miss billie married-第33章

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perch　on　Bertram's　knee；　went　to　her　desk　and

brought　back　the　book。



Bertram　regarded　it　frowningly；　so　frowningly

that　Billy　hastened　to　its　defense。



‘‘And　it's　truewhat　it　says　in　there；　and

what　Aunt　Hannah　and　Kate　said。　　It　_is_　different

when　they're　hungry！　　You　said　yourself　if　I'd

tend　to　my　husband　and　my　home　a　little　more；

and''



Bertram　looked　up　with　unfeigned　amazement。



‘‘I　said　what？''　he　demanded。



In　a　voice　shaken　with　emotion；　Billy　repeated

the　fateful　words。



‘‘I　neverwhen　did　I　say　that？''



‘‘The　night　Uncle　William　and　I　came　home

fromPete's。''



For　a　moment　Bertram　stared　dumbly；　then　a

shamed　red　swept　to　his　forehead。



‘‘Billy；　_did_　I　say　that？　　I　ought　to　be　shot　if

I　did。　　But；　Billy；　you　said　you'd　forgiven

me！''



‘‘I　did；　deartruly　I　did；　but；　don't　you　see？

it　was　true。　　I　_hadn't_　tended　to　things。　　So　I've

been　doing　it　since。''



A　sudden　comprehension　illuminated　Bertram's

face。



‘‘Heavens；　Billy！　　And　is　that　why　you　haven't

been　anywhere；　or　done　anything？　　Is　that　why

Calderwell　said　to…day　that　you　hadn't　been　with

them　anywhere；　and　that　　Great　Scott；　Billy！　

Did　you　think　I　was　such　a　selfish　brute　as

that？''



‘‘Oh；　but　when　I　was　going　with　them　I　_was_

following　the　bookI　thought；''　quavered　Billy；

and　hurriedly　she　turned　the　leaves　to　a　carefully

marked　passage。　　‘‘It's　thereabout　the　outside

interests。　　See？　　I　_was_　trying　to　brush　up

against　them；　so　that　I　wouldn't　interfere　with

your　Art。　　Then；　when　you　accused　me　of

gallivanting　off　with''　　But　Bertram　swept　her

back　into　his　arms；　and　not　for　some　minutes

could　Billy　make　a　coherent　speech　again。



Then　Bertram　spoke。



‘‘See　here；　Billy；''　he　exploded；　a　little　shakily；

‘‘if　I　could　get　you　off　somewhere　on　a　desert

island；　where　there　weren't　any　Aunt　Hannahs　or

Kates；　or　Talks　to　Young　Wives；　I　think　there'd

be　a　chance　to　make　you　happy；　but''



‘‘Oh；　but　there　was　truth　in　it；''　interrupted

Billy；　sitting　erect　again。　　‘‘I　_didn't_　know　how　to

run　a　house；　and　it　was　perfectly　awful　while　we

were　having　all　those　dreadful　maids；　one　after

the　other；　and　no　woman　should　be　a　wife　who

doesn't　know''



‘‘All　right；　all　right；　dear；''　interrupted

Bertram；　in　his　turn。　　‘‘We'll　concede　that　point；　if

you　like。　　But　you　_do_　know　now。　　You've　got

the　efficient　housewife　racket　down　pat　even　to　the

last　calory　your　husband　should　be　fed；　and　I'll

warrant　there　isn't　a　Mary　Ellen　in　Christendom

who　can　find　a　spot　of　ignorance　on　you　as　big　as

a　pinhead！　　So　we'll　call　that　settled。　　What　you

need　now　is　a　good　rest；　and　you're　going　to　have

it；　too。　　I'm　going　to　have　six　Mary　Ellens　here

to…morrow　morning。　　Six！　　Do　you　hear？　　And

all　you've　got　to　do　is　to　get　your　gladdest　rags

together　for　a　trip　to　Europe　with　me　next　month。　

Because　we're　going。　　I　shall　get　the　tickets　to…

morrow；　_after_　I　send　the　six　Mary　Ellens　packing

up　here。　　Now　come；　put　on　your　bonnet。　　We're

going　down　town　to　dinner。''







CHAPTER　XVIII



BILLY　TRIES　HER　HAND　AT　‘‘MANAGING''





Bertram　did　not　engage　six　Mary　Ellens　the

next　morning；　nor　even　one；　as　it　happened；　for

that　evening；　Elizawho　had　not　been　unaware

of　conditions　at　the　Stratatelephoned　to　say

that　her　mother　was　so　much　better　now　she

believed　she　could　be　spared　to　come　to　the　Strata

for　several　hours　each　day；　if　Mrs。　Henshaw

would　like　to　have　her　begin　in　that　way。



Billy　agreed　promptly；　and　declared　herself

as　more　than　willing　to　put　up　with　such　an

arrangement。　　Bertram；　it　is　true；　when　he　heard

of　the　plan；　rebelled；　and　asserted　that　what　Billy

needed　was　a　rest；　an　entire　rest　from　care　and

labor。　　In　fact；　what　he　wanted　her　to　do；　he　said；

was　to　gallivantto　gallivant　all　day　long。



‘‘Nonsense！''　Billy　had　laughed；　coloring　to

the　tips　of　her　ears。　　‘‘Besides；　as　for　the　work；

Bertram；　with　just　you　and　me　here；　and　with　all

my　vast　experience　now；　and　Eliza　here　for　several

hours　every　day；　it'll　be　nothing　but　play　for　this

little　time　before　we　go　away。　　You'll　see！''



‘‘All　right；　I'll　_see_；　then；''　Bertram　had　nodded

meaningly。　　‘‘But　just　make　sure　that　it　_is_　play

for　you！''



‘‘I　will；''　laughed　Billy；　and　there　the　matter

had　ended。



Eliza　began　work　the　next　day；　and　Billy　did

indeed　soon　find　herself　‘‘playing''　under

Bertram's　watchful　insistence。　　She　resumed　her

music；　and　brought　out　of　exile　the　unfinished

song。　　With　Bertram　she　took　drives　and　walks；

and　every　two　or　three　days　she　went　to　see

Aunt　Hannah　and　Marie。　　She　was　pleasantly

busy；　too；　with　plans　for　her　coming　trip；　and

it　was　not　long　before　even　the　remorseful

Bertram　had　to　admit　that　Billy　was　looking　and

appearing　quite　like　her　old　self。



At　the　Annex　Billy　found　Calderwell　and

Arkwright；　one　day。　　They　greeted　her　as　if　she　had

just　returned　from　a　far　country。



‘‘Well；　if　you　aren't　the　stranger　lady；''　began

Calderwell；　looking　frankly　pleased　to　see　her。　

‘‘We'd　thought　of　advertising　in　the　daily　press

somewhat　after　this　fashion：　　‘Lost；　strayed；　or

stolen；　one　Billy；　comrade；　good　friend；　and　kind

cheerer…up　of　lonely　hearts。　　Any　information

thankfully　received　by　her　bereft；　sorrowing

friends。'　''



Billy　joined　in　the　laugh　that　greeted　this　sally；

but　Arkwright　noticed　that　she　tried　to　change

the　subject　from　her　own　affairs　to　a　discussion

of　the　new　song　on　Alice　Greggory's　piano。　

Calderwell；　however；　was　not　to　be　silenced。



‘‘The　last　I　heard　of　this　elusive　Billy；''　he

resumed；　with　teasing　cheerfulness；　‘‘she　was　running

down　a　certain　lost　calory　that　had　slipped

away　from　her　husband's　breakfast；　and''



Billy　wheeled　sharply。



‘‘Where　did　you　get　hold　of　that？''　she　demanded。



‘‘Oh；　I　didn't；''　returned　the　man；　defensively。　

‘‘I　never　got　hold　of　it　at　all。　　I　never　even　saw

the　calorythough；　for　that　matter；　I　don't

think　I　should　know　one　if　I　did　see　it！　　What　we

feared　was；　that；　in　hunting　the　lost　calory；　you

had　lost　yourself；　and''　　But　Billy　would　hear

no　more。　　With　her　disdainful　nose　in　the　air　she

walked　to　the　piano。



‘‘Come；　Mr。　Arkwright；''　she　said　with　dignity。　

‘‘Let's　try　this　song。''



Arkwright　rose　at　once　and　accompanied　her

to　the　piano。



They　had　sung　the　song　through　twice　when

Billy　became　uneasily　aware　that；　on　the　other

side　of　the　room；　Calderwell　and　Alice　Greggory

were　softly　chuckling　over　something　they　had

found　in　a　magazine。　　Billy　frowned；　and　twitched

the　corners　of　a　pile　of　music；　with　restless　fingers。



‘‘I　wonder　if　Alice　hasn't　got　some　quartets

here　somewhere；''　she　murmured；　her　disapproving

eyes　still　bent　on　the　absorbed　couple　across

the　room。



Arkwright　was　silent。　　Billy；　throwing　a

hurried　glance　into　his　face；　thought　she　detected

a　somber　shadow　in　his　eyes。　　She　thought；　too；

she　knew　why　it　was　there。　　So　possessed　had

Billy　been；　during　the　early　winter；　of　the　idea

that　her　special　mission　in　life　was　to　inaugurate

and　foster　a　love　affair　between　disappointed　Mr。

Arkwright　and　lonely　Alice　Greggory；　that　now

she　forgot；　for　a　moment；　that　Arkwright　himself

was　quite　unaware　of　her　efforts。　　She　thought

only　that　the　present　shadow　on　his　face　must

be　caused　by　the　same　thing　that　brought　worry

to　her　own　heartthe　manifest　devotion　of

Calderwell　to　Alice　Greggory　just　now　across　the

room。　　Instinctively；　therefore；　as　to　a　coworker

in　a　common　cause；　she　turned　a　disturbed　face

to　the　man　at　her　side。



‘‘It　is；　indeed；　high　time　that　I　looked　after

something　besides　lost　calories；''　she　said

significantly。　　Then；　at　the　evident　uncomprehension

in　Arkwright's　face；　she　added：　　‘‘Has　it

been　going　on　like　thisvery　long？''



Arkwright　still；　apparently；　did　not　understand。