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now the situation had been rendered more distressing by her
determination 〃to find something to do。〃 She was firm in her
resolve that she had no intention of patiently waiting in her home；
ostensibly busying herself with social duties but in reality
〃waiting if not actually angling for a man。〃 She bluntly informed
her scandalised parent that 〃when she wanted a man more than a
career it would be far less humiliating to frankly go out and get
him than to practise alluring poses in the hopes that he might deign
to bestow upon her his lordly regard。〃 Her mother wisely forebore
to argue。 Indeed； she had long since learned that in argumentive
powers she was hopelessly outclassed by her intellectual daughter。
She could only express her shocked disappointment at such intentions
and quietly plan to circumvent them。
As to Patricia； her younger daughter； she dismissed all concern。
She was only a child as yet； wise beyond her years； but too
thoroughly immature to cause any anxiety for some years to come。
Meantime she had at first tolerated and then gently encouraged the
eager and obvious anxiety of Rupert Stillwell to make a footing for
himself in the Rectory family。 At the outbreak of the war her
antipathy to young Stillwell as a slacker had been violent。 He had
not joined up with the first band of ardent young souls who had so
eagerly pointed the path to duty and to glory。 But； when it had
been made clear to the public mind that young Stillwell had been
pronounced physically unfit for service and was therefore prevented
from taking his place in that Canadian line which though it might
wear thin at times had never broken； Mrs。 Templeton relieved him in
her mind of the damning count of being a slacker。 Later； becoming
impressed with the enthusiasm of the young man's devotion to
various forms of patriotic war service at home； she finally； though
it must be confessed with something of an effort； had granted him a
place within the circle of her home。 Furthermore； Rupert Stillwell
had done extremely well in all his business enterprises and had come
to be recognised as one of the coming young men of the district；
indeed of the Province； with sure prospects of advancement in public
estimation。 Hence； the frequency with which Stillwell's big Hudson
Six could be seen parked on the gravelled drive before the Rectory
front door。 In addition to this； Rupert and his Hudson Six were
found to be most useful。 He had abundance of free time and he was
charmingly ready with his offers of service。 Any hour of the day
the car； driven by himself or his chauffeur； was at the disposal of
any member of the Rectory family； a courtesy of which Mrs。 Templeton
was not unwilling to avail herself though never with any loss of
dignity but always with appearance of bestowing rather than of
receiving a favour。 As to the young ladies； Adrien rarely allowed
herself the delight of a motor ride in Rupert Stillwell's luxurious
car。 On the other hand； had her mother not intervened； Patricia
would have indulged without scruple her passion for joy…riding。 The
car she adored； Rupert Stillwell she regarded simply as a means to
the indulgence of her adoration。 He was a jolly companion； a
cleverly humourous talker； and an unfailing purveyor of bon…bons。
Hence he was to Patricia an ever welcome guest at the Rectory； and
the warmth of Patricia's welcome went a long way to establish his
position of intimacy in the family。
It was not to be supposed； however； that that young lady's gracious
and indeed eager acceptance of the manifold courtesies of the young
gentleman in question burdened her in the very slightest with any
sense of obligation to anything but the most cavalier treatment of
him； should occasion demand。 She was unhesitatingly frank and
ready with criticism and challenge of his opinions； indeed he
appeared to possess a fatal facility for championing her special
aversions and antagonising her enthusiasms。 Of the latter her most
avowed example was Captain Jack； as she loved to call him。 A word
of criticism of Captain Jack； her hero； her knight； sans peur et
sans reproche and her loyal soul was aflame with passionate
resentment。
It so fell on an occasion when young Stillwell was a dinner guest
at the Rectory。
〃Do you know； Patricia；〃 and Rupert Stillwell looked across the
dinner table teasingly into Patricia's face； 〃your Captain Jack was
rather mixed up in a nice little row to…day？〃
〃I heard all about it； Rupert； and Captain Jack did just what I
would have expected him to do。〃 Patricia's unsmiling eyes looked
steadily into the young man's smiling face。
〃Rescued a charming young damsel； eh？ By the way； that Perrotte
girl has turned out uncommonly good looking；〃 continued Rupert；
addressing the elder sister。
〃Rescuing a poor little ill…treated boy from the hands of a brutal
bully and the bully's brutal father〃 Patricia's voice was coolly
belligerent。
〃My dear Patricia！〃 The mother's voice was deprecatingly pacific。
〃It is simply true； Mother； and Rupert knows it quite well too； or〃
〃Patricia！〃 Her father's quiet voice arrested his daughter's flow
of speech。
〃But； Father； everyone〃
〃Patricia！〃 The voice was just as quiet but with a slightly
increased distinctness in enunciation； and glancing swiftly at her
father's face Patricia recognised that the limits of her speech had
been reached； unless she preferred to change the subject。
〃Yes； Annette has grown very pretty； indeed；〃 said Adrien； taking
up the conversation； 〃and is really a very nice girl； indeed。 She
sings beautifully。 She is the leading soprano in her church choir；
I believe。〃
〃Captain Jack Maitland appeared to think her quite charming；〃 said
Rupert； making eyes at Patricia。 Patricia's lips tightened and her
eyes gleamed a bit。
〃They were in school together； I think； were they not； Mamma？〃 said
Adrien； flushing slightly。
〃Of course they were； and so was Rupert； too〃 said Patricia with
impatient scorn； 〃and so would you if you hadn't been sent to
England；〃 she added to her sister。
〃No doubt of it；〃 said Rupert with a smile； 〃but you see she was
fortunate enough to be sent to England。〃
〃Blackwater is good enough for me；〃 said Patricia； a certain
stubborn hostility in her tone。
〃I have always thought the Blackwater High School an excellent
institution；〃 said her mother quickly； 〃especially for boys。〃
〃Yes； indeed； for boys；〃 replied Stillwell； 〃but for young ladies
well； there is something in an English school； you know； that you
can't get in any High School here in Canada。〃
〃Rot！〃 ejaculated Patricia。
〃My dear Patricia！〃 The mother was quite shocked。
〃Pardon me； Mother； but you know we have a perfectly splendid High
School here。 Father has often said so。〃
Her mother sighed。 〃Yes； for boys。 But for girls； I feel with
Rupert that you get something in English schools that〃 She
hesitated； looking uncertainly at her elder daughter。
〃Yes； and perhaps lose something； Mamma；〃 said Adrien quietly。 〃I
mean；〃 she added hastily； 〃you lose touch with a lot of things and
people； friends。 Now； for instance； you remember when we were all
children； boys and girls together； at the Public School； Annette
was one of the cleverest and best of the lot of us； I used to be
fond of herand the others。 Now〃
〃But you can't help growing up；〃 said Rupert； 〃andwell； democracy
is all right and that sort of thing； but you must drift into your
class you know。 There's Annette； for instance。 She is a factory
hand； a fine girl of course； and all that； but〃
〃Oh； I suppose we must recognise facts。 Rupert； you are quite
right；〃 said Mrs。 Templeton； 〃there must be social distinctions and
there are classes。 I mean；〃 she added； as if to forestall the
outburst she saw gathering behind her younger daughter's closed
lips； 〃we must inevitably draw to our own set by our natural or
acquired tastes and by our traditions and breeding。〃
〃All very well in England； Mamma。 I suppose dear Uncle Arthur and
our dear cousins would hardly feel called upon to recognise Annette
as a friend。〃
〃Why should they？〃 challenged Rupert。
〃My dear Patricia；〃 said her father； mildly patient； 〃you are quite
wrong。 Our people at home； your uncle Arthur； I mean； and your
cousins； and all well…bred folk； do not allow class distinctions to
limit friendship。 Friends are chosen on purely personal grounds of
real worth andwell； congeniality。〃
〃Would Uncle Arthur； or rather； Aunt Alicia have Annette to dinner；
for instance？〃 demanded Patricia。
〃Certainly not；〃 said her mother promptly。
〃She would not do anything to embarrass Annette；〃 said her father。
〃Oh； Dad； what a funk。 That is quite unworthy of you。〃
〃Would she be asked here now to dinner？〃 said Rupert。 〃I mean；〃 he
added in some confusion； 〃would it be； ah； suitable？ You know what
I mean。〃
〃She has been here。 Don't you remember； Mamma？ She was often
here。 And every time she came she was the cleverest thing； she was
the brightest； the most attractive girl in the bunch。〃 Her
mother's eyebrows went up。 〃In the party； I mean。 And the most
popular。 Why； I remember quite well that Rupert was