his soul or steadiness into his practice。 But even Jack at times
failed。
Then when both were eighteen they went to the War； Jack as an
Officer； Tony as a Non…Commissioned Officer in the same Battalion；
Jack hating the bloody business but resolute to play this great
game of duty as he played all games for all that was in him； Tony
aglow at first with the movement and glitter and later mad with the
lust for deadly daring that was native to his Keltic Gallic soul。
They returned with their respective decorations of D。 S。 O。 and
Military Medal and each with the stamp of war cut deep upon him； in
keeping with the quality of his soul。
The return to peace was to them； as to the thousands of their
comrades to whom it was given to return； a shock almost as great as
had been the adventure of war。 In a single day while still amid
the scenes and with all the paraphernalia of war about them an
unreal and bewildering silence had fallen on them。 Like men in the
unearthly realities of a dream they moved through their routine
duties； waiting for the orders that would bring that well…known；
sickening； savage tightening of their courage and send them； laden
like beasts of burden； up once more to that hell of blood and mud；
of nerve…shattering shell； of blinding glare and ear…bursting roar
of gun fire； and； worse than all； to the place where； crouching in
the farcical deceptive shelter of the sandbagged trench； their
fingers gripping into the steel of their rifle hands； they would
wait for the zero hour。 But as the weeks passed and the orders
failed to come they passed from that bewildering and subconscious
anxious waiting； to an experience of wildly exultant； hysterical
abandonment。 They were done with all that long horror and terror；
they were never to go back into it again； they were going back
home； the New Day had dawned； war was no more； nor ever would be
again。 Back to home； to waiting hearts； to shining eyes； to
welcoming arms； to peace； they were going。
Thereafter； when some weeks of peace had passed and the drums of
peace had fallen quiet and the rushing； crowding； hurrahing people
had melted away； and the streets and roads were filled again with
men and women bent on business； with engagements to keep； the
returned men found themselves with dazed； listless mind waiting for
orders from someone； somewhere； or for the next movie show to open。
But they were unwilling to take on the humdrum of making a living；
and were in most cases incapable of initiating a congenial method
of employing their powers； their new…found； splendid； glorious
powers； by means of which they had saved an empire and a world。
They had become common men again； they in whose souls but a few
weeks ago had flamed the glory and splendour of a divine heroism！
Small wonder that some of these men； tingling with the consciousness
of powers of which these busy； engaged people of the streets and
shops knew nothing； turned with disdain from the petty； paltry； many
of them non…manly tasks that men pursued solely that they might
live。 Live！ For these last terrible； great and glorious fifty
months they had schooled themselves to the notion that the main
business of life was not to live。 There had been for them a thing
to do infinitely more worth while than to live。 Indeed； had they
been determined at all costs to live； then they had become to
themselves； to their comrades； and indeed to all the world； the most
despicable of all living things； deserving and winning the infinite
contempt of all true men。
While the 〃gratuity money〃 lasted life went merrily enough； but
when the last cheque had been cashed； and the grim reality that
rations had ceased and Q。 M。 Stores were not longer available
thrust itself vividly into the face of the demobilised veteran； and
when after experiencing in job hunting varying degrees of
humiliation the same veteran made the startling and painful
discovery that for his wares of heroic self…immolation； of dogged
endurance done up in khaki； there was no demand in the bloodless
but none the less strenuous conflict of living； and that other
discovery； more disconcerting； that he was not the man he had been
in pre…war days and thought himself still to be； but quite another；
then he was ready for one of two alternatives； to surrender to the
inevitable dictum that after all life was really not worth a fight；
more particularly if it could be sustained without one； or； to
fling his hat into the Bolshevist ring； ready for the old thing；
warwar against the enemies of civilisation and his own enemies；
against those who possessed things which he very much desired but
which for some inexplicable cause he was prevented from obtaining。
The former class； to a greater or less degree； Jack Maitland
represented； the latter； Tony Perrotte。 From their war experience
they were now knit together in bonds that ran into life issues。
Together they had faced war's ultimate horror； together they had
emerged with imperishable memories of sheer heroic manhood mutually
revealed in hours of desperate need。
At Jack's request Tony had been given the position of a Junior
Foreman in one of the planing mill departments； with the promise of
advancement。
〃You can have anything you are fit for； Tony； in any of the mills。
I feel that I owe you； that we both owe you more than we can pay by
any position we can offer；〃 was Grant Maitland's word。
〃Mr。 Maitland； neither you nor Jack owes me anything。 Jack has
paid； and more than once； all he owed me。 But；〃 with a rueful
smile； 〃don't expect too much from me in this job。 I can't see
myself making it go。〃
〃Give it a big try。 Do your best。 I ask no more；〃 said Mr。
Maitland。
〃My best？ That's a hard thing。 Give me a bayonet and set some
Huns before me； and I'll do my best。 This is different somehow。〃
〃Different； yet the same。 The same qualities make for success。
You have the brains and with your gift for machineryWell； try it。
You and Jack here will make this go between you； as you made the
other go。〃
The door closed on the young man。
〃Will he make good； Jack？〃 said the father； anxiously。
〃Will any of us make good？〃
〃You will； Jack； I know。 You can stick。〃
〃Yes； I can stick； I suppose； but； after allwell； we'll have a go
at it； anyway。 But； like Tony； I feel like saying； 'Don't expect
too much。'〃
〃Only your best； Jack； that's all。 Take three months； six months；
a year； and get hold of the office end of the business。 You have
brains enough。 I want a General Manager right now； Wickes is
hardly up to it。 He knows the books and he knows the works but he
knows nothing else。 He doesn't know men nor markets。 He is an
office man pure and simple； and he's old； too old。 The fact is；
Jack； I have to be my own Manager inside and outside。 My foremen
are good； loyal； reliable fellows； but they only know their orders。
I want someone to stand beside me。 The plant has been doubled in
capacity during the war。 We did a lot of war workaeroplane
parts。 We got the spruce in the raw and worked it up； good work；
too； if I do say it myself。 No better was done。〃
〃I know something about that； Dad。 I had a day with Badgley in
Toronto。 I know something about it； and I know where the money
went； too； Dad。〃
〃The money？ Of course； I couldn't take the moneyhow could I with
my boys at the war； and other men's boys？〃
〃Rather not。 My God； Dad； if I thought！ But what's the use
talking？ They know in London all about the Ambulance Equipment and
the Machine Gun Battery； and the Hospital。 Do you know why Caramus
took a job in the Permanent Force in England？ It was either that
or blowing out his brains。 He could not face his father； a war
millionaire。 My God； how could he？〃
The boy was walking about his room with face white and lips
quivering。
〃Caramus was in charge of that Machine Gun Section that held the
line and let us get back。 Every man wiped out； and Caramus carried
back smashed to small piecesand his father making a million out
of munitions！ My God！ My God！〃
A silence fell in the room for a minute。
〃Poor old Caramus！ I saw him in the City a month ago；〃 said the
father。 〃I pitied the poor wretch。 He was alone in the Club； not
a soul would speak to him。 He has got his hell。〃
〃He deserves itall of it； and all who like him have got fat on
blood money。 Do you know； Dad； when I see those men going about in
the open and no one kicking them I get fairly sick。 I don't wonder
at some of the boys seeing red。 You mark my words； we are going to
have bad times in this country before long。〃
〃I am afraid of it； boy。 Things look ugly。 Even in our own works
I feel a bad spirit about。 There are some newcomers from the old
country whom I can't say I admire much。 They grouch and they won't
work。 Our production is lower than ever in our history and our
labor cost is more than twice what it was in 1914。〃
〃Well； Dad； give them a little time to settle down。 I have no more
use for a slacker than I have for a war millionaire。〃
〃We can't stand much of that thing。 Financially we are in fairly
good shape。 We broke even with our aeroplane work。 But we have a
big stoc