But you will, won't you mother?
And you won't tell father, will you ?" The mother stood listening, with face growing whiter and whiter, till he was done.

Then she stooped down over the eager face for some moments, whispering, "My darling, my darling," and then coming to Ranald she held her hand on his shoulder for a moment, while she said, in a voice bravely struggling to be calm, "God reward you, Ranald.

God grant my boy may always have so good and brave a friend when he needs." And from that day Ranald's life was different, for he had bound to him by a tie that nothing could ever break, a friend whose influence followed him, and steadied and lifted him up to greatness, long after the grave had hidden her from men's sight..