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y　had　always　said：　“Give　a　day’s　work　for　a　day’s　pay。　Any…thing　less　is　stealing。”　That　attitude　pleased　his　boss。　“It’s　a　shame　you　aren’t　Jewish；”　Goldman　would　say；　“you’re　such　a　fine　boy　in　so　many　other　ways。”　It　was　the　best　pliment　Goldman　could　give。

He　continued　to　think　about　Allie　at　night。　He　wrote　to　her　once　a　month　but　never　received　a　reply。　Eventually　he　wrote　one　final　letter　and　forced　himself　to　accept　the　fact　that　the　summer　they’d　spent　with　one　another　was　the　only　thing　they’d　ever　share。

Still；　though；　she　stayed　with　him。　Three　years　after　the　last　letter；　he　went　to　Winston…Salem　in　the　hope　of　finding　her。　He　went　to　her　house；　discovered　that　she　had　moved　and；　after　talk…ing　to　some　neighbours；　finally　called　her　father’s　firm。　The　girl　who　answered　was　new　and　didn’t　recognize　the　name；　but　she　poked　around　the　personnel　files　for　him。　She　found　out　that　Allie’s　father　had　left　the　pany　and　that　no　forwarding　address　was　listed。　That　was　the　first　and　last　time　he　ever　looked　for　her。

For　the　next　eight　years　he　worked　for　Goldman。　As　the　years　dragged　on；　the　pany　grew　and　he　was　promoted。　By　1940　he　had　mastered　the　Business　and　was　running　the　entire　operation；　brokering　the　deals　and　managing　a　staff　of　thirty。　The　yard　had　bee　the　largest　scrap…metal　dealer　on　the　east　coast。

During　that　time　he　dated　a　few　different　women。　He　became　serious　with　one；　a　waitress　from　the　local　diner　with　deep　blue　eyes　and　silky　black　hair。　Although　they　dated　for　two　years　and　had　many　good　times　together；　he　never　came　to　feel　the　same　way　about　her　as　he　did　about　Allie。　She　was　a　few　years　older　than　he　was；　and　it　was　she　who　taught　him　the　ways　to　please　a　woman；　the　places　to　touch　and　kiss；　the　things　to　whisper。

Towards　the　end　of　their　relationship　she’d　told　him　once；　“I　wish　I　could　give　you　what　you’re　looking　for；　but　I　don’t　know　what　it　is。　There’s　a　part　of　you　that　you　keep　closed　off　from　everyone；　including　me。　It’s　as　if　your’　mind　is　on　someone　else。　It’s　like　you　keep　waiting　for　her　to　pop　out　of　thin　air　to　take　you　away　from　all　this。　。　。”　A　month　later　she　visited　him　at　work　and　told　him　she’d　met　someone　else。　He　understood。　They　parted　as　friends；　and　the　following　year　he　received　a　postcard　from　her　saying　she　was　married。　He　hadn’t　heard　from　her　since。

In　December　1941；　when　he　was　twenty…six；　the　war　began；　just　as　Goldman　had　predicted。　Noah　walked　into　his　office　the　follow…ing　month　and　informed　Goldman　of　his　intent　to　enlist；　then　returned　to　New　Bern　to　say　goodbye　to　his　father。　Five　weeks　later　he　found　himself　in　training　camp。　While　there；　he　received　a　letter　from　Goldman　thanking　him　for　his　work；　together　with　a　copy　of　a　certificate　entitling　him　to　a　small　percentage　of　the　scrap　yard　if　it　was　ever　sold。　“I　couldn’t　have　done　it　without　you；”　the　letter　said。　“You’re　the　finest　young　man　who　ever　worked　for　me；　even　if　you　aren’t　Jewish。”

He　spent　his　next　three　years　with　Patton’s　Third　Army；　tramp…ing　through　deserts　in　North　Africa　and　forests　in　Europe　with　thirty　pounds　on　his　back；　his　infantry　unit　never　far　from　action。

　He　watched　his　friends　die　around　him；　watched　as　some　of　them　were　buried　thousands　of　miles　from　Home。

He　remembered　the　war　ending　in　Europe；　then　a　few　months　later　in　Japan。　Just　before　he　was　discharged　he　received　a　letter　from　a　lawyer　in　New　Jersey　representing　Morris　Goldman。　Upon　meeting　the　lawyer　he　found　out　that　Goldman　had　died　a　year　earlier　and　his　estate　had　been　liquidated。　The　Business　had　been　sold；　and　Noah　ost　seventy　thousand　dollars。

The　following　week　he　returned　to　New　Bern　and　bought　the　house。　He　remembered　bringing　his　father　around　later；　pointing　out　the　changes　he　intended　to　make。　His　father　seemed　weak　as　he　walked；　coughing　and　wheezing。　Noah　was　concerned；　but　his　father　told　him　not　to　worry；　assuring　him　that　he　had　the　flu。

　　　　　Less　than　one　month　later　his　father　died　of　pneumonia　and　was　buried　next　to　his　wife　in　the　local　cemetery。　Noah　tried　to　stop　by　regularly　to　leave　some　flowers；　occasionally　he　left　a　note。　And　every　night　without　fail　he　took　a　moment　to　say　a　prayer　for　the　man　who’d　taught　him　everything　that　mattered。

AFTER　REELING　in　the　line；　he　put　the　gear　away　and　went　back　to　the　house。　His　neighbour；　Martha　Shaw；　was　there　to　thank　him；　bringing　three　loaves　of　Homemade　bread　in　appreciation　for　what　he’d　done。　Her　husband　had　been　killed　in　the　war；　leaving　her　with　three　children　and　a　shack　to　raise　them　in。　Winter　was　…ing；　and　he’d　spent　a　few　days　at　her　place　last　week　repairing　her　roof；　replacing　broken　windows　and　sealing　the　others；　and　fixing　her　wood　stove。　He　hoped　it　would　be　enough　to　get　them　through。

Once　she’d　left；　he　got　into　his　battered　Dodge　truck　and　went　to　see　Gus。　He　always　stopped　there　when　he　was　going　to　the　store；　because　Gus’s　family　didn’t　have　a　car。　One　of　the　daughters　hopped　up　and　rode　with　him；　and　they　did　their　shopping　at　Capers　General　Store。

When　he　got　Home　he　didn’t　unpack　the　groceries　right　away。　Instead　he　showered；　found　a　Budweiser　and　a　book　by　Dylan　Thomas；　and　went　to　sit　on　the　porch。

SHE　STILL　had　trouble　believing　it；　even　as　she　held　the　proof　in　her　hands。　It　had　been　in　the　newspaper　at　her　parents’　house　three　Sundays　ago。　She　had　gone　to　the　kitchen　to　get　a　cup　of　Coffee；　and　when　she’d　returned　to　the　table　her　father　had　smiled　and　pointed　at　a　small　picture。　“Remember　this？”

　He　handed　her　the　paper　and；　after　an　uninterested　first　glance；　something　in　the　picture　caught　her　eye　and　she　took　a　closer　look。　“It　can’t　be；”　she　whispered；　and　when　her　father　looked　at　her　curiously　she　ignored　him；　sat　down　and　read　the　article　without　speaking。　She　vaguely　remembered　her　mother　ing　to　the　table　and　sitting　opposite　her；　and　when　she　finally　put　aside　the　paper　her　mother　was　staring　at　her。　“Are　you　okay？”　she　asked　over　her　Coffee　cup。　“You　look　a　little　pale。”

Allie　didn’t　answer　right　away；　she　couldn’t；　and　it　was　then　that　she’d　noticed　her　hands　were　shaking。　That　had　been　when　it　started。

“And　here　it　will　end；　one　way　or　the　other；”　she　whispered　again。　She　refolded　the　scrap　of　paper　and　put　it　back；　remember…ing　that　she　had　left　her　parents’　Home　later　that　day　with　the　paper　so　she　could　cut　out　the　article。　She　read　it　again　before　she　went　to　bed　that　night；　trying　to　fathom　the　coincidence；　and　read　it　again　the　next　morning　as　if　to　make　sure　the　whole　thing　wasn’t　a　dream。　And　now；　after　three　weeks　of　long　walks　alone；　after　three　weeks　of　distraction；　it　was　the　reason　she’d　e。

　　　　When　asked；　she　said　her　erratic　behaviour　was　due　to　stress。　It　was　the　perfect　excuse；　everyone　understood；　including　Lon；　and　that’s　why　he　hadn’t　argued　when　she’d　wanted　to　get　away　for　a　couple　of　days。　The　wedding　plans　were　stressful　to　everyone　involved。　Almost　five　hundred　people　were　invited；　including　the　governor；　one　senator　and　the　ambassador　to　Peru。　It　was　too　much；　in　her　opinion；　but　their　engagement　was　news　and　had　dominated　the　social　pages　since　they　had　announced　their　plans　six　months　ago。

She　took　a　deep　breath　and　stood　again。　“It’s　now　or　never；”　she　whispered；　then　picked　up　her　things　and　went　to　the　door。　She　went　downstairs　and　the　manager　smiled　as　she　walked　by。　She　could　feel　his　eyes　on　her　as　she　went　out　to　her　car。　She　slipped　behind　the　wheel；　started　the　engine　and　turned　right　onto　Front　Street。

She　still　knew　her　way　around　the　small　town；　even　though　she　hadn’t　been　here　in　years。　After　crossing　the　Trent　River　on　an　old…fashioned　drawbridge；　she　turned　onto　a　gravel　road　that　wound　its　way　between　antebellum　farms；　and　she　knew　that；　for　some　of　the　farmers；　life　hadn’t　changed　since　before　their　grandparents　were　born。　The　constancy　of　the　place　brought　back　a　flood　of　memories　as　she　recognized　landmarks　she’d　long　ago　forgotten。

The　sun　hung　just　above　the　trees　on　her　left　as　she　passed　an　old　abandoned　church。　She　had　explored　it　that　summer；　looking　for　souvenirs　of　the　War　between　the　States；　and；　as　she　passed；　the　memories　of　that　day　became　stronger；　as　if　they’d　happened　yesterday。

A　majestic　oak　tree　on　the　riverbank　came　into　view　next；　and　the　memories　became　more　intense。　It　looked　the　same　as　it　had　back　then；　branches　low　and　thick；　stretching　horizontally　along　the　ground　with　moss　draped　over　the　limbs　like　a　veil。　She　remembered　sitting　beneath　the　tree　on　a　hot　July　day　with　someone　who　looked　at　her　with　a　longing　that　took　everything　else　away。　And　it　had　been　at　that　moment　that　she’d　first　fallen　in　love。

He　was　two　years　older　than　she　was；　and　as　she　drove　along　this　roadway…in…time；　he　slowly　came　into　focus　once　again。　He　always　looked　older　than　he　really　was；　she　remembered　thinking；　slightly　weathered；　like　a　farmer　ing　Home　after　hours　in　the　field。　He　had　the　calloused　hands　and　broad　shoulders　that　came　to　those　who　worked　hard　for　a　living；　and　the　first　faint　lines　were　beginning　to　form　around　dark　eyes　that　seemed　to　read　her　every　thought。

He　was　tall　and　strong；　with　light　brown　hair；　and　handsome　in　his　own　way；　but　it　was　his　voice　that　she　remembered　most　of　all。　He　had　read　to　her　that　day　as　they　lay　beneath　the　tree　with　an　accent　that　was　soft　and　fluent；　almost　musical　in　quality。　She　remembered　closing　her　eyes；　listening　closely　and　letting　the　words　he　was　reading　touch　her　soul。

He　thumbed　through　old　books　with　dog…eared　pages；　books　he’d　read　a　hundred　times。　He’d　read　for　a　while；　then　stop；　and　the　two　of　them　would　talk。　She　would　tell　him　what　she　wanted　in　her　life—her　hopes　and　dreams　for　the　future—and　he　would　listen　intently　and　then　promise　to　make　it　all　e　true。　And　the　way　he　said　it　made　her　believe　him；　and　she　knew　then　how　much　he　meant　to　her。

Another　turn　in　the　road　and　she　finally　saw　the　house　in　the　distance。　It　had　changed　dramatically　from　what　she　remembered。　She　slowed　the　car；　turning　into　the　long；　tree…lined　dirt　drive。

She　took　a　deep　breath　when　she　saw　him　on　the　porch；　watching　her　car。　He　was　dressed　casually。　From　a　distance；　he　look