"A boy, is he?" laughed Aleck. "That may be, but he is very fond of you, whatever, and indeed, I don't wonder at that. Anybody would be," he added, boldly.

"You don't know a bit about it," said Maimie, with cheeks glowing.

"About what?"

"About Ranald and--and--what you said."

"What I said? About being fond of you? Indeed, I know all about that.

The boys are all broke up, not to speak of myself."

This was going a little too fast for Maimie. She knew nothing, as yet, of the freedom of country banter. She was new to the warfare, but she was not going to lower her flag or retreat. She changed the subject.

"Your team must have been very tired."

"Tired!" exclaimed Aleck, "not a bit. They will go home like birds. Come along with me, and you will see."

Maimie gasped. "I--" she hesitated, glanced past Aleck, blushed, and stammered.

Aleck turned about quickly and saw Ranald staring at Maimie. "Oh," he said, banteringly, "I see. You would not be allowed."

"Allowed!" echoed Maimie. "And why not, pray? Who will hinder me?"

But Aleck only shrugged his shoulders and looked at Ranald, who passed on to his place at the table, black as a thunder-cloud. Maimie was indignant at him. What right had he to stare and look so savage? She would just show him. So she turned once more to Aleck, and with a gay laugh, cried, "Some day I will accept your invitation, so just make ready."

"Any day, or every day, and the more days the better," cried Aleck, as he sat down at the table, where all had now taken their places.

The supper was a great success. With much laughter and chaffing, the girls flitted from place to place, pouring cups of tea and passing the various dishes, urging the men to eat, till, as Don said, they were "full to the neck."

When all had finished, Mr. Murray, who sat at the head of the table, rose in his place and said: "Gentlemen, before we rise from this table, which has been spread so bountifully for us, I wish to return thanks on behalf of Mr. Macdonald to the neighbors and friends who have gathered to-day to assist in this work. Mr. Macdonald asked me to say that he is all the more surprised at this kindness, in that he feels himself to be so unworthy of it. I promised to speak this word for him, but I do not agree with the sentiment. Mr. Macdonald is a man whom we all love, and in whose misfortune we deeply sympathize, and I only hope that this Providence may be greatly blessed to him, and that we will all come to know him better, and to see God's hand in his misfortune."

The minister then, after some further remarks expressive of the good will of the neighbors for Mr. Macdonald, and in appreciation of the kind spirit that prompted the bee, returned thanks, and the supper was over.

As the men were leaving the table, Aleck watched his opportunity and called to Maimie, when he was sure Ranald could hear, "Well, when will you be ready for that drive?"

And Maimie, who was more indignant at Ranald than ever because he had ignored all her advances at supper, and had received her congratulations upon his victory with nothing more than a grunt, answered Aleck brightly. "Oh, any day that you happen to remember."

"Remember!" cried Aleck; "then that will be every day until our ride comes off."

A few minutes later, as Ranald was hitching up Farquhar's team, Aleck passed by, and in great good humor with himself, chaffingly called out to Ranald in the presence of a number of the men, "That's a fine girl you've got, Ranald. But you better keep your eye on her."

Ranald made no reply. He was fast losing command of himself.

"Pretty skittish to handle, isn't she?" continued Aleck.

"What y're talkin' 'bout? That Lisette mare?" said Yankee, walking round to Ranald's side. "Purty slick beast, that. Guess there ain't anythin'

in this country will make her take dust."

Then in a low voice he said to Ranald, hurriedly, "Don't you mind him; don't you mind him. You can't touch him to-day, on your own place. Let me handle him."

"No," said Aleck. "We were talking about another colt of Ranald's."

"What's that?" said Yankee, pretending not to hear. "Yes, you bet," he continued. "Ranald can handle her all right. He knows something about horses, as I guess you have found out, perhaps, by this time. Never saw anything so purty. Didn't know your team had got that move in them, Mr.

McNaughton," Yankee went on to Farquhar, who had just come up.

"Indeed, they are none the worse of it," said Farquhar, rubbing his hands over the sleek sides of his horses.

"Worse!" cried Yankee. "They're worth a hundred dollars more from this day on."

"I don't know that. The hundred dollars ought to go upon the driver,"

said Farquhar, putting his hand kindly upon Ranald's shoulder.

But this Ranald warmly repudiated. "They are a great team," he said to Farquhar. "And they could do better than they did to-day if they were better handled.'

"Indeed, it would be difficult to get that," said Farquhar, "for, in my opinion, there is not a man in the country that could handle them as well."

This was too much for Aleck, who, having by this time got his horses hitched, mounted his wagon seat and came round to the door at a gallop.

"Saved you that time, my boy," said Yankee to Ranald. "You would have made a fool of yourself in about two minutes more, I guess."

But Ranald was still too wrathful to be grateful for Yankee's help. "I will be even with him someday," he said, between his teeth.

"I guess you will have to learn two or three things first," said Yankee, slowly.

"What things?"

"Well, how to use your head, first place, and then how to use your hands. He is too heavy for you. He would crumple you up in a couple of minutes."

"Let him, then," said Ranald, recklessly.

"Rather onpleasant. Better wait awhile till you learn what I told you."

"Yankee," said Ranald, after a pause, "will you show me?"

"Why, sartin sure," said Yankee, cheerfully. "You have got to lick him some day, or he won't be happy; and by jings! it will be worth seein', too."

By this time Farquhar had come back from saying good by to Macdonald Dubh and Mr. and Mrs. Murray, who were remaining till the last.

"You will be a man yet," said Farquhar, shaking Ranald's hand. "You have got the patience and the endurance." These were great virtues in Farquhar's opinion.

"Not much patience, I am afraid," said Ranald. "But I am glad you trusted me with your team."

"And any day you want them you can have them," said Farquhar, his reckless mood leading him to forget Kirsty for the moment.

"Thank you, sir," said Ranald, wondering what Kirsty would look like should he ever venture to claim Farquhar's offer.

One by one the teams drove away with their loads, till only the minister and his party were left. Away under the trees Mr. Murray was standing, earnestly talking to Macdonald Dubh. He had found the opportunity he had long waited for and was making the most of it. Mrs. Murray was busy with Kirsty, and Maimie and Hughie came toward the stable where Yankee and Ranald were still standing. As soon as Ranald saw them approaching he said to Yankee, abruptly, "I am going to get the minister's horse," and disappeared into the stable. Nor did he come forth again till he heard his father calling to him: "What is keeping you, Ranald? The minister is waiting for his horse."

"So you won a great victory, Ranald, I hear," said the minister, as Ranald brought Black to the door.

"It was a tie," said Ranald.