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cablegram from 〃Somewhere in France。〃 〃Safe。 Well；〃 it read and
Olive Snow carried it about with her； in the bosom of her gown； all
that afternoon and put it upon retiring on her bureau top so that
she might see it the first thing in the morning。
Another long interval； then letters； the reassuring but so
tantalizingly unsatisfactory letters we American families were；
just at that time； beginning to receive。 Reading the newspapers
now had a personal interest； a terrifying； dreadful interest。 Then
the packing and sending of holiday boxes； over the contents of
which Olive and Rachel spent much careful planning and anxious
preparation。 Then another interval of more letters； letters which
hinted vaguely at big things just ahead。
Then no letter for more than a month。
And then； one noon； as Captain Zelotes returned to his desk after
the walk from home and dinner； Laban Keeler came in and stood
beside that desk。
The captain； looking up； saw the little bookkeeper's face。 〃What
is it； Labe？〃 he asked； sharply。
Laban held a yellow envelope in his hand。
〃It came while you were gone to dinner； Cap'n；〃 he said。 〃Ben
Kelley fetched it from the telegraph office himself。 Hehe said
he didn't hardly want to take it to the house。 He cal'lated you'd
better have it here； to read to yourself； fust。 That's what he
saidyes； yesthat's what 'twas； Cap'n。〃
Slowly Captain Zelotes extended his hand for the envelope。 He did
not take his eyes from the bookkeeper's face。
〃BenBen； he told me what was in it； Cap'n Lote；〃 faltered Laban。
〃II don't know what to say to you； I don'tno； no。〃
Without a word the captain took the envelope from Keeler's fingers；
and tore it open。 He read the words upon the form within。
Laban leaned forward。
〃For the Lord sakes； Lote Snow；〃 he cried； in a burst of agony；
〃why couldn't it have been some darn good…for…nothin' like me
insteadinstead of him？ Oh； my God A'mighty； what a world this
is！ WHAT a world！〃
Still Captain Zelotes said nothing。 His eyes were fixed upon the
yellow sheet of paper on the desk before him。 After a long minute
he spoke。
〃Well；〃 he said； very slowly； 〃well； Labe； there goesthere goes
Z。 Snow and Company。〃
CHAPTER XIV
The telegram from the War Department was brief； as all such
telegrams were perforce obliged to be。 The Secretary of War；
through his representative； regretted to inform Captain Zelotes
Snow that Sergeant Albert Speranza had been killed in action upon a
certain day。 It was enough； howeverfor the time quite enough。
It was not until later that the little group of South Harniss
recovered sufficiently from the stunning effect of those few words
to think of seeking particulars。 Albert was dead； what did it
matter； then； to know how he died？
Olive bore the shock surprisingly well。 Her husband's fears for
her seemed quite unnecessary。 The Captain； knowing how she had
idolized her daughter's boy； had dreaded the effect which the news
might have upon her。 She was broken down by it； it is true； but
she was quiet and braveastonishingly； wonderfully quiet and
brave。 And it was she； rather than her husband； who played the
part of the comforter in those black hours。
〃He's gone； Zelotes；〃 she said。 〃It don't seem possible； I know；
but he's gone。 And he died doin' his duty； same as he would have
wanted to die if he'd known 'twas comin'； poor boy。 Soso we must
do ours； I suppose； and bear up under it the very best we can。 It
won't be very long； Zelotes；〃 she added。 〃We're both gettin' old。〃
Captain Lote made no reply。 He was standing by the window of the
sitting…room looking out into the wet backyard across which the
wind…driven rain was beating in stormy gusts。
〃We must be brave； Zelotes；〃 whispered Olive； tremulously。 〃He'd
want us to be and we MUST be。〃
He put his arm about her in a sudden heat of admiration。 〃I'd be
ashamed not to be after seein' you； Mother；〃 he exclaimed。
He went out to the barn a few moments later and Rachel； entering
the sitting…room； found Olive crumpled down in the big rocker in an
agony of grief。
〃Oh； don't； Mrs。 Snow； don't；〃 she begged； the tears streaming down
her own cheeks。 〃You mustn't give way to it like this； you mustn't。〃
Olive nodded。
〃I know it； I know it；〃 she admitted； chokingly； wiping her eyes
with a soaked handkerchief。 〃I shan't； Rachel； only this once； I
promise you。 You see I can't。 I just can't on Zelotes's account。
I've got to bear up for his sake。〃
The housekeeper was surprised and a little indignant。
〃For his sake！〃 she repeated。 〃For mercy sakes why for his sake？
Is it any worse for him than 'tis for you。〃
〃Oh； yes； yes； lots worse。 He won't say much； of course； bein'
Zelotes Snow； but you and I know how he's planned； especially these
last years； and how he's begun to count onon Albert。 。 。 。 No；
no； I ain't goin' to cry； Rachel； I ain'tI WON'Tbut sayin' his
name； you know； kind of〃
〃I know； I know。 Land sakes； DON'T I know！ Ain't I doin' it
myself？〃
〃Course you are； Rachel。 But we mustn't when Zelotes is around。
We women； wewell； times like these women HAVE to keep up。 What
would become of the men if we didn't？〃
So she and Rachel 〃kept up〃 in public and when the captain was
present； and he for his part made no show of grief nor asked for
pity。 He was silent； talked little and to the callers who came
either at the house or office was uncomplaining。
〃He died like a man；〃 he told the Reverend Mr。 Kendall when the
latter called。 〃He took his chance； knowin' what that meant〃
〃He was glad to take it；〃 interrupted the minister。 〃Proud and
glad to take it。〃
〃Sartin。 Why not？ Wouldn't you or I have been glad to take ours；
if we could？〃
〃Well； Captain Snow； I am glad to find you so resigned。〃
Captain Zelotes looked at him。 〃Resigned？〃 he repeated。 〃What do
you mean by resigned？ Not to sit around and whimper is one thing
any decent man or woman ought to be able to do that in these days；
but if by bein' resigned you mean I'm contented to have it so
well； you're mistaken； that's all。〃
Only on one occasion； and then to Laban Keeler； did he open his
shell sufficiently to give a glimpse of what was inside。 Laban
entered the inner office that morning to find his employer sitting
in the desk chair； both hands jammed in his trousers' pockets and
his gaze fixed； apparently； upon the row of pigeon…holes。 When the
bookkeeper spoke to him he seemed to wake from a dream； for he
started and looked up。
〃Cap'n Lote；〃 began Keeler； 〃I'm sorry to bother you； but that last
carload of pine was〃
Captain Zelotes waved his hand； brushing the carload of pine out of
the conversation。
〃Labe；〃 he said； slowly； 〃did it seem to you that I was too hard on
him？〃
Laban did not understand。 〃Hard on him？〃 he repeated。 〃I don't
know's I just get〃
〃Hard on Al。 Did it seem to you as if I was a little too much of
the bucko mate to the boy？ Did I drive him too hard？ Was I
unreasonable？〃
The answer was prompt。 〃No； Cap'n Lote；〃 replied Keeler。
〃You mean that？ 。 。 。 Um…hm。 。 。 。 Well； sometimes seems as if I
might have been。 You see； Labe； w