wire which had brought the terrible message of his mother's death。
The long months of days and nights heavy with watching； toiling；
praying； agonising； for her twin sons； and for the many boys who
had gone out from the little town wore out her none too robust
strength。 Then； the sniper's bullet that had pierced the heart of
her boy seemed to reach to her heart as well。 After that； the home
that once had been to its dwellers the most completely heart…
satisfying spot in all the world became a place of dread； of
haunting ghosts； of acutely poignant memories。 They used the house
for sleeping in and for eating in； but there was no living in it
longer。 To them it was a tomb； though neither would acknowledge it
and each bore with it for the other's sake。
〃Honestly； Dad； I wish I could make it go； for your sake〃
〃For my sake； boy？ Why； I have all of it I care for。 Not for my
sake。 But what else can we do but stick it？〃
〃I suppose sobut for Heaven's sake give me something worth a
man's doing。 If I could tackle a job such as you and〃the boy
winced〃you and mother took on I believe I'd try it。 But that
office！ Any fool could sit in my place and carry on。 It is like
the job they used to give to the crocks or the slackers at the base
to do。 Give me a man's job。〃
The father's keen blue eyes looked his son over。
〃A man's job？〃 he said； with a grim smile； realising as his son did
not how much of a man's job it was。 〃Suppose you learn this one as
I did？〃
〃What do you mean； Dad； exactly？ How did you begin？〃
〃I？ At the tail of the saw。〃
〃All right； I'm game。〃
〃Boy； you are rightI believe in my soul you are right。 You did a
man's job 'out there' and you have it in you to do a man's job
again。〃
The son shrugged his shoulders。 Next morning at seven they were
down at the planing mill where men were doing men's work。 He was
at a man's job； at the tail of a saw； and drawing a man's pay；
rubbing shoulders with men on equal terms； as he had in the
trenches。 And for the first time since Armistice Day； if not happy
or satisfied； he was content to carry on。
CHAPTER IV
ANNETTE
Sam Wigglesworth had finished with school； which is not quite the
same as saying that he had finished his education。 A number of
causes had combined to bring this event to pass。 First； Sam was
beyond the age of compulsory attendance at the Public School； the
School Register recording him as sixteen years old。 Then； Sam's
educational career had been anything but brilliant。 Indeed； it
might fairly be described as dull。 All his life he had been behind
his class； the biggest boy in his class； which fact might have been
to Sam a constant cause of humiliation had he not held as of the
slightest moment merely academic achievements。 One unpleasant
effect which this fact had upon Sam's moral quality was that it
tended to make him a bully。 He was physically the superior of all
in his class； and this superiority he exerted for what he deemed
the discipline of younger and weaker boys； who excelled him in
intellectual attainment。
Furthermore； Sam； while quite ready to enforce the code of
discipline which he considered suitable to the smaller and weaker
boys in his class； resented and resisted the attempts of constituted
authority to enforce discipline in his own case； with the result
that Sam's educational career was； after much long suffering；
abruptly terminated by the action of the long…suffering head； Alex
Day。
〃With great regret I must report；〃 his letter to the School Board
ran； 〃that in the case of Samuel Wigglesworth I have somehow failed
to inculcate the elementary principles of obedience to school
regulations and of adherence to truth in speech。 I am free to
acknowledge；〃 went on the letter； 〃that the defect may be in myself
as much as in the boy； but having failed in winning him to
obedience and truth…telling； I feel that while I remain master of
the school I must decline to allow the influence of this youth to
continue in the school。 A whole…hearted penitence for his many
offences and an earnest purpose to reform would induce me to give
him a further trial。 In the absence of either penitence or purpose
to reform I must regretfully advise expulsion。〃
Joyfully the School Board； who had for months urged upon the
reluctant head this action； acquiesced in the course suggested； and
Samuel was forthwith expelled； to his own unmitigated relief but to
his father's red and raging indignation at what he termed the
〃（h）ignorant persecution of their betters by these （h）insolent
Colonials；〃 for 〃'is son 'ad 'ad the advantages of schools of the
'ighest standin' in （H）England。〃
Being expelled from school Sam forthwith was brought by his father
to the office of the mills； where he himself was employed。 There
he introduced his son to the notice of Mr。 Grant Maitland； with
request for employment。
The old man looked the boy over。
〃What has he been doing？〃
〃Nothin'。 'E's just left school。〃
〃High School？〃
〃Naw。 Public School。〃 Wigglesworth Sr。's tone indicated no
exalted opinion of the Public School。
〃Public School！ What grade； eh？〃
〃Grade？ I dinnaw。 Wot grade； Samuel？ Come； speak （h）up； cawn't
yeh？〃
〃Uh？〃 Sam's mental faculties had been occupied in observing the
activities and guessing the probable fate of a lumber…jack gaily
decked in scarlet sash and blue overalls； who was the central
figure upon a flaming calendar tacked up behind Mr。 Maitland's
desk； setting forth the commercial advantages of trading with the
Departmental Stores of Stillwell & Son。
〃Wot grade in school； the boss is （h）askin'；〃 said his father
sharply。
〃Grade？〃 enquired Sam； returning to the commonplace of the moment。
〃Yes； what grade in the Public School were you in when you left？〃
The blue eyes of the boss was 〃borin' 'oles〃 through Sam and the
voice pierced like a 〃bleedin' gimblet；〃 as Wigglesworth； Sr。；
reported to his spouse that afternoon。
Sam hesitated a bare second。 〃Fourth grade it was；〃 he said with
sullen reluctance。
〃'Adn't no chance； Samuel 'adn't。 Been a delicate child ever since
'is mother stopped suckin' 'im；〃 explained the father with a
sympathetic shake of his head。
The cold blue eye appraised the boy's hulking mass。
〃'E don't look it；〃 continued Mr。 Wigglesworth； noting the keen
glance； 〃but 'e's never been （h）able to bide steady at the school。
（H）It's 'is brain； sir。〃
〃Hisahbrain？〃 Again the blue eyes appraised the boy； this time
scanning critically his face for indication of undue brain
activity。
〃'Is brain； sir；〃 earnestly reiterated the sympathetic parent。
〃'Watch that （h）infant's brain；' sez the Doctor to the missus when
she put 'im on the bottle。 And you know； we 'ave real doctors in
（H）England； sir。 'Watch 'is brain；' sez 'e； and； my word； the care
'is ma 'as took of that boy's brain is wunnerful； is fair
beautiful； sir。〃 Mr。 Wigglesworth's voice grew tremulous at the
remembrance of that maternal solicitude。
〃And was that why he left school？〃 enquired the boss。
〃Well； sir； not （h）exackly；〃 said Mr。 Wigglesworth； momentarily
taken aback； 〃though w'en I comes to think on it that must a been
at the bottom of it。 You see； w'en Samuel went at 'is books of a
night 'e'd no more than begin at a sum an' 'e'd say to 'is ma； 'My
brain's a…whirlin'； ma'； just like that； and 'is ma would 'ave to
pull 'is book away； just drag it away； you might say。 Oh； 'e's 'ad
a 'ard time； 'as Samuel。〃 At this point the boss received a
distinct shock； for； as his eyes were resting upon Samuel's face
meditatively while he listened somewhat apathetically； it must be
confessed； to the father's moving tale； the eye of the boy remote
from the father closed in a slow but significant wink。
The boss sat up； galvanised into alert attention。 〃Eh？ What？〃 he
exclaimed。
〃Yes； sir； 'e's caused 'is ma many a （h）anxious hour； 'as Samuel。〃
Again the eye closed in a slow and solemn wink。 〃And we thought；
'is ma and me； that we would like to get Samuel into some easy
job〃
〃An easy job； eh？〃
〃Yes； sir。 Something in the office； 'ere。〃
〃But his brain； you say； would not let him study his books。〃
〃Oh； it was them sums； sir； an' the Jography and the 'Istory an'
the Composition； an'； an'wot else； Samuel？ You see； these 'ere
schools ain't a bit like the schools at 'ome； sir。 They're so
confusing with their subjecks。 Wot I say is； why not stick to real
（h）eddication； without the fiddle faddles？〃
〃So you want an easy job for your son； eh？〃 enquired Mr。 Maitland。
〃Boy；〃 he said sharply to Samuel； whose eyes had again become fixed
upon the gay and daring lumber…jack。 Samuel recalled himself with
visible effort。 〃Why did you leave school？ The truth； mind。〃 The
〃borin'〃 eyes were at their work。
〃Fired！〃 said Sam promptly。
Mr。 Wigglesworth began a sputtering explanation。
〃That will do； Wigglesworth；〃 said Mr。 Maitland； holding up his
hand。 〃Sam； you come and see me tomorrow here at eight。 Do you
understand？〃
Sam nodded。 After they had departed there came through the closed
office door the sound of Mr。 Wigglesworth's voice lifted in violent
declamation； but from Sam no answering sound could be heard。
The school suffered no noticeable loss in the intellectual quality
of its activities by the removal of the whirling brain and
incidentally its physical integument of Samuel Wigglesworth。 To
the smaller boys the absence of Sam brought unbounded joy； more
especially during the hours of recess from study and on their
homeward way from school after dismissal。
More than any other； little Steve Wickes rejoiced in Sam's
departure from school。 Owing to some mysterious arrangement of
Sam's brain cells he seemed to possess an abnormal interest in
observing the sufferings of any animal。 The squirming of an
unfortunate fly upon a pin fascinated him； the sight of a wretched
dog driven mad with terror rushing frantically down a street； with
a tin can dangling to its tail； convulsed him with shrieking
delight。 The more highly organised the suffering animal； the
keener was Sam's joy。 A child； for instance； flying in a paroxysm
of fear from Sam's hideously contort