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McNish and Maitland voting in the affirmative。
〃Traitors！〃 shrieked Brother Simmons。 〃Capitalistic traitors！〃
〃Hoot mon！ Ye're no in Hyde Park。 Save yere breath for yere
porritch the morn〃 said McNish； relaxing into a grim smile as he
left the rooms。
〃We'll get 'im；〃 said Simmons to his ally and friend。 〃'E's in
with that there young pup。 'E knows 'ow to work 'im and 'e'd sell
us all up； 'e would。〃 Brother Simmons' brand of profanity strongly
savoured of the London pavements in its picturesque fluency。
〃Get in here； McNish；〃 said Maitland； who was waiting at the door。
With some hesitation McNish accepted the invitation。
〃Now； what does this mean？〃 said Maitland savagely； then checking
his rage； 〃but I ought to thank you for getting me out of the grip
of that frantic idiot。 What is this fool thing？〃
〃It's nae that；〃 said McNish shortly。 〃It is anything but that。
But I grant ye this was no time to bring it on。 That was beyond
me。 A doot yon puir cratur had a purpose in it； however。 He
disnadoes not think much of these games of yours。 But that's
anitheranother〃McNish was careful of his speech〃matter。〃
〃But what in〃
〃I am just telling you。 There is a strong； a very strong movement
under way among the unions at present。〃
〃A movement？ Strike； do you mean？〃
〃It may be； or worse。〃 McNish's tone was very grave。 〃And as a
good union man they expect your assistance。〃
〃Wages again？〃
〃Ay； and condeetions and the like。〃
〃But it is not six months since the last agreement was signed and
that agreement is running still。〃
〃Ay； it is； but condeetions； conditions have changed since that
date；〃 said McNish； 〃and there must be readjustmentat least；
there is a feeling that way。〃
〃Readjustment？ But I have had no hint of this in our meetings。
This has not come up for discussion。〃
A gentle pity smiled from the rugged face of the man beside him。
〃Hardly；〃 he said。 〃It's no done that way。〃
They came to McNish's door。
〃Will you come in？〃 he said courteously。 A refusal was at Maitland's
lips when the door was opened by an old lady in a white frilled cap
and without being able to explain how it came about he found himself
in the quaintly furnished but delightfully cosy living…room； soaking
in the comfort of a great blazing fire。
〃This is really solid comfort；〃 he said； spreading his hands to the
glowing pine slabs。
〃Ay； ye need it the day。 The fire cheers the heart；〃 said the old
lady。
〃But you don't need it for that； Mrs。 McNish；〃 said her visitor；
smiling at the strong； serene face under the white frilled cap。
〃Do I not then？ An' what aboot yersel'？〃 The keen grey eye
searched his face。 Maitland was immediately conscious of a vast
dreariness in his life。 He sat silent looking into the blazing
fire。
〃Ay；〃 continued the old lady； 〃but there are the bright spots tae；
an' it's ill tae glower at a cauld hearth stone。〃 Maitland glanced
quickly at the shrewd and kindly face。 What did she know about him
and his life and his 〃cauld hearth stone〃？ So he said nothing but
waited。 Suddenly she swerved to another theme。
〃Malcolm；〃 she said； 〃have ye secured the tickets for the match？〃
〃Aw； mither； now it is the terrible auld sport ye are。 She drags
me out to all these things。〃 His eyes twinkled at Maitland。 〃I
can't find time for any study。〃
〃Hoots ye and ye're study。 A doot a rale heartening scramble on
the ice wad dae ye mair guid than an oor wi' yon godless Jew
buddie。〃
〃She means Marx； of course；〃 said McNish； in answer to Maitland's
look of perplexity。 〃She has no use for him。〃
〃But the tickets； Malcolm；〃 insisted his mother。
〃Well； mither； A'll confess I clean forgot them。 Ye see；〃 he
hurried to say； 〃A was that fashed over yon Committee maitter〃
〃Committee maitter！〃 exclaimed the old lady indignantly。 〃Did I
not tell ye no to heed yon screamin' English cratur wi' his
revolutionary nonsense？〃
〃She means Simmons；〃 interjected Malcolm with a little smile。 〃He
means well； mither； but A'm vexed aboot the tickets。〃
〃Mrs。 McNish；〃 said Maitland； 〃I happen to have two tickets that I
can let you have。〃 For an instant she hesitated。
〃We can find a way in； I think； Mr。 Maitland；〃 said Malcolm；
forestalling his mother's answer。 But with simple dignity his
mother put him aside。
〃A shall be verra pleased indeed to have the tickets； provided you
can spare them； Mr。 Maitland。 Never mind； noo； Malcolm。 A ken
well what ye're thinkin'。 He's gey independent and his mind is on
thae revolutionary buddies o' his。 A'm aye tellin' him this is nae
land for yon nonsense。 Gin we were in Rooshie； or Germany whaur
the people have lived in black slavery or even in the auld land
whaur the fowk are haudden doon wi' generations o' class bondage；
there might be a chance for a revolutionary。 But what can ye dae
in a land whaur the fowk are aye climbin' through ither； noo up；
noo down； noo maister； noo man？ Ye canna make Canadians
revolutionaries。 They are a' on the road to be maisters。 Malcolm
is a clever loon but he has a wee bee in his bonnet。〃 The old lady
smiled quizzically at her big； serious…faced son。
〃Noo； mither； ye're just talkin' havers；〃 he said。 〃My mother is
as great a Socialist as I am。〃
〃Ay； but A keep ma heid。〃
〃That ye do； mither。 Ye're gey cannie；〃 replied her son； shaking
his head； and so they passed the word to and fro； and Maitland sat
listening to the chat。 The delightful spirit of camaraderie
between mother and son reminded him of a similar relationship
between mother and sons in his own home in pre…war days。 He could
not tear himself away。 It was well on to his dinner hour before he
rose to go。
〃You have given me a delightful hour； Mrs。 McNish；〃 he said as he
shook hands。 〃You made me think of my own home in the old days；I
mean before the war came and smashed everything。〃 The old lady's
eyes were kindly scanning his face。
〃Ay； the war smashed yere hame？〃 Maitland nodded in silence。
〃His brither；〃 said Malcolm； quietly。
〃Puir laddie；〃 she said； patting his hand。
〃And my mother；〃 added Maitland； speaking with difficulty； 〃and
that； of course； meant our homeand everything。 So I thank you
for a very happy hour；〃 he added with a smile。
〃Wad ye care to come again？〃 said the old lady with a quiet
dignity。 〃We're plain fowk but ye'll be always welcome。〃
〃I just will； Mrs。 McNish。 And I will send you the tickets。〃
〃Man！ I wish ye grand luck the night。 A grand victory。〃
〃Thank you。 We are going to make a try for it；〃 said Maitland。
〃You must shout for us。〃
〃Ay； wull I；〃 she answered grimly。 And she kept her word for of
all the company that made up the Maitland party； none was more
conspicuously enthusiastic in applause than was a white…haired old
lady in a respectable black bonnet whose wild and weird Doric
expletives and exclamations were the joy of the whole party about
her。
CHAPTER X
THE NIGHT OF VICTORY
It was an hour after the match。 They were gathered in the old
rendezvous of the hockey teams in pre…war days。 And they were all
wildly excited over the Great Victory。
〃Just think of it