miss billie married-第39章

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that　he　should　suspect　how　her　heart　was　aching；

she　gave　a　particularly　brilliant　and　joyous　smile。



Once　again　at　the　mention　of　Calderwell's　name

Arkwright　stiffened　perceptibly。　　The　fire　left

his　eyes。　　For　a　moment　he　did　not　speak；　then；

gravely；　he　said：



‘‘Calderwell？　　Yes；　perhaps　he　would；　and

you　ought　to　be　a　judge；　I　should　think。　　You　see

him　quite　frequently；　don't　you？''



‘‘Why；　yes；　of　course。　　He　often　comes　out

here；　you　know。''



‘‘Yes；　I　had　heard　that　he　didsince　_you_

came。''



His　meaning　was　unmistakable。　　Alice　looked

up　quickly。　　A　prompt　denial　of　his　implication

was　on　her　lips　when　the　thought　came　to　her

that　perhaps　just　here　lay　a　sure　way　to　prove　to

this　man　before　her　that　there　was；　indeed；　no

need　for　him　to　teach　her；　to　save　her；　or　yet　to

sympathize　with　her。　　She　could　not　affirm；　of

course；　but　she　need　not　denyyet。



‘‘Nonsense！''　she　laughed　lightly；　pleased　that

she　could　feel　what　she　hoped　would　pass　for　a

telltale　color　burning　her　cheeks。　　‘‘Come；　let

us　try　some　duets；''　she　proposed；　leading　the

way　to　the　piano。　　And　Arkwright；　interpreting

the　apparently　embarrassed　change　of　subject

exactly　as　she　had　hoped　that　he　would　interpret

it；　followed　her；　sick　at　heart。



‘‘　‘O　wert　thou　in　the　cauld　blast；'　''　sang

Arkwright's　lips　a　few　moments　later。



‘‘I　can't　tell　her　nowwhen　I　_know_　she　cares

for　Calderwell；''　gloomily　ran　his　thoughts；　the

while。　　‘‘It　would　do　no　possible　good；　and　would

only　make　her　unhappy　to　grieve　me。''



‘‘　‘O　wert　thou　in　the　cauld　blast；'　''　chimed

in　Alice's　alto；　low　and　sweet。



‘‘I　reckon　now　he　won't　be　staying　away　from

here　any　more　just　to　_save_　me！''　ran　Alice's

thoughts；　palpitatingly　triumphant。







CHAPTER　XXI



BILLY　TAKES　HER　TURN　AT　QUESTIONING





Arkwright　did　not　call　to　see　Alice　Greggory

for　some　days。　　He　did　not　want　to　see　Alice　now。　

He　told　himself　wearily　that　she　could　not　help

him　fight　this　tiger　skin　that　lay　across　his　path；

The　very　fact　of　her　presence　by　his　side　would；

indeed；　incapacitate　himself　for　fighting。　　So　he

deliberately　stayed　away　from　the　Annex　until

the　day　before　he　sailed　for　Germany。　　Then　he

went　out　to　say　good…by。



Chagrined　as　he　was　at　what　he　termed　his

imbecile　stupidity　in　not　knowing　his　own　heart　all

these　past　months；　and　convinced；　as　he　also　was；

that　Alice　and　Calderwell　cared　for　each　other；

he　could　see　no　way　for　him　but　to　play　the　part

of　a　man　of　kindliness　and　honor；　leaving　a　clear

field　for　his　preferred　rival；　and　bringing　no

shadow　of　regret　to　mar　the　happiness　of　the　girl

he　loved。



As　for　being　his　old　easy；　frank　self　on　this　last

call；　however；　that　was　impossible；　so　Alice　found

plenty　of　fuel　for　her　still　burning　fires　of

suspicionfires　which　had；　indeed；　blazed　up　anew

at　this　second　long　period　of　absence　on　the　part

of　Arkwright。　　Naturally；　therefore；　the　call　was

anything　but　a　joy　and　comfort　to　either　one。　

Arkwright　was　nervous；　gloomy；　and　abnormally

gay　by　turns。　　Alice　was　nervous　and　abnormally

gay　all　the　time。　　Then　they　said　good…by　and

Arkwright　went　away。　　He　sailed　the　next　day；

and　Alice　settled　down　to　the　summer　of　study

and　hard　work　she　had　laid　out　for　herself。





On　the　tenth　of　September　Billy　came　home。　

She　was　brown；　plump…cheeked；　and　smiling。　　She

declared　that　she　had　had　a　perfectly　beautiful

time；　and　that　there　couldn't　be　anything　in　the

world　nicer　than　the　trip　she　and　Bertram　had

takenjust　they　two　together。　　In　answer　to

Aunt　Hannah's　solicitous　inquiries；　she　asserted

that　she　was　all　well　and　rested　now。　　But　there

was　a　vaguely　troubled　questioning　in　her　eyes

that　Aunt　Hannah　did　not　quite　like。　　Aunt

Hannah；　however；　said　nothing　even　to　Billy

herself　about　this。



One　of　the　first　friends　Billy　saw　after　her　return

was　Hugh　Calderwell。　　As　it　happened　Bertram

was　out　when　he　came；　so　Billy　had　the　first　half…

hour　of　the　call　to　herself。　　She　was　not　sorry　for

this；　as　it　gave　her　a　chance　to　question　Calderwell

a　little　concerning　Alice　Greggorysomething

she　had　long　ago　determined　to　do　at　the

first　opportunity。



‘‘Now　tell　me　everythingeverything　about

everybody；''　she　began　diplomatically；　settling

herself　comfortably　for　a　good　visit。



‘‘Thank　you；　I'm　well；　and　have　had　a

passably　agreeable　summer；　barring　the　heat；　sundry

persistent　mosquitoes；　several　grievous　disappointments；

and　a　felon　on　my　thumb；''　he　began；　with

shameless　imperturbability。　　‘‘I　have　been　to

Revere　once；　to　the　circus　once；　to　Nantasket

three　times；　and　to　Keith's　and　the　‘movies'　ten

times；　perhapsto　be　accurate。　　I　have　also

But　perhaps　there　was　some　one　else　you　desired

to　inquire　for；''　he　broke　off；　turning　upon

his　hostess　a　bland　but　unsmiling　countenance。



‘‘Oh；　no；　how　could　there　be？''　twinkled　Billy。　

‘‘Really；　Hugh；　I　always　knew　you　had　a　pretty

good　opinion　of　yourself；　but　I　didn't　credit　you

with　thinking　you　were　_everybody_。　　Go　on。　　I'm

so　interested！''



Hugh　chuckled　softly；　but　there　was　a　plaintive

tone　in　his　voice　as　he　answered。



‘‘Thanks；　no。　　I've　rather　lost　my　interest

now。　　Lack　of　appreciation　always　did　discourage

me。　　We'll　talk　of　something　else；　please。　　You

enjoyed　your　trip？''



‘‘Very　much。　　It　just　couldn't　have　been

nicer！''



‘‘You　were　lucky。　　The　heat　here　has　been

something　fierce！''



‘‘What　made　you　stay？''



‘‘Reasons　too　numerous；　and　one　too　heart…

breaking；　to　mention。　　Besides；　you　forget；''　with

dignity。　　‘‘There　is　my　profession。　　I　have　joined

the　workers　of　the　world　now；　you　know。''



‘‘Oh；　fudge；　Hugh！''　laughed　Billy。　　‘‘You

know　very　well　you're　as　likely　as　not　to　start

for　the　ends　of　the　earth　to…morrow　morning！''



Hugh　drew　himself　up。



‘‘I　don't　seem　to　succeed　in　making　people

understand　that　I'm　serious；''　he　began　aggrievedly。　

‘‘I''　　With　an　expressive　flourish

of　his　hands　he　relaxed　suddenly；　and　fell　back

in　his　chair。　　A　slow　smile　came　to　his　lips。　

‘‘Well；　Billy；　I'll　give　up。　　You've　hit　it；''　he

confessed。　　‘‘I　_have_　thought　seriously　of　starting　to…

morrow　morning　for　_half…way_　to　the　ends　of　the

earthPanama。''



‘‘Hugh！''



‘‘Well；　I　have。　　Even　this　call　was　to　be　a

good…byif　I　went。''



‘‘Oh；　Hugh！　　But　I　really　thoughtin　spite

of　my　teasingthat　you　had　settled　down；　this

time。''



‘‘Yes；　so　did　I；''　sighed　the　man；　a　little　soberly。　

‘‘But　I　guess　it's　no　use；　Billy。　　Oh；　I'm　coming

back；　of　course；　and　link　arms　again　with　their

worthy　Highnesses；　John　Doe　and　Richard　Roe；

but　just　now　I've　got　a　restless　fit　on　me。　　I　want

to　see　the　wheels　go　'round。　　Of　course；　if　I　had

my　bread　and　butter　and　cigars　to　earn；　'twould

be　different。　　But　I　haven't；　and　I　know　I　haven't；

and　I　suspect　that's　where　the　trouble　lies。　　If　it

wasn't　for　those　natal　silver　spoons　of　mine　that

Bertram　is　always　talking　about；　things　might　be

different。　　But　the　spoons　are　there；　and　always

have　been；　and　I　know　they're　all　ready　to　dish

out　mountains　to　climb　and　lakes　to　paddle　in；

any　time　I've　a　mind　to　say　the　word。　　SoI

just　say　the　word。　　That's　all。''



‘‘And　you've　said　it　now？''



‘‘Yes；　I　think　so；　for　a　while。''



‘‘Andthose　reasons　that　_have_　kept　you　here

all　summer；''　ventured　Billy；　‘‘they　aren't　in

ercommission　any　longer？''



‘‘No。''



Billy　hesitated；　regarding　her　companion

meditatively。　　Then；　with　the　feeling　that　she　had

followed　a　blind　alley　to　its　termination；　she

retreated　and　made　a　fresh　start。



‘‘Well；　you　haven't　yet　told　me　everything

about　everybody；　you　know；''　she　hinted

smilingly。　　‘‘You　might　begin　thatI　mean　the

less　important　everybodies；　of　course；　now　that

I've　heard　about　you。''



‘‘Meaning''



‘‘Oh；　Aunt　Hannah