下载辰思小说免费APP
“Nonsense！“criedPatriciaindignantly。“Jacktookmeyesterdaytoseethework。Heshowedmealltheplansandwewentoverthegrounds。Itisamostsplendidthing，Mamma！Heislayingoutathleticgroundsforhismen，withaclubhouseandallthatsortofthing。Theyaregoingtobeperfectlysplendid！Doyoumeantosaytheywereblaminghimforthis？Whowas？“AndPatriciastoodreadyforbattle。
“Kamerad！“criedVic，holdinguphishands。“Notme！However，Jackwasexonerated，foritappearshesentthemalettertwoweeksago，tellingthemwhatheproposedtodo，towhichlettertheyhadraisednoobjection。“
“Well，whatthen？“inquiredPatricia。
“Oh，theusualthing。Theyallresolvedtostandpat——nosurrender——
or，rather，letthewholelineadvance——youknowthestuff——whenintothiswarlikeatmospherewalkedthedeputationfromtheMinisterialAssociation。ItgavetheE。D。C。aslightshock，somyDadsays。TheDoctorfiredthefirstgun。Mygovernorsaysthatitwaslikeabreathfromanotherworld。Hisfacewasenough。
Everybodyfeltmeanforjustbeingwhattheywere。Iknowexactlywhatthatis，forIknowthewayhemakesmefeelwhenIlookathiminchurch。YouknowwhatImean，Pat。“
“Iknow，“saidPatriciasoftly，lettingherhandfalluponhermother’sshoulder。
“Well，“continuedVic，“theDoctorjusttalkedtothemasiftheywerehischildren。Theyhadn’tbeenverygoodandhewassorryforthem。Hewouldliketohelpthemtobebetter。Theotherside，too，hadbeendoingwrong，andtheywerehavingabadtime。Theyweresuffering，andashewentontotelltheminthatwonderfulvoiceofhisaboutthewomenandchildren，everymanintheroom，sothegovernorsaid，waswonderinghowmuchhehadinhispocket。
AndthenhetoldthemofhowwickeditwasformenwhosesonshaddiedtogetherinFrancetobefightingeachotherhereinCanada。
Well，youknowmygovernor。Ashetoldmethistale，wejustbothofusbowedourheadsandwept。It’sthetruth，sohelpme，justasyouaredoingnow，Pat。“
“Iamnot，“criedPatriciaindignantly。“AndIdon’tcareifIam。
Heisadearandthosemenarejust——“
“Hush，dear，“saidMrs。Templetongently。“Anddidtheyagreetoanything？“
“Alas，notthey，foratthatmomentsomeoldJohnnybeganaskingquestionsandthenthatoldfire-eater，McGinnis，hornedinagain。
NoArbitrationCommitteeforhim——noonecouldcomeintohisfoundryandtellhimhowtorunhisbusiness——sameoldstuff，youknow。Well，then，theMethodistJohnnytookahand。What’shisname？Haynes，isn’tit？“
“Yes，Haynes，“saidHughMaynard。
“Well，BrotherHaynestookupthetale。Heisaneloquentchap，allright。Hetooktheline’Asyouarestrong，bepitiful，’butthepsychologicalmomenthadgoneandthelinestillheldstrong。
Campbellofthewoollenmillsinvitedhimuptoviewhis$25，000。00
stock’alldressedupandnowheretogo。’’TellmehowIcanpayincreasedwageswiththisstockonmyhands。’Andechoanswered’How？’Haynescouldnot。Thenmyoldchieftookahand——theReverendMurdoMatheson。Heisagoodoldscout，aPadre，youknow——regularfire-eater——araspingvoiceandgreymatteroozingfromhispores。Mygovernorsaysheabandonedthefrontalattackandtookthemontheflank。Openedupwithadoseofeconomicsthatmadethemsitup。Andwhenhegotthroughonthisline，hemadeeverymanfeelthatitwasentirelyduetothecourtesyandforbearanceoftheunionthathewasallowedtocarryonbusinessatall。HespikedBrotherMcGinnis’sgunsbyinforminghimthatifhewasharbouringtheideathatheownedafoundryallonhisown，hewaslabouringunderahallucination。Allheownedwasaheapofbrickandmortarandsomeironandsteeljunkarrangedinsomepeculiarway。Infact，therewasnofoundrytheretilltheworkmencameinandstartedthewheelsgoinground。OldMcGinnissatgaspinglikeachickenwiththepip。ThenthePadreturnedonthe’Libertyofthesubject’stopasfollows:’Mr。McGinnisinsistsuponlibertytorunhisfoundryashelikes；insistsuponperfectfreedomofaction。Thereisnosuchthingasperfe
