should or could separate them。
Albert's conscience troubled him slightly at first when he thought
of Helen Kendall。 It had been in reality such a short time
although of course it seemed ages and agessince he had fancied
himself in love with her。 Only the previous fallyes； even
that very spring； he had asked her to pledge herself to him。
Fortunatelyoh； how very fortunately！she had refused； and he had
been left free。 Now he knew that his fancied love for her had been
merely a passing whim； a delusion of the moment。 ThisTHIS which
he was now experiencing was the grand passion of his life。 He
wrote a poem with the title； 〃The Greater Love〃and sold it； too；
to a sensational periodical which circulated largely among
sentimental shopgirls。 It is but truthful to state that the editor
of the magazine to which he first submitted it sent it back with
the brief note〃This is a trifle too syrupy for our use。 Fear the
pages might stick。 Why not send us another war verse？〃 Albert
treated the note and the editor with the contempt they deserved。
He pitied the latter； poor soul； doubtless HE had never known the
greater love。
He and Madeline had agreed that they would tell no oneno one at
allof their betrothal。 It should be their own precious secret
for the present。 So； under the circumstances； he could not write
Helen the news。 But ought he to write her at all？ That question
bothered him not a little。 He no longer loved herin fact； he was
now certain that he never had loved herbut he liked her； and he
wanted her to keep on liking him。 And she wrote to him with
regularity。 What ought he to do about writing her？
He debated the question with himself and； at last； and with some
trepidation； asked Madeline's opinion of his duty in the matter。
Her opinion was decisive and promptly given。 Of course he must not
write Helen again。 〃How would you like it if I corresponded with
another fellow？〃 she asked。 Candor forced him to admit that he
should not like it at all。 〃But I want to behave decently；〃 he
said。 〃She is merely a friend of mine〃oh； how short is memory！
〃but we have been friends for a long time and I wouldn't want to
hurt her feelings。〃 〃No； instead you prefer to hurt mine。〃 〃Now；
dearest； be reasonable。〃 It was their nearest approach to a
quarrel and was a very； very sad affair。 The making…up was sweet；
of course； but the question of further correspondence with Helen
Kendall remained just where it was at the beginning。 And；
meanwhile； the correspondence lapsed。
September came far； far too sooncame and ended。 And with it
ended also the stay of the Fosdicks in South Harniss。 Albert and
Madeline said good…by at their rendezvous by the beach。 It was a
sad； a tearful； but a very precious farewell。 They would write
each other every day； they would think of each other every minute
of every day； they would live through the winter somehow and look
forward to the next spring and their next meeting。
〃You will writeoh； ever and ever so many poems； won't you； dear？〃
begged Madeline。 〃You know how I love them。 And whenever I see
one of your poems in print I shall be so proud of youof MY poet。〃
Albert promised to write ever and ever so many。 He felt that there
would be no difficulty in writing reams of poemsinspired；
glorious poems。 The difficulty would be in restraining himself
from writing too many of them。 With Madeline Fosdick as an
inspiration； poetizing became as natural as breathing。
Then； which was unusual for them； they spoke of the future； the
dim； vague； but so happy future； when Albert was to be the nation's
poet laureate and Madeline； as Mrs。 Laureate； would share his glory
and wear； so to speak； his second…best laurels。 The disagreeable
problems connected with the future they ignored； or casually
dismissed with； 〃Never mind； dear； it will be all right by and by。〃
Oh； it was a wonderful afternoon； a rosy； cloudy； happy； sorrowful；
bitter…sweet afternoon。
And the next morning Albert； peeping beneath Z。 Snow and Co。's
office window shade； saw his heart's desire step aboard the train；
saw that train puff out of the station； saw for just an instant a
small hand waved behind the dingy glass of the car window。 His own
hand waved in reply。 Then the raucous voice of Mr。 Price broke the
silence。
〃Who was you flappin' your flipper at？〃 inquired Issachar。 〃Girl；
I'll bet you！ Never saw such a critter as you be to chase after
the girls。 Which one is it this time？〃
Albert made no reply。 Between embarrassment and sorrow he was
incapable of speech。 Issachar； however； was not in that condition；
at all times when awake； and sometimes when asleep； Mr。 Price
could； and usually did； speak。
〃Which one is it this time； Al？〃 demanded Issy。 〃Eh？ Crimus； see
him get red！ Haw； haw！ Labe；〃 to Mr。 Keeler； who came into the
office from the inner room； 〃which girl do you cal'late Al here is
wavin' by…bye to this mornin'？ Who's goin' away on the cars this
mornin'； Labe？〃
Laban； his hands full of the morning mail； absently replied that he
didn't know。
〃Yes； you do； too；〃 persisted Issy。 〃You ain't listenin'； that's
all。 Who's leavin' town on the train just now？〃
〃Eh？ Oh； I don't know。 The Small folks are goin' to Boston； I
believe。 And George Bartlett's goin' to Ostable on court business；
he told me。 Oh； yes； I believe Cap'n Lote said that Fosdick woman
and her daughter were goin' back to New York。 Back to New York
yesyesyes。〃
Mr。 Price crowed triumphantly。 〃Ah； ha！〃 he crowed。 〃Ah； ha！
That's the answer。 That's the one he's shakin' day…days to； that
Fosdick girl。 I've seen you 'round with her at the post office and
the ice cream s'loon。 I'm onto you； Al。 Haw； haw！ What's her
name？ Adeline？ Dandelion？ Madeline？that's it！ Say； how do you
think Helen Kendall's goin' to like your throwin' kisses to the
Madeline one； eh？〃
The assistant bookkeeper was still silent。 The crimson； however；
was leaving his face and the said face was paling rapidly。 This
was an ominous sign had Mr。 Price but known it。 He did not know it
and cackled merrily on；
〃Guess I'll have to tell Helen when she comes back home；〃 he
announced。 〃Cal'late I'll put a flea in her ear。 'Helen；' I'll
say； 'don't feel too bad now； don't cry and get your handkerchief
all soakin'； or nothin' like that。 I just feel it's my duty to
tell ye that your little Albert is sparkin' up to somebody else。
He's waitin' on a party by the name of Padelineno； Madeline
Woodtickno； Fosdickand 。 。 。' Here！ let go of me！ What are you
doin'？〃
That last question was in the nature of a gurgle。 Albert； his face
now very white indeed； had strode across the office； seized the
speaker by the front of his flannel shirt and backed him against
the wall。
〃Stop；〃 commanded Albert； between his teeth。 〃That's enough of
that。 Don't you say any more！〃
〃Eh？ Ugh！ Ur…gg！ Leggo of my shirt。〃
Albert let go； but he did not step back。 He remained where he was；
exactly in front of Mr。 Price。
〃Don't you say any more aboutabout what you were saying；〃 he
repeated。
〃Eh？ Not say any more？ Why not？ Who's goin' to stop me； I'd like
to know？〃
〃I am。〃
〃I want to know！ What'll you do？〃
〃I don't know。 If you weren't so old； I wouldbut I'll stop you；
anyhow。〃
Albert felt a hand on his arm and heard Mr。 Keeler's voice at his
ear。
〃Careful； Al； careful；〃 it said。 〃Don't hit him。〃
〃Of course I shan't hit him；〃 indignantly。 〃What do you think I
am？ But he must promise not to mentionerMiss Fosdick's name
again。〃
〃Better promise； Is；〃 suggested Laban。 Issachar's mouth opened；
but no promise came forth。
〃Promise be darned！〃 he yelled furiously。 〃Mention her name！ I'll
mention any name I set out to； and no Italyun Portygee is goin' to
stop me； neither。〃
Albert glanced about the office。 By the wall stood two brimming
pails of water； brought in by Mr。 Price for floor…washing purposes。
He lifted one of the pails。
〃If you don't promise I'll duck you；〃 he declared。 〃Let go of me；
Keeler； I mean it。〃
〃Careful； Al； careful；〃 said Mr。 Keeler。 〃Better promise； Is。〃
〃Promise nawthin'！ Fosdick！ What in time do I care for Fosdicks；
Madelines or Padelines or Dandelions or〃
His sentence stopped just there。 The remainder of it was washed
back and down his throat by the deluge from the bucket。 Overcome
by shock and surprise； Mr。 Price leaned back against the wall and
slid slowly down that wall until he reclined in a sitting posture；
upon the floor。
〃Crimustee；〃 he gasped； as soon as he could articulate； 〃I'mawk
I'm drownded。〃
Albert put down the empty bucket and picked up the full one。
〃Promise；〃 he said again。
Laban Keeler rubbed his chin。
〃I'd promise if I was you； Is；〃 he said。 〃You're some subject to
rheumatism； you know。〃
Issachar； sitting in a spreading puddle； looked damply upward at
the remaining bucket。 〃By crimustee〃 he began。 Albert drew the
bucket backward； the water dripped from its lower brim。
〃IIdarn ye； I promise！〃 shouted Issachar。 Albert put down the
bucket and walked back to his desk。 Laban watched him curiously；
smiling just a little。 Then he turned to Mr。 Price； who was
scrambling to his feet。
〃Better get your mop and swab up here； Is；〃 he said。 〃Cap'n
Lote'll be in 'most any minute。〃
When Captain Zelotes did return to the office； Issachar was
industriously sweeping out； Albert was hard at work at the books；
and Laban was still rubbing his chin and smiling at nothing in
particular。
The next day Albert and Issachar made it up。 Albert apologized。
〃I'm sorry； Issy；〃 he said。 〃I shouldn't have done it； but you
made me mad。 I have arather mean temper； I'm afraid。 Forgive
me； will you？〃
He held out his hand； and Issachar； after a momentary hesitation；
took it。
〃I forgive you this time； Al；〃 he said solemnly； 〃but don't never
do nothin' like it again； will ye？ When I went home for dinner
yesterday noon I give you my word my clothes was kind of dampish
even then。 If it hadn't been nice warm sunshine and I was out
doors and dried off considerable I'd a had to change everything；
underclothes and all； and 'tain't but the middl