his generalship。 He had known Captain Maitland in the old days and
he ought to have been on the lookout for the kind of thing he had
put over。 The Maitland Mill team had made a perfectly wonderful
recovery in the last quarter； though he rather thought his friend
Macnamara had helped it a little at a critical point。
〃He did that；〃 exclaimed Jumbo Larson； with marked emphasis。
After the roar of laughter had quieted down； the Cornwall Captain
closed by expressing the hope that the Maitland Mill team would try
for a place next season in the senior hockey。 In which case he
expressed the hope that he might have the pleasure of meeting them
again。
Captain Maitland's speech was characteristic。 He had nothing but
praise for the Cornwalls。 They played a wonderful game and a clean
game。 He shared in the doubt of their Captain as to which was the
better team。 He frankly confessed that in the last quarter the
luck came to his team。
〃Not a bit of it；〃 roared the Cornwalls with one voice。
As to his own team； he was particularly proud of the way they had
taken the trainingtheir fine self…denial； and especially the
never…dying spirit which they showed。 It was a great honour for
his team to meet the Cornwalls。 A hard team to meetsometimesas
Snoopy and himself had found out that eveningbut they were good
sports and he hoped some day to meet them again。
After the usual cheers for the teams； individually and collectively；
for their supporters； for the Mill management and for the ladies；
the dinner came to an end； the whole party joining with wide open
throats and all standing at attention； in the Canadian and the
Empire national anthems。
While the supper table was being cleared away preparatory to the
dance； Captain Jack rushed upstairs to the party in the gallery。
Patricia flung herself at him in an ecstasy of rapture。
〃Oh！ Captain Jack； you did win！ You did win！ You did win！ It was
glorious！ And that double…circle play that you and Snoopy put up
didn't it work beautifully！〃
〃We were mighty lucky；〃 said Captain Jack。
The others； Hugh； Vic and Rupert； crowded round； offering
congratulations。 Adrien waited behind； a wonderful light shining
in her eyes； a faint colour touching her pale cheek。 Captain Jack
came slowly forward。
〃Are you not going to congratulate us； too； Adrien？〃 he said。
She moved a pace forward。
〃Oh； Jack；〃 she whispered； leaning toward him and breathing
quickly； 〃it was so like the old； the dear old days。〃
Into Maitland's eyes there flashed a look of surprise； of wonder；
then of piercing scrutiny； while his face grew white。
〃Adrien；〃 he said； in a voice low； tense； almost stern； which she
alone heard。 〃What do you mean？ Then do you〃
〃Oh； Captain Jack；〃 cried Patricia； catching his arm； 〃are you
going to dance？ You are； aren't you？ And will you give me Oh；
I daren't ask！ You are such a great hero to…night！〃
〃Why； Patsy； will you give me a dance？〃
The girl stood gazing at him with eyes that grew misty； the quick
beating of her loyal heart almost suffocating her。
〃Oh； Captain Jack；〃 she gasped； 〃how many？〃
Maitland laughed at her； and turned to her sister。
〃And you； Adrien； may I have a dance？〃
Again Adrien leaned toward him。
〃One？〃 she asked。
〃And as many more as you can spare。〃
〃My program is quite empty； you see；〃 she said； flinging out her
hands and laughing joyously into his face。
〃What about me？ And me？ And me？〃 said the other three men。
〃I suppose we are all nowhere to…night；〃 added Rupert； with a touch
of bitterness in his voice。
〃Well； there is only one conquering hero； you know；〃 replied
Adrien； smiling at them all。
〃Now I must run off；〃 said Maitland。 〃You see； I am on duty； as it
were。 Come down in a few minutes。〃
〃Yes； go； Jack；〃 said Adrien； throwing him a warm smile。 〃We will
follow you in a few minutes。〃
〃Oh； I am so excited！〃 said Patricia； as Maitland disappeared down
the stairs。 〃I mean to dance with every one of the team。 I know I
am going to have a perfectly lovely time！ But I would give them
all up if I could have Captain Jack all the time。〃
〃Pig；〃 said her sister； smiling at her。
〃Wretch；〃 cried Vic； making a face。
But Patricia was quite unabashed。 〃I am going to have him just as
often as I can；〃 she said； brazenly。
For a few minutes they stood watching the dancers on the floor
below。 It was indeed； as Mrs。 Templeton had said； a 〃mixed
multitude。〃 Mill hands and their girls； townsfolk whose social
standing was sufficiently assured to endure the venture。 A mixed
multitude； but thoroughly jolly； making up in vigour what was
lacking in grace in their exposition of the Terpsichorean art。
〃Rather ghastly；〃 said Rupert； who appeared to be quite disgusted
with the whole evening's proceedings。
〃Lovely！〃 exclaimed Patricia。
〃They are enjoying themselves； at any rate；〃 said Adrien； 〃and；
after all； that is what people dance for。〃
〃Stacks of fun。 I am all for it； eh； Pat？〃 said Vic； making
adoring eyes at the young girl。
But Patricia severely ignored him。
〃Oh； Adrien； look！〃 she cried suddenly。 〃There is Annette； and who
is the big man with her？ Oh； what an awful dancer he is！ But
Annette； isn't she wonderful！ What a lovely dress！ I think she is
the most beautiful thing。〃 And Patricia was right； for Annette was
radiant in colour and unapproachable in the grace of her movement。
〃By Jove！ She is a wonder！〃 said Vic。 〃Some dancer； if she only
had a chance。〃
〃Well； why don't you go down； Vic；〃 said Patricia sharply。 〃You
know you are just aching to show off your fox trot。 Run away；
little boy； I won't mind。〃
〃I don't believe you would；〃 replied Vic ruefully。
For some minutes longer they all stood watching the scene below。
〃They are a jolly crowd；〃 said Adrien。 〃I don't think we have half
the fun at our dances。〃
〃They certainly get a lot for their money；〃 said Vic。 〃But wait
till they come to 'turkey…in…the…straw！' That is where they really
cut loose。〃
〃Oh； pshaw！〃 cried Patricia。 〃I can 'turkey' myself。 Just wait
and you'll see。〃
〃So can I；〃 murmured Vic。 〃Will you let me in on it？ Hello；〃 he
continued； 〃there is the Captain and Annette。 Now look out for
high art。 I know the Captain's style。 And a two…step！ My eye！
She is a little airy fairy！〃
〃How beautifully she dances；〃 said Adrien。 〃And how charmingly she
is dressed。〃
〃They do hit it off； don't they；〃 said Rupert。 〃They evidently
know each other's paces。〃
Suddenly Adrien turned to Hugh： 〃Don't you think we should go
down？〃 she asked。 〃You know we must not stay late。〃
〃Yes； do come along！〃 cried Patricia； seizing Victor by the arm and
hurrying to the stairs； the others making their way more leisurely
to the dancing room。
The hall was a scene of confused hilarity。 Maitland was nowhere to
be seen。
〃Oh！ let us dance； Vic！〃 cried Patricia。 〃There is really no use
waiting for Captain Jack。 At any rate； Adrien will claim the first
dance。〃
No second invitation was needed and together they swung off into
the medley of dancers。
〃We may as well follow；〃 said Hugh。 〃We shall doubtless run into
Maitland somewhere before long。〃
But not in that dance； nor in the three successive dances did
Maitland appear。 The precious moments were slipping by。 Patricia
was becoming more and more anxious and fretful at the non…
appearance of her hero。 Also； Hugh began to notice and detect a
lagging in his partner's step。
〃Shall we go out into the corridor？〃 he said。 〃This air is
beginning to be rather trying。〃
From the crowded hall they passed into the corridor； from which
opened side rooms which were used as dressing and retiring rooms；
and whose entrances were cleverly screened by a row of thick spruce
trees set up for the occasion。
〃This is better；〃 said Hugh； drawing a deep breath。 〃Shall we sit
a bit and rest？〃
〃Oh； do let us；〃 said Adrien。 〃This has been a strenuous and
exciting evening。 I really feel quite done out。 Here is a most
inviting seat。〃
Wearily she sat down on a bench which faced the entrance to one of
the rooms。
〃Shall I bring you a glass of water or an ice； Adrien？〃 inquired
Hugh； noting the pallor in her face。
〃Thank you。 A glass of water； if you will be so kind。 How
deliciously fragrant that spruce is。〃
As her partner set off upon his errand； Adrien stepped to the
spruce tree which screened the open door of the room opposite； and
taking the bosky branches in her hands； she thrust her face into
the aromatic foliage。
〃How deliciously fragrant；〃 she murmured。
Suddenly； as if stabbed by a spine in the trees； she started back
and stood gazing through the thick branches into the room beyond
There stood Maitland and Annette； the girl； with her face tearfully
pale and pleading； uplifted to his and with her hands gripped tight
and held fast in his； clasped against his breast。 More plainly
than words her face； her eyes； her attitude told her tale。 She was
pouring out her very soul to him in entreaty； and he was giving
eager； sympathetic heed to her appeal。
Swiftly Adrien stepped back from the screening tree； her face white
as if from a stunning blow； her heartbeats checking her breath。
Quickly； blindly； she ran down the corridor。 At the very end she
met Hugh with a glass of water in his hand。
〃What is the matter； Adrien？ Have you seen a ghost？〃 he cried in
an anxious voice。
She caught the glass from his hand and began to drink； at first
greedily； then more slowly。
〃Ah！〃 she said； drawing a deep breath。 〃That is good。 Do you
know； I was almost overcome。 The air of that room is quite deadly。
Now I am all right。 Let us get a breath from the outside； Hugh。〃
Taking him by the arm； she hastened him to the farther end of the
corridor and opened the door。 〃Oh； delicious！〃 She drew in deep
breaths of the cold； fresh air。
〃How wonderful the night is； Hugh。〃 She leaned far out； 〃and the
snow was like a cloth of silver and diamonds in this glorious
moon。〃 She stooped； and from a gleaming bank beside the door she
caught up a double handful of the snow and； packing it into a
little ball； flung it at her partner；