that business."

He sat down, drew in his chair, and turning over his papers with a
nervousness that he rarely showed, he continued: "And, Harry, I want you
to do something for me. Before you go home this afternoon, will you come
in here? I may want to send a note to Maimie by you."

"But--" began Harry.

"Wait a moment. I want to prevent all possibility of mistake. There may
be a reply, and Harry, old chap, I'd rather not answer any questions."

Harry gazed at him a moment in perplexity. "All right, Ranald," he said,
quietly, "you can trust me. I haven't the ghost of an idea what's up,
but I know you're square."

"Thanks, old fellow," said Ranald, "I will never give you reason to
change your opinion. Now get out; I'm awfully busy."

For some minutes after Harry had left the room Ranald sat gazing before
him into space.

"Poor chap, he's got his fight, too, but I begin to think he'll win," he
said to himself, and once more returned to his work. He had hardly begun
his writing when the inner door of his office opened and Mr. St. Clair
came in. His welcome was kindly and cordial, and Ranald's heart,
which had been under strong discipline all morning, leaped up in warm
response.

"You had a pleasant trip, I hope?" inquired Mr. St. Clair.

"Fine most of the way. Through May and June the flies were bad, but not
so bad as usual, they said, and one gets used to them."

"Good sport?"

"Never saw anything like it. What a country that is!" cried Ranald, his
enthusiasm carrying him away. "Fishing of all kinds and superb. In those
little lonely lakes you get the finest black and white bass, beauties
and so gamy. In the bigger waters, maskalonge and, of course, any amount
of pike and pickerel. Then we were always running up against deer, moose
and red, and everywhere we got the scent of bear. Could have loaded a
boat with furs in a week."

"We must go up some day," replied Mr. St. Clair. "Wish I could get away
this fall, but the fact is we are in shallow water, Ranald, and we can't
take any chances."

Ranald knew well how serious the situation was. "But," continued Mr. St.
Clair, "this offer of the British-American Lumber and Coal Company is
most fortunate, and will be the saving of us. With one hundred thousand
set free we are certain to pull through this season, and indeed, the
financial stringency will rather help than hinder our operations. Really
it is most fortunate. Indeed," he added, with a slight laugh, "as