第57章

The good-by call the following evening was, to him at least, not very satisfactory.Helen was tired, having been busy all day with the final preparations for leaving, and old Mr.Kendall insisted on being present during the entire visit and in telling long and involved stories of the trip abroad he had made when a young man and the unfavorable opinion which he had then formed of Prussians as traveling companions.Albert's opinion of Prussians was at least as unfavorable as his own, but his complete and even eager agreement with each of the old gentleman's statements did not have the effect of choking the latter off, but rather seemed to act as encouragement for more.When ten o'clock came and it was time to go Albert felt as if he had been listening to a lecture on the Hohenzollerns."Great Scott, Helen," he whispered, as she came to the door with him, "I don't feel as if I had talked with you a minute.Why, I scarcely--"But just here Mr.Kendall came hurrying from the sitting-room to tell of one incident which he had hitherto forgotten, and so even this brief interval of privacy was denied.But Albert made one more attempt.

"I'm going to run over to the station to-morrow morning to see you off," he called from the gate."Good night."The morning train left at nine o'clock, and at a quarter to nine Albert, who had kept his eye on the clock ever since eight, his hour of arriving at the office, called to Mr.Price.

"I say," he said, in a low tone and one as casual as he could assume, "I am going to run out for a few minutes.I'll be right back."Issachar's response was as usual anything but low.

"Eh?" he shouted."Goin' out? Where you goin'?""Oh, I'm just going out--er--on an errand.""What kind of an errand? I was cal'latin' to run out myself for a little spell.Can't I do your errand for you?""No, no...There, there, don't bother me any more.I'm in a hurry.""Hurry! So'm I in a hurry.I was cal'latin' to run acrost to the deepo and see Helen Kendall start for Boston.She's goin' this morning; did you know it?"Before the somewhat flustered assistant bookkeeper could reply Captain Zelotes called from the inner office:

"Wouldn't wonder if that was where Al was bound, too," he observed.

"And I was thinkin' of the same thing.Suppose we all go together.

Labe'll keep shop, won't you, Labe?"

Mr.Keeler looked over his spectacles."Eh?" he observed."Oh, yes, yes...yes, yes, yes.And say good-by to Helen for me, some of you, if you happen to think of it.Not that 'twill make much difference to her," he added, "whether she gets my good-bys or not, but it might make some to me....Um, yes, yes."Mr.Price was eager to oblige.

"I'll tell her you sent 'em, Labe," he said, patronizingly."Set your mind to rest; I'll tell her."Laban's lip twitched."Much obliged, Is," he chirruped."That's a great relief! My mind's rested some already."So, instead of going alone to the railway station, Albert made one of a delegation of three.And at the station was Mr.Kendall, and two of the school committee, and one or two members of the church sewing circle, and the president and secretary of the Society for the Relief of the French Wounded.So far from being an intimate confidential farewell, Helen's departure was in the nature of a public ceremony with speech-making.Mr.Price made most of the speeches, in fact the lower portion of his countenance was in violent motion most of the ten minutes.

"Take care of yourself, Helen," he urged loudly."Don't you worry about your pa, we'll look out for him.And don't let none of them Boston fellers carry you off.We'll watch and see that Eddie Raymond and Al here don't get into mischief while you're gone.

I...Crimustee! Jim Young, what in time's the matter with you?

Can't ye see nothin'?"

This last outburst was directed at the driver of the depot-wagon, who, wheeling a trunk on a baggage truck, had bumped violently into the rear of Mr.Price's legs, just at the knee joint, causing their owner to bend backward unexpectedly, and with enthusiasm.

"Can't you see nothin' when it's right in front of ye?" demanded Issachar, righteously indignant.

Jim Young winked over his shoulder at Albert."Sorry, Is," he said, as he continued toward the baggage car."I didn't notice you WAS in front of me.""Well, then, you'd better....Eh? See here, what do you mean by that?"Even after Mr.Price had thus been pushed out of the foreground, so to speak, Albert was denied the opportunity of taking his place by Helen's side.Her father had a few last messages to deliver, then Captain Zelotes shook her hand and talked for a moment, and, after that, the ladies of the sewing circle and the war work society felt it their duty to, severally and jointly, kiss her good-by.This last was a trying operation to watch.

Then the engine bell rang and the train began to move.Albert, running beside the platform of the last car, held up his hand for a farewell clasp.

"Good-by," he said, and added in a whisper, "You'll write, won't you?""Of course.And so must you.Good-by."

The last car and the handkerchief waving figure on its platform disappeared around the curve.The little group by the station broke up.Albert and his grandfather walked over to the office together.

"There goes a good girl, Al," was Captain Lote's only comment."Amighty good capable girl."

Albert nodded.A moment later he lifted his hat to a group in a passing automobile.

"Who were those folks?" asked the Captain.

"The Fosdicks," was the reply."The people who are going to build down by the Inlet."It was Madeline and her mother.The latter had been serenely indifferent, but the young lady had smiled and bowed behind the maternal shoulders.