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〃Let me down； you！ Leave me alone now；〃 shrieked the boy；
squirming； scratching； biting like an infuriated cat。
〃Bite； would you？〃 said Sam； flinging the boy down。 〃Now then；〃
catching him by the legs and turning him over on his stomach；
〃we'll make a wheelbarrow of you。 Gee up； Buck！ Want a ride；
boys？〃 he shouted to his admiring gallery of toadies。 〃All
aboard！〃
While the unhappy Steve； shrieking prayers and curses； was
struggling vainly to extricate himself from the hands gripping his
ankles； Annette Perrotte； stepping smartly along the street on her
way from the box factory； came past the entrance to the lane。 By
her side strode a broad…shouldered； upstanding youth。 Arrested by
Steve's outcries and curses she paused。
〃What are those boys at； I wonder？〃 she said。 〃There's that big
lout of a Wigglesworth boy。 He's up to no good； I bet you。〃
〃Oh； a kids' row of some kind or ither； a doot；〃 said the youth。
〃Come along。〃
〃He's hurting someone；〃 said Annette； starting down the lane。
〃What？ I believe it's that poor child； Steve Wickes。〃 Like a
wrathful fury she dashed in upon Sam and his company of tormentors
and； knocking the little ones right and left； she sprang upon Sam
with a fierce cry。
〃You great brute！〃 She seized him by his thatch of thick red hair
and with one mighty swing she hurled him clear of Steve and dashed
him head on against the lane fence。 Sheer surprise held Sam silent
for a few seconds； but as he felt the trickle of warm blood run
down his face and saw it red upon his hand； his surprise gave place
to terror。
〃Ouw！ Ouw！〃 he bellowed。 〃I'm killed； I'm dying。 Ouw！ Ouw！〃
〃I hope so；〃 said Annette； holding Steve in her arms and seeking to
quiet his sobbing。 But as she saw the streaming blood her face
paled。
〃For the love of Mike； Mack； see if he's hurt；〃 she said in a low
voice to her companion。
〃Not he！ He's makin' too much noise；〃 said the young man。 〃Here；
you young bull； wait till I see what's wrang wi' ye；〃 he continued；
stooping over Sam。
〃Get away from me； I tell you。 Ouw！ Ouw！ I'm dying； and they'll
hang her。 Ouw！ Ouw！ I'm killed； and I'm just glad I am； for
she'll be hung to death。〃 Here Sam broke into a vigorous stream of
profanity。
〃Ay； he's improvin' A doot；〃 said Mack。 〃Let us be going。〃
〃'Ello！ Wot's （h）up？〃 cried a voice。 It was Mr。 Wigglesworth on
his way home from the mill。 〃Why； bless my living lights； if it
bean't Samuel。 Who's been a beatin' of you； Sammy？〃 His eye swept
the crowd。 〃'Ave you been at my lad？〃 he asked； stepping toward
the young man； whom Annette named Mack。
〃Aw； steady up； man。 There's naethin' much wrang wi' the lada
wee scratch on the heid frae fa'in' against the fence yonder。〃
〃Who 'it 'im； I say？〃 shouted Mr。 Wigglesworth。 〃Was it you？〃 he
added； squaring up to the young man。
〃No； it wasn't； Mr。 Wigglesworth。 It was me。〃 Mr。 Wigglesworth
turned on Annette who； now that Sam's bellowing had much abated
with the appearance of his father upon the scene； had somewhat
regained her nerve。
〃You？〃 gasped Mr。 Wigglesworth。 〃You？ My Samuel？ It's a lie；〃 he
cried。
〃Hey； mon； guairrd y're tongue a bit；〃 said Mack。 〃Mind ye're
speakin' to a leddy。〃
〃A lidy！ A lidy！〃 Mr。 Wigglesworth's voice was eloquent of scorn。
〃Aye； a leddy！〃 said Mack。 〃An' mind what ye say aboot her tae。
Mind y're manners； man。〃
〃My manners； hey？ An' 'oo may you be； to learn me manners； you
bloomin' （h）ignorant Scotch （h）ass。 You give me （h）any of your
（h）imperance an' I'll knock y're bloomin' block （h）off； I will。〃
And Mr。 Wigglesworth； throwing himself into the approved pugilistic
attitude； began dancing about the young Scot。
〃Hoot； mon； awa' hame wi' ye。 Tak' yon young tyke wi' ye an' gie
him a bit wash； he's needin' it；〃 said Mack； smiling pleasantly at
the excited and belligerent Mr。 Wigglesworth。
At this point Captain Jack； slowly motoring by the lane mouth；
turned his machine to the curb and leaped out。
〃What's the row here？〃 he asked； making his way through the
considerable crowd that had gathered。 〃What's the trouble；
Wigglesworth？〃
〃They're knockin' my boy abaht； so they be；〃 exclaimed Mr。
Wigglesworth。 〃But；〃 with growing and righteous wrath； 〃they'll
find （h）out that； wotsomever they do to a kid； w'en they come （h）up
agin Joe Wigglesworth they've struck somethin' 'ard'ard； d'ye
'ear？ 'Ard！〃 And Mr。 Wigglesworth made a pass at the young Scot。
〃Hold on； Wigglesworth；〃 said Captain Jack quietly； catching his
arm。 〃Were you beating up this kid？〃 he asked； turning to the
young man。
〃Nae buddie's beatin' up the lad；〃 said Mack quietly。
〃It was me；〃 said the girl； turning a defiant face to Captain Jack。
〃You？ Why！ great Scot！ Blest if it isn't Annette。〃
〃Yes； it's me；〃 said the girl； her face a flame of colour。
〃By Jove； you've grown up； haven't you？ And it was you that〃
〃Yes； that big brute was abusing Steve here。〃
〃What？ Little Steve Wickes？〃
〃He was； and I pitched him into the fence。 He hit his head and cut
it； I guess。 I didn't mean〃
〃Served him right enough； too； I fancy；〃 said Captain Jack。
〃I'll 'ave the law on the lot o' ye； I will。 I'm a poor workin'
man； but I've got my rights； an' if there's a justice in this Gawd
forsaken country I'll 'ave protection for my family。〃 And Mr。
Wigglesworth； working up a fury； backed off down the lane。
〃Don't fear； Wigglesworth； you'll get all the justice you want。
Perhaps Sam will tell usHello！ Where is Sam？〃
But Sam had vanished。 He had no mind for an investigation in the
presence of Captain Jack。
〃Well； well； he can't be much injured； I guess。 Meantime； can I
give you a lift； Annette？〃
〃No； thank you；〃 said the girl； the colour in her cheeks matching
the crimson ribbon at her throat。 〃I'm just going home。 It's only
a little way。 I don't〃
〃The young leddy is with me； sir；〃 said the young Scotchman
quietly。
〃Oh； she is； eh？〃 said Captain Jack； looking him over。 〃Ah； well；
thenGood…bye； Annette； for the present。〃 He held out his hand。
〃We must renew our old acquaintance； eh？〃
〃Thank you； sir；〃 said the girl。
〃'Sir？' Rot！ You aren't going to 'sir' me； Annette； after all the
fun and the fights we had in the old days。 Not much。 We're going
to be good chums again； eh？ What do you say？〃
〃I don't know；〃 said Annette； flashing a swift glance into Captain
Jack's admiring eyes。 〃It depends on〃
〃On me？〃
〃I didn't say so。〃 Her head went up a bit。
〃On you？〃
〃I didn't say so。〃
〃Well； let it go。 But we will be pals again； Annette； I vow。
Good…bye。〃 Captain Jack lifted his hat and moved away。
As he reached his car he ran up against young Rupert Stillwell。
〃Deucedly pretty Annette has grown； eh？〃 said Stillwell。
〃Annette's all right；〃 said Jack； rather brusquely； entering his
car。
〃Working in your box factory； I understand； eh？〃
〃Don't really know；〃 said Jack carelessly。 〃Probably。〃
The crowd had meantime faded away with Captain Jack's going。
〃Did na know the Captain was a friend of yours； Annette；〃 said
Mack； falling into step beside her。
〃NoyesI don't know。 We went to Public School together before
the war。 I was a kid then。〃 Her manner was abstracted and her
eyes were far away。 Mack walked gloomily by her on one side；
little Steve on the other。
〃Huh！ He's no your sort； A doot；〃 he said sullenly。
〃What do you say？〃 cried Annette； returning from her abstraction。
〃What do you mean； 'my sort'？〃 Her head went high and her eyes
flashed。
〃He would na look at ye； for ony guid。〃
〃He did look at me though；〃 replied Annette； tossing her head。
〃No for ony guid！〃 repeated Mack； stubbornly。
Annette stopped in her tracks； a burning red on her cheeks and a
dangerous light in her black eyes。
〃Mr。 McNish； that's your road；〃 she said； pointing over his
shoulder。
〃A'll tak it tae；〃 said McNish； wheeling on his heel； 〃an' ye can
hae your Captain for me。〃
With never a look at him Annette took her way home。
〃Good…bye； Steve；〃 she said； stooping and kissing the boy。 〃This
is your corner。〃
〃Annette；〃 he said； with a quick； shy look up into her face； 〃I
like Captain Jack； don't you？〃
〃No；〃 she said hurriedly。 〃I mean yes； of course。〃
〃And I like you too；〃 said the boy； with an adoring look in his
deep eyes； 〃better'n anyone in the world。〃
〃Do you； Steve？ I'm glad。〃 Again she stooped swiftly and kissed
him。 〃Now run home。〃
She hurried home； passed into her room without a word to anyone。
Slowly she removed her hat； then turning to her glass she gazed at
her flushed face for a few moments。 A little smile curved her
lips。 〃He did look at me anyway；〃 she whispered to the face that
looked out at her； 〃he did； he did；〃 she repeated。 Then swiftly
she covered her eyes。 When she looked again she saw a face white
and drawn。 〃He would na look at ye。〃 The words smote her with a
chill。 Drearily she turned away and went out。
CHAPTER V
THE RECTORY
The Rectory was one of the very oldest of the more substantial of
Blackwater's dwellings。 Built of grey limestone from the local
quarries； its solid square mass relieved by