doors and dried off considerable I'd a had to change everything；
underclothes and all； and 'tain't but the middle of the week yet。〃
His ducking had an effect which Albert noticed with considerable
satisfactionhe was never quite as flippantly personal in his
comments concerning the assistant bookkeeper。 He treated the
latter； if not with respect； at least with something distantly akin
to it。
After Madeline's departure the world was very lonely indeed。
Albert wrote long； long letters and received replies which varied
in length but never in devotion。 Miss Fosdick was obliged to be
cautious in her correspondence with her lover。 〃You will forgive
me if this is not much more than a note； won't you； dear？〃 she
wrote。 〃Mother seems to be very curious of late about my letters
and to whom I write and I had to just steal the opportunity this
morning。〃 An older and more apprehensive person might have found
Mrs。 Fosdick's sudden interest in her daughter's correspondence
suspicious and a trifle alarming； but Albert never dreamed of being
alarmed。
He wrote many poems； all dealing with love and lovers； and sold
some of them。 He wrote no more letters to Helen。 She； too； had
ceased to write him； doubtless because of the lack of reply to her
last two or three letters。 His conscience still troubled him about
Helen； he could not help feeling that his treatment of her had not
been exactly honorable。 Yet what else under the circumstances
could he do？ From Mr。 Kendall he learned that she was coming home
to spend Thanksgiving。 He would see her then。 She would ask him
questions？ What should his answer be？ He faced the situation in
anticipation many； many times； usually after he had gone to bed at
night； and lay awake through long torturing hours in consequence。
But when at last Helen and he did meet； the day before Thanksgiving；
their meeting was not at all the dreadful ordeal he had feared。 Her
greeting was as frank and cordial as it had always been； and there
was no reproach in her tone or manner。 She did not even ask him why
he had stopped writing。 It was he； himself； who referred to that
subject； and he did so as they walked together down the main road。
Just why he referred to it he could not probably have told。 He was
aware only that he felt mean and contemptible and that he must offer
some explanation。 His not having any to offer made the task rather
difficult。
But she saved him the trouble。 She interrupted one of his
blundering； stumbling sentences in the middle。
〃Never mind； Albert；〃 she said quietly。 〃You needn't explain。 I
think I understand。〃
He stopped and stared at her。 〃You understand？〃 he repeated。
〃Whywhy； no； you don't。 You can't。〃
〃Yes； I can； or I think I can。 You have changed your mind； that is
all。〃
〃Changed my mind？〃
〃Yes。 Don't you remember I told you you would change your mind
aboutwell； about me？ You were so sure you cared so very； very
much for me； you know。 And I said you mustn't promise anything
because I thought you would change your mind。 And you have。 That
is it； isn't it？ You have found some one else。〃
He gazed at her as if she were a witch who had performed a miracle。
〃Whywhywell； by George！〃 he exclaimed。 〃Helenhowhow did
you know？ Who told you？〃
〃No one told me。 But I think I can even guess who it is you have
found。 It is Madeline Fosdick； isn't it？〃
His amazement now was so open…mouthed as well as open…eyed that she
could not help smiling。
〃Don't！ Don't stare at me like that；〃 she whispered。 〃Every one
is looking at you。 There is old Captain Pease on the other side of
the street； I'm sure he thinks you have had a stroke or something。
Here！ Walk down our road a little way toward home with me。 We can
talk as we walk。 I'm sure；〃 she added； with just the least bit of
change in her tone； 〃that your Madeline won't object to our being
together to that extent。〃
She led the way down the side street toward the parsonage and he
followed her。 He was still speechless from surprise。
〃Well；〃 she went on； after a moment； 〃aren't you going to say
anything？〃
〃Butbut； Helen；〃 he faltered； 〃how did you know？〃
She smiled again。 〃Then it IS Madeline；〃 she said。 〃I thought it
must be。〃
〃Youyou thought What made you think so？〃
For an instant she seemed on the point of losing her patience。
Then she turned and laid her hand on his arm。
〃Oh； Al；〃 she said； 〃please don't think I am altogether an idiot。
I surmised when your letters began to grow shorter andwell；
differentthat there was something or some one who was changing
them； and I suspected it was some one。 When you stopped writing
altogether； I KNEW there must be。 Then father wrote in his letters
about you and about meeting you； and so often Madeline Fosdick was
wherever he met you。 So I guessedand； you see； I guessed right。〃
He seized her hand。
〃Oh； Helen；〃 he cried； 〃if you only knew how mean I have felt and
how ashamed I am of the way I have treated you！ But； you see； II
COULDN'T write you and tell you because we had agreed to keep it a
secret。 I couldn't tell ANY ONE。〃
〃Oh； it is as serious as that！ Are you two really and truly
engaged？〃
〃Yes。 There！ I've told it； and I swore I would never tell。〃
〃No； no； you didn't tell。 I guessed。 Now tell me all about her。
She is very lovely。 Is she as sweet as she looks？〃
He rhapsodized for five minutes。 Then all at once he realized what
he was saying and to whom he was saying it。 He stopped； stammering；
in the very middle of a glowing eulogium。
〃Go on；〃 said Helen reassuringly。 But he could not go on； under
the circumstances。 Instead he turned very red。 As usual； she
divined his thought； noticed his confusion； and took pity on it。
〃She must be awfully nice；〃 she said。 〃I don't wonder you fell in
love with her。 I wish I might know her better。〃
〃I wish you might。 By and by you must。 And she must know you。
Helen； II feel so ashamed ofof〃
〃Hush； or I shall begin to think you are ashamed because you liked
meor thought you did。〃
〃But I do like you。 Next to Madeline there is no one I like so
much。 But； but； you see； it is different。〃
〃Of course it is。 And it ought to be。 Does her motherdo her
people know of the engagement？〃
He hesitated momentarily。 〃No…o；〃 he admitted； 〃they don't yet。
She and I have decided to keep it a secret from any one for the
present。 I want to get on a little further with my writing； you
know。 She is like you in that； Helenshe's awfully fond of poetry
and literature。〃
〃Especially yours； I'm sure。 Tell me about your writing。 How are
you getting on？〃
So he told her and； until they stood together at the parsonage
gate； Madeline's name was not again mentioned。 Then Helen put out
her hand。
〃Good morning； Albert；〃 she said。 〃I'm glad we have had this talk；
ever so glad。〃
〃By George； so am I！ You're a corking friend； Helen。 The chap who
does marry you will be awfully lucky。〃
She smiled slightly。 〃Perhaps there won't be any such chap；〃 she
said。 〃I shall always be a schoolmarm； I imagine。〃
〃Indeed you won't；〃 indignantly。 〃I have too high an opinion of
men for that。〃
She smiled again； seemed about to speak； and then to change her
mind。 An instant later she said；
〃I must go in now。 But I shall hope to see you again before I go
back to the city。 And； after your secret is out and the engagement
is announced； I want to write Madeline； may I？〃
〃Of course you may。 And she'll like you as much as I do。〃
〃Will she？ 。 。 。 Well； perhaps； we'll hope so。〃
〃Certainly she will。 And you won't let my treating you asas I
have make any difference in our friendship？〃
〃No。 We shall always be friends； I hope。 Good…by。〃
She went into the house。 He waited a moment； hoping she might turn
again before entering； but she did not。 He walked home； pondering
deeply； his thoughts a curious jumble of relief and dissatisfaction。
He was glad Helen had seen her duty and given him over to Madeline；
but he felt a trifle piqued to think she had done it with such
apparent willingness。 If she had wept or scolded it would have been
unpleasant but much more gratifying to his self…importance。
He could not help realizing； however； that her attitude toward him
was exceptionally fine。 He knew well that he； if in her place；
would not have behaved as she had done。 No spite； no sarcasm； no
taunts； no unpleasant reminders of things said only a few months
before。 And with all her forgiveness and forbearance and
understanding there had been always that sense of greater age and
wisdom； she had treated him as she might have treated a boy；
younger brother； perhaps。
〃She IS older than I am；〃 he thought； 〃even if she really isn't。
It's funny； but it's a fact。〃
December came and Christmas； and then January and the new year； the
year 1917。 In January； Z。 Snow and Co。 took its yearly account of
stock； and Captain Lote and Laban and Albert and Issachar were
truly busy during the days of stock…taking week and tired when
evening came。 Laban worked the hardest of the quartette； but Issy
made the most fuss about it。 Labe； who had chosen the holiday
season to go on one of his periodical vacations； as rather white
and shaky and even more silent than usual。 Mr。 Price； however；
talked with his customary fluency and continuity； so there was no
lack of conversation。 Captain Zelotes was moved to comment。
〃Issy；〃 he suggested gravely； looking up from a long column of
figures； 〃did you ever play 'Door'？〃
Issachar stared at him。
〃Play 'Door'？〃 he repeated。 〃What's that？〃
〃It's a game。 Didn't you ever play it？〃
〃No； don't know's I ever did。〃
〃Then you'd better begin right this minute。 The first thing to do
is to shut up and the next is to stay that way。 You play 'Door'
until I tell you to do somethin' else； d'you hear？〃
At home the week between Christmas and the New Year was rather
dismal。 Mr。 Keeler's holiday vacation had brought on one of his
fiancee's 〃sympathetic attacks；〃 and she tied up her head and hung
crape upon her soul； as usual。 During these attacks the Snow
household walked on tiptoe； as if the housekeeper were an invalid