to him that hath-第6部分

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country。　　We　were　all　proud　of　Stephen；　every　man　of　us。〃

〃I　know　that；　sir；　and　he　often　wrote　the　wife　about　you；　sir；
which　we　don't　forget；　sir。　　Of　course；　it's　hard　on　her　and　the
boysjust　coming　up　to　be　somethin'　at　the　school。〃

〃By　the　way；　Wickes；　how　are　they　doing？　　Two　of　them；　aren't
there？　　Let's　seethere's　Steve；　he's　the　eldest〃

〃No；　sir；　he's　the　youngest；　sir。　　Robert　is　the　eldestfourteen；
and　quite　clever　at　his　books。　　Pity　he's　got　to　quit　just　now。〃

〃Quit？　　Not　a　bit　of　it。　　We　must　see　to　that。　　And　little　Steve
how　is　the　back？〃

〃He's　twelve。　　The　back　hurts　a　lot；　but　he　is　happy　enough；　if　you
give　him　a　pencil。　　They're　all　with　us　now。〃

〃Ah；　well；　well。　　I　think　you　have　made　something　out　of　it　after
all；　Wickes。　　And　we　must　see　about　Robert。〃

Thirty…one　years　at　the　desk！　　And　to　show　for　it　a　home　for　his
wife　and　himself；　a　daughter　in　a　home　of　her　own；　a　son　dead　for
his　country；　leaving　behind　him　a　wife　and　two　lads　to　carry　the
namewas　it　worth　while？　　Yes；　by　Jove；　it　was　worth　it　all　to　be
able　to　give　a　man　like　Stephen　Wickes　to　his　country。　　For　Stephen
Wickes　was　a　fine　stalwart　lad；　a　good　soldier；　steady　as　a　rock；
with　a　patient；　cheery　courage　that　nothing　could　daunt　or　break。
But　for　a　man's　self　was　it　worth　while？

Jack　had　no　thought　of　wife　and　family。　　There　was　Adrien。　　She　had
been　a　great　pal　before　the　war；　but　since　his　return　she　had
seemed　different。　　Everyone　seemed　different。　　The　war　had　left
many　gaps；　former　pals　had　formed　other　ties；　many　had　gone　from
the　town。　　Even　Adrien　had　drifted　away　from　the　old　currents　of
life。　　She　seemed　to　have　taken　up　with　young　Stillwell；　whom　Jack
couldn't　abide。　　Stillwell　had　been　turned　down　by　the　Recruiting
Officer　during　the　warflat　feet；　or　something。　　True；　he　had　done
great　service　in　Red　Cross；　Patriotic　Fund；　Victory　Loan　work；　and
that　sort　of　thing；　and　apparently　stood　high　in　the　Community。
His　father　had　doubled　the　size　of　his　store　and　had　been　a　great
force　in　all　public　war　work。　　He　had　spared　neither　himself　nor
his　son。　　The　elder　Stillwell；　high　up　in　the　Provincial　Political
world；　saw　to　it　that　his　son　was　on　all　the　big　Provincial　War
Committees。　　Rupert　had　all　the　shrewd　foresight　and　business
ability　of　his　father；　which　was　saying　a　good　deal。　　He　began　to
assume　the　role　of　a　promising　young　capitalist。　　The　sources　of
his　income　no　one　knewfortunate　investments；　people　said。　　And
his　Hudson　Six　stood　at　the　Rectory　gate　every　day。　　Well；　not　even
for　Adrien　would　Jack　have　changed　places　with　Rupert　Stillwell。
For　Jack　Maitland　held　the　extreme　and；　in　certain　circles；
unpopular　creed　that　the　citizen　who　came　richer　out　of　a　war　which
had　left　his　country　submerged　in　debt；　and　which　had　drained　away
its　best　blood　and　left　it　poorer　in　its　manhood　by　well…nigh
seventy　thousand　of　its　noblest　youth　left　upon　the　battlefields　of
the　various　war　fronts　and　by　the　hundreds　of　thousands　who　would
go　through　life　a　burden　to　themselves　and　to　those　to　whom　they
should　have　been　a　supportthat　citizen　was　accursed。　　If　Adrien
chose　to　be　a　friend　of　such　a　man；　by　that　choice　she　classified
herself　as　impossible　of　friendship　for　Jack。　　It　had　hurt　a　bit。
But　what　was　one　hurt　more　or　less　to　one　whom　the　war　had　left
numb　in　heart　and　bereft　of　ambition？　　He　was　not　going　to　pity
himself。　　He　was　lucky　indeed　to　have　his　body　and　nerve　still
sound　and　whole；　but　they　need　not　expect　him　to　show　any　great
keenness　in　the　chase　for　a　few　more　thousands　that　would　only　rank
him　among　those　for　whom　the　war　had　not　done　so　badly。　　Meantime；
for　his　father's　sake；　who；　thank　God；　had　given　his　best；　his
heart's　best　and　the　best　of　his　brain　and　of　his　splendid　business
genius　to　his　country；　he　would　carry　on；　with　no　other　reward　than
that　of　service　rendered。



CHAPTER　III

THE　HEATHEN　QUEST


They　stood　together　by　the　open　fire　in　the　study；　Jack　and　his
father；　alike　in　many　ways　yet　producing　effects　very　different。
The　younger　man　had　the　physical　makeup　of　the　older；　though　of　a
slighter　mould。　　They　had　the　same　high；　proud　look　of　conscious
strength；　of　cool　fearlessness　that　nothing　could　fluster。　　But　the
soul　that　looked　out　of　the　grey　eyes　of　the　son　was　quite　another
from　that　which　looked　out　of　the　deep　blue　eyes　of　the　father
yet；　after　all；　the　difference　may　not　have　been　in　essence　but
only　that　the　older　man's　soul　had　learned　in　life's　experience　to
look　out　only　through　a　veil。

The　soul　of　the　youth　was　eager；　adventurous；　still　believing；　yet
with　a　certain　questioning　and　a　touch　of　weariness；　a　result　of
the　aftermath　of　peace　following　three　years　of　war。　　There　was
still；　however；　the　out…looking　for　far　horizons；　the　outreaching
imagination；　the　Heaven　given　expectation　of　the　Infinite。　　In　the
older　man's　eye　dwelt　chiefly　reserve。　　The　veil　was　always　there
except　when　he　found　it　wise　and　useful　to　draw　it　aside。　　If　ever
the　inner　light　flamed　forth　it　was　when　the　man　so　chose。　　Self…
mastery；　shrewdness；　power；　knowledge；　lay　in　the　dark　blue　eyes；
and　all　at　the　soul's　command。

But　to…night　as　the　father's　eyes　rested　upon　his　son　who　stood
gazing　into　and　through　the　blazing　fire　there　were　to　be　seen　only
pride　and　wistful　love。　　But　as　the　son　turned　his　eyes　toward　his
father　the　veil　fell　and　the　eyes　that　answered　were　quiet；　shrewd；
keen　and　chiefly　kind。

The　talk　had　passed　beyond　the　commonplace　of　the　day's　doings。
They　were　among　the　big　things；　the　fateful　thingLife　and　Its
Worth；　Work　and　Its　Wages；　Creative　Industry　and　Its　Product；
Capital　and　Its　Price；　Man　and　His　Rights。

They　were　frank　with　each　other。　　The　war　had　done　that　for　them。
For　ever　since　the　night　when　his　eighteen…year…old　boy　had　walked
into　his　den　and　said；　〃Father；　I　am　eighteen；〃　and　stood　looking
into　his　eyes　and　waiting　for　the　word　that　came　straight　and
unhesitating；　〃I　know；　boy；　you　are　my　son　and　you　must　go；　for　I
cannot；〃　ever　since　that　night；　which　seemed　now　to　belong　to
another　age；　these　two　had　faced　each　other　as　men。　　Now　they　were
talking　about　the　young　man's　life　work。

〃Frankly；　I　don't　like　it；　Dad；〃　said　the　son。

〃Easy　to　see　that；　Jack。〃

〃I'm　really　sorry。　　I'm　afraid　anyone　can　see　it。　　But　somehow　I
can't　put　much　pep　into　it。〃

〃Why？〃　asked　the　father；　with　curt　abruptness。

〃Why？　　Well；　I　hardly　know。　　Somehow　it　hardly　seems　worth　while。
It　is　not　the　grind　of　the　office；　though　that　is　considerable。　　I
could　stick　that；　but；　after　all；　what's　the　use？〃

〃What　would　you　rather　do；　Jack？〃　enquired　his　father　patiently；　as
if　talking　to　a　child。　　〃You　tried　for　the　medical　profession；　you
know；　and〃

〃I　know；　I　know；　you　are　quite　right　about　it。　　You　may　think　it
pure　laziness。　　Maybe　it　is；　but　I　hardly　think　so。　　Perhaps　I　went
back　to　lectures　too　soon　after　the　war。　　I　was　hardly　fit；　I
guess；　and　the　whole　thing；　the　inside　life；　the　infernal　grind　of
lectures；　the　idiotic　serious　mummery　of　the　youngsters；　those
blessed　kids　who　should　have　been　spanked　by　their　mothersthe
whole　thing　sickened　me　in　three　months。　　If　I　had　waited　perhaps　I
might　have　done　better　at　the　thing。　　I　don't　knowhard　to　tell。〃
The　boy　paused；　looking　into　the　fire。

〃It　was　my　fault；　boy；〃　said　the　father　hastily。　　〃I　ought　to　have
figured　the　thing　out　differently。　　But；　you　see；　I　had　no
knowledge　of　what　you　had　gone　through　and　of　its　effect　upon　you。
I　know　better　now。　　I　thought　that　the　harder　you　went　into　the
work　the　better　it　would　be　for　you。　　I　made　a　mistake。〃

〃Well；　you　couldn't　tell；　Dad。　　How　could　you？　　But　everything　was
so　different　when　I　came　back。　　Mere　kids　were　carrying　on　where　we
had　been；　and　doing　it　well；　too；　by　Jove；　and　we　didn't　seem　to　be
needed。〃

〃Needed；　boy？〃　　The　father's　voice　was　thick。

〃Yes；　but　I　didn't　see　that　then。　　Selfish；　I　fear。　　Then；　you
know；　home　was　not　the　same〃

The　older　man　choked　back　a　groan　and　leaned　hard　against　the
mantel。

〃I　know；　Dad；　I　can　see　now　I　was　selfish〃

〃Selfish？　　Don't　say　that；　my　lad。　　Selfish？　　After　all　you　had
gone　through？　　No；　I　shall　never　apply　that　word　to　you；　but　you
you　don't　seem　to　realise〃　　The　father　hesitated　a　few　moments；
then；　as　if　taking　a　plunge：

〃You　don't　realise　just　how　big　a　thinghow　big　an　investment
there　is　in　that　business　down　there。〃　　His　hand　swept　toward　the
window　through　which　could　be　seen　the　lights　of　that　part　of　the
town　which　clustered　about　the　various　mills　and　factories　of　which
he　was　owner。

〃I　know　there　is　a　lot；　Dad；　but　how　much　I　don't　know。〃

〃There's　250；000　in　plant　alone；　boy；　but　there's　more　than　money；
a　lot　more　than　money〃　　Then；　after　a　pause；　as　if　to　himself；　〃A
lot　more　than　moneythere's　brain　sweat　and　heart　agony　and
prayers　and　tearsand；　yes；　life；　boy；　your　mother's　life　and
mine。　　We　worked　and　saved　and　prayed　and　planned〃

He　stepped　quickly　toward　the　window；　drew　aside　the　curtain　and
pointed　to　a　dark　mass　of　headland　beyond　the　twinkling　lights。

〃You　see　the　Bluff　there。　　Fifty　years　ago　I　stood　with　my　father
on　that　Bluff　and　watched　the　logs　come　down　the　river　to　the
sawmillhis　sawmill；　into　which　he　had　put　his　total　capital；　five
hundred　dollars。　　I　remember　well　his　words；　'My　son；　if　you　live
out　your　life　you　will　see　on　that　flat　a　town　where　thousands　of
men　and　women　will　find　homes　and；　please　God；　happiness。'　　Your
mother　and　I　watched　that　town　grow　for　forty　years；　and　we　tried
to　make　people　happyat　least；　if　they　were　not　it　was　no　fault　of
hers。　　Of　course；　other　hands　have　been　at　the　work　since　then；　but
her　hands　and　mine　more　than　any　other；　and　more　than　all　others
together　were　in　it；　and　her　heart；　too；　was　in　it　all。〃

The　boy　turned　from　the　window　and　sat　down　heavily　in　a　deep
armchair；　his　hands　covering　his　face。　　His　heart　was　still　sick
with　the　ache　that　had　smitten　it　that　day　in　front　of　Amiens　when
the　Colonel；　his　father's　friend；　had　sent　for　him　and　read　him　the
wire　which　had　brought　the　terrible　message　of　his　mother's　death。
The　long　months　of　days　and　night