“Servedhimrightenough，too，Ifancy，“saidCaptainJack。
“I’ll’avethelawontheloto’ye，Iwill。I’mapoorworkin’
man，butI’vegotmyrights，an’ifthere’sajusticeinthisGawdforsakencountryI’ll’aveprotectionformyfamily。“AndMr。
Wigglesworth，workingupafury，backedoffdownthelane。
“Don’tfear，Wigglesworth，you’llgetallthejusticeyouwant。
PerhapsSamwilltellus——Hello！WhereisSam？“
ButSamhadvanished。HehadnomindforaninvestigationinthepresenceofCaptainJack。
“Well，well，hecan’tbemuchinjured，Iguess。Meantime，canI
giveyoualift，Annette？“
“No，thankyou，“saidthegirl，thecolourinhercheeksmatchingthecrimsonribbonatherthroat。“I’mjustgoinghome。It’sonlyalittleway。Idon’t——“
“Theyoungleddyiswithme，sir，“saidtheyoungScotchmanquietly。
“Oh，sheis，eh？“saidCaptainJack，lookinghimover。“Ah，well，then——Good-bye，Annette，forthepresent。“Heheldouthishand。
“Wemustrenewouroldacquaintance，eh？“
“Thankyou，sir，“saidthegirl。
“’Sir？’Rot！Youaren’tgoingto’sir’me，Annette，afterallthefunandthefightswehadintheolddays。Notmuch。We’regoingtobegoodchumsagain，eh？Whatdoyousay？“
“Idon’tknow，“saidAnnette，flashingaswiftglanceintoCaptainJack’sadmiringeyes。“Itdependson——“
“Onme？“
“Ididn’tsayso。“Herheadwentupabit。
“Onyou？“
“Ididn’tsayso。“
“Well，letitgo。Butwewillbepalsagain，Annette，Ivow。
Good-bye。“CaptainJackliftedhishatandmovedaway。
AshereachedhiscarheranupagainstyoungRupertStillwell。
“DeucedlyprettyAnnettehasgrown，eh？“saidStillwell。
“Annette’sallright，“saidJack，ratherbrusquely，enteringhiscar。
“Workinginyourboxfactory，Iunderstand，eh？“
“Don’treallyknow，“saidJackcarelessly。“Probably。“
ThecrowdhadmeantimefadedawaywithCaptainJack’sgoing。
“DidnaknowtheCaptainwasafriendofyours，Annette，“saidMack，fallingintostepbesideher。
“No——yes——Idon’tknow。WewenttoPublicSchooltogetherbeforethewar。Iwasakidthen。“Hermannerwasabstractedandhereyeswerefaraway。Mackwalkedgloomilybyherononeside，littleSteveontheother。
“Huh！He’snoyoursort，Adoot，“hesaidsullenly。
“Whatdoyousay？“criedAnnette，returningfromherabstraction。
“Whatdoyoumean，’mysort’？“Herheadwenthighandhereyesflashed。
“Hewouldnalookatye，foronyguid。“
“Hedidlookatmethough，“repliedAnnette，tossingherhead。
“Noforonyguid！“repeatedMack，stubbornly。
Annettestoppedinhertracks，aburningredonhercheeksandadangerouslightinherblackeyes。
“Mr。McNish，that’syourroad，“shesaid，pointingoverhisshoulder。
“A’lltakittae，“saidMcNish，wheelingonhisheel，“an’yecanhaeyourCaptainforme。“
WithneveralookathimAnnettetookherwayhome。
“Good-bye，Steve，“shesaid，stoopingandkissingtheboy。“Thisisyourcorner。“
“Annette，“hesaid，withaquick，shylookupintoherface，“I
likeCaptainJack，don’tyou？“
“No，“shesaidhurriedly。“Imeanyes，ofcourse。“
“AndIlikeyoutoo，“saidtheboy，withanadoringlookinhisdeepeyes，“better’nanyoneintheworld。“
“Doyou，Steve？I’mglad。“Againshestoopedswiftlyandkissedhim。“Nowrunhome。“
Shehurriedhome，passedintoherroomwithoutawordtoanyone。
Slowlysheremovedherhat，thenturningtoherglassshegazedatherflushedfaceforafewmoments。Alittlesmilecurvedherlips。“Hedidlookatmeanyway，“shewhisperedtothefacethatlookedoutather，“hedid，hedid，“sherepeated。Thenswiftlyshecoveredhereyes。Whenshelookedagainshesawafacewhiteanddrawn。“Hewouldnalookatye。“Thewordssmoteherwithachill。Drearilysheturnedawayandwentout。
TheRectorywasoneoftheveryoldestofthemoresubstantialofBlackwater’sdwellings。Builtofgreylimestonefromthelocalquarries，itssolidsquaremassrelievedbyitsquaintdormerwindowswassoftenedfromitsprimaluglinessbytheBostonivythathadclamberedtotheeavesandlaydrapedaboutthewindowslikeasoftgreenmantle。Builtintheearlydays，itstoodwiththelittlechurch，agemofGothicarchitecture，withinspaciousgroundsboughtwhenlandwascheap。Behindthehousestoodthestable，builtalsoofgreylimestone，andatonesideacherryandappleorchardformedacharmingbackgroundtothegreybuildingswiththeircrowdingshrubberyandgardens。Agravelledwindingdriveledfromthestreetthroughtoweringelms，apicturesqueremnantfromtheoriginalforest，tothefrontdoorandroundthehousetothestableyardbehind。FromthedrivewayagravelledfootpathledthroughtheshrubberyandflowergardenbyawicketgatetotheChurch。WhenfirstbuilttheRectorystoodindignifiedseclusionontheedgeofthevillage，buttheprosperityofthegrowingtowndemandingspaceforitsinhabitantshaddrivenitsstreetsfarbeyondtheRectorydemesneoneveryside，tillnowitstood，agreenoasisofshelteredloveliness，amidacrowdingmassofmodernbrickdwellings，comfortableenoughbutaridofbeautyandsuggestiveonlyoftheutilitariandemandsofabusymanufacturingtown。
FornearlyaquarterofacenturytheRev。HerbertAvelingTempleton，D。D。，LL。D。，forwhomtheRectoryhadbeenbuilt，hadministeredinholythingstotheParishofSt。Alban’sandhadexercisedaguidingandpaternalcareoverthesocialandreligiouswell-beingofthecommunity。TheyoungersonofoneofEngland’snoblefamilies，educatedinanEnglishPublicSchoolandUniversity，herepresented，inthelifeofthisnew，thriving，bustlingtown，thetraditionsandmannersofanEnglishgentlemanoftheOldSchool。Stillinhisearlysixties，hecarriedhisyearswithallthevigourofamantwentyyearshisjunior。Ashedailytookhismorningwalkforhismail，steppingwiththebriskpaceofonewhosepoisetheyearshadnotbeenabletodisturb，yetwiththestatelybearingconsistentwiththedignityattachingtohispositionandoffice，men’seyesfollowedthetall，handsome，white-haired，wellsetupgentlemanalwayswithadmirationand，whereknowledgewasintimate，withreverenceandaffection。Beforetherecentrapidgrowthofthetownconsequentupontheestablishmentofvariousmanufacturingindustriesattractedthitherbytheuniquerailroadfacilities，theRector’swalkwassomethinginthenatureofpublicperambulatoryreception。Forheknewthemall，andforallhadawordofgreeting，ofenquiry，ofcheer，ofadmonition，sothatbythetimehehadreturnedtohishomehemighthavebeensaidtohaveconductedapastoralvisitationofaconsiderableproportionofhisflock。Evenyet，withthechangesthathadtakenplace，hiswalktothePostOfficewaspunctuatedwithgreetingsandsalutationsfromhisfellow-citizensinwhoseheartshistwenty-fiveyearsofdevotiontotheirwell-being，spiritualandphysical，hadmadeforhimanenduringplace。
TheladyoftheRectory，thoughsometwentyyearshisjunior，yet，byreasonofdelicatehealthduelargelytothedoubleburdenofhouseholdcaresandparishduties，appearedtobequiteofequalage。Gentleinspirit，frailinbody，thereseemedtobeinhersoulsomethingofthequalityoftemperedsteel，yetwithalastrainofworldlywisdommingledwithastrangeignoranceoftheaffairsofmodernlife。Herliferevolvedaroundonecentre，heradoredhusband，acentreenlargedastimewentontoincludeheronlysonandhertwodaughters。Allothersandallelseinherworldwereofinterestsolelyastheymightbemoreorlesscloselyrelatedtothese，themembersofherfamily。Thetownandthetownfolksheknewsolelyasherhusband’sparish。Therewereotherpeopleandothercommunions，nodoubt，butbeingbeyondthepaletheycouldhardlybesupposedtomatter，or，atanyrate，shecouldnotbesupposedtoregardthemwithmorethantheinterestandspasmodicconcernwhichshefeltitherdutytobestowuponthoseunfortunatedwellersinpartibusinfidelium。
RegardingthePublicSchoolofthetownwithaversionbecauseofitswoefullydemocraticcharacter，shewasweanedfromherhostilitytothatinstitutionwhenherson’snamewasentereduponitsroll。Hereldestdaughter，indeed，shesentasagirloffourteentoanexclusiveEnglishschool，theexpenseofwhichwasbornebyherhusband’seldestbrother，SirArthurTempleton，forsheheldtheopinionthatwhileforaboythePublicSchoolwasanexcellentinstitutionwithagirlitwasquitedifferent。Hence，whilehereldestdaughterwent“Home“forhereducation，herboywenttotheBlackwaterPublicandHighSchools，whichinstitutionsbecamehenceforthinvestedwiththehighestqualificationsascentresofeducation。Herboy’sfriendswereherfriends，andtothemherhousewasopenatallhoursofdayornight。Indeed，itbecamethegoverningideainherdomesticpolicythatherhouseshouldbetherallyingcentreforeverythingthatwasrelatedinanydegreetoherchildren’slife。Hence，shequietlybuteffectivelylimitedthecircleofthechildren’sfriendstothosewhowereableandwerewillingtomaketheRectorytheirsocialcentre。ShesawtoitthatforHerbert’sintimateboyfriendsthebigplayroomatthetopofthehouse，onceabareandemptyroomandlaterthelargeandcomfortablefamilylivingroom，becametheplaceofmeetingforalltheirsocialandathleticclubactivities。
Withunsleepingvigilanceshestoodonguardagainstanythingthatmightbreakthatcircleofherheart’sdevotion。Thecirclemightbe，indeedmustbeenlarged，asforinstancetotakeintheMaitlandboys，Herbert’sclosestchums。Shewaswiseenoughtoseethewisdomofthat，butnothingonearthwouldsheallowtofilchfromherasingleunitofthepricelesstreasuresofherheart。
Tothislawofherlifeshemadeoneglorious，onesplendidexception。Whenhercountrycalled，she，afterweeksofsilent，fierce，lonely，agonisedstrugglegaveupherboyandsenthimwithvoiceless，tearlesspridetotheWar。
But，whentheboy’sColonelwroteintermsofaffectionateprideofherboy’sgloriouspassing，withnewandstrangeadaptabilityherheartcirclewasextendedtoincludeherboy’scomradesinwarandthosewholikeherselfhadsentthemforth。Thencefortheverykhakicoveredladwastoherason，andeverysoldier’smotherafriend。
Asherownimmediatehomecirclegrewsmaller，theintensityofherdevotionincreased。Hertwodaughtersbecameherabsorbingconcern。Withthemodernnotionthatagirlmightmakeforherselfacareerinlifeshehadnosympathywhatever。Toseethemhappilymarriedandinhomesoftheirownbecametheabsorbingambitionofherlife。Tothisendsheadministeredhersocialactivities，withthispurposeinviewsheencouragedordiscouragedherdaughters’
friendshipswithmen。Withtheworldlywisdomofwhichshehadherownshareshecametotheconclusionthatineligiblemenfriends，thatis，menfriendsunabletogiveherdaughtersapropersettinginthesocialworld，weretobeeffectivelyeliminated。Thatthemenofherdaughters’choosingshouldbegentlemeninbreedingwentwithoutsaying，butthattheyshouldbesufficientlyendowedwithwealthtosupportapropersocialpositionwasequallyessential。
ThatJackMaitlandhadsomehowdroppedoutoftheintimatecircleoffriendswhohadinpre-wardaysmadetheRectorytheirheadquarterswastoheramorebitterdisappointmentthanshecaredtoacknowledgeeventoherself。HersonandthetwoMaitlandboyshadbeeninseparableintheirschoolandcollegedays，andwiththetwoyoungmenherdaughtershadbeenassociatedintheveryclosesttermsofcomradeship。ButsomehowCaptainJackMaitlandafterthefirstmonthssucceedinghisreturnfromthewarhaddrawnapart。
Disappointed，perplexed，hurt，shevainlyhadstriventorestoretheoldfootingbetweentheyoungmanandherdaughters。YoungMaitlandhadtakenuphismedicalstudiesforafewmonthsathisoldUniversityinTorontoandsohadbeenoutoftouchwiththesociallifeofhishometown。Thenafterhehad“chucked“hiscourseasimpossiblehehadathisfather’searnestwishtakenupworkatthemills，atfirstintheoffice，laterinthemanufacturingdepartment。TherewassomethingqueerinJack’sattitudetowardhisoldlifeanditsassociations，andafterherfirstfailuresinattemptingtorestoretheoldrelationshiphereldestdaughter’sprideandthenherownforbadefurtherefforts。