The Man from Glengarry: A Tale of the OttawaConnor, Ralph
History
The Man from Glengarry: A Tale of the Ottawa
Connor, Ralph
Canada -- History -- 19th century -- Fiction; Christian fiction; Glengarry (Ont.) -- Fiction
“Might,” said Harry. “I shall make my best endeavor for your sake,”
bowing toward Kate, “but I am doubtful about Ranald. Perhaps we'd better
not--”
“Why, certainly, old chap,” said the lieutenant, “what's the matter?”
“Well, the fact is,” blurted out Harry, desperately, “I don't want to
drag in Ranald. I like him awfully, but you may feel as if he were not
quite one of us. You know what I mean; your mother doesn't know him.”
Harry felt extremely awkward knowing that he came perilously near to
suspecting the lieutenant of the most despicable snobbery.
“Why, certainly,” repeated the lieutenant. “That's all right. Bring your
Glengarry man along if any one wants him.”
“I do,” said Kate, decidedly.
“Kismet,” replied the lieutenant. “It is decreed. The young man must
come, for I suspect he is very much 'one of us.'” But of this the
lieutenant was not quite so certain by the time the day of the picnic
had arrived.
CHAPTER XIX
ONE GAME AT A TIME
The Glengarry men were on the Montreal boat leaving for home. Macdonald
Bhain's farewell to his nephew was full of sadness, for he knew that
henceforth their ways would lie apart, and full of solemn warnings
against the dangers of the city where Ranald was now to be.
“It is a wicked place, and the pitfalls are many, and they are not in
the places where the eyes will be looking for them. Ye are taking the
way that will be leading you from us all, and I will not be keeping you
back, nor will I be laying any vows upon you. You will be a true
man, and you will keep the fear of God before your eyes, and you will
remember that a Macdonald never fails the man that trusts him.” And long
after the great man was gone his last words kept tugging at Ranald's
heart: “Ranald, lad, remember us up yonder in the Indian Lands,” he
said, holding his hand with a grip that squeezed the bones together; “we
will be always thinking of you, and more than all, at the Bible class
and the meetings she will be asking for you and wondering how you are
doing, and by night and by day the door will be on the latch for your
coming; for, laddie, laddie, you are a son to me and more!” The break in
the big Macdonald's voice took away from Ranald all power of speech, and
without a word of reply, he had to let his uncle go.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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