the portygee-第58章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


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。　。　。　。　　Um…hm。　。　。　。　　Yes；
indeed。〃

Two　letters　came　to　Albert　before　that　week　ended。　　The　first　was
from　Madeline。　　He　had　written　her　of　his　intention　to　enlist　and
this　was　her　reply。　　The　letter　had　evidently　been　smuggled　past
the　censor；　for　it　contained　much　which　Mrs。　Fosdick　would　have
blue…penciled。　　Its　contents　were　a　blend　of　praise　and　blame；　of
exaltation　and　depression。　　He　was　a　hero；　and　so　brave；　and　she
was　so　proud　of　him。　　It　was　wonderful　his　daring　to　go；　and　just
what　she　would　have　expected　of　her　hero。　　If　only　she　might　see
him　in　his　uniform。　　So　many　of　the　fellows　she　knew　had　enlisted。
They　were　wonderfully　brave；　too；　although　of　course　nothing　like
as　wonderful　as　her　own　etcetera；　etcetera。　　She　had　seen　some　of
THEM　in　their　uniforms　and　they　were　PERFECTLY　SPLENDID。　　But　they
were　officers；　or　they　were　going　to　be。　　Why　wasn't　he　going　to　be
an　officer？　　It　was　so　much　nicer　to　be　an　officer。　　And　if　he　were
one　he　might　not　have　to　go　away　to　fight　nearly　so　soon。　　Officers
stayed　here　longer　and　studied；　you　know。　　Mother　had　said
something　about　〃a　common　private；〃　and　she　did　not　like　it。　　But
never　mind；　she　would　be　just　as　proud　no　matter　what　he　was。　　And
she　should　dream　of　him　and　think　of　him　always　and　always。　　And
perhaps　he　might　be　so　brave　and　wonderful　that　he　would　be　given
one　of　those　war　crosses；　the　Croix　de　Guerre　or　something。　　She
was　sure　he　would。　　But　oh；　no　matter　what　happened；　he　must　not　go
where　it　was　TOO　dangerous。　　Suppose　he　should　be　wounded。　　Oh；
suppose；　SUPPOSE　he　should　be　killed。　　What　would　she　do　then？
What　would　become　of　her？　　MUST　he　go；　after　all？　　Couldn't　he　stay
at　home　and　study　or　something；　for　a　while；　you　know？　　She　should
be　so　lonely　after　he　was　gone。　　And　so　frightened　and　so　anxious。
And　he　wouldn't　forget　her；　would　he；　no　matter　where　he　went？
Because　she　never；　never；　never　would　forget　him　for　a　moment。　　And
he　must　write　every　day。　　And

The　letter　was　fourteen　pages　long。

The　other　letter　was　a　surprise。　　It　was　from　Helen。　　The　Reverend
Mr。　Kendall　had　been　told　of　Albert's　intended　enlistment　and　had
written　his　daughter。


So　you　are　going　into　the　war；　Albert　（she　wrote）。　　I　am　not
surprised　because　I　expected　you　would　do　just　that。　　It　is　what
all　of　us　would　like　to　do；　I'm　sure；　and　you　were　always　anxious
to　go；　even　before　the　United　States　came　in。　　So　I　am　writing　this
merely　to　congratulate　you　and　to　wish　you　the　very　best　of　good
luck。　　Father　says　you　are　not　going　to　try　for　a　commission　but
intend　enlisting　as　a　private。　　I　suppose　that　is　because　you　think
you　may　get　to　the　actual　fighting　sooner。　　I　think　I　understand
and　appreciate　that　feeling　too；　but　are　you　sure　it　is　the　best
plan？　　You　want　to　be　of　the　greatest　service　to　the　country　and
with　your　education　and　brains　　This　ISN'T　flattery；　because　it
is　truedon't　you　think　you　might　help　more　if　you　were　in　command
of　men？　　Of　course　I　don't　know；　being　only　a　girl；　but　I　have　been
wondering。　　No　doubt　you　know　best　and　probably　it　is　settled
before　this；　at　any　rate；　please　don't　think　that　I　intend　butting
in。　　〃Butting　in〃　is　not　at　all　a　proper　expression　for　a
schoolmarm　to　use　but　it　is　a　relief　to　be　human　occasionally。
Whatever　you　do　I　am　sure　will　be　the　right　thing　and　I　know　all
your　friends　are　going　to　be　very；　very　proud　of　you。　　I　shall　hear
of　you　through　the　people　at　home；　I　know；　and　I　shall　be　anxious
to　hear。　　I　don't　know　what　I　shall　do　to　help　the　cause；　but　I
hope　to　do　something。　　A　musket　is　prohibitive　to　females　but　the
knitting　needle　is　ours　and　I　CAN　handle　that；　if　I　do　say　it。　　And
I　MAY　go　in　for　Red　Cross　work　altogether。　　But　I　don't　count　much；
and　you　men　do；　and　this　is　your　day。　　Please；　for　the　sake　of　your
grandparents　and　all　your　friends；　don't　take　unnecessary　chances。
I　can　see　your　face　as　you　read　that　and　think　that　I　am　a　silly
idiot。　　I'm　not　and　I　mean　what　I　say。　　You　see　I　know　YOU　and　I
know　you　will　not　be　content　to　do　the　ordinary　thing。　　We　want　you
to　distinguish　yourself；　but　also　we　want　you　to　come　back　whole
and　sound；　if　it　is　possible。　　We　shall　think　of　you　a　great　deal。
And　please；　in　the　midst　of　the　excitement　of　the　BIG　work　you　are
doing；　don't　forget　us　home　folk；　including　your　friend；

HELEN　KENDALL。


Albert's　feelings　when　he　read　this　letter　were　divided。　　He
enjoyed　hearing　from　Helen。　　The　letter　was　just　like　herself；
sensible　and　good…humored　and　friendly。　　There　were　no　hysterics　in
it　and　no　heroics　but　he　knew　that　no　one　except　his　grandparents
and　Rachel　and　Labanand；　of　course；　his　own　Madelinewould　think
of　him　oftener　or　be　more　anxious　for　his　safety　and　welfare　than
Helen。　　He　was　glad　she　was　his　friend；　very　glad。　　But　he　almost
wished　she　had　not　written。　　He　felt　a　bit　guilty　at　having
received　the　letter。　　He　was　pretty　sure　that　Madeline　would　not
like　the　idea。　　He　was　tempted　to　say　nothing　concerning　it　in　his
next　letter　to　his　affianced；　but　that　seemed　u