back to safety and the enemy at that moment was again advancing
through the village。 But he insisted upon going。 The man he was
trying to rescue was a private in his company and the pair were
great friends。 So he started back alone； although several followed
him a moment later。 They saw him enter the ruined cottage where
his friend lay。 Then a party of the enemy appeared at the corner
and flung grenades。 The entire side of the cottage which he had
just entered was blown in and the Germans passed on over it；
causing our men to fall back temporarily。 We retook the place
within half an hour。 Private Kelly's bodyit was Private Kelly
whom Sergeant Speranza was attempting to rescuewas found and
another； badly disfigured； which was at first supposed to be that
of your grandson。 But this body was subsequently identified as
that of a private named Hamlin who was killed when the enemy first
charged。 Sergeant Speranza's body is still missing； but is thought
to be buried beneath the ruins of the cottage。 These ruins were
subsequently blown into further chaos by a high explosive shell。
Then followed more expressions of regret and sympathy and
confirmation of the report concerning citation and the war cross。
Captain Lote read the letter at first alone in his private office。
Then he brought it home and gave it to his wife to read。 Afterward
he read it aloud to Mrs。 Ellis and to Laban； who was making his
usual call in the Snow kitchen。
When the reading was ended Labe was the first to speak。 His eyes
were shining。
〃Godfreys！〃 he exclaimed。 Godfreys； Cap'n Lote！〃
The captain seemed to understand。
〃You're right； Labe；〃 he said。 〃The boy's made us proud of
him。 。 。 。 Prouder than some of us are of ourselves； I cal'late；〃
he added； rising and moving toward the door。
〃Sho； sho； Cap'n； you mustn't feel that way。 No； no。〃
〃Humph！ 。 。 。 Labe； I presume likely if I was a pious man； one of
the old…fashioned kind of pious； and believed the Almighty went out
of his way to get square with any human bein' that made a mistake
or didn't do the right thingif I believed that I might figger all
this was a sort of special judgment on me for my prejudices； eh？〃
Mr。 Keeler was much disturbed。
〃Nonsense； nonsense； Cap'n Lote！〃 he protested。 〃You ain't fair to
yourself。 You never treated Al anyhow but just honest and fair and
square。 If he was here now instead of layin' dead over there in
France； poor feller； he'd say so； too。 Yes； he would。 Course he
would。〃
The captain made no reply； but walked from the room。 Laban turned
to Mrs。 Ellis。
〃The old man broods over that；〃 he said。 〃I wish。 。 。 。 Eh？
What's the matter； Rachel？ What are you lookin' at me like that
for？〃
The housekeeper was leaning forward in her chair； her cheeks
flushed and her hands clenched。
〃How do you know he's dead？〃 she asked； in a mysterious whisper。
〃Eh？ How do I know who's dead？〃
〃Albert。 How do you know he's dead？〃
Laban stared at her。
〃How do I know he's DEAD！〃 he repeated。 〃How do I know〃
〃Yes； yes； yes；〃 impatiently； 〃that's what I said。 Don't run it
over three or four times more。 How do you know Albert's dead？〃
〃Why； Rachel； what kind of talk's that？ I know he's dead because
the newspapers say so； and the War Department folks say so； and
this cap'n man in France that was right there at the time； HE says
so。 All hands say soyes； yes。 So don't〃
〃Sh！ I don't care if they all say so ten times over。 How do they
KNOW？ They ain't found him dead； have they？ The report from the
War Department folks was sent when they thought that other body was
Albert's。 Now they know that wasn't him。 Where is he？〃
〃Why； under the ruins of that cottage。 'Twas all blown to pieces
and most likely〃
〃Um…hm。 There you are！ 'Most likely！' Well； I ain't satisfied
with most likelys。 I want to KNOW。〃
〃Butbut〃
〃Laban Keeler； until they find his body I shan't believe Albert's
dead。〃
〃But； Rachel； you mustn't try to deceive yourself that way。 Don't
you see〃
〃No； I don't see。 Labe； when Robert Penfold was lost and gone for
all them months all hands thought he was dead； didn't they？ But he
wasn't； he was on that island lost in the middle of all creation。
What's to hinder Albert bein' took prisoner by those Germans？ They
came back to that cottage place after Albert was left there； the
cap'n says so in that letter Cap'n Lote just read。 What's to
hinder their carryin' Al off with 'em？ Eh？ What's to hinder？〃
〃Whywhy； nothin'； I suppose； in one way。 But nine chances out of
ten〃
〃That leaves one chance； don't it。 I ain't goin' to give up that
chance forfor my boy。 II Oh； Labe； I did think SO much of
him。〃
〃I know； Rachel； I know。 Don't cry any more than you can help。
And if it helps you any to make believeI mean to keep on hopin'
he's alive somewhereswhy； do it。 It won't do any harm； I
suppose。 Only I wouldn't hint such a thing to Cap'n Lote or
Olive。〃
〃Of course not；〃 indignantly。 〃I ain't quite a fool； I hope。 。 。 。
And I presume likely you're right； Laban。 The poor boy is dead；
probably。 But II'm goin' to hope he isn't； anyhow； just to get
what comfort I can from it。 And Robert Penfold did come back； you
know。〃
For some time Laban found himself； against all reason； asking the
very question Rachel had asked： Did they actually KNOW that Albert
was dead？ But as the months passed and no news came he ceased to
ask it。 Whenever he mentioned the subject to the housekeeper her
invariable reply was： 〃But they haven't found his body； have
they？〃 She would not give up that tenth chance。 As she seemed to
find some comfort in it he did not attempt to convince her of its
futility。
And； meanwhile The Lances of Dawn； Being the Collected Poems of
Albert M。 C。 Speranza was making a mild sensation。 The critics
were surprisingly kind to it。 The story of the young author's
recent and romantic death； of his gallantry； his handsome features
displayed in newspapers everywhere； all these helped toward the
generous welcome accorded the little volume。 If the verses were
not inspiredwhy； they were at least entertaining and pleasant。
And youth； high…hearted youth sang on every page。 So the reviewers
were kind and forbearing to the poems themselves； and； for the sake
of the dead soldier…poet； were often enthusiastic。 The book sold；
for a volume of poems it sold very well indeed。
At the Snow place in South Harniss pride and tears mingled。 Olive
read the verses over and over again； and wept as she read。 Rachel
Ellis learned many of them by heart； but she； too； wept as she
recited them to herself or to Laban。 In the little bookkeeper's
room above Simond's shoe store The Lances of Dawn lay under the
lamp upon the center table as before a shrine。 Captain Zelotes
read the verses。 Also he read all the newspaper notices which；
sent to the family by Helen Kendall； were promptly held before his
eyes by Olive and Rachel。 He read the publisher's advertisements；
he read the reviews。 And the more he read the more puzzled and
bewildered he became。
〃I can't understand it； Laban；〃 he confided in deep distress to Mr。
Keeler。 〃I give in I don't know anything at all about this。 I'm
clean off soundin's。 If all this newspaper stuff is so Albert was
right all the time and I was plumb wrong。 Here's this feller；〃
picking up a clipping from the desk； 〃callin' him a genius and 'a
gifted youth' and the land knows what。 And every day or so I get a
letter from somebody I never heard of tellin' me what a comfort to
'em those poetry pieces of his are。 I don't understand it； Labe。
It worries me。 If all this is true thenthen I was all wrong。 I
tried to keep him from makin' up poetry； LabeTRIED to； I did。 If
what these folks say is so somethin' ought to be done to me。 II
by thunder； I don't know's I hadn't ought to be hung！ 。 。 。 And
yetand yet； I did what I thought was right and did it for the
boy's sake 。 。 。 Andand even now II ain't sartin I was wrong。
But if I wasn't wrong then this is 。 。 。 Oh； I don't know； I don't
know！〃
And not only in South Harniss were there changes of heart。 In New
York City and at Greenwich where Mrs。 Fosdick was more than ever
busy with war work； there were changes。 When the newspaper
accounts of young Speranza's heroic death were first published the
lady paid little attention to them。 Her daughter needed all her
care just thenall the care； that is； which she could spare from
her duties as president of this society and corresponding secretary
of that。 If her feelings upon hearing the news could have been
analyzed it is probable that their larger proportion would have
been a huge sense of relief。 THAT problem was solved； at all
events。 She was sorry for poor Madeline； of course； but the dear
child was but a child and would recover。
But as with more and more intensity the limelight of publicity was
turned upon Albert Speranza's life and death and writing； the wife
of the Honorable Fletcher Fosdick could not but be impressed。 As
head of several so…called literary societies； societies rather
neglected since the outbreak of hostilities； she had made it her
business to hunt literary lions。 Recently it was true that
military lionsMajor Vermicelli of the Roumanian light cavalry；
or Private Drinkwater of the Tank Corpswere more in demand than
Tagores； but； as Mrs。 Fosdick read of Sergeant Speranza's perils
and poems； it could not help occurring to her that here was a lion
both literary and martial。 Decidedly she had not approved of her
daughter's engagement to that lion； but now the said lion was dead；
which rendered him a perfectly harmless yet not the less fascinating
animal。 And then appeared The Lances of Dawn and Mrs。 Fosdick's
friends among the elect began to read and talk about it。
It was then that the change came。 Those friends； one by one；
individuals judiciously chosen； were told in strict confidence of
poor Madeline's romantic love affair and its tragic ending。 These
individuals； chosen judiciously as has been stated； whispered； also
in strict confidence； the tale to other friends and acquaintances。
Mrs。 Fosdick began to receive c