to him that hath-第53章

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Reverend　Murdo　Matheson。〃

〃Ay；〃　said　McNish；　〃he　is　the　man。〃

〃Now；　then；〃　said　Adrien；　placing　him　in　an　easy　chair；　〃you　must
rest　there。　　Remember；　I　am　keeping　watch。〃

With　the　promise　that　he　would　do　his　best　to　rest；　she　left　him
sitting　bolt　upright　in　his　chair。

Toward　morning；　Maitland　appeared；　weary　and　haggard。　　Adrien
greeted　him　with　tender　solicitude；　it　was　almost　maternal　in　its
tone。

〃Oh；　Adrien；〃　said　Maitland；　with　a　great　sight　of　relief；　〃you
don't　know　how　good　it　is　to　see　you　here。　　It　bucks　one
tremendously　to　feel　that　you　are　on　this　job。〃

〃I　shall　get　you　some　breakfast　immediately；〃　she　answered　in　a
calm；　matter…of…fact　voice。　　〃You　are　done　out。　　Your　father　has
come　in　and　has　gone　to　lie　down。　　McNish　is　in　the　library。〃

〃And　Annette？〃　said　Maitland。　　He　was　biting　his　lips　to　keep　them
from　quivering。　　〃Is　she　still〃

〃She　is　resting。　　The　maid　is　watching　beside　her。　　Dear　Jack；〃　she
uttered　with　a　quick　rush　of　sympathy；　〃I　know　how　hard　this　is　for
you。　　But　I　am　not　without　hope　for　Annette。〃

A　quick　light　leaped　into　his　eyes。　　〃Hope；　did　you　say？　　Oh；　thank
the　good　Lord。〃　　His　voice　broke　and　he　turned　away　from　her。
〃You　know；〃　he　said；　coming　back；　〃she　gave　her　life　for　me。　　Oh；
Adrien；　think　of　it！　　She　threw　herself　in　the　way　of　death　for　me。
She　covered　me　with　her　own　body。〃　　He　sat　down　suddenly　as　if
almost　in　collapse；　and　buried　his　head　in　his　arms；　struggling　for
control。

Adrien　went　to　him　and　put　her　arm　round　his　shouldershe　might
have　been　his　mother。　　〃Dear　Jack；〃　she　said；　〃it　was　a　wonderful
thing　she　did。　　God　will　surely　spare　her　to　you。〃

He　rose　wearily　from　his　chair　and　put　his　arms　around　her。

〃Oh；　Adrien；〃　he　said；　〃it　is　good　to　have　you　here。　　I　do　need；　we
all　need　you　so。〃

Gently　she　put　his　arms　away　from　her。　　〃And　now；〃　she　said
briskly；　〃I　am　going　to　take　charge　of　you；　Jack；　of　you　all；　and
you　must　obey　orders。〃

〃Only　give　me　a　chance　to　do　anything　for　you；〃　he　said；　〃or　for
anyone　you　care　for。〃

There　was　a　puzzled　expression　on　Adrien's　face　as　she　turned　away。
But　she　asked　no　explanation。

〃My　first　order；　then；〃　she　said；　〃is　this：　you　must　have　your
breakfast　and　then　go　to　bed　for　an　hour　or　two。〃

〃I　shall　be　glad　to　breakfast；　but　I　have　a　lot　of　things　to　do。〃

〃Can't　they　wait？　　And　won't　you　do　them　better　after　a　good
sleep？〃

〃Some　of　them　can't　wait；〃　he　replied。　　〃I　have　just　got　Tony　to
bed。　　The　doctor　has　sent　him　to　sleep。　　His　father　and　mother　are
watching　him。　　Oh；　Adrien；　that　is　a　sad　home。　　It　was　a　terrible
experience　for　me。　　Tony　I　must　see　when　he　wakes　and　the　poor　old
father　and　mother　will　be　over　here　early。　　I　must　be　ready　for
them。〃

〃Very　well；　Jack；〃　said　Adrien　in　a　prompt；　businesslike　tone。
〃You　have　two　clear　hours　for　sleep。　　You　must　sleep　for　the　sake
of　others；　you　understand。　　I　promise　to　wake　you　in　good　time。〃

〃And　what　about　yourself；　Adrien？〃

〃Oh；　this　is　my　job；〃　she　said　lightly。　　〃I　shall　be　relieved　in
the　afternoon；　the　doctor　has　promised。〃

When　the　Employers'　Defence　Committee　met　next　morning　there　were
many　haggard　faces　among　its　members。　　In　the　large　hall　outside
the　committee　room　a　considerable　number　of　citizens；　young　and
old；　had　gathered　and　with　them　the　Mayor；　conversing　in　voices
tinged　with　various　emotions；　anxiety；　pity；　wrath；　according　to
the　temper　and　disposition　of　each。

In　the　committee　room　Mr。　Farrington　was　in　the　chair。　　No　sooner
had　the　meeting　been　called　to　order　than　Mr。　Maitland　arose；　and；
speaking　under　deep　but　controlled　feeling；　he　said：

〃Gentlemen；　I　felt　sure　none　of　us　would　wish　to　transact　ordinary
business　this　morning。　　I　was　sure；　too；　that　in　the　very
distressing　circumstances　under　which　we　meet　you　would　feel　as　I
do　the　need　of　guidance　and　help。　　I　therefore　took　the　liberty　of
inviting　the　deputation　from　the　Ministerial　Association　which
waited　on　us　the　other　day　to　join　us　in　our　deliberation。　　Mr。
Haynes　is　away　from　town；　but　Dr。　Templeton　and　Mr。　Matheson　have
kindly　consented　to　be　present。　　They　will　be　here　in　half　an
hour's　time。〃

A　general　and　hearty　approval　of　his　action　was　expressed；　after
which　the　Chairman　invited　suggestions　as　to　the　course　to　be
pursued。　　But　no　one　was　ready　with　a　suggestion。　　Somehow　the
outlook　upon　life　was　different　this　morning；　and　readjustment　of
vision　appeared　to　be　necessary。　　No　man　felt　himself　qualified　to
offer　advice。

From　this　dilemma　they　were　relieved　by　a　knock　upon　the　door　and
the　Mayor　appeared。

〃Gentlemen；〃　he　said；　〃I　have　no　wish　to　intrude；　but　a　great　many
of　our　citizens　are　in　the　larger　hall。　　They　are　anxious　to　be
advised　upon　the　present　trying　situation。　　It　has　been　suggested
that　your　committee　might　join　with　us　in　a　general　public
meeting。〃

After　a　few　moments'　consideration；　the　Mayor's　proposition　was
accepted　and　the　committee　adjourned　to　the　larger　hall；　Mr。
Farrington　resigning　the　chair　to　His　Worship；　the　Mayor。

The　Mayor's　tongue　was　not　so　ready　this　morning。　　He　explained　the
circumstances　of　the　meeting　and　thanked　the　committee　for　yielding
to　his　request。　　He　was　ready　to　receive　any　suggestions　as　to　what
the　next　step　should　be。

The　silence　which　followed　was　broken　by　Mr。　McGinnis；　who　arose
and；　in　a　voice　much　shaken；　he　inquired：

〃Can　anyone　tell　us　just　what　is　the　last　word　concerning　the　young
girl　this　morning？〃

Mr。　Maitland　replied：　　〃Before　I　left　the　house；　the　last　report
was　that　she　was　resting　quietly　and；　while　the　doctor　was　not　able
to　offer　any　hope　of　her　recovery；　he　ventured　to　say　that　he　did
not　quite　despair。　　And　that　from　Dr。　Meredith；　as　we　know；　means
something。〃

〃Thank　God　for　that；〃　said　McGinnis；　and　leaning　his　head　upon　his
hand；　he　sat　with　his　eyes　fixed　upon　the　floor。

Again　the　Mayor　asked　for　suggestions；　but　no　one　in　the　audience
appeared　willing　to　assume　the　responsibility　of　offering　guidance。

At　length　Rupert　Stillwell　arose。　　He　apologised　for　speaking　in
the　presence　of　older　men；　but　something　had　to　be　done　and　he
ventured　to　offer　one　suggestion　at　least。

〃It　occurs　to　me；〃　he　said；　〃that　one　thing　at　least　should　be
immediately　done。　　Those　responsible　for　the　disgraceful　riot　of
last　evening；　and　I　mean　more　than　the　actual　ringleaders　in　the
affair；　should　be　brought　to　justice。〃　　He　proceeded　to　elaborate
upon　the　enormity　of　the　crime；　the　danger　to　the　State　of　mob
rule；　the　necessity　for　stern　measures　to　prevent　the　recurrence　of
such　disorders。　　He　suggested　a　special　citizens'　committee　for　the
preservation　of　public　order。

His　words　appeared　to　meet　the　approval　of　a　large　number　of　those
present；　especially　of　the　younger　men。

While　he　was　speaking；　the　audience　appeared　to　be　greatly　relieved
to　see　Dr。　Templeton　and　the　Reverend　Murdo　Matheson　walk　in　and
quietly　take　their　seats。　　They　remembered；　many　of　them；　how　at　a
recent　similar　gathering　these　gentlemen　had　advised　a　procedure
which；　if　followed；　would　have　undoubtedly　prevented　the　disasters
of　the　previous　night。

Giving　a　brief　account　of　the　proceedings　of　the　meeting　to　the
present　point；　the　Mayor　suggested　that　Dr。　Templeton　might　offer
them　a　word　of　advice。

Courteously　thanking　the　Mayor　for　his　invitation；　the　Doctor　said：

〃As　I　came　in　this　room；　I　caught　the　words　of　my　young　friend；　who
suggested　a　committee　for　the　preservation　of　public　order。　　May　I
suggested　that　the　preservation　of　public　order　in　the　community　is
something　that　can　be　entrusted　to　no　committee？　　It　rests　with　the
whole　community。　　We　have　all　made　mistakes；　we　are　constantly
making　mistakes。　　We　have　yielded　to　passion；　and　always　to　our
sorrow　and　hurt。　　We　have　vainly　imagined　that　by　the　exercise　of
force　we　can　settle　strife。　　No　question　of　right　or　justice　is
settled　by　fighting；　for；　after　the　fighting　is　done；　the　matter　in
dispute　remains　to　be　settled。　　We　have　tried　that　way　and　to…day
we　are　fronted　with　disastrous　failure。　　I　have　come　from　a　home
over　which　the　shadow　of　death　hangs　low。　　There　a　father　and
mother　l