is your corner。〃
〃Annette；〃 he said； with a quick； shy look up into her face； 〃I
like Captain Jack； don't you？〃
〃No；〃 she said hurriedly。 〃I mean yes； of course。〃
〃And I like you too；〃 said the boy； with an adoring look in his
deep eyes； 〃better'n anyone in the world。〃
〃Do you； Steve？ I'm glad。〃 Again she stooped swiftly and kissed
him。 〃Now run home。〃
She hurried home； passed into her room without a word to anyone。
Slowly she removed her hat； then turning to her glass she gazed at
her flushed face for a few moments。 A little smile curved her
lips。 〃He did look at me anyway；〃 she whispered to the face that
looked out at her； 〃he did； he did；〃 she repeated。 Then swiftly
she covered her eyes。 When she looked again she saw a face white
and drawn。 〃He would na look at ye。〃 The words smote her with a
chill。 Drearily she turned away and went out。
CHAPTER V
THE RECTORY
The Rectory was one of the very oldest of the more substantial of
Blackwater's dwellings。 Built of grey limestone from the local
quarries； its solid square mass relieved by its quaint dormer
windows was softened from its primal ugliness by the Boston ivy
that had clambered to the eaves and lay draped about the windows
like a soft green mantle。 Built in the early days； it stood with
the little church； a gem of Gothic architecture； within spacious
grounds bought when land was cheap。 Behind the house stood the
stable； built also of grey limestone； and at one side a cherry and
apple orchard formed a charming background to the grey buildings
with their crowding shrubbery and gardens。 A gravelled winding
drive led from the street through towering elms； a picturesque
remnant from the original forest； to the front door and round the
house to the stable yard behind。 From the driveway a gravelled
footpath led through the shrubbery and flower garden by a wicket
gate to the Church。 When first built the Rectory stood in dignified
seclusion on the edge of the village； but the prosperity of the
growing town demanding space for its inhabitants had driven its
streets far beyond the Rectory demesne on every side； till now it
stood； a green oasis of sheltered loveliness； amid a crowding mass
of modern brick dwellings； comfortable enough but arid of beauty and
suggestive only of the utilitarian demands of a busy manufacturing
town。
For nearly a quarter of a century the Rev。 Herbert Aveling
Templeton； D。D。； LL。D。； for whom the Rectory had been built； had
ministered in holy things to the Parish of St。 Alban's and had
exercised a guiding and paternal care over the social and religious
well…being of the community。 The younger son of one of England's
noble families； educated in an English Public School and University；
he represented； in the life of this new； thriving； bustling town；
the traditions and manners of an English gentleman of the Old
School。 Still in his early sixties； he carried his years with all
the vigour of a man twenty years his junior。 As he daily took his
morning walk for his mail； stepping with the brisk pace of one whose
poise the years had not been able to disturb； yet with the stately
bearing consistent with the dignity attaching to his position and
office； men's eyes followed the tall； handsome； white…haired； well
set up gentleman always with admiration and； where knowledge was
intimate； with reverence and affection。 Before the recent rapid
growth of the town consequent upon the establishment of various
manufacturing industries attracted thither by the unique railroad
facilities； the Rector's walk was something in the nature of public
perambulatory reception。 For he knew them all； and for all had a
word of greeting； of enquiry； of cheer； of admonition； so that by
the time he had returned to his home he might have been said to have
conducted a pastoral visitation of a considerable proportion of his
flock。 Even yet； with the changes that had taken place； his walk to
the Post Office was punctuated with greetings and salutations from
his fellow…citizens in whose hearts his twenty…five years of
devotion to their well…being； spiritual and physical； had made for
him an enduring place。
The lady of the Rectory； though some twenty years his junior； yet；
by reason of delicate health due largely to the double burden of
household cares and parish duties； appeared to be quite of equal
age。 Gentle in spirit； frail in body； there seemed to be in her
soul something of the quality of tempered steel； yet withal a
strain of worldly wisdom mingled with a strange ignorance of the
affairs of modern life。 Her life revolved around one centre； her
adored husband； a centre enlarged as time went on to include her
only son and her two daughters。 All others and all else in her
world were of interest solely as they might be more or less closely
related to these； the members of her family。 The town and the town
folk she knew solely as her husband's parish。 There were other
people and other communions； no doubt； but being beyond the pale
they could hardly be supposed to matter； or； at any rate； she could
not be supposed to regard them with more than the interest and
spasmodic concern which she felt it her duty to bestow upon those
unfortunate dwellers in partibus infidelium。
Regarding the Public School of the town with aversion because of
its woefully democratic character； she was weaned from her
hostility to that institution when her son's name was entered upon
its roll。 Her eldest daughter； indeed； she sent as a girl of
fourteen to an exclusive English school； the expense of which was
borne by her husband's eldest brother； Sir Arthur Templeton； for
she held the opinion that while for a boy the Public School was an
excellent institution with a girl it was quite different。 Hence；
while her eldest daughter went 〃Home〃 for her education； her boy
went to the Blackwater Public and High Schools； which institutions
became henceforth invested with the highest qualifications as
centres of education。 Her boy's friends were her friends； and to
them her house was open at all hours of day or night。 Indeed； it
became the governing idea in her domestic policy that her house
should be the rallying centre for everything that was related in
any degree to her children's life。 Hence； she quietly but
effectively limited the circle of the children's friends to those
who were able and were willing to make the Rectory their social
centre。 She saw to it that for Herbert's intimate boy friends the
big play room at the top of the house； once a bare and empty room
and later the large and comfortable family living room； became the
place of meeting for all their social and athletic club activities。
With unsleeping vigilance she stood on guard against anything that
might break that circle of her heart's devotion。 The circle might
be； indeed must be enlarged； as for instance to take in the
Maitland boys； Herbert's closest chums。 She was wise enough to see
the wisdom of that； but nothing on earth would she allow to filch
from her a single unit of the priceless treasures of her heart。
To this law of her life she made one glorious； one splendid
exception。 When her country called； she； after weeks of silent；
fierce； lonely； agonised struggle gave up her boy and sent him with
voiceless； tearless pride to the War。
But； when the boy's Colonel wrote in terms of affectionate pride of
her boy's glorious passing； with new and strange adaptability her
heart circle was extended to include her boy's comrades in war and
those who like herself had sent them forth。 Thenceforth every
khaki covered lad was to her a son； and every soldier's mother a
friend。
As her own immediate home circle grew smaller； the intensity of
her devotion increased。 Her two daughters became her absorbing
concern。 With the modern notion that a girl might make for herself
a career in life she had no sympathy whatever。 To see them happily
married and in homes of their own became the absorbing ambition of
her life。 To this end she administered her social activities； with
this purpose in view she encouraged or discouraged her daughters'
friendships with men。 With the worldly wisdom of which she had her
own share she came to the conclusion that ineligible men friends；
that is； men friends unable to give her daughters a proper setting
in the social world； were to be effectively eliminated。 That the
men of her daughters' choosing should be gentlemen in breeding went
without saying； but that they should be sufficiently endowed with
wealth to support a proper social position was equally essential。
That Jack Maitland had somehow dropped out of the intimate circle
of friends who had in pre…war days made the Rectory their
headquarters was to her a more bitter disappointment than she cared
to acknowledge even to herself。 Her son and the two Maitland boys
had been inseparable in their school and college days； and with the
two young men her daughters had been associated in the very closest
terms of comradeship。 But somehow Captain Jack Maitland after the
first months succeeding his return from the war had drawn apart。
Disappointed； perplexed； hurt； she vainly had striven to restore
the old footing between the young man and her daughters。 Young
Maitland had taken up his medical studies for a few months at his
old University in Toronto and so had been out of touch with the
social life of his home town。 Then after he had 〃chucked〃 his
course as impossible he had at his father's earnest wish taken up
work at the mills； at first in the office； later in the manufacturing
department。 There was something queer in Jack's attitude toward his
old life and its associations； and after her first failures in
attempting to restore the old relationship her eldest daughter's
pride and then her own forbade further efforts。
Adrien； her eldest daughter； had always been a difficult child； and
her stay in England and later her experience in war work in France
where for three years she had given rare service in hospital work
had somehow made her even more inaccessible to her mother。 And
now the situation had been rendered more distressing by her
determination 〃to find something to do。〃