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to fear that perhaps she did not； and； with his temperament；
wounded vanity and poetic imagination supplied the rest。 Within a
fortnight he considered himself desperately in love with her。
During this fortnight he called at the parsonage； the Kendall home；
several times。 On the first of these occasions the Reverend Mr。
Kendall； having just completed a sermon dealing with the war and；
being full of his subject； read the said sermon to his daughter and
to Albert。 The reading itself lasted for three…quarters of an hour
and Mr。 Kendall's post…argument and general dissertation on German
perfidy another hour after that。 By that time it was late and
Albert went home。 The second call was even worse； for Ed Raymond
called also and the two young men glowered at each other until ten
o'clock。 They might have continued to glower indefinitely； for
neither meant to leave before the other； but Helen announced that
she had some home…study papers to look over and she knew they would
excuse her under the circumstances。 On that hint they departed
simultaneously； separating at the gate and walking with deliberate
dignity in opposite directions。
At his third attempt； however； Albert was successful to the extent
that Helen was alone when he called and there was no school work to
interrupt。 But in no other respect was the interview satisfactory。
All that week he had been boiling with the indignation of the
landed proprietor who discovers a trespasser on his estate； and
before this call was fifteen minutes old his feelings had boiled
over。
〃What IS the matter with you； Al？〃 asked Helen。 〃Do tell me and
let's see if I can't help you out of your trouble。〃
Her visitor flushed。 〃Trouble？〃 he repeated； stiffly。 〃I don't
know what you mean。〃
〃Oh yes； do。 You must。 What IS the matter？〃
〃There is nothing the matter with me。〃
〃Nonsense！ Of course there is。 You have scarcely spoken a word of
your own accord since you came； and you have been scowling like a
thundercloud all the time。 Now what is it？ Have I done something
you don't like？〃
〃There is nothing the matter； I tell you。〃
〃Please don't be so silly。 Of course there is。 I thought there
must be something wrong the last time you were here； that evening；
when Ed called； too。 It seemed to me that you were rather queer
then。 Now you are queerer still。 What is it？〃
This straightforward attack； although absolutely characteristic of
Helen； was disconcerting。 Albert met it by an attack of his own。
〃Helen；〃 he demanded； 〃what does that Raymond fellow mean by coming
to see you as he does？〃
Now whether or not Helen was entirely in the dark as to the cause
of her visitor's 〃queerness〃 is a question not to be answered here。
She was far from being a stupid young person and it is at least
probable that she may have guessed a little of the truth。 But；
being feminine； she did not permit Albert to guess that she had
guessed。 If her astonishment at the question was not entirely
sincere； it certainly appeared to be so。
〃What does he mean？〃 she repeated。 〃What does he mean by coming
to see me？ Why； what do YOU mean？ I should think that was the
question。 Why shouldn't he come to see me； pray？〃
Now Albert has a dozen reasons in his mind； each of which was to
him sufficiently convincing。 But expressing those reasons to Helen
Kendall he found singularly difficult。 He grew confused and
stammered。
〃Wellwell； because he has no business to come here so much；〃 was
the best he could do。 Helen； strange to say； was not satisfied。
〃Has no business to？〃 she repeated。 〃Why； of course he has。 I
asked him to come。〃
〃You did？ Good heavens； you don't LIKE him； do you？〃
〃Of course I like him。 I think he is a very nice fellow。 Don't
you？〃
〃No； I don't。〃
〃Why not？〃
〃Wellwell； because I don't； that's all。 He has no business to
monopolize you all the time。 Why； he is here about every night in
the week； or you're out with him； down town； oror somewhere。
Everybody is talking about it and〃
〃Wait a minute； please。 You say everybody is talking about Ed
Raymond and me。 What do you mean by that？ What are they saying？〃
〃They're saying。 。 。 。 Oh； they're saying you and he areare〃
〃Are what？〃
〃Areare Oh； they're saying all sorts of things。 Look here；
Helen； I〃
〃Wait！ I want to know more about this。 What have you heard said
about me？〃
〃Oh； a lot of things。 。 。 。 That iserwell； nothing in
particular； perhaps； but〃
〃Wait！ Who have you heard saying it？〃
〃Oh； never mind！ Helen〃
〃But I do mind。 Who have you heard saying this 'lot of things'
about me？〃
〃Nobody； I tell you。 。 。 。 Oh； well； if you must know； Issy Price
saidwell； he said you and this Raymond fellow were what he called
'keeping company' andand that the whole town was talking about
it。〃
She slowly shook her head。
〃Issy Price！〃 she repeated。 〃And you listened to what Issy Price
said。 Issy Price； of all people！〃
〃Wellwell； he said everyone else said the same thing。〃
〃Did he say more than that？〃
〃No； but that was enough； wasn't it。 Besides； the rest was plain。
I could see it myself。 He is calling here about every night in the
week； andand being around everywhere with you andand Oh；
anyone can see！〃
Helen's usually placid temper was beginning to ruffle。
〃Very well；〃 she said； 〃then they may see。 Why shouldn't he call
here if he wishesand I wish？ Why shouldn't I be 'around with
him；' as you say？ Why not？〃
〃Well； because I don't like it。 It isn't the right thing for you
to do。 You ought to be more careful ofof what people say。〃
He realized； almost as soon as this last sentence was blurted out；
the absolute tactlessness of it。 The quiet gleam of humor he had
so often noticed in Helen's eyes was succeeded now by a look he had
never before seen there。
〃Oh； I'm sorry；〃 he added； hastily。 〃I beg your pardon； Helen。 I
didn't mean to say that。 Forgive me； will you？〃
She did not answer immediately。 Then she said； 〃I don't know
whether I shall or not。 I think I shall have to think it over。
And perhaps you had better go now。〃
〃But I'M sorry； Helen。 It was a fool thing to say。 I don't know
why I was such an idiot。 Do forgive me； come！〃
She slowly shook her head。 〃I can'tyet；〃 she said。 〃And this
you must understand： If Ed Raymond； or anyone else； calls on me
and I choose to permit it； or if I choose to go out with him
anywhere at any time； that is my affair and not 'everyone else's'
which includes Issachar Price。 And my FRIENDSmy real friends
will not listen to mean； ridiculous gossip。 Good night。〃
So that was the end of that attempt at asserting the Divine Right
by the South Harniss king of hearts。 Albert was more miserable
than ever； angrier than evernot only at Raymond and Helen； but at
himselfand his newly…discovered jealousy burned with a brighter
and greener flame。 The idea of throwing everything overboard；
going to Canada and enlisting in the Canadian Armyan idea which
had had a strong and alluring appeal ever since the war broke out
came back with redoubled force。 But there was the agreement with
his grandfather。 He had given his word； how could he break it？
Besides； to go away and leave his rival with a clear field did not
appeal to him； either。
On a Wednesday evening in the middle of September the final social
event of the South Harniss summer season was to take place。 The
Society for the Relief of the French Wounded was to give a dance in
the ballroom of the hotel； the proceeds from the sale of tickets to
be devoted to the purpose defined by the name of this organization。
Every last member of the summer colony was to attend； of course；
and all those of the permanent residents who aspired to social
distinction and cared to pay the high price of admission。
Albert was going； naturally。 That is； he had at first planned to
go； thenafter the disastrous call at the parsonagedecided that
he would go under no circumstances； and at the last changed his
mind once more to the affirmative。 Miss Madeline Fosdick； Jane
Kelsey's friend； was responsible for the final change。 She it was
who had sold him his ticket and urged him to be present。 He and
she had met several times since the first meeting at the post…
office。 Usually when they met they talked concerning poetry and
kindred lofty topics。 Albert liked Miss Fosdick。 It is hard not
to like a pretty； attractive young lady who takes such a flattering
interest in one's aspirations and literary efforts。 The 〃high brow
chit…chats〃quoting Miss Kelsey againwere pleasant in many ways；
for instance； they were in the nature of a tonic for weakened self…
esteem； and the Speranza self…esteem was suffering just at this
time； from shock。
Albert had； when he first heard that the dance was to take place；
intended inviting Helen to accompany him。 He had taken her
acceptance for granted； he having acted as her escort to so many
dances and social affairs。 So he neglected inviting her and then
came Issy's mischief…making remarks and the trouble which followed。
So； as inviting her was out of the question； he resolved not to
attend； himself。 But Miss Fosdick urged s