to him that hath-第1章

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To　Him　That　Hath

by　Ralph　Connor



A　NOVEL　OF　THE　WEST　OF　TODAY








CONTENTS


CHAPTER

I　　THE　GAME

II　　THE　COST　OF　SACRIFICE

III　　THE　HEATHEN　QUEST

IV　　ANNETTE

V　　THE　RECTORY

VI　　THE　GRIEVANCE　COMMITTEE

VII　　THE　FOREMAN

VIII　　FREE　SPEECH

IX　　THE　DAY　BEFORE

X　　THE　NIGHT　OF　VICTORY

XI　　THE　NEW　MANAGER

XII　　LIGHT　THAT　IS　DARKNESS

XIII　　THE　STRIKE

XIV　　GATHERING　CLOUDS

XV　　THE　STORM

XVI　　A　GALLANT　FIGHT

XVII　　SHALL　BE　GIVEN




TO　HIM　THAT　HATH



CHAPTER　I

THE　GAME


〃Forty…Love。〃

〃Game！　and　Set。　　Six　to　two。〃

A　ripple　of　cheers　ran　round　the　court；　followed　by　a　buzz　of
excited　conversation。

The　young　men　smiled　at　each　other　and　at　their　friends　on　the　side
lines　and　proceeded　to　change　courts　for　the　next　set；　pausing　for
refreshments　on　the　way。

〃Much　too　lazy；　Captain　Jack。　　I　am　quite　out　of　patience　with
you；〃　cried　a　young　girl　whose　brown　eyes　were　dancing　with　mock
indignation。

Captain　Jack　turned　with　a　slightly　bored　look　on　his　thin　dark
face。

〃Too　lazy；　Frances？〃　drawled　he。　　〃I　believe　you。　　But　think　of　the
temperature。〃

〃You　have　humiliated　me　dreadfully；〃　she　said　severely。

〃Humiliated　you？　　You　shock　me。　　But　how；　pray？〃　　Captain　Jack's
eyes　opened　wide。

〃You；　a　Canadian；　and　our　best　playerat　least；　you　used　to　beto
allow　yourself　to　be　beaten　by　aa〃　she　glanced　at　his　opponent
with　a　defiant　smile〃a　foreigner。〃

〃Oh！　I　say；　Miss　Frances；〃　exclaimed　that　young　man。

〃A　foreigner？〃　exclaimed　Captain　Jack。　　〃Better　not　let　Adrien　hear
you。〃　　He　turned　toward　a　tall　fair　girl　standing　near。

〃What's　that？〃　said　the　girl。　　〃Did　I　hear　aright？〃

〃Well；　he's　not　a　Canadian；　I　mean；〃　said　Frances；　sticking　to　her
guns。　　〃Besides；　I　can't　stand　Adrien　crowing　over　me。　　She　is
already　far　too　English；　don…che…know。　　You　have　given　her　one　more
occasion　for　triumph　over　us　Colonials。〃

〃Ah；　this　is　serious；〃　said　Captain　Jack。　　〃But　really　it　is　too
hot　you　know　forwhat　shall　I　say？International　complications。〃

〃Jack；　you　are　plain　lazy；〃　said　Frances。　　〃You　know　you　are。　　You
don't　deserve　to　win；　but　if　you　really　would　put　your　back　into
it〃

〃Oh；　come；　Frances。　　Why！　　You　don't　know　that　my　cousin　played　for
his　College　at　Oxford。　　And　that　is　saying　something；〃　said　Adrien。

〃There　you　are；　Jack！　　That's　the　sort　of　thing　I　have　to　live
with；〃　said　Frances。　　〃She　thinks　that　settles　everything。〃

〃Well；　doesn't　it　rather？〃　smiled　Adrien。

〃Oh；　Jack；　if　you　have　any　regard　for　your　country；　not　to　say　my
unworthy　self；　won't　you　humble　her？〃　implored　Frances。　　〃If　you
would　only　buck　up！〃

〃He　will　need　to；　eh；　Adrien？〃　said　a　young　fellow　standing　near；
slowly　sipping　his　drink。

〃I　think　so。　　Indeed；　I　am　quite　sure　of　it；〃　coolly　replied　the
girl　addressed。　　〃But　I　really　think　it　is　quite　useless。〃

〃Ha！　Ha！　　Cheer　up；　Jack；〃　laughed　the　young　man；　Stillwell　by
name。

〃Really；　old　chap；　I　feel　I　must　beat　you　this　set；〃　said　Captain
Jack　to　the　young　Englishman。　　〃My　country's　credit　as　well　as　my
own　is　at　stake；　you　see。〃

〃Both　are　fairly　assured；　I　should　say；〃　said　the　Englishman。

〃Not　to…day；〃　said　Stillwell；　with　a　suspicion　of　a　polite　sneer　in
his　voice。　　〃My　money　says　so。〃

〃Canada　vs。　the　Old　Country！〃　cried　a　voice　from　the　company。

〃Now；　Jack；　Jack；　remember；〃　implored　Frances。

〃You　have　no　mercy；　Miss　Frances；　I　see；〃　said　the　Englishman；
looking　straight　into　her　eyes。

〃Absolutely　none；〃　she　replied；　smiling　saucily　at　him。

〃Vae　victis；　eh；　old　chap？〃　said　Sidney；　as　they　sauntered　off
together　to　their　respective　courts。　　〃By　the　way；　who　is　that
Stillwell　chap？〃　he　asked　in　a　low　voice　of　Captain　Jack　as　they
moved　away　from　the　others。　　〃Of　any　particular　importance？〃

〃I　think　you've　got　him　all　right；〃　replied　Jack　carelessly。　　The
Englishman　nodded。

〃He　somehow　gets　my　goat；〃　said　Jack。　　The　Englishman　looked
mystified。

〃Rubs　me　the　wrong　way；　you　know。〃

〃Oh；　very　good；　very　good。　　I　must　remember　that。〃

〃He　rather　fancies　his　own　game；　too；〃　said　Jack；　〃and　he　has　come
on　the　last　year　or　two。　　In　more　ways　than　one；〃　he　added　as　an
afterthought。

As　they　faced　each　other　on　the　court　it　was　Stillwell's　voice　that
rang　out：

〃Now　then；　England！〃

〃Canada！〃　cried　a　girl's　voice　that　was　easily　recognised　as　that
of　Frances　Amory。

〃Thumbs　down；　eh；　Maitland？〃　said　the　Englishman；　waving　a　hand
toward　his　charming　enemy。

Whatever　the　cause；　whether　from　the　spur　supplied　by　the　young
lady　who　had　constituted　herself　his　champion　or　from　the　sting
from　the　man　for　whom　for　reasons　sufficient　for　himself　he　had
only　feelings　of　hostility　and　dislike；　the　game　put　up　by　Captain
Jack　was　of　quite　a　different　brand　from　that　he　had　previously
furnished。　　From　the　first　service　he　took　the　offensive　and
throughout　played　brilliant；　aggressive；　even　smashing　tennis；　so
much　so　that　his　opponent　appeared　to　be　almost　outclassed　and　at
the　close　the　figures　of　the　first　set　were　exactly　reversed；
standing　six　to　two　in　Captain　Jack's　favour。

The　warmth　of　the　cheers　that　followed　attested　the　popularity　of
the　win。

〃My　word；　old　chap；　that　is　top…hole　tennis；〃　said　the　Englishman；
warmly　congratulating　him。

〃Luck；　old　boy；　brilliant　luck！〃　said　Captain　Jack。　　〃Couldn't　do
it　again　for　a　bet。〃

〃You　must　do　it　just　once　more；〃　said　Frances；　coming　to　meet　the
players。　　〃Oh；　you　dear　old　thing。　　Come　and　be　refreshed。　　Here　is
the　longest；　coolest　thing　in　drinks　this　Club　affords。　　And　one
for　you；　too；〃　she　added；　turning　to　the　Englishman。　　〃You　played　a
great　game。〃

〃Did　I　not？　　I　was　at　the　top　of　my　form；〃　said　the　Englishman
gallantly。　　〃But　all　in　vain；　as　you　see。〃

〃Now　for　the　final；〃　cried　Frances　eagerly。

〃Dear　lady；〃　said　Captain　Jack；　affecting　supreme　exhaustion；　〃as
you　are　mighty；　be　merciful！　　Let　it　suffice　that　we　appear　to　have
given　you　an　exposition　of　fairly　respectable　tennis。　　I　am　quite
done。〃

〃A　great　win；　Jack；〃　said　Adrien；　offering　her　hand　in
congratulation。

〃All　flukes　count；　eh；　Maitland？〃　laughed　Stillwell；　unable　in
spite　of　his　laugh　to　keep　the　bite　out　of　his　voice。

〃Fluke？〃　exclaimed　the　Englishman　in　a　slow　drawling　voice。　　〃I
call　it　ripping　good　tennis；　if　I　am　a　judge。〃

A　murmur　of　approval　ran　through　the　company；　crowding　about　with
congratulations　to　both　players。

〃Oh；　of　course；　of　course；〃　said　Stillwell；　noting　the　criticism　of
his　unsportsmanlike　remark。　　〃What　I　mean　is；　Maitland　is　clearly
out　of　condition。　　If　he　were　not　I　wouldn't　mind　taking　him　on
myself；〃　he　added　with　another　laugh。

〃Now；　do　you　mean？〃　said　Captain　Jack　lazily。

〃We　will　wait　till　the　match　is　played　out；〃　said　Stillwell　with
easy　confidence。　　〃Some　other　day；　when　you　are　in　shape；　eh？〃　he
added；　smiling　at　Maitland。

〃Now　if　you　like；　or　after　the　match；　or　any　old　time；〃　said
Captain　Jack；　looking　at　Stillwell　with　hard　grey；　unsmiling　eyes。
〃I　understand　you　have　come　up　on　your　game　during　the　war。〃

Stillwell's　face　burned　a　furious　red　at　the　little　laugh　that　went
round　among　Captain　Jack's　friends。

〃Frankly；　I　have　had　enough　for　to…day；〃　said　the　Englishman　to
Jack。

〃All　right；　old　chap；　if　you　don't　really　mind。　　Though　I　feel　you
would　certainly　take　the　odd　set。〃

〃Not　a　bit　of　it；　by　Jove。　　I　am　quite　satisfied　to　let　it　go　at
that。　　We　will　have　another　go　some　time。〃

〃Any　time　that　suits　youto…morrow；　eh？〃

〃To…morrow　be　it；〃　said　the　Englishman。

〃Now；　then；　Stillwell；〃　said　Captain　Jack；　with　a　curt　nod　at　him。
〃Whenever　you　are　ready。〃

〃Oh；　come；　Maitland。　　I　was　only　joshing；　you　know。　　You　don't　want
to　play　with　me　to…day；〃　said　Stillwell；　not　relishing　the　look　on
Maitland's　face。　　〃We　can　have　a　set　any　time。〃

〃No！〃　said　Maitland　shortly。　　〃It's　now　or　never。〃

〃Oh；　all　right；〃　said　Stillwell；　with　an　uneasy　laugh；　going　into
the　Club　house　for　his　racquet。

The　proposed　match　had　brought　a　new　atmosphere　into　the　Club
house；　an　atmosphere　of　contest　with　all　the　fun　left　out。

〃I　don't　like　this　at　all；〃　said　a　man　with