to him that hath-第35章

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to　his　father。

The　two　young　men　passed　out　together　to　the　car。

〃Yes；　Tony；〃　said　Jack；　〃I　have　taken　over　your　job。〃

〃My　job？　　What　do　you　mean　by　that？〃　asked　Tony；　bitter　and　sullen
in　face　and　tone。

〃I　am　the　new　manager　of　the　planing　mill。　　Dad　had　you　slated　for
that　position；　but　you　hadn't　manager…timber　in　you。〃

Tony's　answer　was　an　oath；　deep　and　heartfelt。

〃Yes；〃　continued　Jack；　〃manager…timber　is　rare　and　slow…growing
stuff；　Tony。〃

Again　Tony　swore　but　kept　silence；　and　so　remained　till　they　had
reached　his　home。　　Together　they　walked　into　the　living　room。
There　they　found　Annette；　and　with　her　McNish。　　Both　rose　upon
their　entrance；　McNish　showing　some　slight　confusion；　and　assuming
the　attitude　of　a　bulldog　on　guard；　Annette　vividly　eager；
expectant；　anxious。

〃Well；〃　she　cried；　her　hands　going　fluttering　to　her　bosom。

〃I　have　got　a　job；　Annette；〃　said　Tony；　with　a　short　laugh。　　〃Here
is　my　boss。〃

For　a　moment　the　others　stood　looking　at　Jack；　surprised　into
motionless　silence。

〃I　tell　you；　he　is　the　new　manager；〃　repeated　Tony；　〃and　he　is　my
boss。〃

〃What　does　he　mean；　Jack？〃　cried　the　girl；　coming　forward　to
Maitland　with　a　quick；　impulsive　movement。

〃Just　what　he　says；　Annette。　　I　am　the　new　manager　of　the　planing
mill　and　I　have　given　Tony　a　job。〃

Again　there　fell　a　silence。　　Into　the　eyes　of　the　bulldog　McNish
there　shot　a　strange　gleam　of　something　that　seemed　almost　like
pleasure。　　In　those　brief　moments　of　silence　life　was　readjusting
itself　with　them　all。　　Maitland　had　passed　from　the　rank　and　file
of　the　workers　into　the　class　of　those　who　direct　and　control　their
work。　　Bred　as　they　were　and　trained　as　they　were　in　the　democratic
atmosphere　of　Canada；　they　were　immediately　conscious　of　the
shifting　of　values。

Annette　was　the　first　to　break　silence。　　〃I　wish　I　could　thank
you；〃　she　said；　〃but　I　cannot。　　I　cannot。〃　　The　girl's　face　had
changed。　　The　eager　light　had　faded　from　her　dark　eyes；　her　hands
dropped　quietly　to　her　side。　　〃But　I　am　sure　you　know；〃　she　added
after　a　pause；　〃how　very；　very　grateful　I　am；　how　grateful　we　all
are；　Mr。　Maitland。〃

〃Annette；〃　said　Jack　severely；　〃drop　that　'Mr。'　stuff。　　I　was　your
friend　yesterday。　　Am　I　any　less　your　friend　to…day？　　True　enough；
I　am　Tony's　boss；　but　Tony　is　my　friendthat　is；　if　he　wants　to
have　it　so。　　You　must　believe　this；　Annette。〃

He　offered　her　his　hand。　　With　a　sudden　impulse　she　took　it　in　both
of　hers　and　held　it　hard　against　her　breast；　her　eyes　meanwhile
burning　into　his　with　a　look　of　adoration；　open　and　unashamed。　　She
apparently　forgot　the　others　in　the　room。

〃Jack；〃　she　cried；　her　voice　thrilling　with　passion；　〃I　don't　care
what　you　are。　　I　don't　care　what　you　think。　　I　will　never；　never
forget　what　you　have　done　for　me。〃

Maitland　flung　a　swift　glance　at　McNish　and　was　startled　at　the
look　of　rage；　of　agonised　rage；　that　convulsed　his　face。

〃My　dear　Annette；〃　he　said；　with　a　light　laugh；　〃don't　make　too
much　of　it。　　I　was　glad　to　help　Tony　and　you。　　Why　shouldn't　I　help
old　friends？〃

As　he　was　speaking　they　heard　the　sound　of　a　door　closing　and
looking　about；　Jack　found　that　McNish　had　gone；　to　be　followed　by
Tony　a　moment　or　two　later。

〃Oh；　never　mind　him；〃　cried　Annette；　answering　Jack's　look　of
surprise。　　〃He　has　to　go　to　work。　　And　it　doesn't　matter　in　the
least。〃

Jack　was　vaguely　disturbed　by　McNish's　sudden　disappearance。

〃But；　Annette；〃　he　said；　〃I　don't　want　McNish　to　think　that　Ithat
you〃

〃What？〃　　She　leaned　toward　him；　her　face　all　glowing　with　warm　and
eager　light；　her　eyes　aflame；　her　bosom　heaving。　　〃What；　Jack？〃　she
whispered。　　〃What　does　it　matter　what　he　thinks？〃

He　put　out　his　hands。　　With　a　quick；　light　step　she　was　close　to
him；　her　face　lifted　up　in　passionate　surrender。　　Swiftly　Jack's
arms　went　around　her　and　he　drew　her　toward　him。

〃Annette；　dear；〃　he　said；　and　his　voice　was　quiet　and　kind；　too
kind。　　〃You　are　a　dear　girl　and　a　good　girl；　and　I　am　glad　to　have
helped　you　and　shall　always　be　glad　to　help　you。〃

The　door　opened　and　Tony　slipped　into　the　room。　　With　passionate
violence；　Annette　threw　away　the　encircling　arms。

〃Ah！〃　she　cried；　a　sob　catching　her　voice。　　〃Youyou　shame　me。
NoI　shame　myself。〃　　Rigid；　with　head　flung　back；　she　stood　before
him；　her　eyes　ablaze　with　passionate　anger；　her　hands　clenched
tight。　　She　had　flung　herself　at　him　and　had　been　rejected。

〃What　the　devil　is　this？〃　cried　Tony；　striding　toward　them。　　〃What
is　he　doing　to　you；　Annette？〃

〃He？〃　cried　Annette；　her　breath　coming　in　sobs。　　〃To　me？　　Nothing！
Keep　out　of　it；　Tony。〃　　She　pushed　him　fiercely　aside。　　〃He　has
done　nothing！　　No！　　No！　　Nothing　but　what　is　good　and　kind。　　Ah！
kind。　　Yes；　kind。〃　　Her　voice　rose　shrill　in　scorn　of　herself　and
of　him。　　〃Oh；　yes；　he　is　kind。〃　　She　laughed　wildly；　then　broke
into　passionate　tears。　　She　turned　from　them　and　fled　to　her　room；
leaving　the　two　men　looking　at　each　other。

〃Poor　child；〃　said　Jack；　the　first　to　recover　speech。　　〃She　is
quite　all　in。　　She　has　had　two　hard　weeks　of　it。〃

〃Two　hard　weeks；〃　repeated　Tony；　his　eyes　glaring。　　〃What　is　the
matter　with　my　sister？　　What　have　you　done　to　her？〃　　His　voice　was
like　the　growl　of　a　savage　dog。

〃Don't　be　a　confounded　fool；　Tony；〃　replied　Jack。　　〃You　ought　to
know　what　is　the　matter　with　your　sister。　　You　have　had　something
to　do　with　it。　　And　now　your　job　is　to　see　if　you　can　make　it　up　to
her。　　To…morrow　morning；　at　seven　o'clock；　remember；〃　he　said
curtly；　and；　turning　on　his　heel；　he　passed　out。

It　seemed　to　Jack　as　he　drove　home　that　life　had　suddenly　become　a
tangle　of　perplexities　and　complications。　　First　there　was　Annette。
He　was　genuinely　distressed　as　he　thought　of　the　scene　through
which　they　had　just　passed。　　That　he　himself　had　anything　to　do
with　her　state　of　mind　did　not　occur　to　him。

〃Poor　little　girl；〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃she　really　needs　a　change
of　some　sort；　a　complete　rest。　　We　must　find　some　way　of　helping
her。　　She　will　be　all　right　in　a　day　or　two。〃　　With　which　he
dismissed　the　subject。

Then　there　was　McNish。　　McNish　was　a　sore　puzzle　to　him。　　He　had
come　to　regard　the　Scotchman　with　a　feeling　of　sincere　friendliness。
He　remembered　gratefully　his　ready　and　efficient　help　against　the
attacks　of　the　radical　element　among　his　fellow　workmen。　　On　several
occasions　he；　with　the　Reverend　Murdo　Matheson；　had　foregathered　in
the　McNish　home　to　discuss　economic　problems　over　a　quiet　pipe。　　He
was　always　conscious　of　a　reserve　deepening　at　times　to　a　sullenness
in　McNish's　manner；　the　cause　of　which　he　could　not　certainly
discover。　　That　McNish　was　possessed　of　a　mentality　of　more　than
ordinary　power　there　was　no　manner　of　doubt。　　Jack　had　often
listened　with　amazement　to　his　argumentation　with　the　Reverend
Murdo；　against　whom　he　proved　over　and　over　again　his　ability　to
hold　his　own；　the　minister's　superiority　as　a　trained　logician　being
more　than　counterbalanced　by　his　antagonist's　practical　experience。

As　he　thought　of　these　evenings；　he　was　ready　to　believe　that　his
suspicion　of　the　Scotchman's　ill…will　toward　himself　was　due
largely　to　imagination；　and　yet　he　could　not　rid　himself　of　the
unpleasant　memory　of　McNish's　convulsed　face　that　afternoon。

〃What　the　deuce　is　the　matter　with　the　beggar；　anyway？〃　he　said　to
himself。

Suddenly　a　new　suggestion　came　to　him。

〃It　can't　be；〃　he　added；　〃surely　the　idiot　is　not　jealous。〃　　Then
he　remembered　Annette's　attitude　at　the　moment；　her　hands　pressing
his　hard　to　her　breast；　her　face　lifted　up　in　something　more　than
appeal。　　〃By　Jove！　　I　believe　that　may　be　it；〃　he　mused。　　〃And
Annette？　　Had　she　observed　it？　　What　was　in　her　heart？　　Was　there　a
reason　for　the　Scotchman's　jealousy　on　that　side？〃

This　thought　disturbed　him　greatly。　　He　was　not　possessed　of　a
larger　measure　of　self…conceit　than　falls　to　the　lot　of　the　average
young　man；　but　the　thought　that　possibly　Annette　had　come　to　regard
him　other　than　as　a　friend　released　a　new　tide　of　emotion　within
him。　　Rapidly　he　passed　in　review　many　incidents　in　their
association　during　the　months　since　he　returned　from　the　war；　and