to him that hath-第14节

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to　the　men　I　choose　to　manage　my　business。〃

〃Then　you　refuse　to　remove　yere　foreman？〃

〃Most　emphatically；　I　do；〃　said　Mr。　Maitland　with　glints　of　fire　in
his　blue　eyes。

〃Verra　weel；　so　as　we　know　yere　answer。　　There　is　anither　matter。〃

〃Yes？　　Well；　be　quick　about　it。〃

〃A　wull　that。　　Ye　dinna　pay　yere　men　enough　wages。〃

〃How　do　you　know　I　don't？〃　said　Mr。　Maitland　rising　from　his　chair。

〃A　have　examined　certain　feegures　which　I　shall　be　glad　to　submit
tae　ye；　in　regard　tae　the　cost　o'　leevin'　since　last　ye　fixed　the
wage。　　If　yere　wage　was　right　then；　it's　wrang　the　noo。〃　　Under　the
strain　Mr。　Maitland's　boring　eyes　and　increasing　impatience　the
Doric　flavour　of　McNish's　speech　grew　richer　and　more　guttural；
varying　with　the　intensity　of　his　emotion。

〃And　what　may　these　figures　be？〃　enquired　Mr。　Maitland　with　a　voice
of　contempt。

〃These　are　the　figures　prepared　by　the　Labour　Department　of　your
Federal　Government。　　I　suppose　they　may　be　relied　upon。　　They　show
the　increased　cost　of　living　during　the　last　five　years。　　You　know
yeresel'　the　increase　in　wages。　　Mr。　Maitland；　I　am　told　ye　are　a
just　man；　an'　we　ask　ye　tae　dae　the　r…r…right。　　That's　all；　sir。〃

〃Thank　you　for　your　good　opinion；　my　man。　　Whether　I　am　a　just　man
or　not　is　for　my　own　conscience　alone。　　As　to　the　wage　question；
Mr。　Wickes　will　tell　you；　the　matter　had　already　been　taken　up。
The　result　will　be　announced　in　a　week　or　so。〃

〃Thank　you；　sir。　　Thank　you；　sir；〃　said　Mr。　Wigglesworth。　　〃We　felt
sure　it　would　only　be　necessary　to　point　（h）out　the　right　course　to
you。　　I　may　say　I　took　the　same　（h）identical　（h）attitude　with　my
fellow　workmen。　　I　sez　to　them；　sez　I；　'Mr。　Maitland'

〃That　will　do；　Wigglesworth；〃　said　Mr。　Maitland；　cutting　him　short。
〃Have　you　anything　more　to　say？〃　he　continued；　turning　to　McNish。

〃Nothing；　sir；　except　to　express　the　hope　that　you　will　reconsider
yere　attitude　as　regards　the　foreman。〃

〃You　may　take　my　word　for　it；　I　will　not；〃　said　Mr。　Maitland；
snapping　his　words　off　with　his　teeth。

〃At　least；　as　a　fair…minded　man；　you　will　look　into　the　matter；〃
said　McNish　temperately。

〃I　shall　do　as　I　think　best；〃　said　Mr。　Maitland。

〃It　would　be　wiser。〃

〃Do　you　threaten　me；　sir？〃　　Mr。　Maitland　leaned　over　his　desk
toward　the　calm　and　rugged　Scot；　his　eyes　flashing　indignation。

〃Threaten　ye？　　Na；　na；　threats　are　for　bairns。　　Yere　no　a　bairn；
but　a　man　an'　a　wise　man　an'　a　just；　A　doot。　　A'm　gie'in'　ye
advice。　　That's　all。　　Guid　day。〃

He　turned　away　from　the　indignant　Mr。　Maitland；　put　his　hat　on　his
head　and　walked　from　the　room；　followed　by　the　other　members　of　the
Committee；　with　the　exception　of　Mr。　Wigglesworth　who　lingered　with
evidently　pacific　intentions。

〃This；　sir；　is　a　most　（h）auspicious　（h）era；　sir。　　The　（h）age　of
reason　and　justice　'as　dawned；　an'〃

〃Oh；　get　out；　Wigglesworth。　　Haven't　you　made　all　your　speeches
yet？　　The　time　for　the　speeches　is　past。　　Good　day。〃

He　turned　to　his　bookkeeper。

〃Wickes；　bring　me　the　reports　turned　in　by　Perrotte；　at　once。〃

Mr。　Maitland's　manner　was　frankly；　almost　brutally；　imperious。　　It
was　not　his　usual　manner　with　his　subordinates；　from　which　it　may
be　gathered　that　Mr。　Maitland　was　seriously　disturbed。　　And　with
good　reason。　　In　the　first　place；　never　in　his　career　had　one　of
his　men　addressed　him　in　the　cool　terms　of　equality　which　McNish
had　used　with　him　in　the　recent　interview。　　Then；　never　had　he　been
approached　by　a　Grievance　Committee。　　The　whole　situation　was　new；
irritating；　humiliating。

As　to　the　wages　question；　he　would　settle　that　without　difficulty。
He　had　never　skimped　the　pay　envelope。　　It　annoyed　him；　however；
that　he　had　been　forstalled　in　the　matter　by　this　Committee。　　But
very　especially　he　was　annoyed　by　the　recollection　of　the
deliberative；　rasping　tones　of　that　cool…headed　Scot；　who　had　so
calmly　set　before　him　his　duty。　　But　the　sting　of　the　interview　lay
in　the　consciousness　that　the　criticism　of　his　foreman　was　probably
just。　　And　then；　he　was　tied　to　Tony　Perrotte　by　bonds　that　reached
his　heart。　　Had　it　not　been　so；　he　would　have　made　short　work　of
the　business。　　As　it　was；　Tony　would　have　to　stay　at　all　costs。
Mr。　Maitland　sat　back　in　his　chair；　his　eyes　fixed　upon　the　Big
Bluff　visible　through　the　window；　but　his　mind　lingering　over　a
picture　that　had　often　gripped　hard　at　his　heart　during　the　last
two　years；　a　picture　drawn　for　him　in　a　letter　from　his　remaining
son；　Jack。　　The　letter　lay　in　the　desk　at　his　hand。　　He　saw　in　the
black　night　that　shell…torn　strip　of　land　between　the　lines；　black
as　a　ploughed　field；　lurid　for　a　swift　moment　under　the　red　glare
of　a　bursting　shell　or　ghastly　in　the　sickly　illumination　of　a
Verry　light；　and　over　this　black　pitted　earth　a　man　painfully
staggering　with　a　wounded　man　on　his　back。　　The　words　leaped　to　his
eyes。　　〃He　brought　me　out　of　that　hell；　Dad。〃　　He　closed　his　eyes
to　shut　out　that　picture；　his　hands　clenched　on　the　arms　of　his
chair。

〃No；〃　he　said；　raising　his　hand　in　solemn　affirmation；　〃as　the　Lord
God　liveth；　while　I　stay　he　stays。〃

〃Come　in；〃　he　said；　in　answer　to　a　timid　tap　at　the　office　door。
Mr。　Wickes　laid　a　file　before　him。　　It　needed　only　a　rapid　survey
of　the　sheets　to　give　him　the　whole　story。　　Incompetence　and　worse；
sheer　carelessness　looked　up　at　him　from　every　sheet。　　The　planing
mill　was　in　a　state　of　chaotic　disorganization。

〃What　does　this　mean；　Mr。　Wickes？〃　he　burst　forth；　putting　his
finger　upon　an　item　that　cried　out　mismanagement　and　blundering。
〃Here　is　an　order　that　takes　a　month　to　clear　which　should　be　done
within　ten　days　at　the　longest。〃

Wickes　stood　silent；　overwhelmed　in　dismayed　self…condemnation。

〃It　seems　difficult　somehow　to　get　orders　through；　sir；　these
days；〃　he　said　after　a　pause。

〃Difficult？　　What　is　the　difficulty？　　The　men　are　there；　the
machines　are　there；　the　material　is　in　the　yard。　　Why　the　delay？
And　look　at　this。　　Here　is　a　lot　of　material　gone　to　the　scrap
heap；　the　finest　spruce　ever　grown　in　Canada　too。　　What　does　this
mean；　Wickes？〃　he　seemed　to　welcome　the　opportunity　of　finding　a
scapegoat　for　economic　crimes；　for　which　he　could　find　no　pardon。

Sheet　after　sheet　passed　in　swift　review　under　his　eye。　　Suddenly
he　flung　himself　back　in　his　chair。

〃Wickes；　this　is　simply　damnable！〃

〃Yes；　sir；〃　said　Wickes；　his　face　pale　and　his　fingers　trembling。
〃I　don'tI　don't　seem　to　be　able　totoget　things　through。〃

〃Get　things　through？　　I　should　say　not；〃　shouted　Maitland；　glaring
at　him。

〃I　have　tried；　I　mean　I'm　afraid　I'mthat　I　am　not　quite　up　to　it；
as　I　used　to　be。　　I　get　confusedand〃　　The　old　bookkeeper's　lips
were　white　and　quivering。　　He　could　not　get　on　with　his　story。

〃Here；　take　these　away；〃　roared　Maitland。

Gathering　up　the　sheets　with　fingers　that　trembled　helplessly；
Wickes　crept　hurriedly　out　through　the　door；　leaving　a　man　behind
him　furiously；　helplessly　struggling　in　the　relentless　grip　of　his
conscience；　lashed　with　a　sense　of　his　own　injustice。　　His　anger
which　had　found　vent　upon　his　old　bookkeeper　he　knew　was　due
another　man；　a　man　with　whom　at　any　cost　he　could　never　allow
himself　to　be　angry。　　The　next　two　hours　were　bad　hours　for　Grant
Maitland。

As　the　quitting　whistle　blew　a　tap　came　again　to　the　office　door。
It　was　Wickes；　with　a　paper　in　his　hand。　　Without　a　word　he　laid
the　paper　upon　his　chief's　desk　and　turned　away。　　Maitland　glanced
over　it　rapidly。

〃Wickes；　what　does　this　nonsense　mean？〃　　His　chief's　voice　arrested
him。　　He　turned　again　to　the　desk。

〃I　don't　thinkI　have　come　to　feel；　sir；　that　I　am　not　able　for　my
job。　　I　do　not　see　as　how　I　can　go　on。〃　　Maitland's　brows　frowned
upon　the　sheet。　　Slowly　he　picked　up　the　paper；　tore　it　across　and
tossed　it　into　the　waste　basket。

〃Wickes；　you　are　an　old　fooland；〃　he　added　in　a　voice　that　grew
husky；　〃I　am　another　and　worse。〃

〃But；　sir〃　began　Wickes；　in　hurried　tones。

〃Oh；　cut　it　all　out；　Wickes；〃　said　Maitland　impatiently。　　〃You　know
I　won't　stand　for　that。　　But　what　can　we　do？　　He　saved　my　boy's
life〃

〃Yes；　sir；　and　he　was　with　my　Stephen　at　the　last；　and〃　　The　old
man's　voice　suddenly　broke。

〃I　remember；　Wickes；　I　remember。　　And　that's　another　reason　　We
must　find　another　way　out。〃

〃I　have　been　thinking；　sir；〃　said　the　bookkeeper　timidly；　〃if　you
had　a　younger　man　in　my　place〃

〃You　would　go　out；　eh？　　I　believe　on　my　soul　you　would。　　Youyou
old　fool。　　But；〃　said　Maitland；　reaching　his　hand　across　the　desk；
〃I　don't　go　back　on　old　friends　that　way。〃

The　two　men　stood　facing　each　other　for　a　few　minutes；　with　hands
clasped；　Maitland's　face　stern　and　set；　Wickes'　working　in　a
pitiful　effort　to　stay　the　tears　that　ran　down　his　cheeks；　to　choke
back　the　sobs　that　shook　his　old　body　as　if　in　the　grip　of　some
unseen　powerful　hand。

〃We　must　find　a　way；〃　said　Maitland；　when　he　felt　sure　of　his
voice。　　〃Some　way；　but　not　that　way。　　Sit　down。　　We　must　go　through
this　together。〃



CHAPTER　VII

THE　FOREMAN


Grant　Maitland抯　business　instincts　and　training　were　such　as　to
forbid　any　trifling　with　loose　management　in　any　department　of　his
plant。　　He　was；　moreover；　t