Madeline's letters and Mrs。 Fosdick's own letters received during
his convalescence abroad had prepared him； or so he had thought； for
some such change。 Now he realized that he had not been prepared at
all。 The reality was so much more revolutionary than the
anticipation that he simply could not believe it。
But it was not so very wonderful if he had known all the facts and
had been in a frame of mind to calmly analyze them。 Mrs。 Fletcher
Fosdick was a seasoned veteran； a general who had planned and
fought many hard campaigns upon the political battlegrounds of
women's clubs and societies of various sorts。 From the majority of
those campaigns she had emerged victorious； but her experiences in
defeat had taught her that the next best thing to winning is to
lose gracefully； because by so doing much which appears to be lost
may be regained。 For Albert Speranza； bookkeeper and would…be poet
of South Harniss； Cape Cod； she had had no use whatever as a
prospective son…in…law。 Even toward a living Albert Speranza； hero
and newspaper…made genius； she might have been cold。 But when that
hero and genius was； as she and every one else supposed； safely and
satisfactorily dead and out of the way； she had seized the
opportunity to bask in the radiance of his memory。 She had talked
Albert Speranza and read Albert Speranza and boasted of Albert
Speranza's engagement to her daughter before the world。 Now that
the said Albert Speranza had been inconsiderate enough to 〃come
alive again；〃 there was but one thing for her to dothat is； to
make the best of it。 And when Mrs。 Fletcher Fosdick made the best
of anything she made the very best。
〃It doesn't make any difference；〃 she told her husband； 〃whether he
really is a genius or whether he isn't。 We have said he is and now
we must keep on saying it。 And if he can't earn his salt by his
writingswhich he probably can'tthen you must fix it in some way
so that he can make…believe earn it by something else。 He is
engaged to Madeline； and we have told every one that he is； so he
will have to marry her； at least； I see no way to prevent it。〃
〃Humph！〃 grunted Fosdick。 〃And after that I'll have to support
them； I suppose。〃
〃Probablyunless you want your only child to starve。〃
〃Well； I must say； Henrietta〃
〃You needn't； for there is nothing more TO say。 We're in it and；
whether we like it or not； we must make the best of it。 To do
anything now except appear joyful about it would be to make
ourselves perfectly ridiculous。 We can't do that； and you know
it。〃
Her husband still looked everything but contented。
〃So far as the young fellow himself goes；〃 he said； 〃I like him；
rather。 I've talked with him only once； of course； and then he and
I weren't agreeing exactly。 But I liked him； nevertheless。 If he
were anything but a fool poet I should be more reconciled。〃
He was snubbed immediately。 〃THAT；〃 declared Mrs。 Fosdick； with
decision； 〃is the only thing that makes him possible。〃
So Mrs。 Fosdick's welcome was whole…handed if not whole…hearted。
And her husband's also was cordial and intimate。 The only member
of the Fosdick household who did not regard the guest with favor
was Googoo。 That aristocratic bull…pup was still irreconcilably
hostile。 When Albert attempted to pet him he appeared to be
planning to devour the caressing hand； and when rebuked by his
mistress retired beneath a davenport； growling ominously。 Even
when ignominiously expelled from the room he growled and cast
longing backward glances at the Speranza ankles。 No； Googoo did
not dissemble； Albert was perfectly sure of his standing in
Googoo's estimation。
Dinner that evening was a trifle more formal than he had expected；
and he was obliged to apologize for the limitations of his
wardrobe。 His dress suit of former days he had found much too
dilapidated for use。 Besides； he had outgrown it。
〃I thought I was thinner；〃 he said； 〃and I think I am。 But I must
have broadened a bit。 At any rate； all the coats I left behind
won't do at all。 I shall have to do what Captain Snow； my
grandfather； calls 'refit' here in New York。 In a day or two I
hope to be more presentable。〃
Mrs。 Fosdick assured him that it was quite all right； really。
Madeline asked why he didn't wear his uniform。 〃I was dying to see
you in it；〃 she said。 〃Just think； I never have。〃
Albert laughed。 〃You have been spared；〃 he told her。 〃Mine was
not a triumph； so far as fit was concerned。 Of course； I had a
complete new rig when I came out of the hospital； but even that was
not beautiful。 It puckered where it should have bulged and bulged
where it should have been smooth。〃
Madeline professed not to believe him。
〃Nonsense！〃 she declared。 〃I don't believe it。 Why； almost all
the fellows I know have been in uniform for the past two years and
theirs fitted beautifully。〃
〃But they were officers； weren't they； and their uniforms were
custom made。〃
〃Why； I suppose so。 Aren't all uniforms custom made？〃
Her father laughed。 〃Scarcely； Maddie；〃 he said。 〃The privates
have their custom…made by the mile and cut off in chunks for the
individual。 That was about it； wasn't it； Speranza？〃
〃Just about； sir。〃
Mrs。 Fosdick evidently thought that the conversation was taking a
rather low tone。 She elevated it by asking what his thoughts were
when taken prisoner by the Germans。 He looked puzzled。
〃Thoughts； Mrs。 Fosdick？〃 he repeated。 〃I don't know that I
understand； exactly。 I was only partly conscious and in a good
deal of pain and my thoughts were rather incoherent； I'm afraid。〃
〃But when you regained consciousness； you know。 What were your
thoughts then？ Did you realize that you had made the great
sacrifice for your country？ Risked your life and forfeited your
liberty and all that for the cause？ Wasn't it a great satisfaction
to feel that you had done that？〃
Albert's laugh was hearty and unaffected。 〃Why； no；〃 he said。 〃I
think what I was realizing most just then was that I had made a
miserable mess of the whole business。 Failed in doing what I set
out to do and been taken prisoner besides。 I remember thinking；
when I was clear…headed enough to think anything； 'You fool； you
spent months getting into this war； and then got yourself out of it
in fifteen minutes。' And it WAS a silly trick； too。〃
Madeline was horrified。
〃What DO you mean？〃 she cried。 〃Your going back there to rescue
your comrade a silly trick！ The very thing that won you your Croix
de Guerre？〃
〃Why； yes； in a way。 I didn't save Mike； poor fellow〃
〃Mike！ Was his name Mike？〃
〃Yes； Michael Francis Xavier Kelly。 A South Boston Mick he was；
and one of the finest； squarest boys that ever drew breath。 Well；
poor Mike was dead when I got to him； so my trip had been for
nothing； and if he had been alive I could not have prevented his
being taken。 As it was； he was dead and I was a prisoner。 So
nothing was gained and； for me； personally； a good deal was lost。
It wasn't a brilliant thing to do。 But；〃 he added apologetically；
〃a chap doesn't have time to think collectively in such a scrape。
And it was my first real scrap and I was frightened half to death；
besides。〃
〃Frightened！ Why； I never heard anything so ridiculous！ What〃
〃One moment； Madeline。〃 It was Mrs。 Fosdick who interrupted。 〃I
want to askerAlbert a question。 I want to ask him if during
his long imprisonment he composedwrote； you know。 I should have
thought the sights and experiences would have forced one to express
one's selfthat is； one to whom the gift of expression was so
generously granted；〃 she added； with a gracious nod。
Albert hesitated。
〃Why； at first I did；〃 he said。 〃When I first was well enough to
think； I used to try to writeverses。 I wrote a good many。
Afterwards I tore them up。〃
〃Tore them up！〃 Both Mrs。 and Miss Fosdick uttered this exclamation。
〃Why； yes。 You see； they were such rot。 The things I wanted to
write about； the things _I_ had seen and was seeing； thethe
fellows like Mike and their pluck and all thatwell； it was all
too big for me to tackle。 My jingles sounded； when I read them
over； like tunes on a street piano。 _I_ couldn't do it。 A genius
might have been equal to the job； but I wasn't。〃
Mrs。 Fosdick glanced at her husband。 There was something of
alarmed apprehension in the glance。 Madeline's next remark covered
the situation。 It expressed the absolute truth； so much more of
the truth than even the young lady herself realized at the time。
〃Why； Albert Speranza；〃 she exclaimed； 〃I never heard you speak of
yourself and your work in that way before。 AlwaysALWAYS you have
had such complete； such splendid confidence in yourself。 You were
never afraid to attempt ANYTHING。 You MUST not talk so。 Don't you
intend to write any more？〃
Albert looked at her。 〃Oh； yes； indeed；〃 he said simply。 〃That is
just what I do intend to door try to do。〃
That evening； alone in the library； he and Madeline had their first
long； intimate talk； the first since those daysto him they seemed
as far away as the last centurywhen they walked the South Harniss
beach together； walked beneath the rainbows and dreamed。 And now
here was their dream coming true。
Madeline； he was realizing it as he looked at her； was prettier
than ever。 She had grown a little older； of course； a little more
mature； but surprisingly little。 She was still a girl； a very；
very pretty girl and a charming girl。 And he
〃What are you thinking about？〃 she demanded suddenly。
He came to himself。 〃I was thinking about you；〃 he said。 〃You are
just as you used to be； just as charming and just as sweet。 You
haven't changed。〃
She smiled and then pouted。
〃I don't know whether to like that or not；〃 she said。 〃Did you
expect to find me lesscharming and the rest？〃
〃Why； no； of course not。 That was clumsy on my part。 What I meant
was thatwell； it seems ages； centuries； since we were together
there on the Capeand yet you have not changed。〃
She regarded him reflectively。
〃You have；〃 she said。
〃Have what？〃
〃Changed。 You have changed a good deal。 I don't know whether I
like it or not。 Perhaps I shall be