to him that hath-第18章

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not　long　be　postponed。　　None　knew　better　than　Tony　himself　that　he
was　no　foreman；　none　so　well　that　he　loathed　the　job　which　had　been
thrust　upon　him　by　the　father　of　the　man　whom　he　had　carried　out
from　the　very　mouth　of　hell。　　It　was　something　to　his　credit　that
he　loathed　himself　for　accepting　the　position。　　Yet；　with
irresponsible　procrastination；　he　put　off　the　day　of　reckoning。
But；　some　ten　days　later；　and　after　a　night　with　some　kindred
spirits　of　his　own　Battalion；　a　night　prolonged　into　the　early
hours　of　the　working　day；　Tony　presented　himself　at　the　office；
gay；　reckless；　desperate；　but　quite　compos　mentis　and　quite　master
of　his　means　of　locomotion。

He　appeared　in　the　outer　office；　still　in　his　evening　garb。

〃Mr。　Wickes；〃　he　said　in　solemn　gravity；　〃please　have　your
stenographer　take　this　letter。〃

Mr。　Wickes；　aghast；　strove　to　hush　his　vibrant　tones；　indicating　in
excited　pantomime　the　presence　of　the　chief　in　the　inner　office。
He　might　as　effectively　have　striven　to　stay　the　East　wind　at　that
time　sweeping　up　the　valley。

〃Are　you　ready；　my　dear？〃　said　Tony；　smiling　pleasantly　at　the
girl。　　〃All　right；　proceed。　　'Dear　Mr。　Maitland：'　　Got　that？
'Conscious　of　my　unfitness　for　the　position　of　foreman　in'〃

〃Hush；　hush；　Tony；〃　implored　Mr。　Wickes。

Tony　waved　him　aside。

〃What　have　you　got；　eh？〃

At　that　point　the　door　opened　and　Grant　Maitland　stepped　into　the
office。　　Tony　rose　to　his　feet　and；　bowing　with　elaborate　grace　and
dignity；　he　addressed　his　chief。

〃Good　morning；　sir。　　I　am　glad　to　see　you；　in　fact；　I　wanted　to
see　you　but　wishing　to　save　your　time　I　was　in　the　very　act　of
dictating　a　communication　to　you。〃

〃Indeed；　Tony？〃　said　Mr。　Maitland　gravely。

〃Yes；　sir；　I　was　on　the　point　of　dictating　my　resignation　of　my
position　of　foreman。〃

〃Step　in　to　the　office；　Tony；〃　said　Mr。　Maitland　kindly　and　sadly。

〃I　don't　wish　to　take　your　time；　sir；〃　said　Tony；　sobered　and
quieted　by　Mr。　Maitland's　manner；　〃but　my　mind　is　quite　made　up。
I〃

〃Come　in；〃　said　Mr。　Maitland；　in　a　voice　of　quiet　command；　throwing
open　his　office　door。　　〃I　wish　to　speak　to　you。〃

〃Oh；　certainly；　sir；〃　answered　Tony；　pulling　himself　together　with
an　all　too　obvious　effort。

In　half　an　hour　Tony　came　forth；　a　sober　and　subdued　man。

〃Good…bye；　Wickes；〃　he　said；　〃I'm　off。〃

〃Where　are　you　going；　Tony？〃　enquired　Wickes；　startled　at　the　look
on　Tony's　face。

〃To　hell；〃　he　snapped；　〃where　such　fools　as　me　belong；〃　and；
jamming　his　hat　hard　down　on　his　head；　he　went　forth。

In　another　minute　Mr。　Maitland　appeared　at　the　office　door。

〃Wickes；〃　he　said　sharply；　〃put　on　your　hat　and　get　Jack　for　me。
Bring　him；　no　matter　what　he's　at。　　That　young　fool　who　has　just
gone　out　must　be　looked　after。　　The　boot…leggers　have　been　taking
him　in　tow。　　If　I　had　only　known　sooner。　　Did　you　know；　Wickes；　how
he　has　been　going　on？　　Why　didn't　you　report　to　me？〃

〃I　hesitated　to　do　that；　sir；〃　putting　his　desk　in　order。　　〃I
always　expected　as　how　he　would　pull　up。　　It's　his　company；　sir。
He　is　not　so　much　to　blame。〃

〃Well；　he　would　not　take　anything　I　had　to　offer。　　He　is　wild　to
get　away。　　And　unfortunately　he　has　some　money　with　him；　too。　　But
get　Jack　for　me。　　He　can　handle　him　if　anybody　can。〃

Sorely　perplexed　Mr。　Maitland　returned　to　his　office。　　His　business
sense　pointed　the　line　of　action　with　sunlight　clearness。　　His
sense　of　justice　to　the　business　for　which　he　was　responsible　as
well　as　to　the　men　in　his　employ　no　less　clearly　indicated　the
action　demanded。　　His　sane　judgment　concurred　in　the　demand　of　his
men　for　the　dismissal　of　his　foreman。　　Dismissal　had　been　rendered
unnecessary　by　Tony's　unshakable　resolve　to　resign　his　position
which　he　declared　he　loathed　and　which　he　should　never　have
accepted。　　His　perplexity　arose　from　the　confusion　within　himself。
What　should　he　do　with　Tony？　　He　had　no　position　in　his　works　or　in
the　office　for　which　he　was　fit。　　None　knew　this　better　than　Tony
himself。

〃It's　a　joke；　Mr。　Maitland；〃　he　had　declared；　〃a　ghastly　joke。
Everybody　knows　it's　a　joke；　that　I　should　be　in　command　of　any　man
when　I　can't　command　myself。　　Besides；　I　can't　stick　it。〃　　In　this
resolve　he　had　persisted　in　spite　of　Mr。　Maitland's　entreaties　that
he　should　give　the　thing　another　try；　promising　him　all　possible
guidance　and　backing。　　But　entreaties　and　offers　of　assistance　had
been　in　vain。　　Tony　was　wild　to　get　away　from　the　mill。　　He　hated
the　grind。　　He　wanted　his　freedom。　　Vainly　Mr。　Maitland　had　offered
to　find　another　position　for　him　somewhere；　somehow。

〃We'll　find　a　place　in　the　office　for　you；〃　he　had　pleaded。　　〃I
want　to　see　you　get　on；　Tony。　　I　want　to　see　you　make　good。〃

But　Tony　was　beyond　all　persuasion。

〃It　isn't　in　me；〃　he　had　declared。　　〃Not　if　you　gave　me　the　whole
works　could　I　stick　it。〃

〃Take　a　few　days　to　think　it　over；〃　Mr。　Maitland　had　pleaded。

〃I　know　myselfonly　too　well。　　Ask　Jack；　he　knows；〃　was　Tony's
bitter　answer。　　〃And　that's　final。〃

〃No；　Tony；　it　is　not　final；〃　had　been　Mr。　Maitland's　last　word；　as
Tony　had　left　him。

But　after　the　young　man　had　left　him　there　still　remained　the
unsolved　question；　What　was　he　to　do　with　Tony？　　In　Mr。　Maitland's
heart　was　the　firm　resolve　that　he　would　not　allow　Tony　to　go　his
own　way。　　The　letter　in　the　desk　at　his　hand　forbade　that。

At　his　wits'　end　he　had　sent　for　Jack。　　Jack　had　made　a　football
half…back　and　a　hockey　forward　out　of　Tony　when　everyone　else　had
failed。　　If　anyone　could　divert　him　from　that　desperate　downward
course　to　which　he　seemed　headlong　bent；　it　was　Jack。

In　a　few　minutes　Wickes　returned　with　the　report　that　on　receiving
an　account　of　what　had　happened　Jack　had　gone　to　look　up　Tony。

Mr。　Maitland　drew　a　breath　of　relief。

〃Tony　is　all　right　for　to…day；〃　he　said；　turning　to　his　work　and
leaving　the　problem　for　the　meantime　to　Jack。

In　an　hour　Jack　reported　that　he　had　been　to　the　Perrotte　home　and
had　interviewed　Tony's　mother。　　From　her　he　had　learned　that　Tony
had　left　the　town；　barely　catching　the　train　to　Toronto。　　He　might
not　return　for　a　week　or　ten　days。　　He　could　set　no　time　for　it。
He　was　his　own　master　as　to　time。　　He　had　got　to　the　stage　where　he
could　go　and　come　pretty　much　as　he　pleased。　　The　mother　was　not　at
all　concerned　as　to　these　goings　and　comings　of　her　son。　　He　had　an
assured　position；　all　cause　for　anxiety　in　regard　to　him　was　at　an
end。　　Tony's　mother　was　obviously　not　a　little　uplifted　that　her
son　should　be　of　sufficient　importance　to　be　entrusted　with
business　in　Toronto　in　connection　with　the　mill。

All　of　which　tended　little　toward　relieving　the　anxiety　of　Mr。
Maitland。

〃Let　him　take　his　swing；　Dad；　for　a　bit；〃　was　Jack's　advice。　　〃He
will　come　back　when　he　is　ready；　and　until　then　wild　horses　won't
bring　him　nor　hold　him。　　He　is　no　good　for　his　old　job；　and　you
have　no　other　ready　that　he　will　stick　at。　　He　has　no　Sergeant…
Major　now　to　knock　him　about　and　make　him　keep　step；　more's　the
pity。〃

〃Life　will　be　his　Sergeant…Major；　I　fear；〃　said　his　father；　〃and　a
Sergeant…Major　that　will　exact　the　utmost　limit　of　obedience　or
make　him　pay　the　price。　　All　the　same；　we　won't　let　him　go。　　I
can't　Jack；　anyway。〃

〃Oh；　Tony　will　turn　up；　never　fear；　Dad；〃　said　Jack　easily。

With　this　assurance　his　father　had　to　content　himself。　　In　a
fortnight's　time　a　letter　came　from　Tony　to　his　sister；　rosy　with
the　brilliance　of　the　prospects　opening　up　before　him。　　There　was
the　usual　irresponsible　indefiniteness　in　detail。　　What　he　was
doing　and　how　he　was　living　Tony　did　not　deign　to　indicate。　　Ten
days　later　Annette　had　another　letter。　　The　former　prospects　had　not
been　realised；　but　he　had　a　much　better　thing　in　view；　something
more　suitable　to　him；　and　offering　larger　possibilities　of　position
and　standing　in　the　community。　　So　much　Annette　confided　to　her
mother　who　passed　on　the　great　news　with　elaborations　and
annotations　to　Captain　Jack。　　To　Captain　Jack　himself　Annette　gave
little　actual　information。　　Indeed；　shorn　of　its　element　of
prophecy；　there　was　little　in　Tony's　letter　that　could　be　passed　on。
Nor　did　Annette　drop　any　hint　but　that　al