the portygee- 第32部分

〃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　that　made　no
differenceshould　not　make　any。　　So　he　put　the　photograph　at　the
back　of　the　drawer　where　he　kept　his　collars　and　ties；　with　a
resolve　never　to　look　at　it。　　He　did　not　look　at　itvery　often。

Then　came　another　long　winter。　　He　ground　away　at　the　bookkeeping
he　was　more　proficient　at　it；　but　he　hated　it　as　heartily　as　ever
and　wrote　a　good　deal　of　verse　and　some　prose。　　For　the　first　time
he　sold　a　prose　article；　a　short　story；　to　a　minor　magazine。　　He
wrote　long　letters　to　Helen　and　she　replied。　　She　was　studying
hard；　she　liked　her　work；　and　she　had　been　offered　the　opportunity
to　tutor　in　a　girls'　summer　camp　in　Vermont　during　July　and　August
and　meant　to　accept　provided　her　father's　health　continued　good。
Albert　protested　violently　against　her　being　absent　from　South
Harniss　for　so　long。　　〃You　will　scarcely　be　home　at　all；〃　he　wrote。
〃I　shall　hardly　see　you。　　What　am　I　going　to　do？　　As　it　is　now　I
miss　you〃　and　so　on　for　four　closely　written　pages。　　Having
gotten　into　the　spirit　of　composition　he；　so　to　speak；　gloried　in
his　loneliness；　so　much　so　that　Helen　was　moved　to　remonstrate。
〃Your　letter　made　me　almost　miserable；〃　she　wrote；　〃until　I　had
read　it　over　twice。　　Then　I　began　to　suspect　that　you　were　enjoying
your　wretchedness；　or　enjoying　writing　about　it。　　I　truly　don't
believe　anyoneyou　especiallycould　be　quite　as　lonesome　as　all
that。　　Honestly　now；　Albert；　weren't　you　exaggerating　a　little？　　I
rather　think　you　were？〃

He　had　been；　of　course；　but　it　irritated　him　to　think　that　she
recognized　the　fact。　　She　had　an　uncanny　faculty　of　seeing　through
his　every　pretense。　　In　his　next　letter　he　said　nothing　whatever
about　being　lonesome。

At　home；　and　at　the　office；　the　war　was　what　people　talked　about
most　of　the　time。　　Since　the　Lusitania's　sinking　Captain　Zelotes
had　been　a　battle　charger　chafing　at　the　bit。　　He　wanted　to　fight
and　to　fight　at　once。

〃We've　got　to　do　it；　Mother；〃　he　declared；　over　and　over　again。
〃Sooner　or　later　we've　got　to　fight　that　Kaiser　gang。　　What　are　we
waitin'　for；　will　somebody　tell　me　that？〃

Olive；　as　usual；　was　mild　and　unruffled。

〃Probably　the　President　knows　as　much　about　it　as　you　and　me；
Zelotes；〃　she　suggested。　　〃I　presume　likely　he　has　his　own
reasons。〃

〃Humph！　　When　Seth　Bassett　got　up　in　the　night　and　took　a　drink　out
of　the　bottle　of　Paris　Green　by　mistake　'Bial　Cahoon　asked　him　what
in　time　he　kept　Paris　Green　in　his　bedroom　for；　anyhow。　　All　that
Seth　would　say　was　that　he　had　his　own　reasons。　　The　rest　of　the
town　was　left　to　guess　what　those　reasons　was。　　That's　what　the
President's　doin'keepin'　us　guessin'。　　By　the　everlastin'；　if　I
was　younger　I'd　ship　aboard　a　British　lime…juicer　and　go　and　fight；
myself！〃

It　was　Rachel　Ellis　who　caused　the　Captain　to　be　a　bit　more
restrained　in　his　remarks。

〃You　hadn't　ought　to　talk　that　way；　Cap'n　Lote；〃　she　said。　　〃Not
when　Albert's　around；　you　hadn't。〃

〃Eh？　　Why　not？〃

〃Because　the　first　thing　you　know　he'll　be　startin'　for　Canada　to
enlist。　　He's　been　crazy　to　do　it　for　'most　a　year。〃

〃He　has？　　How　do　you　know　he　has？〃

〃Because　he's　told　me　so；　more'n　once。〃

Her　employer　looked　at　her。

〃Humph！〃　he　grunted。　　〃He　seems　to　tell　you　a　good　many　things　he
doesn't　tell　the　rest　of　us。〃

The　housekeeper　nodded。　　〃Yes；〃　she　said　gravely；　〃I　shouldn't
wonder　if　he　did。〃　　A　moment　later　she　added；　〃Cap'n　Lote；　you　will
be　careful；　won't　you？　　You　wouldn't　want　Al　to　go　off　and　leave　Z。
Snow　and　Company　when　him　and　you　are　gettin'　on　so　much　better。
You　ARE　gettin'　on　better；　ain't　you？〃

The　captain　pulled　at　his　beard。

〃Yes；〃　he　admitted；　〃seems　as　if　we　was。　　He　ain't　any　wonder　at
bookkeepin'；　but　he's　better'n　he　used　to　be；　and　he　does　seem　to
try　hard；　I'll　say　that　for　him。〃

Rachael　beamed　gratification。　　〃He'll　be　a　Robert　Penfold　yet；〃　she
declared；　〃see　if　he　isn't。　　So　you　musn't　encourage　him　into
enlistin'　in　the　Canadian　army。　　You　wouldn't　want　him　to　do　that
any　more'n　the　rest　of　us　would。〃

The　captain　gazed　intently　into　the　bowl　of　the　pipe　which　he　had
been　cleaning。　　He　made　no　answer。

〃You　wouldn't　want　him　to　do　that；　would　you？〃　repeated　the
housekeeper。

Captain　Lote　blew　through　the　pipe　stem。　　Then　he　said；　〃No；　I
wouldn't　。　。　。　but　I'm　darn　glad　he's　got　the　spunk　to　WANT　to　do
it。　　We　may　get　that　Portygee　streak　out　of　him；　poetry　and　all；
give　us　time；　eh；　Rachael？〃

It　was　the　first　time　in　months　that　he　had　used　the　word　〃Portygee〃
in　connection　with　his　grandson。　　Mrs。　Ellis　smiled　to　herself。

In　April　the　arbutus　buds　began　to　appear　above　the　leaf　mold
between　the　scrub　oaks　in　the　woods；　and　the　walls　of　Fletcher
Fosdick's　new　summer　home　began　to　rise　above　the　young　pines　on
the　hill　by　the　Inlet　in　the　Bay　Road。　　The　Item　kept　its　readers
informed；　by　weekly　installments；　of　the　progress　made　by　the
builders。


The　lumber　for　Mr。　Fletcher　Fosdick's　new　cottage　is　beginning　to
be　hauled　to　his　property　on　Inlet　Hill　in　this　town。　　Our
enterprising　firm　of　South　Harniss　dealers；　Z。　Snow　&　Co。；　are
furnishing　said　lumber。　　Mr。　Nehemiah　Nickerson　is　to　do　the　mason
work。　　Mr。　Fosdick　shows　good　judgment　as　well　as　a　commendable
spirit　in　engaging　local　talent　in　this　way。　　We　venture　to　say　he
will　never　regret　it。


A　week　later：


Mr。　Fletcher　Fosdick's　new　residence　is　beginning　building；　the
foundation　being　pretty　near　laid。


And　the　following　week：


The　Fosdick　mansion　is　growing　fast。　　South　Harniss　may　well　be
proud　of　its　new　ornament。


The　rise　in　three　successive　numbers　from　〃cottage〃　to　〃mansion〃　is
perhaps　sufficient　to　indicate　that　the　Fosdick　summer　home　was　to
be；　as　Issachar　Price　described　it；　〃Some　considerable　house！　　Yes
sir；　by　crimus；　some　considerable！〃

In　June；　Helen　came　home　for　a　week。　　At　the　end　of　the　week　she
left　to　take　up　her　new　duties　at　the　summer　camp　for　girls　in
Vermont。　　Albert　and　she　were　together　a　good　deal　during　that
week。　　Anticipating　her　arrival；　the　young　man's　ardent　imagination
had　again　fanned　what　he　delighted　to　think　of　as　his　love　for　her
into　flame。　　During　the　last　months　of　the　winter　he　had　not　played
the　languishing　swain　as　conscientiously　as　during　the　autumn。
Like　the　sailor　in　the　song　〃is　'eart　was　true　to　Poll〃　always；　but
he　had　broken　away　from　his　self…imposed　hermitage　in　his　room　at
the　Snow　place　several　times　to　attend　sociables；　entertainments
and；　even；　dances。　　Now；　when　she　returned　he　was　eagerly　awaiting
her　and　would　have　haunted　the　parsonage　before　and　after　working
hours　of　every　day　as　well　as　the　evening；　if　she　had　permitted；
and　when　with　her　assumed　a　proprietary　air　which　was　so　obvious
that　even　Mr。　Price　felt　called　upon　to　comment　on　it。

〃Say；　Al；〃　drawled　Issachar；　〃cal'late　you've　cut　out　Eddie　Raymond
along　with　Helen；　ain't　ye？　　Don't　see　him　hangin'　around　any　since
she　got　back；　and　the　way　you　was　actin'　when　I　see　you　struttin'
into　the　parsonage　yard　last　night　afore　mail　time　made　me　think
you　must　have　a　first　mortgage　on　Helen　and　her　pa　and　the　house
and　the　meetin'…house　and　two…thirds　of　the　graveyard。　　I　never　see
such　an　important…lookin'　critter　in　MY　life。　　Haw；　haw！　　Eh？　　How
'bout　it？〃

Albert　did　not　mind　the　Price　sarcasm；　instead　he　felt　rather
grateful　to　have　the　proletariat　recognize　that　he　had　triumphed
again。　　The　fly　in　his　ointment；　so　to　speak；　was　the　fact　that
Helen　herself　did　not　in　the　least　recognize　that　triumph。　　She
laughed　at　him。

〃Don't　look　at　me　like　that；　please；　please；　don't；〃　she　begged。

〃Why　not？〃　with　a　repetition　of　the　look。

〃Because　it　is　silly。〃

〃Silly！　　Well；　I　like　that！　　Aren't　you　and　I　engaged？　　Or　just　the
same　as　engaged？〃

〃No；　of　course　we　are　not。〃

〃But　we　promised　each　other〃

〃No；　we　did　not。　　And　you　know　we　didn't。〃

〃Helen；　why　do　you　treat　me　that　way？　　Don't　you　know　thatthat　I
just　worship　the　ground　you　tread　on？　　Don't　you　know　you're　the
only　girl　in　this　world　I　could　ever　care　for？　　Don't　you　know
that？〃

They　were　walki