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〃Eh？ Why not？〃
〃Because the first thing you know he'll be startin' for Canada to
enlist。 He's been crazy to do it for 'most a year。〃
〃He has？ How do you know he has？〃
〃Because he's told me so； more'n once。〃
Her employer looked at her。
〃Humph！〃 he grunted。 〃He seems to tell you a good many things he
doesn't tell the rest of us。〃
The housekeeper nodded。 〃Yes；〃 she said gravely； 〃I shouldn't
wonder if he did。〃 A moment later she added； 〃Cap'n Lote； you will
be careful； won't you？ You wouldn't want Al to go off and leave Z。
Snow and Company when him and you are gettin' on so much better。
You ARE gettin' on better； ain't you？〃
The captain pulled at his beard。
〃Yes；〃 he admitted； 〃seems as if we was。 He ain't any wonder at
bookkeepin'； but he's better'n he used to be； and he does seem to
try hard； I'll say that for him。〃
Rachael beamed gratification。 〃He'll be a Robert Penfold yet；〃 she
declared； 〃see if he isn't。 So you musn't encourage him into
enlistin' in the Canadian army。 You wouldn't want him to do that
any more'n the rest of us would。〃
The captain gazed intently into the bowl of the pipe which he had
been cleaning。 He made no answer。
〃You wouldn't want him to do that； would you？〃 repeated the
housekeeper。
Captain Lote blew through the pipe stem。 Then he said； 〃No； I
wouldn't 。 。 。 but I'm darn glad he's got the spunk to WANT to do
it。 We may get that Portygee streak out of him； poetry and all；
give us time； eh； Rachael？〃
It was the first time in months that he had used the word 〃Portygee〃
in connection with his grandson。 Mrs。 Ellis smiled to herself。
In April the arbutus buds began to appear above the leaf mold
between the scrub oaks in the woods； and the walls of Fletcher
Fosdick's new summer home began to rise above the young pines on
the hill by the Inlet in the Bay Road。 The Item kept its readers
informed； by weekly installments； of the progress made by the
builders。
The lumber for Mr。 Fletcher Fosdick's new cottage is beginning to
be hauled to his property on Inlet Hill in this town。 Our
enterprising firm of South Harniss dealers； Z。 Snow & Co。； are
furnishing said lumber。 Mr。 Nehemiah Nickerson is to do the mason
work。 Mr。 Fosdick shows good judgment as well as a commendable
spirit in engaging local talent in this way。 We venture to say he
will never regret it。
A week later：
Mr。 Fletcher Fosdick's new residence is beginning building； the
foundation being pretty near laid。
And the following week：
The Fosdick mansion is growing fast。 South Harniss may well be
proud of its new ornament。
The rise in three successive numbers from 〃cottage〃 to 〃mansion〃 is
perhaps sufficient to indicate that the Fosdick summer home was to
be； as Issachar Price described it； 〃Some considerable house！ Yes
sir； by crimus； some considerable！〃
In June； Helen came home for a week。 At the end of the week she
left to take up her new duties at the summer camp for girls in
Vermont。 Albert and she were together a good deal during that
week。 Anticipating her arrival； the young man's ardent imagination
had again fanned what he delighted to think of as his love for her
into flame。 During the last months of the winter he had not played
the languishing swain as conscientiously as during the autumn。
Like the sailor in the song 〃is 'eart was true to Poll〃 always； but
he had broken away from his self…imposed hermitage in his room at
the Snow place several times to attend sociables； entertainments
and； even； dances。 Now； when she returned he was eagerly awaiting
her and would have haunted the parsonage before and after working
hours of every day as well as the evening； if she had permitted；
and when with her assumed a proprietary air which was so obvious
that even Mr。 Price felt called upon to comment on it。
〃Say； Al；〃 drawled Issachar； 〃cal'late you've cut out Eddie Raymond
along with Helen； ain't ye？ Don't see him hangin' around any since
she got back； and the way you was actin' when I see you struttin'
into the parsonage yard last night afore mail time made me think
you must have a first mortgage on Helen and her pa and the house
and the meetin'…house and two…thirds of the graveyard。 I never see
such an important…lookin' critter in MY life。 Haw； haw！ Eh？ How
'bout it？〃
Albert did not mind the Price sarcasm； instead he felt rather
grateful to have the proletariat recognize that he had triumphed
again。 The fly in his ointment； so to speak； was the fact that
Helen herself did not in the least recognize that triumph。 She
laughed at him。
〃Don't look at me like that； please； please； don't；〃 she begged。
〃Why not？〃 with a repetition of the look。
〃Because it is silly。〃
〃Silly！ Well； I like that！ Aren't you and I engaged？ Or just the
same as engaged？〃
〃No； of course we are not。〃
〃But we promised each other〃
〃No； we did not。 And you know we didn't。〃
〃Helen； why do you treat me that way？ Don't you know thatthat I
just worship the ground you tread on？ Don't you know you're the
only girl in this world I could ever care for？ Don't you know
that？〃
They were walking home from church Sunday morning and had reached
the corner below the parsonage。 There； screened by the thicket of
young silver…leafs； she stopped momentarily and looked into his
face。 Then she walked on。
〃Don't you know how much I care？〃 he repeated。
She shook her head。 〃You think you do now； perhaps；〃 she said；
〃but you will change your mind。〃
〃What do you mean by that？ How do you know I will？〃
〃Because I know you。 There； there； Albert； we won't quarrel； will
we？ And we won't be silly。 You're an awfully nice boy； but you
are just a boy； you know。〃
He was losing his temper。
〃This is ridiculous！〃 he declared。 〃I'm tired of being grandmothered
by you。 I'm older than you are； and I know what I'm doing。 Come；
Helen； listen to me。〃
But she would not listen； and although she was always kind and
frank and friendly； she invariably refused to permit him to become
sentimental。 It irritated him； and after she had gone the
irritation still remained。 He wrote her as before； although not
quite so often； and the letters were possibly not quite so long。
His pride was hurt and the Speranza pride was a tender and
important part of the Speranza being。 If Helen noted any change in
his letters she did not refer to it nor permit it to influence her
own； which were； as always； lengthy； cheerful； and full of interest
in him and his work and thoughts。
During the previous fall； while under the new influence aroused in
him by his discovery that Helen Kendall was 〃the most wonderful
girl in the world；〃 said discovery of course having been previously
made for him by the unfortunate Raymond； he had developed a habit
of wandering off into the woods or by the seashore to be alone and
to seek inspiration。 When a young poet is in love； or fancies
himself in love； inspiration is usually to be found wherever
sought； but even at that age and to one in that condition solitude
is a marked aid in the search。 There were two or three spots which
had become Albert Speranza's favorites。 One was a high； wind…swept
knoll； overlooking the bay； about a half mile from the hotel；
another was a secluded nook in the pine grove beside Carver's Pond；
a pretty little sheet of water on the Bayport boundary。 On
pleasant Saturday afternoons or Sundays； when the poetic fit was on
him； Albert； with a half dozen pencils in his pocket； and a rhyming
dictionary and a scribbling pad in another； was wont to stroll
towards one or the other of these two retreats。 There he would
sprawl amid the beachgrass or upon the pine…needles and dream and
think and； perhaps； ultimately write。
One fair Saturday in late June he was at the first of these
respective points。 Lying prone on the beach grass at the top of
the knoll and peering idly out between its stems at the water
shimmering in the summer sun； he was endeavoring to find a subject
for a poem which should deal with love and war as requested by the
editor of the Columbian Magazine。 〃Give us something with a girl
and a soldier in it；〃 the editor had written。 Albert's mind was
lazily drifting in search of the pleasing combination。
The sun was warm； the breeze was light； the horizon was veiled with
a liquid haze。 Albert's mind was veiled with a similar haze and
the idea he wanted would not come。 He was losing his desire to
find it and was； in fact； dropping into a doze when aroused by a
blood…curdling outburst of barks and yelps and growls behind him；
at his very heels。 He came out of his nap with a jump and；
scrambling to a sitting position and turning； he saw a small Boston
bull…terrier standing within a yard of his ankles and； apparently；
trying to turn his brindled outside in； or his inside out； with
spiteful ferocity。 Plainly the dog had come upon him unexpectedly
and was expressing alarm； suspicion and disapproval。
Albert jerked his ankles out of the way and said 〃Hello； boy；〃 in
as cheerfully cordial a tone as he could muster at such short
notice。 The dog took a step forward； evidently with the idea of
always keeping the