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he slowly spoke：
〃Ye may be richt。 A hope tae God A am baith liar and fule。〃 The
agony in his face moved Vic to pity。
〃I say； old chap；〃 he said； 〃you are terribly mistaken somehow； I
can swear to that。 Where is Maitland； anyway； do you know？〃
〃They went away together。〃 McNish had suddenly gotten himself in
hand。 〃They went away in his car； secretly。〃
〃Secretly；〃 said Vic； scornfully。 〃Now； that is perfect rot。 Look
here； do you know Captain Maitland？ I am his friend； and let me
tell you that all I ever hope to own； here and hereafter； and all
my relatives and friends； I would gladly trust with him。〃
〃Maybe； maybe；〃 muttered McNish。 〃Ye may be richt。 A apologise；
sir； but if〃 His eyes blazed again。
〃Aw； cut out the tragedy stuff；〃 said Vic； 〃and don't be an ass。
Good…night。〃
Vic turned on his heel and left McNish standing in a dull and dazed
condition； and made his way toward the ballroom。
〃Who is the Johnny； anyway？〃 he said to himself。 〃He is mad
looneyutterly bughouse。 Needs a keeper in the worst way。 But
what about the Captainmust think up something。 Let's see。 Taken
suddenly ill？ Hardlythere is the girl to account for。 Her
mothergrandmotheror somethingstrickenlet's see。 Annette
has a brotherBy Jove！ the very thingI've got itbrother met
with an accidentrun overfell down a wellanything。 Hurry
callambulance stuff。 Good line。 Needs working up a bit； though。
What has happened to my grey matter？ Let me think。 Ah； yeswhen
that Johnny brought word of an accident； a serious accident to her
brother； Maitland； naturally enough； the gallant soul； hurries her
off in his car； sending word by aforesaid mad Johnny。〃
Vic went to the outer door； feeling the necessity for a somewhat
careful conning of his tale to give it； as he said himself； a
little artistic verisimilitude。 Then； with his lessonas he
thoughtwell learned； and praying for aid of unknown gods； he went
back to find his partner。
〃If only Patricia will keep out of it；〃 he said to himself as he
neared the hall door； 〃or if I could only catch old Hugh first。
But he is not much of a help in this sort of thing。 Dash it all！
I am quite nervous。 This will never do。 Must find a waygood
effectcool and collected stuff。〃 So； ruminating and praying and
moving ever more slowly； he reached the door。 Coming in sight of
his party； he hurried to meet them。 〃Awfully sorry！〃 he exclaimed
excitedly。 〃The most rotten luck！ Old Maitland's just been called
off。〃
〃Called off！〃 cried Patricia； in dismay。 〃Where to！〃
〃Now； don't jump at me like that。 Remember my heart。 Met that
Johnnythe big chap dancing with Annette； you knowjust met him
quite worked upa hurry call for the girlfor the girl； Annette；
you know。〃
〃The girl！〃 exclaimed Patricia。 〃You said Captain Jack。〃
〃I know！ I know！〃 replied Vic； somewhat impatiently。 〃I am a bit
excited； I confess。 Rather nasty thingAnnette's brother； you
knowsomething wrongaccident； I think。 Couldn't get the
particulars。〃
〃But Annette's brother is in Toronto；〃 said Adrien； gravely。
〃Exactly！〃 cried Vic。 〃That is what I have been telling you。 A
hurry callphone message for Annettehorrible accident。 Maitland
rushed her right away in his car to catch the midnight to Toronto。〃
〃By Jove！ That is too bad；〃 said Hugh； a genuine sympathy in his
honest voice。 〃That is hard luck on poor Annette。 Tony is not
exactly a safe proposition； you know。〃
〃Was heis he killed？〃 cried Patricia； in a horror…stricken voice。
〃Killed！ Not a bit of it；〃 said Vic cheerfully。 〃Slight injury
but serious； I mean。 You know； just enough to cause anxiety。〃 Vic
lit another cigarette with ostentatious deliberation。 〃Nasty
shock； you know；〃 he said。
〃Who told you all this？〃 inquired Rupert。
〃Who told me？〃 said Vic。 〃Why； that mad Johnny。〃
〃Mad Johnny？ What mad Johnny？〃
Vic said： 〃Eh！ What？ You know； thatahrbig chap who was
falling over her in the fox trot。 Looked kind of crazy； you know
big chapScotch。〃
〃Where is he now？〃 enquired Rupert。
〃Oh； I fancy about there； somewhere；〃 replied Vic； remembering that
he had seen McNish moving toward the door。 〃Better go and look him
up and get more particulars。 Might help some； you know。〃
〃Oh； Adrien； let us go to her；〃 said Patricia。 〃I am sure Annette
would love to have you。 Poor Annette！〃
〃Oh！ I say！〃 interposed Vic hurriedly。 〃There is really no
necessity。 I shouldn't like to intrude in family affairs and that
sort of thing； you know what I mean。〃
Adrien's grave； quiet eyes were upon Vic's face。 〃You think we had
better not go； then；〃 she said slowly。
〃Sure thing！〃 replied Vic； with cheerful optimism。 〃There is no
necessityslight accidentno need to make a fuss about it。〃
〃But you said it was a serious accidenta terrible thing；〃 said
Patricia。
〃Oh； now； Patricia； come out of it。 You check a fellow up so hard。
Can't you understand the Johnny was so deucedly worked up over it
he couldn't give me the right of it。 Dash it all！ Let's have
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 enoug