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it； I guess。 I didn't mean〃
〃Served him right enough； too； I fancy；〃 said Captain Jack。
〃I'll 'ave the law on the lot o' ye； I will。 I'm a poor workin'
man； but I've got my rights； an' if there's a justice in this Gawd
forsaken country I'll 'ave protection for my family。〃 And Mr。
Wigglesworth； working up a fury； backed off down the lane。
〃Don't fear； Wigglesworth； you'll get all the justice you want。
Perhaps Sam will tell usHello！ Where is Sam？〃
But Sam had vanished。 He had no mind for an investigation in the
presence of Captain Jack。
〃Well； well； he can't be much injured； I guess。 Meantime； can I
give you a lift； Annette？〃
〃No； thank you；〃 said the girl； the colour in her cheeks matching
the crimson ribbon at her throat。 〃I'm just going home。 It's only
a little way。 I don't〃
〃The young leddy is with me； sir；〃 said the young Scotchman
quietly。
〃Oh； she is； eh？〃 said Captain Jack； looking him over。 〃Ah； well；
thenGood…bye； Annette； for the present。〃 He held out his hand。
〃We must renew our old acquaintance； eh？〃
〃Thank you； sir；〃 said the girl。
〃'Sir？' Rot！ You aren't going to 'sir' me； Annette； after all the
fun and the fights we had in the old days。 Not much。 We're going
to be good chums again； eh？ What do you say？〃
〃I don't know；〃 said Annette； flashing a swift glance into Captain
Jack's admiring eyes。 〃It depends on〃
〃On me？〃
〃I didn't say so。〃 Her head went up a bit。
〃On you？〃
〃I didn't say so。〃
〃Well； let it go。 But we will be pals again； Annette； I vow。
Good…bye。〃 Captain Jack lifted his hat and moved away。
As he reached his car he ran up against young Rupert Stillwell。
〃Deucedly pretty Annette has grown； eh？〃 said Stillwell。
〃Annette's all right；〃 said Jack； rather brusquely； entering his
car。
〃Working in your box factory； I understand； eh？〃
〃Don't really know；〃 said Jack carelessly。 〃Probably。〃
The crowd had meantime faded away with Captain Jack's going。
〃Did na know the Captain was a friend of yours； Annette；〃 said
Mack； falling into step beside her。
〃NoyesI don't know。 We went to Public School together before
the war。 I was a kid then。〃 Her manner was abstracted and her
eyes were far away。 Mack walked gloomily by her on one side；
little Steve on the other。
〃Huh！ He's no your sort； A doot；〃 he said sullenly。
〃What do you say？〃 cried Annette； returning from her abstraction。
〃What do you mean； 'my sort'？〃 Her head went high and her eyes
flashed。
〃He would na look at ye； for ony guid。〃
〃He did look at me though；〃 replied Annette； tossing her head。
〃No for ony guid！〃 repeated Mack； stubbornly。
Annette stopped in her tracks； a burning red on her cheeks and a
dangerous light in her black eyes。
〃Mr。 McNish； that's your road；〃 she said； pointing over his
shoulder。
〃A'll tak it tae；〃 said McNish； wheeling on his heel； 〃an' ye can
hae your Captain for me。〃
With never a look at him Annette took her way home。
〃Good…bye； Steve；〃 she said； stooping and kissing the boy。 〃This
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； h