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himself。
〃It's a joke； Mr。 Maitland；〃 he had declared； 〃a ghastly joke。
Everybody knows it's a joke； that I should be in command of any man
when I can't command myself。 Besides； I can't stick it。〃 In this
resolve he had persisted in spite of Mr。 Maitland's entreaties that
he should give the thing another try； promising him all possible
guidance and backing。 But entreaties and offers of assistance had
been in vain。 Tony was wild to get away from the mill。 He hated
the grind。 He wanted his freedom。 Vainly Mr。 Maitland had offered
to find another position for him somewhere； somehow。
〃We'll find a place in the office for you；〃 he had pleaded。 〃I
want to see you get on； Tony。 I want to see you make good。〃
But Tony was beyond all persuasion。
〃It isn't in me；〃 he had declared。 〃Not if you gave me the whole
works could I stick it。〃
〃Take a few days to think it over；〃 Mr。 Maitland had pleaded。
〃I know myselfonly too well。 Ask Jack； he knows；〃 was Tony's
bitter answer。 〃And that's final。〃
〃No； Tony； it is not final；〃 had been Mr。 Maitland's last word； as
Tony had left him。
But after the young man had left him there still remained the
unsolved question； What was he to do with Tony？ In Mr。 Maitland's
heart was the firm resolve that he would not allow Tony to go his
own way。 The letter in the desk at his hand forbade that。
At his wits' end he had sent for Jack。 Jack had made a football
half…back and a hockey forward out of Tony when everyone else had
failed。 If anyone could divert him from that desperate downward
course to which he seemed headlong bent； it was Jack。
In a few minutes Wickes returned with the report that on receiving
an account of what had happened Jack had gone to look up Tony。
Mr。 Maitland drew a breath of relief。
〃Tony is all right for to…day；〃 he said； turning to his work and
leaving the problem for the meantime to Jack。
In an hour Jack reported that he had been to the Perrotte home and
had interviewed Tony's mother。 From her he had learned that Tony
had left the town； barely catching the train to Toronto。 He might
not return for a week or ten days。 He could set no time for it。
He was his own master as to time。 He had got to the stage where he
could go and come pretty much as he pleased。 The mother was not at
all concerned as to these goings and comings of her son。 He had an
assured position； all cause for anxiety in regard to him was at an
end。 Tony's mother was obviously not a little uplifted that her
son should be of sufficient importance to be entrusted with
business in Toronto in connection with the mill。
All of which tended little toward relieving the anxiety of Mr。
Maitland。
〃Let him take his swing； Dad； for a bit；〃 was Jack's advice。 〃He
will come back when he is ready； and until then wild horses won't
bring him nor hold him。 He is no good for his old job； and you
have no other ready that he will stick at。 He has no Sergeant…
Major now to knock him about and make him keep step； more's the
pity。〃
〃Life will be his Sergeant…Major； I fear；〃 said his father； 〃and a
Sergeant…Major that will exact the utmost limit of obedience or
make him pay the price。 All the same； we won't let him go。 I
can't Jack； anyway。〃
〃Oh； Tony will turn up； never fear； Dad；〃 said Jack easily。
With this assurance his father had to content himself。 In a
fortnight's time a letter came from Tony to his sister； rosy with
the brilliance of the prospects opening up before him。 There was
the usual irresponsible indefiniteness in detail。 What he was
doing and how he was living Tony did not deign to indicate。 Ten
days later Annette had another letter。 The former prospects had not
been realised； but he had a much better thing in view； something
more suitable to him； and offering larger possibilities of position
and standing in the community。 So much Annette confided to her
mother who passed on the great news with elaborations and
annotations to Captain Jack。 To Captain Jack himself Annette gave
little actual information。 Indeed； shorn of its element of
prophecy； there was little in Tony's letter that could be passed on。
Nor did Annette drop any hint but that all was quite well with her
brother； much less that he had suggested a temporary loan of fifty
dollars but only of course if she could spare the amount with
perfect convenience。 After this letter there was silence as far as
Tony was concerned and for Annette anxiety that deepened into agony
as the silence remained unbroken with the passing weeks。
With the anxiety there mingled in Annette's heart anger at the
Maitlands； for she blamed them for Tony's dismissal from his
position。 This； it is fair to say； was a reflection from her
mother's wrath； whose mind had been filled up with rumours from the
mills to the effect that her son had been 〃fired。〃 Annette was
wise enough and knew her brother well enough to discredit much that
rumour brought to her ears； but she could not rid herself of the
thought that a way might have been found to hold Tony about the
mills。
〃He fired the boy； did the ould carmudgeon；〃 said Madame Perrotte
in one of her rages； 〃and druv him off from the town。〃
〃Nonsense； Mother；〃 Annette had replied； 〃you know well enough Tony
left of his own accord。 Why should you shame him so？ He went
because he wanted to go。〃
This was a new light upon the subject for her mother。
〃Thrue for you； Annette； gurl；〃 she said； 〃an' ye said it that
time。 But why for did he not induce the bye to remain？ It would
be little enough if he had made him the Manager of the hull works。
That same would never pay back what he did for his son。〃
〃Hush； Mother；〃 said Annette； in a shocked and angry voice； 〃let no
one hear you speak like that。 Pay back！ You know； Mother； nothing
could ever pay back a thing like that。〃 The anger in her daughter's
voice startled the mother。
〃Oui！ by gar！〃 said Perrotte； who had overheard； with quick wrath。
〃Dat's foolish talk for sure！ Dere's no man can spik lak dat to
me； or I choke him on his fool t'roat； me。〃
〃Right you are； mon pere！〃 said Annette appeasing her father。
〃Mother did not think what she was saying。〃
〃Dat's no bon；〃 replied Perrotte； refusing to be appeased。 〃Sacre
tonnerre！ Dat's onewhat you call？damfool speech。 Dat boy Tony
he's carry （h）on hees back his friend； le Capitaine Jack； an' le
Capitaine； he's go five mile for fin' Tony on' de shell hole an'
fetch heem to le docteur and stay wit' him till he's fix （h）up。
Nom de Dieu！ You pay for dat！ Mama！ You mak' shame for me on my
heart！〃 cried the old Frenchman； beating his breast； while sobs
shook his voice。
CHAPTER VIII
FREE SPEECH
Fifty years ago Blackwater town was a sawmill village on the
Blackwater River which furnished the power for the first little
sawmill set up by Grant Maitland's father。
Down the river came the sawlogs in the early spring when the water
was high； to be caught and held by a 〃boom〃 in a pond from which
they were hauled up a tramway to the saw。 A quarter of a mile up
stream a mill race； tapping the river； led the water to an 〃overshot
wheel〃 in the early days； later