the portygee-第21章

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fiery　red。　　Albert's；　on　the　contrary；　went　perfectly　white。　　He
seemed　to　settle　back　on　his　heels　and　from　there　almost　to　fly　at
his　insulter。　　Five　minutes　or　so　later　they　were　both　dusty　and
dirty　and　dishevelled　and　bruised；　but　Sam　was　pretty　thoroughly
licked。　　For　one　thing；　he　had　been　taken　by　surprise　by　his
adversary's　quickness；　for　another；　Albert's　compulsory　training　in
athletics　at　school　gave　him　an　advantage。　　He　was　by　no　means　an
unscarred　victor；　but　victor　he　was。　　Sam　was　defeated；　and　very
much　astonished。　　He　leaned　against　the　cranberry　house　and　held　on
to　his　nose。　　It　had　been　a　large　nose　in　the　beginning；　it　was
larger　now。

Albert　stood　before　him；　his　facewhere　it　was　not　a　pleasing
combination　of　black　and　bluestill　white。

〃If　youif　you　speak　of　my　father　or　me　again　like　that；〃　he
panted；　〃I'llI'll　kill　you！〃

Then　he　strode　off；　a　bit　wobbly　on　his　legs；　but　with　dignity。

Oddly　enough；　no　one　except　the　two　most　interested　ever　knew　of
this　encounter。　　Albert；　of　course；　did　not　tell。　　He　was　rather
ashamed　of　it。　　For　the　son　of　Miguel　Carlos　Speranza　to　conquer
dragons　was　a　worthy　and　heroic　business；　but　there　seemed　to　be
mighty　little　heroism　in　licking　Sam　Thatcher　behind　'Lije　Doane's
cranberry　shack。　　And　Sam　did　not　tell。　　Gertie　next　day　confided
that　she　didn't　care　two　cents　for　that　stuck…up　Al　Speranza；
anyway；　she　had　let　him　see　her　home　only　because　Sam　had　danced　so
many　times　with　Elsie　Wixon　at　the　ball　that　night。　　So　Sam　said
nothing　concerning　the　fight；　explaining　the　condition　of　his　nose
by　saying　that　he　had　run　into　something　in　the　dark。　　And　he　did
not　appear　to　hold　a　grudge　against　his　conqueror；　on　the　contrary
when　others　spoke　of　the　latter　as　a　〃sissy；〃　Sam　defended　him。
〃He　may　be　a　dude；〃　said　Sam；　〃I　don't　say　he　ain't。　　But　he　ain't
no　sissy。〃

When　pressed　to　tell　why　he　was　so　certain；　his　answer　was：
〃Because　he　don't　act　like　one。〃　　It　was　not　a　convincing　answer；
the　general　opinion　being　that　that　was　exactly　how　Al　Speranza　did
act。

There　was　one　young　person　in　the　village　toward　whom　Albert　found
himself　making　exceptions　in　his　attitude　of　serenely　impersonal
tolerance。　　That　person　was　Helen　Kendall；　the　girl　who　had　come
into　his　grandfather's　office　the　first　morning　of　his　stay　in
South　Harniss。　　He　was　forced　to　make　these　exceptions　by　the　young
lady　herself。　　When　he　met　her　the　second　timewhich　was　after
church　on　his　first　Sundayhis　manner　was　even　more　loftily
reserved　than　usual。　　He　had　distinct　recollections　of　their　first
conversation。　　His　own　part　in　it　had　not　been　brilliant；　and　in　it
he　had　made　the　absurd　statementabsurd　in　the　light　of　what　came
afterthat　he　was　certainly　NOT　employed　by　Z。　Snow　and　Co。

So　he　was　cool　and　superior　when　his　grandmother　brought　them
together　after　the　meeting　was　over。　　If　Helen　noticed　the
superiority；　she　was　certainly　not　over…awed　by　it；　for　she　was　so
simple　and　natural　and　pleasant　that　he　was　obliged　to　unbend　and
be　natural　too。　　In　fact；　at　their　third　meeting　he　himself　spoke
of　the　interview　in　the　lumber　office　and　again　expressed　his
thanks　for　warning　him　of　his　grandfather's　detestation　of
cigarettes。

〃Gee！〃　he　exclaimed；　〃I'm　certainly　glad　that　you　put　me　on　to　the
old　boy's　feelings。　　I　think　he'd　have　murdered　me　if　he　had　come
back　and　found　me　puffing　a　Pall　Mall　in　there。〃

She　smiled。　　〃He　does　hate　them；　doesn't　he？〃　she　said。

〃Hate　them！　　I　should　say　he　did。　　Hating　cigarettes　is　about　the
only　point　where　he　and　Issy　get　along　without　an　argument。　　If　a
traveler　for　a　hardware　house　comes　into　the　office　smoking　a　cig；
Issy　opens　all　the　windows　to　let　the　smell　out；　and　Grandfather
opens　the　door　to　throw　the　salesman　out。　　Well；　not　exactly　to
throw　him　out；　of　course；　but　he　never　buys　a　single　cent's　worth
of　a　cigarette　smoker。〃

Helen　glanced　at　him。　　〃You　must　be　awfully　glad　you're　not　a
traveling　salesman；〃　she　said　demurely。

Albert　did　not　know　exactly　what　to　make　of　that　remark。　　He；　in
his　turn；　looked　at　her；　but　she　was　grave　and　quite　unconcerned。

〃Why？〃　he　asked；　after　a　moment。

〃Whywhat？〃

〃Why　ought　I　to　be　glad　I'm　not　a　traveling　salesman？〃

〃Oh；　I　don't　know。　　It　just　seemed　to　me　that　you　ought；　that's
all。〃

〃But　why？〃

〃Well；　if　you　were　you　wouldn't　make　a　great　hit　with　your
grandfather；　would　you？〃

〃Eh？　。　。　。　　Oh；　you　mean　because　I　smoke。　　Say；　YOU'RE　not　silly
enough　to　be　down　on　cigarettes　the　way　grandfather　is；　are　you？〃

〃No…o；　I'm　not　down　on　them；　especially。　　I'm　not　very　well
acquainted　with　them。〃

〃Neither　is　he。　　He　never　smoked　one　in　his　life。　　It's　just
country　prejudice；　that's　all。〃

〃Well；　I　live　in　the　country；　too；　you　know。〃

〃Yes；　but　you're　different。〃

〃How　do　you　know　I　am？〃

〃Oh；　because　any　one　can　see　you　are。〃　　The　manner　in　which　this
remark　was　made；　a　manner　implying　a　wide　knowledge　of　humanity　and
a　hint　of　personal　interest　and　discriminating　appreciation；　had
been　found　quite　effective　by　the　precocious　young　gentleman
uttering　it。　　With　variations　to　suit　the　case　and　the　individual
it　had　been　pleasantly　received　by　several　of　the　Misses　Bradshaw's
pupils。　　He　followed　it　with　another　equally　tried　and　trustworthy。

〃Say；〃　he　added；　〃would　YOU　rather　I　didn't　smoke？〃

The　obvious　reply　should　have　been；　〃Oh；　would　you　stop　if　I　asked
you　to？〃　　But　Helen　Kendall　was　a　most　disconcerting　girl。　　Instead
of　purring　a　pleased　recognition　of　the　implied　flattery；　she
laughed　merrily。　　The　Speranza　dignity　was　hurt。

〃What　is　there　to　laugh　at？〃　he　demanded。　　〃Are　you　laughing　at
me？〃

The　answer　was　as　truthful　as　truth　itself。

〃Why；　of　course　I　am；〃　she　replied；　and　then　completed　his
discomfiture　by　adding；　〃Why　should　I　care　whether　you　smoke　or
not？　　You　had　better　ask　your　grandfather　that　question；　I　should
think。〃

Now　Alberto　Miguel　Carlos　Speranza　had　not　been　accustomed　to　this
sort　of　treatment　from　young　persons　of　the　other　sex；　and　he
walked　away　in　a　huff。　　But　the　unusual　is　always　attractive；　and
the　next　time　he　and　Miss　Kendall　met　he　was　as　gracious　and
cordial　as　ever。　　But　it　was　not　long　before　he　learned　that　the
graciousness　was；　in　her　case；　a　mistake。　　Whenever　he　grew　lofty；
she　took　him　down；　laughed　at　him　with　complete　frankness；　and
refused　to　treat　him　as　anything　but　a　boy。　　So　they　gradually　grew
friendly；　and　when　they　met　at　parties　or　church　socials　he　spent
most　of　the　time　in　her　company；　or；　rather；　he　would　have　so　spent
it　had　she　permitted。　　But　she　was　provokingly　impartial　and　was
quite　as　likely　to　refuse　a　dance　with　him　to　sit　out　one　with　Sam
Thatcher　or　Ben　Hammond　or　any　other　village　youth　of　her
acquaintance。　　However；　although　she　piqued　and　irritated　him；　he
was　obliged　to　admit　to　his　inner　consciousness　that　she　was　the
most　interesting　person　he　had　yet　discovered　in　South　Harniss；
also　that　even　in　the　eyes　of　such　connoisseurs　as　his　fellow
members　of　the　senior　class　at　school　she　would　have　been　judged　a
〃good　looker；〃　in　spite　of　her　country　clothes。

He　met　her　father；　of　course。　　The　Reverend　Mr。　Kendall　was　a　dreamy
little　old　gentleman　with　white　hair　and　the　stooped　shoulders　of　a
student。　　Everybody　liked　him；　and　it　was　for　that　reason　principally
that　he　was　still　the　occupant　of　the　Congregational　pulpit；　for　to
quote　Captain　Zelotes；　his　sermons　were　inclined　to　be　like　the
sandy　road　down　to　Setuckit　Point；　〃ten　mile　long　and　dry　all　the
way。〃　　He　was　a　widower　and　his　daughter　was　his　companion　and
managing　housekeeper。　　There　was　a　half…grown　girl；　one　of　the
numerous　Price　family；　a　cousin　of　Issachar's；　who　helped　out　with
the　sweeping；　dish…washing　and　cooking；　but　Helen　was　the　real　head
of　the　household。

〃And　she's　a　capable　one；　too；〃　declared　Mrs。　Snow；　when　at　supper
one　evening　Helen's　name　had　come　into　the　conversation。　　〃I
declare　when　I　was　there　yesterday　to　see　the　minister　about
readin'　poetry　to　us　at　sewin'…circle　next　Monday　that　parlor　was
as　neat　as　wax。　　And　'twas　all　Helen's　work　that　kept　it　so；　that
was　plain　enough。　　You　cou