to him that hath-第25章

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never　so　intimately　associated　with　the　Rectory　life　as　the　others；
yet　at　all　team　gatherings　he　had　had　his　place。　　But　since　the　war
Maitland　had　never　been　able　to　endure　his　presence　in　that　room。
To…day；　with　the　memory　of　those　old　thrilling　days　pressing　hard
upon　his　heart；　he　could　not　bear　to　look　upon　a　man；　once　one　of
them；　now　forever　an　outsider。　　The　tea　coming　in　brought　to
Maitland　relief。

〃Ah；　here　you　are；〃　he　cried　anticipating　Stillwell　in　relieving
Adrien　of　part　of　her　load。　　〃You　are　a　life　saver。　　Tea　is　the
thing　for　this　hour。〃

〃Three　lumps；　is　it　not？〃　said　the　girl；　smiling　at　him。　　〃You　see；
I　remember；　though　you　really　don't　deserve　it。　　And　here　is　Pat
with　the　sandwiches。〃

〃Yes！　a　whole　plate　for　yourself；　Captain　Jack；〃　said　Patricia。
〃Come　and　sit　by　me　here。〃

〃No　indeed！〃　said　her　sister　with　a　bright　glow　on　her　cheeks。
〃Jack　is　going　to　sit　right　here　by　the　tea…pot；　and　me；〃　she
added；　throwing　him　a　swift　glance。

〃No！　you　are　both　wrong；　children；〃　said　their　mother。　　〃Jack　is
coming　to　sit　beside　me。　　He's　my　boy　this　afternoon。〃

〃Mother；　we　will　all　share　him；〃　said　Patricia；　placing　chairs　near
her　mother。　　〃I　must　talk　about　the　match；　I　simply　must。〃

A　shadow　for　a　moment　wiped　the　brightness　from　the　face　and　eyes
of　the　elder　sister；　but　yielding　to　her　mother's　appeal；　she
joined　the　circle；　saying　to　Maitland；

〃I　don't　believe　you　want　to　talk　about　the　match；　do　you？　　That　is
not　supposed　to　be　good　psychology　before　a　match。　　What　you　really
want　is　a　good　sleep。　　Isn't　that　right？〃

〃He　has　just　sent　his　men　off　to　bed；　I　know；〃　said　Patricia；　〃and
we　will　send　him　off　when　he　has　had　his　tea。〃

〃I　am　so　glad　you　are　playing　again；〃　said　Mrs。　Templeton　to
Maitland　as　he　sat　down　by　her　side。　　〃You　need　more　recreation
than　you　have　been　taking；　I　believe。〃

A　shadow　crossed　Maitland's　face。

〃I　don't　believe　I　need　recreation　very　much；　but　these　chaps　of
mine　do；〃　he　said　simply。

〃The　workmen；　you　mean！〃

〃Yes。　　They　lead　rather　a　dull　life；　you　know。　　Not　much　colour。　　A
pool　room　on　the　whole　has　rather　a　rotten　effect　upon　a　chap　who
has　been　nine　or　ten　hours　indoors　already　and　who　sticks　at　the
same　thing　day　in　and　day　out　for　months　at　a　time。〃

〃Ah；　I　see。　　You　mean　you　took　up　hockey　forahto　help〃

〃Well；　I　don't　want　to　pose　as　a　workingman's　advocate　and　that
sort　of　thing。　　But　really　he　has　a　slow　time。〃

〃Then；　why　doesn't　he　get　busy　and　do　something　for　himself；〃　broke
in　Stillwell；　impatiently。　　〃The　Lord　knows　he　is　getting　most　of
the　money　these　days　and　has　more　spare　time　than　anyone　else　in
the　community。〃

But　Maitland　ignored　him；　till　Patricia　intervened。

〃Tell　me　about　that；〃　she　demanded。

〃Look　here！〃　said　her　sister。　　〃You　are　not　going　to　get　Jack　into
a　labour　controversy　this　afternoon。　　But　I　would　just　like　to　ask
you；　Pat；　how　keen　you'd　be　on　organising　and　conducting　a　Literary
and　Debating　Society　after　you　had　put　in　not　five　and　a　half
hours'　lessons；　but　eight　or　nine　hours'！　　It　would　take　some
doing；　eh？　　But　let's　cut　out　the　labour　trouble。　　It　is　nearly
time　for　his　sleep；　isn't　it？〃

〃Is　it；　Captain　Jack？　　If　so；　we　won't　keep　you　a　minute；〃　said
Patricia　anxiously。　　〃No；　mother！　you　must　not　keep　him。　　He　must
be　on　tip…toe　to…night。〃

Captain　Jack　rose。　　〃Patricia　would　make　an　ideal　trainer；〃　he
said。　　〃I　fear　I　must　really　go。　　I　am　awfully　glad　to　have　come　in
and　seen　you　all。　　Somehow　I　feel　a　whole　lot　better。〃

〃And　so　do　we；　Jack；〃　said　the　old　lady　in　a　wistful　voice。　　〃Won't
you　come　again　soon？〃

Maitland　hesitated　a　moment；　glancing　at　Adrien。

〃Oh；　do！〃　said　the　girl；　with　a　little　colour　coming　into　her　face。
〃It　has　been　a　little　like　old　times　to　see　you　this　way。〃

〃Yes；　hasn't　it？〃　said　Stillwell。　　〃Awfully　jolly。〃

Maitland　stiffened　and　turned　again　to　the　old　lady　whose　eyes　were
turned　on　him　with　sad　entreaty。

〃Yes；　I　shall　come　to　see　you；〃　said　Maitland；　bowing　over　her　hand
in　farewell。

〃We　shall　expect　you　to　come　and　see　us　to…night　at　the　match；
remember；　Captain　Jack；〃　said　Patricia；　as　he　passed　out　of　the
room。　　〃Now　be　sure　to　go　and　have　your　sleep。〃

But　there　was　no　sleep　that　afternoon　for　Captain　Jack。　　On　his　way
through　the　town　he　was　halted　by　McNish。

〃The　boys　want　to　see　you；〃　he　said　briefly。

〃What　boys？　　What　do　you　mean；　McNish？〃

〃At　the　rooms。　　Will　you　come　down　now？〃

〃Now？　　I　can't　come　now；　McNish。　　I　have　to　be　on　the　ice　in　three
hours　and　I　must　get　a　little　rest。　　What's　up；　anyway？　　Tell　them
I'll　see　them　to…morrow。〃

〃No！　they　want　you　now！〃　said　McNish　firmly。　　〃I　would　advise　that
you　come。〃

〃What　do　you　mean；　McNish？　　Well；　get　in　here　and　I'll　go　to　see
them。〃　McNish　got　into　the　car。　　〃Now；　what's　all　the　mystery？〃

〃Better　wait；〃　said　McNish；　grimly。

〃Well；　it　is　a　dog's　trick；〃　said　Maitland　wrathfully；　〃to　get　on
to　a　chap　before　a　big　match　like　this。〃

In　the　Union　Committee　rooms　a　group　of　men　were　awaiting　them；
among　them　Mr。　Wigglesworth　and　the　little　cockney　who　had　made
himself　so　obnoxious　at　the　public　meeting。

〃What's　all　this　tomfoolery；　Wigglesworth？〃　demanded　Captain　Jack；
striding　in　among　them。

〃（H）excuse　me；〃　said　the　little　cockney。　　〃You　are　a　member　of　the
Woodworkers'　Union　I　（h）understand。〃

〃Who　the　devil　are　you；　may　I　ask？〃　said　Maitland　in　a　rage。

〃（H）allow　me；〃　said　Mr。　Wigglesworth。　　〃Mister　Simmons；　Mr。
MaitlandMr。　Simmons　is　our　new　secretary；　（h）elected　last
meetin'。〃

〃Well；　what　do　you　want　of　me？〃　demanded　Maitland。　　〃Don't　you　know
I　am　tied　up　this　afternoon？〃

〃Tied　（h）up？〃　asked　Simmons　coolly；　〃'ow？〃

〃With　the　match；　confound　you。〃

〃Oh；　the　match！　　And　w'at　match　may　that　be？　　（H）Anythin'　to　do
with　your　Union？〃

Maitland　glared　at　him；　too　dumfounded　to　speak。

〃You　see；　Mr。　Maitland；〃　began　Mr。　Wigglesworth　in　a　hurried　and
apologetic　manner。

〃'Ere！　you　keep　aht　o'　this；〃　said　Simmons　sharply；　〃this　'ere's　my
job。　　I　shall　tell　Brother　Maitland　all　that　is　necessary。〃

〃I　was　only　going　to　（h）explain〃　began　Mr。　Wigglesworth。

〃Naw　then！　　IS　this　your　job　or　mine？　　Was　you　（h）appointed　or　was
I？　　When　I　find　myself　（h）unable　to　discharge　my　dooty　to　the　Union
I　might　per'aps　call　on　you；　Brother　Wigglesworth；　but　until　I　find
myself　in　that　situation　I　'ope　you　will　refrain　from　shovin'　in
your　'orn。〃　　Brother　Simmons'　sarcasm　appeared　to　wither　Brother
Wigglesworth　into　silence。

〃Naw　then；　Brother　Maitland；　we　shall　get　（h）on。〃

Maitland　glanced　round　on　the　group　of　half　a　dozen　men。　　Some　of
them　he　knew；　others　were　strangers　to　him。

〃I　don't　know　what　the　business　is；　gentlemen；〃　he　said；　curbing
his　wrath；　〃but　I　want　to　know　if　it　can't　wait　till　to…morrow？
You　know　our　boys　are　going　on　the　ice　in　a　couple　of　hours　or　so〃

〃Goin'　on　the　（h）ice！　　Goin'　on　the　（h）ice！　　W'at's　that　to　do　with
Union　business？〃　snarled　Simmons。　　〃This　'ere's　no　silly　kids'
gaime！　　It's　a　man's　work　we　ave　in　'and；　if　you　don't　want　to　do
the　business　to　w'ich　you　are　（h）appointed　w'y　just　say　so　and　we
shall　know　'ow　to　（h）act。　　There　'as　been　too　much　o'　this　gaime
business　to　suit　me。　　If　we　are　men　let　us　（h）act　like　men。〃

〃Better　get　on　wi'　it；〃　said　McNish　curtly。

〃I　shall　get　on　w'en　I　am　good　and　ready；　Brother　McNish；〃　answered
Simmons。

〃All　r…r…right；　brother；　but　A　doot　ye're　oot　o'　order。　　Who　is　the
chairman　o'　this　Committee？〃　asked　McNish　calmly。

〃Brother　Phillips；〃　answered　two　or　three　voices。

〃All　right。　　I　suggest　you　proceed　regularly　and　call　the　meeting
to　order；〃　said　McNish　quietly。　　Simmons；　recognising　that　it　was
Greek　meeting　Greek；　agreed　to　this。

Clumsily　and　hesitatingly　Brother　Phillips　began　stating　the
business　of　the　Committee。　　He　had　not　gone　far　before　Simmons
interrupted。

〃Mr。　Chairman；　with　your　permission　I　would　just　like　to　say　that
the　resolution　passed　at　the　representative　joint　meetin'　of　the
Maitland　Mills　and　Box　Factory　（h）employees　last　night　will
sufficiently　（h）explain　the　（h）object　of　this　meetin'　'ere。〃
Brother　Simmons'　tone　suggested　infinite　p