only girl in this world I could ever care for？ Don't you know
that？〃
They were walking home from church Sunday morning and had reached
the corner below the parsonage。 There； screened by the thicket of
young silver…leafs； she stopped momentarily and looked into his
face。 Then she walked on。
〃Don't you know how much I care？〃 he repeated。
She shook her head。 〃You think you do now； perhaps；〃 she said；
〃but you will change your mind。〃
〃What do you mean by that？ How do you know I will？〃
〃Because I know you。 There； there； Albert； we won't quarrel； will
we？ And we won't be silly。 You're an awfully nice boy； but you
are just a boy； you know。〃
He was losing his temper。
〃This is ridiculous！〃 he declared。 〃I'm tired of being grandmothered
by you。 I'm older than you are； and I know what I'm doing。 Come；
Helen； listen to me。〃
But she would not listen； and although she was always kind and
frank and friendly； she invariably refused to permit him to become
sentimental。 It irritated him； and after she had gone the
irritation still remained。 He wrote her as before； although not
quite so often； and the letters were possibly not quite so long。
His pride was hurt and the Speranza pride was a tender and
important part of the Speranza being。 If Helen noted any change in
his letters she did not refer to it nor permit it to influence her
own； which were； as always； lengthy； cheerful； and full of interest
in him and his work and thoughts。
During the previous fall； while under the new influence aroused in
him by his discovery that Helen Kendall was 〃the most wonderful
girl in the world；〃 said discovery of course having been previously
made for him by the unfortunate Raymond； he had developed a habit
of wandering off into the woods or by the seashore to be alone and
to seek inspiration。 When a young poet is in love； or fancies
himself in love； inspiration is usually to be found wherever
sought； but even at that age and to one in that condition solitude
is a marked aid in the search。 There were two or three spots which
had become Albert Speranza's favorites。 One was a high； wind…swept
knoll； overlooking the bay； about a half mile from the hotel；
another was a secluded nook in the pine grove beside Carver's Pond；
a pretty little sheet of water on the Bayport boundary。 On
pleasant Saturday afternoons or Sundays； when the poetic fit was on
him； Albert； with a half dozen pencils in his pocket； and a rhyming
dictionary and a scribbling pad in another； was wont to stroll
towards one or the other of these two retreats。 There he would
sprawl amid the beachgrass or upon the pine…needles and dream and
think and； perhaps； ultimately write。
One fair Saturday in late June he was at the first of these
respective points。 Lying prone on the beach grass at the top of
the knoll and peering idly out between its stems at the water
shimmering in the summer sun； he was endeavoring to find a subject
for a poem which should deal with love and war as requested by the
editor of the Columbian Magazine。 〃Give us something with a girl
and a soldier in it；〃 the editor had written。 Albert's mind was
lazily drifting in search of the pleasing combination。
The sun was warm； the breeze was light； the horizon was veiled with
a liquid haze。 Albert's mind was veiled with a similar haze and
the idea he wanted would not come。 He was losing his desire to
find it and was； in fact； dropping into a doze when aroused by a
blood…curdling outburst of barks and yelps and growls behind him；
at his very heels。 He came out of his nap with a jump and；
scrambling to a sitting position and turning； he saw a small Boston
bull…terrier standing within a yard of his ankles and； apparently；
trying to turn his brindled outside in； or his inside out； with
spiteful ferocity。 Plainly the dog had come upon him unexpectedly
and was expressing alarm； suspicion and disapproval。
Albert jerked his ankles out of the way and said 〃Hello； boy；〃 in
as cheerfully cordial a tone as he could muster at such short
notice。 The dog took a step forward； evidently with the idea of
always keeping the ankles within jumping distance； showed a double
row of healthy teeth and growled and barked with renewed violence。
〃Nice dog；〃 observed Albert。 The nice dog made a snap at the
nearest ankle and； balked of his prey by a frenzied kick of the
foot attached to the ankle； shrieked； snarled and gurgled like a
canine lunatic。
〃Go home； you ugly brute；〃 commanded the young man； losing
patience； and looking about for a stone or stick。 On the top of
that knoll the largest stone was the size of a buckshot and the
nearest stick was； to be Irish； a straw。
〃Nice doggie！ Nice old boy！ Come and be patted！ 。 。 。 Clear out
with you！ Go home； you beast！〃
Flatteries and threats were alike in their result。 The dog continued
to snarl and growl； darting toward the ankles occasionally。
Evidently he was mustering courage for the attack。 Albert in
desperation scooped up a handful of sand。 If worst came to worst
he might blind the creature temporarily。 What would happen after
that was not clear。 Unless he might by a lucky cast fill the dog's
interior so full of sand thatlike the famous 〃Jumping Frog〃it
would be too heavy to navigate； he saw no way of escape from a
painful bite； probably more than one。 What Captain Zelotes had
formerly called his 〃Portygee temper〃 flared up。
〃Oh； damn you； clear out！〃 he shouted； springing to his feet。
From a little way below him； in fact； from behind the next dune；
between himself and the beach； a feminine voice called his name。
〃Oh； Mr。 Speranza！〃 it said。 〃Is it you？ I'm so glad！〃
Albert turned； but the moment he did so the dog made a dash at his
legs； so he was obliged to turn back again and kick violently。
〃Oh； I am so glad it is you；〃 said the voice again。 〃I was sure it
was a dreadful tramp。 Googoo loathes tramps。〃
As an article of diet that meant； probably。 Googooif that was
the dog's namewas passionately fond of poets； that was self…
evident； and intended to make a meal of this one； forthwith。 He
flew at the Speranza ankles。 Albert performed a most undignified
war dance； and dashed his handful of sand into Googoo's open
countenance。 For a minute or so there was a lively shindy on top
of that knoll。 At the end of the minute the dog； held tightly in a
pair of feminine arms； was emitting growls and coughs and sand；
while Madeline Fosdick and Albert Speranza were kneeling in more
sand and looking at each other。
〃Oh； did he bite you？〃 begged Miss Fosdick。
〃No 。 。 。 no； I guess not；〃 was the reply。 〃II scarcely know
yet。 。 。 。 Why； when did you come？ I didn't know you were in
town。〃
〃We came yesterday。 Motored from home； you know。 Ibe still；
Goo； you bad thing！ It was such a lovely day that I couldn't
resist going for a walk along the beach。 I took Googoo because he
does love it so； andGoo； be still； I tell you！ I am sure he
thinks you are a tramp； out here all alone in thein the
wilderness。 And what were you doing here？〃
Albert drew a long breath。 〃I was half asleep； I guess；〃 he said；
〃when he broke loose at my heels。 I woke up quick enough then； as
you may imagine。 And so you are here for the summer？ Your new
house isn't finished； is it？〃
〃No； not quite。 Mother and Goo and I are at the hotel for a month。
But you haven't answered my question。 What were you doing off here
all alone？ Have you been for a walk； too？〃
〃Not exactly。 Iwell； I come here pretty often。 It is one of my
favorite hiding places。 You see； I 。 。 。 don't laugh if I tell
you； will you？〃
〃Of course not。 Go on； this is very mysterious and interesting。〃
〃Well； I come here sometimes on pleasant days； to be aloneand
write。〃
〃Write？ Write poetry； do you mean？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Oh； how wonderful！ Were you writing when Iwhen Goo interrupted
you？〃
〃No； I had made two or three attempts； but nothing that I did
satisfied me。 I had just about decided to tear them up and to give
up trying for this afternoon。〃
〃Oh； I hope you won't tear them up。 I'm sure they shouldn't be。
Perhaps you were not in a proper mood to judge； yourself。〃
〃Perhaps not。 Perhaps they might look a little less hopeless to
some one else。 But that person would have to be really interested；
and there are few people in South Harniss who know or care anything
about poetry。〃
〃I suppose that is true。 II don't suppose you would care to show
them to me； would you？〃
〃Why；〃 eagerly； 〃would you really care to see them？〃
〃Indeed I should！ Not that my judgment or advice is worth
anything； of course。 But I am very； very fond of poetry； and to
see how a real poet wrote would be wonderful。 And if I could help
you； even the least little bit； it would be such an honor。〃
This sort of thing was balm to the Speranza spirit。 Albert's
temperamental ego expanded under it like a rosebud under a summer
sun。 Yet there was a faint shadow of doubtshe might be making
fun of him。 He looked at her intently and she seemed to read his
thoughts； for she said：
〃Oh； I mean it！ Please believe I do。 I haven't spoken that way
when Jane was with me； for she wouldn't understand and would laugh；
but I mean it； Mr。 Speranza。 It would be an honora great honor。〃
So the still protesting and rebellious Googoo was compelled to go a
few feet away and lie down； while his mistress and the young man
whom he had attempted to devour bent their heads together over a
scribbling…pad and talked and exclaimed during the whole of that
hour and a full three…quarters of the next。 Then the distant town
clock in the steeple of the Congregational church boomed five times
and Miss Fosdick rose to her feet。
〃Oh；〃 she said； 〃it can't really be five o'clock； can it？ But it
is！ What WILL mother fancy has become of me？ I must go this
minute。 Thank you； Mr。 Speranza。 I have enjoyed this so much。
It has been a wonderful experience。〃
Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes were shining。 She had grown
handsomer than ever during the winter months。 Albert's eyes were
shining also as he impulsively seized her hand。
〃Thank you； Miss Fosdick；〃 he said。 〃You have help