to him that hath-第32章

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another　turn；　Patricia！〃

But　Adrien　said：　　〃I　think　we　will　go　home；　Hugh。〃

〃Very　well；　if　you　think　so；　Adrien。　　I　don't　fancy　you　need　worry
over　Annette。　　The　accident　probably　is　serious　but　not　dangerous。
Tony　is　a　tough　fellow。〃

〃Exactly！〃　exclaimed　Vic。　　〃Just　as　I　have　been　telling　you。
Serious；　but　not　dangerous。　　At　least；　that　was　the　impression　I
got。〃

〃Oh；　Vic；　you　are　so　terribly　confusing！〃　exclaimed　Patricia。　　〃Why
can't　you　get　things　straight？　　I　say；　Adrien；　we　can　ride　round　to
Annette's　on　our　way　home；　and　then　we　will　get　things　quite
clearly。〃

〃Certainly；〃　said　Hugh。　　〃It　will　only　take　us　a　minute。　　Eh；
what！〃　he　added　to　Vic；　who　was　making　frantic　grimaces　at　him。
〃Well；　if　you　ladies　will　get　your　things；　we　will　go。〃

〃But　I　am　so　disappointed；〃　said　Patricia　to　Adrien；　as　they　went
to　their　dressing　room　together。

After　they　had　gone；　Hugh　turned　upon　Vic：　　〃Now　then；　what　the
deuce　and　all　are　you　driving　at？〃

〃Driving　at！〃　cried　Vic；　in　an　exasperated　tone。　　〃You　are　a　sweet
support　for　a　fellow　in　distress。　　I　am　a　nervous　wrecka　perfect
mess。　　Another　word　from　that　kid　and　I　should　have　run　screaming
into　the　night。　　And　as　for　you；　why　the　deuce　didn't　you　buck　up
and　help　a　fellow　out？〃

〃Help　you　out？　　How　in　the　name　of　all　that　is　reasonable　could　I
help　you　out？　　What　is　all　the　yarn　about？　　Of　course　I　know　it
isn't　true。　　Where's　Maitland？〃

〃Search　me；〃　said　Vic。　　〃All　I　know　is　that　I　hit　upon　that　Scotch
Johnny　out　in　the　hallhe　nearly　wrenched　an　arm　off　me　and　did
everything　but　bitespitting　out　incoherent　gaspings　indicating
that　Maitland　had　'gone　awa'　wi'　his　gur…r…l；　confound　him！'　and
suggesting　the　usual　young　Lochinvar　stuff。　　You　knownothing　in
it；　of　course。　　But　what　was　I　to　do？　　Some　tale　was　necessary！
Fortunately　or　unfortunately；　brother　Tony　sprang　to　the　thing　I
call　my　mind　andwell；　you　know　the　mess　I　made　of　it。　　But　Hugh；
remember；　for　heaven's　sake；　make　talk　about　somethingabout　the
matchand　get　that　girl　quietly　home。　　I　bag　the　back　seat　and
Adrien。　　It　is　hard　on　me；　I　know；　but　fifteen　minutes　more　of
Patsy　and　I　shall　be　counting　my　tootsies　and　prattling　nursery
rhymes。　　Here　they　come；〃　he　breathed。　　〃Now；　'a　little　forlorn
hope；　deadly　breach　act；　if　you　love　me；　Hardy。'　　Play　up；　old
boy！〃

And　with　commendable　enthusiasm　and　success；　Hugh　played　up；
supportedas　far　as　his　physical　and　mental　condition　allowedby
the　enfeebled　Vic；　till　they　had　safely　deposited　their　charges　at
the　Rectory　door；　whence；　refusing　an　invitation　to　stop　for　cocoa；
they　took　their　homeward　way。

〃'And　from　famine；　pestilence　and　sudden　death；'　and　from　the　once…
over　by　that　penetrating　young　female；　'good　Lord；　deliver　us；'〃
murmured　Vic；　falling　into　the　seat　beside　his　friend。　　〃Take　me
home　to　mother；〃　he　added；　and　refused　further　speech　till　at　his
own　door。　　He　waved　a　weak　adieu　and　staggered　feebly　into　the
house。



CHAPTER　XI

THE　NEW　MANAGER


Grant　Maitland　sat　in　his　office；　plainly　disturbed　in　his　mind。
His　resolute　face；　usually　reflecting　the　mental　repose　which
arises　from　the　consciousness　of　a　strength　adequate　to　any
emergency；　carried　lines　which　revealed　a　mind　which　had　lost　its
poise。　　Reports　from　his　foremen　indicated　brooding　trouble；　and
this　his　own　observation　within　the　last　few　weeks　confirmed。
Production　was　noticeably　falling　low。　　The　attitude　of　the　workers
suggested　suspicion　and　discontent。　　That　fine　glow　of　comradeship
which　had　been　characteristic　of　all　workers　in　the　Maitland　Mills
had　given　place　to　a　sullen　aloofness　and　a　shiftiness　of　eye　that
all　too　plainly　suggested　evil　forces　at　work。

During　the　days　immediately　preceding　and　following　the　Great
Match；　there　had　been　a　return　of　that　frank　and　open　bearing　that
had　characterised　the　employees　of　the　Maitland　Mills　in　the　old
days；　but　that　fleeting　gleam　of　sunshine　had　faded　out　and　the　old
grey　shadow　of　suspicion；　of　discontent；　had　fallen　again。　　To
Maitland　this　attitude　brought　a　disappointment　and　a　resentment
which　sensibly　added　to　his　burden；　already　heavy　enough　in　these
days　of　weakening　markets　and　falling　prices。　　In　his　time　he　had
come　through　periods　of　financial　depression。　　He　was　prepared　for
one　such　period　now；　but　he　had　never　passed　through　the　unhappy
experience　of　a　conflict　with　his　own　employees。　　Not　that　he　had
ever　feared　a　fight；　but　he　shrank　from　a　fight　with　his　own　men。
It　humiliated　him。　　He　felt　it　to　be　a　reflection　upon　his　system
of　management；　upon　his　ability　to　lead　and　control；　indeed；　upon
his　personality。　　But；　more　than　all；　it　grieved　him　to　feel　that
he　had　lost　that　sense　of　comradeship　which　for　forty　years　he　had
been　able　to　preserve　with　those　who　toiled　with　him　in　a　common
enterprise。

A　sense　of　loneliness　fell　upon　him。　　Like　many　a　man；　self…made
and　self…sufficing；　he　craved　companionship　which　his　characteristic
qualities　of　independence　and　strength　seemed　to　render　unnecessary
and　undesired。　　The　experience　of　all　leaders　of　men　was　his；　for
the　leader　is　ever　a　lonely　man。

This　morning　the　reports　he　had　just　received　convinced　him　that　a
strike　with　his　workers　would　not　long　be　delayed。　　〃If　I　only　knew
what　they　really　wanted；〃　he　bitterly　mused。　　〃It　cannot　be　wages。
Their　wages　are　two　or　three　times　what　they　were　before　the　war
shop　conditions　are　all　that　could　be　desiredthe　Lord　knows　I
have　spent　enough　in　this　welfare　stuff　and　all　that　sort　of　thing
during　these　hard　times。　　I　have　heard　of　no　real　grievances。　　I　am
sick　of　it　all。　　I　guess　I　am　growing　too　old　for　this　sort　of
thing。〃

There　was　a　tap　at　the　door　and　his　son　appeared；　with　a　cheery
greeting。

〃Come　in；　Jack；〃　said　his　father；　〃I　believe　you　are　the　very　man　I
want。〃

〃Hello；　Dad。　　You　look　as　if　you　were　in　trouble。〃

〃Well；〃　replied　his　father　with　a　keen　look　at　him；　〃I　think　I　may
return　the　compliment。〃

〃Well；　yes；　but　perhaps　I　should　not　bother　you。　　You　have　all　you
can　carry。〃

〃All　I　can　carry；〃　echoed　Maitland；　picking　up　the　reports　from　his
desk　and　handing　them　to　his　son；　who　glanced　over　them。　　〃Things
are　not　going　well　at　the　mills。　　No；　you　needn't　tell　me。　　You
know　I　never　ask　you　for　any　confidences　about　your　brother
unionists。〃

〃Right　you　are；　Dad。　　You　have　always　played　the　game。〃

〃Well；　I　must　confess　this　is　beyond　me。　　Everywhere　on　the　men's
faces　I　catch　that　beastly　look　of　distrust　and　suspicion。　　I　hate
to　work　with　men　like　that。　　And　very　obviously；　trouble　is
brewing；　but　what　it　is；　frankly；　it　is　beyond　me　to　know。〃

〃Well；　it　is　hardly　a　secret　any　longer；〃　said　Jack。　　〃Trouble　is
coming；　Dad；　though　what　form　it　shall　take　I　am　not　in　a　position
to　say。　　Union　discipline　is　a　fierce　thing。　　The　rank　and　file　are
not　taken　into　the　confidence　of　the　leaders。　　Policies　are　decided
upon　in　the　secret　councils　of　the　Great　Ones　and　handed　down　to　us
to　adopt。　　Of　course；　it　is　open　to　any　man　to　criticise；　and　I　am
bound　to　say　that　the　rankers　exercise　that　privilege　with
considerable　zest。　　All　the　same；　however；　it　is　difficult　to
overturn　an　administration；　hard　to　upset　established　order。　　The
thing　that　is；　is　the　thing　that　ought　to　be。　　Rejection　of　an
administration　policy　demands　revolution。〃

〃Well；〃　said　his　father；　taking　the　sheets　from　Jack's　hand；　〃we
needn't　go　to　meet　the　trouble。　　Now；　let　us　have　yours。　　What　is
your　particular　grief？〃

〃Tony；〃　said　Jack　shortly。

〃Tony？〃　echoed　his　father　in　dismay。　　〃Heaven　help　us！　　And　what
now　has　come　to　Tony？　　Though　I　must　confess　I　have　been　expecting
this　for　some　time。　　It　had　to　come。〃

〃It　is　a　long　story；　Dad；　and　I　shan't　worry　you　with　the　details。
As　you　know；　after　leaving　us；　Tony　went　from　one　job　to　another
with　the　curve　steadily　downwards。　　For　the　last　few　months；　I
gather；　he　has　been　living　on　his　wits；　helped　out　by　generous
contributions　from　his　sister's　wages。　　Finally　he　was　given　a
subordinate　position　under　〃The　Great　War　Veterans〃　who　have　really
been　very　decent　to　him。　　This　position　involved　the　handling　of
fundsno　great