按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
better understanding。〃
〃We know that； sir；〃 shouted a voice。 〃Ye done yer best。〃
〃But so far I and those labouring with me have failed。 But surely；
surely； wise and reasonable men can find before many days a
solution for these problems。 And now let me beg your leaders to be
patient a little longer； to banish angry and suspicious feelings
and to be willing to follow the light。 I see that many of you are
soldiers。 To you my heart goes out with a love as true as if you
were my own sons； for you were the comrades of my son。 Let me
appeal to you to preserve unbroken that fine spirit of comradeship
that made the Canadian Army what it was。 And let me assure you all
that； however our weak and erring human hearts may fail and come
short； the great heart of the Eternal Father is unchanging in Its
love and pity for us all。 Meantime； believe me； I shall never
cease to labour and pray that very soon peace may come to us
again。〃 Then； lifting his hands over them while the men uncovered；
he said a brief prayer； closing with the apostolic blessing。
Startled at the burst of cheering which followed shortly after the
conclusion of the prayer； the babe broke into loud crying。 Vainly
the weary mother sought to quiet her child； she herself well…nigh
exhausted with her march； being hardly able to stand erect。
Swiftly Adrien sprang from the car and ran out to her。
〃Let me carry the babe；〃 she cried； taking the child in her arms。
〃Come into the car with me。〃
〃No；〃 said the woman fiercely。 〃I will go through with it。〃 But
even as she spoke she swayed upon her feet。
With gentle insistence； however； Adrien caught her arm and forced
her toward the car。
〃I will not leave them；〃 said the woman stubbornly。
〃Speak to her； Annette；〃 said Adrien。 〃She cannot walk。〃
〃Mrs。 Egan；〃 said Annette； coming to her； 〃it will be quite all
right to go in the car。 It will be all the better。 Think of the
fine parade it will make。〃
But； still protesting； the old woman hung back； crying； 〃Let me go！
I will go through！〃
〃Sure thing！〃 cried Patricia。 〃We will take you along。 Where's
Rupert？〃
But Rupert； furious and disgusted； hung back in the shadow。
〃Here； Vic！〃 cried Patricia。 〃You take the wheel！〃
〃Delighted； I am sure！〃 cried Vic； climbing into the seat。 〃Get in
here； Patsy。 All set； Colonel；〃 he added； saluting to the officer
in command of the parade； and again the column broke into cheering
as they moved off to the tap of the drum； Rupert's elegant Hudson
Six taking a place immediately following the band。
〃All my life I have longed for the spotlight；〃 murmured Vic to his
companion； a delighted grin on his face。 〃But one can have too
much of a good thing。 And； with Wellington； I am praying that
night may come before I reach the haunts of my comrades in arms。〃
〃Why； Vic； do you care？〃 cried Patricia。 〃Not I！ And I think it
was just splendid of Adrien！〃
〃Oh； topping！ But did you see the gentle Rupert's face？ Oh； it
was simply priceless！ Fancy this sacred car leading a strikers'
parade。〃 And Vic's body shook with delighted chuckles。
〃Don't laugh； Vic！〃 said Patricia； laying her hand upon his arm。
〃The lady behind will see you。〃
〃Steady it is；〃 said Vic。 〃But I feel as if I were the elephant in
the circus。 I say； can we execute a flank movement； or must we go
through to the bitter end？〃
〃Adrien；〃 said Patricia； 〃do you think this night air is good for
the baby？〃
〃We shall go on a bit yet；〃 said Adrien。 〃Mrs。 Egan is very tired
and I am sure will want to go home presently。〃
But Mrs。 Egan was beginning to recover her strength and； indeed；
to enjoy the new distinction of riding in a car； and in this high
company。
〃No；〃 she said； 〃I must go through。〃 She had the look and tone of
a martyr。 〃They chose me； you see； and I must go through！〃
〃Oh； very well；〃 said Adrien cheerfully。 〃We shall just go along；
Vic。〃
Through the main streets of the town the parade marched and
countermarched till； in a sudden； they found themselves in front of
the McGinnis foundry。 Before the gate in the high board fence
which enclosed the property； a small crowd had gathered； which
greeted the marching column with uproarious cheers。 From the
company at the gate a man rushed forward and spoke eagerly to the
officer in command。
〃By Jove； there's Tony！〃 said Vic。 〃And that chap McDonough。 What
does this mean？〃
After a brief conversation with Tony； who apparently was
passionately pressing his opinion； the officer shook his head and
marched steadily forward。 Suddenly Tony； climbing upon the fence；
threw up his hand and； pointing toward the foundry； shouted forth
the single word； 〃Scabs！〃 Instantly the column halted。 Again
Tony； in a yell； uttered the same word； 〃Scabs！〃 From hundreds of
throats there was an answering roar； savage； bloodthirsty as from a
pack of wild beasts。 Tony waved his hand for silence。
〃Scabs！〃 he cried again。 〃McGinnis strike…breakers！ They came to…
night。 They are in there！〃 He swung his arm around and pointed to
the foundry。 〃Shall we give them a welcome？ What do you say；
boys？〃 Again and more fiercely than before； more terribly cruel；
came the answering roar。
〃Here； this is no place for you！〃 cried Vic。 〃Let's get out。〃 At
his touch the machine leaped forward； clear of the crowd。
〃Annette！〃 cried Adrien； her hand on Vic's shoulder。 〃Go and get
her！〃
Halting the car； Vic leaped from the wheel； ran to where the girls'
squad was halted and caught Annette by the arm。
〃Annette；〃 he said； 〃get your girls away from here quick！ Come
with us！〃
But Annette laughed scornfully at him。
〃Go with you？ Not I！ But；〃 she added in a breathless undertone；
〃for God's sake； get your ladies and the baby away。 These people
won't know who you are。 Move quick！〃
〃Come with us； Annette！〃 implored Vic。 〃If you come； the rest will
follow。〃
〃Go！ Go！〃 cried Annette； pushing him。 Already the crowd were
tearing the fence to pieces with their hands； and rocks were
beginning to fly。
Failing to move the girl； Vic sprang to the wheel again。
〃I will get you away from this； anyway；〃 he said。
〃But Annette！〃 cried Patricia。 〃We can't leave her！〃
But Vic made no reply； and at his touch the machine leaped forward；
and none too soon； for already men were crowding about the car on
every side。
〃We are well out of that！〃 said Vic coolly。 〃And now I will take
you all home。 Hello！ They're messing up McGinnis's things a bit；〃
he added； as the sound of crashing glass came to their ears。
Through the quiet streets the car flew like a hunted thing； and in
a very few minutes they were at the Rectory door。
〃No fuss； now； Patricia；〃 said Adrien。 〃we must not alarm Mamma。
All steady。〃
〃Right you are！ Steady it is！〃 said Patricia springing from the
car。 Quietly but swiftly they got the woman and the child indoors。
〃Hugh！ Rupert！〃 said Adrien； speaking in a quiet voice。 〃Vic
needs you out there。 That is a wild car of yours； Rupert；〃 she
added with a laugh。 〃It fairly flies。〃 Gathering in her hands the
men's hats and sticks； she hurried them out of the door。
〃Cheerio！〃 cried Vic。 〃A lovely war is going on down at the
McGinnis plant。 Get in and let us plan a campaign。 First； to
Police Headquarters； I suppose。〃 As they flew through the streets
Vic gave them in a few words a picture of the scenes he had just
witnessed。
They found the Chief of Police in his office。 At their first word
he was on the move。
〃I was afraid of this thing when that fool parade started；〃 he
said。 〃Sergeant； send out the general alarm！〃
〃How many men have you； Chief？〃 inquired Hugh。
〃About twenty…five； all told。 But they are all over the town。 How
many men are down there？〃
〃There are five hundred； at least； possibly a thousand； raging like
wild bulls of Bashan。〃
As he spoke； another car came tearing up and Jack Maitland sprang
from the wheel。
〃Are you in need of help； Chief？〃 he asked quietly。
〃All the good men we can get；〃 said the Chief curtly。 〃But first
we must get the Mayor here。 Sergeant； get him on the phone。〃
〃You go for him； Vic；〃 said Jack。
〃Righto！〃 cried Vic。 〃But count me in on this。〃
In fifteen minutes Vic was back with the Mayor； helpless with
nervous excitement。
〃Get your men out； Chief！〃 he shouted； as he sprang from the car。
〃Get them out quick； arrest those devils and lock 'em up！ We'll
show them a thing or two！ Hurry up！ What are you waiting for？〃
〃Mr。 Mayor；〃 Jack's clear； firm； cool voice arrested the Mayor's
attention。 〃May I suggest that you swear in some special
constables？ The Chief will need help and some of us here would be
glad to assist。〃
〃Yes！ Yes！ For God's sake； hurry up！ Here's the clerk。 How do
you swear them in； clerk？〃
〃The Chief of Police has all the necessary authority。〃
〃All right； Chief。 Swear them！ Swear them！ For heaven's sake；
swear them！ Here； you； Maitlandand you； Maynardand Stillwell〃
With cool； swift efficiency born of his experience in the war； the
Chief went on with his arrangements。 In his hands the process of
swearing in a number of special constables was spe