but none the less strenuous conflict of living； and that other
discovery； more disconcerting； that he was not the man he had been
in pre…war days and thought himself still to be； but quite another；
then he was ready for one of two alternatives； to surrender to the
inevitable dictum that after all life was really not worth a fight；
more particularly if it could be sustained without one； or； to
fling his hat into the Bolshevist ring； ready for the old thing；
warwar against the enemies of civilisation and his own enemies；
against those who possessed things which he very much desired but
which for some inexplicable cause he was prevented from obtaining。
The former class； to a greater or less degree； Jack Maitland
represented； the latter； Tony Perrotte。 From their war experience
they were now knit together in bonds that ran into life issues。
Together they had faced war's ultimate horror； together they had
emerged with imperishable memories of sheer heroic manhood mutually
revealed in hours of desperate need。
At Jack's request Tony had been given the position of a Junior
Foreman in one of the planing mill departments； with the promise of
advancement。
〃You can have anything you are fit for； Tony； in any of the mills。
I feel that I owe you； that we both owe you more than we can pay by
any position we can offer；〃 was Grant Maitland's word。
〃Mr。 Maitland； neither you nor Jack owes me anything。 Jack has
paid； and more than once； all he owed me。 But；〃 with a rueful
smile； 〃don't expect too much from me in this job。 I can't see
myself making it go。〃
〃Give it a big try。 Do your best。 I ask no more；〃 said Mr。
Maitland。
〃My best？ That's a hard thing。 Give me a bayonet and set some
Huns before me； and I'll do my best。 This is different somehow。〃
〃Different； yet the same。 The same qualities make for success。
You have the brains and with your gift for machineryWell； try it。
You and Jack here will make this go between you； as you made the
other go。〃
The door closed on the young man。
〃Will he make good； Jack？〃 said the father； anxiously。
〃Will any of us make good？〃
〃You will； Jack； I know。 You can stick。〃
〃Yes； I can stick； I suppose； but； after allwell； we'll have a go
at it； anyway。 But； like Tony； I feel like saying； 'Don't expect
too much。'〃
〃Only your best； Jack； that's all。 Take three months； six months；
a year； and get hold of the office end of the business。 You have
brains enough。 I want a General Manager right now； Wickes is
hardly up to it。 He knows the books and he knows the works but he
knows nothing else。 He doesn't know men nor markets。 He is an
office man pure and simple； and he's old； too old。 The fact is；
Jack； I have to be my own Manager inside and outside。 My foremen
are good； loyal； reliable fellows； but they only know their orders。
I want someone to stand beside me。 The plant has been doubled in
capacity during the war。 We did a lot of war workaeroplane
parts。 We got the spruce in the raw and worked it up； good work；
too； if I do say it myself。 No better was done。〃
〃I know something about that； Dad。 I had a day with Badgley in
Toronto。 I know something about it； and I know where the money
went； too； Dad。〃
〃The money？ Of course； I couldn't take the moneyhow could I with
my boys at the war； and other men's boys？〃
〃Rather not。 My God； Dad； if I thought！ But what's the use
talking？ They know in London all about the Ambulance Equipment and
the Machine Gun Battery； and the Hospital。 Do you know why Caramus
took a job in the Permanent Force in England？ It was either that
or blowing out his brains。 He could not face his father； a war
millionaire。 My God； how could he？〃
The boy was walking about his room with face white and lips
quivering。
〃Caramus was in charge of that Machine Gun Section that held the
line and let us get back。 Every man wiped out； and Caramus carried
back smashed to small piecesand his father making a million out
of munitions！ My God！ My God！〃
A silence fell in the room for a minute。
〃Poor old Caramus！ I saw him in the City a month ago；〃 said the
father。 〃I pitied the poor wretch。 He was alone in the Club； not
a soul would speak to him。 He has got his hell。〃
〃He deserves itall of it； and all who like him have got fat on
blood money。 Do you know； Dad； when I see those men going about in
the open and no one kicking them I get fairly sick。 I don't wonder
at some of the boys seeing red。 You mark my words； we are going to
have bad times in this country before long。〃
〃I am afraid of it； boy。 Things look ugly。 Even in our own works
I feel a bad spirit about。 There are some newcomers from the old
country whom I can't say I admire much。 They grouch and they won't
work。 Our production is lower than ever in our history and our
labor cost is more than twice what it was in 1914。〃
〃Well； Dad； give them a little time to settle down。 I have no more
use for a slacker than I have for a war millionaire。〃
〃We can't stand much of that thing。 Financially we are in fairly
good shape。 We broke even with our aeroplane work。 But we have a
big stock of spruce on handhigh…priced stuff； tooand a heavy；
very heavy overhead。 We shall weather it all right。 I don't mind
the wages； but we must have production。 And that's why I want you
with me。〃
〃You must not depend on me for much use for some time at least。
I know a little about handling men but about machinery I know
nothing。〃
〃Never fear； boy； you've got the machine instinct in you。 I
remember your holiday work in the mill； you see。 But your place is
in the office。 Wickes will show you the ropes； and you will make
good； I know。 And I just want to say that you don't know how glad
I am to have you come in with me； Jack。 If your brother had come
back he would have taken hold； he was cut out for the job； but〃
〃Poor old Andy！ He had your genius for the business。 I wish he
had been the one to get back！〃
〃We had not the choosing； Jack； and if he had come we should have
felt the same about you。 God knows what He is doing； and we can
only do our best。〃
〃Well； Dad；〃 said Jack； rising and standing near his father's
chair； 〃as I said before； I'll make a go at it； but don't count too
much on me。〃
〃I am counting a lot on you。 You are all I have now。〃 The
father's voice ended in a husky whisper。 The boy swallowed the
rising lump in his throat but could find no more words to go on
with。 But in his heart there was the resolve that he would make an
honest try to do for his father's sake what he would not for his
own。
But before a month had gone he was heartily sick of the office。 It
was indoors； and the petty fussing with trivial details irked him。
Accuracy was a sine qua non of successful office work； and accuracy
is either a thing of natural gift or is the result of long and
painful discipline； and neither by nature nor by discipline had
Jack come into the possession of this prime qualification for a
successful office man。 His ledger wellnigh brought tears to old
Wickes' eyes and added a heavy load to his day's work。 Not that
old Wickes grudged the extra burden； much less made any complaint；
rather did he count it joy to be able to cover from other eyes than
his own the errors that were inevitably to be found in Jack's daily
work。
Had it seemed worth while； Jack would have disciplined himself to
accuracy。 But what was the end of it all？ A larger plant with
more machines to buy and more men to work them and to be overseen
and to be paid； a few more figures in a Bank Bookwhat else？
Jack's tastes were simple。 He despised the ostentation of wealth
in the accumulation of mere things。 He had only pity for the
plunger and for the loose liver contempt。 Why should he tie
himself to a desk； a well appointed desk it is true； but still a
desk； in a four…walled room； a much finer room than his father had
ever known； but a room which became to him a cage。 Why？ Of
course； there was his fatherand Jack wearily turned to his
correspondence basket； sick of the sight of paper and letter heads
and cost forms and production reports。 For his father's sake； who
had only him； he would carry on。 And carry on he did； doggedly；
wearily； bored to death； but sticking it。 The reports from the
works were often ominous。 Things were not going well。 There was
an undercurrent of unrest among the men。
〃I don't wonder at it；〃 said Jack to old Wickes one day； when the
bookkeeper set before him the week's pay sheet and production
sheet； side by side。 〃After all； why should the poor devils work
for us？〃
〃For us； sir？〃 said the shocked Wickes。 〃For themselves； surely。
What would they do for a living if there was no work？〃
〃That's just it； Wickes。 They get a livingis it worth while？〃
〃But； sir；〃 gasped the old man； 〃they must live； and〃
〃Why must they？〃
〃Because they want to！ Wait till you see 'em sick； sir。 My word！
They do make haste for the Doctor。〃
〃I fancy they do； Wickes。 But all the same； I don't wonder that
they grouch a bit。〃
〃'Tis not the grumbling； sir； I deplore；〃 said Wickes； 〃if they
would only work； or let the machines work。 That's the trouble；
sir。 Why； sir； when I came to your father； sir； we never looked at
the clock； we kept our minds on the work。〃
〃How long ago； Wickes？〃
〃Thirty…one years； sir； come next Michaelmas。 And glad I was to
get the job； too。 You see； sir； I had just come to the country；
and with the missus and a couple of kids〃
〃Thirty…one years！ Great Caesar！ And you've worked at this desk
for thirty…one years！ And what have you got out of it？〃
〃Well； sir； not what you might call a terrible lot。 I hadn't the
eddication for much； as you might saybutwell； there's my little
home； and we've lived happy there； the missus and me； and the kids
at least； till the war came。〃 The old man paused abruptly。
〃You're right； Wickes； by Jove；〃 exclaimed Jack； starting from his
seat and gripping the old man's hand。 〃You have made a lot out of
itand you gave as fine a boy as ever stepped in uniform to your
country。 We were all proud of Stephen； every man of us。〃
〃I know that； sir； and he often wrote