按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃And why can't you？〃
〃Well； you see； I am not Rupert；〃 said Captain Jack； grinning at
her。
〃Now you are horrible。 Why don't you do as you used to do？ You
know you could if you wanted to。〃
〃Yes； I suppose； if I wanted to；〃 said Captain Jack； suddenly
grave。
〃You don't want to；〃 said the girl； quick to catch his mood。
〃Well； you know； Patsy dear； things are different； and I suppose I
am too。 I don't care much for a lot of things。〃
〃You just look as if you didn't care for anything or anybody
sometimes； Captain Jack；〃 said Patricia quietly。 Then after a few
moments she burst forth： 〃Oh； don't you remember your hockey team？
Oh！ oh！ oh！ I used to sit and just hold my heart from jumping。 It
nearly used to choke me when you would tear down the ice with the
puck。〃
〃That was long ago； Pat dear。 I guess I wasahvery young then；
eh？〃
〃Yes； I know；〃 nodded the girl。 〃I feel the same wayI was just a
kid then。〃
〃Ah； yes；〃 said Captain Jack； with never a smile。 〃You were just
let's seetwelve； was it？〃
〃Yes； twelve。 And I felt just a kid。〃
〃And now？〃 Captain Jack's voice was quite grave。
〃Now？ Well； I am not exactly a kid。 At least； not the same kind
of kid。 And； as you say； a lot of things are different。 I think I
know how you feel。 I was like that； tooafterafterHerbert〃
The girl paused； with her lips quivering。 〃It was all different
so different。 Everything we used to do； I didn't feel like doing。
And I suppose that's the way with you； Captain Jack； with Andyand
then your Mother； too。〃 She leaned close to him and put her hand
timidly on his arm。
Captain Jack； sitting up very straight and looking very grave； felt
the thrill of the timid touch run through his very heart。 A rush
of warm； tender emotion such as he had not allowed himself for many
months suddenly surprised him； filling his eyes and choking his
throat。 Since his return from the war he had without knowledge
been yearning for just such an understanding touch as this child
with her womanly instinct had given him。 He withdrew one hand from
the wheel and took the warm clinging fingers tight in his and
waited in silence till he was sure of himself。 He drove some
blocks before he was quite master of his voice。 Then； releasing
the fingers； he turned his face toward the girl。
〃You are a real pal； aren't you； Patsy old girl？〃 he said with a
very bright smile at her。
〃I want to be！ Oh； I would love to be！〃 she said； with a swift
intake of breath。 〃And after a while you will be just as you were
before you went away。〃
〃Hardly； I fear； Patsy。〃
〃Well； not the same； but different from what you are now。 No； I
don't mean that a bit； Captain Jack。 But perhaps you knowI do
want to see you on the ice again。 Oh； it would be wonderful！ Of
course； the old team wouldn't be thereHerbert and Phil and Andy。
Why！ You are the only one left！ And Rupert。〃 She added the name
doubtfully。 〃It WOULD be different！ oh； so different！ Oh！ I don't
wonder you don't care； Captain Jack。 I won't wonder〃 There was
a little choke in the young voice。 〃I see it now〃
〃I think you understand； Patsy； and you are a little brick；〃 said
Captain Jack in a low； hurried tone。 〃And I am going to try。
Anyway； whatever happens； we will be pals。〃
The girl caught his arm tight in her clasped hands and in a low
voice she said； 〃Always and always； Captain Jack； and evermore。〃
And till they drew up at the Rectory door no more was said。
Maitland drove homeward through the mellow autumn evening with a
warmer； kindlier glow in his heart than he had known through all
the dreary weeks that had followed his return from the war。 For
the war had wrought desolation for him in a home once rich in the
things that make life worth while； by taking from it his mother；
whose rare soul qualities had won and held through her life the
love； the passionate； adoring love of her sons； and his twin
brother； the comrade； chum； friend of all his days； with whose life
his own had grown into a complete and ideal unity； deprived of whom
his life was left like a body from whose raw and quivering flesh
one…half had been torn away。
The war had left his life otherwise bruised and maimed in ways
known only to himself。
Returning thus from his soul…devastating experience of war to find
his life desolate and maimed in all that gave it value； he made the
appalling discovery that he was left almost alone of all whom he
had known and loved in past days。 For of his close friends none
were left as before。 For the most part they were lying on one or
other of the five battle fronts of the war。 Others had found
service in other spheres。 Only one was still in his home town；
poor old Phil Amory； Frances' brother； half…blind in his darkened
room； but to bring anything of his own heart burden to that brave
soul seemed sacrilege or worse。 True enough； he was passing
through the new and thrilling experience of making acquaintance
with his father。 But old Grant Maitland was a hard man to know；
and they were too much alike in their reserve and in their poverty
of self…expression to make mutual acquaintance anything but a slow
and in some ways a painful process。
Hence in Maitland's heart there was an almost extravagant gratitude
toward this young generous…hearted girl whose touch had thrilled
his heart and whose voice with its passionate note of loyal and
understanding comradeship still sang like music in his soul；
〃Always and always； Captain Jack； and evermore。〃
〃By Jove； I have got to find some way of playing up to that；〃 he
said aloud； as he turned from the gravelled driveway into the
street。 And in the months that followed he was to find that the
search to which he then committed himself was to call for the
utmost of the powers of soul which were his。
CHAPTER II
THE COST OF SACRIFICE
Perrotte was by all odds the best all…round man in the planing
mill； and for the simple reason that for fifteen years he had
followed the lumber from the raw wood through the various machines
till he knew woods and machines and their ways as no other in the
mill unless it was old Grant Maitland himself。 Fifteen years ago
Perrotte had drifted down from the woods； beating his way on a
lumber train； having left his winter's pay behind him at the verge
of civilisation； with old Joe Barbeau and Joe's 〃chucker out。〃 It
was the 〃chucker out〃 that dragged him out of the 〃snake room〃 and；
all unwitting； had given him a flying start toward a better life。
Perrotte came to Maitland when the season's work was at its height
and every saw and planer were roaring night and day。
〃Want a job？〃 Maitland had shouted over the tearing saw at him。
〃What can you do？〃
〃（H）axe…man me；〃 growled Perrotte； looking up at him； half wistful；
half sullen。
〃See that slab？ Grab it； pile it yonder。 The boards； slide over
the shoot。〃 For these were still primitive days for labor…saving
devices； and men were still the cheapest thing about a mill。
Perrotte grabbed the slab； heaved it down to its pile of waste； the
next board he slid into the shoot； and so continued till noon found
him pale and staggering。
〃What