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to the men I choose to manage my business。〃
〃Then you refuse to remove yere foreman？〃
〃Most emphatically； I do；〃 said Mr。 Maitland with glints of fire in
his blue eyes。
〃Verra weel； so as we know yere answer。 There is anither matter。〃
〃Yes？ Well； be quick about it。〃
〃A wull that。 Ye dinna pay yere men enough wages。〃
〃How do you know I don't？〃 said Mr。 Maitland rising from his chair。
〃A have examined certain feegures which I shall be glad to submit
tae ye； in regard tae the cost o' leevin' since last ye fixed the
wage。 If yere wage was right then； it's wrang the noo。〃 Under the
strain Mr。 Maitland's boring eyes and increasing impatience the
Doric flavour of McNish's speech grew richer and more guttural；
varying with the intensity of his emotion。
〃And what may these figures be？〃 enquired Mr。 Maitland with a voice
of contempt。
〃These are the figures prepared by the Labour Department of your
Federal Government。 I suppose they may be relied upon。 They show
the increased cost of living during the last five years。 You know
yeresel' the increase in wages。 Mr。 Maitland； I am told ye are a
just man； an' we ask ye tae dae the r…r…right。 That's all； sir。〃
〃Thank you for your good opinion； my man。 Whether I am a just man
or not is for my own conscience alone。 As to the wage question；
Mr。 Wickes will tell you； the matter had already been taken up。
The result will be announced in a week or so。〃
〃Thank you； sir。 Thank you； sir；〃 said Mr。 Wigglesworth。 〃We felt
sure it would only be necessary to point （h）out the right course to
you。 I may say I took the same （h）identical （h）attitude with my
fellow workmen。 I sez to them； sez I； 'Mr。 Maitland'
〃That will do； Wigglesworth；〃 said Mr。 Maitland； cutting him short。
〃Have you anything more to say？〃 he continued； turning to McNish。
〃Nothing； sir； except to express the hope that you will reconsider
yere attitude as regards the foreman。〃
〃You may take my word for it； I will not；〃 said Mr。 Maitland；
snapping his words off with his teeth。
〃At least； as a fair…minded man； you will look into the matter；〃
said McNish temperately。
〃I shall do as I think best；〃 said Mr。 Maitland。
〃It would be wiser。〃
〃Do you threaten me； sir？〃 Mr。 Maitland leaned over his desk
toward the calm and rugged Scot； his eyes flashing indignation。
〃Threaten ye？ Na； na； threats are for bairns。 Yere no a bairn；
but a man an' a wise man an' a just； A doot。 A'm gie'in' ye
advice。 That's all。 Guid day。〃
He turned away from the indignant Mr。 Maitland； put his hat on his
head and walked from the room； followed by the other members of the
Committee； with the exception of Mr。 Wigglesworth who lingered with
evidently pacific intentions。
〃This； sir； is a most （h）auspicious （h）era； sir。 The （h）age of
reason and justice 'as dawned； an'〃
〃Oh； get out； Wigglesworth。 Haven't you made all your speeches
yet？ The time for the speeches is past。 Good day。〃
He turned to his bookkeeper。
〃Wickes； bring me the reports turned in by Perrotte； at once。〃
Mr。 Maitland's manner was frankly； almost brutally； imperious。 It
was not his usual manner with his subordinates； from which it may
be gathered that Mr。 Maitland was seriously disturbed。 And with
good reason。 In the first place； never in his career had one of
his men addressed him in the cool terms of equality which McNish
had used with him in the recent interview。 Then； never had he been
approached by a Grievance Committee。 The whole situation was new；
irritating； humiliating。
As to the wages question； he would settle that without difficulty。
He had never skimped the pay envelope。 It annoyed him； however；
that he had been forstalled in the matter by this Committee。 But
very especially he was annoyed by the recollection of the
deliberative； rasping tones of that cool…headed Scot； who had so
calmly set before him his duty。 But the sting of the interview lay
in the consciousness that the criticism of his foreman was probably
just。 And then； he was tied to Tony Perrotte by bonds that reached
his heart。 Had it not been so； he would have made short work of
the business。 As it was； Tony would have to stay at all costs。
Mr。 Maitland sat back in his chair； his eyes fixed upon the Big
Bluff visible through the window； but his mind lingering over a
picture that had often gripped hard at his heart during the last
two years； a picture drawn for him in a letter from his remaining
son； Jack。 The letter lay in the desk at his hand。 He saw in the
black night that shell…torn strip of land between the lines； black
as a ploughed field； lurid for a swift moment under the red glare
of a bursting shell or ghastly in the sickly illumination of a
Verry light； and over this black pitted earth a man painfully
staggering with a wounded man on his back。 The words leaped to his
eyes。 〃He brought me out of that hell； Dad。〃 He closed his eyes
to shut out that picture； his hands clenched on the arms of his
chair。
〃No；〃 he said； raising his hand in solemn affirmation； 〃as the Lord
God liveth； while I stay he stays。〃
〃Come in；〃 he said； in answer to a timid tap at the office door。
Mr。 Wickes laid a file before him。 It needed only a rapid survey
of the sheets to give him the whole story。 Incompetence and worse；
sheer carelessness looked up at him from every sheet。 The planing
mill was in a state of chaotic disorganization。
〃What does this mean； Mr。 Wickes？〃 he burst forth； putting his
finger upon an item that cried out mismanagement and blundering。
〃Here is an order that takes a month to clear which should be done
within ten days at the longest。〃
Wickes stood silent； overwhelmed in dismayed self…condemnation。
〃It seems difficult somehow to get orders through； sir； these
days；〃 he said after a pause。
〃Difficult？ What is the difficulty？ The men are there； the
machines are there； the material is in the yard。 Why the delay？
And look at this。 Here is a lot of material gone to the scrap
heap； the finest spruce ever grown in Canada too。 What does this
mean； Wickes？〃 he seemed to welcome the opportunity of finding a
scapegoat for economic crimes； for which he could find no pardon。
Sheet after sheet passed in swift review under his eye。 Suddenly
he flung himself back in his chair。
〃Wickes； this is simply damnable！〃
〃Yes； sir；〃 said Wickes； his face pale and his fingers trembling。
〃I don'tI don't seem to be able totoget things through。〃
〃Get things through？ I should say not；〃 shouted Maitland； glaring
at him。
〃I have tried； I mean I'm afraid I'mthat I am not quite up to it；
as I used to be。 I get confusedand〃 The old bookkeeper's lips
were white and quivering。 He could not get on with his story。
〃Here； take these away；〃 roared Maitland。
Gathering up the sheets with fingers that trembled helplessly；
Wickes crept hurriedly out through the door； leaving a man behind
him furiously； helplessly struggling in the relentless grip of his
conscience； lashed with a sense of his own injustice。 His anger
which had found vent upon his old bookkeeper he knew was due
another man； a man with whom at any cost he could never allow
himself to be angry。 The next two hours were bad hours for Grant
Maitland。
As the quitting whistle blew a tap came again to the office door。
It was Wickes； with a paper in his hand。 Without a word he laid
the paper upon his chief's desk and turned away。 Maitland glanced
over it rapidly。
〃Wickes； what does this nonsense mean？〃 His chief's voice arrested
him。 He turned again to the desk。
〃I don't thinkI have come to feel； sir； that I am not able for my
job。 I do not see as how I can go on。〃 Maitland's brows frowned
upon the sheet。 Slowly he picked up the paper； tore it across and
tossed it into the waste basket。
〃Wickes； you are an old fooland；〃 he added in a voice that grew
husky； 〃I am another and worse。〃
〃But； sir〃 began Wickes； in hurried tones。
〃Oh； cut it all out； Wickes；〃 said Maitland impatiently。 〃You know
I won't stand for that。 But what can we do？ He saved my boy's
life〃
〃Yes； sir； and he was with my Stephen at the last； and〃 The old
man's voice suddenly broke。
〃I remember； Wickes； I remember。 And that's another reason We
must find another way out。〃
〃I have been thinking； sir；〃 said the bookkeeper timidly； 〃if you
had a younger man in my place〃
〃You would go out； eh？ I believe on my soul you would。 Youyou
old fool。 But；〃 said Maitland； reaching his hand across the desk；
〃I don't go back on old friends that way。〃
The two men stood facing each other for a few minutes； with hands
clasped； Maitland's face stern and set； Wickes' working in a
pitiful effort to stay the tears that ran down his cheeks； to choke
back the sobs that shook his old body as if in the grip of some
unseen powerful hand。
〃We must find a way；〃 said Maitland； when he felt sure of his
voice。 〃Some way； but not that way。 Sit down。 We must go through
this together。〃
CHAPTER VII
THE FOREMAN
Grant Maitland抯 business instincts and training were such as to
forbid any trifling with loose management in any department of his
plant。 He was； moreover； t