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mill unless it was old Grant Maitland himself。 Fifteen years ago
Perrotte had drifted down from the woods； beating his way on a
lumber train； having left his winter's pay behind him at the verge
of civilisation； with old Joe Barbeau and Joe's 〃chucker out。〃 It
was the 〃chucker out〃 that dragged him out of the 〃snake room〃 and；
all unwitting； had given him a flying start toward a better life。
Perrotte came to Maitland when the season's work was at its height
and every saw and planer were roaring night and day。
〃Want a job？〃 Maitland had shouted over the tearing saw at him。
〃What can you do？〃
〃（H）axe…man me；〃 growled Perrotte； looking up at him； half wistful；
half sullen。
〃See that slab？ Grab it； pile it yonder。 The boards； slide over
the shoot。〃 For these were still primitive days for labor…saving
devices； and men were still the cheapest thing about a mill。
Perrotte grabbed the slab； heaved it down to its pile of waste； the
next board he slid into the shoot； and so continued till noon found
him pale and staggering。
〃What's the matter with you？〃 said Maitland。
〃Nottingme bon；〃 said Perrotte； and； clutching at the door jamb；
hung there gasping。
Maitland's keen blue eyes searched his face。 〃Huh！ When did you
last eat？ Come！ No lying！〃
〃Two day；〃 said Perrotte； fighting for breath and nerve。
〃Here； boy；〃 shouted Maitland to a chore lad slouching by； 〃jump
for that cook house and fetch a cup of coffee； and be quick。〃
The boss' tone injected energy into the gawky lad。 In three
minutes Perrotte was seated on a pile of slabs； drinking a cup of
coffee； in five minutes more he stood up； ready for 〃（h）anny man；
（h）anny ting。〃 But Maitland took him to the cook。
〃Fill this man up；〃 he said； 〃and then show him where to sleep。
And； Perrotte； to…morrow morning at seven you be at the tail of the
saw。〃
〃Oui； by gar！ Perrotte be dere。 And you got one good man TOO…day；
for sure。〃
That was fifteen years ago； and； barring certain 〃jubilations；〃
Perrotte made good his prophecy。 He brought up from the Ottawa his
Irish wife； a clever woman with her tongue but a housekeeper that
scandalised her thrifty； tidy； French…Canadian mother…in…law； and
his two children； a boy and a girl。 Under the supervision of his
boss he made for his family a home and for himself an assured place
in the Blackwater Mills。 His children fell into the hands of a
teacher with a true vocation for his great work and a passion for
young life。 Under his hand the youth of the rapidly growing mill
village were saved from the sordid and soul…debasing influences of
their environment； were led out of the muddy streets and can…strewn
back yards to those far heights where dwell the high gods of poesy
and romance。 From the master； too； they learned to know their own
wonderful woods out of which the near…by farms had been hewn。 Many
a home； too； owed its bookshelf to Alex Day's unobtrusive
suggestions。
The Perrotte children were prepared for High School by the master's
quiet but determined persistence。 To the father he held up the
utilitarian advantages of an education。
〃Your boy is quickwhy should not Tony be a master of men some
day？ Give him a chance to climb。〃
〃Oui； by gar！ Antoine he's smart lee'le feller。 I mak him steeck
on his book； you mak him one big boss on some mill。〃
To the mother the master spoke of social advantages。 The empty…
headed Irish woman who had all the quick wit and cleverness of
tongue characteristic of her race was determined that her girl
Annette should learn to be as stylish as 〃them that tho't
themselves her betters。〃 So the children were kept at school by
their fondly ambitious parents； and the master did the rest。
At the Public School； that greatest of all democratic institutions；
the Perrotte children met the town youth of their own age； giving
and taking on equal terms； sharing common privileges and advantages
and growing into a community solidarity all their own； which in
later years brought its own harvest of mingling joy and bitterness；
but which on the whole made for sound manhood and womanhood。
With the girl Annette one effect of the Public School and its
influences； educational and social； was to reveal to her the depth
of the educational and social pit from which she had been taken。
Her High School training might have fitted her for the teaching
profession and completed her social emancipation but for her vain
and thriftless mother； who； socially ambitious for herself but more
for her handsome； clever children； found herself increasingly
embarrassed for funds。 She lacked the means with which to suitably
adorn herself and her children for the station in life to which she
aspired and for which good clothes were the prime equipment and to
〃eddicate〃 Tony as he deserved。 Hence when Annette had completed
her second year at the High School her mother withdrew her from the
school and its associations and found her a place in the new Fancy
Box Factory； where girls could obtain 〃an illigant and refoined job
with good pay as well。〃
This change in Annette's outlook brought wrathful disappointment to
the head master； Alex Day； who had taken a very special pride in
Annette's brilliant school career and who had outlined for her a
University course。 To Annette herself the ending of her school
days was a bitter grief； the bitterness of which would have been
greatly intensified had she been able to measure the magnitude of
the change to be wrought in her life by her mother's foolish vanity
and unwise preference of her son's to her daughter's future。
The determining factor in Annette's submission to her mother's will
was consideration for her brother and his career。 For while for
her father she cherished an affectionate pride and for her mother
an amused and protective pity； her great passion was for her
brotherher handsome； vivacious； audacious and mercurial brother；
Tony。 With him she counted it only joy to share her all too meagre
wages whenever he found himself in financial straits。 And a not
infrequent situation this was with Tony； who； while he seemed to
have inherited from his mother the vivacity； quick wit and general
empty…headedness； from his father got nothing of the thrift and
patient endurance of grinding toil characteristic of the French…
Canadian habitant。 But he did get from his father a capacity for
the knowing and handling of machinery； which amounted almost to
genius。 Of the father's steadiness under the grind of daily work
which had made him the head mechanic in the Mill； Tony possessed
not a tittle。 What he could get easily he got； and getting this
fancied himself richly endowed； knowing not how slight and
superficial is the equipment for life's stern fight that comes
without sweat of brain and body。 His cleverness deceived first
himself and then his family； who united in believing him to be
destined for high place and great things。 Only two of those who
had to do with him in his boyhood weighed him in the balance of
truth。 One was his Public School master； who labored with
incessant and painful care to awaken in him some glimmer of the
need of preparation for that bitter fight to which every man is
appointed。 The other was Grant Maitland； whose knowledge of men
and of life； gained at cost of desperate conflict； made the youth's
soul an open book to him。 Recognising the boy's aptitude； he had
in holiday seasons set Tony behind the machines in his planing
mill； determined for his father's sake to make of him a mechanical
engineer。 To Tony each new machine was a toy to be played with； in
a week or two he had mastered it and grown weary of it。 Thenceforth
he slacked at his work and became a demoralizing influence in his
department； a source of anxiety to his steady…going father； a
plague to his employer； till the holiday time was done。
〃Were you my son； my lad； I'd soon settle you；〃 Grant Maitland
would say； when the boy was ready to go back to his school。 〃You
will make a mess of your life unless you can learn to stick at your
job。 The roads are full of clever tramps； remember that； my boy。〃
But Tony only smiled his brilliant smile at him； as he took his pay
envelope； which burned a hole in his pocket till he had done with
it。 When the next holiday came round Tony would present himself
for a job with Jack Maitland to plead for him。 For to Tony Jack
was as king； to whom he gave passionate loyalty without stint or
measure。 And thus for his son Jack's sake； Jack's father took Tony
on again； resolved to make another effort to make something out of
him。
The bond between the two boys was hard to analyse。 In games at
Public and High School Jack was always Captain and Tony his right…
hand man； held to his place and his training partly by his admiring
devotion to his Captain but more by a wholesome dread of the
inexorable disciplinary measures which slackness or trifling with
the rules of the game would inevitably bring him。 Jack Maitland
was the one being in Tony's world who could put lasting fear into
his soul or steadiness into his practice。 But even Jack at times
failed。
Then when both were eighteen they went to the War； Jack