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the blustering wind and chilly sunshine and enjoying every breath
of the clean salt air。 He thought much during those solitary
walks； and at times； at home in the evenings； he would fall to
musing and sit silent for long periods。 His grandmother was
troubled。
〃Don't it seem to you； Zelotes；〃 she asked her husband； 〃as if
Albert was kind of discontented or unsatisfied these days？ He's
soso sort of fidgety。 Talks like the very mischief for ten
minutes and then don't speak for half an hour。 Sits still for a
long stretch and then jumps up and starts off walkin' as if he was
crazy。 What makes him act so？ He's kind of changed from what he
used to be。 Don't you think so？〃
The captain patted her shoulder。 〃Don't worry； Mother；〃 he said。
〃Al's older than he was and what he's been through has made him
older still。 As for the fidgety part of it； the settin' down and
jumpin' up and all that； that's the way they all act； so far as I
can learn。 Elisha Warren； over to South Denboro； tells me his
nephew has been that way ever since he got back。 Don't fret；
Mother； Al will come round all right。〃
〃I didn't know but he might be anxious to seeto see her； you
know。〃
〃Her？ Oh； you mean the Fosdick girl。 Well； he'll be goin' to see
her pretty soon； I presume likely。 They're due back in New York
'most any time now； I believe。 。 。 。 Oh； hum！ Why in time
couldn't he〃
〃Couldn't he what； Zelotes？〃
〃Oh； nothin'； nothin'。〃
The summons came only a day after this conversation。 It came in
the form of another letter from Madeline and one from Mrs。 Fosdick。
They were； so the latter wrote； back once more in their city home；
her nerves； thank Heaven； were quite strong again； and they were
expecting him； Albert； to come on at once。 〃We are all dying to
see you；〃 wrote Mrs。 Fosdick。 〃And poor； dear Madeline； of course；
is counting the moments。〃
〃Stay as long as you feel like； Al；〃 said the captain； when told of
the proposed visit。 〃It's the dull season at the office； anyhow；
and Labe and I can get along first…rate； with Issy to superintend。
Stay as long as you want to； only〃
〃Only what； Grandfather？〃
〃Only don't want to stay too long。 That is； don't fall in love
with New York so hard that you forget there is such a place as
South Harniss。〃
Albert smiled。 〃I've been in places farther away than New York；〃
he said； 〃and I never forgot South Harniss。〃
〃Um…hm。 。 。 。 Well； I shouldn't be surprised if that was so。 But
you'll have better company in New York than you did in some of
those places。 Give my regards to Fosdick。 So…long； Al。〃
CHAPTER XVI
The Fosdick car was at the Grand Central Station when the
Knickerbocker Limited pulled in。 And Madeline； a wonderfully
furred and veiled and hatted Madeline； was waiting there behind the
rail as he came up the runway from the train。 It was amazing the
fact that it was really she。 It was more amazing still to kiss her
there in public； to hold her hand without fear that some one might
see。 To
〃Shall I take your bags； sir？〃
It was the Fosdick footman who asked it。 Albert started guiltily。
Then he laughed； realizing that the hand…holding and the rest were
no longer criminal offenses。 He surrendered his luggage to the
man。 A few minutes later he and Madeline were in the limousine；
which was moving rapidly up the Avenue。 And Madeline was asking
questions and he was answering andand still it was all a dream。
It COULDN'T be real。
It was even more like a dream when the limousine drew up before the
door of the Fosdick home and they entered that home together。 For
there was Mrs。 Fosdick； as ever majestic； commanding； awe…inspiring；
the same Mrs。 Fosdick who had； in her letter to his grandfather；
written him down a despicable； underhanded sneak； here was that same
Mrs。 Fosdickbut not at all the same。 For this lady was smiling
and gracious； welcoming him to her home； addressing him by his
Christian name； treating him kindly； with almost motherly tenderness。
Madeline's letters and Mrs。 Fosdick's own letters received during
his convalescence abroad had prepared him； or so he had thought； for
some such change。 Now he realized that he had not been prepared at
all。 The reality was so much more revolutionary than the
anticipation that he simply could not believe it。
But it was not so very wonderful if he had known all the facts and
had been in a frame of mind to calmly analyze them。 Mrs。 Fletcher
Fosdick was a seasoned veteran； a general who had planned and
fought many hard campaigns upon the political battlegrounds of
women's clubs and societies of various sorts。 From the majority of
those campaigns she had emerged victorious； but her experiences in
defeat had taught her that the next best thing to winning is to
lose gracefully； because by so doing much which appears to be lost
may be regained。 For Albert Speranza； bookkeeper and would…be poet
of South Harniss； Cape Cod； she had had no use whatever as a
prospective son…in…law。 Even toward a living Albert Speranza； hero
and newspaper…made genius； she might have been cold。 But when that
hero and genius was； as she and every one else supposed； safely and
satisfactorily dead and out of the way； she had seized the
opportunity to bask in the radiance of his memory。 She had talked
Albert Speranza and read Albert Speranza and boasted of Albert
Speranza's engagement to her daughter before the world。 Now that
the said Albert Speranza had been inconsiderate enough to 〃come
alive again；〃 there was but one thing for her to dothat is； to
make the best of it。 And when Mrs。 Fletcher Fosdick made the best
of anything she made the very best。
〃It doesn't make any difference；〃 she told her husband； 〃whether he
really is a genius or whether he isn't。 We have said he is and now
we must keep on saying it。 And if he can't earn his salt by his
writingswhich he probably can'tthen you must fix it in some way
so that he can make…believe earn it by something else。 He is
engaged to Madeline； and we have told every one that he is； so he
will have to marry her； at least； I see no way to prevent it。〃
〃Humph！〃 grunted Fosdick。 〃And after that I'll have to support
them； I suppose。〃
〃Probablyunless you want your only child to starve。〃
〃Well； I must say； Henrietta〃
〃You needn't； for there is nothing more TO say。 We're in it and；
whether we like it or not； we must make the best of it。 To do
anything now except appear joyful about it would be to make
ourselves perfectly ridiculous。 We can't do that； and you know
it。〃
Her husband still looked everything but contented。
〃So far as the young fellow himself goes；〃 he said； 〃I like him；
rather。 I've talked with him only once； of course； and then he and
I weren't agreeing exactly。 But I liked him； nevertheless。 If he
were anything but a fool poet I should be more reconciled。〃
He was snubbed immediately。 〃THAT；〃 declared Mrs。 Fosdick； with
decision； 〃is the only thing that makes him possible。〃
So Mrs。 Fosdick's welcome was whole…handed if not whole…hearted。
And her husband's also was cordial and intimate。 The only member
of the Fosdick household who did not reg