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made about as complete a mess of the organization under his care in
the planing mill as can be imagined。 The mill is strewn with the
wreckage of unfulfilled orders。 He has no sense of time value。
To…morrow is as good as to…day； next week as this week。 A foreman
without a sense of time value is no good。 And he does not value
material。 Waste to him is nothing。 Another fatal defect。 The man
to whom minutes are not potential gold and material potential
product can never hope to be a manufacturer。 If only I had not
been away from home！ But the thing is； what is to be done？〃
〃In the words of a famous statesman much abused indeed； I suggest；
'Wait and see。' Meantime； find some way of kicking him into his
job。〃
This proved to be in the present situation a policy of wisdom。 It
was Tony himself who furnished the solution。 From the men supposed
to be working under his orders he learned the day following
Maitland's visit of inspection something of the details of that
visit。 He quickly made up his mind that the day of reckoning could
not long be postponed。 None knew better than Tony himself that he
was no foreman； none so well that he loathed the job which had been
thrust upon him by the father of the man whom he had carried out
from the very mouth of hell。 It was something to his credit that
he loathed himself for accepting the position。 Yet； with
irresponsible procrastination； he put off the day of reckoning。
But； some ten days later； and after a night with some kindred
spirits of his own Battalion； a night prolonged into the early
hours of the working day； Tony presented himself at the office；
gay； reckless； desperate； but quite compos mentis and quite master
of his means of locomotion。
He appeared in the outer office； still in his evening garb。
〃Mr。 Wickes；〃 he said in solemn gravity； 〃please have your
stenographer take this letter。〃
Mr。 Wickes； aghast； strove to hush his vibrant tones； indicating in
excited pantomime the presence of the chief in the inner office。
He might as effectively have striven to stay the East wind at that
time sweeping up the valley。
〃Are you ready； my dear？〃 said Tony； smiling pleasantly at the
girl。 〃All right； proceed。 'Dear Mr。 Maitland：' Got that？
'Conscious of my unfitness for the position of foreman in'〃
〃Hush； hush； Tony；〃 implored Mr。 Wickes。
Tony waved him aside。
〃What have you got； eh？〃
At that point the door opened and Grant Maitland stepped into the
office。 Tony rose to his feet and； bowing with elaborate grace and
dignity； he addressed his chief。
〃Good morning； sir。 I am glad to see you； in fact； I wanted to
see you but wishing to save your time I was in the very act of
dictating a communication to you。〃
〃Indeed； Tony？〃 said Mr。 Maitland gravely。
〃Yes； sir； I was on the point of dictating my resignation of my
position of foreman。〃
〃Step in to the office； Tony；〃 said Mr。 Maitland kindly and sadly。
〃I don't wish to take your time； sir；〃 said Tony； sobered and
quieted by Mr。 Maitland's manner； 〃but my mind is quite made up。
I〃
〃Come in；〃 said Mr。 Maitland； in a voice of quiet command； throwing
open his office door。 〃I wish to speak to you。〃
〃Oh； certainly； sir；〃 answered Tony； pulling himself together with
an all too obvious effort。
In half an hour Tony came forth； a sober and subdued man。
〃Good…bye； Wickes；〃 he said； 〃I'm off。〃
〃Where are you going； Tony？〃 enquired Wickes； startled at the look
on Tony's face。
〃To hell；〃 he snapped； 〃where such fools as me belong；〃 and；
jamming his hat hard down on his head； he went forth。
In another minute Mr。 Maitland appeared at the office door。
〃Wickes；〃 he said sharply； 〃put on your hat and get Jack for me。
Bring him； no matter what he's at。 That young fool who has just
gone out must be looked after。 The boot…leggers have been taking
him in tow。 If I had only known sooner。 Did you know； Wickes； how
he has been going on？ Why didn't you report to me？〃
〃I hesitated to do that； sir；〃 putting his desk in order。 〃I
always expected as how he would pull up。 It's his company； sir。
He is not so much to blame。〃
〃Well； he would not take anything I had to offer。 He is wild to
get away。 And unfortunately he has some money with him； too。 But
get Jack for me。 He can handle him if anybody can。〃
Sorely perplexed Mr。 Maitland returned to his office。 His business
sense pointed the line of action with sunlight clearness。 His
sense of justice to the business for which he was responsible as
well as to the men in his employ no less clearly indicated the
action demanded。 His sane judgment concurred in the demand of his
men for the dismissal of his foreman。 Dismissal had been rendered
unnecessary by Tony's unshakable resolve to resign his position
which he declared he loathed and which he should never have
accepted。 His perplexity arose from the confusion within himself。
What should he do with Tony？ He had no position in his works or in
the office for which he was fit。 None knew this better than Tony
himself。
〃It's a joke； Mr。 Maitland；〃 he had declared； 〃a ghastly joke。
Everybody knows it's a joke； that I should be in command of any man
when I can't command myself。 Besides； I can't stick it。〃 In this
resolve he had persisted in spite of Mr。 Maitland's entreaties that
he should give the thing another try； promising him all possible
guidance and backing。 But entreaties and offers of assistance had
been in vain。 Tony was wild to get away from the mill。 He hated
the grind。 He wanted his freedom。 Vainly Mr。 Maitland had offered
to find another position for him somewhere； somehow。
〃We'll find a place in the office for you；〃 he had pleaded。 〃I
want to see you get on； Tony。 I want to see you make good。〃
But Tony was beyond all persuasion。
〃It isn't in me；〃 he had declared。 〃Not if you gave me the whole
works could I stick it。〃
〃Take a few days to think it over；〃 Mr。 Maitland had pleaded。
〃I know myselfonly too well。 Ask Jack； he knows；〃 was Tony's
bitter answer。 〃And that's final。〃
〃No； Tony； it is not final；〃 had been Mr。 Maitland's last word； as
Tony had left him。
But after the young man had left him there still remained the
unsolved question； What was he to do with Tony？ In Mr。 Maitland's
heart was the firm resolve that he would not allow Tony to go his
own way。 The letter in the desk at his hand forbade that。
At his wits' end he had sent for Jack。 Jack had made a football
half…back and a hockey forward out of Tony when everyone else had
failed。 If anyone could divert him from that desperate downward
course to which he seemed headlong bent； it was Jack。
In a few minutes Wickes returned with the report that on receiving
an account of what had happened Jack had gone to look up Tony。
Mr。 Maitland drew a breath of relief。
〃Tony is all right for to…day；〃 he said； turning to his work and
leaving the problem for the meantime to Jack。
In an hour Jack reported that he had been to the Perrotte home and
had interviewed Tony's mother。 From her he had learned that Tony
had left the town； barely catching the train to Toronto。 He might
not return for a week or ten days。 He could set no time for it。
He was his own master as to time。 He had got to the stage where he
could go and come pretty much as he pleased。 The mother was not at
all concerned as to these goings and comings of her son。 He had an
assured position； all cause for anxiety in regard to him was at an
end。 Tony's mother was obviously not a little uplifted that her
son should be of sufficient importance to be entrusted with
business in Toronto in connection with the mill。
All of which tended little toward relieving the anxiety of Mr。
Maitland。
〃Let him take his swing； Dad； for a bit；〃 was Jack's advice。 〃He
will come back when he is ready； and until then wild horses won't
bring him nor hold him。 He is no good for his old job； and you
have no other ready that he will stick at。 He has no Sergeant…
Major now to knock him about and make him keep step； more's the
pity。〃
〃Life will be his Sergeant…Major； I fear；〃 said his father； 〃and a
Sergeant…Major that will exact the utmost limit of obedience or
make him pay the price。 All the same； we won't let him go。 I
can't Jack； anyway。〃
〃Oh； Tony will turn up； never fear； Dad；〃 said Jack easily。
With this assurance his father had to content himself。 In a
fortnight's time a letter came from Tony to his sister； rosy with
the brilliance of the prospects opening up before him。 There was
the usual irresponsible indefiniteness in detail。 What he was
doing and how he was living Tony did not deign to indicate。 Ten
days later Annette had another letter。 The former prospects had not
been realised； but he had a much better thing in view； something
more suitable to him； and offering larger possibilities of position
and standing in the community。 So much Annette confided to her
mother who passed on the great news with elaborations and
annotations to Captain Jack。 To Captain Jack himself Annette gave
little actual information。 Indeed； shorn of its element of
prophecy； there was little in Tony's letter that could be passed