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alcohol； and Keeler had declared that he had not been drinking；
but
〃You're going to ENLIST？〃 repeated Albert。 〃YOU？ Why； Labe； what〃
Laban laughed nervously。 〃Not to kill the Kaiser；〃 he replied。
〃No； no； not thatnot exactly。 I'd like to； only I wouldn't be
much help that way。 Butbut Al； II want to do somethin'。 I
I'd like to try to showI'd like to be an American； a decent
American； and the best way to begin； seems to me； is to try and be
a man； a decent man。 Eh？ You understand； II Oh； Lord； what a
mess I am makin' of this！ II Al；〃 turning and desperately
waving his hands； 〃I'm goin' to try to swear off。 Will you help
me？〃
Albert's answer was enthusiastic。 〃You bet I will！〃 he exclaimed。
Keeler smiled pathetically。
〃It's goin' to be some job； I cal'late；〃 he said。 〃Some job； yes；
yes。 But I'm goin' to try it； Al。 I read in the papers 'tother
day that America needed every man。 Then you enlisted； Al；or
you're goin' to enlist。 It set me to thinkin' I'd try to enlist；
too。 For the duration of the war； eh？ Yes； yes。〃
〃Good for you； Labe！ Bully！〃
Laban held up a protesting hand。 〃Don't hurrah yet； Al；〃 he said。
〃This ain't the first time I've tried it。 I've swore off a dozen
times in the last fifteen years。 I've promised Rachel and broke
the promise over and over again。 Broke my promise to her； the best
woman in the world。 Shows what I am； what sort I am； don't it； Al？
Yes； it does；yes； yes。 And she's stuck by me； too； Lord knows
why。 Last time I broke it I said I'd never promise her again。 Bad
enough to be a common drunk without bein' a liaryes； yes。 But
this is a little different。 Seems to meseems so。〃
He began his pacing up and down again。
〃Seems different； somehow；〃 he went on。 〃Seems like a new chance。
I want to do somethin' for Uncle Sam。 II'd like to try and
enlist for the duration of the warswear off for that long；
anyhow。 Then； maybe； I'd be able to keep on for life； you know
duration of Labe Keeler； eh？ Yes； yes； yes。 But I could begin for
just the war； couldn't I？ Maybe； 'twould fool me into thinkin'
that was easier。〃
〃Of course； Labe。 It's a good idea。〃
〃Maybe； and maybe it's a fool one。 But I'm goin' to try it。 I AM
tryin' it； have been all day。〃
He paused； drew a shaking hand across his forehead and then asked；
〃Al； will you help me？ I asked you up here hopin' you would。 Will
you； Al； eh？ Will you？〃
Albert could not understand how he could possibly help another man
keep the pledge； but his promise was eagerly given。
〃Certainly； Labe；〃 he said。
〃Thanks 。 。 。 thank you； Al。 。 。 。 And now will you do something
for mea favor？〃
〃Gladly。 What is it？〃
Laban did not answer at once。 He appeared to be on the point of
doing so； but to be struggling either to find words or to overcome
a tremendous reluctance。 When he did speak the words came in a
burst。
〃Go down stairs；〃 he cried。 〃Down those stairs you came up。 At
the foot of 'em； in a kind of cupboard place； under 'em； there's
there probably is a jug； a full jug。 It was due to come by express
to…day and I cal'late it did； cal'late Jim Young fetched it down
this afternoon。 II could have looked for myself and seen if
'twas there；〃 he added； after a momentary hesitation； 〃butbut I
didn't dare to。 I was afraid I'dI'd〃
〃All right； Labe。 I understand。 What do you want me to do with it
if it is there？〃
〃I want youI want you toto〃 The little bookkeeper seemed to
be fighting another internal battle between inclination and
resolution。 The latter won； for he finished with； 〃I want you to
take it out back of the buildin' andand empty it。 That's what I
want you to do； empty it； Al； every drop。 。 。 。 And； for the
Almighty's sake； go quick；〃 he ordered； desperately； 〃or I'll tell
you not to before you start。 Go！〃
Albert went。 He fumbled in the cupboard under the stairs； found
the juga large one and heavyand hastened out into the night
with it in his hands。 Behind the shoe store； amid a heap of old
packing boxes and other rubbish； he emptied it。 The process was
rather lengthy and decidedly fragrant。 As a finish he smashed the
jug with a stone。 Then he climbed the stairs again。
Laban was waiting for him； drops of perspiration upon his forehead。
〃Waswas it there？〃 he demanded。
Albert nodded。
〃Yes； yes。 'Twas there； eh？ And did youdid you？〃
〃Yes； I did； jug and all。〃
〃Thank you； Al 。 。 。 thank you 。 。 。 II've been trying to muster
up spunk enough to do it myself； butbut I swan I couldn't。 I
didn't dast to go nigh it 。 。 。 I'm a fine specimen； ain't I；
now？〃 he added； with a twisted smile。 〃Some coward； eh？ Yes； yes。
Some coward。〃
Albert； realizing a little of the fight the man was making； was
affected by it。 〃You're a brick； Labe；〃 he declared； heartily。
〃And as for being a coward Well； if I am half as brave when my
turn comes I shall be satisfied。〃
Laban shook his head。 〃I don't know how scared I'd be of a German
bombshell；〃 he said； 〃but I'm everlastin' sure I wouldn't run from
it for fear of runnin' towards it； and that's how I felt about that
jug。 。 。 。 Yes； yes； yes。 I did so 。 。 。 I'm much obliged to
you； Al。 I shan't forget itno； no。 I cal'late you can trot
along home now； if you want to。 I'm pretty safefor to…night；
anyhow。 Guess likely the new recruit won't desert afore morning。〃
But Albert； watching him intently； refused to go。
〃I'm going to stay for a while； Labe；〃 he said。 〃I'm not a bit
sleepy； really。 Let's have a smoke and talk together。 That is； of
course； unless you want to go to bed。〃
Mr。 Keeler smiled his twisted smile。 〃I ain't crazy to；〃 he said。
〃The way I feel now I'd get to sleep about week after next。 But I
hadn't ought to keep you up； Al。〃
〃Rubbish！ I'm not sleepy； I tell you。 Sit down。 Have a cigar。
Now what shall we talk about？ How would books do？ What have you
been reading lately； Labe？〃
They smoked and talked books until nearly two。 Then Laban insisted
upon his guest departing。 〃I'm all right； Al〃 he declared；
earnestly。 〃I am honestyes； yes； I am。 I'll go to sleep like a
lamb； yes indeed。〃
〃You'll be at the office in the morning； won't you； Labe？〃
The little bookkeeper nodded。 〃I'll be there；〃 he said。 〃Got to
answer roll call the first mornin' after enlistment。 Yes； yes。
I'll be there； Al。〃
He was there； but he did not look as if his indulgence in the lamb…
like sleep had been excessive。 He was so pale and haggard that his
assistant was alarmed。
〃You're not sick； are you； Labe？〃 he asked； anxiously。 Laban shook
his head。
〃No；〃 he said。 〃No； I ain't sick。 Been doin' picket duty up and
down the room since half past three； that's all。 Um…hm； that's
all。 Say； Al； if General what's…his…nameervon Hindenburgis
any harder scrapper than old Field Marshal Barleycorn he's a pretty
tough one。 Say； Al； you didn't say anything aboutabout myer
enlistin' to Cap'n Lote； did you？ I meant to ask you not to。〃
〃I didn't； Labe。 I thought you might want it kept a secret。〃
〃Um…hm。 Better keep it in the ranks until we know how this first
erskirmish is comin' out。 Yes； yes。 Better keep it that way。
Um…hm。〃
All day he stuck manfully at his task and that evening； immediately
after supper； Albert went to the room over the shoe store； found
him there and insisted upon his coming over to call upon Rachel。
He had not intended doing so。
〃You see； Al；〃 he explained； 〃I'mI'm kind ofershaky and
Rachel will be worried； I'm afraid。 She knows me pretty well and
she'll cal'late I'm just gettin' ready toto bust loose again。〃
Albert interrupted。 〃No； she won't； Laban；〃 he said。 〃We'll show
her that you're not。〃
〃You won't say anything to her about myerenlistin'； Al？ Don't。
No； no。 I've promised her too many timesand broke the promises。
If anything should come of this fight of mine I'd rather she'd find
it out for herself。 Better to surprise her than to disapp'int her。
Yes； yes； lots better。〃
Albert promised not to tell Rachel and so Laban made his call。
When it was over the young man walked home with him and the pair
sat and talked until after midnight； just as on the previous night。
The following evening it was much the same； except that； as Mr。
Keeler pronounced himself more than usually 〃shaky〃 and expressed a
desire to 〃keep movin'；〃 they walked half way to Orham and back
before parting。 By the end of the week Laban declared the fight
wonfor the time。
〃You've pulled me through the fust tussle； Al；〃 he said。 〃I shan't
desert now； not till the next break…out； anyhow。 I cal'late it'll
get me harder than ever then。 Harder than everyes； yes。 And you
won't be here to help me； neither。〃
〃Never mind； I shall be thinking of you； Labe。 And I know you're
going to win。 I feel it in my bones。〃
〃Um…hm。 。 。 。 Yes； yes； yes。 。 。 In your bones； eh？ Well； MY
bones don't seem to feel much； except rheumatics once in a while。
I hope yours are better prophets； but I wouldn't want to bet too
high on it。 No； I wouldn'tno； no。 However； we'll do our best；
and they say angels can't do any morethough they'd probably do it
in a different way 。 。 。 some different。 。