HOME-COMING OF SHANTYMEN
at her. "Yes," he said, with an effort. "He was good to me in the camp. Many's the time he made it easy for me. He was next to Macdonald Bhain with the ax, and, man, he was the grand fighter—that is," he added, adopting the phrase of the Macdonald gang, "when it was a plain necessity." Then, forgetting himself, he began to tell Maimie how Big Mack had borne himself in the great fight a few weeks before. But he had hardly well begun when suddenly he stopped with a groan. "But now he is dead—he is dead. I will never see him no more."
He was realizing for the first time his loss. Maimie came nearer him, and laying her hand timidly on his arm, said, "I am sorry, Ranald"; and Ranald turned once more and looked at her, as if surprised that she should show such feeling.
"Yes," he said, "I believe you are sorry."
Her big blue eyes filled suddenly with tears.
"Do you wonder that I am sorry? Do you think I have no heart at all?" she burst forth, impetuously.
"Indeed, I don't know," said Ranald. "Why should you care? You do not know him."
"But haven't you just told me how splendid he was, and how good he was to you, and how much you thought of him, and—" Maimie checked her rush of words with a sudden blush, and then hurried on to say, "Besides, think of his mother, and all of them."
While Maimie was speaking, Ranald had been scanning her face as if trying to make up his mind about her.
"I am glad you are sorry," he said, slowly, gazing
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