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〃Why； Tony！〃 he exclaimed。 〃What in all the world is wrong with
you？ You are ill。〃 Trembling； pale； obviously unstrung； Tony
stood before him； his shifty eyes darting now at one face； then at
the other； his hands restless； his whole appearance suggesting an
imminent nervous collapse。 〃Why； Tony； boy； what is wrong with
you？〃 repeated Maitland。 The kindly tone proved too much for
Tony's self…control。 He gulped； choked； and stood speechless； his
eyes cast down to the floor。
〃Sit down； Tony；〃 said Maitland。 〃Give him a chair； Jack。〃
But Jack said； 〃He doesn't need a chair。 He is not here for a
visit。 You wanted to say something to him； did you not？〃 Jack's
dry； matter…of…fact and slightly contemptuous tone had an instant
and extraordinary effect upon the wretched man beside him。
Instantly； Tony stiffened up。 His head went back； he cast a swift
glance at Jack's face； whose smile； slightly quizzical； slightly
contemptuous； appeared to bite into his vitals。 A hot flame of
colour swept his pale and pasty face。
〃I want a job； sir；〃 he said； in a tone low and fierce； looking
straight at Mr。 Maitland。
Maitland； taking his cue from his son； replied in a quiet voice：
〃Can you hold a job？〃
〃God knows；〃 said Tony。
〃He does；〃 replied Maitland； 〃but what about you？〃
Tony stood for a few moments saying nothing； darting uncertain
glances now and then at Jack； on whose face still lingered the
smile which Tony found so disturbing。
〃If you want work；〃 continued Mr。 Maitland； 〃and want to make it
go； Tony； you can go with Jack。 He will give it to you。〃
〃Jack！〃 exclaimed Tony。 His face was a study。 Uncertainty； fear；
hope； disappointment were all there。
〃Yes； Jack；〃 said Mr。 Maitland。 〃He is manager in these works
now。〃
Tony threw back his head and laughed。 〃I guess I will have to
work； then；〃 he said。
〃You just bet you will； Tony；〃 replied Jack。 〃Come along； we will
go。〃
〃Where？〃
〃I am taking you home。 See you to…night； sir；〃 Jack added； nodding
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