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Zelotes also rose。
〃Don't hurry； don't hurry；〃 he begged。
〃Sorry； but I must。 I want to be back in New York tomorrow
morning。〃
〃But you can't； can you？ To do that you'll have to get up to
Boston or Fall River； and the afternoon train's gone。 You'd better
stay and have supper along with my wife and me； stay at our house
over night； and take the early train after breakfast to…morrow。〃
〃I wish I could； I'd like nothing better。 But I can't。〃
〃Sure？〃 Then； with a smile； he added： 〃Al needn't eat with us；
you know； if his bein' there makes either of you feel nervous。〃
Fosdick laughed again。 〃I think I should be willing to risk the
nervousness；〃 he replied。 〃But I must go； really。 I've hired a
chap at the garage here to drive me to Boston in his car and I'll
take the midnight train over。〃
〃Humph！ Well； if you must； you must。 Hope you have a comf'table
trip； Mr。 Fosdick。 Better wrap up warm； it's pretty nigh a five…
hour run to Boston and there's some cool wind over the Ostable
marshes this time of year。 Good…by； sir。 Glad to have had this
talk with you。〃
His visitor held out his hand。 〃So am I； Snow；〃 he said heartily。
〃Mighty glad。〃
〃I hope I wasn't too short and brisk at the beginnin'。 You see；
I'd just read your wife's letter； anderwell； of course； I
didn't knowjustyou see； you and I had never met； and so〃
〃Certainly； certainly。 I quite understand。 And； fool's errand or
not； I'm very glad I came here。 If you'll pardon my saying so； it
was worth the trip to get acquainted with you。 I hope； whatever
comes of the other thing； that our acquaintanceship will continue。〃
〃Same here； same here。 Go right out the side door； Mr。 Fosdick；
saves goin' through the office。 Good day； sir。〃
He watched the bulky figure of the New York banker tramping across
the yard between the piles of lumber。 A moment later he entered
the outer office。 Albert and Keeler were at their desks。 Captain
Zelotes approached the little bookkeeper。
〃Labe；〃 he queried； 〃there isn't anything particular you want me to
talk about just now； is there？〃
Lahan looked up in surprise from his figuring。
〃Whywhy； no； Cap'n Lote； don't know's there is；〃 he said。 〃Don't
know's there is； not now； no； no； no。〃
His employer nodded。 〃Good！〃 he exclaimed。 〃Then I'm goin' back
inside there and sit down and rest my chin for an hour； anyhow。
I've talked so much to…day that my jaws squeak。 Don't disturb me
for anything short of a fire or a mutiny。〃
CHAPTER XII
He was not disturbed and that evening； after supper was over； he
was ready to talk again。 He and Albert sat together in the sitting
roomMrs。 Snow and Rachel were in the kitchen washing dishesand
Captain Zelotes told his grandson as much as he thought advisable
to tell of his conversation with the Honorable Fletcher Fosdick。
At first Albert was inclined to rebel at the idea of permitting his
letters to Madeline to be read by the latter's parents； but at
length he agreed。
〃I'll do it because it may make it easier for her；〃 he said。
〃She'll have a dreadful time； I suppose； with that unreasonable
mother of hers。 But； by George； Grandfather；〃 he exclaimed； 〃isn't
she splendid； though！〃
〃Who？ Mrs。 Fosdick？〃
〃No； of course not；〃 indignantly。 〃Madeline。 Isn't she splendid
and fine and loyal！ I want you to know her； Grandfather； you and
Grandmother。〃
〃Um…hm。 Well； we'll hope to； some day。 Now； son； I'm goin' to ask
for another promise。 It may seem a hard one to make； but I'm
askin' you to make it。 I want you to give me your word that； no
matter what happens or how long you have to wait； you and Madeline
won't get married without tellin' her folks and yours beforehand。
You won't run away and marry。 Will you promise me that？〃
Albert looked at him。 This WAS a hard promise to make。 In their
talks beneath the rainbows； whenever he and Madeline had referred
to the future and its doubts； they had always pushed those doubts
aside with vague hints of an elopement。 If the unreasonableness of
parents and grandparents should crowd them too far； they had always
as a last resort； the solution of their problem by way of a runaway
marriage。 And now Captain Zelotes was asking him to give up this
last resort。
The captain； watching him keenly； divined what was in his
grandson's mind。
〃Think it over； Al；〃 he said kindly。 〃Don't answer me now； but
think it over； and to…morrow mornin' tell me how you feel about
it。〃 He hesitated a moment and then added： 〃You know your
grandmother and I； wewell； we have maybe cause to be a little
mite prejudiced against this elopin' business。〃
So Albert thought； and the next morning； as the pair were walking
together to the office； he spoke his thought。 Captain Zelotes had
not mentioned the subject。
〃Grandfather；〃 said Albert； with some embarrassment； 〃I'm going to
give you that promise。〃
His grandfather； who had been striding along； his heavy brows drawn
together and his glance fixed upon the frozen ground beneath his
feet； looked up。
〃Eh？〃 he queried； uncomprehendingly。
〃You asked me last night to promise you something； you know。 。 。 。
You asked me to think it over。 I have； and I'm going to promise
you thatMadeline and I won't marry without first telling you。〃
Captain Zelotes stopped in his stride； then he walked on again。
〃Thank you； Al；〃 he said quietly。 〃I hoped you'd see it that way。〃
〃Yesyes； II do。 I don't want to bring any moretrouble of
that kind to you and Grandmother。 。 。 。 It seems to me that you
that you have had too much already。〃
〃Thank you； son。 。 。 。 Much obliged。〃
The captain's tone was almost gruff and that was his only reference
to the subject of the promise； but somehow Albert felt that at that
moment he and his grandfather were closer together； were nearer to
a mutual understanding and mutual appreciation than they had ever
been before。
To promise； however； is one thing； to fulfill the obligation
another。 As the days passed Albert found his promise concerning
letter…writing very； very hard to keep。 When； each evening he sat
down at the table in his room to pour out his soul upon paper it
was a most unsatisfactory outpouring。 The constantly enforced
recollection that whatever he wrote would be subject to the
chilling glance of the eye of Fosdick mater was of itself a check
upon the flow。 To write a love letter to Madeline had hitherto
been a joy； a rapture； to fill pages and pages a delight。 Now；
somehow； these pages were hard to fill。 Omitting the very things
you were dying to say； the precious； the intimate thingswhat was
there left？ He and she had； at their meetings and in their former
correspondence； invented many delightful little pet names for each
other。 Now those names were taboo； or； at any rate； they might as
well be。 The thought of Mrs。 Fosdick's sniff of indignant disgust
at finding her daughter referred to as some one's ownest little
rosebud withered that bud before it reached the paper。
And Madeline's letters to him were quite as unsatisfactory。 They
were lengthy； but oh； so matter of fact！ Saharas of fact without
one oasis of sentiment。 She was well and she had done this and
that and had been to see such and such plays and operas。 Father
was well and very busy。 Mother； too； was well； so was Googoobut
these last two bits of news failed to comfort him as they perhaps
should。 He could only try to glean between the lines； and as Mrs。
Fosdick had raked between those lines before him； the gleaning was
scant picking indeed。
He found himself growing disconsolate and despondent。 Summer
seemed ages away。 And when at last it should comewhat would
happen then？ He could see her only when properly chaperoned； only
when Mother； and probably Googoo； were present。 He flew for
consolation to the Muse and the Muse refused to console。 The poems
he wrote were 〃blue〃 and despairing likewise。 Consequently they
did not sell。 He was growing desperate； ready for anything。 And
something came。 Germany delivered to our Government its arrogant
mandate concerning unlimited submarine warfare。 A long…suffering
President threw patience overboard and answered that mandate in
unmistakable terms。 Congress stood at his back and behind them a
united and indignant people。 The United States declared war upon
the Hun。
South Harniss； like every other community； became wildly excited。
Captain Zelotes Snow's gray eyes flashed fiery satisfaction。 The
flags at the Snow place and at the lumber yard flew high night and
day。 He bought newspapers galore and read from them aloud at
meals； in the evenings； and before breakfast。 Issachar； as usual；
talked much and said little。 Laban Keeler's comments were pithy
and dryly pointed。 Albert was very quiet。
But one forenoon he spoke。 Captain Lote was in the inner office；
the morning newspaper in his hand； when his grandson entered and
closed the door behind him。 The captain looked up。
〃Well； Al； what is it？〃 he asked。
Albert came over and stood beside the desk。 The captain； after a
moment's scrutiny of the young man's face； put down his newspaper。
〃Well； Al？〃 he said； again。
Albert seem