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as a friend。〃
〃Why should they？〃 challenged Rupert。
〃My dear Patricia；〃 said her father； mildly patient； 〃you are quite
wrong。 Our people at home； your uncle Arthur； I mean； and your
cousins； and all well…bred folk； do not allow class distinctions to
limit friendship。 Friends are chosen on purely personal grounds of
real worth andwell； congeniality。〃
〃Would Uncle Arthur； or rather； Aunt Alicia have Annette to dinner；
for instance？〃 demanded Patricia。
〃Certainly not；〃 said her mother promptly。
〃She would not do anything to embarrass Annette；〃 said her father。
〃Oh； Dad； what a funk。 That is quite unworthy of you。〃
〃Would she be asked here now to dinner？〃 said Rupert。 〃I mean；〃 he
added in some confusion； 〃would it be； ah； suitable？ You know what
I mean。〃
〃She has been here。 Don't you remember； Mamma？ She was often
here。 And every time she came she was the cleverest thing； she was
the brightest； the most attractive girl in the bunch。〃 Her
mother's eyebrows went up。 〃In the party； I mean。 And the most
popular。 Why； I remember quite well that Rupert was quite devoted
to her。〃
〃A mere child； she was then； you know；〃 said Rupert。
〃She is just as bright； just as attractive； as clever now； more so
indeed； as fine a girl in every way。 But of course she was not a
factory girl then。 That's what you mean；〃 replied Patricia
scornfully。
〃She has found her class；〃 persisted Rupert。 〃She is all you say；
but surely〃
〃Yes； she is working in the new box factory。 Her mother； lazy；
selfish thing； took her from the High School。〃
〃My dear Patricia； you are quite violent；〃 protested her mother。
〃It's true； Mamma；〃 continued the girl； her eyes agleam； 〃and now
she works in the box factory while Captain Jack works in the
planing mill。 She is in the same class。〃
〃And good friends apparently；〃 said Rupert with a malicious little
grin。
〃Why not？ We would have Captain Jack to dinner； but not Annette。〃
Her father smiled at her。 〃Well done； little girl。 Annette is a
fine girl and is fortunate in her champion。 You can have her to
dinner any evening； I am quite sure。〃
〃Can we； Mamma？〃
〃My dear； we will not discuss the matter any further；〃 said her
mother。 〃It is a very old question and very perplexing； I confess；
but〃
〃We don't see Captain Jack very much since his return；〃 said her
father； turning the conversation。 〃You might begin with him； eh；
Patsy？〃
〃No；〃 said the girl； a shade falling on her face。 〃He is always
busy。 He has such long hours。 He works his day's work with the
men and then he always goes up to the office to his fatherand
andOh； I don't know； I wish he would come。 He's not〃 Patricia
fell suddenly silent。
〃Jack is very much engaged；〃 said her mother quietly。
〃Naturally he is tied up； learning the business； I mean；〃 said the
elder sister quietly。 〃He has little time for mere social
frivolities and that sort of thing。〃
〃It's not that； Adrien；〃 said Patricia。 〃He is different since he
came back。 I wish〃 She paused abruptly。
〃He is changed；〃 said her mother with a sigh。 〃Theythe boys are
all changed。〃
〃The war has left its mark upon them； and what else can we expect？〃
said Dr。 Templeton。 〃One wonders how they can settle down at all
to work。〃
〃Oh； Jack has settled down all right；〃 said Patricia； as if
analysing a subject interesting to herself alone。 〃Jack's not like
a lot of them。 He's too much settled down。 What is it； I wonder？
He seems to have quit everything； dancing； tennis； golf。 He
doesn't care〃
〃Doesn't care？ What for？ That sounds either as if he were an
egotist or a slacker。〃 Her sister's words rasped Patricia's most
sensitive heart string。 She visibly squirmed； eagerly waiting a
chance to reply。 〃Jack is neither；〃 continued Adrien slowly。 〃I
understand the thing perfectly。 He has been up against big things；
so big that everything else seems trivial。 Fancy a tennis
tournament for a man that has stared into hell's mouth。〃
〃My dear； you are right；〃 said her father。 〃Patricia is really
talking too much。 Young people should〃
〃I know； Daddy'be seen；'〃 said the younger daughter； and grinning
affectionately at him she blew him a kiss。 〃But； all the same； I
wish Captain Jack were not so awfully busy or were a little more
keen about things。 He wants something to stir him up。〃
〃He may get that sooner than he thinks；〃 said Stillwell； 〃or
wishes。 I hear there's likely to be trouble in the mills。〃
〃Trouble？ Financial？ I should be very sorry；〃 said Dr。 Templeton。
〃No。 Labour。 The whole labour world is in a ferment。 The
Maitlands can hardly expect to escape。 As a matter of fact； the
row has made a little start； I happen to know。〃
〃These labour troubles are really very distressing。 There is no
end to them；〃 said Mrs。 Templeton； with the resignation one shows
in discussing the inscrutable ways of Providence。 〃It does seem as
if the working classes to…day have got quite beyond all bounds。
One wonders what they will demand next。 What is the trouble now；
Rupert？ Of coursewages。〃
〃Oh； the eternal old trouble is there； with some new ones added
that make even wages seem small。〃
〃And what are these？〃 enquired Dr。 Templeton。
〃Oh； division of profits； share in administration and control。〃
〃Division of profits in addition to wages？〃 enquired Mrs。 Templeton；
aghast。 〃But； how dreadful。 One would think they actually owned
the factory。〃
〃That is the modern doctrine； I believe；〃 said Rupert。
〃Surely that is an extreme statement；〃 said Dr。 Templeton； in a
shocked voice； 〃or you are talking of the very radical element
only。〃
〃The Rads lead； of course； but you would be surprised at the
demands made to…day。 Why； I heard a young chap last week； a soap…
box artist； denouncing all capitalists as parasites。 'Why should
we work for anyone but ourselves？' he was saying。 'Why don't we
take charge of the factories and run them for the general good？'
I assure you； sir； those were his very words。〃
〃Really； Rupert； you amaze me。 In Blackwater here？〃 exclaimed Dr。
Templeton。
〃But； my dear papa； that sort of thing is the commonplace of Hyde
Park； you know；〃 said Adrien； 〃and〃
〃Ah； Hyde Park； yes。 I should expect that sort of thing from the
Hyde Park orators。 You get every sort of mad doctrine in Hyde
Park； as I remember it； but〃
〃And I was going to say that that sort of thing has got away beyond
Hyde Park。 Why； papa dear； you have been so engrossed in your
Higher Mathematics that you have failed to keep up with the times。〃
His eldest daughter smiled at him and； reaching across the corner
of the table； patted his hand affectionately。 〃We are away beyond
being shocked at profit sharing； and even sharing in control of
administration and that sort of thing。〃
〃But there remains justice； I hope；〃 said her father； 〃and the
right of ownership。〃
〃Ah； that's just itwhat is ownership？〃
〃Oh； come； Adrien；〃 said Rupert； 〃you are not saying that Mr。
Maitland doesn't own his factory and mill。〃
〃It depends on what you mean by own；〃 said the girl coolly。 〃You
must not take too much for granted。〃
〃Well； what my