to him that hath-第23章
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She paused in sudden confusion。 A hot colour flamed in her face。
Maitland took her hands in his。
〃Hello； Annette！ I saw you there。 Why！ What's up； little girl？〃
A sudden rush of tears had filled her eyes。
〃Oh； nothing。 I am just excited； I guess。 I don't know what〃
She pulled her hands away。 〃But you were great！〃 She laughed
shrilly。
〃Oh； it was your friend McNish did the trick；〃 said Captain Jack。
〃Very neat bit of work that； eh？ Very neat indeed。 Awfully clever
chap！ Are you going home now？〃
〃No； I am waiting。〃 She paused shyly。
〃Oh； I see！〃 said Captain Jack with a smile。 〃Lucky chap； by
Jove！〃
〃I am waiting for my father；〃 said Annette； tossing her head。
〃Oh； then； if that's all； come along with me。 Your father knows
his way about。〃 The girl paused a moment； hesitating。 Then with a
sudden resolve she cried gaily；
〃Well； I will。 I want to talk to you about it。 Oh； I am so
excited！〃 She danced along at his side in gay abandon。 As they
turned at the first corner Maitland glanced over his shoulder。
〃Hello！ Here's McNish；〃 he cried； turning about。 〃Shall we wait
for him？〃
〃Oh； never mind Malcolm；〃 cried the girl excitedly； 〃come along。 I
don't want him just now。 I want〃 She checked herself abruptly。
〃I want to talk to you。〃
〃Oh； all right；〃 said Captain Jack。 〃He's gone back anyway。 Come
along Annette； old girl。 I have been wanting to see you for a long
time。〃
〃Well； you see me；〃 said the girl； laughing up into his eyes with
a frank； warm admiration in hers that made Captain Jack's heart
quicken a bit in its steady beat。 He was a young man with a normal
appreciation of his own worth。 She； young； beautiful； unspoiled；
in the innocence of her girlish heart was flinging at him the full
tribute of a warm； generous admiration with every flash of her
black eyes and every intonation of her voice。 Small wonder if
Captain Jack found her good to look at and to listen to。 Often
during the walk home he kept saying to himself； 〃Jove； that McNish
chap is a lucky fellow！〃 But McNish； taking his lonely way home；
was only conscious that the evening had grown chilly and grey。
CHAPTER IX
THE DAY BEFORE
Business was suspended for the day in Blackwater。 That is； men
went through their accustomed movements； but their thoughts were
far apart from the matters that were supposed to occupy their minds
during the working hours of the day。 In the offices； in the
stores； in the shops； on the streets； in the schools； in the homes
the one； sole topic of conversation； the one mental obsession was
The Great Game。 Would the Maitland Mill Hockey Team pull it off？
Blackwater was not a unit in desiring victory for the Maitland Mill
team； for the reason that the team's present position of proud
eminence in the hockey world of Eastern Ontario had been won by a
series of smashing victories over local and neighbouring rival
teams。 They had first disposed of that snappy seven of lightning
lightweights； the local High School team； the champions in their
own League。 They had smashed their way through the McGinnis
Foundry Seven in three Homeric contests。 This victory attracted
the notice of the Blackwater Black Eagles； the gay and dashing
representatives of Blackwater's most highly gilded stratum of
society； a clever； hard…fighting； never…dying group of athletes
who； summer and winter； kept themselves in perfect form； and who
had moved rapidly out of obscurity into the dazzling spotlight of
championship over their district。 For the sake of the practice in
it and in preparation for their games in the Eastern Ontario Hockey
League； they took on the Maitland Mill team。
It took the Black Eagles a full week to recover sufficient control
to be able to speak intelligibly as to the 〃how〃 and 〃why〃 of that
match。 For the Mill team with apparent ease passed in thirteen
goals under and over and behind and beside the big broad goal stick
of Bell Blackwood； the goal wonder of the League； and the single
register for the Eagles had been netted by Fatty Findlay's own
stick in a moment of aberration。 During the week following the
Black Eagle debacle the various Bank managers； Law Office managers
and other financial magnates of the town were lenient with their
clerks。 Social functions were abandoned。 The young gentlemen had
one continuous permanent and unbreakable engagement at the rink or
in preparation for it。 But all was in vain。 The result of the
second encounter was defeat for the Eagles； defeat utter；
unmistakable and inexplicable except on the theory that they had
met a superior team。 Throughout the hockey season the Maitland
Mill maintained an unbroken record of victory till their fame flew
far； and at the close of the season enthusiasts of the game had
arranged a match between the winners of the Eastern Ontario Hockey
League； the renowned Cornwall team and the Maitland Mill boys。 To…
day the Cornwalls were in town； and the town in consequence was
quite unfit for the ordinary duties of life。 The Eagles almost to
a man were for the local team； for they were sports true to type。
Not so however their friends and following； who resented defeat of
their men at the hands of a working class team。
Of course it was Jack Maitland who was responsible for their
humiliation。 It was he who had organised his fellow workmen； put
them through a blood and iron discipline； filled them with his own
spirit of irresistible furious abandon in attack which carried them
to victory。
It was an old game with Jack Maitland。 When a High School boy he
had developed that spirit of dominating and indomitable leadership
that had made his team the glory of the town。 Later by sound and
steady grinding at the game he had developed a style and plan of
team play which had produced a town team in the winter immediately
preceding the war that had won championship honors。 Now with his
Mill team he was simply repeating his former achievements。
It had astonished his friends to learn that Captain Jack was
playing hockey again。 He had played no game except in a desultory
way since the war。 He had resisted the united efforts of the
Eagles and their women friends to take the captaincy of that team。
The mere thought of ever appearing on the ice in hockey uniform
gave him a sick feeling at his heart。 Of that noble seven whom he
had in pre…war days led so often to victory four were still 〃over
there；〃 one was wandering round a darkened room。 Of the remaining
two； one Rupert Stillwell was too deeply engrossed in large
financial affairs for hockey。 Captain Jack himself was the
seventh； and the mere sight of a hockey stick on a school boy's
shoulder gave him a heart stab。
It was his loyal pal Patricia Templeton； who gave him the first
impulse toward the game again。 To her pleading he had yielded so
far as to coach； on a Saturday afternoon； her team of High School
girls to victory。 But it was the Reverend Murdo Matheson who
furnished the spur to conscience that resulted in the organising of
the Maitland Mill team。
〃You； John Maitland； more than any of us and more than all of us
together can draw these lads of yours from the pool rooms and
worse；〃 the Reverend Murdo had said one day in early winter。
〃Great Scott； Padre〃the Reverend Murdo had done his bit overseas
〃what are you giving me now？〃
〃You； more than any or all of us； I am saying；〃 repeated the
minister solemnly。 〃For God's sake； man； get these lads on the ice
or anywhere out…of…doors for the good of their immortal souls。〃
〃Me！ And why me； pray？〃 Captain Jack had asked。 〃I'm no uplifter。
Why jump on me？〃
〃You； because God has bestowed on you the gift to lead men；〃 said
the minister with increasing solemnity。 〃A high gift it is； and
one for which God will hold you responsible。〃
That very night； passing by the Lucky Strike Pool Rooms； Captain
Jack had turned in to find a score and more of youthsmany of them
from the millsflashing their money with reckless freedom in an
atmosphere thick with foul tobacco…smoke and reeking with profane
and lewd speech。 On reaching his home that night Maitland went
straight to the attic and dug up his
