to him that hath-第16章

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〃Wickes；　bring　me　the　reports　turned　in　by　Perrotte；　at　once。〃

Mr。　Maitland's　manner　was　frankly；　almost　brutally；　imperious。　　It
was　not　his　usual　manner　with　his　subordinates；　from　which　it　may
be　gathered　that　Mr。　Maitland　was　seriously　disturbed。　　And　with
good　reason。　　In　the　first　place；　never　in　his　career　had　one　of
his　men　addressed　him　in　the　cool　terms　of　equality　which　McNish
had　used　with　him　in　the　recent　interview。　　Then；　never　had　he　been
approached　by　a　Grievance　Committee。　　The　whole　situation　was　new；
irritating；　humiliating。

As　to　the　wages　question；　he　would　settle　that　without　difficulty。
He　had　never　skimped　the　pay　envelope。　　It　annoyed　him；　however；
that　he　had　been　forstalled　in　the　matter　by　this　Committee。　　But
very　especially　he　was　annoyed　by　the　recollection　of　the
deliberative；　rasping　tones　of　that　cool…headed　Scot；　who　had　so
calmly　set　before　him　his　duty。　　But　the　sting　of　the　interview　lay
in　the　consciousness　that　the　criticism　of　his　foreman　was　probably
just。　　And　then；　he　was　tied　to　Tony　Perrotte　by　bonds　that　reached
his　heart。　　Had　it　not　been　so；　he　would　have　made　short　work　of
the　business。　　As　it　was；　Tony　would　have　to　stay　at　all　costs。
Mr。　Maitland　sat　back　in　his　chair；　his　eyes　fixed　upon　the　Big
Bluff　visible　through　the　window；　but　his　mind　lingering　over　a
picture　that　had　often　gripped　hard　at　his　heart　during　the　last
two　years；　a　picture　drawn　for　him　in　a　letter　from　his　remaining
son；　Jack。　　The　letter　lay　in　the　desk　at　his　hand。　　He　saw　in　the
black　night　that　shell…torn　strip　of　land　between　the　lines；　black
as　a　ploughed　field；　lurid　for　a　swift　moment　under　the　red　glare
of　a　bursting　shell　or　ghastly　in　the　sickly　illumination　of　a
Verry　light；　and　over　this　black　pitted　earth　a　man　painfully
staggering　with　a　wounded　man　on　his　back。　　The　words　leaped　to　his
eyes。　　〃He　brought　me　out　of　that　hell；　Dad。〃　　He　closed　his　eyes
to　shut　out　that　picture；　his　hands　clenched　on　the　arms　of　his
chair。

〃No；〃　he　said；　raising　his　hand　in　solemn　affirmation；　〃as　the　Lord
God　liveth；　while　I　stay　he　stays。〃

〃Come　in；〃　he　said；　in　answer　to　a　timid　tap　at　the　office　door。
Mr。　Wickes　laid　a　file　before　him。　　It　needed　only　a　rapid　survey
of　the　sheets　to　give　him　the　whole　story。　　Incompetence　and　worse；
sheer　carelessness　looked　up　at　him　from　every　sheet。　　The　planing
mill　was　in　a　state　of　chaotic　disorganization。

〃What　does　this　mean；　Mr。　Wickes？〃　he　burst　forth；　putting　his
finger　upon　an　item　that　cried　out　mismanagement　and　blundering。
〃Here　is　an　order　that　takes　a　month　to　clear　which　should　be　done
within　ten　days　at　the　longest。〃

Wickes　stood　silent；　overwhelmed　in　dismayed　self…condemnation。

〃It　seems　difficult　somehow　to　get　orders　through；　sir；　these
days；〃　he　said　after　a　pause。

〃Difficult？　　What　is　the　difficulty？　　The　men　are　there；　the
machines　are　there；　the　material　is　in　the　yard。　　Why　the　delay？
And　look　at　this。　　Here　is　a　lot　of　material　gone　to　the　scrap
heap；　the　finest　spruce　ever　grown　in　Canada　too。　　What　does　this
mean；　Wickes？〃　he　seemed　to　welcome　the　opportunity　of　finding　a
scapegoat　for　economic　crimes；　for　which　he　could　find　no　pardon。

Sheet　after　sheet　passed　in　swift　review　under　his　eye。　　Suddenly
he　flung　himself　back　in　his　chair。

〃Wickes；　this　is　simply　damnable！〃

〃Yes；　sir；〃　said　Wickes；　his　face　pale　and　his　fingers　trembling。
〃I　don'tI　don't　seem　to　be　able　totoget　things　through。〃

〃Get　things　through？　　I　should　say　not；〃　shouted　Maitland；　glaring
at　him。

〃I　have　tried；　I　mean　I'm　afraid　I'mthat　I　am　not　quite　up　to　it；
as　I　used　to　be。　　I　get　confusedand〃　　The　old　bookkeeper's　lips
were　white　and　quivering。　　He　could　not　get　on　with　his　story。

〃Here；　take　these　away；〃　roared　Maitland。

Gathering　up　the　sheets　with　fingers　that　trembled　helplessly；
Wickes　crept　hurriedly　out　through　the　door；　leaving　a　man　behind
him　furiously；　helplessly　struggling　in　the　relentless　grip　of　his
conscience；　lashed　with　a　sense　of　his　own　injustice。　　His　anger
which　had　found　vent　upon　his　old　bookkeeper　he　knew　was　due
another　man；　a　man　with　whom　at　any　cost　he　could　never　allow
himself　to　be　angry。　　The　next　two　hours　were　bad　hours　for　Grant
Maitland。

As　the　quitting　whistle　blew　a　tap　came　again　to　the　office　door。
It　was　Wickes；　with　a　paper　in　his　hand。　　Without　a　word　he　laid
the　paper　upon　his　chief's　desk　and　turned　away。　　Maitland　glanced
over　it　rapidly。

〃Wickes；　what　does　this　nonsense　mean？〃　　His　chief's　voice　arrested
him。　　He　turned　again　to　the　desk。

〃I　don't　thinkI　have　come　to　feel；　sir；　that　I　am　not　able　for　my
job。　　I　do　not　see　as　how　I　can　go　on。〃　　Maitland's　brows　frowned
upon　the　sheet。　　Slowly　he　picked　up　the　paper；　tore　it　across　and
tossed　it　into　the　waste　basket。

〃Wickes；　you　are　an　old　fooland；〃　he　added　in　a　voice　that　grew
husky；　〃I　am　another　and　worse。〃

〃But；　sir〃　began　Wickes；　in　hurried　tones。

〃Oh；　cut　it　all　out；　Wickes；〃　said　Maitland　impatiently。　　〃You　know
I　won't　stand　for　that。　　But　what　can　we　do？　　He　saved　my　boy's
life〃

〃Yes；　sir；　and　he　was　with　my　Stephen　at　the　last；　and〃　　The　old
man's　voice　suddenly　broke。

〃I　remember；　Wickes；　I　remember。　　And　that's　another　reason　　We
must　find　another　way　out。〃

〃I　have　been　thinking；　sir；〃　said　the　bookkeeper　timidly；　〃if　you
had　a　younger　man　in　my　place〃

〃You　would　go　out；　eh？　　I　believe　on　my　soul　you　would。　　Youyou
old　fool。　　But；〃　said　Maitland；　reaching　his　hand　across　the　desk；
〃I　don't　go　back　on　old　friends　that　way。〃

The　two　men　stood　facing　each　other　for　a　few　minutes；　with　hands
clasped；　Maitland's　face　stern　and　set；　Wickes'　working　in　a
pitiful　effort　to　stay　the　tears　that　ran　down　his　cheeks；　to　choke
back　the　sobs　that　shook　his　old　body　as　if　in　the　grip　of　some
unseen　powerful　hand。

〃We　must　find　a　way；〃　said　Maitland；　when　he　felt　sure　of　his
voice。　　〃Some　way；　but　not　that　way。　　Sit　down。　　We　must　go　through
this　together。〃



CHAPTER　VII

THE　FOREMAN


Grant　Maitland抯　business　instincts　and　training　were　such　as　to
forbid　any　trifling　with　loose　management　in　any　department　of　his
plant。　　He　was；　moreover；　too　just　a　man　to　allow　any　of　his
workmen　to　suffer　for　failures　not　their　own。　　His　first　step　was
to　get　at　the　facts。　　His　preliminary　move　was　characteristic　of
him。　　He　sent　for　McNish。

〃McNish；〃　he　said；　〃your　figures　I　have　examined。　　They　tell　me
nothing　I　did　not　know；　but　they　are　cleverly　set　down。　　The　matter
of　wages　I　shall　deal　with　as　I　have　always　dealt　with　it　in　my
business。　　The　other　matter〃　Mr。　Maitland　paused；　then　proceeded
with　grave　deliberation；　〃I　must　deal　with　in　my　own　way。　　It　will
take　a　little　time。　　I　shall　not　delay　unnecessarily；　but　I　shall
accept　dictation　from　no　man　as　to　my　methods。〃

McNish　stood　silently　searching　his　face　with　steady　eyes。

〃You　are　a　new　man　here；　and　I　find　you　are　a　good　workman；〃
continued　Mr。　Maitland。　　〃I　don抰　know　you　nor　your　aims　and
purposes　in　this　Grievance　Committee　business　of　yours。　　If　you
want　a　steady　job　with　a　chance　to　get　on；　you　will　get　both；　if
you　want　trouble；　you　can　get　that　too；　but　not　for　long；　here。〃

Still　the　Scot　held　him　with　grave　steady　gaze；　but　speaking　no
word。

〃You　understand　me；　McNish？〃　said　Maitland；　nettled　at　the　man抯
silence。

〃Aye；　A抳e　got　a　heid；〃　he　said　in　an　impassive　voice。

〃Well；　then；　I　hope　you　will　govern　yourself　accordingly。　　Good…
day；〃　said　Maitland；　closing　the　interview。

McNish　still　stood　immovable。

〃That抯　all　I　have　to　say；〃　said　Maitland；　glancing　impatiently　at
the　man。

〃But　it抯　no　all　A　have　to　say；　if　ye　will　pairmit　me；〃　answered
McNish　in　a　voice　quiet　and　respectful　and　apparently；　except　for
its　Doric　flavour；　quite　untouched　by　emotion　of　any　kind　soever。

〃Go　on；〃　said　Maitland　shortly；　as　the　Scot　stood　waiting。

〃Maister　Maitland；〃　said　McNish；　rolling　out　a　deeper　Doric；　〃ye
have　made　a　promise　and　a　threat。　　Yere　threat　is　naething　tae　me。
As　tae　yere　job；　A　want　it　and　A　want　tae　get　on；　but　A抦　a　free
man　the　noo　an？a　free　man　A　shall　ever　be。　　Good…day　tae　ye。〃　　He
bowed　resp