“Whathaveyougot，eh？“
AtthatpointthedooropenedandGrantMaitlandsteppedintotheoffice。Tonyrosetohisfeetand，bowingwithelaborategraceanddignity，headdressedhischief。
“Goodmorning，sir。Iamgladtoseeyou，infact，IwantedtoseeyoubutwishingtosaveyourtimeIwasintheveryactofdictatingacommunicationtoyou。“
“Indeed，Tony？“saidMr。Maitlandgravely。
“Yes，sir，Iwasonthepointofdictatingmyresignationofmypositionofforeman。“
“Stepintotheoffice，Tony，“saidMr。Maitlandkindlyandsadly。
“Idon’twishtotakeyourtime，sir，“saidTony，soberedandquietedbyMr。Maitland’smanner，“butmymindisquitemadeup。
I——“
“Comein，“saidMr。Maitland，inavoiceofquietcommand，throwingopenhisofficedoor。“Iwishtospeaktoyou。“
“Oh，certainly，sir，“answeredTony，pullinghimselftogetherwithanalltooobviouseffort。
InhalfanhourTonycameforth，asoberandsubduedman。
“Good-bye，Wickes，“hesaid，“I’moff。“
“Whereareyougoing，Tony？“enquiredWickes，startledatthelookonTony’sface。
“Tohell，“hesnapped，“wheresuchfoolsasmebelong，“and，jamminghishatharddownonhishead，hewentforth。
InanotherminuteMr。Maitlandappearedattheofficedoor。
“Wickes，“hesaidsharply，“putonyourhatandgetJackforme。
Bringhim，nomatterwhathe’sat。Thatyoungfoolwhohasjustgoneoutmustbelookedafter。Theboot-leggershavebeentakinghimintow。IfIhadonlyknownsooner。Didyouknow，Wickes，howhehasbeengoingon？Whydidn’tyoureporttome？“
“Ihesitatedtodothat，sir，“puttinghisdeskinorder。“I
alwaysexpectedashowhewouldpullup。It’shiscompany，sir。
Heisnotsomuchtoblame。“
“Well，hewouldnottakeanythingIhadtooffer。Heiswildtogetaway。Andunfortunatelyhehassomemoneywithhim，too。ButgetJackforme。Hecanhandlehimifanybodycan。“
SorelyperplexedMr。Maitlandreturnedtohisoffice。Hisbusinesssensepointedthelineofactionwithsunlightclearness。Hissenseofjusticetothebusinessforwhichhewasresponsibleaswellastothemeninhisemploynolessclearlyindicatedtheactiondemanded。Hissanejudgmentconcurredinthedemandofhismenforthedismissalofhisforeman。DismissalhadbeenrenderedunnecessarybyTony’sunshakableresolvetoresignhispositionwhichhedeclaredheloathedandwhichheshouldneverhaveaccepted。Hisperplexityarosefromtheconfusionwithinhimself。
WhatshouldhedowithTony？Hehadnopositioninhisworksorintheofficeforwhichhewasfit。NoneknewthisbetterthanTonyhimself。
“It’sajoke，Mr。Maitland，“hehaddeclared，“aghastlyjoke。
Everybodyknowsit’sajoke，thatIshouldbeincommandofanymanwhenIcan’tcommandmyself。Besides，Ican’tstickit。“InthisresolvehehadpersistedinspiteofMr。Maitland’sentreatiesthatheshouldgivethethinganothertry，promisinghimallpossibleguidanceandbacking。Butentreatiesandoffersofassistancehadbeeninvain。Tonywaswildtogetawayfromthemill。Hehatedthegrind。Hewantedhisfreedom。VainlyMr。Maitlandhadofferedtofindanotherpositionforhimsomewhere，somehow。
“We’llfindaplaceintheofficeforyou，“hehadpleaded。“I
wanttoseeyougeton，Tony。Iwanttoseeyoumakegood。“
ButTonywasbeyondallpersuasion。
“Itisn’tinme，“hehaddeclared。“NotifyougavemethewholeworkscouldIstickit。“
“Takeafewdaystothinkitover，“Mr。Maitlandhadpleaded。
“Iknowmyself——onlytoowell。AskJack，heknows，“wasTony’sbitteranswer。“Andthat’sfinal。“
“No，Tony，itisnotfinal，“hadbeenMr。Maitland’slastword，asTonyhadlefthim。
Butaftertheyoungmanhadlefthimtherestillremainedtheunsolvedquestion，WhatwashetodowithTony？InMr。Maitland’sheartwasthefirmresolvethathewouldnotallowTonytogohisownway。Theletterinthedeskathishandforbadethat。
Athiswits’endhehadsentforJack。Jackhadmadeafootballhalf-backandahockeyforwardoutofTonywheneveryoneelsehadfailed。Ifanyonecoulddiverthimfromthatdesperatedownwardcoursetowhichheseemedheadlongbent，itwasJack。
InafewminutesWickesreturnedwiththereportthatonreceivinganaccountofwhathadhappenedJackhadgonetolookupTony。
Mr。Maitlanddrewabreathofrelief。
“Tonyisallrightforto-day，“hesaid，turningtohisworkandleavingtheproblemforthemeantimetoJack。
InanhourJackreportedthathehadbeentothePerrottehomeandhadinterviewedTony’smother。FromherhehadlearnedthatTonyhadleftthetown，barelycatchingthetraintoToronto。Hemightnotreturnforaweekortendays。Hecouldsetnotimeforit。
Hewashisownmasterastotime。Hehadgottothestagewherehecouldgoandcomeprettymuchashepleased。Themotherwasnotatallconcernedastothesegoingsandcomingsofherson。Hehadanassuredposition，allcauseforanxietyinregardtohimwasatanend。Tony’smotherwasobviouslynotalittleupliftedthathersonshouldbeofsufficientimportancetobeentrustedwithbusinessinTorontoinconnectionwiththemill。
AllofwhichtendedlittletowardrelievingtheanxietyofMr。
Maitland。
“Lethimtakehisswing，Dad，forabit，“wasJack’sadvice。“Hewillcomebackwhenheisready，anduntilthenwildhorseswon’tbringhimnorholdhim。Heisnogoodforhisoldjob，andyouhavenootherreadythathewillstickat。HehasnoSergeant-
Majornowtoknockhimaboutandmakehimkeepstep，more’sthepity。“
“LifewillbehisSergeant-Major，Ifear，“saidhisfather，“andaSergeant-Majorthatwillexacttheutmostlimitofobedienceormakehimpaytheprice。Allthesame，wewon’tlethimgo。I
can’tJack，anyway。“
“Oh，Tonywillturnup，neverfear，Dad，“saidJackeasily。
Withthisassurancehisfatherhadtocontenthimself。Inafortnight’stimealettercamefromTonytohissister，rosywiththebrillianceoftheprospectsopeningupbeforehim。Therewastheusualirresponsibleindefinitenessindetail。WhathewasdoingandhowhewaslivingTonydidnotdeigntoindicate。TendayslaterAnnettehadanotherletter。Theformerprospectshadnotbeenrealised，buthehadamuchbetterthinginview，somethingmoresuitabletohim，andofferinglargerpossibilitiesofpositionandstandinginthecommunity。SomuchAnnetteconfidedtohermotherwhopassedonthegreatnewswithelaborationsandannotationstoCaptainJack。ToCaptainJackhimselfAnnettegavelittleactualinformation。Indeed，shornofitselementofprophecy，therewaslittleinTony’sletterthatcouldbepassedon。
NordidAnnettedropanyhintbutthatallwasquitewellwithherbrother，muchlessthathehadsuggestedatemporaryloanoffiftydollarsbutonlyofcourseifshecouldsparetheamountwithperfectconvenience。AfterthislettertherewassilenceasfarasTonywasconcernedandforAnnetteanxietythatdeepenedintoagonyasthesilenceremainedunbrokenwiththepassingweeks。
WiththeanxietytheremingledinAnnette’sheartangerattheMaitlands，forsheblamedthemforTony’sdismissalfromhisposition。This，itisfairtosay，wasareflectionfromhermother’swrath，whosemindhadbeenfilledupwithrumoursfromthemillstotheeffectthathersonhadbeen“fired。“Annettewaswiseenoughandknewherbrotherwellenoughtodiscreditmuchthatrumourbroughttoherears，butshecouldnotridherselfofthethoughtthatawaymighthavebeenfoundtoholdTonyaboutthemills。
“Hefiredtheboy，didtheouldcarmudgeon，“saidMadamePerrotteinoneofherrages，“anddruvhimofffromthetown。“
“Nonsense，Mother，“Annettehadreplied，“youknowwellenoughTonyleftofhisownaccord。Whyshouldyoushamehimso？Hewentbecausehewantedtogo。“
Thiswasanewlightuponthesubjectforhermother。
“Thrueforyou，Annette，gurl，“shesaid，“an’yesaiditthattime。Butwhyfordidhenotinducethebyetoremain？ItwouldbelittleenoughifhehadmadehimtheManagerofthehullworks。
Thatsamewouldneverpaybackwhathedidforhisson。“
“Hush，Mother，“saidAnnette，inashockedandangryvoice，“letnoonehearyouspeaklikethat。Payback！Youknow，Mother，nothingcouldeverpaybackathinglikethat。“Theangerinherdaughter’svoicestartledthemother。
“Oui！bygar！“saidPerrotte，whohadoverheard，withquickwrath。
“Dat’sfoolishtalkforsure！Dere’snomancanspiklakdattome，orIchokehimonhisfoolt’roat，me。“
“Rightyouare，monpere！“saidAnnetteappeasingherfather。
“Motherdidnotthinkwhatshewassaying。“
“Dat’snobon，“repliedPerrotte，refusingtobeappeased。“Sacretonnerre！Dat’sone——whatyoucall？——damfoolspeech。DatboyTonyhe’scarry(h)onheesbackhisfriend，leCapitaineJack，an’leCapitaine，he’sgofivemileforfin’Tonyon’deshellholean’
fetchheemtoledocteurandstaywit’himtillhe’sfix(h)up。
NomdeDieu！Youpayfordat！Mama！Youmak’shameformeonmyheart！“criedtheoldFrenchman，beatinghisbreast，whilesobsshookhisvoice。
FiftyyearsagoBlackwatertownwasasawmillvillageontheBlackwaterRiverwhichfurnishedthepowerforthefirstlittlesawmillsetupbyGrantMaitland’sfather。
Downtherivercamethesawlogsintheearlyspringwhenthewaterwashigh，tobecaughtandheldbya“boom“inapondfromwhichtheywerehauledupatramwaytothesaw。Aquarterofamileupstreamamillrace，tappingtheriver，ledthewatertoan“overshotwheel“intheearlydays，latertoaturbine，thuscreatingthepowernecessarytodrivethemillmachinery。Whenthesawwasstillthewateroverflowedthe“stop-logs“bythe“spillway“intothepondbelow。
Butthatmillracefurnishedmorethanpowertothemill。Itfurnishedbesidesmuchcolourfulromancetothelifeofthevillageyouthofthoseearlydays。Fordownthemillracetheyrantheirracingcraft，jostlingandscreaming，urgingwithlongpolestheirlaggardflotillastovictory。Thepondbythemillwastotheboys“swimminghole“andfishingpool，where，duringthelongsummereveningsandthroughthesunnysummerdays，theyspentamphibioushoursinhighandserenecontent。Butinspringtimewhenthepondwasblackwithfloatinglogsitbecamethesceneofthrillingdeedsofdaring。Forthithercamethelumber-jacks，freshfrom“theshanties，“intheirdashing，multi-coloredgarb，to“showoff“
beforeadmiringfriendsandsweetheartstheirskillin“log-
running“and“log-rolling“contestswhichasthespiritofventuregrewwouldendlikeasnotintheicywatersofthepond。
Here，too，onbrilliantwinterdaysthelifeofthevillagefounditscentreofvividinterestandactivity。Forthenthepondwouldbeablackandglitteringsurfacewhereonwheeledandcurvedtheringing，gleamingbladesof“fancy“skatersorwhereoninsternerhoursopposing“shinny“teamssoughtgloryinHomericandoftengorycontest。
Butthosedaysandthosesceneswerenowlongsincegone。Theoldmillstoodapicturesqueruin，thewaterwheelhadgivenplacetothesteamengine，thepondhadshrunktoaninsignificantpoolwhereonlypollywogsandminnowspassedunadventurouslives，themillracehaddwindledtoatricklingstreamgrownthickwithwatercressandyellowlilies，andwhathadoncebeenthecentreofvigorousandromanticlifewasnowabackwatereddydevoidalikeofmovementandofcolour。
