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believe me； Tony was a rattling fine soldier if his officer would
regularly； systematically and effectively expel his own special
devil from his system。 He needs that still。〃
〃What can we do with him？ I simply can't and won't dismiss him； as
that infernally efficient and coolheaded Scot demands。 You heard
about the Grievance Committee？〃
〃Oh； the town has the story with embellishments。 Rupert Stillwell
took care to give me a picturesque account。 But I would not
hesitate； Dad。 Kick Tony a good swift kick once a week or so； or；
if that is beneath your dignity； fire him。〃
〃But； Jack； lad； we can't do that；〃 said his father； greatly
distressed； 〃after what〃
〃Why not？ He carried me out of that hell all right； and while I
live I shall remember that。 But he is a selfish beggar。 He hasn't
the instinct for team play。 He hasn't the idea of responsibility
for the team。 He gets so that he can not make himself do what he
just doesn't feel like doing。 He doesn't care a tinker's curse for
the other fellows in the game with him。〃
〃The man that doesn't care for other fellows will never make a
foreman；〃 said Mr。 Maitland decisively。 〃But can't something be
done with him？〃
〃There's only one way to handle Tony；〃 said Jack。 〃I learned that
long ago in school。 He was a prince of half…backs； you know； but I
had regularly to kick him about before every big match。 Oh； Tony
is a fine sort but he nearly broke my heart till I nearly broke his
back。〃
〃That does not help much； Jack。〃 For the first time in his life
Grant Maitland was at a loss as to how he should handle one of his
men。 Were it not for the letter in the desk at his hand he would
have made short work of Tony Perrotte。 But there the letter lay
and in his heart the inerasible picture it set forth。
〃What is the special form that Tony's devilment has taken； may I
ask？〃 enquired Jack。
〃Well； I may say to you； what Wickes knows and has known and has
tried for three months to hide from me and from himself； Tony has
made about as complete a mess of the organization under his care in
the planing mill as can be imagined。 The mill is strewn with the
wreckage of unfulfilled orders。 He has no sense of time value。
To…morrow is as good as to…day； next week as this week。 A foreman
without a sense of time value is no good。 And he does not value
material。 Waste to him is nothing。 Another fatal defect。 The man
to whom minutes are not potential gold and material potential
product can never hope to be a manufacturer。 If only I had not
been away from home！ But the thing is； what is to be done？〃
〃In the words of a famous statesman much abused indeed； I suggest；
'Wait and see。' Meantime； find some way of kicking him into his
job。〃
This proved to be in the present situation a policy of wisdom。 It
was Tony himself who furnished the solution。 From the men supposed
to be working under his orders he learned the day following
Maitland's visit of inspection something of the details of that
visit。 He quickly made up his mind that the day of reckoning could
not long be postponed。 None knew better than Tony himself that he
was no foreman； none so well that he loathed the job which had been
thrust upon him by the father of the man whom he had carried out
from the very mouth of hell。 It was something to his credit that
he loathed himself for accepting the position。 Yet； with
irresponsible procrastination； he put off the day of reckoning。
But； some ten days later； and after a night with some kindred
spirits of his own Battalion； a night prolonged into the early
hours of the working day； Tony presented himself at the office；
gay； reckless； desperate； but quite compos mentis and quite master
of his means of locomotion。
He appeared in the outer office； still in his evening garb。
〃Mr。 Wickes；〃 he said in solemn gravity； 〃please have your
stenographer take this letter。〃
Mr。 Wickes； aghast； strove to hush his vibrant tones； indicating in
excited pantomime the presence of the chief in the inner office。
He might as effectively have striven to stay the East wind at that
time sweeping up the valley。
〃Are you ready； my dear？〃 said Tony； smiling pleasantly at the
girl。 〃All right； proceed。 'Dear Mr。 Maitland：' Got that？
'Conscious of my unfitness for the position of foreman in'〃
〃Hush； hush； Tony；〃 implored Mr。 Wickes。
Tony waved him aside。
〃What have you got； eh？〃
At that point the door opened and Grant Maitland stepped into the
office。 Tony rose to his feet and； bowing with elaborate grace and
dignity； he addressed his chief。
〃Good morning； sir。 I am glad to see you； in fact； I wanted to
see you but wishing to save your time I was in the very act of
dictating a communication to you。〃
〃Indeed； Tony？〃 said Mr。 Maitland gravely。
〃Yes； sir； I was on the point of dictating my resignation of my
position of foreman。〃
〃Step in to the office； Tony；〃 said Mr。 Maitland kindly and sadly。
〃I don't wish to take your time； sir；〃 said Tony； sobered and
quieted by Mr。 Maitland's manner； 〃but my mind is quite made up。
I〃
〃Come in；〃 said Mr。 Maitland； in a voice of quiet command； throwing
open his office door。 〃I wish to speak to you。〃
〃Oh； certainly； sir；〃 answered Tony； pulling himself together with
an all too obvious effort。
In half an hour Tony came forth； a sober and subdued man。
〃Good…bye； Wickes；〃 he said； 〃I'm off。〃
〃Where are you going； Tony？〃 enquired Wickes； startled at the look
on Tony's face。
〃To hell；〃 he snapped； 〃where such fools as me belong；〃 and；
jamming his hat hard down on his head； he went forth。
In another minute Mr。 Maitland appeared at the office door。
〃Wickes；〃 he said sharply； 〃put on your hat and get Jack for me。
Bring him； no matter what he's at。 That young fool who has just
gone out must be looked after。 The boot…leggers have been taking
him in tow。 If I had only known sooner。 Did you know； Wickes； how
he has been going on？ Why didn't you report to me？〃
〃I hesitated to do that； sir；〃 putting his desk in order。 〃I
always expected as how he would pull up。 It's his company； sir。
He is not so much to blame。〃
〃Well； he would not take anything I had to offer。 He is wild to
get away。 And unfortunately he has some money with him； too。 But
get Jack for me。 He can handle him if anybody can。〃
Sorely perplexed Mr。 Maitland returned to his office。 His business
sense pointed the line of action with sunlight clearness。 His
sense of justice to the business for which he was responsible as
well as to the men in his employ no less clearly indicated the
action demanded。 His sane judgment concurred in the demand of his
men for the dismissal of his foreman。 Dismissal had been rendered
unnecessary by Tony's unshakable resolve to resign his position
which he declared he loathed and which he should never have
accepted。 His perplexity arose from the confusion within himself。
What should he do with Tony？ He had no position in his works or in
the office for which he was fit。 None knew this better than Tony
himself。
〃It's a joke； Mr。 Maitland；〃 he had declared； 〃a ghastly joke。
Everybody knows it's a joke； that