to him that hath-第26章

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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　imagination；　and　yet　he　could　not　rid　himself　of　the
unpleasant　memory　of　McNish's　convulsed　face　that　afternoon。

〃What　the　deuce　is　the　matter　with　the　beggar；　anyway？〃　he　said　to
himself。

Suddenly　a　new　suggestion　came　to　him。

〃It　can't　be；〃　he　added；　〃surely　the　idiot　is　not　jealous。〃　　Then
he　remembered　Annette's　attitude　at　the　moment；　her　hands　pressing
his　hard　to　her　breast；　her　face　lifted　up　in　something　more　than
appeal。　　〃By　Jove！　　I　believe　that　may　be　it；〃　he　mused。　　〃And
Annette？　　Had　she　observed　it？　　What　was　in　her　heart？　　Was　there　a
reason　for　the　Scotchman's　jealousy　on　that　side？〃

This　thought　disturbed　him　greatly。　　He　was　not　possessed　of　a
larger　measure　of　self…conceit　than　falls　to　the　lot　of　the　average
young　man；　but　the　thought　that　possibly　Annette　had　come　to　regard
him　other　than　as　a　friend　released　a　new　tide　of　emotion　within
him。　　Rapidly　he　passed　in　review　many　incidents　in　their
association　during　the　months　since　he　returned　from　the　war；　and
gradually　the　conviction　forced　itself　upon　him　that　possibly
McNish　was　not　without　some　cause　for　jealousy。　　It　was　rotten　luck
and　was　bound　to　interfere　with　their　present　happy　relations。　　Yet
none　the　less　was　he　conscious　that　it　was　not　altogether　an
unpleasant　thought　to　him　that　in　some　subtle　way　a　new　bond　had
been　established　between　this　charming　young　girl　and　himself。

But　he　must　straighten　things　out　with　McNish　at　the　very　first
opportunity。　　He　was　a　decent　chap　and　would　make　Annette　a　first…
rate　husband。　　Indeed；　it　pleased　Jack　not　a　little　to　feel　that　he
would　be　able　to　further　the　fortunes　of　both。　　McNish　had　good
foreman　timber　in　him　and　would　make　a　capable　assistant。　　As　to
this　silly　prejudice　of　his；　Jack　resolved　that　he　would　take　steps
immediately　to　have　that　removed。　　That　he　could　accomplish　this　he
had　little　doubt。

But　the　most　acutely　pressing　of　the　problems　that　engaged　his　mind
were　those　that　arose　out　of　his　new　position　as　manager。　　The　mere
organizing　and　directing　of　men　in　their　work　gave　him　little
anxiety。　　He　was　sure　of　himself　as　far　as　that　was　concerned。　　He
was　sure　of　his　ability　to　introduce　among　the　men　a　system　of　team
play　that　would　result　in　increased　production　and　would　induce
altogether　better　results。　　He　thought　he　knew　where　the　weak　spots
were。　　He　counted　greatly　upon　the　support　of　the　men　who　had　been
associated　with　him　in　the　Maitland　Mills　Athletic　Association。
With　their　backing；　he　was　certain　that　he　could　eliminate　most　of
that　very　considerable　wastage　in　time　that　even　a　cursory
observation　had　revealed　to　him　in　the　shops；　due　to　such　causes　as
dilatory　workers；　idle　machines；　lack　of　co…ordination；　improper
routing　of　work；　and　the　like。　　He　had　the　suspicion　that　a　little
investigation　would　reveal　other　causes　of　wastage　as　well。

There　was　one　feature　in　the　situation　that　gave　him　concern　and
that　was　the　radical　element　in　the　unions。　　Simmons　and　his　gang
had　from　the　very　first　assumed　an　attitude　of　hostility　to
himself；　had　sought　to　undermine　his　influence　and　had　fought　his
plans　for　the　promotion　of　clean　sport　among　the　Mill　men。　　None
knew　better　than　Simmons　that　an　active　interest　in　clean　and
vigorous　outdoor　sports　tended　to　produce　contentment　of　mind；　and
a　contented　body　of　men　offered　unfertile　soil　for　radical　and
socialistic　doctrines。　　Hence；　Simmons　had　from　the　first　openly
and　vociferously　opposed　with　contemptuous　and　bitter　indignation
all　Jack's　schemes　and　plans　for　the　promotion　of　athletic　sports。
But　Jack　had　been　able　to　carry　the　men　with　him　and　the　recent
splendid　victory　over　a　famous　team　had　done　much　to　discredit
brother　Simmons　and　his　propaganda。

Already　Jack　was　planning　a　new　schedule　of　games　for　the　summer。
Baseball；　football；　cricket；　would　give　occupation　and　interest　to
all　classes　of　Mill　workers。　　And　in　his　new　position　he　felt　he
might　be　able；　to　an　even　greater　degree；　to　carry　out　the　plans
which　he　had　in　mind。　　On　the　other　hand；　he　knew　full　well　that
men　were　apt　to　be　suspicious　of　welfare　schemes　〃promoted　from
above。〃　　His　own　hockey　men　he　felt　sure　he　could　carry　with　him。
If　he　could　only　win　McNish　to　be　his　sergeant…major；　success　would
be　assured。　　This　must　be　his　first　care。

He　well　knew　that　McNish　had　no　love　for　Simmons；　whom　the
Scotchman　despised　first；　because　he　was　no　craftsman；　and　chiefly
because　he　had　no　soundly…based　system　of　economics　but　was
governed　by　the　sheerest　opportunism　in　all　his　activities。　　A
combination　between　McNish　and　Simmons　might　create　a　situation　not
easy　to　deal　with。　　Jack　resolved　that　that　combination　should　be
prevented。　　He　would　see　McNish　at　once；　after　the　meeting　of　his
local；　which　he　remembered　was　set　for　that　very　night。

This　matter　being　settled；　he　determined　to　proceed　immediately　to
the　office　for　an　interview　with　Wickes。　　He　must　get　to　know　as
speedily　as　possible　something　of　the　shop　organization　and　of　its
effect　upon　production。　　He　found　Mr。　Wickes　awaiting　him　with
tremulous　and　exultant　delight；　eager　to　put　himself；　his
experience；　his　knowledge　and　all　that　he　possessed　at　the　disposal
of　the　new　manager。　　The　whole　afternoon　was　given　to　this　work；
and　before　the　day　was　done；　Jack　had　in　his　mind　a　complete
picture　of　the　planing　mill；　with　every　machine　in　place　and　an
estimate；　more　or　less　exact；　of　the　capacity　of　every　machine。　　In
the　course　of　this　investigation；　he　was　surprised　to　discover　that
there　was　no　detailed　record　of　the　actual　production　of　each
machine；　nor；　indeed；　anything　in　the　way　of　an　accurate　cost
system　in　any　department　of　the　whole　business。

〃How　do　you　keep　track　of　your　men　and　their　work；　Wickes？〃　he
inquired。

〃Oh！〃　said　the　old　man；　〃the　foremen　know　all　about　that；　Mr。
Jack。〃

〃But　how　can　they　know？　　What　check　have　they？〃

〃Well；　they　are　always　about；　Mr。　Jack；　and　keep　their　eyes　on
things　generally。〃

〃I　see；〃　said　Jack。　　〃And　do　you　find　that　works　quite
satisfactorily？〃

〃Well；　sir；　we　have　never　gone　into　details；　you　know；　Mr。　Jack；
but　if　you　wish〃

〃Oh；　no；　Wickes；　I　am　just　trying　to　get　the　hang　of　things；　you
know。〃　　Jack　was　unwilling　to　even　suggest　a　criticism　of　method　at
so　early　a　stage　in　his　managerial　career。　　〃I　want　to　know　how　you
run　things；　Wickes；　and　at　any　time　I　shall　be　glad　of　assistance
from　you。〃

The　old　bookkeeper　hastened　to　give　him　almost　tearful　assurance　of
his　desire　to　assist　to　the　utmost　of　his　power。

The　meeting　of　Local　197　of　the　Woodworkers'　Union　was　largely
attended；　a　special　whip　having　been　sent　out　asking　for　a　full
meeting　on　the　ground　that　a　matter　of　vital　importance　to
unionised　labour　was　to　be　considered。

The　matter　of　importance　turned　out　to　be　nothing　less　than　a
proposition　that　the　Woodworkers'　Union　should　join　with　all　other
unions　in　the　town　to　make　a　united　demand　upon　their　respective
employers　for　an　increase　in　wages　and　better　conditions