to him that hath-第21节

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stick　in　a　moment　of　aberration。　　During　the　week　following　the
Black　Eagle　debacle　the　various　Bank　managers；　Law　Office　managers
and　other　financial　magnates　of　the　town　were　lenient　with　their
clerks。　　Social　functions　were　abandoned。　　The　young　gentlemen　had
one　continuous　permanent　and　unbreakable　engagement　at　the　rink　or
in　preparation　for　it。　　But　all　was　in　vain。　　The　result　of　the
second　encounter　was　defeat　for　the　Eagles；　defeat　utter；
unmistakable　and　inexplicable　except　on　the　theory　that　they　had
met　a　superior　team。　　Throughout　the　hockey　season　the　Maitland
Mill　maintained　an　unbroken　record　of　victory　till　their　fame　flew
far；　and　at　the　close　of　the　season　enthusiasts　of　the　game　had
arranged　a　match　between　the　winners　of　the　Eastern　Ontario　Hockey
League；　the　renowned　Cornwall　team　and　the　Maitland　Mill　boys。　　To…
day　the　Cornwalls　were　in　town；　and　the　town　in　consequence　was
quite　unfit　for　the　ordinary　duties　of　life。　　The　Eagles　almost　to
a　man　were　for　the　local　team；　for　they　were　sports　true　to　type。
Not　so　however　their　friends　and　following；　who　resented　defeat　of
their　men　at　the　hands　of　a　working　class　team。

Of　course　it　was　Jack　Maitland　who　was　responsible　for　their
humiliation。　　It　was　he　who　had　organised　his　fellow　workmen；　put
them　through　a　blood　and　iron　discipline；　filled　them　with　his　own
spirit　of　irresistible　furious　abandon　in　attack　which　carried　them
to　victory。

It　was　an　old　game　with　Jack　Maitland。　　When　a　High　School　boy　he
had　developed　that　spirit　of　dominating　and　indomitable　leadership
that　had　made　his　team　the　glory　of　the　town。　　Later　by　sound　and
steady　grinding　at　the　game　he　had　developed　a　style　and　plan　of
team　play　which　had　produced　a　town　team　in　the　winter　immediately
preceding　the　war　that　had　won　championship　honors。　　Now　with　his
Mill　team　he　was　simply　repeating　his　former　achievements。

It　had　astonished　his　friends　to　learn　that　Captain　Jack　was
playing　hockey　again。　　He　had　played　no　game　except　in　a　desultory
way　since　the　war。　　He　had　resisted　the　united　efforts　of　the
Eagles　and　their　women　friends　to　take　the　captaincy　of　that　team。
The　mere　thought　of　ever　appearing　on　the　ice　in　hockey　uniform
gave　him　a　sick　feeling　at　his　heart。　　Of　that　noble　seven　whom　he
had　in　pre…war　days　led　so　often　to　victory　four　were　still　〃over
there；〃　one　was　wandering　round　a　darkened　room。　　Of　the　remaining
two；　one　Rupert　Stillwell　was　too　deeply　engrossed　in　large
financial　affairs　for　hockey。　　Captain　Jack　himself　was　the
seventh；　and　the　mere　sight　of　a　hockey　stick　on　a　school　boy's
shoulder　gave　him　a　heart　stab。

It　was　his　loyal　pal　Patricia　Templeton；　who　gave　him　the　first
impulse　toward　the　game　again。　　To　her　pleading　he　had　yielded　so
far　as　to　coach；　on　a　Saturday　afternoon；　her　team　of　High　School
girls　to　victory。　　But　it　was　the　Reverend　Murdo　Matheson　who
furnished　the　spur　to　conscience　that　resulted　in　the　organising　of
the　Maitland　Mill　team。

〃You；　John　Maitland；　more　than　any　of　us　and　more　than　all　of　us
together　can　draw　these　lads　of　yours　from　the　pool　rooms　and
worse；〃　the　Reverend　Murdo　had　said　one　day　in　early　winter。

〃Great　Scott；　Padre〃the　Reverend　Murdo　had　done　his　bit　overseas
〃what　are　you　giving　me　now？〃

〃You；　more　than　any　or　all　of　us；　I　am　saying；〃　repeated　the
minister　solemnly。　　〃For　God's　sake；　man；　get　these　lads　on　the　ice
or　anywhere　out…of…doors　for　the　good　of　their　immortal　souls。〃

〃Me！　　And　why　me；　pray？〃　Captain　Jack　had　asked。　　〃I'm　no　uplifter。
Why　jump　on　me？〃

〃You；　because　God　has　bestowed　on　you　the　gift　to　lead　men；〃　said
the　minister　with　increasing　solemnity。　　〃A　high　gift　it　is；　and
one　for　which　God　will　hold　you　responsible。〃

That　very　night；　passing　by　the　Lucky　Strike　Pool　Rooms；　Captain
Jack　had　turned　in　to　find　a　score　and　more　of　youthsmany　of　them
from　the　millsflashing　their　money　with　reckless　freedom　in　an
atmosphere　thick　with　foul　tobacco…smoke　and　reeking　with　profane
and　lewd　speech。　　On　reaching　his　home　that　night　Maitland　went
straight　to　the　attic　and　dug　up　his　hockey　kit。　　Before　he　slept
he　had　laid　his　plans　for　a　league　among　the　working　lads　in　the
various　industries　in　the　town。

It　was　no　easy　task　to　force　these　men　into　training　habits；　to
hold　them　to　the　grind；　to　discipline　them　into　self…control　in
temper　and　in　desire。　　It　was　of　vast　assistance　to　him　that　three
of　his　seven　were　overseas　men；　while　some　dozen　or　so　of　the
twenty　in　the　club　were　returned　soldiers。　　It　was　part　of　his
discipline　that　his　team　should　never　shirk　a　day's　work　for　the
game　except　on　the　rare　occasions　when　they　went　on　tour。　　Hence
the　management　in　the　various　mills　and　factories；　at　first　hostile
and　suspicious；　came　to　regard　these　athletic　activities　on　the
part　of　their　employees　with　approval　and　finally　came　to　give
encouragement　and　support　to　the　games。

To…day　was　a　half　holiday　for　the　Maitland　Mills　and　the　streets
were　noticeably　full　of　the　men　and　their　sweethearts　and　wives　in
their　Sunday　clothes。　　Not　the　team；　however。　　Maitland　knew　better
than　that。　　He　took　his　men　for　a　run　in　the　country　before　noon；
bringing　them　home　in　rich　warm　glow。　　Then　after　a　bath　and　a　hard
rubdown　they　dined　together　at　the　mill　and　then　their　Captain
ordered　them　home　to　sleep；　forbidding　them　the　streets　till　they
were　on　their　way　to　the　game。

On　his　way　home　Captain　Jack　was　waylaid　by　his　admirer　and
champion；　Patricia。　　She；　standing　in　front　of　his　car；　brought
him　to　a　halt。

〃I　have　not　even　seen　you　for　a　whole　week；〃　she　complained；
getting　in　beside　him；　〃and　your　phone　is　always　busy　in　the
evening。　　Of　course　no　one　can　get　you　during　the　day。　　And　I　do
want　to　know　how　the　team　is。　　Oh！　do　tell　me　they　are　fit　for　the
game　of　their　lives！　　Are　they　every　one　fit？〃

〃Fit　and　fine。〃

〃And　will　they　win？〃

〃Sure　thing；〃　said　Captain　Jack　quietly。

〃Oh；　I　hope　you　are　right。　　But　you　are　so　sure；〃　exclaimed　his
companion。　　〃The　Cornwalls　are　wonderful；　Rupert　says。〃

〃He　would。〃

〃Oh！　　I　forgot　you　don't　think　much　of　Rupert；〃　sighed　Patricia。

〃I　haven't　time；　you　see；〃　answered　Captain　Jack　gravely。

〃Oh；　you　know　what　I　mean。　　It　is　a　pity；　too；　for　he　is　really
very　nice。　　I　mean　he　is　so　good　to　me；〃　sighed　Patricia　again。

〃Don't　sigh；　Patsy；　old　girl。　　It　really　isn't　worth　it；　you　know。
How　is　the　supply　of　choc's　keeping　up？〃

〃Now　you　are　thinking　me　a　pig。　　But　tell　me　about　your　men。　　Are
they　really　in　form？〃

〃Absolutely　at　the　peak。〃

〃And　that　darling　Fatty　Findlay。　　I　do　hope　he　will　not　lose　his
head　and　let　a　goal　in。　　He　is　perfectly　adorable　with　that
everlasting　smile　of　his。　　I　do　hope　Fatty　is　at　the　peak；　too。　　Is
he；　really？〃　　The　anxiety　in　Patricia's　tone　was　more　than　painful。

〃Dear　Patsy；　he　is　right　at　the　pinnacle。〃

〃Captain　Jack；　if　you　don't　win　to…night　I　shallwell；　I　shall
just　weep　my　eyes　out。〃

〃That　settles　it；　Pat。　　We　shall　win。　　We　can'tI　can't　spare
those　lovely　eyes；　you　know；〃　said　Captain　Jack；　smiling　at　her。

One　by　one　Captain　Jack's　team　were　passed　in　reviewthe　defence；
Macnamara　and　〃Jack〃　Johnson；　so　called　for　his　woolly　white　head；
〃Reddy〃　Hughes；　Ross；　〃Snoopy〃　Sykes；　who　with　Captain　Jack　made
the　forward　line；　all　were　declared　to　be　fit　to　deliver　the　last
ounce　in　their　bodies；　the　last　flicker　in　their　souls。

〃Do　you　know；　Captain　Jack；〃　said　Patricia　gravely；　〃there　is　one
change　you　ought　to　make　in　your　forward　line。〃

〃Yes！　　What　is　that；　Pat？〃　asked　Captain　Jack；　with　never　a
suggestion　of　a　smile。

〃I　would　change　Snoopy　for　Geordie　Ross。　　You　know　Geordie　is　a
little　too　careful；　and　he　is　hardly　fast　enough　for　you。　　Now　you
and　Snoopy　on　left　wing　would　be　oh！　perfectly　wonderful。〃

〃Patsy；　you　are　a　wizard！〃　exclaimed　Captain　Jack。　　〃That　very
change　has　been　made　and　the　improvement　is　unbelievable。　　We　are
both　left…handers　and　we　pull　off　our　little　specialties　far　more
smoothly　than　Geordie　and　I　could。　　You　have　exactly　hit　the　bull。
You　watch　for　that　back　of　the　goal　play　to…night。　　Well；　here　we
are。　　You　have　good　seats；　I　understand。〃

〃Oh；　yes。　　Rupert；　you　see；　as　patron　of　the　Eagles　was　able　to　get
the　very　best。　　But　won't　you　come　in　and　see　mother？　　She　is
really　quite　worked　up　over　it；　though　of　course　she　couldn't　bear
to　go。〃

Captain　Jack　checked　the　refusal　on　his　lips。

〃Yes；　I　will　go　in　for　a　few　minutes；〃　he　said　gravely。　　〃No！　　Your
mother　would　notcould　not　come；　of　course。〃

There　flashed　before　his　mind　a　picture　from　pre…war　days。　　The
rink　packed　with　wildly　excited　throngs　and　in　a　certain　reserved
section　midway　down　the　side　the　Templeton…Maitland　party　with　its
distinguished　looking　men　and　beautiful　women　following　with　eager
faces　and　shining　eyes　the　fortunes　of　their　sons　in　the　fight
before　them。　　The　flash　of　that　picture　was　like　a　hand　of　ice　upon
his　heart　as　Captain　Jack　entered　the　cosy　living　room。

〃Here　he　is；　Mamma！〃　cried　Patricia　as　she　ushered　her　hero　into
the　room　with　a　sweeping　gesture。　　〃And　he　brings　the　most　cheering
news。　　They　are　going　to　win！〃

〃But　how