar generosity. A tinge of blue in the common red blood of
humanity commanded the most favorable consideration, but when there was
neither cerulean tinge of blood nor gilding of station the candidate for
membership in the Albert was deemed unutterable in his presumption, and
rejection absolute and final was inevitable. A single black ball shut
him out. So it came as a surprise to most outsiders, though not to
Ranald himself, when that young gentleman's name appeared in the list of
accepted members in the Albert. He had been put up by both Raymond and
St. Clair, but not even the powerful influence of these sponsors would
have availed with the members had it not come to be known that young
Macdonald was a friend of Captain De Lacy's of Quebec, don't you
know! and a sport, begad, of the first water; for the Alberts favored
athletics, and loved a true s