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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 to
you； Al。 I shan't forget itno； no。 I cal'late you can trot
along home now； if you want to。 I'm pretty safefor to…night；
anyhow。 Guess likely the new recruit won't desert afore morning。〃
But Albert； watching him intently； refused to go。
〃I'm going to stay for a while； Labe；〃 he said。 〃I'm not a bit
sleepy； really。 Let's have a smoke and talk together。 That is； of
course； unless you want to go to bed。〃
Mr。 Keeler smiled his twisted smile。 〃I ain't crazy to；〃 he said。
〃The way I feel now I'd get to sleep about week after next。 But I
hadn't ought to keep you up； Al。〃
〃Rubbish！ I'm not sleepy； I tell you。 Sit down。 Have a cigar。
Now what shall we talk about？ How would books do？ What have you
been reading lately； Labe？〃
They smoked and talked books until nearly two。 Then Laban insisted
upon his guest departing。 〃I'm all right； Al〃 he declared；
earnestly。 〃I am honestyes； yes； I am。 I'll go to sleep like a
lamb； yes indeed。〃
〃You'll be at the office in the morning； won't you； Labe？〃
The little bookkeeper nodded。 〃I'll be there；〃 he said。 〃Got to
answer roll call the first mornin' after enlistment。 Yes； yes。
I'll be there； Al。〃
He was there； but he did not look as if his indulgence in the lamb…
like sleep had been excessive。 He was so pale and haggard that his
assistant was alarmed。
〃You're not sick； are you； Labe？〃 he asked； anxiously。 Laban shook
his head。
〃No；〃 he said。 〃No； I ain't sick。 Been doin' picket duty up and
down the room since half past three； that's all。 Um…hm； that's
all。 Say； Al； if General what's…his…nameervon Hindenburgis
any harder scrapper than old Field Marshal Barleycorn he's a pretty
tough one。 Say； Al； you didn't say anything aboutabout myer
enlistin' to Cap'n Lote； did you？ I meant to ask you not to。〃
〃I didn't； Labe。 I thought you might want it kept a secret。〃
〃Um…hm。 Better keep it in the ranks until we know how this first
erskirmish is comin' out。 Yes； yes。 Better keep it that way。
Um…hm。〃
All day he stuck manfully at his task and that evening； immediately
after supper； Albert went to the room over the shoe store； found
him there and insisted upon his coming over to call upon Rachel。
He had not intended doing so。
〃You see； Al；〃 he explained； 〃I'mI'm kind ofershaky and
Rachel will be worried； I'm afraid。 She knows me pretty well and
she'll cal'late I'm just gettin' ready toto bust loose again。〃
Albert interrupted。 〃No； she won't； Laban；〃 he said。 〃We'll show
her that you're not。〃
〃You won't say anything to her about myerenlistin'； Al？ Don't。
No； no。 I've promised her too many timesand broke the promises。
If anything should come of this fight of mine I'd rather she'd find
it out for herself。 Better to surprise her than to disapp'int her。
Yes； yes； lots better。〃
Albert promised not to tell Rachel and so Laban made his call。
When it was over the young man walked home with him and the pair
sat and talked until after midnight； just as on the previous night。
The following evening it was much the same； except that； as Mr。
Keeler pronounced himself more than usually 〃shaky〃 and expressed a
desire to 〃keep movin'；〃 they walked half way to Orham and back
before parting。 By the end of the week Laban declared the fight
wonfor the time。
〃You've pulled me through the fust tussle； Al；〃 he said。 〃I shan't
desert now； not till the next break…out； anyhow。 I cal'late it'll
get me harder than ever then。 Harder than everyes； yes。 And you
won't be here to help me； neither。〃
〃Never mind； I shall be thinking of you； Labe。 And I know you're
going to win。 I feel it in my bones。〃
〃Um…hm。 。 。 。 Yes； yes； yes。 。 。 In your bones； eh？ Well； MY
bones don't seem to feel much； except rheumatics once in a while。
I hope yours are better prophets； but I wouldn't want to bet too
high on it。 No； I wouldn'tno； no。 However； we'll do our best；
and they say angels can't do any morethough they'd probably do it
in a different way 。 。 。 some different。 。 。 。 Um…hm。 。 。 。 Yes；
indeed。〃
Two letters came to Albert before that week ended。 The first was
from Madeline。 He had written her of his intention to enlist and
this was her reply。 The letter had evidently been smuggled past
the censor； for it contained much which Mrs。 Fosdick would have
blue…penciled。 Its contents were a blend of praise and blame； of
exaltation and depression。 He was a hero； and so brave； and she
was so proud of him。 It was wonderful his daring to go； and just
what she would have expected of her hero。 If only she might see
him in his uniform。 So many of the fellows she knew had enlisted。
They were wonderfully brave； too； although of course nothing like
as wonderful as her own etcetera； etcetera。 She had seen some of
THEM in their uniforms and they were PERFECTLY SPLENDID。 But they
were officers； or they were going to be。 Why wasn't he going to be
an officer？ It was so much nicer to be an officer。 And if he were
one he might not have to go away to fight nearly so soon。 Officers
stayed here longer and studied； you know。 Mother had said
something about 〃a common private；〃 and she did not like it。 But
never mind； she would be just as proud no matter what he was。 And
she should dream of him and think of him always and always。 And
perhaps he might be so brave and wonderful that he would be given
one of those war crosses； the Croix de Guerre or something。 She
was sure he would。 But oh； no matter what happened； he must not go
where it was TOO dangerous。 Suppose he should be wounded。 Oh；
suppose； SUPPOSE he should be killed。 What would she do then？
What would become of her？ MUST he go； after all？ Couldn't he stay
at home and study or something； for a while； you know？ She should
be so lonely after he was gone。 And so frightened and so anxious。
And he wouldn't forget her； would he； no matter where he went？
Because she never； never； never would forget him for a moment。 And
he must write every day。 And
The letter was fourteen pages long。
The other letter was a surprise。 It was from Helen。 The Reverend
Mr。 Kendall had been told of Albert's intended enlistment and had
written his daughter。
So you are going into the war； Albert （she wrote）。 I am not
surprised because I expected you would do just that。 It is what
all of us would like to do； I'm sure； and you were always anxious
to go； even before the United States came in。 So I am writing this
merely to congratulate you and to wish you the very best of good
luck。 Father says you are not going to try for a commission but
intend enlisting as a private。 I suppose that is because you think
you may get to the actual fighting sooner。 I think I understand
and appreciate that feeling too； but are you sure it is the best
plan？ You want to be of the greatest service to the country and
with your education and brains This ISN'T flattery； because it
is truedon't you think you might help more if you were in command
of men？ Of course I don't know； being only a girl； but I have been
w