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's　the　matter　with　you？〃　said　Maitland。
  〃Nottingme　bon；〃　said　Perrotte；　and；　clutching　at　the　door　jamb；
  hung　there　gasping。
  Maitland's　keen　blue　eyes　searched　his　face。　　〃Huh！　　When　did　you
  last　eat？　　Come！　　No　lying！〃
  〃Two　day；〃　said　Perrotte；　fighting　for　breath　and　nerve。
  〃Here；　boy；〃　shouted　Maitland　to　a　chore　lad　slouching　by；　〃jump
  for　that　cook　house　and　fetch　a　cup　of　coffee；　and　be　quick。〃
  The　boss'　tone　injected　energy　into　the　gawky　lad。　　In　three
  minutes　Perrotte　was　seated　on　a　pile　of　slabs；　drinking　a　cup　of
  coffee；　in　five　minutes　more　he　stood　up；　ready　for　〃（h）anny　man；
  （h）anny　ting。〃　　But　Maitland　took　him　to　the　cook。
  〃Fill　this　man　up；〃　he　said；　〃and　then　show　him　where　to　sleep。
  And；　Perrotte；　to…morrow　morning　at　seven　you　be　at　the　tail　of　the
  saw。〃
  〃Oui；　by　gar！　　Perrotte　be　dere。　　And　you　got　one　good　man　TOO…day；
  for　sure。〃
  That　was　fifteen　years　ago；　and；　barring　certain　〃jubilations；〃
  Perrotte　made　good　his　prophecy。　　He　brought　up　from　the　Ottawa　his
  Irish　wife；　a　clever　woman　with　her　tongue　but　a　housekeeper　that
  scandalised　her　thrifty；　tidy；　French…Canadian　mother…in…law；　and
  his　two　children；　a　boy　and　a　girl。　　Under　the　supervision　of　his
  boss　he　made　for　his　family　a　home　and　for　himself　an　assured　place
  in　the　Blackwater　Mills。　　His　children　fell　into　the　hands　of　a
  teacher　with　a　true　vocation　for　his　great　work　and　a　passion　for
  young　life。　　Under　his　hand　the　youth　of　the　rapidly　growing　mill
  village　were　saved　from　the　sordid　and　soul…debasing　influences　of
  their　environment；　were　led　out　of　the　muddy　streets　and　can…strewn
  back　yards　to　those　far　heights　where　dwell　the　high　gods　of　poesy
  and　romance。　　From　the　master；　too；　they　learned　to　know　their　own
  wonderful　woods　out　of　which　the　near…by　farms　had　been　hewn。　　Many
  a　home；　too；　owed　its　bookshelf　to　Alex　Day's　unobtrusive
  suggestions。
  The　Perrotte　children　were　prepared　for　High　School　by　the　master's
  quiet　but　determined　persistence。　　To　the　father　he　held　up　the
  utilitarian　advantages　of　an　education。
  〃Your　boy　is　quickwhy　should　not　Tony　be　a　master　of　men　some
  day？　　Give　him　a　chance　to　climb。〃
  〃Oui；　by　gar！　　Antoine　he's　smart　lee'le　feller。　　I　mak　him　steeck
  on　his　book；　you　mak　him　one　big　boss　on　some　mill。〃
  To　the　mother　the　master　spoke　of　social　advantages。　　The　empty…
  headed　Irish　woman　who　had　all　the　quick　wit　and　cleverness　of
  tongue　characteristic　of　her　race　was　determined　that　her　girl
  Annette　should　learn　to　be　as　stylish　as　〃them　that　tho't
  themselves　her　betters。〃　　So　the　children　were　kept　at　school　by
  their　fondly　ambitious　parents；　and　the　master　did　the　rest。
  At　the　Public　School；　that　greatest　of　all　democratic　institutions；
  the　Perrotte　children　met　the　town　youth　of　their　own　age；　giving
  and　taking　on　equal　terms；　sharing　common　privileges　and　advantages
  and　growing　into　a　community　solidarity　all　their　own；　which　in
  later　years　brought　its　own　harvest　of　mingling　joy　and　bitterness；
  but　which　on　the　whole　made　for　sound　manhood　and　womanhood。
  With　the　girl　Annette　one　effect　of　the　Public　School　and　its
  influences；　educational　and　social；　was　to　reveal　to　her　the　depth
  of　the　educational　and　social　pit　from　which　she　had　been　taken。
  Her　High　School　training　might　have　fitted　her　for　the　teaching
  profession　and　completed　her　social　emancipation　but　for　her　vain
  and　thriftless　mother；　who；　socially　ambitious　for　herself　but　more
  for　her　handsome；　clever　children；　found　herself　increasingly
  embarrassed　for　funds。　　She　lacked　the　means　with　which　to　suitably
  adorn　herself　and　her　children　for　the　station　in　life　to　which　she
  aspired　and　for　which　good　clothes　were　the　prime　equipment　and　to
  〃eddicate〃　Tony　as　he　deserved。　　Hence　when　Annette　had　completed
  her　second　year　at　the　High　School　her　mother　withdrew　her　from　the
  school　and　its　associations　and　found　her　a　place　in　the　new　Fancy
  Box　Factory；　where　girls　could　obtain　〃an　illigant　and　refoined　job
  with　good　pay　as　well。〃
  This　change　in　Annette's　outlook　brought　wrathful　disappointment　to
  the　head　master；　Alex　Day；　who　had　taken　a　very　special　pride　in
  Annette's　brilliant　school　career　and　who　had　outlined　for　her　a
  University　course。　　To　Annette　herself　the　ending　of　her　school
  days　was　a　bitter　grief；　the　bitterness　of　which　would　have　been
  greatly　intensified　had　she　been　able　to　measure　the　magnitude　of
  the　change　to　be　wrought　in　her　life　by　her　mother's　foolish　vanity
  and　unwise　preference　of　her　son's　to　her　daughter's　future。
  The　determining　factor　in　Annette's　submission　to　her　mother's　will
  was　consideration　for　her　brother　and　his　career。　　For　while　for
  her　father　she　cherished　an　affectionate　pride　and　for　her　mother
  an　amused　and　protective　pity；　her　great　passion　was　for　her
  brotherher　handsome；　vivacious；　audacious　and　mercurial　brother；
  Tony。　　With　him　she　counted　it　only　joy　to　share　her　all　too　meagre
  wages　whenever　he　found　himself　in　financial　straits。　　And　a　not
  infrequent　situation　this　was　with　Tony；　who；　while　he　seemed　to
  have　inherited　from　his　mother　the　vivacity；　quick　wit　and　general
  empty…headedness；　from　his　father　got　nothing　of　the　thrift　and
  patient　endurance　of　grinding　toil　characteristic　of　the　French…
  Canadian　habitant。　　But　he　did　get　from　his　father　a　capacity　for
  the　knowing　and　handling　of　machinery；　which　amounted　almost　to
  genius。　　Of　the　father's　steadiness　under　the　grind　of　daily　work
  which　had　made　him　the　head　mechanic　in　the　Mill；　Tony　possessed
  not　a　tittle。　　What　he　could　get　easily　he　got；　and　getting　this
  fancied　himself　richly　endowed；　knowing　not　how　slight　and
  superficial　is　the　equipment　for　life's　stern　fight　that　comes
  without　sweat　of　brain　and　body。　　His　cleverness　deceived　first
  himself　and　then　his　family；　who　united　in　believing　him　to　be
  destined　for　high　place　and　great　things。　　Only　two　of　those　who
  had　to　do　with　him　in　his　boyhood　weighed　him　in　the　balance　of
  truth。　　One　was　his　Public　School　master；　who　labored　with
  incessant　and　painful　care　to　awaken　in　him　some　glimmer　of　the
  need　of　preparation　for　that　bitter　fight　to　which　every　man　is
  appointed。　　The　other　was　Grant　Maitland；　whose　knowledge　of　men
  and　of　life；　gained　at　cost　of　desperate　conflict；　made　the　youth's
  soul　an　open　book　to　him。　　Recognising　the　boy's　aptitude；　he　had
  in　holiday　seasons　set　Tony　behind　the　machines　in　his　planing
  mill；　determined　for　his　father's　sake　to　make　of　him　a　mechanical
  engineer。　　To　Tony　each　new　machine　was　a　toy　to　be　played　with；　in
  a　week　or　two　he　had　mastered　it　and　grown　weary　of　it。　　Thenceforth
  he　slacked　at　his　work　and　became　a　demoralizing　influence　in　his
  department；　a　source　of　anxiety　to　his　steady…going　father；　a
  plague　to　his　employer；　till　the　holiday　time　was　done。
  〃Were　you　my　son；　my　lad；　I'd　soon　settle　you；〃　Grant　Maitland
  would　say；　when　the　boy　was　ready　to　go　back　to　his　school。　　〃You
  will　make　a　mess　of　your　life　unless　you　can　learn　to　stick　at　your
  job。　　The　roads　are　full　of　clever　tramps；　remember　that；　my　boy。〃
  But　Tony　only　smiled　his　brilliant　smile　at　him；　as　he　took　his　pay
  envelope；　which　burned　a　hole　in　his　pocket　till　he　had　done　with
  it。　　When　the　next　holiday　came　round　Tony　would　present　himself
  for　a　job　with　Jack　Maitland　to　plead　for　him。　　For　to　Tony　Jack
  was　as　king；　to　whom　he　gave　passionate　loyalty　without　stint　or
  measure。　　And　thus　for　his　son　Jack's　sake；　Jack's　father　took　Tony
  on　again；　resolved　to　make　another　effort　to　make　something　out　of
  him。
  The　bond　between　the　two　boys　was　hard　to　analyse。　　In　games　at
  Public　and　High　School　Jack　was　always　Captain　and　Tony　his　right…
  hand　man；　held　to　his　place　and　his　training　partly　by　his　admiring
  devotion　to　his　Captain　but　more　by　a　wholesome　dread　of　the
  inexorable　disciplinary　measures　which　slackness　or　trifling　with
  the　rules　of　the　game　would　inevitably　bring　him。　　Jack　Maitland
  was　the　one　being　in　Tony's　world　who　could　put　lasting　fear　into
  his　soul　or　steadiness　into　his　practice。　　But　even　Jack　at　times
  failed。
  Then　when　both　were　eighteen　they　went　to　the　War；　Jack