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mother sighed； thinking that her baby girl was swiftly slipping
away from her and forever into that wider world of womanhood where
others would claim her。
In lovely contrast stood her sister； dressed in flannel skirt and
sweater of old gold silk； fair； tall； beautiful； a delicate grace
in every line of her body and a proud； yet gentle strength in every
feature of her face。 There dwelt in her deep blue eyes a look of
hidden； mysterious power which had wrought in her mother a certain
fear of her eldest daughter。 The mother never quite knew what to
expect from Adrien。 Yet； for all； she carried an assured confidence
that whatever she might do； her daughter never would shame the high
traditions of her race。
The long shadows from the tall elms lay across the velvet sward of
the Rectory lawn。 The heat of the early June day had given place
to the cool air of the evening。 The exquisitely delicate colouring
from the setting sun flooded the sky overhead and deepened into
blues and purples behind the elms and the church spire。 A deep
peace had fallen upon the world except that from the topmost bough
of the tallest elm tree a robin sang； pouring his very heart out in
a song of joyous optimism。
The little group； disposed upon the lawn according to their various
desires； stood and sat looking up at the brave little songster。
〃How happy he is；〃 said Mrs。 Templeton； a wistful cadence of
sadness in her voice。
〃I wonder if he is； Mamma。 Perhaps he is only pretending；〃 said
Adrien。
〃Cheerio； old chap！〃 cried Vic； waving his hand at the gallant
little songster。 〃You are a regular grouch killer。〃
〃He has no troubles；〃 said Mrs。 Templeton； with a sigh。
〃I wonder； Mamma。 Or is he just bluffing us all？〃
〃He has no strike； at any rate； to worry him；〃 said Patricia； 〃and；
by the way； what is the news to…day？ Does anybody know？ Is there
any change？〃
〃Oh；〃 cried Vic； 〃there has been a most exciting morning at the
E。 D。 C。the Employers' Defence Committee；〃 he explained； in answer
to Mrs。 Templeton's mystified look。
〃Do go on！〃 cried Patricia impatiently。 〃Was there a fight？ They
are always having one。〃
〃Of course there was the usual morning scrap； but with a variation
to…day of a deputation from the brethren of the Ministerial
Association。 But； of course； Mrs。 Templeton； the Doctor must have
told you already。〃
〃I hardly ever see him these days。 He is dreadfully occupied。
There is so much trouble； sickness and that sort of thing。 Oh； it
is all terribly sad。 The Doctor is almost worn out。〃
〃He made a wonderful speech to the magnates； my governor says。〃
〃Oh； go on； Vic！〃 cried Patricia。 〃Why do you stop？ You are so
deliberate。〃
〃I was thinking of that speech；〃 replied Victor more quietly than
was his wont。 〃It came at a most dramatic moment。 The governor
was quite worked up over it and gave me a full account。 They had
just got all their reports in'all safe along the Potomac'no
break in the front lineBuilding Industries slightly shaky due to
working men's groups taking on small contracts； which excited great
wrath and which McGinnis declared must be stopped。〃
〃How can they stop them？ This is a free country；〃 said Adrien。
〃Aha！〃 cried Victor。 〃Little you know of the resources of the
E。 D。 C。 It is proposed that the supply dealers should refuse
supplies to all builders until the strike is settled。 No more
lumber； lime； cement； etc。； etc。〃
〃Boycott； eh？ I call that pretty rotten；〃 said Adrien。
〃The majority were pretty much for it； however； except Maitland and
my governor； they protesting that this boycott was hardly playing
the game。 Your friend Captain Jack came in for his licks；〃
continued Vic； turning to Patricia。 〃It appears he has been
employing strikers in some work or other； which some of the
brethren considered to be not according to Hoyle。〃
〃Nonsense！〃 cried Patricia indignantly。 〃Jack took me yesterday to
see the work。 He showed me all the plans and we went over the
grounds。 It is a most splendid thing； Mamma！ He is laying out
athletic grounds for his men； with a club house and all that sort
of thing。 They are going to be perfectly splendid！ Do you mean to
say they were blaming him for this？ Who was？〃 And Patricia stood
ready for battle。
〃Kamerad！〃 cried Vic； holding up his hands。 〃Not me！ However；
Jack was exonerated； for it appears he sent them a letter two weeks
ago； telling them what he proposed to do； to which letter they had
raised no objection。〃
〃Well； what then？〃 inquired Patricia。
〃Oh； the usual thing。 They all resolved to stand patno surrender
or； rather； let the whole line advanceyou know the stuffwhen
into this warlike atmosphere walked the deputation from the
Ministerial Association。 It gave the E。 D。 C。 a slight shock； so
my Dad says。 The Doctor fired the first gun。 My governor says
that it was like a breath from another world。 His face was enough。
Everybody felt mean for just being what they were。 I know exactly
what that is； for I know the way he makes me feel when I look at him
in church。 You know what I mean； Pat。〃
〃I know；〃 said Patricia softly； letting her hand fall upon her
mother's shoulder。
〃Well；〃 continued Vic； 〃the Doctor just talked to them as if they
were his children。 They hadn't been very good and he was sorry for
them。 He would like to help them to be better。 The other side；
too； had been doing wrong； and they were having a bad time。 They
were suffering； and as he went on to tell them in that wonderful
voice of his about the women and children； every man in the room；
so the governor said； was wondering how much he had in his pocket。
And then he told them of how wicked it was for men whose sons had
died together in France to be fighting each other here in Canada。
Well； you know my governor。 As he told me this tale； we just both
of us bowed our heads and wept。 It's the truth； so help me； just
as you are doing now； Pat。〃
〃I am not；〃 cried Patricia indignantly。 〃And I don't care if I am。
He is a dear and those men are just〃
〃Hush； dear；〃 said Mrs。 Templeton gently。 〃And did they agree to
anything？〃
〃Alas； not they； for at that moment some old Johnny began asking
questions and then that old fire…eater； McGinnis； horned in again。
No Arbitration Committee for himno one could come into his
foundry and tell him how to run his businesssame old stuff； you
know。 Well； then； the Methodist Johnny took a hand。 What's his
name？ Haynes； isn't it？〃
〃Yes； Haynes；〃 said Hugh Maynard。
〃Well； Brother Haynes took up the tale。 He is an eloquent chap；
all right。 He took the line 'As you are strong； be pitiful；' but
the psychological moment had gone and the line still held strong。
Campbell of the woollen mills invited him up to view his 25；000。00
stock 'all dressed up and nowhere to go。' 'Tell me how I can pay
increased wages with this stock on my hands。' And echo answered
'How？' Haynes could not。 Then my old chief took a handthe
Reverend Murdo Matheson。 He is a good old scout； a Padre； you
knowregular fire…eatera rasping voice and grey matter oozing
from his pores。 My governor says he abandoned the fronta