the portygee-第39章

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this　brief　interval　of　privacy　was　denied。　　But　Albert　made　one
more　attempt。

〃I'm　going　to　run　over　to　the　station　to…morrow　morning　to　see　you
off；〃　he　called　from　the　gate。　　〃Good　night。〃

The　morning　train　left　at　nine　o'clock；　and　at　a　quarter　to　nine
Albert；　who　had　kept　his　eye　on　the　clock　ever　since　eight；　his
hour　of　arriving　at　the　office；　called　to　Mr。　Price。

〃I　say；〃　he　said；　in　a　low　tone　and　one　as　casual　as　he　could
assume；　〃I　am　going　to　run　out　for　a　few　minutes。　　I'll　be　right
back。〃

Issachar's　response　was　as　usual　anything　but　low。

〃Eh？〃　he　shouted。　　〃Goin'　out？　　Where　you　goin'？〃

〃Oh；　I'm　just　going　outeron　an　errand。〃

〃What　kind　of　an　errand？　　I　was　cal'latin'　to　run　out　myself　for　a
little　spell。　　Can't　I　do　your　errand　for　you？〃

〃No；　no。　。　。　　There；　there；　don't　bother　me　any　more。　　I'm　in　a
hurry。〃

〃Hurry！　　So'm　I　in　a　hurry。　　I　was　cal'latin'　to　run　acrost　to　the
deepo　and　see　Helen　Kendall　start　for　Boston。　　She's　goin'　this
morning；　did　you　know　it？〃

Before　the　somewhat　flustered　assistant　bookkeeper　could　reply
Captain　Zelotes　called　from　the　inner　office：

〃Wouldn't　wonder　if　that　was　where　Al　was　bound；　too；〃　he　observed。
〃And　I　was　thinkin'　of　the　same　thing。　　Suppose　we　all　go　together。
Labe'll　keep　shop；　won't　you；　Labe？〃

Mr。　Keeler　looked　over　his　spectacles。　　〃Eh？〃　he　observed。　　〃Oh；
yes；　yes　。　。　。　　yes；　yes；　yes。　　And　say　good…by　to　Helen　for　me；
some　of　you；　if　you　happen　to　think　of　it。　　Not　that　'twill　make
much　difference　to　her；〃　he　added；　〃whether　she　gets　my　good…bys　or
not；　but　it　might　make　some　to　me。　。　。　。　　Um；　yes；　yes。〃

Mr。　Price　was　eager　to　oblige。

〃I'll　tell　her　you　sent　'em；　Labe；〃　he　said；　patronizingly。　　〃Set
your　mind　to　rest；　I'll　tell　her。〃

Laban's　lip　twitched。　　〃Much　obliged；　Is；〃　he　chirruped。　　〃That's　a
great　relief！　　My　mind's　rested　some　already。〃

So；　instead　of　going　alone　to　the　railway　station；　Albert　made　one
of　a　delegation　of　three。　　And　at　the　station　was　Mr。　Kendall；　and
two　of　the　school　committee；　and　one　or　two　members　of　the　church
sewing　circle；　and　the　president　and　secretary　of　the　Society　for
the　Relief　of　the　French　Wounded。　　So　far　from　being　an　intimate
confidential　farewell；　Helen's　departure　was　in　the　nature　of　a
public　ceremony　with　speech…making。　　Mr。　Price　made　most　of　the
speeches；　in　fact　the　lower　portion　of　his　countenance　was　in
violent　motion　most　of　the　ten　minutes。

〃Take　care　of　yourself；　Helen；〃　he　urged　loudly。　　〃Don't　you　worry
about　your　pa；　we'll　look　out　for　him。　　And　don't　let　none　of　them
Boston　fellers　carry　you　off。　　We'll　watch　and　see　that　Eddie
Raymond　and　Al　here　don't　get　into　mischief　while　you're　gone。
I　。　。　。　Crimustee！　　Jim　Young；　what　in　time's　the　matter　with　you？
Can't　ye　see　nothin'？〃

This　last　outburst　was　directed　at　the　driver　of　the　depot…wagon；
who；　wheeling　a　trunk　on　a　baggage　truck；　had　bumped　violently　into
the　rear　of　Mr。　Price's　legs；　just　at　the　knee　joint；　causing　their
owner　to　bend　backward　unexpectedly；　and　with　enthusiasm。

〃Can't　you　see　nothin'　when　it's　right　in　front　of　ye？〃　demanded
Issachar；　righteously　indignant。

Jim　Young　winked　over　his　shoulder　at　Albert。　　〃Sorry；　Is；〃　he
said；　as　he　continued　toward　the　baggage　car。　　〃I　didn't　notice　you
WAS　in　front　of　me。〃

〃Well；　then；　you'd　better。　。　。　。　　Eh？　　See　here；　what　do　you　mean
by　that？〃

Even　after　Mr。　Price　had　thus　been　pushed　out　of　the　foreground；　so
to　speak；　Albert　was　denied　the　opportunity　of　taking　his　place　by
Helen's　side。　　Her　father　had　a　few　last　messages　to　deliver；　then
Captain　Zelotes　shook　her　hand　and　talked　for　a　moment；　and；　after
that；　the　ladies　of　the　sewing　circle　and　the　war　work　society　felt
it　their　duty　to；　severally　and　jointly；　kiss　her　good…by。　　This
last　was　a　trying　operation　to　watch。

Then　the　engine　bell　rang　and　the　train　began　to　move。　　Albert；
running　beside　the　platform　of　the　last　car；　held　up　his　hand　for　a
farewell　clasp。

〃Good…by；〃　he　said；　and　added　in　a　whisper；　〃You'll　write；　won't
you？〃

〃Of　course。　　And　so　must　you。　　Good…by。〃

The　last　car　and　the　handkerchief　waving　figure　on　its　platform
disappeared　around　the　curve。　　The　little　group　by　the　station
broke　up。　　Albert　and　his　grandfather　walked　over　to　the　office
together。

〃There　goes　a　good　girl；　Al；〃　was　Captain　Lote's　only　comment。　　〃A
mighty　good　capable　girl。〃

Albert　nodded。　　A　moment　later　he　lifted　his　hat　to　a　group　in　a
passing　automobile。

〃Who　were　those　folks？〃　asked　the　Captain。

〃The　Fosdicks；〃　was　the　reply。　　〃The　people　who　are　going　to　build
down　by　the　Inlet。〃

It　was　Madeline　and　her　mother。　　The　latter　had　been　serenely
indifferent；　but　the　young　lady　had　smiled　and　bowed　behind　the
maternal　shoulders。

〃Oh；　that　so？〃　observed　Captain　Zelotes；　looking　after　the　flying
car　with　interest。　　〃That's　who　'tis；　eh？　　Nice　lookin'；　the　young
one；　ain't　she？〃

Albert　did　not　answer。　　With　the　noise　of　the　train　which　was
carrying　Helen　out　of　his　life　still　ringing　in　his　ears　it　seemed
wicked　even　to　mention　another　girl's　name；　to　say　nothing　of
commenting　upon　her　good　looks。　　For　the　rest　of　that　day　he　was　a
gloomy　spirit；　a　dark　shadow　in　the　office　of　Z。　Snow　and　Co。

Before　the　end　of　another　fortnight　the　season　at　South　Harniss　was
definitely　over。　　The　hotel　closed　on　the　Saturday　following　the
dance；　and　by　October　first　the　last　of　the　cottages　was　locked　and
shuttered。　　The　Kelseys　went　on　the　twentieth　and　the　Fosdicks　went
with　them。　　Albert　met　Madeline　and　Jane　at　the　post…office　in　the
evening　of　the　nineteenth　and　there　more　farewells　were　said。

〃Don't　forget　us　down　here　in　the　sand；　will　you？〃　he　suggested　to
Miss　Fosdick。　　It　was　Jane　Kelsey　who　answered。

〃Oh；　she　won't　forget；〃　returned　that　young　lady。　　〃Why　she　has
your　photograph　to　remember　you　by。〃

Madeline　colored　becomingly　and　was；　as　Jane　described　it；　〃awfully
fussed。〃

〃Nonsense！〃　she　exclaimed；　with　much　indignation；　〃I　haven't　any
such　thing。　　You　know　I　haven't；　Jane。〃

〃Yes；　you　have；　my　dear。　　You　have　a　photograph　of　him　standing
in　front　of　the　drug　store　and　looking　dreamily　in　atat　the
strawberry　sundaes。　　It　is　a　most　romantic　pose；　really。〃

Albert　laughed。　　He　remembered　the　photograph。　　It　was　one　of　a
series　of　snapshots　taken　with　Miss　Kelsey's　camera　one　Saturday
afternoon　when　a　party　of　young　people　had　met　in　front　of　the
sundae　dispensary。　　Jane　had　insisted　on　〃snapping〃　everyone。

〃That　reminds　me　that　I　have　never　seen　the　rest　of　those
photographs；〃　he　said。

〃Haven't　you？〃　exclaimed　Jane。　　〃Well；　you　ought　to　see　them。　　I
have　Madeline's　with　me。　　It　is　a　dream；　if　I　do　say　it　as　I　took
it。〃

She　produced　the　snapshot；　which　showed　her　friend　standing　beside
the　silver…leaf　tree　before　the　druggist's　window　and　smiling　at
the　camera。　　It　was　a　good　likeness　and；　consequently；　a　very
pretty　picture。

〃Isn't　it　a　dream；　just　as　I　said？〃　demanded　the　artist。　　〃Honest
now；　isn't　it？

Albert　of　course　declared　it　to　be　beyond　praise。

〃May　I　have　this　one？〃　he　asked；　on　the　impulse　of　the　moment。

〃Don't　ask　me；　stupid；〃　commanded　Jane；　mischievously。　　〃It　isn't
my　funeralor　my　portrait；　either。〃

〃May　I？〃　he　repeated；　turning　to　Madeline。　　She　hesitated。

〃Whywhy　yes；　you　may；　if　you　care　for　it；〃　she　said。　　〃That
particular　one　is　Jane's；　anyway；　and　if　she　chooses　to　give　it
away　I　don't　see　how　I　can　prevent　her。　　But　why　you　should　want
the　old　thing　I　can't　conceive。　　I　look　as　stiff　and　wooden　as　a
sign…post。〃

Jane　held　up　a　protesting　finger。

〃Fibs；　fibs；　fibs；〃　she　observed。　　〃Can't　conceive　why　he　should
want　it！　　As　if　you　weren't　perfectly　aware　that　he　will　wear　it
next　his　heart　and　　Oh；　don't　put　it　in　THAT　pocket！　　I　said　next
your　heart；　and　that　isn't　on　your　RIGHT　side。〃

Albert　took　the　photograph　home　and　stuck　it　between　the　frame　and
glass　of　his　bureau。　　Then　came　a　sudden　remembrance　of　his　parting
with　Helen　and　with　it　a　twinge　of　conscience。　　He　had　begged　her
to　have　nothing　to　do　with　any　other　fellow。　　True　she　had　refused
to　promise　and　consequently　he　also　was　unbound；　but