to him that hath-第13章

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England；〃　she　added　to　her　sister。

〃No　doubt　of　it；〃　said　Rupert　with　a　smile；　〃but　you　see　she　was
fortunate　enough　to　be　sent　to　England。〃

〃Blackwater　is　good　enough　for　me；〃　said　Patricia；　a　certain
stubborn　hostility　in　her　tone。

〃I　have　always　thought　the　Blackwater　High　School　an　excellent
institution；〃　said　her　mother　quickly；　〃especially　for　boys。〃

〃Yes；　indeed；　for　boys；〃　replied　Stillwell；　〃but　for　young　ladies
well；　there　is　something　in　an　English　school；　you　know；　that　you
can't　get　in　any　High　School　here　in　Canada。〃

〃Rot！〃　ejaculated　Patricia。

〃My　dear　Patricia！〃　　The　mother　was　quite　shocked。

〃Pardon　me；　Mother；　but　you　know　we　have　a　perfectly　splendid　High
School　here。　　Father　has　often　said　so。〃

Her　mother　sighed。　　〃Yes；　for　boys。　　But　for　girls；　I　feel　with
Rupert　that　you　get　something　in　English　schools　that〃　　She
hesitated；　looking　uncertainly　at　her　elder　daughter。

〃Yes；　and　perhaps　lose　something；　Mamma；〃　said　Adrien　quietly。　　〃I
mean；〃　she　added　hastily；　〃you　lose　touch　with　a　lot　of　things　and
people；　friends。　　Now；　for　instance；　you　remember　when　we　were　all
children；　boys　and　girls　together；　at　the　Public　School；　Annette
was　one　of　the　cleverest　and　best　of　the　lot　of　us；　I　used　to　be
fond　of　herand　the　others。　　Now〃

〃But　you　can't　help　growing　up；〃　said　Rupert；　〃andwell；　democracy
is　all　right　and　that　sort　of　thing；　but　you　must　drift　into　your
class　you　know。　　There's　Annette；　for　instance。　　She　is　a　factory
hand；　a　fine　girl　of　course；　and　all　that；　but〃

〃Oh；　I　suppose　we　must　recognise　facts。　　Rupert；　you　are　quite
right；〃　said　Mrs。　Templeton；　〃there　must　be　social　distinctions　and
there　are　classes。　　I　mean；〃　she　added；　as　if　to　forestall　the
outburst　she　saw　gathering　behind　her　younger　daughter's　closed
lips；　〃we　must　inevitably　draw　to　our　own　set　by　our　natural　or
acquired　tastes　and　by　our　traditions　and　breeding。〃

〃All　very　well　in　England；　Mamma。　　I　suppose　dear　Uncle　Arthur　and
our　dear　cousins　would　hardly　feel　called　upon　to　recognise　Annette
as　a　friend。〃

〃Why　should　they？〃　challenged　Rupert。

〃My　dear　Patricia；〃　said　her　father；　mildly　patient；　〃you　are　quite
wrong。　　Our　people　at　home；　your　uncle　Arthur；　I　mean；　and　your
cousins；　and　all　well…bred　folk；　do　not　allow　class　distinctions　to
limit　friendship。　　Friends　are　chosen　on　purely　personal　grounds　of
real　worth　andwell；　congeniality。〃

〃Would　Uncle　Arthur；　or　rather；　Aunt　Alicia　have　Annette　to　dinner；
for　instance？〃　demanded　Patricia。

〃Certainly　not；〃　said　her　mother　promptly。

〃She　would　not　do　anything　to　embarrass　Annette；〃　said　her　father。

〃Oh；　Dad；　what　a　funk。　　That　is　quite　unworthy　of　you。〃

〃Would　she　be　asked　here　now　to　dinner？〃　said　Rupert。　　〃I　mean；〃　he
added　in　some　confusion；　〃would　it　be；　ah；　suitable？　　You　know　what
I　mean。〃

〃She　has　been　here。　　Don't　you　remember；　Mamma？　　She　was　often
here。　　And　every　time　she　came　she　was　the　cleverest　thing；　she　was
the　brightest；　the　most　attractive　girl　in　the　bunch。〃　　Her
mother's　eyebrows　went　up。　　〃In　the　party；　I　mean。　　And　the　most
popular。　　Why；　I　remember　quite　well　that　Rupert　was　quite　devoted
to　her。〃

〃A　mere　child；　she　was　then；　you　know；〃　said　Rupert。

〃She　is　just　as　bright；　just　as　attractive；　as　clever　now；　more　so
indeed；　as　fine　a　girl　in　every　way。　　But　of　course　she　was　not　a
factory　girl　then。　　That's　what　you　mean；〃　replied　Patricia
scornfully。

〃She　has　found　her　class；〃　persisted　Rupert。　　〃She　is　all　you　say；
but　surely〃

〃Yes；　she　is　working　in　the　new　box　factory。　　Her　mother；　lazy；
selfish　thing；　took　her　from　the　High　School。〃

〃My　dear　Patricia；　you　are　quite　violent；〃　protested　her　mother。

〃It's　true；　Mamma；〃　continued　the　girl；　her　eyes　agleam；　〃and　now
she　works　in　the　box　factory　while　Captain　Jack　works　in　the
planing　mill。　　She　is　in　the　same　class。〃

〃And　good　friends　apparently；〃　said　Rupert　with　a　malicious　little
grin。

〃Why　not？　　We　would　have　Captain　Jack　to　dinner；　but　not　Annette。〃

Her　father　smiled　at　her。　　〃Well　done；　little　girl。　　Annette　is　a
fine　girl　and　is　fortunate　in　her　champion。　　You　can　have　her　to
dinner　any　evening；　I　am　quite　sure。〃

〃Can　we；　Mamma？〃

〃My　dear；　we　will　not　discuss　the　matter　any　further；〃　said　her
mother。　　〃It　is　a　very　old　question　and　very　perplexing；　I　confess；
but〃

〃We　don't　see　Captain　Jack　very　much　since　his　return；〃　said　her
father；　turning　the　conversation。　　〃You　might　begin　with　him；　eh；
Patsy？〃

〃No；〃　said　the　girl；　a　shade　falling　on　her　face。　　〃He　is　always
busy。　　He　has　such　long　hours。　　He　works　his　day's　work　with　the
men　and　then　he　always　goes　up　to　the　office　to　his　fatherand
andOh；　I　don't　know；　I　wish　he　would　come。　　He's　not〃　　Patricia
fell　suddenly　silent。

〃Jack　is　very　much　engaged；〃　said　her　mother　quietly。

〃Naturally　he　is　tied　up；　learning　the　business；　I　mean；〃　said　the
elder　sister　quietly。　　〃He　has　little　time　for　mere　social
frivolities　and　that　sort　of　thing。〃

〃It's　not　that；　Adrien；〃　said　Patricia。　　〃He　is　different　since　he
came　back。　　I　wish〃　　She　paused　abruptly。

〃He　is　changed；〃　said　her　mother　with　a　sigh。　　〃Theythe　boys　are
all　changed。〃

〃The　war　has　left　its　mark　upon　them；　and　what　else　can　we　expect？〃
said　Dr。　Templeton。　　〃One　wonders　how　they　can　settle　down　at　all
to　work。〃

〃Oh；　Jack　has　settled　down　all　right；〃　said　Patricia；　as　if
analysing　a　subject　interesting　to　herself　alone。　　〃Jack's　not　like
a　lot　of　them。　　He's　too　much　settled　down。　　What　is　it；　I　wonder？
He　seems　to　have　quit　everything；　dancing；　tennis；　golf。　　He
doesn't　care〃

〃Doesn't　care？　　What　for？　　That　sounds　either　as　if　he　were　an
egotist　or　a　slacker。〃　　Her　sister's　words　rasped　Patricia's　most
sensitive　heart　string。　　She　visibly　squirmed；　eagerly　waiting　a
chance　to　reply。　　〃Jack　is　neither；〃　continued　Adrien　slowly。　　〃I
understand　the　thing　perfectly。　　He　has　been　up　against　big　things；
so　big　that　everything　else　seems　trivial。　　Fancy　a　tennis
tournament　for　a　man　that　has　stared　into　hell's　mouth。〃

〃My　dear；　you　are　right；〃　said　her　father。　　〃Patricia　is　really
talking　too　much。　　Young　people　should〃

〃I　know；　Daddy'be　seen；'〃　said　the　younger　daughter；　and　grinning
affectionately　at　him　she　blew　him　a　kiss。　　〃But；　all　the　same；　I
wish　Captain　Jack　were　not　so　awfully　busy　or　were　a　little　more
keen　about　things。　　He　wants　something　to　stir　him　up。〃

〃He　may　get　that　sooner　than　he　thinks；〃　said　Stillwell；　〃or
wishes。　　I　hear　there's　likely　to　be　trouble　in　the　mills。〃

〃Trouble？　　Financial？　　I　should　be　very　sorry；〃　said　Dr。　Templeton。

〃No。　　Labour。　　The　whole　labour　world　is　in　a　ferment。　　The
Maitlands　can　hardly　expect　to　escape。　　As　a　matter　of　fact；　the
row　has　made　a　little　start；　I　happen　to　know。〃

〃These　labour　troubles　are　really　very　distressing。　　There　is　no
end　to　them；〃　said　Mrs。　Templeton；　with　the　resignation　one　shows
in　discussing　the　inscrutable　ways　of　Providence。　　〃It　does　seem　as
if　the　working　classes　to…day　have　got　quite　beyond　all　bounds。
One　wonders　what　they　will　demand　next。　　What　is　the　trouble　now；
Rupert？　　Of　coursewages。〃

〃Oh；　the　eternal　old　trouble　is　there；　with　some　new　ones　added
that　make　even　wages　seem　small。〃

〃And　what　are　these？〃　enquired　Dr。　Templeton。

〃Oh；　division　of　profits；　share　in　administration　and　control。〃

〃Division　of　profits　in　addition　to　wages？〃　enquired　Mrs。　Templeton；
aghast。　　〃But；　how　dreadful。　　One　would　think　they　actually　owned
the　factory。〃

〃That　is　the　modern　doctrine；　I　believe；〃　said　Rupert。

〃Surely　that　is　an　extreme　statement；〃　said　Dr。　Templeton；　in　a
shocked　voice；　〃or　you　are　talking　of　the　very　radical　element
only。〃

〃The　Rads　lead；　of　course；　but　you　would　be　surprised　at　the
demands　made　to…day。　　Why；　I　heard　a　young　chap　last　week；　a　soap…
box　artist；　denouncing　all　capitalists　as　parasites。　　'Why　should
we　work　for　anyone　but　ourselves？'　he　was　saying。　　'Why　don't　we
take　charge　of　the　factories　and　run　them　for　the　general　good？'
I　assure　you；　sir；　those　were　his　very　words。〃

〃Really；　Rupert；　you　amaze　me。　　In　Blackwater　here？〃　exclaimed　Dr。
Templeton。

〃But；　my　dear　papa；