was； naturally； elated。
〃Isn't it splendid！〃 he wrote。 〃The best part of it； of course； is
that he asked to publish； I did not ask him。 Please send me my
scrapbook and all loose manuscript。 When the book will come out
I'm sure I don't know。 In fact it may never come out； we have not
gotten as far as terms and contracts yet； but I feel we shall。
Send the scrapbook and manuscript right away； PLEASE。〃
They were sent。 In his next letter Albert was still enthusiastic。
〃I have been looking over my stuff；〃 he wrote； 〃and some of it is
pretty good； if you don't mind my saying so。 Tell Grandfather that
when this book of mine is out and selling I may be able to show him
that poetry making isn't a pauper's job； after all。 Of course I
don't know how much it will sellperhaps not more than five or ten
thousand at firstbut even at ten thousand at； say； twenty…five
cents royalty each； would be twenty…five hundred dollars； and
that's something。 Why； Ben Hur； the novel； you know； has sold a
million； I believe。〃
Mrs。 Snow and Rachel were duly impressed by this prophecy of
affluence； but Captain Zelotes still played the skeptic。
〃A million at twenty…five cents a piece！〃 exclaimed Olive。 〃Why；
Zelotes； that'sthat's an awful sight of money。〃
Mental arithmetic failing her； she set to work with a pencil and
paper and after a strenuous struggle triumphantly announced that it
came to two hundred and fifty thousand dollars。
〃My soul and body！〃 she cried。 〃Two hundred and fifty thousand
DOLLARS！ My SOUL； Zelotes！ Supposeonly suppose Albert's book
brought him in as much as that！〃
Her husband shook his head。 〃I can't； Olive；〃 he said； without
looking up from his newspaper。 〃My supposer wouldn't stand the
strain。〃
〃But it might； Zelotes； it MIGHT。 Suppose it did； what would you
say then？〃
The captain regarded her over the top of the Transcript。 〃I
shouldn't say a word； Olive；〃 he answered； solemnly。 〃I should be
down sick by the time it got up as far as a thousand； and anything
past two thousand you could use to buy my tombstone with。 。 。 。
There； there； Mother；〃 he added； noticing the hurt look on her
face； 〃don't feel bad。 I'm only jokin'。 One of these days Al's
goin' to make a nice； comf'table livin' sellin' lumber and hardware
right here in South Harniss。 I can SEE that money in the offin'。
All this million or two that's comin' from poetry and such is out
of sight in the fog。 It may be there buthumph！ well； I KNOW
where Z。 Snow and Co。 is located。〃
Olive was not entirely placated。 〃I must say I think you're awful
discouragin' to the poor boy； Zelotes；〃 she said。 Her husband put
down his paper。
〃No； no； I ain't； Mother；〃 he replied； earnestly。 〃At least I
don't mean to be。 Way I look at it； this poetry…makin' and writin'
yarns and that sort of stuff is just part of the youngster'ser
growin' up； as you might say。 Give him time he'll grow out of it；
same as I cal'late he will out of this girl business； thiser
Madelhumpherahem。 。 。 。 Looks like a good day to…morrow；
don't it。〃
He pulled up suddenly； and with considerable confusion。 He had
kept the news of his grandson's infatuation and engagement even
from his wife。 No one in South Harniss knew of it； no one except
the captain。 Helen Kendall knew； but she was in Boston。
Rachel Ellis picked up the half knitted Red Cross mitten in her
lap。 〃Well； I don't know whether he's right or you are； Cap'n
Lote；〃 she said； with a sigh； 〃but this I do knowI wish this
awful war was over and he was back home again。〃
That remark ended the conversation。 Olive resumed her own knitting；
seeing it but indistinctly。 Her husband did not continue his
newspaper reading。 Instead he rose and； saying something about
cal'latin' he would go for a little walk before turning in； went out
into the yard。
But the war did not end； it went on； so too did the enlisting and
training。 In the early summer Albert came home for a two days'
leave。 He was broader and straighter and browner。 His uniform
became him and； more than ever； the eyes of South Harniss's
youthful femininity； native or imported； followed him as he walked
the village streets。 But the glances were not returned； not in
kind； that is。 The new Fosdick home； although completed； was not
occupied。 Mrs。 Fosdick had； that summer； decided that her duties
as mover in goodness knows how many war work activities prevented
her taking her 〃usual summer rest。〃 Instead she and Madeline
occupied a rented villa at Greenwich； Connecticut； coming into town
for meetings of all sorts。 Captain Zelotes had his own suspicions
as to whether war work alone was the cause of the Fosdicks'
shunning of what was to have been their summer home； but he kept
those suspicions to himself。 Albert may have suspected also； but
he； too； said nothing。 The censored correspondence between
Greenwich and the training camp traveled regularly； and South
Harniss damsels looked and longed in vain。 He saw them； he bowed
to them； he even addressed them pleasantly and charmingly； but to
him they were merely incidents in his walks to and from the post…
office。 In his mind's eye he saw but one； and she； alas； was not
present in the flesh。
Then he returned to the camp where； later on； Captain Zelotes and
Olive visited him。 As they came away the captain and his grandson
exchanged a few significant words。
〃It is likely to be almost any time； Grandfather；〃 said Albert；
quietly。 〃They are beginning to send them now； as you know by the
papers； and we have had the tip that our turn will be soon。 So〃
Captain Lote grasped the significance of the uncompleted sentence。
〃I see； Al；〃 he answered； 〃I see。 Well； boy； II Good luck。〃
〃Good luck； Grandfather。〃
That was all； that and one more handclasp。 Our Anglo…Saxon
inheritance descends upon us in times like these。 The captain was
silent for most of the ride to the railroad station。
Then followed a long； significant interval during which there were
no letters from the young soldier。 After this a short reassuring
cablegram from 〃Somewhere in France。〃 〃Safe。 Well；〃 it read and
Olive Snow carried it about with her； in the bosom of her gown； all
that afternoon and put it upon retiring on her bureau top so that
she might see it the first thing in the morning。
Another long interval； then letters； the reassuring but so
tantalizingly unsatisfactory letters we American families were；
just at that time； beginning to receive。 Reading the newspapers
now had a personal interest； a terrifying； dreadful interest。 Then
the packing and sending of holiday boxes； over the contents of
which Olive and Rachel spent much careful planning and anxious
preparation。 Then another interval of more letters； letters which
hinted vaguely at big things just ahead。
Then no letter for more than a month。
And then； one noon； as Captain Zelotes returned to his desk after
the walk from home and dinner； Laban Keeler came in and stood
beside that desk。
The captain； looking up； saw the little bookkeeper's face。 〃What
is it； Labe？〃 he asked； sharply。
Laban held a yellow envelope in his hand。
〃It came while you were gone to dinner； Cap'n；〃 he said。 〃Ben
Kelley fetched it from the telegraph office himself。 Hehe said
he didn't hardly want to take it to the house。 He cal'lated you'd
better have it here； to read to yourself； fust。 That's what he
saidyes； yesthat's what 'twas； Cap'n。〃
Slowly Captain Zelotes extended his hand for the envelope。 He did
not take his eyes from the bookkeeper's face。
〃BenBen； he told me what was in it； Cap'n Lote；〃 faltered Laban。
〃II don't know what to say to you； I don'tno； no。〃
Without a word the captain took the envelope from Keeler's fingers；
and tore it open。 He read the words upon the form within。
Laban leaned forward。
〃For the Lord sakes； Lote Snow；〃 he cried； in a burst of agony；
〃why couldn't it have been some darn good…for…nothin' like me
insteadinstead of him？ Oh； my God A'mighty； what a world this
is！ WHAT a world！〃
Still Captain Zelotes said nothing。 His eyes were fixed upon the
yellow sheet of paper on the desk before him。 After a long minute
he spoke。
〃Well；〃 he said； very slowly； 〃well； Labe； there goesthere goes
Z。 Snow and Company。〃
CHAPTER XIV
The telegram from the War Department was brief； as all such
telegrams were perforce obliged to be。 The Secretary of War；
through his representative； regretted to inform Captain Zelotes
Snow that Sergeant Albert Speranza had been killed in action upon a
certain day。 It was enough； howeverfor the time quite enough。
It was not until later that the little group of South Harniss
recovered sufficiently from the stunning effect of those few words
to think of seeking particulars。 Albert was dead； what did it
matter； then； to know how he died？
Olive bore the shock surprisingly well。 Her husband's fears for
her seemed quite unnecessary。 The Captain； knowing how she had
idolized her daughter's boy； had dreaded the effect which the news
might have upon her。 She was broken down by it； it is true； but
she was quiet and braveastonishingly； wonderfully quiet and
brave。 And it was she； rather than her husband； who played the
part of the comforter in those black hours。
〃He's gone； Zelotes；〃 she said。 〃It don't seem possible； I know；
but he's gone。 And he died doin' his duty； same as he would have
wanted to die if he'd known 'twas comin'； poor boy。 Soso we must
do ours； I suppose； and bear up under it the very best we can。 It
won't be very long； Zelotes；〃 she added。 〃We're both gettin' old。〃
Captain Lote made no reply。 He was standing by the window of the
sitting…room looking out into the wet backyard across which the
wind…driven rain was beating in stormy gusts。
〃We must be brave； Zelotes；〃 whispered Olive； tremulously。 〃He'd
want us to be and we MUST be。〃
He put his arm about her in a sudden heat of admiration。 〃I'd be
ashamed not to be after seein' you； Mother；〃 he exclaimed。
He went out to the barn a few moments later and Rachel； entering
the sitting…room； found Olive crumpled down in the big rocker in an
agony of grief。
〃Oh； don't； Mrs。 Snow；