To Him That Hath

e workers whom he had always taken a pride in designating "my men." The situation was at once galling to his pride and shocking to his sense of fair play. His men were his comrades in work. He knew

have to meet a Grievance Committee, whose boast it had been that the first man in the works to know of a grievance was himself, and that the men with whom he had toiled and shared both good fortune and ill, but more

claimed to Wickes, when the old bookke

id Wickes, his tone of disgust disclaiming

What do they want? Who are they? Bring them in," he roared in a vo

rally used for his collie dog, which bore a thorou

of five. With a swift glance which touched "the boss" in its passage and then rested upon the wall, the ceiling, the landscape visible thro

what is it?" said G

ting emotions of pride in his present important position and a wholesome fear of his "boss." However,

fore you certain grievances w'ich we feel to be very (h)oppressive, sir, so to

r trouble? You have some trouble, what is i

ted to wait on you, sir, to lay before you certain facts w'ich

nd get at the things. What do you want? Do you k

sworth in a loud voice, "our rights as free

ou want of me?" said Maitland. "You, Gilby, you have some

, Canadian born, of about thirty, "but it

t th

at blank

rem

ttin' in like a blank billy goat!" The growls

The boss was ready to

said Gilby. "It's that young

ain. "Tony Perrotte! Why, you don't mean to tell me that Perr

d everybody. You can't tell him anything. And you'd think

at the fro

for thre

what disci

Corporal and a Company Commander. I know an officer

by. You must take orders from my foreman. You know

itland, and I never kicked at

and n

is youn

you mean, 'dude

some willies. Look here, other folks has been to the war

ring in this room." The cold blue

ve got, but that-that Tony Perrotte has

like your job you know what yo

n quit?" enqui

t's me. And my foreman takes my orders and passes the

ts as-" began Mr. W

f it is your-r or-rder-rs that your-r for-r-man

gh Mr. Wigglesworth's sputtering noise

rned sharply up

name, my man

a har-r-d it. But the name maitters little. I

lity. There was a complete absence of Wigglesworth's noisy bluster, as also of Gilby's violent profanity. He obviously knew his ground and was ready to hold

him for a moment or tw

k, McNish?" he en

in the sawmill. A'm

te is not yo

e," said McN

inst him?" Mr. Maitland had the air of a m

e men tae-the men

sume to spe

t me to spea

ir compl

s that he is no fi

you are here sole

xperience and A hae har-r-d the man, and

a foreman, McNish?" enquired Mr. Maitland

A do

sk, have you come

not see the bearin

r judgment as superior to mine in the choice of a fore

the point of view of the management and that of the worker. We have the one point

And why

o do with profits, o

tland, "but it happens that profits and

ary consideration and humanity the sec

ou are a new man here and so I will excuse you the impudence

aid nae sic thing," said McNish. "But your forem

an unfortunate word for the success of the interview. "'Must,' eh?" repeated Mr. Maitland with rising wrath. "I'd have

use to remove

said Mr. Maitland with glin

know yere answer. Th

, be quick

dinna pay yere

't?" said Mr. Maitland

fixed the wage. If yere wage was right then, it's wrang the noo." Under the strain Mr. Maitland's boring eyes and increasi

s be?" enquired Mr. Maitla

elied upon. They show the increased cost of living during the last five years. You know yeresel' the increas

my own conscience alone. As to the wage question, Mr. Wickes will tell you, the

y be necessary to point (h)out the right course to you. I may say I took the same (

and, cutting him short. "Have you anything m

e hope that you will reconsider yer

ill not," said Mr. Maitland, snap

an, you will look into the ma

think best," sa

uld be

eaned over his desk toward the calm and r

no a bairn, but a man an' a wise man an' a just, A

alked from the room, followed by the other members of the Committee, with the

us (h)era, sir. The (h)age of rea

ou made all your speeches yet? The ti

to his b

e reports turned in

d was seriously disturbed. And with good reason. In the first place, never in his career had one of his men addressed him in the cool terms of equality which Mc

tied to Tony Perrotte by bonds that reached his heart. Had it not been so, he would have made short work of the business. As it was, Tony would have to stay at all costs. Mr. Maitland sat back in his chair, his eyes fixed upon the Big Bluff visible through the window, but his mind lingering over a picture that had often gripped hard at his heart during the last two years, a picture drawn for him in a letter from his remaining son, Jack. The letter lay in the desk at his ha

solemn affirmation, "as the Lord

needed only a rapid survey of the sheets to give him the whole story. Incompetence and worse, sheer car

an item that cried out mismanagement and blundering. "Here is an order that

overwhelmed in dismay

get orders through, sir, thes

look at this. Here is a lot of material gone to the scrap heap, the finest spruce ever grown in Canada too. What does this me

review under his eye. Suddenly h

is is simpl

d his fingers trembling. "I don't-I don't

hould say not," shouted

t, as I used to be. I get confused-and-" The old bookkeeper's li

hese away," r

ly struggling in the relentless grip of his conscience, lashed with a sense of his own injustice. His anger which had found vent upon his old bookkeeper

as Wickes, with a paper in his hand. Without a word he laid the paper

mean?" His chief's voice arrested

not see as how I can go on." Maitland's brows frowned upon the sheet. Slowl

," he added in a voice that grew

gan Wickes, in

mpatiently. "You know I won't stand for that.

Stephen at the last, and-" The

er. And that's another reason

d the bookkeeper timidly, "if yo

u-you-old fool. But," said Maitland, reaching his hand ac

ern and set, Wickes' working in a pitiful effort to stay the tears that ran down his cheeks,

lt sure of his voice. "Some way, but not that w