Robert Penfold。 The proprietary interest which she had always felt
in him was more than ever hers now。 Had not she been the sole
person to hint at the possibility of his being alive； when every
one else had given him up for dead？ Had not she been the only one
to suggest that he might have been taken prisoner？ Had SHE ever
despaired of seeing him againon this earth and in the flesh？
Indeed； she had not； at least； she had never admitted it； if she
had。 So then； hadn't she a RIGHT to feel that she owned a share in
him？ No one ventured to dispute that right。
She turned and smiled over one ample shoulder when he entered the
kitchen。
〃Hello；〃 she hailed cheerfully。 〃Come callin'； have you； Robert
Albert； I mean？ It would have been a great help to me if you'd
been christened Robert。 I call you that so much to myself it comes
almost more natural than the other。 On account of you bein' so
just like Robert Penfold in the book； you know；〃 she added。
〃Yes； yes； of course； Rachel； I understand；〃 put in Albert hastily。
He was not in the mood to listen to a dissertation on a text taken
from Foul Play。 He looked about the room and sighed happily。
〃There isn't a speck anywhere； is there？〃 he observed。 〃It is just
as it used to be； just as I used to think of it when I was laid up
over there。 When I wanted to try and eat a bit； so as to keep what
strength I had； I would think about this kitchen of yours； Rachel。
It didn't do to think of the places where the prison stuff was
cooked。 They were notappetizing。〃
Mrs。 Ellis nodded。 〃I presume likely not；〃 she observed。 〃Well；
don't tell me about 'em。 I've just scrubbed this kitchen from stem
to stern。 If I heard about those prison places； I'd feel like
startin' right in and scrubbin' it all over again； I know I
should。 。 。 。 Dirty pigs！ I wish I had the scourin' of some of
those Germans！ I'dI don't know as I wouldn't skin 'em alive。〃
Albert laughed。 〃Some of them pretty nearly deserved it；〃 he said。
Rachel smiled grimly。 〃Well； let's talk about nice things；〃 she
said。 〃Oh； Issy Price was here this forenoon； Cap'n Lote sent him
over from the office on an errand； and he said he saw you and Mr。
Kendall goin' down street together just as he was comin' along。 He
hollered at you； but you didn't hear him。 'Cordin' to Issachar's
tell； you was luggin' a basket with Jonah's whale in it； or
somethin' like that。〃
Albert described his encounter with the minister。 Rachel was much
interested。
〃Oh； so you saw Helen；〃 she said。 〃Well； I guess she was surprised
to see you。〃
〃Not more than I was to see her。 I didn't know she was in town。
Not a soul had mentioned ityou nor Grandfather nor Grandmother。〃
The housekeeper answered without turning her head。 〃Guess we had
so many things to talk about we forgot it；〃 she said。 〃Yes； she's
been here over a week now。 High time； from what I hear。 The poor
old parson has failed consider'ble and Maria Price's housekeepin'
and cookin' is enough to make a well man sickor wish he was。 But
he'll be looked after now。 Helen will look after him。 She's the
most capable girl there is in Ostable County。 Did she tell you
about what she done in the Red Cross and the hospitals？〃
〃She said something about it； not very much。〃
〃Um…hm。 She wouldn't； bein' Helen Kendall。 But the Red Cross
folks said enough； and they're sayin' it yet。 Why〃
She went on to tell of Helen's work in the Red Cross depots and in
the camp； and hospitals。 It was an inspiring story。
〃There they was；〃 said Rachel； 〃the poor things； just boys most of
'em； dyin' of that dreadful influenza like rats； as you might say。
And； of course it's dreadful catchin'； and a good many was more
afraid of it than they would have been of bullets； enough sight。
But Helen Kendall wa'n't afraidno； siree！ Why〃
And so on。 Albert listened； hearing most of it； but losing some as
his thoughts wandered back to the Helen he had known as a boy and
the Helen he had met that forenoon。 Her face； as she had welcomed
him at the parsonage doorit was surprising how clearly it showed
before his mind's eye。 He had thought at first that she had not
changed in appearance。 That was not quite trueshe had changed a
little； but it was merely the fulfillment of a promise； that was
all。 Her eyes； her smile above a hospital bedhe could imagine
what they must have seemed like to a lonely； homesick boy wrestling
with the 〃flu。〃
〃And； don't talk！〃 he heard the housekeeper say； as he drifted out
of his reverie； 〃if she wa'n't popular around that hospital； around
both hospitals； fur's that goes！ The patients idolized her； and
the other nurses they loved her； and the doctors〃
〃Did they love her； too？〃 Albert asked； with a smile； as she
hesitated。
She laughed。 〃Some of 'em did； I cal'late；〃 she answered。 〃You
see； I got most of my news about it all from Bessie Ryder；
Cornelius Ryder's niece； lives up on the road to the Center； you
used to know her； Albert。 Bessie was nursin' in that same
hospital； the one Helen was at first。 'Cordin' to her； there was
some doctor or officer tryin' to shine up to Helen most of the
time。 When she was at Eastview； so Bessie heard； there was a real
big…bug in the Army； a sort of Admiral or Commodore amongst the
doctors he was； and HE was trottin' after her； or would have been
if she'd let him。 'Course you have to make some allowances for
Bessieshe wouldn't be a Ryder if she didn't take so many words to
say so little that the truth gets stretched pretty thin afore she
finishedbut there must have been SOMETHIN' in it。 And all about
her bein' such a wonderful nurse and doin' so much for the Red
Cross I KNOW is true。 。 。 。 Eh？ Did you say anything； Albert？〃
Albert shook his head。 〃No； Rachel；〃 he replied。 〃I didn't
speak。〃
〃I thought I heard you or somebody say somethin'。 I Why； Laban
Keeler； what are you doin' away from your desk this time in the
afternoon？〃
Laban grinned as he entered the kitchen。
〃Did I hear you say you thought you heard somebody sayin' somethin'；
Rachel？〃 he inquired。 〃That's queer； ain't it？ Seemed to me _I_
heard somebody sayin' somethin' as I come up the path just now。
Seemed as if they was sayin' it right here in the kitchen； too。
'Twasn't your voice； Albert； and it couldn't have been Rachel's；
'cause she NEVER talks'specially to you。 It's too bad； the
prejudice she's got against you； Albert；〃 he added； with a wink。
〃Um…hm； too badyes； 'tisyes； yes。〃
Mrs。 Ellis sniffed。
〃And that's what the newspapers in war time used to callerer
oh； dear； what was it？camelseems's if 'twas somethin' about a
camel〃
〃Camouflage？〃 suggested Albert。
〃That's it。 All that talk about me is just camouflage to save him
answerin' my question。 But he's goin' to answer it。 What are you
doin' away from the office this time in the afternoon； I want to
know？〃
Mr。 Keeler perched his small figure on the corner of the kitchen
table。
〃Well； to tell you the truth； Rachel；〃 he said solemnly。 〃I'm here
to do what the folks in books call demand an explanation。 You and
I； Rachel； are just as good as engaged to be married； ain't we？
I've been keepin' company with you for the last twenty； forty or
sixty years； some such spell as that。 Now； just as I'm gettin'
used to it and beginnin' to consider it a settled arrangement； as
you may say； I come into this house and find you shut up in the
kitchen with another man。 Now； what〃
The housekeeper advanced toward him with the dripping dishcloth。
〃Laban Keeler；〃 she threatened； 〃if you don't stop your foolishness
and answer my question； I declare I'll〃
Laban slid from his perch and retired behind the table。
〃Another man；〃 he repeated。 〃And SOME folksnot many； of course；
but somemight be crazy enough to say he was a better…lookin' man
than I am。 Now； bein' ragin' jealous； All right； Rachel； all
right； I surrender。 Don't hit me with all those soapsuds。 I don't
want to go back to the office foamin' at the mouth。 The reason I'm
here is that I had to go down street to see about the sheathin' for
the Red Men's lodge room。 Issy took the order； but he wasn't real
sure whether 'twas sheathin' or scantlin' they wanted； so I told
Cap'n Lote I'd run down myself and straighten it out。 On the way
back I saw you two through the window and I thought I'd drop in and
worry you。 So here I am。〃
Mrs。 Ellis nodded。 〃Yes；〃 she sniffed。 〃And all that camel
camel Oh； DEAR； what DOES ail me？ All that camel No use；
I've forgot it again。〃
〃Never mind； Rachel；〃 said Mr。 Keeler consolingly。 〃All theer
menagerie was just that and nothin' more。 Oh； by the way； Al；〃 he
added； 〃speakin' of camelsdon't you think I've done pretty well
to go so long without anyerliquid nourishment？ Not a drop
since you and I enlisted together。 。 。 。 Oh； she knows about it
now；〃 he added； with a jerk of his head in the housekeeper's
direction。 〃I felt 'twas fairly safe and settled； so I told her。
I told her。 Yes； yes； yes。 Um…hm； so I did。〃
Albert turned to the lady。
〃You should be very proud of him； Rachel；〃 he said seriously。 〃I
think I realize a little something of the fight he has made； and it
is bully。 You should be proud of him。〃
Rachel looked down at the little man。
〃I am；〃 she said quietly。 〃I guess likely he knows it。〃
Laban smiled。 〃The folks in Washington are doin' their best to
help me out；〃 he said。 〃They're goin' to take the stuff away from
everybody so's to make sure _I_ don't get any more。 They'll
probably put up a monument to me for startin' the thing； don't you
think they will； Al？ Eh？ Don't you； now？〃
Albert and he walked up the road together。 Laban told a little
more of his battle with John Barleycorn。
〃I had half a dozen spells when I had to set my teeth； those I've
got left； and hang on；〃 he said。 〃And the hangin'…on wa'n't as
easy as stickin' to fly…paper； neither。 Honest； though； I think
the hardest was when the news came that you was alive； Al。 II
just wanted to start in and celebrate。 Wanted to whoop her up； I
did。〃 He paused a moment and then added； 〃I tried whoopin' on
sass'parilla and vanilla sody； but 'twa'n't satisfacto