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parents and grandparents should crowd them too far； they had always
as a last resort； the solution of their problem by way of a runaway
marriage。 And now Captain Zelotes was asking him to give up this
last resort。
The captain； watching him keenly； divined what was in his
grandson's mind。
〃Think it over； Al；〃 he said kindly。 〃Don't answer me now； but
think it over； and to…morrow mornin' tell me how you feel about
it。〃 He hesitated a moment and then added： 〃You know your
grandmother and I； wewell； we have maybe cause to be a little
mite prejudiced against this elopin' business。〃
So Albert thought； and the next morning； as the pair were walking
together to the office； he spoke his thought。 Captain Zelotes had
not mentioned the subject。
〃Grandfather；〃 said Albert； with some embarrassment； 〃I'm going to
give you that promise。〃
His grandfather； who had been striding along； his heavy brows drawn
together and his glance fixed upon the frozen ground beneath his
feet； looked up。
〃Eh？〃 he queried； uncomprehendingly。
〃You asked me last night to promise you something； you know。 。 。 。
You asked me to think it over。 I have； and I'm going to promise
you thatMadeline and I won't marry without first telling you。〃
Captain Zelotes stopped in his stride； then he walked on again。
〃Thank you； Al；〃 he said quietly。 〃I hoped you'd see it that way。〃
〃Yesyes； II do。 I don't want to bring any moretrouble of
that kind to you and Grandmother。 。 。 。 It seems to me that you
that you have had too much already。〃
〃Thank you； son。 。 。 。 Much obliged。〃
The captain's tone was almost gruff and that was his only reference
to the subject of the promise； but somehow Albert felt that at that
moment he and his grandfather were closer together； were nearer to
a mutual understanding and mutual appreciation than they had ever
been before。
To promise； however； is one thing； to fulfill the obligation
another。 As the days passed Albert found his promise concerning
letter…writing very； very hard to keep。 When； each evening he sat
down at the table in his room to pour out his soul upon paper it
was a most unsatisfactory outpouring。 The constantly enforced
recollection that whatever he wrote would be subject to the
chilling glance of the eye of Fosdick mater was of itself a check
upon the flow。 To write a love letter to Madeline had hitherto
been a joy； a rapture； to fill pages and pages a delight。 Now；
somehow； these pages were hard to fill。 Omitting the very things
you were dying to say； the precious； the intimate thingswhat was
there left？ He and she had； at their meetings and in their former
correspondence； invented many delightful little pet names for each
other。 Now those names were taboo； or； at any rate； they might as
well be。 The thought of Mrs。 Fosdick's sniff of indignant disgust
at finding her daughter referred to as some one's ownest little
rosebud withered that bud before it reached the paper。
And Madeline's letters to him were quite as unsatisfactory。 They
were lengthy； but oh； so matter of fact！ Saharas of fact without
one oasis of sentiment。 She was well and she had done this and
that and had been to see such and such plays and operas。 Father
was well and very busy。 Mother； too； was well； so was Googoobut
these last two bits of news failed to comfort him as they perhaps
should。 He could only try to glean between the lines； and as Mrs。
Fosdick had raked between those lines before him； the gleaning was
scant picking indeed。
He found himself growing disconsolate and despondent。 Summer
seemed ages away。 And when at last it should comewhat would
happen then？ He could see her only when properly chaperoned； only
when Mother； and probably Googoo； were present。 He flew for
consolation to the Muse and the Muse refused to console。 The poems
he wrote were 〃blue〃 and despairing likewise。 Consequently they
did not sell。 He was growing desperate； ready for anything。 And
something came。 Germany delivered to our Government its arrogant
mandate concerning unlimited submarine warfare。 A long…suffering
President threw patience overboard and answered that mandate in
unmistakable terms。 Congress stood at his back and behind them a
united and indignant people。 The United States declared war upon
the Hun。
South Harniss； like every other community； became wildly excited。
Captain Zelotes Snow's gray eyes flashed fiery satisfaction。 The
flags at the Snow place and at the lumber yard flew high night and
day。 He bought newspapers galore and read from them aloud at
meals； in the evenings； and before breakfast。 Issachar； as usual；
talked much and said little。 Laban Keeler's comments were pithy
and dryly pointed。 Albert was very quiet。
But one forenoon he spoke。 Captain Lote was in the inner office；
the morning newspaper in his hand； when his grandson entered and
closed the door behind him。 The captain looked up。
〃Well； Al； what is it？〃 he asked。
Albert came over and stood beside the desk。 The captain； after a
moment's scrutiny of the young man's face； put down his newspaper。
〃Well； Al？〃 he said； again。
Albert seemed to find it hard to speak。
〃Grandfather；〃 he began； 〃IIGrandfather； I have come to ask a
favor of you。〃
The captain nodded； slowly； his gaze fixed upon his grandson's
face。
〃All right； heave ahead；〃 he said quietly。
〃Grandfather； you and I have had a four years' agreement to work
together in this office。 It isn't up yet； butbut I want to break
it。 I want you to let me off。〃
〃Humph！ 。 。 。 Let you off； eh？ 。 。 。 What for？〃
〃That's what I came here to tell you。 Grandfather； I can't stay
herenow。 I want to enlist。〃
Captain Zelotes did not answer。 His hand moved upward and pulled
at his beard。
〃I want to enlist；〃 repeated Albert。 〃I can't stand it another
minute。 I must。 If it hadn't been for you and our promise and
and Madeline； I think I should have joined the Canadian Army a year
or more ago。 But now that we have gone into the war； I CAN'T stay
out。 Grandfather； you don't want me to； do you？ Of course you
don't。〃
His grandfather appeared to ponder。
〃If you can wait a spell；〃 he said slowly； 〃I might be able to fix
it so's you can get a chance for an officer's commission。 I'd
ought to have some pull somewheres； seems so。〃
Albert sniffed impatient disgust。 〃I don't want to get a
commissionin that way；〃 he declared。
〃Humph！ You'll find there's plenty that do； I shouldn't wonder。〃
〃Perhaps； but I'm not one of them。 And I don't care so much for a
commission； unless I can earn it。 And I don't want to stay here
and study for it。 I want to go now。 I want to get into the thing。
I don't want to wait。〃
Captain Lote leaned forward。 His gray eyes snapped。
〃Want to fight； do you？〃 he queried。
〃You bet I do！〃
〃All right； my boy； then goand fight。 I'd be ashamed of myself
if I held you back a minute。 Go and fightand fight hard。 I only
wish to God I was young enough to go with you。〃
CHAPTER XIII
And so； in this unexpected fashion； came prematurely the end of the
four year trial agreement between Albert Speranza and Z。 Snow and