to him that hath-第26部分

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〃He　is　a　clever　little　beggar；　is　Snoopy；〃　said　Vic。

〃But；　meantime；〃　said　Mrs。　Templeton；　〃where　is　Jack！　　He　was　going
to　be　here；　was　he　not？〃

〃Feasting　and　dancing；　I　expect；〃　said　Rupert。　　〃There　is　a　big
supper　on；　given　by　the　Mill　management；　and　a　dance　afterwards
'hot　time　in　the　old　town；'　eh？〃

〃A　dance？〃　gasped　Patricia。　　〃A　dance！　　Where？〃

〃Odd　Fellows'　Hall；〃　said　Rupert。　　〃Want　to　go？　　I　have　tickets。
Don't　care　for　that　sort　of　thing　myself。　　Rather　a　mixed　affair；　I
guess。　　Mill　hands　and　their　girls。〃

〃Oh；〃　breathed　Patricia；　〃I　should　love　to　go。　　Couldn't　we？〃

〃But　my　dear　Patricia；〃　said　her　mother；　〃a　dance；　with　all　those
people？　　What　nonsense。　　But　I　wish　Jack　would　drop　in。　　I　should
so　like　to　congratulate　him　on　his　great　victory。〃

〃Oh；　do　let　us　go；　just　for　a　few　minutes；　Mamma〃　entreated
Patricia。　　〃Hugh；　have　you　tickets？〃

The　men　looked　at　each　other。

〃Well；〃　confessed　Vic；　〃I　was　thinking　of　dropping　in　myself。
After　all；　it　is　our　home　team　and　they　are　good　sports。　　And
Maitland　handled　them　with　wonderful　skill。〃

〃Yes；　I　am　going；〃　said　Hugh。　　〃I　am　bound　to　go　as　Captain　of　the
Eagles；　and　that　sort　of　thing；　but　I　would；　anyway。　　Would　you
care　to　come；　Adrien；　if　Mrs。　Templeton　will　allow　you？　　Of　course
there　are　chaperons。　　Maitland　would　see　to　that。〃

〃I　should　like　awfully　to　go；〃　said　Adrien　eagerly。　　〃We　might；　for
a　few　minutes；　Mother？　　Of　course；　Patricia　should　be　in　bed；
really。〃

Poor　Patricia's　face　fell。

〃It　is　no　place　for　any　of　you；〃　said　the　mother；　decidedly。　　〃Just
think　of　that　mixed　multitude！　　And　you；　Patricia；　you　should　be　in
bed。〃

〃But　oh；　Mamma；　dear；〃　wailed　Patricia；　〃I　can　rest　all　day　to…
morrow。〃

At　this　point　a　new　voice　broke　in　to　the　discussion　and　Doctor
Templeton　appeared。　　〃Well；　what's　the　excitement；〃　he　enquired。
〃Oh；　the　match；　of　course！　　Well；　what　was　the　result？〃

〃Oh；　Daddy；　we　won；　we　won！〃　cried　Patricia；　springing　at　him。
〃The　most　glorious　match！　　Big　Jumbo　Larson；　a　perfect　monster　on
the　Cornwall　defence；　was　knocked　out！　　Oh；　it　was　a　glorious
match！　　And　can't　I　go　down　to　see　the　dance？　　Adrien　and　Hugh　and
Vic　are　going。　　Only　for　a　few　minutes；〃　she　begged；　with　her　arms
around　her　father's　neck。　　〃Say　yes；　Daddy！〃

〃Give　me　time；　let　me　get　my　breath；　Patricia。　　Now；　do　begin
somewheresay；　with　the　score。〃

They　all　gave　him　the　score。

〃Hurrah！〃　cried　the　old　doctor。　　〃No　one　hurtseriously；　I　mean？〃

〃No；〃　said　Patricia；　〃except　perhaps　Jumbo　Larson；〃　she　added
hopefully。

〃The　Lord　was　merciful　to　this　family　when　he　made　you　a　girl；
Patricia；〃　said　her　father。

〃But；　Daddy；　it　was　a　wonderful　game。〃　　Quite　breathlessly；　she
went　once　more　over　the　outstanding　features　of　the　play。

〃Sounds　rather　bloody；　I　must　say；〃　said　her　father；　doubtfully。

But　Hugh　said：　　〃It　was　not　reallynot　quite　so　bad　as　Patricia
makes　it；　sir。　　Rough　at　times；　of　course；　but；　on　the　whole；
clean。〃

〃Clean；〃　cried　Patricia；　〃what　about　Jumbo's　swing　at　Snoopy？〃

〃Oh；　well；　Snoopy　had　the　puck；　you　know。　　It　was　a　little　off…
colour；　I　must　confess。〃

〃And　now；　Daddy；〃　said　Patricia；　going　at　her　father　again；　〃we　all
want　to　go　down　to　the　dance。　　There　will　be　speeches；　you　know；
and　I　do　want　to　hear　Captain　Jack；〃　she　added；　not　without　guile。
〃Won't　you　let　me　go　with　them？　　Hugh　will　take　care　of　me。〃

〃I　think　I　should　rather　like　to　go　myself；〃　said　her　father。　　A
shout　of　approval　rose　from　the　whole　company。　　〃But；〃　continued
the　doctor；　〃I　don't　think　I　can。　　My　dear；　I　think　they　might　go
for　a　few　minutesand　you　can　bring　me　in　a　full　account　of　the
speeches；　Patricia；〃　he　added；　with　a　twinkle　in　his　eye。

〃But；　my　dear；〃　exclaimed　his　wife；　〃this　is　one　of　those　awful
public　affairs。　　You　can't　imagine　what　they　are　like。　　The　Mill
hands　will　all　be　there；　and　that　sort　of　people。〃

〃Well；　my　dear；　Jack　Maitland　will　be　there；　I　fancy；　and　you　were
thinking　of　going；　Hugh？〃

〃Yes；　sir；　I　am　going。　　Of　course　there　will　be　a　number　of　the
friends　of　both　teams；　townspeople。　　Of　course　the　Mill　hands　will
be　there；　too；　in　large　numbers。　　It　will　be　great　fun。〃

〃Well；　my　dear；〃　said　the　doctor；　〃I　think　they　might　go　down　for　a
few　minutes。　　But　be　sure　to　be　back　before　midnight。　　Remember；
Patricia；　you　are　to　do　exactly　as　your　sister　says。〃

Then　Vic　said：　　〃I　shall　keep　a　firm　hand　on　her；　sir。〃

〃Oh；　you　darling；〃　Patricia　cried；　hugging　her　father　rapturously。
〃I　will　be　so　good；　and　won't　it　be　fun！〃

Odd　Fellows'　Hall　was　elaborately　decorated　with　bunting　and
evergreens。　　The　party　from　the　Rectory；　arriving　in　time　to　hear
the　closing　speeches　of　the　two　team　captains；　took　their　places　in
the　gallery。　　The　speeches　were　brief　and　to　the　point。

The　Captain　of　the　visiting　team　declared　that　he　had　greatly
enjoyed　the　game。　　He　was　not　quite　convinced　that　the　best　team
had　won；　but　he　would　say　that　the　game　had　gone　to　the　team　that
had　put　up　the　best　play。　　He　complimented　Captain　Maitland　upon
his　generalship。　　He　had　known　Captain　Maitland　in　the　old　days　and
he　ought　to　have　been　on　the　lookout　for　the　kind　of　thing　he　had
put　over。　　The　Maitland　Mill　team　had　made　a　perfectly　wonderful
recovery　in　the　last　quarter；　though　he　rather　thought　his　friend
Macnamara　had　helped　it　a　little　at　a　critical　point。

〃He　did　that；〃　exclaimed　Jumbo　Larson；　with　marked　emphasis。

After　the　roar　of　laughter　had　quieted　down；　the　Cornwall　Captain
closed　by　expressing　the　hope　that　the　Maitland　Mill　team　would　try
for　a　place　next　season　in　the　senior　hockey。　　In　which　case　he
expressed　the　hope　that　he　might　have　the　pleasure　of　meeting　them
again。

Captain　Maitland's　speech　was　characteristic。　　He　had　nothing　but
praise　for　the　Cornwalls。　　They　played　a　wonderful　game　and　a　clean
game。　　He　shared　in　the　doubt　of　their　Captain　as　to　which　was　the
better　team。　　He　frankly　confessed　that　in　the　last　quarter　the
luck　came　to　his　team。

〃Not　a　bit　of　it；〃　roared　the　Cornwalls　with　one　voice。

As　to　his　own　team；　he　was　particularly　proud　of　the　way　they　had
taken　the　trainingtheir　fine　self…denial；　and　especially　the
never…dying　spirit　which　they　showed。　　It　was　a　great　honour　for
his　team　to　meet　the　Cornwalls。　　A　hard　team　to　meetsometimesas
Snoopy　and　himself　had　found　out　that　eveningbut　they　were　good
sports　and　he　hoped　some　day　to　meet　them　again。

After　the　usual　cheers　for　the　teams；　individually　and　collectively；
for　their　supporters；　for　the　Mill　management　and　for　the　ladies；
the　dinner　came　to　an　end；　the　whole　party　joining　with　wide　open
throats　and　all　standing　at　attention；　in　the　Canadian　and　the
Empire　national　anthems。

While　the　supper　table　was　being　cleared　away　preparatory　to　the
dance；　Captain　Jack　rushed　upstairs　to　the　party　in　the　gallery。
Patricia　flung　herself　at　him　in　an　ecstasy　of　rapture。

〃Oh！　Captain　Jack；　you　did　win！　　You　did　win！　　You　did　win！　　It　was
glorious！　　And　that　double…circle　play　that　you　and　Snoopy　put　up
didn't　it　work　beautifully！〃

〃We　were　mighty　lucky；〃　said　Captain　Jack。

The　others；　Hugh；　Vic　and　Rupert；　crowded　round；　offering
congratulations。　　Adrien　waited　behind；　a　wonderful　light　shining
in　her　eyes；　a　faint　colour　touching　her　pale　cheek。　　Captain　Jack
came　slowly　forward。

〃Are　you　not　going　to　congratulate　us；　too；　Adrien？〃　he　said。

She　moved　a　pace　forward。

〃Oh；　Jack；〃　she　whispered；　leaning　toward　him　and　breathing
quickly；　〃it　was　so　like　the　old；　the　dear　old　days。〃

Into　Maitland's　eyes　there　flashed　a　look　of　surprise；　of　wonder；
then　of　piercing　scrutiny；　while　his　face　grew　white。

〃Adrien；〃　he　said；　in　a　voice　low；　tense；　almost　stern；　which　she
alone　heard。　　〃What　do　you　mean？　　Then　do　you〃

〃Oh；　Captain　Jack；〃　cried　Patricia；　catching　his　arm；　〃are　you
going　to　dance？　　You　are；　aren't　you？　　And　will　you　give　me　　Oh；
I　daren't　ask！　　You　are　such　a　great　hero　to…night！〃

〃Why；　Patsy；　will　you　give　me　a　dance？〃

The　girl　stood　gazing　at　him　with　eyes　that　grew　misty；　the　quick
beating　of　her　loyal　heart　almost　suffocating　her。

〃Oh；　Captain　Jack；〃　she　gasped；　〃how　many？〃

Maitland　laughed　at　her；　and　turned　to　her　sister。

〃And　you；　Adrien；　may　I　have　a　dance？〃

Again　Adrien　leaned　toward　him。

〃One？〃　she　asked。

〃And　as　many　more　as　you　can　spare。〃

〃My　program　is　quite　empty；　you　see；〃　she　said；　flinging　out　her
hands　and　laughing　joyously　into　his　face。

〃What　about　me？　　And　me？　　And　me？〃　said　the　other　three　men。

〃I　suppose　we　are　all　nowhere　to…night；〃　added　Rupert；　with　a　touch
of　bitterness　in　his　voice。

〃Well；　there　is　only　one　conquering　hero；　you　know；〃　replied
Adrien；　smiling　at　them　all。

〃Now　I　must　run　off；〃　said　Maitland。　　〃You　see；　I　am　on　duty；　as　it
were。　　Come　down　in　a　few　minutes。〃

〃Yes；　go；　Jack；〃　said　Adrien；　throwing　him　a　warm　smile。　　〃We　will
follow　you　in　a　few　minutes。〃

〃Oh；　I　am　so　excited！〃　said　Patricia；　as　Maitland　disappeared　down
the　stairs。　　〃I　mean　to　dance　with　every　one　of　the　team。　　I　know　I
am　going　to　have　a　perfectly　lovely　time！　　But　I　would　give　them
all　up　if　I　could　have　Captain　Jack　a