Adrien，hereldestdaughter，hadalwaysbeenadifficultchild，andherstayinEnglandandlaterherexperienceinwarworkinFrancewhereforthreeyearsshehadgivenrareserviceinhospitalworkhadsomehowmadeherevenmoreinaccessibletohermother。Andnowthesituationhadbeenrenderedmoredistressingbyherdetermination“tofindsomethingtodo。“Shewasfirminherresolvethatshehadnointentionofpatientlywaitinginherhome，ostensiblybusyingherselfwithsocialdutiesbutinreality“waitingifnotactuallyanglingforaman。“Shebluntlyinformedherscandalisedparentthat“whenshewantedamanmorethanacareeritwouldbefarlesshumiliatingtofranklygooutandgethimthantopractisealluringposesinthehopesthathemightdeigntobestowuponherhislordlyregard。“Hermotherwiselyforeboretoargue。Indeed，shehadlongsincelearnedthatinargumentivepowersshewashopelesslyoutclassedbyherintellectualdaughter。
Shecouldonlyexpresshershockeddisappointmentatsuchintentionsandquietlyplantocircumventthem。
AstoPatricia，heryoungerdaughter，shedismissedallconcern。
Shewasonlyachildasyet，wisebeyondheryears，buttoothoroughlyimmaturetocauseanyanxietyforsomeyearstocome。
MeantimeshehadatfirsttoleratedandthengentlyencouragedtheeagerandobviousanxietyofRupertStillwelltomakeafootingforhimselfintheRectoryfamily。AttheoutbreakofthewarherantipathytoyoungStillwellasaslackerhadbeenviolent。Hehadnotjoinedupwiththefirstbandofardentyoungsoulswhohadsoeagerlypointedthepathtodutyandtoglory。But，whenithadbeenmadecleartothepublicmindthatyoungStillwellhadbeenpronouncedphysicallyunfitforserviceandwasthereforepreventedfromtakinghisplaceinthatCanadianlinewhichthoughitmightwearthinattimeshadneverbroken，Mrs。Templetonrelievedhiminhermindofthedamningcountofbeingaslacker。Later，becomingimpressedwiththeenthusiasmoftheyoungman’sdevotiontovariousformsofpatrioticwarserviceathome，shefinally，thoughitmustbeconfessedwithsomethingofaneffort，hadgrantedhimaplacewithinthecircleofherhome。Furthermore，RupertStillwellhaddoneextremelywellinallhisbusinessenterprisesandhadcometoberecognisedasoneofthecomingyoungmenofthedistrict，indeedoftheProvince，withsureprospectsofadvancementinpublicestimation。Hence，thefrequencywithwhichStillwell’sbigHudsonSixcouldbeseenparkedonthegravelleddrivebeforetheRectoryfrontdoor。Inadditiontothis，RupertandhisHudsonSixwerefoundtobemostuseful。Hehadabundanceoffreetimeandhewascharminglyreadywithhisoffersofservice。Anyhourofthedaythecar，drivenbyhimselforhischauffeur，wasatthedisposalofanymemberoftheRectoryfamily，acourtesyofwhichMrs。Templetonwasnotunwillingtoavailherselfthoughneverwithanylossofdignitybutalwayswithappearanceofbestowingratherthanofreceivingafavour。Astotheyoungladies，AdrienrarelyallowedherselfthedelightofamotorrideinRupertStillwell’sluxuriouscar。Ontheotherhand，hadhermothernotintervened，Patriciawouldhaveindulgedwithoutscrupleherpassionforjoy-riding。Thecarsheadored，RupertStillwellsheregardedsimplyasameanstotheindulgenceofheradoration。Hewasajollycompanion，acleverlyhumouroustalker，andanunfailingpurveyorofbon-bons。
HencehewastoPatriciaaneverwelcomeguestattheRectory，andthewarmthofPatricia’swelcomewentalongwaytoestablishhispositionofintimacyinthefamily。
Itwasnottobesupposed，however，thatthatyounglady’sgraciousandindeedeageracceptanceofthemanifoldcourtesiesoftheyounggentlemaninquestionburdenedherintheveryslightestwithanysenseofobligationtoanythingbutthemostcavaliertreatmentofhim，shouldoccasiondemand。Shewasunhesitatinglyfrankandreadywithcriticismandchallengeofhisopinions，indeedheappearedtopossessafatalfacilityforchampioningherspecialaversionsandantagonisingherenthusiasms。OfthelatterhermostavowedexamplewasCaptainJack，asshelovedtocallhim。AwordofcriticismofCaptainJack，herhero，herknight，sanspeuretsansreprocheandherloyalsoulwasaflamewithpassionateresentment。
ItsofellonanoccasionwhenyoungStillwellwasadinnerguestattheRectory。
“Doyouknow，Patricia，“andRupertStillwelllookedacrossthedinnertableteasinglyintoPatricia’sface，“yourCaptainJackwasrathermixedupinanicelittlerowto-day？“
“Iheardallaboutit，Rupert，andCaptainJackdidjustwhatI
wouldhaveexpectedhimtodo。“Patricia’sunsmilingeyeslookedsteadilyintotheyoungman’ssmilingface。
“Rescuedacharmingyoungdamsel，eh？Bytheway，thatPerrottegirlhasturnedoutuncommonlygoodlooking，“continuedRupert，addressingtheeldersister。
“Rescuingapoorlittleill-treatedboyfromthehandsofabrutalbullyandthebully’sbrutalfather——“Patricia’svoicewascoollybelligerent。
“MydearPatricia！“Themother’svoicewasdeprecatinglypacific。
“Itissimplytrue，Mother，andRupertknowsitquitewelltoo，or——“
“Patricia！“Herfather’squietvoicearrestedhisdaughter’sflowofspeech。
“But，Father，everyone——“
“Patricia！“Thevoicewasjustasquietbutwithaslightlyincreaseddistinctnessinenunciation，andglancingswiftlyatherfather’sfacePatriciarecognisedthatthelimitsofherspeechhadbeenreached，unlessshepreferredtochangethesubject。
“Yes，Annettehasgrownverypretty，indeed，“saidAdrien，takinguptheconversation，“andisreallyaverynicegirl，indeed。Shesingsbeautifully。Sheistheleadingsopranoinherchurchchoir，Ibelieve。“
“CaptainJackMaitlandappearedtothinkherquitecharming，“saidRupert，makingeyesatPatricia。Patricia’slipstightenedandhereyesgleamedabit。
“Theywereinschooltogether，Ithink，weretheynot，Mamma？“saidAdrien，flushingslightly。
“Ofcoursetheywere，andsowasRupert，too——“saidPatriciawithimpatientscorn，“andsowouldyouifyouhadn’tbeensenttoEngland，“sheaddedtohersister。
“Nodoubtofit，“saidRupertwithasmile，“butyouseeshewasfortunateenoughtobesenttoEngland。“
“Blackwaterisgoodenoughforme，“saidPatricia，acertainstubbornhostilityinhertone。
“IhavealwaysthoughttheBlackwaterHighSchoolanexcellentinstitution，“saidhermotherquickly，“especiallyforboys。“
“Yes，indeed，forboys，“repliedStillwell，“butforyoungladies——
well，thereissomethinginanEnglishschool，youknow，thatyoucan’tgetinanyHighSchoolhereinCanada。“
“Rot！“ejaculatedPatricia。
“MydearPatricia！“Themotherwasquiteshocked。
“Pardonme，Mother，butyouknowwehaveaperfectlysplendidHighSchoolhere。Fatherhasoftensaidso。“
Hermothersighed。“Yes，forboys。Butforgirls，IfeelwithRupertthatyougetsomethinginEnglishschoolsthat——“Shehesitated，lookinguncertainlyatherelderdaughter。
“Yes，andperhapslosesomething，Mamma，“saidAdrienquietly。“I
mean，“sheaddedhastily，“youlosetouchwithalotofthingsandpeople，friends。Now，forinstance，yourememberwhenwewereallchildren，boysandgirlstogether，atthePublicSchool，Annettewasoneofthecleverestandbestofthelotofus，Iusedtobefondofher——andtheothers。Now——“
“Butyoucan’thelpgrowingup，“saidRupert，“and——well，democracyisallrightandthatsortofthing，butyoumustdriftintoyourclassyouknow。There’sAnnette，forinstance。Sheisafactoryhand，afinegirlofcourse，andallthat，but——“
“Oh，Isupposewemustrecognisefacts。Rupert，youarequiteright，“saidMrs。Templeton，“theremustbesocialdistinctionsandthereareclasses。Imean，“sheadded，asiftoforestalltheoutburstshesawgatheringbehindheryoungerdaughter’sclosedlips，“wemustinevitablydrawtoourownsetbyournaturaloracquiredtastesandbyourtraditionsandbreeding。“
“AllverywellinEngland，Mamma。IsupposedearUncleArthurandourdearcousinswouldhardlyfeelcalledupontorecogniseAnnetteasafriend。“
“Whyshouldthey？“challengedRupert。
“MydearPatricia，“saidherfather，mildlypatient，“youarequitewrong。Ourpeopleathome，youruncleArthur，Imean，andyourcousins，andallwell-bredfolk，donotallowclassdistinctionstolimitfriendship。Friendsarechosenonpurelypersonalgroundsofrealworthand——well，congeniality。“
“WouldUncleArthur，orrather，AuntAliciahaveAnnettetodinner，forinstance？“demandedPatricia。
“Certainlynot，“saidhermotherpromptly。
“ShewouldnotdoanythingtoembarrassAnnette，“saidherfather。
“Oh，Dad，whatafunk。Thatisquiteunworthyofyou。“
“Wouldshebeaskedherenowtodinner？“saidRupert。“Imean，“headdedinsomeconfusion，“woulditbe，ah，suitable？YouknowwhatImean。“
“Shehasbeenhere。Don’tyouremember，Mamma？Shewasoftenhere。Andeverytimeshecameshewasthecleverestthing，shewasthebrightest，themostattractivegirlinthebunch。“Hermother’seyebrowswentup。“Intheparty，Imean。Andthemostpopular。Why，IrememberquitewellthatRupertwasquitedevotedtoher。“
“Amerechild，shewasthen，youknow，“saidRupert。
“Sheisjustasbright，justasattractive，asclevernow，moresoindeed，asfineagirlineveryway。Butofcourseshewasnotafactorygirlthen。That’swhatyoumean，“repliedPatriciascornfully。
“Shehasfoundherclass，“persistedRupert。“Sheisallyousay，butsurely——“
“Yes，sheisworkinginthenewboxfactory。Hermother，lazy，selfishthing，tookherfromtheHighSchool。“
“MydearPatricia，youarequiteviolent，“protestedhermother。
“It’strue，Mamma，“continuedthegirl，hereyesagleam，“andnowsheworksintheboxfactorywhileCaptainJackworksintheplaningmill。Sheisinthesameclass。“
“Andgoodfriendsapparently，“saidRupertwithamaliciouslittlegrin。
“Whynot？WewouldhaveCaptainJacktodinner，butnotAnnette。“
Herfathersmiledather。“Welldone，littlegirl。Annetteisafinegirlandisfortunateinherchampion。Youcanhavehertodinneranyevening，Iamquitesure。“
“Canwe，Mamma？“
“Mydear，wewillnotdiscussthematteranyfurther，“saidhermother。“Itisaveryoldquestionandveryperplexing，Iconfess，but——“
“Wedon’tseeCaptainJackverymuchsincehisreturn，“saidherfather，turningtheconversation。“Youmightbeginwithhim，eh，Patsy？“
“No，“saidthegirl，ashadefallingonherface。“Heisalwaysbusy。Hehassuchlonghours。Heworkshisday’sworkwiththemenandthenhealwaysgoesuptotheofficetohisfather——and——
and——Oh，Idon’tknow，Iwishhewouldcome。He’snot——“Patriciafellsuddenlysilent。
“Jackisverymuchengaged，“saidhermotherquietly。
“Naturallyheistiedup，learningthebusiness，Imean，“saidtheeldersisterquietly。“Hehaslittletimeformeresocialfrivolitiesandthatsortofthing。“
“It’snotthat，Adrien，“saidPatricia。“Heisdifferentsincehecameback。Iwish——“Shepausedabruptly。
“Heischanged，“saidhermotherwithasigh。“They——theboysareallchanged。“
“Thewarhasleftitsmarkuponthem，andwhatelsecanweexpect？“
saidDr。Templeton。“Onewondershowtheycansettledownatalltowork。“
“Oh，Jackhassettleddownallright，“saidPatricia，asifanalysingasubjectinterestingtoherselfalone。“Jack’snotlikealotofthem。He’stoomuchsettleddown。Whatisit，Iwonder？
Heseemstohavequiteverything，dancing，tennis，golf。Hedoesn’tcare——“
“Doesn’tcare？Whatfor？Thatsoundseitherasifhewereanegotistoraslacker。“Hersister’swordsraspedPatricia’smostsensitiveheartstring。Shevisiblysquirmed，eagerlywaitingachancetoreply。“Jackisneither，“continuedAdrienslowly。“I
understandthethingperfectly。Hehasbeenupagainstbigthings，sobigthateverythingelseseemstrivial。Fancyatennistournamentforamanthathasstaredintohell’smouth。“
“Mydear，youareright，“saidherfather。“Patriciaisreallytalkingtoomuch。Youngpeopleshould——“