him by breaking out unexpectedly in that way。
From the indiscriminate praise at home； or the reluctant praise of
his grandfather； he found relief when he discussed his verses with
Helen Kendall。 Her praise was not indiscriminate； in fact
sometimes she did not praise at all； but expressed disapproval。
They had some disagreements； marked disagreements； but it did not
affect their friendship。 Albert was a trifle surprised to find
that it did not。
So as the months passed he ground away at the books of Z。 Snow and
Company during office hours and at the poetry mill between times。
The seeing of his name in print was no longer a novelty and he
poetized not quite as steadily。 Occasionally he attempted prose；
but the two or three short stories of his composition failed to
sell。 Helen； however； urged him to try again and keep trying。 〃I
know you can write a good story and some day you are going to；〃 she
said。
His first real literary success； that which temporarily lifted him
into the outer circle of the limelight of fame； was a poem written
the day following that upon which came the news of the sinking of
the Lusitania。 Captain Zelotes came back from the post…office that
morning； a crumpled newspaper in his hand； and upon his face the
look which mutinous foremast hands had seen there just before the
mutiny ended。 Laban Keeler was the first to notice the look。 〃For
the land sakes； Cap'n； what's gone wrong？〃 he asked。 The captain
flung the paper upon the desk。 〃Read that；〃 he grunted。 Labe
slowly spread open the paper； the big black headlines shrieked the
crime aloud。
〃Good God Almighty！〃 exclaimed the little bookkeeper。 Captain
Zelotes snorted。 〃He didn't have anything to do with it；〃 he
declared。 〃The bunch that pulled that off was handled from the
other end of the line。 And I wish to thunder I was young enough to
help send 'em back there；〃 he added； savagely。
That evening Albert wrote his poem。 The next day he sent it to a
Boston paper。 It was published the following morning； spread
across two columns on the front page； and before the month was over
had been copied widely over the country。 Within the fortnight its
author received his first request； a bona fida request for verse
from a magazine。 Even Captain Lote's praise of the Lusitania poem
was whole…hearted and ungrudging。
That summer was a busy one in South Harniss。 There was the usual
amount of summer gaiety； but in addition there were the gatherings
of the various committees for war relief work。 Helen belonged to
many of these committees。 There were dances and theatrical
performances for the financial benefit of the various causes and
here Albert shone。 But he did not shine alone。 Helen Kendall was
very popular at the social gatherings； popular not only with the
permanent residents but with the summer youth as well。 Albert
noticed this； but he did not notice it so particularly until Issy
Price called his attention to it。
〃Say； Al；〃 observed Issy； one afternoon in late August of that
year； 〃how do YOU like that Raymond young feller？〃
Albert looked up absently from the page of the daybook。
〃Eh？ What？〃 he asked。
〃I say how do YOU like that Eddie Raymond； the Down…at…the…Neck
one？〃
〃Down at the neck？ There's nothing the matter with his neck that I
know of。〃
〃Who said there was？ He LIVES down to the Neck； don't he？ I mean
that young Raymond； son of the New York bank man； the ones that's
had the Cahoon house all summer。 How do you like him？〃
Albert's attention was still divided between the day…book and Mr。
Price。 〃Oh； I guess he's all right；〃 he answered； carelessly。 〃I
don't know him very well。 Don't bother me； Issy； I'm busy。〃
Issachar chuckled。 〃He's busy； too；〃 he observed。 〃He； he； he！
He's busy trottin' after Helen Kendall。 Don't seem to have time
for much else these days。 Noticed that； ain't you； Al？ He； he！〃
Albert had not noticed it。 His attention left the day…book
altogether。 Issachar chuckled again。
〃Noticed it； ain't you； Al？〃 he repeated。 〃If you ain't you're the
only one。 Everybody's cal'latin' you'll be cut out if you ain't
careful。 Folks used to figger you was Helen's steady comp'ny； but
it don't look as much so as it did。 He； he！ That's why I asked
you how you liked the Raymond one。 Eh？ How do you； Al？ Helen；
SHE seems to like him fust…rate。 He； he； he！〃
Albert was conscious of a peculiar feeling； partly of irritation at
Issachar； partly something else。 Mr。 Price crowed delightedly。
〃Hi！〃 he chortled。 〃Why； Al； your face is gettin' all redded up。
Haw； haw！ Blushin'； ain't you； Al？ Haw； haw； haw！ Blushin'； by
crimustee！〃
Albert laid down his pen。 He had learned by experience that； in
Issy's case； the maxim of the best defensive being a strong
offensive was absolutely true。 He looked with concern about the
office。
〃There's a window open somewhere； isn't there； Is？〃 he inquired。
〃There's a dreadful draught anyhow。〃
〃Eh？ Draught？ I don't feel no draught。 Course the window's open；
it's generally open in summer time； ain't it。 Haw； haw！〃
〃There it is again！ Where Oh； _I_ see！ It's your mouth that's
open； Issy。 That explains the draught； of course。 Yes； yes； of
course。〃
〃Eh？ My mouth！ Never you mind my mouth。 What you've got to think
about is that Eddie Raymond。 Yes sir…ee！ Haw； haw！〃
〃Issy； what makes you make that noise？〃
〃What noise？〃
〃That awful cawing。 If you're trying to make me believe you're a
crow you're wasting your time。〃
〃Say； look here； Al Speranzy； be you crazy？〃
〃No…o； I'M not。 But in your casewell； I'll leave it to any fair…
minded person〃
And so on until Mr。 Price stamped disgustedly out of the office。
It was easy enough； and required nothing brilliant in the way of
strategy or repartee； to turn Issachar's attack into retreat。 But
all the rest of that afternoon Albert was conscious of that
peculiar feeling of uneasiness。 After supper that night he did not
go down town at once but sat in his room thinking deeply。 The
subjects of his thoughts were Edwin Raymond； the young chap from
New York； Yale； and 〃The Neck〃and Helen Kendall。 He succeeded
only in thinking himself into an even more uneasy and unpleasant
state of mind。 Then he walked moodily down to the post…office。 He
was a little late for the mail and the laughing and chatting groups
were already coming back after its distribution。 One such group he
met was made up of half a dozen young people on their way to the
drug store for ices and sodas。 Helen was among them and with her
was young Raymond。 They called to him to join them； but he
pretended not to hear。
Now； in all the years of their acquaintance it had not once
occurred to Albert Speranza that his interest in Helen Kendall was
anything more than that of a friend and comrade。 He liked her； had
enjoyed her societywhen he happened to be in the mood to wish
societyand it pleased him to feel that she was interested in his
literary efforts and his career。 She was the only girl in South
Harniss who would have 〃talked turkey〃 to him as she had on the day
of their adventure at High Point Light and he rather admired her
for it。 But in all his dreams of romantic attachments and
sentimental adventure； and he had such dreams of course； she had
never played a part。 The heroines of these dreams were beautiful
and mysterious strangers； not daughters of Cape Cod clergymen。
But now； thanks to Issy's mischievous hints； his feelings were in a
puzzled and uncomfortable state。 He was astonished to find that he
did not relish the idea of Helen's being particularly interested in
Ed Raymond。 He； himself； had not seen her as frequently of late；
she having been busy with her war work and he with his own interests。
But that； according to his view； was no reason why she should permit
Raymond to become friendly to the point of causing people to talk。
He was not ready to admit that he himself cared； in a sentimental
way； for Helen； but he resented any other fellow's daring to do so。
And she should not have permitted it； either。 As a matter of fact；
Alberto Miguel Carlos Speranza； hitherto reigning undisputed king of
hearts in South Harniss； was for the first time in his imperial life
feeling the pangs of jealousy。
He stalked gloomily on to the post…office。 Gertie Kendrick； on the
arm of Sam Thatcher； passed him and he did not even notice her。
Gertie whispered to Sam that he； Albert； was a big stuck…up
nothing； but she looked back over Sam's shoulder； nevertheless。
Albert climbed the post…office steps and walked over to the rack of
letter boxes。 The Snow box contained little of interest to him；
and he was turning away when he heard his name spoken。
〃Good evening； Mr。 Speranza；〃 said a feminine voice。
Albert turned again； to find Jane Kelsey and another young lady；
a stranger； standing beside him。 Miss Kelsey was one of South
Harniss's summer residents。 The Kelsey 〃cottage；〃 which was larger
by considerable than the Snow house； was situated on the Bay Road；
the most exclusive section of the village。 Once； and not so many
years before； the Bay Road was contemptuously referred to as
〃Poverty Lane〃 and dwellers along its winding； weed…grown track
vied with one another in shiftless shabbiness。 But now all
shabbiness had disappeared and many…gabled 〃cottages〃 proudly stood
where the shanties of the Poverty Laners once humbly leaned。
Albert had known Jane Kelsey for some time。 They had met at one of
the hotel tea…dances during his second summer in South Harniss。 He
and she were not intimate friends exactly； her mother saw to that；
but they were well acquainted。 She was short and piquant； had a
nose which freckled in the Cape Cod sunshine； and she talked and
laughed easily。
〃Good evening； Mr。 Speranza；〃 she said； again。 〃You looked so very
forlorn I couldn't resist speaking。 Do tell us why you are so sad；
we're dying to know。〃
Albert； taken by surprise； stammered that he didn't know that he
was sad。 Miss Kelsey laughed merrily and declared that everyone
who saw him knew it at once。 〃Oh； excuse me； Madeline；〃 she added。
〃I forgot that you and Mr。 Speranza had not met。 O