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that　his　hero　had　interviewed　him　and　was　satisfied　that　he　was；
he　had　been　〃converted〃　at　a　revival　and　was　now　a　religious
enthusiast　whose　one　idea　was　to　save　sinners。

That　was　enough　for　Captain　Zelotes。

〃Let　him　alone；　then；〃　said　the　captain。　　〃He's　tryin'　to　be　a
decent　man。　　What　do　you　want　to　do？　　Tell　on　him　and　have　him
chucked　overboard　from　one　church　after　another　until　he　gets
discouraged　and　takes　to　swindlin'　again？〃

Rachel　Ellis　could　not　see　it　that　way。

〃If　he　was　a　saved　sinner；〃　she　declared；　〃and　repentant　of　his
sins；　then　he'd　ought　to　repent　'em　out　loud。　　Hidin'　'em　ain't
repentin'。　　And；　besides；　there's　Donald's　（Donald　was　the　hero's
name）　there's　Donald's　duty　to　the　man　that's　been　so　good　to　him。
Is　it　fair　to　that　man　to　keep　still　and　let　him　hire　a　minister
that；　like　as　not；　will　steal　the　collection；　box　and　all；　afore　he
gets　through？　　No；　sir；　Donald　ought　to　tell　THAT　man；　anyhow。〃

Olive　was　pretty　dubious　about　the　whole　scheme。　　She　doubted　if
anybody　connected　with　a　circus　COULD　ever　become　a　minister。

〃The　wholeerertrade　is　so　different；〃　she　said。

Mr。　Kendall　was　not　there　that　evening；　his　attendance　being
required　at　a　meeting　of　the　Sunday　School　teachers。　　Helen；
however；　was　not　at　that　meeting　and　Captain　Zelotes　declared　his
intention　of　asking　her　opinion　by　telephone。

〃She'll　say　same　as　I　doyou　see　if　she　don't；〃　he　declared。　　When
he　called　the　parsonage；　however；　Maria　Price　answered　the　phone
and　informed　him　that　Helen　was　spending　the　evening　with　old　Mrs。
Crowell；　who　lived　but　a　little　way　from　the　Snow　place。　　The
captain　promptly　called　up　the　Crowell　house。

〃She's　there　and　she'll　stop　in　here　on　her　way　along；〃　he　said
triumphantly。　　〃And　she'll　back　me　upyou　see。〃

But　she　did　not。　　She　did　not　〃back　up〃　any　one。　　She　merely　smiled
and　declared　the　problem　too　complicated　to　answer　offhand。

〃Why　don't　you　ask　Albert？〃　she　inquired。　　〃After　all；　he　is　the
one　who　must　settle　it　eventually。〃

〃He　won't　tell；〃　said　Olive。　　〃He's　real　provokin'；　isn't　he？　　And
now　you　won't　tell；　either；　Helen。〃

〃Oh；　I　don't　knowyet。　　But　I　think　he　does。〃

Albert；　as　usual；　walked　home　with　her。

〃How　are　you　going　to　answer　your　hero's　riddle？〃　she　asked。

〃Before　I　tell　you；　suppose　you　tell　me　what　your　answer　would　be。〃

She　reflected。　　〃Well；〃　she　said；　〃it　seems　to　me　that；　all　things
being　as　they　are；　he　should　do　this：　　He　should　go　to　the　sideshow
manthe　minister　nowand　have　a　very　frank　talk　with　him。　　He
should　tell　him　that　he　had　decided　to　say　nothing　about　the　old
life　and　to　help　him　in　every　way；　to　be　his　friendprovided　that
he　keep　straight；　that　is　all。　　Of　course　more　than　that　would　be
meant；　the　alternative　would　be　there　and　understood；　but　he　need
not　say　it。　　I　think　that　course　of　action　would　be　fair　to　himself
and　to　everybody。　　That　is　my　answer。　　What　is　yours？〃

He　laughed　quietly。　　〃Just　that；　of　course；〃　he　said。　　〃You　would
see　it；　I　knew。　　You　always　see　down　to　the　heart　of　things；　Helen。
You　have　the　gift。〃

She　shook　her　head。　　〃It　didn't　really　need　a　gift；　this　particular
problem；　did　it？〃　she　said。　　〃It　is　notexcuse　meit　isn't
exactly　a　new　one。〃

〃No；　it　isn't。　　It　is　as　old　as　the　hills；　but　there　are　always　new
twists　to　it。〃

〃As　there　are　to　all　our　old　problems。〃

〃Yes。　　By　the　way；　your　advice　about　the　ending　of　my　third　story
was　exactly　what　I　needed。　　The　editor　wrote　me　he　should　never
have　forgiven　me　if　it　had　ended　in　any　other　way。　　It　probably
WOULD　have　ended　in　another　way　if　it　hadn't　been　for　you。　　Thank
you；　Helen。〃

〃Oh；　you　know　there　was　really　nothing　to　thank　me　for。　　It　was　all
you；　as　usual。　　Have　you　planned　the　next　story；　the　fifth；　yet？〃

〃Not　entirely。　　I　have　some　vague　ideas。　　Do　you　want　to　hear
them？〃

〃Of　course。〃

So　they　discussed　those　ideas　as　they　walked　along　the　sidewalk　of
the　street　leading　down　to　the　parsonage。　　It　was　a　warm　evening；　a
light　mist；　which　was　not　substantial　enough　to　be　a　fog；　hanging
low　over　everything；　wrapping　them　and　the　trees　and　the　little
front　yards　and　low　houses　of　the　old　village　in　a　sort　of　cozy；
velvety；　confidential　quiet。　　The　scent　of　lilacs　was　heavy　in　the
air。

They　both　were　silent。　　Just　when　they　had　ceased　speaking　neither
could　have　told。　　They　walked　on　arm　in　arm　and　suddenly　Albert
became　aware　that　this　silence　was　dangerous　for　him；　that　in　it
all　his　resolves　and　brave　determinations　were　melting　into　mist
like　that　about　him；　that　he　must　talk　and　talk　at　once　and　upon　a
subject　which　was　not　personal；　which

And　then　Helen　spoke。

〃Do　you　know　what　this　reminds　me　of？〃　she　said。　　〃All　this　talk　of
ours？　　It　reminds　me　of　how　we　used　to　talk　over　those　first　poems
of　yours。　　You　have　gone　a　long　way　since　then。〃

〃I　have　gone　to　Kaiserville　and　back。〃

〃You　know　what　I　mean。　　I　mean　your　work　has　improved　wonderfully。
You　write　with　a　sure　hand　now；　it　seems　to　me。　　And　your　view　is
so　much　broader。〃

〃I　hope　I'm　not　the　narrow；　conceited　little　rooster　I　used　to　be。
I　told　you；　Helen；　that　the　war　handed　me　an　awful　jolt。　　Well；　it
did。　　I　think　it；　or　my　sickness　or　the　whole　business　together；
knocked　most　of　that　self…confidence　of　mine　galley…west。　　For　so
much　I'm　thankful。〃

〃I　don't　know　that　I　am；　altogether。　　I　don't　want　you　to　lose
confidence　in　yourself。　　You　should　be　confident　now　because　you
deserve　to　be。　　And　you　write　with　confidence；　or　it　reads　as　if
you　did。　　Don't　you　feel　that　you　do；　yourself？　　Truly；　don't　you？〃

〃Well；　perhaps；　a　little。　　I　have　been　at　it　for　some　time　now。　　I
ought　to　show　some　progress。　　Perhaps　I　don't　make　as　many　mistakes。〃

〃I　can't　see　that　you　have　made　any。〃

〃I　have　made　one　。　。　。　a　damnable　one。〃

〃Why；　what　do　you　mean？〃

〃Oh；　nothing。　　I　didn't　mean　to　say　that。　。　。　。　　Helen；　do　you　know
it　is　awfully　good　of　you　to　take　all　this　interest　in　mein　my
work；　I　mean。　　Why　do　you　do　it？〃

〃Why？〃

〃Yes；　why？〃

〃Why；　because　　Why　shouldn't　I？　　Haven't　we　always　talked　about
your　writings　together；　almost　since　we　first　knew　each　other？
Aren't　we　old　friends？〃

There　it　was　againfriends。　　It　was　like　a　splash　of　cold　water　in
the　face；　at　once　awakening　and　chilling。　　Albert　walked　on　in
silence　for　a　few　moments　and　then　began　speaking　of　some　trivial
subject　entirely　disconnected　with　himself　or　his　work　or　her。
When　they　reached　the　parsonage　door　he　said　good　night　at　once　and
strode　off　toward　home。

Back　in　his　room；　however；　he　gave　himself　another　mental　picking
to　pieces。　　He　was　realizing　most　distinctly　that　this　sort　of
thing　would　not　do。　　It　was　easy　to　say　that　his　attitude　toward
Helen　Kendall　was　to　be　that　of　a　friend　and　nothing　more；　but　it
was　growing　harder　and　harder　to　maintain　that　attitude。　　He　had
come　within　a　breath　that　very　night　of　saying　what　was　in　his
heart。

Well；　if　he　had　said　it；　if　he　did　say　itwhat　then？　　After　all；
was　there　any　real　reason　why　he　should　not　say　it？　　It　was　true
that　he　had　loved；　or　fancied　that　he　loved；　Madeline；　that　he　had
been　betrothed　to　herbut　again；　what　of　it？　　Broken　engagements
were　common　enough；　and　there　was　nothing　disgraceful　in　this　one。
Why　not　go　to　Helen　and　tell　her　that　his　fancied　love　for　Madeline
had　been　the　damnable　mistake　he　had　confessed　making。　　Why　not
tell　her　that　since　the　moment　when　he　saw　her　standing　in　the
doorway　of　the　parsonage　on　the　morning　following　his　return　from
New　York　he　had　known　that　she　was　the　only　woman　in　the　world　for
him；　that　it　was　her　image　he　had　seen　in　his　dreams；　in　the
delirium　of　fever；　that　it　was　she；　and　not　that　other；　who

But　there；　all　this　was　foolishness；　and　he　knew　it。　　He　did　not
dare　say　it。　　Not　for　one　instant　had　she；　by　speech　or　look　or
action；　given　him　the　slightest　encouragement　to　think　her　feeling
for　him　was　anything　but　friendship。　　And　that　friendship　was　far
too　precious　to　risk。　　He　must　not　risk　it。　　He　must　keep　still；　he
must　hide　his　thoughts；　she　must　never　guess。　　Some　day；　perhaps；
after　a　year　or　two；　after　his　position　in　his　profession　was　more
assured；　then　he　might　speak。　　But　even　then　there　would　be　that
risk。　　And　the　idea　of　waiting　was　not　pleasant。　　What　had　Rachel
told　him　concerning　the　hosts　of　doctors　and　officers　and　generals
who　had　been　〃shining　up〃　to　her。　　Some　risk　there；　also。

Well；　never　mind。　　He　would　try　to　keep　on　as　he　had　been　going　for
the　present。　　He　would　try　not　to　see　her　as　frequently。　　If　the
strain　became　unbearable　he　might　go　away　somewherefor　a　time。

He　did　not　go　away；　but　he　made　it　a　point　not　to　see　her　as
frequently。　　However；　they　met　often　even　as　it　was。　　And　he　was
conscious　always　that　the　ice　beneath　his　feet　was　very；　very　thin。

One　wonderful　August　evening　he　was　in　his　room　upstairs。　　He　was
not　writing。　　He　had　come　up　there　early　because　he　wished　to　think；
to　consider。　　A　proposition　had　been　made　to　him　that　afternoon；　a
surprising　propositionto　him　it　had　come　as　a　complete　surprise
and　before　mentioning　it　even　to　his　grandparents　he　wished　to
think　it　over　ve