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They were worn and shabby volumes for the most part； some with but
half a cover remaining； some with none。 He picked up one of the
latter。 It was Locke on The Human Understanding； and next it； to
his astonishment； was Alice's Adventures in Wonderland。
Mr。 Keeler looked over his shoulder and； for an instant； the
whimsical smile which was characteristic of him curved his lip。
〃Philosophy； Al；〃 he observed。 〃If Locke don't suit you try the
'mad hatter' feller。 I get consider'ble comfort out of the hatter；
myself。 Do you remember when the mouse was tellin' the story about
the three sisters that lived in the well？ He said they lived on
everything that began with M。 Alice says 'Why with an M？' And the
hatter； or the March hare； I forget which 'twas； says prompt； 'Why
not？' 。 。 。 Yes； yes； why not？ that's what he said。 。 。 。 There's
some philosophy in that； Al。 Why does a hen go across the road？
Why not？ Why is Labe Keeler a disgrace to all his friends and the
town he lives in？ Why not？ 。 。 。 Eh？ 。 。 。 Yes； yes。 That's it
why not？〃
He smiled again； but there was bitterness and not humor in the
smile。 Albert put a hand on his shoulder。
〃Why； Labe；〃 he asked； in concern； 〃what is it？〃
Laban turned away。
〃Don't mind； me； Al；〃 he said； hurriedly。 〃I mean don't mind if I
act funny。 I'mI'm kind ofof Oh； good Lord A'mighty； DON'T
look at me like that！ 。 。 。 I beg your pardon； Al。 I didn't mean
to bark like a dog at you。 No； I didn'tno； no。 Forgive me； will
you？ Will you； Al； eh？〃
〃Of course I will。 But what is the matter； Labe？ Sit down and
tell me about it。〃
Instead of sitting the little bookkeeper began to walk up and down。
〃Don't mind me； Al；〃 he said； hurriedly。 〃Don't mind me。 Let me
go my own gait。 My own gaityes； yes。 You see； Al； II'm tryin'
to enlist； same as you're goin' to do； andand MY fight's begun
already。 Yes indeedyes； yesit has so。〃
Albert was more astonished than ever。 There was no smell of
alcohol； and Keeler had declared that he had not been drinking；
but
〃You're going to ENLIST？〃 repeated Albert。 〃YOU？ Why； Labe； what〃
Laban laughed nervously。 〃Not to kill the Kaiser；〃 he replied。
〃No； no； not thatnot exactly。 I'd like to； only I wouldn't be
much help that way。 Butbut Al； II want to do somethin'。 I
I'd like to try to showI'd like to be an American； a decent
American； and the best way to begin； seems to me； is to try and be
a man； a decent man。 Eh？ You understand； II Oh； Lord； what a
mess I am makin' of this！ II Al；〃 turning and desperately
waving his hands； 〃I'm goin' to try to swear off。 Will you help
me？〃
Albert's answer was enthusiastic。 〃You bet I will！〃 he exclaimed。
Keeler smiled pathetically。
〃It's goin' to be some job； I cal'late；〃 he said。 〃Some job； yes；
yes。 But I'm goin' to try it； Al。 I read in the papers 'tother
day that America needed every man。 Then you enlisted； Al；or
you're goin' to enlist。 It set me to thinkin' I'd try to enlist；
too。 For the duration of the war； eh？ Yes； yes。〃
〃Good for you； Labe！ Bully！〃
Laban held up a protesting hand。 〃Don't hurrah yet； Al；〃 he said。
〃This ain't the first time I've tried it。 I've swore off a dozen
times in the last fifteen years。 I've promised Rachel and broke
the promise over and over again。 Broke my promise to her； the best
woman in the world。 Shows what I am； what sort I am； don't it； Al？
Yes； it does；yes； yes。 And she's stuck by me； too； Lord knows
why。 Last time I broke it I said I'd never promise her again。 Bad
enough to be a common drunk without bein' a liaryes； yes。 But
this is a little different。 Seems to meseems so。〃
He began his pacing up and down again。
〃Seems different； somehow；〃 he went on。 〃Seems like a new chance。
I want to do somethin' for Uncle Sam。 II'd like to try and
enlist for the duration of the warswear off for that long；
anyhow。 Then； maybe； I'd be able to keep on for life； you know
duration of Labe Keeler； eh？ Yes； yes； yes。 But I could begin for
just the war； couldn't I？ Maybe； 'twould fool me into thinkin'
that was easier。〃
〃Of course； Labe。 It's a good idea。〃
〃Maybe； and maybe it's a fool one。 But I'm goin' to try it。 I AM
tryin' it； have been all day。〃
He paused； drew a shaking hand across his forehead and then asked；
〃Al； will you help me？ I asked you up here hopin' you would。 Will
you； Al； eh？ Will you？〃
Albert could not understand how he could possibly help another man
keep the pledge； but his promise was eagerly given。
〃Certainly； Labe；〃 he said。
〃Thanks 。 。 。 thank you； Al。 。 。 。 And now will you do something
for mea favor？〃
〃Gladly。 What is it？〃
Laban did not answer at once。 He appeared to be on the point of
doing so； but to be struggling either to find words or to overcome
a tremendous reluctance。 When he did speak the words came in a
burst。
〃Go down stairs；〃 he cried。 〃Down those stairs you came up。 At
the foot of 'em； in a kind of cupboard place； under 'em； there's
there probably is a jug； a full jug。 It was due to come by express
to…day and I cal'late it did； cal'late Jim Young fetched it down
this afternoon。 II could have looked for myself and seen if
'twas there；〃 he added； after a momentary hesitation； 〃butbut I
didn't dare to。 I was afraid I'dI'd〃
〃All right； Labe。 I understand。 What do you want me to do with it
if it is there？〃
〃I want youI want you toto〃 The little bookkeeper seemed to
be fighting another internal battle between inclination and
resolution。 The latter won； for he finished with； 〃I want you to
take it out back of the buildin' andand empty it。 That's what I
want you to do； empty it； Al； every drop。 。 。 。 And； for the
Almighty's sake； go quick；〃 he ordered； desperately； 〃or I'll tell
you not to before you start。 Go！〃
Albert went。 He fumbled in the cupboard under the stairs； found
the juga large one and heavyand hastened out into the night
with it in his hands。 Behind the shoe store； amid a heap of old
packing boxes and other rubbish； he emptied it。 The process was
rather lengthy and decidedly fragrant。 As a finish he smashed the
jug with a stone。 Then he climbed the stairs again。
Laban was waiting for him； drops of perspiration upon his forehead。
〃Waswas it there？〃 he demanded。
Albert nodded。
〃Yes； yes。 'Twas there； eh？ And did youdid you？〃
〃Yes； I did； jug and all。〃
〃Thank you； Al 。 。 。 thank you 。 。 。 II've been trying to muster
up spunk enough to do it myself； butbut I swan I couldn't。 I
didn't dast to go nigh it 。 。 。 I'm a fine specimen； ain't I；
now？〃 he added； with a twisted smile。 〃Some coward； eh？ Yes； yes。
Some coward。〃
Albert； realizing a little of the fight the man was making； was
affected by it。 〃You're a brick； Labe；〃 he declared； heartily。
〃And as for being a coward Well； if I am half as brave when my
turn comes I shall be satisfied。〃
Laban shook his head。 〃I don't know how scared I'd be of a German
bombshell；〃 he said； 〃but I'm everlastin' sure I wouldn't run from
it for fear of runnin' towards it； and that's how I felt about that
jug。 。 。 。 Yes； yes； yes。 I did so 。 。 。 I'm much obliged