the portygee-第35节

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two　of　the　school　committee；　and　one　or　two　members　of　the　church
sewing　circle；　and　the　president　and　secretary　of　the　Society　for
the　Relief　of　the　French　Wounded。　　So　far　from　being　an　intimate
confidential　farewell；　Helen's　departure　was　in　the　nature　of　a
public　ceremony　with　speech…making。　　Mr。　Price　made　most　of　the
speeches；　in　fact　the　lower　portion　of　his　countenance　was　in
violent　motion　most　of　the　ten　minutes。

〃Take　care　of　yourself；　Helen；〃　he　urged　loudly。　　〃Don't　you　worry
about　your　pa；　we'll　look　out　for　him。　　And　don't　let　none　of　them
Boston　fellers　carry　you　off。　　We'll　watch　and　see　that　Eddie
Raymond　and　Al　here　don't　get　into　mischief　while　you're　gone。
I　。　。　。　Crimustee！　　Jim　Young；　what　in　time's　the　matter　with　you？
Can't　ye　see　nothin'？〃

This　last　outburst　was　directed　at　the　driver　of　the　depot…wagon；
who；　wheeling　a　trunk　on　a　baggage　truck；　had　bumped　violently　into
the　rear　of　Mr。　Price's　legs；　just　at　the　knee　joint；　causing　their
owner　to　bend　backward　unexpectedly；　and　with　enthusiasm。

〃Can't　you　see　nothin'　when　it's　right　in　front　of　ye？〃　demanded
Issachar；　righteously　indignant。

Jim　Young　winked　over　his　shoulder　at　Albert。　　〃Sorry；　Is；〃　he
said；　as　he　continued　toward　the　baggage　car。　　〃I　didn't　notice　you
WAS　in　front　of　me。〃

〃Well；　then；　you'd　better。　。　。　。　　Eh？　　See　here；　what　do　you　mean
by　that？〃

Even　after　Mr。　Price　had　thus　been　pushed　out　of　the　foreground；　so
to　speak；　Albert　was　denied　the　opportunity　of　taking　his　place　by
Helen's　side。　　Her　father　had　a　few　last　messages　to　deliver；　then
Captain　Zelotes　shook　her　hand　and　talked　for　a　moment；　and；　after
that；　the　ladies　of　the　sewing　circle　and　the　war　work　society　felt
it　their　duty　to；　severally　and　jointly；　kiss　her　good…by。　　This
last　was　a　trying　operation　to　watch。

Then　the　engine　bell　rang　and　the　train　began　to　move。　　Albert；
running　beside　the　platform　of　the　last　car；　held　up　his　hand　for　a
farewell　clasp。

〃Good…by；〃　he　said；　and　added　in　a　whisper；　〃You'll　write；　won't
you？〃

〃Of　course。　　And　so　must　you。　　Good…by。〃

The　last　car　and　the　handkerchief　waving　figure　on　its　platform
disappeared　around　the　curve。　　The　little　group　by　the　station
broke　up。　　Albert　and　his　grandfather　walked　over　to　the　office
together。

〃There　goes　a　good　girl；　Al；〃　was　Captain　Lote's　only　comment。　　〃A
mighty　good　capable　girl。〃

Albert　nodded。　　A　moment　later　he　lifted　his　hat　to　a　group　in　a
passing　automobile。

〃Who　were　those　folks？〃　asked　the　Captain。

〃The　Fosdicks；〃　was　the　reply。　　〃The　people　who　are　going　to　build
down　by　the　Inlet。〃

It　was　Madeline　and　her　mother。　　The　latter　had　been　serenely
indifferent；　but　the　young　lady　had　smiled　and　bowed　behind　the
maternal　shoulders。

〃Oh；　that　so？〃　observed　Captain　Zelotes；　looking　after　the　flying
car　with　interest。　　〃That's　who　'tis；　eh？　　Nice　lookin'；　the　young
one；　ain't　she？〃

Albert　did　not　answer。　　With　the　noise　of　the　train　which　was
carrying　Helen　out　of　his　life　still　ringing　in　his　ears　it　seemed
wicked　even　to　mention　another　girl's　name；　to　say　nothing　of
commenting　upon　her　good　looks。　　For　the　rest　of　that　day　he　was　a
gloomy　spirit；　a　dark　shadow　in　the　office　of　Z。　Snow　and　Co。

Before　the　end　of　another　fortnight　the　season　at　South　Harniss　was
definitely　over。　　The　hotel　closed　on　the　Saturday　following　the
dance；　and　by　October　first　the　last　of　the　cottages　was　locked　and
shuttered。　　The　Kelseys　went　on　the　twentieth　and　the　Fosdicks　went
with　them。　　Albert　met　Madeline　and　Jane　at　the　post…office　in　the
evening　of　the　nineteenth　and　there　more　farewells　were　said。

〃Don't　forget　us　down　here　in　the　sand；　will　you？〃　he　suggested　to
Miss　Fosdick。　　It　was　Jane　Kelsey　who　answered。

〃Oh；　she　won't　forget；〃　returned　that　young　lady。　　〃Why　she　has
your　photograph　to　remember　you　by。〃

Madeline　colored　becomingly　and　was；　as　Jane　described　it；　〃awfully
fussed。〃

〃Nonsense！〃　she　exclaimed；　with　much　indignation；　〃I　haven't　any
such　thing。　　You　know　I　haven't；　Jane。〃

〃Yes；　you　have；　my　dear。　　You　have　a　photograph　of　him　standing
in　front　of　the　drug　store　and　looking　dreamily　in　atat　the
strawberry　sundaes。　　It　is　a　most　romantic　pose；　really。〃

Albert　laughed。　　He　remembered　the　photograph。　　It　was　one　of　a
series　of　snapshots　taken　with　Miss　Kelsey's　camera　one　Saturday
afternoon　when　a　party　of　young　people　had　met　in　front　of　the
sundae　dispensary。　　Jane　had　insisted　on　〃snapping〃　everyone。

〃That　reminds　me　that　I　have　never　seen　the　rest　of　those
photographs；〃　he　said。

〃Haven't　you？〃　exclaimed　Jane。　　〃Well；　you　ought　to　see　them。　　I
have　Madeline's　with　me。　　It　is　a　dream；　if　I　do　say　it　as　I　took
it。〃

She　produced　the　snapshot；　which　showed　her　friend　standing　beside
the　silver…leaf　tree　before　the　druggist's　window　and　smiling　at
the　camera。　　It　was　a　good　likeness　and；　consequently；　a　very
pretty　picture。

〃Isn't　it　a　dream；　just　as　I　said？〃　demanded　the　artist。　　〃Honest
now；　isn't　it？

Albert　of　course　declared　it　to　be　beyond　praise。

〃May　I　have　this　one？〃　he　asked；　on　the　impulse　of　the　moment。

〃Don't　ask　me；　stupid；〃　commanded　Jane；　mischievously。　　〃It　isn't
my　funeralor　my　portrait；　either。〃

〃May　I？〃　he　repeated；　turning　to　Madeline。　　She　hesitated。

〃Whywhy　yes；　you　may；　if　you　care　for　it；〃　she　said。　　〃That
particular　one　is　Jane's；　anyway；　and　if　she　chooses　to　give　it
away　I　don't　see　how　I　can　prevent　her。　　But　why　you　should　want
the　old　thing　I　can't　conceive。　　I　look　as　stiff　and　wooden　as　a
sign…post。〃

Jane　held　up　a　protesting　finger。

〃Fibs；　fibs；　fibs；〃　she　observed。　　〃Can't　conceive　why　he　should
want　it！　　As　if　you　weren't　perfectly　aware　that　he　will　wear　it
next　his　heart　and　　Oh；　don't　put　it　in　THAT　pocket！　　I　said　next
your　heart；　and　that　isn't　on　your　RIGHT　side。〃

Albert　took　the　photograph　home　and　stuck　it　between　the　frame　and
glass　of　his　bureau。　　Then　came　a　sudden　remembrance　of　his　parting
with　Helen　and　with　it　a　twinge　of　conscience。　　He　had　begged　her
to　have　nothing　to　do　with　any　other　fellow。　　True　she　had　refused
to　promise　and　consequently　he　also　was　unbound；　but　that　made　no
differenceshould　not　make　any。　　So　he　put　the　photograph　at　the
back　of　the　drawer　where　he　kept　his　collars　and　ties；　with　a
resolve　never　to　look　at　it。　　He　did　not　look　at　itvery　often。

Then　came　another　long　winter。　　He　ground　away　at　the　bookkeeping
he　was　more　proficient　at　it；　but　he　hated　it　as　heartily　as　ever
and　wrote　a　good　deal　of　verse　and　some　prose。　　For　the　first　time
he　sold　a　prose　article；　a　short　story；　to　a　minor　magazine。　　He
wrote　long　letters　to　Helen　and　she　replied。　　She　was　studying
hard；　she　liked　her　work；　and　she　had　been　offered　the　opportunity
to　tutor　in　a　girls'　summer　camp　in　Vermont　during　July　and　August
and　meant　to　accept　provided　her　father's　health　continued　good。
Albert　protested　violently　against　her　being　absent　from　South
Harniss　for　so　long。　　〃You　will　scarcely　be　home　at　all；〃　he　wrote。
〃I　shall　hardly　see　you。　　What　am　I　going　to　do？　　As　it　is　now　I
miss　you〃　and　so　on　for　four　closely　written　pages。　　Having
gotten　into　the　spirit　of　composition　he；　so　to　speak；　gloried　in
his　loneliness；　so　much　so　that　Helen　was　moved　to　remonstrate。
〃Your　letter　made　me　almost　miserable；〃　she　wrote；　〃until　I　had
read　it　over　twice。　　Then　I　began　to　suspect　that　you　were　enjoying
your　wretchedness；　or　enjoying　writing　about　it。　　I　truly　don't
believe　anyoneyou　especiallycould　be　quite　as　lonesome　as　all
that。　　Honestly　now；　Albert；　weren't　you　exaggerating　a　little？　　I
rather　think　you　were？〃

He　had　been；　of　course；　but　it　irritated　him　to　think　that　she
recognized　the　fact。　　She　had　an　uncanny　faculty　of　seeing　through
his　every　pretense。　　In　his　next　letter　he　said　nothing　whatever
about　being　lonesome。

At　home；　and　at　the　office；　the　war　was　what　people　talked　about
most　of　the　time。　　Since　the　Lusitania's　sinking　Captain　Zelotes
had　been　a　battle　charger　chafing　at　the　bit。　　He　wanted　to　fight
and　to　fight　at　once。

〃We've　got　to　do　it；　Mother；〃　he　declared；　over　and　over　again。
〃Sooner　or　later　we've　got　to　fight　that　Kaiser　gang。　　What　are　we
waitin'　for；　will　somebody　tell　me　that？〃

Olive；　as　usual；　was　mild　and　unruffled。

〃Probably　the　President　knows　as　much　about　it　as　you　and　me；
Zelotes；〃　she　suggested。　　〃I　presume　likely　he　has　his　own
reasons。〃

〃Humph！　　When　Seth　Bassett　got　up　in　the　night　and　took　a　drink　out
of　the　bottle　of　Paris　Green　by　mistake　'Bial　Cahoon　asked　him　what
in　time　he　kept　Paris　Green　in　his　bedroom　for；　anyhow。　　All　that
Seth　would　say　was　that　he　had　his　own　reasons。　　The　rest　of　the
town　was　left　to　guess　what　those　reasons　was。　　That's　what　the
President's　doin'keepin'　us　guessin'。　　By　the　everlastin'；　if　I
was　younger　I'd　ship　aboard　a　British　lime…juicer　and　go　and　fight；
myself！〃

It　was　Rachel　Ellis　who　caused　the　Captain　to　be　a　bit　more
restrained　in　his　remarks。

〃You　hadn't　ought　to　talk　that　way；　Cap'n　Lote；〃　she　said。　　〃Not
when　Albert's　around；　you　hadn't。〃

〃Eh？　　Why　not？〃

〃Because　the　first　thing　you　know　he'll　be　startin'　for　Canada　to
enlist。