“’Prince Oskar and his suite, according to present arrangements, will sail from Naples early in March, and the wedding date, although not yet definitely fixed, will probably be the first week in April.  The wedding party will include—­’”

He stopped there, and looked at me, trying to smile.

“I knew it all before,” he said, “but there’s something inevitable about print.  I guess I hadn’t realized it.”

He had the same look of wretchedness he’d had the first night I saw him—­a hungry look—­and I couldn’t help it; I went over to him and patted him on the head like a little boy.  I was only the spring-house girl, but I was older than he was, and he needed somebody to comfort him.

“I can’t think of anything to say that will help any,” I said, “unless it’s what you wrote yourself on the blackboard down in the hall, ’Keep busy and you’ll keep happy.’”

He reached up for my hand, and rough and red as it was—­having been in the spring for so many years—­he kissed it.

“Good for you, Minnie!” he said.  “You’re rational, and for a day or so I haven’t been.  That’s right, keep busy.  I’ll do it.”  He got up and put his hands on my shoulders.  “Good old pal, when you see me going around as if all the devils of hell were tormenting me, just come up and say that to me, will you?”

I promised, and he opened the door, candle in hand, and smiling.

“I’m a thousand per cent. better already,” he said.  “I just needed to tell somebody, I think.  I dare say I’ve made a lot more fuss than it really deserves.”

At the far end of the hall, a girl came out of one room, and carrying a candle, went across to another.  It was Miss Patty, going to bid her father good night.  When I left, he was still staring down the hall after her, his candle dripping wax on the floor, and his face white.  I guess he hadn’t overstated his case.

CHAPTER XXV

THE FIRST FRUITS

By Friday of that week you would hardly have known any of them.  The fat ones were thinner and the thin ones fatter, and Miss Julia Summers could put her whole hand inside her belt.

And they were pleasant.  They’d sit down to a supper of ham and eggs and apple sauce, and yell for more apple sauce, and every evening in the billiard room they got up two weighing pools, one for the ones who wanted to reduce, and one for the people who wanted to gain.  Everybody put in a dollar, and at gymnasium hour the next morning the ones who’d gained or lost the most won the pool.  Mr. Thoburn won the losing pool on Thursday and Friday—­he didn’t want to lose weight, but he was compelled to under the circumstances.  And I think worry helped him to it.