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know。〃
〃A boy！ I'm more than a year older than you are。〃
〃Are you？ Why yes； I suppose you are； really。 But that doesn't
make any difference。 I guess girls are older than boys when they
are our age； lots older。〃
〃Oh； bother all that！ We aren't kids； either of us。 I want you to
listen。 You don't understand what I'm trying to say。〃
〃Yes； I do。 But I'm sure you don't。 You are glad because you have
found you have no reason to be jealous of Ed Raymond and that makes
you sayfoolish things。 But I'm not going to have our friendship
spoiled in that way。 I want us to be real friends； always。 So you
mustn't be silly。〃
〃I'm not silly。 Helen； if you won't listen to anything else； will
you listen to this？ Will you promise me that while you are away
you won't have other fellows calling on you oror anything like
that？ And I'll promise you that I'll have nothing to say to
another girlin any way that counts； I mean。 Shall we promise
each other that； Helen？ Come！〃
She paused for some moment before answering； but her reply； when it
came； was firm。
〃No；〃 she said； 〃I don't think we should promise anything； except
to remain friends。 You might promise and then be sorry； later。〃
〃_I_ might？ How about you？〃
〃Perhaps we both might。 So we won't take the risk。 You may come
and see me to…morrow evening and say good…by； if you like。 But you
mustn't stay long。 It is my last night with father for some time
and I mustn't cheat him out of it。 Good night； Albert。 I'm so
glad our misunderstanding is over； aren't you？〃
〃Of course I am。 But； Helen〃
〃I must go in now。 Good night。〃
The reflections of Alberto Speranza during his walk back to the
Snow place were varied but wonderful。 He thought of Raymond's
humiliation and gloried in it。 He thought of Helen and rhapsodized。
And if； occasionally； he thought also of the dance and of Madeline
Fosdick； forgive him。 He was barely twenty…one and the moon was
shining。
CHAPTER IX
The good…by call the following evening was； to him at least； not
very satisfactory。 Helen was tired； having been busy all day with
the final preparations for leaving； and old Mr。 Kendall insisted
on being present during the entire visit and in telling long and
involved stories of the trip abroad he had made when a young man
and the unfavorable opinion which he had then formed of Prussians
as traveling companions。 Albert's opinion of Prussians was at
least as unfavorable as his own； but his complete and even eager
agreement with each of the old gentleman's statements did not have
the effect of choking the latter off； but rather seemed to act as
encouragement for more。 When ten o'clock came and it was time to
go Albert felt as if he had been listening to a lecture on the
Hohenzollerns。 〃Great Scott； Helen；〃 he whispered； as she came to
the door with him； 〃I don't feel as if I had talked with you a
minute。 Why； I scarcely〃
But just here Mr。 Kendall came hurrying from the sitting…room to
tell of one incident which he had hitherto forgotten； and so even
this brief interval of privacy was denied。 But Albert made one
more attempt。
〃I'm going to run over to the station to…morrow morning to see you
off；〃 he called from the gate。 〃Good night。〃
The morning train left at nine o'clock； and at a quarter to nine
Albert； who had kept his eye on the clock ever since eight； his
hour of arriving at the office； called to Mr。 Price。
〃I say；〃 he said； in a low tone and one as casual as he could
assume； 〃I am going to run out for a few minutes。 I'll be right
back。〃
Issachar's response was as usual anything but low。
〃Eh？〃 he shouted。 〃Goin' out？ Where you goin'？〃
〃Oh； I'm just going outeron an errand。〃
〃What kind of an errand？ I was cal'latin' to run out myself for a
little spell。 Can't I do your errand for you？〃
〃No； no。 。 。 There； there； don't bother me any more。 I'm in a
hurry。〃
〃Hurry！ So'm I in a hurry。 I was cal'latin' to run acrost to the
deepo and see Helen Kendall start for Boston。 She's goin' this
morning； did you know it？〃
Before the somewhat flustered assistant bookkeeper could reply
Captain Zelotes called from the inner office：
〃Wouldn't wonder if that was where Al was bound； too；〃 he observed。
〃And I was thinkin' of the same thing。 Suppose we all go together。
Labe'll keep shop； won't you； Labe？〃
Mr。 Keeler looked over his spectacles。 〃Eh？〃 he observed。 〃Oh；
yes； yes 。 。 。 yes； yes； yes。 And say good…by to Helen for me；
some of you； if you happen to think of it。 Not that 'twill make
much difference to her；〃 he added； 〃whether she gets my good…bys or
not； but it might make some to me。 。 。 。 Um； yes； yes。〃
Mr。 Price was eager to oblige。
〃I'll tell her you sent 'em； Labe；〃 he said； patronizingly。 〃Set
your mind to rest； I'll tell her。〃
Laban's lip twitched。 〃Much obliged； Is；〃 he chirruped。 〃That's a
great relief！ My mind's rested some already。〃
So； instead of going alone to the railway station； Albert made one
of a delegation of three。 And at the station was Mr。 Kendall； and
two of the school committee； and one or two members of the church
sewing circle； and the president and secretary of the Society for
the Relief of the French Wounded。 So far from being an intimate
confidential farewell； Helen's departure was in the nature of a
public ceremony with speech…making。 Mr。 Price made most of the
speeches； in fact the lower portion of his countenance was in
violent motion most of the ten minutes。
〃Take care of yourself； Helen；〃 he urged loudly。 〃Don't you worry
about your pa； we'll look out for him。 And don't let none of them
Boston fellers carry you off。 We'll watch and see that Eddie
Raymond and Al here don't get into mischief while you're gone。
I 。 。 。 Crimustee！ Jim Young； what in time's the matter with you？
Can't ye see nothin'？〃
This last outburst was directed at the driver of the depot…wagon；
who； wheeling a trunk on a baggage truck； had bumped violently into
the rear of Mr。 Price's legs； just at the knee joint； causing their
owner to bend backward unexpectedly； and with enthusiasm。
〃Can't you see nothin' when it's right in front of ye？〃 demanded
Issachar； righteously indignant。
Jim Young winked over his shoulder at Albert。 〃Sorry； Is；〃 he
said； as he continued toward the baggage car。 〃I didn't notice you
WAS in front of me。〃
〃Well； then； you'd better。 。 。 。 Eh？ See here； what do you mean
by that？〃
Even after Mr。 Price had thus been pushed out of the foreground； so
to speak； Albert was denied the opportunity of taking his place by
Helen's side。 Her father had a few last messages to deliver； then
Captain Zelotes shook her hand and talked for a moment； and； after
that； the ladies of the sewing circle and the war work society felt
it their duty to； severally and jointly； kiss her good…by。 This
last was a trying operation to watch。
Then the engine bell rang and the train began to move。 Albert；
running beside the platform of the last car； held up his hand for a
farewell clasp。
〃Good…by；〃 he said； and added in a whisper； 〃You'll write； won't
you？〃
〃Of course。 And so must you。 Good…by。〃
T