miss billie married-第4章

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aisle　of　the　sleeping…car。



‘‘And　youyou　know　now　that　I　love　you

just　you？''



‘‘Not　even　Arkwright？''



‘‘Not　even　Arkwright；''　smiled　Billy。



There　was　the　briefest　of　hesitations；　then；　a

little　constrainedly；　Bertram　asked：



‘‘And　you　said　youyou　never　_had_　cared　for

Arkwright；　didn't　you？''



For　the　second　time　in　her　life　Billy　was

thankful　that　Bertram's　question　had　turned　upon　_her_

love　for　Arkwright；　not　Arkwright's　love　for　her。　

In　Billy's　opinion；　a　man's　unrequited　love　for　a

girl　was　his　secret；　not　hers；　and　was　certainly

one　that　the　girl　had　no　right　to　tell。　　Once

before　Bertram　had　asked　her　if　she　had　ever

cared　for　Arkwright；　and　then　she　had　answered

emphatically；　as　she　did　now：



‘‘Never；　dear。''



‘‘I　thought　you　said　so；''　murmured　Bertram；

relaxing　a　little。



‘‘I　did；　besides；　didn't　I　tell　you？''　she　went

on　airily；　‘‘I　think　he'll　marry　Alice　Greggory。　

Alice　wrote　me　all　the　time　I　was　away；　and

oh；　she　didn't　say　anything　definite；　I'll　admit；''

confessed　Billy；　with　an　arch　smile；　‘‘but　she

spoke　of　his　being　there　lots；　and　they　used　to

know　each　other　years　ago；　you　see。　　There　was

almost　a　romance　there；　I　think；　before　the

Greggorys　lost　their　money　and　moved　away　from　all

their　friends。''



‘‘Well；　he　may　have　her。　　She's　a　nice　girl

a　mighty　nice　girl；''　answered　Bertram；　with　the

unmistakably　satisfied　air　of　the　man　who　knows

he　himself　possesses　the　nicest　girl　of　them　all。



Billy；　reading　unerringly　the　triumph　in　his

voice；　grew　suddenly　grave。　　She　regarded　her

husband　with　a　thoughtful　frown；　then　she　drew

a　profound　sigh。



‘‘Whew！''　laughed　Bertram；　whimsically。　　‘‘So

soon　as　this？''



‘‘Bertram！''　　Billy's　voice　was　tragic。



‘‘Yes；　my　love。''　　The　bridegroom　pulled　his

face　into　sobriety；　then　Billy　spoke；　with　solemn

impressiveness。



‘‘Bertram；　I　don't　know　a　thing　about

cookingexcept　what　I've　been　learning　in

Rosa's　cook…book　this　last　week。''



Bertram　laughed　so　loud　that　the　man　across

the　aisle　glanced　over　the　top　of　his　paper

surreptitiously。



‘‘Rosa's　cook…book！　　Is　that　what　you　were

doing　all　this　week？''



‘‘Yes；　that　isI　tried　so　hard　to　learn

something；''　stammered　Billy。　　‘‘But　I'm

afraid　I　didn'tmuch；　there　were　so　many

things　for　me　to　think　of；　you　know；　with

only　a　week。　　I　believe　I　_could_　make　peach

fritters；　though。　　They　were　the　last　thing　I

studied。''



Bertram　laughed　again；　uproariously；　but；　at

Billy's　unchangingly　tragic　face；　he　grew

suddenly　very　grave　and　tender。



‘‘Billy；　dear；　I　didn't　marry　you　toto　get　a

cook；''　he　said　gently。



Billy　shook　her　head。



‘‘I　know；　but　Aunt　Hannah　said　that　even　if

I　never　expected　to　cook；　myself；　I　ought　to　know

how　it　was　done；　so　to　properly　oversee　it。　　She

said　thatthat　no　woman；　who　didn't　know　how

to　cook　and　keep　house　properly；　had　any　business

to　be　a　wife。　　And；　Bertram；　I　did　try；　honestly；

all　this　week。　　I　tried　so　hard　to　remember　when

you　sponged　bread　and　when　you　kneaded　it。''



‘‘I　don't　ever　need_yours_；''　cut　in　Bertram；

shamelessly；　but　he　got　only　a　deservedly　stern

glance　in　return。



‘‘And　I　repeated　over　and　over　again　how

many　cupfuls　of　flour　and　pinches　of　salt　and

spoonfuls　of　baking…powder　went　into　things；

but；　Bertram；　I　simply　could　not　keep　my　mind

on　it。　　Everything；　everywhere　was　singing　to

me。　　And　how　do　you　suppose　I　could　remember

how　many　pinches　of　flour　and　spoonfuls　of　salt

and　cupfuls　of　baking…powder　went　into　a　loaf

of　cake　when　all　the　while　the　very　teakettle　on

the　stove　was　singing：　　‘It's　all　rightBertram

loves　meI'm　going　to　marry　Bertram！'？''



‘‘You　darling！''　　（In　spite　of　the　man　across

the　aisle　Bertram　did　almost　kiss　her　this　time。）　

‘‘As　if　anybody　cared　how　many　cupfuls　of

baking…powder　went　anywherewith　that　in

your　heart！''



‘‘Aunt　Hannah　says　you　willwhen　you're

hungry。　　And　Kate　said''



Bertram　uttered　a　sharp　word　behind　his　teeth。



‘‘Billy；　for　heaven's　sake　don't　tell　me　what

Kate　said；　if　you　want　me　to　stay　sane；　and　not

attempt　to　fight　somebodybroken　arm；　and

all。　　Kate　_thinks_　she's　kind；　and　I　suppose　she

means　well；　butwell；　she's　made　trouble

enough　between　us　already。　　I've　got　you　now；

sweetheart。　　You're　mineall　mine''　his

voice　shook；　and　dropped　to　a　tender　whisper

‘‘　‘till　death　us　do　part。'　''



‘‘Yes；　‘till　death　us　do　part；'　''　breathed　Billy。



And　then；　for　a　time；　they　fell　silent。



‘‘　‘I；　Bertram；　take　thee；　Billy；'　''　sang　the

whirring　wheels　beneath　them；　to　one。



‘‘　‘I；　Billy；　take　thee；　Bertram；'　''　sang　the

whirring　wheels　beneath　them；　to　the　other。　

While　straight　ahead　before　them　both；　stretched

fair　and　beautiful　in　their　eyes；　the　wondrous

path　of　life　which　they　were　to　tread　together。









CHAPTER　II



FOR　WILLIAMA　HOME





On　the　first　Sunday　after　the　wedding　Pete

came　up…stairs　to　tell　his　master；　William；　that

Mrs。　Stetson　wanted　to　see　him　in　the　drawing…

room。



William　went　down　at　once。



‘‘Well；　Aunt　Hannah；''　he　began；　reaching　out

a　cordial　hand。　　‘‘Why；　what's　the　matter？''　he

broke　off　concernedly；　as　he　caught　a　clearer　view

of　the　little　old　lady's　drawn　face　and　troubled

eyes。



‘‘William；　it's　silly；　of　course；''　cried　Aunt

Hannah；　tremulously；　‘‘but　I　simply　had　to　go

to　some　one。　　II　feel　so　nervous　and

unsettled！　　Diddid　Billy　say　anything　to　you

what　she　was　going　to　do？''



‘‘What　she　was　going　to　do？　　About　what？　

What　do　you　mean？''



‘‘About　the　houseselling　it；''　faltered　Aunt

Hannah；　sinking　wearily　back　into　her　chair。



William　frowned　thoughtfully。



‘‘Why；　no；''　he　answered。　　‘‘It　was　all　so

hurried　at　the　last；　you　know。　　There　was　really

very　little　chance　to　make　plans　for　anything

except　the　wedding；''　he　finished；　with　a　smile。



‘‘Yes；　I　know；''　sighed　Aunt　Hannah。　　‘‘Everything

was　in　such　confusion！　　Still；　I　didn't　know

but　she　might　have　said　somethingto　you。''



‘‘No；　she　didn't。　　But　I　imagine　it　won't　be

hard　to　guess　what　she'll　do。　　When　they　get

back　from　their　trip　I　fancy　she　won't　lose　much

time　in　having　what　things　she　wants　brought

down　here。　　Then　she'll　sell　the　rest　and　put　the

house　on　the　market。''



‘‘Yes；　ofof　course；''　stammered　Aunt　Hannah；

pulling　herself　hastily　to　a　more　erect　position。　

‘‘That's　what　I　thought；　too。　　Then　don't

you　think　we'd　better　dismiss　Rosa　and　close　the

house　at　once？''



‘‘Whyyes；　perhaps　so。　　Why　not？　　Then

you'd　be　all　settled　here　when　she　comes　home。　

I'm　sure；　the　sooner　you　come；　the　better　I'll　be

pleased；''　he　smiled。



Aunt　Hannah　turned　sharply。



‘‘Here！''　she　ejaculated。　　‘‘William　Henshaw；

you　didn't　suppose　I　was　coming　_here_　to　live；

did　you？''



It　was　William's　turn　to　look　amazed。



‘‘Why；　of　course　you're　coming　here！　　Where

else　should　you　go；　pray？''



‘‘Where　I　was　beforebefore　Billy　cameto

you；''　returned　Aunt　Hannah　a　little　tremulously；

but　with　a　certain　dignity。　　‘‘I　shall　take　a　room

in　some　quiet　boarding…house；　of　course。''



‘‘Nonsense；　Aunt　Hannah！　　As　if　Billy　would

listen　to　that！　　You　came　before；　why　not　come

now？''



Aunt　Hannah　lifted　her　chin　the　fraction　of　an

inch。



‘‘You　forget。　　I　was　needed　before。　　Billy　is　a

married　woman　now。　　She　needs　no　chaperon。''



‘‘Nonsense！''　scowled　William；　again。　　‘‘Billy

will　always　need　you。''



Aunt　Hannah　shook　her　head　mournfully。



‘‘I　like　to　thinkshe　wants　me；　William；

but　I　know；　in　my　heart；　it　isn't　best。''



‘‘Why　not？''



There　was　a　moment's　pause；　then；　decisively

came　the　answer。



‘‘Because　I　think　young　married　folks　should

not　have　outsiders　in　the　home。''



William　laughed　relievedly。



‘‘Oh；　so　that's　it！　　Well；　Aunt　Hannah；　y