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of men？ Of course I don't know； being only a girl； but I have been
wondering。 No doubt you know best and probably it is settled
before this； at any rate； please don't think that I intend butting
in。 〃Butting in〃 is not at all a proper expression for a
schoolmarm to use but it is a relief to be human occasionally。
Whatever you do I am sure will be the right thing and I know all
your friends are going to be very； very proud of you。 I shall hear
of you through the people at home； I know； and I shall be anxious
to hear。 I don't know what I shall do to help the cause； but I
hope to do something。 A musket is prohibitive to females but the
knitting needle is ours and I CAN handle that； if I do say it。 And
I MAY go in for Red Cross work altogether。 But I don't count much；
and you men do； and this is your day。 Please； for the sake of your
grandparents and all your friends； don't take unnecessary chances。
I can see your face as you read that and think that I am a silly
idiot。 I'm not and I mean what I say。 You see I know YOU and I
know you will not be content to do the ordinary thing。 We want you
to distinguish yourself； but also we want you to come back whole
and sound； if it is possible。 We shall think of you a great deal。
And please； in the midst of the excitement of the BIG work you are
doing； don't forget us home folk； including your friend；
HELEN KENDALL。
Albert's feelings when he read this letter were divided。 He
enjoyed hearing from Helen。 The letter was just like herself；
sensible and good…humored and friendly。 There were no hysterics in
it and no heroics but he knew that no one except his grandparents
and Rachel and Labanand； of course； his own Madelinewould think
of him oftener or be more anxious for his safety and welfare than
Helen。 He was glad she was his friend； very glad。 But he almost
wished she had not written。 He felt a bit guilty at having
received the letter。 He was pretty sure that Madeline would not
like the idea。 He was tempted to say nothing concerning it in his
next letter to his affianced； but that seemed underhanded and
cowardly； so he told her。 And in her next letter to him Madeline
made no reference at all to Helen or her epistle； so he knew she
was displeased。 And he was miserable in consequence。
But his misery did not last long。 The happenings which followed
crowded it from his mind； and from Madeline's also； for that
matter。 One morning； having told no one except his grandfather
of his intention； he took the morning train to Boston。 When he
returned the next day he was Uncle Sam's man； sworn in and
accepted。 He had passed the physical examination with flying
colors and the recruiting officers expressed themselves as being
glad to get him。 He was home for but one day leave； then he must
go to stay。 He had debated the question of going in for a
commission； but those were the early days of our participation in
the war and a Plattsburg training or at least some sort of military
education was almost an essential。 He did not want to wait； as he
had told his grandfather； he wanted to fight。 So he enlisted as a
private。
And when the brief leave was over he took the train for Boston；
no longer Alberto Miguel Carlos Speranza； South Harniss's Beau
Brummel； poet and Portygee； but Private Speranza； U。S。A。 The
farewells were brief and no one criedmuch。 His grandmother
hugged and kissed him； Rachel looked very much as if she wanted to。
Laban and Issachar shook hands with him。
〃Good luck to you； boy；〃 said Mr。 Keeler。 〃All the luck there is。〃
〃Same to you； old man；〃 replied Albert。 Then； in a lower tone； he
added； 〃We'll fight it out together； eh？〃
〃We'll try。 Yes； yes。 We'll try。 So long； Al。〃
Issachar struck the reassuring note。 〃Don't fret about things in
the office；〃 he said。 〃I'll look out for 'em long's I keep my
health。〃
〃Be sure and keep that； Issy。〃
〃You bet you！ Only thing that's liable to break it down is over…
work。〃
Captain Zelotes said very little。 〃Write us when you can； Al；〃 he
said。 〃And come home whenever you get leave。〃
〃You may be sure of that； Grandfather。 And after I get to camp
perhaps you can come and see me。〃
〃Maybe so。 Will if I can。 。 。 。 Well； Al； I 。 。 。 I。 。 。 。 Good
luck to you； son。〃
〃Thank you； Grandfather。〃
They shook hands。 Each looked as if there was more he would have
liked to say but found the saying hard。 Then the engine bell rang
and the hands fell apart。 The little group on the station platform
watched the train disappear。 Mrs。 Snow and Rachel wiped their eyes
with their handkerchiefs。 Captain Zelotes gently patted his wife's
shoulder。
〃The team's waitin'； Mother；〃 he said。 〃Labe'll drive you and
Rachel home。〃
〃Butbut ain't you comin'； too； Zelotes？〃 faltered Olive。 Her
husband shook his head。
〃Not now； Mother；〃 he answered。 〃Got to go back to the office。〃
He stood for an instant looking at the faint smear of smoke above
the curve in the track。 Then； without another word； he strode off
in the direction of Z。 Snow and Co。's buildings。 Issachar Price
sniffed。
〃Crimus；〃 he whispered to Laban； as the latter passed him on the
way to where Jessamine； the Snow horse； was tied； 〃the old man
takes it cool； don't he！ I kind of imagined he'd be sort of shook
up by Al's goin' off to war； but he don't seem to feel it a mite。〃
Keeler looked at him in wonder。 Then he drew a long breath。
〃Is；〃 he said； slowly； 〃it is a mighty good thing for the Seven
Wise Men of Greece that they ain't alive now。〃
It was Issachar's turn to stare。 〃Eh？〃 he queried。 〃The Seven
Wise Men of Which？ Good thing for 'em they ain't alive？ What kind
of talk's that？ Why is it a good thing？〃
Laban spoke over his shoulder。 〃Because；〃 he drawled； 〃if they was
alive now they'd be so jealous of you they'd commit suicide。 Yes；
they would。 。 。 。 Yes； yes。〃
With which enigmatical remark he left Mr。 Price and turned his
attention to the tethered Jessamine。
And then began a new period； a new life at the Snow place and in
the office of Z。 Snow and Co。 Or； rather； life in the old house
and at the lumber and hardware office slumped back into the groove
in which it had run before the opera singer's son was summoned
from the New York school to the home and into the lives of his
grandparents。 Three people instead of four sat down at the breakfast
table and at dinner and at supper。 Captain Zelotes walked alone to
and from the office。 Olive Snow no longer baked and iced large
chocolate layer cakes because a certain inmate of her household was
so fond of them。 Rachel Ellis discussed Foul Play and Robert
Penfold with no one。 The house was emptier； more old…fashioned and
behind the times； more lonelysurprisingly empty and behind the
times and lonely。
The daily mails became matters of intense interest and expectation。
Albert wrote regularly and of course well and entertainingly。 He
described the life at the camp where he and the other recruits were
training； a camp vastly different from the enormous military towns
built later on for housing and training the drafted men。 He liked
the life pretty well； h