fussy
and unctuously impressive, welcoming, directing, introducing and,
incidentally but quite ineffectively, seeking to inspire with respect
for his august person a nondescript crowd of small boys vainly seeking
entrance. With an effusiveness amounting to reverence he welcomed McNish
and directed him in a mysterious whisper toward a seat on the platform,
which, however, McNish declined, choosing a seat at the side about half
way up the aisle.

A local Union official was addressing the meeting but saying nothing in
particular, and simply filling in till the main speaker should arrive.
McNish, quite uninterested in the platform, was quietly taking note of
the audience, with many of whom he had made a slight acquaintance. As
his eye travelled slowly from face to face it was suddenly arrested.
There beside her father was Annette Perrotte, who greeted him with a
bright nod and smile. They had long ago made up their tiff. Then McNish
had another surprise. At the door of the hall appeared Captain Jack
Maitland who, after coolly surveying the room, sauntered down the aisle
and took a seat at his side. He nodded to McNish.

"Quite a crowd, McNish," he said. "I hear the American Johnnie is quite
a spouter so I came along to hear."

McNish looked at him and silently nodded. He could not understand his
presence at that kind of a meeting.

"You know I am a Union man now," said Captain Jack, accurately reading
his silence. "Joined a couple of months ago."

But McNish kept his face gravely non-committal, wondering how it was
that this important bit of news had not reached him. Then he remembered
that he had not attended the last two monthly meetings of his Union,
and also he knew that little gossip of the shops came his way. None
the less, he was intensely interested in Maitland's appearance. He
did Captain Jack the justice to acquit him of anything but the most
honourable intentions, yet he could not make clear to his mind what end
the son of his boss could serve by joining a Labour Union. He finally
came to the conclusion that this was but another instance of an
"Intellectual" studying the social and economic side of Industry from
first-hand observation. It was a common enough thing in the Old Land.
He was conscious of a little contempt for this dilettante sort of Labour
Unionism, and he was further conscious of a feeling of impatience and
embarrassment at Captain Jack's presence. He belonged to the enemy camp,
and what righ