miss billie married-第38章

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never　had　he　failed　to　find　comfort　in　the　shape

of　sympathetic　understanding　and　wise　counsel。　

To　Alice；　therefore；　now　he　turned　as　a　matter　of

course；　telling　himself　vaguely　that；　perhaps；

after　he　had　seen　Alice；　he　would　feel　better。



Just　how　intimately　this　particular　problem　of

his　concerned　Alice　herself；　he　did　not　stop　to

realize。　　He　did　not；　indeed；　think　of　it　at　all　from

Alice's　standpointuntil　he　came　face　to　face

with　the　girl　in　the　living…room　at　the　Annex。　

Then；　suddenly；　he　did。　　His　manner　became　at

once；　consequently；　full　of　embarrassment　and

quite　devoid　of　its　usual　frank　friendliness。



As　it　happened；　this　was　perhaps　the　most

unfortunate　thing　that　could　have　occurred；　so　far

as　it　concerned　the　attitude　of　Alice　Greggory；

for　thereby　innumerable　tiny　sparks　of　suspicion

that　had　been　tormenting　the　girl　for　days　were

instantly　fanned　into　consuming　flames　of　conviction。



Alice　had　not　been　slow　to　note　Arkwright's

prolonged　absence　from　the　Annex。　　Coming　as

it　did　so　soon　after　her　most　disconcerting　talk

with　Billy　in　regard　to　her　own　relations　with

him；　it　had　filled　her　with　frightened　questionings。



If　Billy　had　seen　things　to　make　her　think　of

linking　their　names　together；　perhaps　Arkwright

himself　had　heard　some　such　idea　put　forth

somewhere；　and　that　was　why　he　was　staying

awayto　show　the　world　that　there　was　no

foundation　for　such　rumors。　　Perhaps　he　was

even　doing　it　to　show　_her_　that



Even　in　her　thoughts　Alice　could　scarcely

bring　herself　to　finish　the　sentence。　　That　Arkwright

should　ever　suspect　for　a　moment　that

she　cared　for　him　was　intolerable。　　Painfully

conscious　as　she　was　that　she　did　care　for　him；

it　was　easy　to　fear　that　others　must　be　conscious

of　it；　too。　　Had　she　not　already　proof　that　Billy

suspected　it？　　Why；　then；　might　not　it　be　quite

possible；　even　probable；　that　Arkwright　suspected

it；　also；　and；　because　he　did　suspect　it；　had

decided　that　it　would　be　just　as　well；　perhaps；　if

he　did　not　call　so　often。



In　spite　of　Alice's　angry　insistence　to　herself

that；　after　all；　this　could　not　be　the　case

that　the　man　_knew_　she　understood　he　still　loved

Billyshe　could　not　help　fearing；　in　the　face

of　Arkwright's　unusual　absence；　that　it　might

yet　be　true。　　When；　therefore；　he　finally　did

appear；　only　to　become　at　once　obviously　embarrassed

in　her　presence；　her　fears　instantly　became

convictions。　　It　was　true；　then。　　The　man

did　believe　she　cared　for　him；　and　he　had　been

trying　to　teach　herto　save　her。



To　teach　her！　　To　save　her；　indeed！　　Very

well；　he　should　see！　　And　forthwith；　from　that

moment；　Alice　Greggory's　chief　reason　for　living

became　to　prove　to　Mr。　M。　J。　Arkwright　that

he　needed　not　to　teach　her；　to　save　her；　nor　yet

to　sympathize　with　her。



‘‘How　do　you　do？''　she　greeted　him；　with　a

particularly　bright　smile。　　‘‘I'm　sure　I　_hope_　you

are　well；　such　a　beautiful　day　as　this。''



‘‘Oh；　yes；　I'm　well；　I　suppose。　　Still；　I　have

felt　better　in　my　life；''　smiled　Arkwright；　with

some　constraint。



‘‘Oh；　I'm　sorry；''　murmured　the　girl；　striving

so　hard　to　speak　with　impersonal　unconcern　that

she　did　not　notice　the　inaptness　of　her　reply。



‘‘Eh？　　Sorry　I've　felt　better；　are　you？''

retorted　Arkwright；　with　nervous　humor。　　Then；

because　he　was　embarrassed；　he　said　the　one

thing　he　had　meant　not　to　say：　　‘‘Don't　you　think

I'm　quite　a　stranger？　　It's　been　some　time　since

I've　been　here。''



Alice；　smarting　under　the　sting　of　what　she

judged　to　be　the　only　possible　cause　for　his

embarrassment；　leaped　to　this　new　opportunity　to

show　her　lack　of　interest。



‘‘Oh；　has　it？''　she　murmured　carelessly。　

‘‘Well；　I　don't　know　but　it　has；　now　that　I　come

to　think　of　it。''



Arkwright　frowned　gloomily。　　A　week　ago　he

would　have　tossed　back　a　laughingly　aggrieved

remark　as　to　her　unflattering　indifference　to　his

presence。　　Now　he　was　in　no　mood　for　such

joking。　　It　was　too　serious　a　matter　with　him。



‘‘You've　been　busy；　no　doubt；　withother

matters；''　he　presumed　forlornly；　thinking　of

Calderwell。



‘‘Yes；　I　have　been　busy；''　assented　the　girl。　

‘‘One　is　always　happier；　I　think；　to　be　busy。　

Not　that　I　meant　that　I　needed　the　work　to　_be_

happy；''　she　added　hastily；　in　a　panic　lest　he

think　she　had　a　consuming　sorrow　to　kill。



‘‘No；　of　course　not；''　he　murmured　abstractedly；

rising　to　his　feet　and　crossing　the　room　to

the　piano。　　Then；　with　an　elaborate　air　of　trying

to　appear　very　natural；　he　asked　jovially：　

‘‘Anything　new　to　play　to　me？''



Alice　arose　at　once。



‘‘Yes。　　I　have　a　little　nocturne　that　I　was

playing　to　Mr。　Calderwell　last　night。''



‘‘Oh；　to　Calderwell！''　Arkwright　had　stiffened

perceptibly。



‘‘Yes。　　_He_　didn't　like　it。　　I'll　play　it　to　you

and　see　what　you　say；''　she　smiled；　seating　herself

at　the　piano。



‘‘Well；　if　he　had　liked　it；　it's　safe　to　say　I

shouldn't；''　shrugged　Arkwright。



‘‘Nonsense！''　laughed　the　girl；　beginning　to

appear　more　like　her　natural　self。　　‘‘I　should

think　you　were　Mr。　Cyril　Henshaw！　　Mr。　Calderwell

_is_　partial　to　ragtime；　I'll　admit。　　But　there

are　some　good　things　he　likes。''



‘‘There　are；　indeed；　_some_　good　things　he　likes；''

returned　Arkwright；　with　grim　emphasis；　his

somber　eyes　fixed　on　what　he　believed　to　be　the

one　especial　object　of　Calderwell's　affections　at

the　moment。



Alice；　unaware　both　of　the　melancholy　gaze

bent　upon　herself　and　of　the　cause　thereof；

laughed　again　merrily。



‘‘Poor　Mr。　Calderwell；''　she　cried；　as　she　let　her

fingers　slide　into　soft；　introductory　chords。　　‘‘He

isn't　to　blame　for　not　liking　what　he　calls　our　lost

spirits　that　wail。　　It's　just　the　way　he's　made。''



Arkwright　vouchsafed　no　reply。　　With　an

abrupt　gesture　he　turned　and　began　to　pace　the

room　moodily。　　At　the　piano　Alice　slipped　from

the　chords　into　the　nocturne。　　She　played　it

straight　through；　then；　with　a　charm　and　skill

that　brought　Arkwright's　feet　to　a　pause　before

it　was　half　finished。



‘‘By　George；　that's　great！''　he　breathed；　when

the　last　tone　had　quivered　into　silence。



‘‘Yes；　isn't　itbeautiful？''　she　murmured。



The　room　was　very　quiet；　and　in　semi…darkness。　

The　last　rays　of　a　late　June　sunset　had　been　filling

the　room　with　golden　light；　but　it　was　gone　now。　

Even　at　the　piano　by　the　window；　Alice　had　barely

been　able　to　see　clearly　enough　to　read　the　notes

of　her　nocturne。



To　Arkwright　the　air　still　trembled　with　the

exquisite　melody　that　had　but　just　left　her　fingers。　

A　quick　fire　came　to　his　eyes。　　He　forgot　everything

but　that　it　was　Alice　there　in　the　half…light

by　the　windowAlice；　whom　he　loved。　　With　a

low　cry　he　took　a　swift　step　toward　her。



‘‘Alice！''



Instantly　the　girl　was　on　her　feet。　　But　it　was

not　toward　him　that　she　turned。　　It　was　away

resolutely；　and　with　a　haste　that　was　strangely

like　terror。



Alice；　too；　had　forgotten；　for　just　a　moment。　

She　had　let　herself　drift　into　a　dream　world　where

there　was　nothing　but　the　music　she　was　playing

and　the　man　she　loved。　　Then　the　music　had

stopped；　and　the　man　had　spoken　her　name。



Alice　remembered　then。　　She　remembered　Billy；

whom　this　man　loved。　　She　remembered　the　long

days　just　passed　when　this　man　had　stayed　away；

presumably　to　teach　_her_to　save　_her_。　　And

now；　at　the　sound　of　his　voice　speaking　her　name；

she　had　almost　bared　her　heart　to　him。



No　wonder　that　Alice；　with　a　haste　that　looked

like　terror；　crossed　the　floor　and　flooded　the　room

with　light。



‘‘Dear　me！''　she　shivered；　carefully　avoiding

Arkwright's　eyes。　　‘‘If　Mr。　Calderwell　were　here

now　he'd　have　some　excuse　to　talk　about　our　lost

spirits　that　wail。　　That　_is_　a　creepy　piece　of　music

when　you　play　it　in　the　dark！''　　And；　for　fear

that　he　should　suspect　how　her　heart　was　aching；

she　gave　a　particular