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you see〃
〃No； I don't see。 Labe； when Robert Penfold was lost and gone for
all them months all hands thought he was dead； didn't they？ But he
wasn't； he was on that island lost in the middle of all creation。
What's to hinder Albert bein' took prisoner by those Germans？ They
came back to that cottage place after Albert was left there； the
cap'n says so in that letter Cap'n Lote just read。 What's to
hinder their carryin' Al off with 'em？ Eh？ What's to hinder？〃
〃Whywhy； nothin'； I suppose； in one way。 But nine chances out of
ten〃
〃That leaves one chance； don't it。 I ain't goin' to give up that
chance forfor my boy。 II Oh； Labe； I did think SO much of
him。〃
〃I know； Rachel； I know。 Don't cry any more than you can help。
And if it helps you any to make believeI mean to keep on hopin'
he's alive somewhereswhy； do it。 It won't do any harm； I
suppose。 Only I wouldn't hint such a thing to Cap'n Lote or
Olive。〃
〃Of course not；〃 indignantly。 〃I ain't quite a fool； I hope。 。 。 。
And I presume likely you're right； Laban。 The poor boy is dead；
probably。 But II'm goin' to hope he isn't； anyhow； just to get
what comfort I can from it。 And Robert Penfold did come back； you
know。〃
For some time Laban found himself； against all reason； asking the
very question Rachel had asked： Did they actually KNOW that Albert
was dead？ But as the months passed and no news came he ceased to
ask it。 Whenever he mentioned the subject to the housekeeper her
invariable reply was： 〃But they haven't found his body； have
they？〃 She would not give up that tenth chance。 As she seemed to
find some comfort in it he did not attempt to convince her of its
futility。
And； meanwhile The Lances of Dawn； Being the Collected Poems of
Albert M。 C。 Speranza was making a mild sensation。 The critics
were surprisingly kind to it。 The story of the young author's
recent and romantic death； of his gallantry； his handsome features
displayed in newspapers everywhere； all these helped toward the
generous welcome accorded the little volume。 If the verses were
not inspiredwhy； they were at least entertaining and pleasant。
And youth； high…hearted youth sang on every page。 So the reviewers
were kind and forbearing to the poems themselves； and； for the sake
of the dead soldier…poet； were often enthusiastic。 The book sold；
for a volume of poems it sold very well indeed。
At the Snow place in South Harniss pride and tears mingled。 Olive
read the verses over and over again； and wept as she read。 Rachel
Ellis learned many of them by heart； but she； too； wept as she
recited them to herself or to Laban。 In the little bookkeeper's
room above Simond's shoe store The Lances of Dawn lay under the
lamp upon the center table as before a shrine。 Captain Zelotes
read the verses。 Also he read all the newspaper notices which；
sent to the family by Helen Kendall； were promptly held before his
eyes by Olive and Rachel。 He read the publisher's advertisements；
he read the reviews。 And the more he read the more puzzled and
bewildered he became。
〃I can't understand it； Laban；〃 he confided in deep distress to Mr。
Keeler。 〃I give in I don't know anything at all about this。 I'm
clean off soundin's。 If all this newspaper stuff is so Albert was
right all the time and I was plumb wrong。 Here's this feller；〃
picking up a clipping from the desk； 〃callin' him a genius and 'a
gifted youth' and the land knows what。 And every day or so I get a
letter from somebody I never heard of tellin' me what a comfort to
'em those poetry pieces of his are。 I don't understand it； Labe。
It worries me。 If all this is true thenthen I was all wrong。 I
tried to keep him from makin' up poetry； LabeTRIED to； I did。 If
what these folks say is so somethin' ought to be done to me。 II
by thunder； I don't know's I hadn't ought to be hung！ 。 。 。 And
yetand yet； I did what I thought was right and did it for the
boy's sake 。 。 。 Andand even now II ain't sartin I was wrong。
But if I wasn't wrong then this is 。 。 。 Oh； I don't know； I don't
know！〃
And not only in South Harniss were there changes of heart。 In New
York City and at Greenwich where Mrs。 Fosdick was more than ever
busy with war work； there were changes。 When the newspaper
accounts of young Speranza's heroic death were first published the
lady paid little attention to them。 Her daughter needed all her
care just thenall the care； that is； which she could spare from
her duties as president of this society and corresponding secretary
of that。 If her feelings upon hearing the news could have been
analyzed it is probable that their larger proportion would have
been a huge sense of relief。 THAT problem was solved； at all
events。 She was sorry for poor Madeline； of course； but the dear
child was but a child and would recover。
But as with more and more intensity the limelight of publicity was
turned upon Albert Speranza's life and death and writing； the wife
of the Honorable Fletcher Fosdick could not but be impressed。 As
head of several so…called literary societies； societies rather
neglected since the outbreak of hostilities； she had made it her
business to hunt literary lions。 Recently it was true that
military lionsMajor Vermicelli of the Roumanian light cavalry；
or Private Drinkwater of the Tank Corpswere more in demand than
Tagores； but； as Mrs。 Fosdick read of Sergeant Speranza's perils
and poems； it could not help occurring to her that here was a lion
both literary and martial。 Decidedly she had not approved of her
daughter's engagement to that lion； but now the said lion was dead；
which rendered him a perfectly harmless yet not the less fascinating
animal。 And then appeared The Lances of Dawn and Mrs。 Fosdick's
friends among the elect began to read and talk about it。
It was then that the change came。 Those friends； one by one；
individuals judiciously chosen； were told in strict confidence of
poor Madeline's romantic love affair and its tragic ending。 These
individuals； chosen judiciously as has been stated； whispered； also
in strict confidence； the tale to other friends and acquaintances。
Mrs。 Fosdick began to receive condolences on her daughter's account
and on her own。 Soon she began to speak publicly of 〃My poor； dear
daughter's dead fiance。 Such a loss to American literature。 Sheer
genius。 Have you read the article in the Timepiece？ Madeline；
poor girl； is heartbroken； naturally； but very proud； even in the
midst of her grief。 So are we all； I assure you。〃
She quoted liberally from The Lances of Dawn。 A copy specially
bound； lay upon her library table。 Albert's photograph in uniform；
obtained from the Snows by Mr。 Fosdick； who wrote for it at his
wife's request； stood beside it。 To callers and sister war workers
Mrs。 Fosdick gave details of the hero's genius； his bravery； his
devotion to her daughter。 It was all so romantic and pleasantly
self…advertisingand perfectly safe。
Summer came again； the summer of 1918。 The newspapers now were
gravely personal reading to millions of Americans。 Our new army
was trying its metal on the French front and with the British
against the vaunted Hindenburg Line。 The transports were carrying
thousands on every trip to join those already 〃over there。〃 In
South Harniss and in Greenwich and New York； as in every town and
city； the ordinary summer vacations and playtime occupations were
forgotten or neglected and war charities and war labors took their
place。 Other soldiers than Sergeant Speranza were the newspaper
heroes now； other books than The Lances of Dawn talked about。
As on the previous summer the new Fosdick cottage was not occupied
by its owners。 Mrs。 Fosdick was absorbed by her multitudinous war
duties and her husband was at Washington giving his counsel and
labor to the cause。 Captain Zelotes bought to his last spare
dollar of each successive issue of Liberty Bonds； and gave that
dollar to the Red Cross or the Y。 M。 C。 A。； Laban and Rachel did
likewise。 Even Issachar Price bought Thrift Stamps and exhibited
them to anyone who would stop long enough to look。
〃By crimus；〃 declared Issy； 〃I'm makin' myself poor helpin' out the
gov'ment； but let 'er go and darn the Kaiser； that's my motto。 But
they ain't all like me。 I was down to the drug store yesterday and
old man Burgess had the cheek to tell me I owed him for some cigars
I boughterlast fall； seems to me 'twas。 I turned right around
and looked at him'I've got my opinion；' says I； 'of a man that
thinks of cigars and such luxuries when the country needs every
cent。 What have you got that gov'ment poster stuck up on your wall
for？' says I。 'Read it；' I says。 'It says' '〃Save！ Save！
Save！〃' don't it？ All right。 That's what I'M doin'。 I AM
savin'。' Then when he was thinkin' of somethin' to answer back I
walked right out and left him。 Yes sir； by crimustee； I left him
right where he stood！〃
August came； Septemberthe Hindenburg Line was broken。 Each day
the triumphant headlines in the papers were big and black and also；
alas； the casualty lists on the inside pages long and longer。 Then
October。 The armistice was signed。 It was the end。 The Allied
wo