the portygee-第71节

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wife　and　housekeeper　that　the　Transcript　was　likely　to　be；　before
the　reading　had　progressed　far；　either　in　the　captain's　lap　or　on
the　floor。　　And　when　the　discussion　following　the　reading　was　under
way　Captain　Zelotes'　opinions　were　expressed　quite　as　freely　as　any
one's　else。　　Laban　Keeler　got　into　the　habit　of　dropping　in　to
listen。

One　fateful　evening　the　reading　was　interrupted　by　the　arrival　of
Mr。　Kendall。　　The　reverend　gentleman　had　come　to　make　a　pastoral
call。　　Albert's　hero　was　in　the　middle　of　a　situation。　　The　old
clergyman　insisted　upon　the　continuation　of　the　reading。　　It　was
continued　and　so　was　the　discussion　following　it；　in　fact；　the
discussion　seemed　likely　to　go　on　indefinitely；　for　the　visitor
showed　no　inclination　of　leaving。　　At　ten…thirty　his　daughter
appeared　to　inquire　about　him　and　to　escort　him　home。　　Then　he
went；　but　under　protest。　　Albert　walked　to　the　parsonage　with　them。

〃Now　we've　started　somethin'；〃　groaned　the　captain；　as　the　door
closed。　　〃That　old　critter'll　be　cruisin'　over　here　six　nights　out
of　five　from　now　on　to　tell　Al　just　how　to　spin　those　yarns　of　his。
And　he'll　talkand　talkand　talk。　　Ain't　it　astonishin'　how　such
a　feeble…lookin'　craft　as　he　is　can　keep　blowin'　off　steam　that　way
and　still　be　able　to　navigate。〃

His　wife　took　him　to　task。　　〃The　idea；〃　she　protested；　〃of　your
callin'　your　own　minister　a　'critter'！　　I　should　think　you'd　be
ashamed。　。　。　。　　But；　oh；　dear；　I'm　afraid　he　WILL　be　over　here　an
awful　lot。〃

Her　fears　were　realized。　　Mr。　Kendall；　although　not　on　hand　〃six
nights　out　of　five；〃　as　the　captain　prophesied；　was　a　frequent
visitor　at　the　Snow　place。　　As　Albert's　story…writing　progressed
the　discussions　concerning　the　growth　and　development　of　the　hero's
character　became　more　and　more　involved　and　spirited。　　They　were
for　the　most　part　confined；　when　the　minister　was　present；　to　him
and　Mrs。　Snow　and　Rachel。　　Laban；　if　he　happened　to　be　there；　sat
well　back　in　the　corner；　saying　little　except　when　appealed　to；　and
then　answering　with　one　of　his　dry；　characteristic　observations。
Captain　Lote；　in　the　rocker；　his　legs　crossed；　his　hand　stroking
his　beard；　and　with　the　twinkle　in　his　eyes；　listened；　and　spoke
but　seldom。　　Occasionally；　when　he　and　his　grandson　exchanged
glances；　the　captain　winked；　indicating　appreciation　of　the
situation。

〃Say；　Al；〃　he　said；　one　evening；　after　the　old　clergyman　had
departed；　〃it　must　be　kind　of　restful　to　have　your　work　all　laid
out　for　you　this　way。　　Take　it　to…night；　for　instance；　I　don't　see
but　what　everything's　planned　for　this　young　feller　you're　writin'
about　so　you　nor　he　won't　have　to　think　for　yourselves　for　a
hundred　year　or　such　matter。　　Course　there's　some　little　difference
in　the　plans。　　Rachel　wants　him　to　get　wrecked　on　an　island　or　be
put　in　jail；　and　Mother；　she　wants　him　to　be　a　soldier　and　a　poet；
and　Mr。　Kendall　thinks　it's　high　time　he　joined　the　church　or
signed　the　pledge　or　stopped　swearin'　or　chewin'　gum。〃

〃Zelotes；　how　ridiculous　you　do　talk！〃

〃All　right；　Mother；　all　right。　　What　strikes　me；　Al；　is　they　don't
any　of　'em　stop　to　ask　you　what　YOU　mean　to　have　him　do。　　Course　I
know　'tain't　any　of　your　business；　but　stillseems　's　if　you　might
be　a　little　mite　interested　in　the　boy　yourself。〃

Albert　laughed。　　〃Don't　worry；　Grandfather；〃　he　said。　　〃I'm
enjoying　it　all　very　much。　　And　some　of　the　suggestions　may　be　just
what　I'm　looking　for。〃

〃Well；　son；　we'll　hope　so。　　Say；　Labe；　I've　got　a　notion　for
keepin'　the　minister　from　doin'　all　the　talkin。'　　We'll　ask　Issy
Price　to　drop　in；　eh？〃

Laban　shook　his　head。　　〃I　don't　know；　Cap'n　Lote；〃　he　observed。
〃Sounds　to　me　a　good　deal　like　lettin'　in　a　hurricane　to　blow　out　a
match　with。　。　。　。　　Um…hm。　　Seems　so　to　me。　　Yes；　yes。〃

Mr。　Kendall's　calls　would　have　been　more　frequent　still　had　Helen
not　interfered。　　Very　often；　when　he　came　she　herself　dropped　in　a
little　later　and　insisted　upon　his　making　an　early　start　for　home。
Occasionally　she　came　with　him。　　She；　too；　seemed　much　interested
in　the　progress　of　the　stories；　but　she　offered　few　suggestions。
When　directly　appealed　to；　she　expressed　her　views；　and　they　were
worth　while。

Albert　was　resolutely　adhering　to　his　determination　not　to　permit
himself　to　think　of　her　except　as　a　friend。　　That　is；　he　hoped　he
was；　thoughts　are　hard　to　control　at　times。　　He　saw　her　often。
They　met　on　the　street；　at　church　on　Sundayhis　grandmother　was
so　delighted　when　he　accompanied　her　to　〃meeting〃　that　he　did　so
rather　more　frequently；　perhaps；　than　he　otherwise　wouldat　the
homes　of　acquaintances；　and；　of　course；　at　the　Snow　place。　　When
she　walked　home　with　her　father　after　a　〃story　evening〃　he　usually
went　with　them　as　additional　escort。

She　had　not　questioned　him　concerning　Madeline　since　their　first
meeting　that　morning　at　the　parsonage。　　He　knew；　therefore；　that
some　onehis　grandmother；　probablyhad　told　her　of　the　broken
engagement。　　When　they　were　alone　together　they　talked　of　many
things；　casual　things；　the　generalities　of　which；　so　he　told
himself；　a　conversation　between　mere　friends　was　composed。　　But
occasionally；　after　doing　escort　duty；　after　Mr。　Kendall　had　gone
into　the　house　to　take　his　〃throat　medicine〃a　medicine　which
Captain　Zelotes　declared　would　have　to　be　double…strength　pretty
soon　to　offset　the　wear　and　tear　of　the　story　eveningsthey　talked
of　matters　more　specific　and　which　more　directly　concerned
themselves。　　She　spoke　of　her　hospital　work；　of　her　teaching　before
the　war；　and　of　her　plans　for　the　future。　　The　latter；　of　course；
were　very　indefinite　now。

〃Father　needs　me；〃　she　said；　〃and　I　shall　not　leave　him　while　he
lives。〃

They　spoke　of　Albert's　work　and　plans　most　of　all。　　He　began　to　ask
for　advice　concerning　the　former。　　When　those　stories　were　written；
what　then？　　She　hoped　he　would　try　the　novel　he　had　hinted　at。

〃I'm　sure　you　can　do　it；〃　she　said。　　〃And　you　mustn't　give　up　the
poems　altogether。　　It　was　the　poetry；　you　know；　which　was　the
beginning。〃

〃YOU　were　the　beginning；〃　he　said　impulsively。　　〃Perhaps　I　should
never　have　written　at　all　if　you　hadn't　urged　me；　shamed　me　out　of
my　laziness。〃

〃I　was　a　presuming　young　person；　I'm　afraid；〃　she　said。　　〃I　wonder
you　didn't　tell　me　to　mind　my　own　business。　　I　believe　you　did；　but
I　wouldn't　mind。〃

June　brought　the　summer　weather　and　the　summer　boarders　to　South
Harniss。　　One　of　the　news　sensations　which　came　at　the　same　time
was　that　the　new　Fosdick　cottage　had　been　sold。　　The　people　who　had
occupied　it　the　previous　season　had　bought　it。　　Mrs。　Fosdick；　so
rumor　said；　was　not　strong　and　her　doctors　had　decided　that　the　sea
air　did　not　agree　with　her。

〃Crimustee！〃　exclaimed　Issachar；　as　he　imparted　the　news　to　Mr。
Keeler；　〃if　that　ain't　the　worst。　　Spend　your　money；　and　a　pile　of
money；　too；　buyin'　ground；　layin'　of　it　out　to　build　a　house　on　to
live　in；　then　buildin'　that　house　and　then；　by　crimus；　sellin'　it
to　somebody　else　for　THEM　to　live　in。　　That　beats　any　foolishness
ever　come　MY　way。〃

〃And　there's　some　consider'ble　come　your　way　at　that；　ain't　they；
Is？〃　observed　Laban；　busy　with　his　bookkeeping。

Issachar　nodded。　　〃You're　right　there　has；〃　he　said　complacently。
〃I　。　。　。　　What　do　you　mean　by　that？　　Tryin'　to　be　funny　again；
ain't　you？〃

Albert　heard　the　news　with　a　distinct　feeling　of　relief。　　While　the
feeling　on　his　part　toward　Madeline　was　of　the　kindliest；　and
Madeline's　was；　he　felt　sure；　the　same　toward　him；　nevertheless　to
meet　her　day　after　day；　as　people　must　meet　in　a　village　no　bigger
than　South　Harniss；　would　be　awkward　for　both。　　And　to　meet　Mrs。
Fosdick　might　be　more　awkward　still。　　He　smiled　as　he　surmised　that
the　realization　by　the　lady　of　that　very　awkwardness　was　probably
responsible　for　the　discovery　that　sea　air　was　not　beneficial。

The　story…writing　and　the　story　evenings　continued。　　Over　the
fourth　story　in　the　series　discussion　was　warm；　for　there　were
marked　differences　of　opinion　among　the　listeners。　　One　of　the
experiences　through　which　Albert　had　brought　his　hero　was　that　of
working　as　general　assistant　to　a　sharp；　unscrupulous　and　smooth…
tongued　rascal　who　was　proprietor　of　a　circus　sideshow　and　fake
museum。　　He　was　a　kind…hearted　swindler；　but　one　who　never　let　a
question　of　honesty　interfere　with　the　getting　of　a　dollar。　　In
this　fourth　story；　to　the　town　where　the　hero；　now　a　man　of　twenty…
five；　had　established　himself　in　business；　came　this　cheat　of　other
days；　but　now　he　came　as　a　duly　ordained　clergyman　in　answer　to　the
call　of　the　local　church。　　The　hero　learned　that　he　had　not　told
the　governing　body　of　that　church　of　his　former　career。　　Had　he
done　so；　they　most　certainly　would　not　have　called　him。　　The
leading　man　in　that　church　body　was　the　hero's　patron　and　kindest
friend。　　The　question：　　What　was　the　hero's　duty　in　the　matter？

Of　course　the　first　question　asked　was　whether　or　not　the　ex…
sideshow　proprietor　was　sincerely　repentant　and　honestly　trying　to
walk　the　straight　path　and　lead　others　along　it。　　Albert　replied
that　his　hero　had　interviewed　him　and　was　satisfied　that　he　was；
he　had　been　〃converted〃　at　a　revival　and