anxious to know."

"Never mind," said Mrs. Murray; "I will explain to Kate."

"That won't help me any. She is a most secretive person, twiddles us all
round her fingers and never lets us know anything until it's done. It is
most exasperating. Oh, I say, Kate," added Harry, suddenly, "would you
mind dropping me at the florist's here?"

"Why? Oh, I see," said Kate, drawing in her team. "How do you do, Lily?
Harry is anxious to select some flowers," she said, bowing to a very
pretty girl on the sidewalk.

"Kate, do stop it," besought Harry, in a low voice, as he leaped out of
the carriage. "Good by, auntie, I'll see you this evening. Don't believe
all Kate tells you," he added, as they drove away.

"Are you too tired for a turn in the park," said Kate, "or shall we
drive home?"

A drive is always pleasant. Besides, one can talk about some things with
more freedom in a carriage than face to face in one's room. The horses
require attention at critical moments, and there are always points of
interest when it is important that conversation should be deflected from
the subject in hand, so since Mrs. Murray was willing, Kate turned into
the park. For an hour they drove along its shady, winding roads while
Mrs. Murray talked of many things, but mostly of Ranald, and of the
tales that the Glengarry people had of him. For wherever there was
lumbering to be done, sooner or later there Glengarry men were to be
found, and Ranald had found them in the British Columbia forests. And
to their people at home their letters spoke of Ranald and his doings
at first doubtfully, soon more confidently, but always with pride. To
Macdonald Bhain a rare letter came from Ranald now and then, which he
would carry to Mrs. Murray with a difficult pretense of modesty. For
with Macdonald Bhain, Ranald was a great man.

"But he is not quite sure of him," said Mrs. Murray. "He thinks it is a
very queer way of lumbering, and the wages he considers excessive."

"Does he say that?" asked Kate. "That's just what Colonel Thorp says his
company are saying. But he stands up for Ranald even when he can't see
that his way is the best. The colonel is not very sure about Ranald's
schemes for the men, his reading-room, library, and that sort of thing.
But I'm sure he will succeed." But Kate's tone belied her confident
words.

Mrs. Murray noticed the anxiety in Kate's voice. "At least we are
sure," she said, gently, "that he will do right, and after all that