How do you know Albert's dead?"

"Why, Rachel, what kind of talk's that? I know he's dead because the
newspapers say so, and the War Department folks say so, and this cap'n
man in France that was right there at the time, HE says so. All hands
say so--yes, yes. So don't--"

"Sh! I don't care if they all say so ten times over. How do they KNOW?
They ain't found him dead, have they? The report from the War Department
folks was sent when they thought that other body was Albert's. Now they
know that wasn't him. Where is he?"

"Why, under the ruins of that cottage. 'Twas all blown to pieces and
most likely--"

"Um-hm. There you are! 'Most likely!' Well, I ain't satisfied with most
likelys. I want to KNOW."

"But--but--"

"Laban Keeler, until they find his body I shan't believe Albert's dead."

"But, Rachel, you mustn't try to deceive yourself that way. Don't 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?"

"Why--why, 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
for--for my boy. I--I--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 believe--I mean to keep on hopin' he's alive
somewheres--why, 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
I--I'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 s