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notice。 The dog took a step forward； evidently with the idea of
always keeping the ankles within jumping distance； showed a double
row of healthy teeth and growled and barked with renewed violence。
〃Nice dog；〃 observed Albert。 The nice dog made a snap at the
nearest ankle and； balked of his prey by a frenzied kick of the
foot attached to the ankle； shrieked； snarled and gurgled like a
canine lunatic。
〃Go home； you ugly brute；〃 commanded the young man； losing
patience； and looking about for a stone or stick。 On the top of
that knoll the largest stone was the size of a buckshot and the
nearest stick was； to be Irish； a straw。
〃Nice doggie！ Nice old boy！ Come and be patted！ 。 。 。 Clear out
with you！ Go home； you beast！〃
Flatteries and threats were alike in their result。 The dog continued
to snarl and growl； darting toward the ankles occasionally。
Evidently he was mustering courage for the attack。 Albert in
desperation scooped up a handful of sand。 If worst came to worst
he might blind the creature temporarily。 What would happen after
that was not clear。 Unless he might by a lucky cast fill the dog's
interior so full of sand thatlike the famous 〃Jumping Frog〃it
would be too heavy to navigate； he saw no way of escape from a
painful bite； probably more than one。 What Captain Zelotes had
formerly called his 〃Portygee temper〃 flared up。
〃Oh； damn you； clear out！〃 he shouted； springing to his feet。
From a little way below him； in fact； from behind the next dune；
between himself and the beach； a feminine voice called his name。
〃Oh； Mr。 Speranza！〃 it said。 〃Is it you？ I'm so glad！〃
Albert turned； but the moment he did so the dog made a dash at his
legs； so he was obliged to turn back again and kick violently。
〃Oh； I am so glad it is you；〃 said the voice again。 〃I was sure it
was a dreadful tramp。 Googoo loathes tramps。〃
As an article of diet that meant； probably。 Googooif that was
the dog's namewas passionately fond of poets； that was self…
evident； and intended to make a meal of this one； forthwith。 He
flew at the Speranza ankles。 Albert performed a most undignified
war dance； and dashed his handful of sand into Googoo's open
countenance。 For a minute or so there was a lively shindy on top
of that knoll。 At the end of the minute the dog； held tightly in a
pair of feminine arms； was emitting growls and coughs and sand；
while Madeline Fosdick and Albert Speranza were kneeling in more
sand and looking at each other。
〃Oh； did he bite you？〃 begged Miss Fosdick。
〃No 。 。 。 no； I guess not；〃 was the reply。 〃II scarcely know
yet。 。 。 。 Why； when did you come？ I didn't know you were in
town。〃
〃We came yesterday。 Motored from home； you know。 Ibe still；
Goo； you bad thing！ It was such a lovely day that I couldn't
resist going for a walk along the beach。 I took Googoo because he
does love it so； andGoo； be still； I tell you！ I am sure he
thinks you are a tramp； out here all alone in thein the
wilderness。 And what were you doing here？〃
Albert drew a long breath。 〃I was half asleep； I guess；〃 he said；
〃when he broke loose at my heels。 I woke up quick enough then； as
you may imagine。 And so you are here for the summer？ Your new
house isn't finished； is it？〃
〃No； not quite。 Mother and Goo and I are at the hotel for a month。
But you haven't answered my question。 What were you doing off here
all alone？ Have you been for a walk； too？〃
〃Not exactly。 Iwell； I come here pretty often。 It is one of my
favorite hiding places。 You see； I 。 。 。 don't laugh if I tell
you； will you？〃
〃Of course not。 Go on； this is very mysterious and interesting。〃
〃Well； I come here sometimes on pleasant days； to be aloneand
write。〃
〃Write？ Write poetry； do you mean？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Oh； how wonderful！ Were you writing when Iwhen Goo interrupted
you？〃
〃No； I had made two or three attempts； but nothing that I did
satisfied me。 I had just about decided to tear them up and to give
up trying for this afternoon。〃
〃Oh； I hope you won't tear them up。 I'm sure they shouldn't be。
Perhaps you were not in a proper mood to judge； yourself。〃
〃Perhaps not。 Perhaps they might look a little less hopeless to
some one else。 But that person would have to be really interested；
and there are few people in South Harniss who know or care anything
about poetry。〃
〃I suppose that is true。 II don't suppose you would care to show
them to me； would you？〃
〃Why；〃 eagerly； 〃would you really care to see them？〃
〃Indeed I should！ Not that my judgment or advice is worth
anything； of course。 But I am very； very fond of poetry； and to
see how a real poet wrote would be wonderful。 And if I could help
you； even the least little bit； it would be such an honor。〃
This sort of thing was balm to the Speranza spirit。 Albert's
temperamental ego expanded under it like a rosebud under a summer
sun。 Yet there was a faint shadow of doubtshe might be making
fun of him。 He looked at her intently and she seemed to read his
thoughts； for she said：
〃Oh； I mean it！ Please believe I do。 I haven't spoken that way
when Jane was with me； for she wouldn't understand and would laugh；
but I mean it； Mr。 Speranza。 It would be an honora great honor。〃
So the still protesting and rebellious Googoo was compelled to go a
few feet away and lie down； while his mistress and the young man
whom he had attempted to devour bent their heads together over a
scribbling…pad and talked and exclaimed during the whole of that
hour and a full three…quarters of the next。 Then the distant town
clock in the steeple of the Congregational church boomed five times
and Miss Fosdick rose to her feet。
〃Oh；〃 she said； 〃it can't really be five o'clock； can it？ But it
is！ What WILL mother fancy has become of me？ I must go this
minute。 Thank you； Mr。 Speranza。 I have enjoyed this so much。
It has been a wonderful experience。〃
Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes were shining。 She had grown
handsomer than ever during the winter months。 Albert's eyes were
shining also as he impulsively seized her hand。
〃Thank you； Miss Fosdick；〃 he said。 〃You have helped me more than
I can tell you。 I was about to give up in despair before you came；
and nownow I KNOW I shall write the best thing I have ever done。
And you will be responsible for it。〃
She caught her breath。 〃Oh； not really！〃 she exclaimed。 〃You
don't mean it； really？〃
〃Indeed I do！ If I might have your help and sympathy once in
awhile； I believeI believe I could do almost anything。 Will you
help me again some day？ I shall be here almost every pleasant
Saturday and Sunday afternoon。 Will you come again？〃
She hesitated。 〃II'll see； perhaps；〃 she answered hurriedly。
〃But I must go now。 Come； Goo。〃
She hastened away； down the knoll and along the beach toward the
hotel。 Googoo followed her； turning occasionally to cast
diabolical glances at the Speranza ankles。 Albert gazed until the
graceful figure in the trim sport costume disappeared behind the
corner of the point of the beach。 Just at the point she paused to
wave to him。 He waved in return。 Then he tramped homeward。 There
was deep sand beneath his feet and； later； pine…needles and grass。
They were all alike to him； for he was traveling on air。
That evening at supper his radiant appearance caused comment。
〃What makes you look so happy； Albert？〃 asked his grandmother。
〃Seems to me I never saw you look so sort ofwell； glorified； as
you might say。 What is the reason？〃
The glorified one reddened and was confused。 He stammered that he
did not know； he was not aware of any particular reason。
Mrs。 Ellis beamed upon him。 〃I presume likely his bookkeepin' at
the office has been goin' pretty well lately；〃 she suggested。
Captain Zelote's gray eyes twinkled。 〃Cal'late he's been makin' up
more poetry about girls；〃 was his offering。 〃Another one of those
pieces about teeth like pearls and hair all curls； or somethin'
like that。 Say； Al； why don't you poetry…makin' fellers try a new
one once in a while？ Say； 'Her hair's like rope and her face has
lost hope。' Eh？ Why not； for a change？〃
The protests on the part of Olive and the housekeeper against the
captain's innovation in poetry…making had the effect of distracting
attention from Albert's 〃glorified〃 appearance。 The young man
himself was thankful for the respite。
That night before he retired he took Madeline Fosdick's photograph
from the back of the drawer among the ties and collars and looked
at it for five minutes at least。 She was a handsome girl；
certainly。 Not that that made any difference to him。 And she was
an intelligent girl； she understood his poetry and appreciated it。
Yes； and she understood him； too； almost as well as Helen。 。 。 。
Helen！ He hastily returned the Fosdick photograph to the drawer；
but this time he did not put it quite so near the back。
On the following Saturday he was early at the knoll； a brand…new
scribbling…pad in his pocket and in his mind divine gems which were
later； and with Miss Fosdick's assistance； to be strung into a
glittering necklace of lyric song and draped； with the stringer's
compliments；