the portygee-第61节

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was　not　as　cold　as　on　that　occasion；　though　by　no　means　warm。　　He
remembered　how　bare　and　comfortless　he　had　thought　the　room。　　Now
it　looked　almost　luxurious。　　And　he　had　been　homesick；　or　fancied
himself　in　that　condition。　　Compared　to　the　homesickness　he　had
known　during　the　past　eighteen　months　that　youthful　seizure　seemed
contemptible　and　quite　without　excuse。　　He　looked　about　the　room
again；　looked　long　and　lovingly。　　Then；　with　a　sigh　of　content；
drew　from　his　pocket　the　two　letters　which　had　lain　upon　the
sitting…room　table　when　he　arrived；　opened　them　and　began　to　read。

Madeline　wrote；　as　always；　vivaciously　and　at　length。　　The　maternal
censorship　having　been　removed；　she　wrote　exactly　as　she　felt。　　She
could　scarcely　believe　he　was　really　going　to　be　at　home　when　he
received　this；　at　home　in　dear；　quaint；　queer　old　South　Harniss。
Just　think；　she　had　not　seen　the　place　for　ever　and　ever　so　long；
not　for　over　two　years。　　How　were　all　the　funny；　odd　people　who
lived　there　all　the　time？　　Did　he　remember　how　he　and　she　used　to
go　to　church　every　Sunday　and　sit　through　those　dreadful；　DREADFUL
sermons　by　that　prosy　old　minister　just　as　an　excuse　for　meeting
each　other　afterward？　　She　was　SO　sorry　she　could　not　have　been
there　to　welcome　her　hero　when　he　stepped　from　the　train。　　If　it
hadn't　been　for　Mother's　poor　nerves　she　surely　would　have　been。
He　knew　it；　didn't　he？　　Of　course　he　did。　　But　she　should　see　him
soon　〃because　Mother　is　planning　already　to　come　back　to　New　York
in　a　few　weeks　and　then　you　are　to　run　over　immediately　and　make　us
a　LONG　visit。　　And　I　shall　be　so　PROUD　of　you。　　There　are　lots　of
Army　fellows　down　here　now；　officers　for　the　most　part。　　So　we
dance　and　are　very　gaythat　is；　the　other　girls　are；　I；　being　an
engaged　young　lady；　am　very　circumspect　and　demure；　of　course。
Mother　carries　The　Lances　about　with　her　wherever　she　goes；　to　teas
and　such　things；　and　reads　aloud　from　it　often。　　Captain　Blanchard；
he　is　one　of　the　family's　officer　friends；　is　crazy　about　your
poetry；　dear。　　He　thinks　it　WONDERFUL。　　You　know　what　_I_　think　of
it；　don't　you；　and　when　I　think　that　_I_　actually　helped　you；　or
played　at　helping　you　write　some　of　it！

〃And　I　am　WILD　to　see　your　war　cross。　　Some　of　the　officers　here
have　themthe　crosses；　I　meanbut　not　many。　　Captain　Blanchard
has　the　military　medal；　and　he　is　almost　as　modest　about　it　as　you
are　about　your　decoration。　　I　don't　see　how　you　CAN　be　so　modest。
If　_I_　had　a　Croix　de　Guerre　I　should　want　EVERY　ONE　to　know　about
it。　　At　the　tea　dance　the　other　afternoon　there　was　a　British　major
who〃

And　so　on。　　The　second　letter　was　really　a　continuation　of　the
first。　　Albert　read　them　both　and；　after　the　reading　was　finished；
sat　for　some　time　in　the　rocking　chair；　quite　regardless　of　the
time　and　the　cold；　thinking。　　He　took　from　his　pocketbook　a
photograph；　one　which　Madeline　had　sent　him　months　before；　which
had　reached　him　while　he　lay　in　the　French　hospital　after　his
removal　from　the　German　camp。　　He　looked　at　the　pretty　face　in　the
photograph。　　She　looked　just　as　he　remembered　her；　almost　exactly
as　she　had　looked　more　than　two　years　before；　smiling；　charming；
carefree。　　She　had　not；　apparently；　grown　older；　those　age…long
months　had　not　changed　her。　　He　rose　and　regarded　his　own
reflection　in　the　mirror　of　the　bureau。　　He　was　surprised；　as　he
was　constantly　being　surprised；　to　see　that　he；　too；　had　not
changed　greatly　in　personal　appearance。

He　walked　about　the　room。　　His　grandmother　had　told　him　that　his
room　was　just　as　he　had　left　it。　　〃I　wouldn't　change　it；　Albert；〃
she　said；　〃even　when　we　thought　youyou　wasn't　comin'　back。　　I
couldn't　touch　it；　somehow。　　I　kept　thinkin'；　'Some　day　I　will。
Pretty　soon　I　MUST。'　　But　I　never　did；　and　now　I'm　so　glad。〃

He　wandered　back　to　the　bureau　and　pulled　open　the　upper　drawers。
In　those　drawers　were　so　many　things；　things　which　he　had　kept
there；　either　deliberately　or　because　he　was　too　indolent　to
destroy　them。　　Old　dance　cards；　invitations；　and　a　bundle　of
photographs；　snapshots。　　He　removed　the　rubber　band　from　the　bundle
and　stood　looking　them　over。　　Photographs　of　school　fellows；　of
picnic　groups；　of　girls。　　Sam　Thatcher；　Gertie　Kendrickand　Helen
Kendall。　　There　were　at　least　a　dozen　of　Helen。

One　in　particular　was　very　good。　　From　that　photograph　the　face　of
Helen　as　he　had　known　it　four　years　before　looked　straight　up　into
hisclear…eyed；　honest；　a　hint　of　humor　and　understanding　and
common…sense　in　the　gaze　and　at　the　corners　of　the　lips。　　He　looked
at　the　photograph；　and　the　photograph　looked　up　at　him。　　He　had　not
seen　her　for　so　long　a　time。　　He　wondered　if　the　war　had　changed
her　as　it　had　changed　him。　　Somehow　he　hoped　it　had　not。　　Change
did　not　seem　necessary　in　her　case。

There　had　been　no　correspondence　between　them　since　her　letter
written　when　she　heard　of　his　enlistment。　　He　had　not　replied　to
that　because　he　knew　Madeline　would　not　wish　him　to　do　so。　　He
wondered　if　she　ever　thought　of　him　now；　if　she　remembered　their
adventure　at　High　Point　light。　　He　had　thought　of　her　often　enough。
In　those　days　and　nights　of　horror　in　the　prison　camp　and　hospital
he　had　found　a　little　relief；　a　little　solace　in　lying　with　closed
eyes　and　summoning　back　from　memory　the　things　of　home　and　the
faces　of　home。　　And　her　face　had　been　one　of　these。　　Her　face　and
those　of　his　grandparents　and　Rachel　and　Laban；　and　visions　of　the
old　house　and　the　roomsthey　were　the　substantial　things　to　cling
to　and　he　had　clung　to　them。　　They　WERE　home。　　Madelineah！　yes；
he　had　longed　for　her　and　dreamed　of　her；　God　knew；　but　Madeline；
of　course；　was　different。

He　snapped　the　rubber　band　once　more　about　the　bundle　of　photographs；
closed　the　drawer　and　prepared　for　bed。

For　the　two　weeks　following　his　return　home　he　had　a　thoroughly
good　time。　　It　was　a　tremendous　comfort　to　get　up　when　he　pleased；
to　eat　the　things　he　liked；　to　do　much　or　little　or　nothing　at　his
own　sweet　will。　　He　walked　a　good　deal；　tramping　along　the　beach　in
the　blustering　wind　and　chilly　sunshine　and　enjoying　every　breath
of　the　clean　salt　air。　　He　thought　much　during　those　solitary
walks；　and　at　times；　at　home　in　the　evenings；　he　would　fall　to
musing　and　sit　silent　for　long　periods。　　His　grandmother　was
troubled。

〃Don't　it　seem　to　you；　Zelotes；〃　she　asked　her　husband；　〃as　if
Albert　was　kind　of　discontented　or　unsatisfied　these　days？　　He's
soso　sort　of　fidgety。　　Talks　like　the　very　mischief　for　ten
minutes　and　then　don't　speak　for　half　an　hour。　　Sits　still　for　a
long　stretch　and　then　jumps　up　and　starts　off　walkin'　as　if　he　was
crazy。　　What　makes　him　act　so？　　He's　kind　of　changed　from　what　he
used　to　be。　　Don't　you　think　so？〃

The　captain　patted　her　shoulder。　　〃Don't　worry；　Mother；〃　he　said。
〃Al's　older　than　he　was　and　what　he's　been　through　has　made　him
older　still。　　As　for　the　fidgety　part　of　it；　the　settin'　down　and
jumpin'　up　and　all　that；　that's　the　way　they　all　act；　so　far　as　I
can　learn。　　Elisha　Warren；　over　to　South　Denboro；　tells　me　his
nephew　has　been　that　way　ever　since　he　got　back。　　Don't　fret；
Mother；　Al　will　come　round　all　right。〃

〃I　didn't　know　but　he　might　be　anxious　to　seeto　see　her；　you
know。〃

〃Her？　　Oh；　you　mean　the　Fosdick　girl。　　Well；　he'll　be　goin'　to　see
her　pretty　soon；　I　presume　likely。　　They're　due　back　in　New　York
'most　any　time　now；　I　believe。　。　。　。　　Oh；　hum！　　Why　in　time
couldn't　he〃

〃Couldn't　he　what；　Zelotes？〃

〃Oh；　nothin'；　nothin'。〃

The　summons　came　only　a　day　after　this　conversation。　　It　came　in
the　form　of　another　letter　from　Madeline　and　one　from　Mrs。　Fosdick。
They　were；　so　the　latter　wrote；　back　once　more　in　their　city　home；
her　nerves；　thank　Heaven；　were　quite　strong　again；　and　they　were
expecting　him；　Albert；　to　come　on　at　once。　　〃We　are　all　dying　to
see　you；〃　wrote　Mrs。　Fosdick。　　〃And　poor；　dear　Madeline；　of　course；
is　counting　the　moments。〃

〃Stay　as　long　as　you　feel　like；　Al；〃　said　the　captain；　when　told　of
the　proposed　visit。　　〃It's　the　dull　season　at　the　office；　anyhow；
and　Labe　and　I　can　get　along　first…rate；　with　Issy　to　superintend。
Stay　as　long　as　you　want　to；　only〃

〃Only　what；　Grandfather？〃

〃Only　don't　want　to　stay　too　long。　　That　is；　don't　fall　in　love
with　New　York　so　hard　that　you　forget　there　is　such　a　place　as
South　Harniss。〃

Albert　smiled。　　〃I've　been　in　places　farther　away　than　New　York；〃
he　said；　〃and　I　never　forgot　South　Harniss。〃

〃Um…hm。　。　。　。　　Well；　I　shouldn't　be　surprised　if　that　was　so。　　But
you'll　have　better　company　in　New　York　than　you　did　in　some　of
those　places。　　Give　my　regards　to　Fosdick。　　So…long；　Al。〃



CHAPTER　XVI


The　Fosdick　car　was　at　the　Grand　Central　Station　when　the
Knickerbocker　Limited　pulled　in。　　And　Madeline；　a　wonderfully
furred　and　veiled　and　hatted　Madeline；　was　waiting　there　behind　the
rail　as　he　came　up　the　runway　from　the　train。　　It　was　amazing　the
fact　that　it　was　really　she。　　It　was　more　amazing　still　to　kiss　her
there　in　public；　to　hold　her　hand　without　fear　that　some　one　might
see。　　To

〃Shall　I　take　your　bags；　sir？〃

It　was　the　Fosdick　footman　who　asked　it。　　Albert　started　guiltily。
Then　he