crossing the floor arm in arm with Edwin Raymond。 Albert's face
was white with anger； except for two red spots on his cheeks； and
his black eyes flashed。 Consequently he； too； was considered quite
worth the looking at and feminine glances followed him。
〃Who is that handsome； foreign…looking fellow your friend is
dancing with？〃 whispered one young lady； a guest at the hotel； to
Miss Kelsey。 Jane told her。
〃But he isn't a foreigner；〃 she added。 〃He lives here in South
Harniss all the year。 He is a poet； I believe； and Madeline； who
knows about such thingsinherits it from her mother； I suppose
says his poetry is beautiful。〃
Her companion watched the subject of their conversation as； with
Miss Fosdick； he moved lightly and surely through the crowd on the
floor。
〃He LOOKS like a poet；〃 she said； slowly。 〃He is wonderfully
handsome； so distinguished； and SUCH a dancer！ But why should a
poet live hereall the year？ Is that all he does for a living
write poetry？〃
Jane pretended not to hear her and； a masculine friend coming to
claim his dance； seized the opportunity to escape。 However；
another 〃sitter out〃 supplied the information。
〃He is a sort of assistant bookkeeper at the lumber yard by the
railroad station；〃 said this person。 〃His grandfather owns the
place； I believe。 One would never guess it to look at him now。 。 。 。
Humph！ I wonder if Mrs。 Fosdick knows。 They say she iswell；
not democratically inclined； to say the least。〃
Albert had his two promised dances with Madeline Fosdick； but the
〃extra〃 he did not obtain。 Mrs。 Fosdick； the ever watchful； had
seen and made inquiries。 Then she called her daughter to her and
issued an ultimatum。
〃I am SO sorry；〃 said the young lady； in refusing the plea for the
〃extra。〃 〃I should like to； but Ibut Mother has asked me to
dance with a friend of ours from home。 II AM sorry； really。〃
She looked as if she meant it。 Albert was sorry； too。 This had
been a strange evening； another combination of sweet and sour。 He
glanced across the floor and saw Helen and the inevitable Raymond
emerge together from the room where the refreshments were served。
Raging jealousy seized him at the sight。 Helen had not been near
him； had scarcely spoken to him since his arrival。 He forgot that
he had not been near nor spoken to her。
He danced twice or thrice more with acquaintances； 〃summer〃 or
permanent； and then decided to go home。 Madeline Fosdick he saw at
the other end of the room surrounded by a group of young masculinity。
Helen he could not see at the moment。 He moved in the direction of
the coatroom。 Just as he reached the door he was surprised to see
Ed Raymond stride by him； head down and looking anything but joyful。
He watched and was still more astonished to see the young man get
his coat and hat from the attendant and walk out of the hotel。 He
saw him stride away along the drive and down the moonlit road。 He
was； apparently； going homegoing home alone。
He got his own coat and hat and； before putting them on； stepped
back for a final look at the ballroom。 As he stood by the
cloakroom door someone touched his arm。 Turning he saw Helen。
〃Whywhy； Helen！〃 he exclaimed； in surprise。
〃Are you going home？〃 she asked； in a low tone。
〃Yes； I〃
〃And you are going alone？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Would you mindwould it trouble you too much to walk with me as
far as our house？〃
〃Whywhy of course not。 I shall be delighted。 But I thought you
I thought Ed Raymond〃
〃No； I'm alone。 Wait here； I will be ready in just a minute。〃
She hurried away。 He gazed after her in bewilderment。 She and he
had scarcely exchanged a word during the evening； and now； when the
evening was almost over； she came and asked him to be her escort。
What in the wide world？
The minute she had specified had hardly elapsed when she reappeared；
ready for out of doors。 She took his arm and they walked down the
steps of the hotel； past the group of lights at the head of the
drive and along the road； with the moon shining down upon it and the
damp； salt breeze from the ocean blowing across it。 They walked for
the first few minutes in silence。 There were a dozen questions he
would have liked to ask； but his jealous resentment had not entirely
vanished and his pride forbade。 It was she who spoke first。
〃Albert；〃 she said； 〃you must think this very odd。〃
He knew what she meant； but he did not choose to admit it。
〃What？〃 he asked。
〃Why； my asking you to walk home with me； afterafter our trouble。
It is strange； I suppose； particularly as you had not spoken before
this whole evening。〃
〃_I_spoken to YOU？ Why； you bowed to me when I came into the
room and that was the only sign of recognition you gave me until
just now。 Not a dancenot one。〃
〃Did you expect me to look you up and beg you to dance with me？〃
〃Did you expect me to trot at that fellow's heels and wait my
chance to get a word with you； to take what he left？ I should say
not！ By George； Helen； I〃
She interrupted him。 〃Hush； hush！〃 she pleaded。 〃This is all so
silly； so childish。 And we mustn't quarrel any more。 I have made
up my mind to that。 We mustn't。〃
〃Humph！ All right； _I_ had no thought of quarreling in the
beginning。 But there are some things a self…respecting chap can't
stand。 I have SOME pride； I hope。〃
She caught her breath quickly。 〃Do you think；〃 she asked； 〃that it
was no sacrifice to my pride to beg you to walk home with me？
Afterafter the things you said the other evening？ Oh； Albert；
how could you say them！〃
〃Well〃 he hesitated； and then added； 〃I told you I was sorry。〃
〃Yes； but you weren't really sorry。 You must have believed the
things that hateful Issachar Price said or you wouldn't have
repeated them。 。 。 。 Oh； but never mind that now； I didn't mean to
speak of it at all。 I asked you to walk home with me because I
wanted to make up our quarrel。 Yes； that was it。 I didn't want to
go away and feel that you and I were not as good friends as ever。
So； you see； I put all MY pride to one sideand asked。〃
One phrase in one sentence of this speech caught and held the young
man's attention。 He forgot the others。
〃You are going away？〃 he repeated。 〃What do you mean？ Where are
you going？〃
〃I am going to Cambridge to study。 I am going to take some courses
at Radcliffe。 You know I told you I hoped to some day。 Well； it
has been arranged。 I am to live with my cousin； father's half
sister in Somerville。 Father is well enough to leave now and I
have engaged a capable woman； Mrs。 Peters； to help Maria with the
housework。 I am going Friday morning； the day after to…morrow。〃
He stopped short to stare at her。
〃You are going away？〃 he asked； again。 〃You are going to do that
andand Why didn't you tell me before？〃
It was a characteristic return to his attitude of outraged royalty。
She had made all these plans； had arranged to do this thing； and he
had not been informed。 At another time Helen might have laughed at
him； she generally did when he became what she called the 〃Grand
Bashaw。〃 She did not laugh now； however； but answered quietly。
〃I didn't know I was going to do it until a little more than a week
ago；〃 she said。 〃And I have not seen you since then。〃
〃No； you've been too busy seeing someone else。〃
She lost patience for the instant。 〃Oh； don't； don't； don't！〃 she
cried。 〃I know who you mean； of course。 You mean Ed Raymond。
Don't you know why he has been at the house so much of late？ Why
he and I have been so much together？ Don't you really know？〃
〃What？ 。 。 。 No； I don'texcept that you and he wanted to be
together。〃
〃And it didn't occur to you that there might be some other reason？
You forgot； I suppose； that he and I were appointed on the Ticket
Committee for this very dance？〃
He had forgotten it entirely。 Now he remembered perfectly the
meeting of the French Relief Society at which the appointment had
been made。 In fact Helen herself had told him of it at the time。
For the moment he was staggered； but he rallied promptly。
〃Committee meetings may do as an excuse for some things；〃 he said；
〃but they don't explain the resthis calls here every other
evening andand so on。 Honest now； Helen； you know he hasn't been
running after you in this way just because he is on that committee
with you； now don't you？〃
They were almost at the parsonage。 The light from Mr。 Kendall's
study window shone through the leaves of the lilac bush behind the
white fence。 Helen started to speak； but hesitated。 He repeated
his question。
〃Now don't you？〃 he urged。
〃Why； why； yes； I suppose I do；〃 she said； slowly。 〃I do know
now。 But I didn't even think of such a thing untiluntil you came
that evening and told me what Issy Price said。〃
〃You mean you didn't guess at all？〃
〃Wellwell； perhaps II thought he liked to comeliked to Oh；
what is the use of being silly！ I did think he liked to call； but
only as a friend。 He was jolly and lots of fun and we were both
fond of music。 I enjoyed his company。 I never dreamed that there
was anything more than that until you came and were sodisagreeable。
And even then I didn't believeuntil to…night。〃
Again she hesitated。 〃To…night？〃 he repeated。 〃What happened to…
night？〃
〃Oh nothing。 I can't tell you。 Oh； why can't friends be friends
and not。 。 。 。 That is why I spoke to you； Albert； why I wanted to
have this talk with you。 I was going away so soon and I couldn't
bear to go with any unfriendliness between us。 There mustn't be。
Don't you see？〃
He heard but a part of this。 The memory of Raymond's face as he
had seen it when the young man strode out of the cloakroom and out
of the hotel came back to him and with it a great heart…throbbing
sense of relief； of triumph。 He seized her hand。
〃Helen；〃 he cried； 〃did hedid you tell him Oh； by George；
Helen； you're the most wonderful girl in the world！ I'mI Oh；
Helen； you know II〃
It was not his habit to be at a loss for words； but he was just
then。 He tried to retain her hand； to put his arm about her。
〃Oh； Helen！〃 he cried。 〃You're wonderful！ You're splendid！ I'm
crazy about you！ I really am！ I〃
Sh