good　shape。　　We　broke　even　with　our　aeroplane　work。　　But　we　have　a
  big　stock　of　spruce　on　handhigh…priced　stuff；　tooand　a　heavy；
  very　heavy　overhead。　　We　shall　weather　it　all　right。　　I　don't　mind
  the　wages；　but　we　must　have　production。　　And　that's　why　I　want　you
  with　me。〃
  〃You　must　not　depend　on　me　for　much　use　for　some　time　at　least。
  I　know　a　little　about　handling　men　but　about　machinery　I　know
  nothing。〃
  〃Never　fear；　boy；　you've　got　the　machine　instinct　in　you。　　I
  remember　your　holiday　work　in　the　mill；　you　see。　　But　your　place　is
  in　the　office。　　Wickes　will　show　you　the　ropes；　and　you　will　make
  good；　I　know。　　And　I　just　want　to　say　that　you　don't　know　how　glad
  I　am　to　have　you　come　in　with　me；　Jack。　　If　your　brother　had　come
  back　he　would　have　taken　hold；　he　was　cut　out　for　the　job；　but〃
  〃Poor　old　Andy！　　He　had　your　genius　for　the　business。　　I　wish　he
  had　been　the　one　to　get　back！〃
  〃We　had　not　the　choosing；　Jack；　and　if　he　had　come　we　should　have
  felt　the　same　about　you。　　God　knows　what　He　is　doing；　and　we　can
  only　do　our　best。〃
  〃Well；　Dad；〃　said　Jack；　rising　and　standing　near　his　father's
  chair；　〃as　I　said　before；　I'll　make　a　go　at　it；　but　don't　count　too
  much　on　me。〃
  〃I　am　counting　a　lot　on　you。　　You　are　all　I　have　now。〃　　The
  father's　voice　ended　in　a　husky　whisper。　　The　boy　swallowed　the
  rising　lump　in　his　throat　but　could　find　no　more　words　to　go　on
  with。　　But　in　his　heart　there　was　the　resolve　that　he　would　make　an
  honest　try　to　do　for　his　father's　sake　what　he　would　not　for　his
  own。
  But　before　a　month　had　gone　he　was　heartily　sick　of　the　office。　　It
  was　indoors；　and　the　petty　fussing　with　trivial　details　irked　him。
  Accuracy　was　a　sine　qua　non　of　successful　office　work；　and　accuracy
  is　either　a　thing　of　natural　gift　or　is　the　result　of　long　and
  painful　discipline；　and　neither　by　nature　nor　by　discipline　had
  Jack　come　into　the　possession　of　this　prime　qualification　for　a
  successful　office　man。　　His　ledger　wellnigh　brought　tears　to　old
  Wickes'　eyes　and　added　a　heavy　load　to　his　day's　work。　　Not　that
  old　Wickes　grudged　the　extra　burden；　much　less　made　any　complaint；
  rather　did　he　count　it　joy　to　be　able　to　cover　from　other　eyes　than
  his　own　the　errors　that　were　inevitably　to　be　found　in　Jack's　daily
  work。
  Had　it　seemed　worth　while；　Jack　would　have　disciplined　himself　to
  accuracy。　　But　what　was　the　end　of　it　all？　　A　larger　plant　with
  more　machines　to　buy　and　more　men　to　work　them　and　to　be　overseen
  and　to　be　paid；　a　few　more　figures　in　a　Bank　Bookwhat　else？
  Jack's　tastes　were　simple。　　He　despised　the　ostentation　of　wealth
  in　the　accumulation　of　mere　things。　　He　had　only　pity　for　the
  plunger　and　for　the　loose　liver　contempt。　　Why　should　he　tie
  himself　to　a　desk；　a　well　appointed　desk　it　is　true；　but　still　a
  desk；　in　a　four…walled　room；　a　much　finer　room　than　his　father　had
  ever　known；　but　a　room　which　became　to　him　a　cage。　　Why？　　Of
  course；　there　was　his　fatherand　Jack　wearily　turned　to　his
  correspondence　basket；　sick　of　the　sight　of　paper　and　letter　heads
  and　cost　forms　and　production　reports。　　For　his　father's　sake；　who
  had　only　him；　he　would　carry　on。　　And　carry　on　he　did；　doggedly；
  wearily；　bored　to　death；　but　sticking　it。　　The　reports　from　the
  works　were　often　ominous。　　Things　were　not　going　well。　　There　was
  an　undercurrent　of　unrest　among　the　men。
  〃I　don't　wonder　at　it；〃　said　Jack　to　old　Wickes　one　day；　when　the
  bookkeeper　set　before　him　the　week's　pay　sheet　and　production
  sheet；　side　by　side。　　〃After　all；　why　should　the　poor　devils　work
  for　us？〃
  〃For　us；　sir？〃　said　the　shocked　Wickes。　　〃For　themselves；　surely。
  What　would　they　do　for　a　living　if　there　was　no　work？〃
  〃That's　just　it；　Wickes。　　They　get　a　livingis　it　worth　while？〃
  〃But；　sir；〃　gasped　the　old　man；　〃they　must　live；　and〃
  〃Why　must　they？〃
  〃Because　they　want　to！　　Wait　till　you　see　'em　sick；　sir。　　My　word！
  They　do　make　haste　for　the　Doctor。〃
  〃I　fancy　they　do；　Wickes。　　But　all　the　same；　I　don't　wonder　that
  they　grouch　a　bit。〃
  〃'Tis　not　the　grumbling；　sir；　I　deplore；〃　said　Wickes；　〃if　they
  would　only　work；　or　let　the　machines　work。　　That's　the　trouble；
  sir。　　Why；　sir；　when　I　came　to　your　father；　sir；　we　never　looked　at
  the　clock；　we　kept　our　minds　on　the　work。〃
  〃How　long　ago；　Wickes？〃
  〃Thirty…one　years；　sir；　come　next　Michaelmas。　　And　glad　I　was　to
  get　the　job；　too。　　You　see；　sir；　I　had　just　come　to　the　country；
  and　with　the　missus　and　a　couple　of　kids〃
  〃Thirty…one　years！　　Great　Caesar！　　And　you've　worked　at　this　desk
  for　thirty…one　years！　　And　what　have　you　got　out　of　it？〃
  〃Well；　sir；　not　what　you　might　call　a　terrible　lot。　　I　hadn't　the
  eddication　for　much；　as　you　might　saybutwell；　there's　my　little
  home；　and　we've　lived　happy　there；　the　missus　and　me；　and　the　kids
  at　least；　till　the　war　came。〃　　The　old　man　paused　abruptly。
  〃You're　right；　Wickes；　by　Jove；〃　exclaimed　Jack；　starting　from　his
  seat　and　gripping　the　old　man's　hand。　　〃You　have　made　a　lot　out　of
  itand　you　gave　as　fine　a　boy　as　ever　stepped　in　uniform　to　your
  country。　　We　were　all　proud　of　Stephen；　every　man　of　us。〃
  〃I　know　that；　sir；　and　he　often　wrote　the　wife　about　you；　sir；
  which　we　don't　forget；　sir。　　Of　course；　it's　hard　on　her　and　the
  boysjust　coming　up　to　be　somethin'　at　the　school。〃
  〃By　the　way；　Wickes；　how　are　they　doing？　　Two　of　them；　aren't
  there？　　Let's　seethere's　Steve；　he's　the　eldest〃
  〃No；　sir；　he's　the　youngest；　sir。　　Robert　is　the　eldestfourteen；
  and　quite　clever　at　his　books。　　Pity　he's　got　to　quit　just　now。〃
  〃Quit？　　Not　a　bit　of　it。　　We　must　see　to　that。　　And　little　Steve
  how　is　the　back？〃
  〃He's　twelve。　　The　back　hurts　a　lot；　but　he　is　happy　enough；　if　you
  give　him　a　pencil。　　They're　all　with　us　now。〃
  〃Ah；　well；　well。　　I　think　you　have　made　something　out　of　it　after
  all；　Wickes。　　And　we　must　see　about　Robert。〃
  Thirty…one　years　at　the　desk！　　And　to　show　for　it　a　home　for　his
  wife　and　himself；　a　daughter　in　a　home　of　her　own；　a　son　dead　for
  his　country；　leaving　behind　him　a　wife　and　two　lads　to　carry　the
  namewas　it　worth　while？　　Yes；　by　Jove；　it　was　worth　it　all　to　be
  able　to　give　a　man　like　Stephen　Wickes　to　his　country。　　For　Stephen
  Wickes　was　a　fine　stalwart　lad；　a　good　soldier；　steady　as　a　rock；
  with　a　patient；　cheery　courage　that　nothing　could　daunt　or　break。
  But　for　a　man's　self　was　it　worth　while？
  Jack　had　no　thought　of　wife　and　family。　　There　was　Adrien。　　She　had
  been　a　great　pal　before　the　war；　but　since　his　return　she　had
  seemed　different。　　Everyone　seemed　different。　　The　war　had　left
  many　gaps；　former　pals　had　formed　other　ties；　many　had　gone　from
  the　town。　　Even　Adrien　had　drifted　away　from　the　old　currents　of
  life。　　She　seemed　to　have　taken　up　with　young　Stillwell；　whom　Jack
  couldn't　abide。　　Stillwell　had　been　turned　down　by　the　Recruiting
  Officer　during　the　warflat　feet；　or　something。　　True；　he　had　done
  great　service　in　Red　Cross；　Patriotic　Fund；　Victory　Loan　work；　and
  that　sort　of　thing；　and　apparently　stood　high　in　the　Community。
  His　father　had　doubled　the　size　of　his　store　and　had　been　a　great
  force　in　all　public　war　work。　　He　had　spared　neither　himself　nor
  his　son。　　The　elder　Stillwell；　high　up　in　the　Provincial　Political
  world；　saw　to　it　that　his　son　was　on　all　the　big　Provincial　War
  Committees。　　Rupert　had　all　the　shrewd　foresight　and　business
  ability　of　his　father；　which　was　saying　a　good　deal。　　He　began　to
  assume　the　role　of　a　promising　young　capitalist。　　The　sources　of
  his　income　no　one　knewfortunate　investments；　people　said。　　And
  his　Hudson　Six　stood　at　the　Rectory　gate　every　day。　　Well；　not　even
  for　Adrien　would　Jack　have　changed　places　with　Rupert　Stillwell。
  For　Jack　Maitland　held　the　extreme　and；　in　certain　circles；
  unpopular　creed　that　the　citizen　who　came　richer　out　of　a　war　which
  had　left　his　country　submerged　in　debt；　and　which　had　drained　away
  its　best　blood　and　left　it　poorer　in　its　manhood　by　well…nigh
  seventy　thousand　of　its　noblest　youth　left　upon　the　battlefields　of
  the　various　war　fronts　and　by　the　hundreds　of　thousands　who　would
  go　through　life　a　burden　to　themselves　and　to　those　to　whom　they
  should　have　been　a　supportthat　citizen　was　accursed。　　If　Adrien
  chose　to　be　a　friend　of　such　a　man；　by　that　choice　she　classified
  herself　as　impossible　of　friendship　for　Jack。　　It　had　hurt　a　bit。
  But　what　was　one　hurt　more　or　less　to　one　whom　the　war　had　left
  numb　in　heart　and　bereft　of　ambition？　　He　was　not　going　to　pity
  himself。　　He　was　lucky　indeed　to　have　his　body　and　nerve　still
  sound　and　whole；　but　they　need　not　expect　him　to　show　any　great
  keenness　in　the　chase　for　a　few　more　thousands　that　would　only　rank
  him　among　those　for　whom　the　war　had　not　done　so　badly。　　Meantime；
  for　his　father's　sake；　who；　thank　God；　had　given　his　best；　his
  heart's　best　and　the　best　of　his　brain　and　of　his　splendid　business
  genius　to　his　country；　he　would　carry　on；　with　no　other　reward　than
  that　of　service　rendered。
  CHAPTER　III
  THE　HEATHEN　QUEST
  They　stood　together　by　the　open　fire　in　the　study；　Jack　and　his
  father；　alike　in　many　ways　yet　producing　effects　very　different。
  The　younger　man　had　the　physical　makeup　of　the　older；　though　of　a
  slighter　mould。　　They　had　the　sa