miss billie married-第53章

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at　all；　and　Billy　knew　now　for　a　certainty　that　he

was　spending　more　and　more　time　with　Bob

Seaver　and　‘‘the　boys。''



Poor　Billy！　　Nowhere　could　she　look　these　days

and　see　happiness。　　Even　the　adored　baby　seemed；

at　times；　almost　to　give　an　added　pang。　　Had　he

not　become；　according　to　the　‘‘Talk　to　Young

Wives''　that　awful　thing；　a　_Wedge_？　　The　Annex；

too；　carried　its　sting；　for　where　was　the　need　of

an　overflow　house　for　happiness　now；　when　there

was　no　happiness　to　overflow？　　Even　the　little

jade　idol　on　Billy's　mantel　Billy　could　not　bear

to　see　these　days；　for　its　once　bland　smile　had

become　a　hideous　grin；　demanding；　‘‘Where；

now；　is　your　heap　plenty　velly　good　luckee？''



But；　before　Bertram；　Billy　still　carried　a　bravely

smiling　face；　and　to　him　still　she　talked　earnestly

and　enthusiastically　of　his　workwhich　last；

as　it　happened；　was　the　worst　course　she　could

have　pursued；　for　the　one　thing　poor　Bertram

wished　to　forget；　just　now；　washis　work。







CHAPTER　XXVIII



CONSPIRATORS





Early　in　February　came　Arkwright's　appearance

at　the　Boston　Opera　Housethe　first　since

he　had　sung　there　as　a　student　a　few　years　before。　

He　was　an　immediate　and　an　unquestioned　success。　

His　portrait　adorned　the　front　page　of　almost

every　Boston　newspaper　the　next　morning；

and　captious　critics　vied　with　each　other　to　do

him　honor。　　His　full　history；　from　boyhood　up；

was　featured；　with　special　emphasis　on　his　recent

triumphs　in　New　York　and　foreign　capitals。　　He

was　interviewed　as　to　his　opinion　on　everything

from　vegetarianism　to　woman's　suffrage；　and

his　preferences　as　to　pies　and　pastimes　were　given

headline　prominence。　　There　was　no　doubt　of　it。　

Mr。　M。　J。　Arkwright　was　a　star。



All　Arkwright's　old　friends；　including　Billy；

Bertram；　Cyril；　Marie；　Calderwell；　Alice　Greggory；

Aunt　Hannah；　and　Tommy　Dunn；　went　to

hear　him　sing；　and　after　the　performance　he　held

a　miniature　reception；　with　enough　adulation　to

turn　his　head　completely　around；　he　declared

deprecatingly。　　Not　until　the　next　evening；　however；

did　he　have　an　opportunity　for　what　he

called　a　real　talk　with　any　of　his　friends；　then；

in　Calderwell's　room；　he　settled　back　in　his　chair

with　a　sigh　of　content。



For　a　time　his　own　and　Calderwell's　affairs

occupied　their　attention；　then；　after　a　short　pause；

the　tenor　asked　abruptly：



‘‘Is　there　anythingwrong　with　the　Henshaws；

Calderwell？''



Calderwell　came　suddenly　erect　in　his　chair。



‘‘Thank　you！　　I　hoped　you'd　introduce　that

subject；　though；　for　that　matter；　if　you　hadn't；

I　should。　　Yes；　there　isand　I'm　looking　to

you；　old　man；　to　get　them　out　of　it。''



‘‘I？''　Arkwright　sat　erect　now。



‘‘Yes。''



‘‘What　do　you　mean？''



‘‘In　a　way；　the　expected　has　happened

though　I　know　now　that　I　didn't　really　expect

it　to　happen；　in　spite　of　my　prophecies。　　You　may

remember　I　was　always　skeptical　on　the　subject

of　Bertram's　settling　down　to　a　domestic　hearthstone。　

I　insisted　'twould　be　the　turn　of　a　girl's

head　and　the　curve　of　her　cheek　that　he　wanted

to　paint。''



Arkwright　looked　up　with　a　quick　frown。



‘‘You　don't　mean　that　Henshaw　has　been　cad

enough　to　find　another''



Calderwell　threw　up　his　hand。



‘‘No；　no；　not　that！　　We　haven't　that　to　deal

withyet；　thank　goodness！　　There's　no　woman

in　it。　　And；　really；　when　you　come　right　down　to

it；　if　ever　a　fellow　had　an　excuse　to　seek　diversion；

Bertram　Henshaw　haspoor　chap！　　It's　just

this。　　Bertram　broke　his　arm　again　last　October。''



‘‘Yes；　so　I　hear；　and　I　thought　he　was　looking

badly。''



‘‘He　is。　　It's　a　bad　business。　　'Twas　improperly

set　in　the　first　place；　and　it's　not　doing　well

now。　　In　fact；　I'm　told　on　pretty　good　authority

that　the　doctor　says　he　probably　will　never　use

it　again。''



‘‘Oh；　by　George！　　Calderwell！''



‘‘Yes。　　Tough；　isn't　it？　　'Specially　when　you

think　of　his　work；　and　knowas　I　happen　to

that　he's　particularly　dependent　on　his　right

hand　for　everything。　　He　doesn't　tell　this

generally；　and　I　understand　Billy　and　the　family

know　nothing　of　ithow　hopeless　the　case　is；

I　mean。　　Well；　naturally；　the　poor　fellow　has

been　pretty　thoroughly　discouraged；　and　to　get

away　from　himself　he's　gone　back　to　his　old

Bohemian　habits；　spending　much　of　his　time　with

some　of　his　old　cronies　that　are　none　too　good

for　himSeaver；　for　instance。''



‘‘Bob　Seaver？　　Yes；　I　know　him。''　　Arkwright's

lips　snapped　together　crisply。



‘‘Yes。　　He　said　he　knew　you。　　That's　why　I'm

counting　on　your　help。''



‘‘What　do　you　mean？''



‘‘I　mean　I　want　you　to　get　Henshaw　away

from　him；　and　keep　him　away。''



Arkwright's　face　darkened　with　an　angry

flush。



‘‘Great　Scott；　Calderwell！　　What　are　you

talking　about？　　Henshaw　is　no　kid　to　be　toted

home；　and　I'm　no　nursery　governess　to　do　the

toting！''



Calderwell　laughed　quietly。



‘‘No；　I　don't　think　any　one　would　take　you

for　a　nursery　governess；　Arkwright；　in　spite　of

the　fact　that　you　are　still　known　to　some　of　your

friends　as　‘Mary　Jane。'　　But　you　can　sing　a　song；

man；　which　will　promptly　give　you　a　through

ticket　to　their　innermost　sacred　circle。　　In　fact；

to　my　certain　knowledge；　Seaver　is　already　planning

a　jamboree　with　you　at　the　right　hand　of

the　toastmaster。　　There's　your　chance。　　Once

in；　stay　inlong　enough　to　get　Henshaw

out。''



‘‘But；　good　heavens；　Calderwell；　it's　impossible！　

What　can　I　do？''　demanded　Arkwright；

savagely。　　‘‘I　can't　walk　up　to　the　man；　take

him　by　the　ear；　and　say：　　‘Here；　you；　sirmarch

home！'　　Neither　can　I　come　the　‘I…am…holier…

than…thou'　act；　and　hold　up　to　him　the　mirror

of　his　transgressions。''



‘‘No；　but　you　can　get　him　out　of　it　_some_　way。　

You　can　find　a　wayfor　Billy's　sake。''



There　was　no　answer；　and；　after　a　moment；

Calderwell　went　on　more　quietly。



‘‘I　haven't　seen　Billy　but　two　or　three　times

since　I　came　back　to　Bostonbut　I　don't　need

to；　to　know　that　she's　breaking　her　heart　over

something。　　And　of　course　that　something　is

Bertram。''



There　was　still　no　answer。　　Arkwright　got　up

suddenly；　and　walked　to　the　window。



‘‘You　see；　I'm　helpless；''　resumed　Calderwell。　

‘‘I　don't　paint　pictures；　nor　sing　songs；　nor　write

stories；　nor　dance　jigs　for　a　livingand　you

have　to　do　one　or　another　to　be　in　with　that　set。　

And　it's　got　to　be　a　Johnny…on…the…spot　with

Bertram。　　All　is；　something　will　have　to　be　done

to　get　him　out　of　the　state　of　mind　and　body

he's　in　now；　or''



Arkwright　wheeled　sharply。



‘‘When　did　you　say　this　jamboree　was　going

to　be？''　he　demanded。



‘‘Next　week；　some　time。　　The　date　is　not　settled。　

They　were　going　to　consult　you。''



‘‘Hm…m；''　commented　Arkwright。　　And；

though　his　next　remark　was　a　complete　change

of　subject；　Calderwell　gave　a　contented　sigh。





If；　when　the　proposition　was　first　made　to　him；

Arkwright　was　doubtful　of　his　ability　to　be　a

successful　‘‘Johnny…on…the…spot；''　he　was　even

more　doubtful　of　it　as　the　days　passed；　and　he

was　attempting　to　carry　out　the　suggestion。



He　had　known　that　he　was　undertaking　a　most

difficult　and　delicate　task；　and　he　soon　began　to

fear　that　it　was　an　impossible　one；　as　well。　　With

a　dogged　persistence；　however；　he　adhered　to　his

purpose；　ever　on　the　alert　to　be　more　watchful；

more　tactful；　more　efficient　in　emergencies。



Disagreeable　as　was　the　task；　in　a　way；　in

another　way　it　was　a　great　pleasure　to　him。　　He

was　glad　of　the　opportunity　to　do　anything　for

Billy；　and　then；　too；　he　was　glad　of　something

absorbing　enough　to　take　his　mind　off　his　own

affairs。　　He　told　himself；　sometimes；　that　this

helping　another　man　to　fight　his　tiger　skin　was

assisting　himself　to　fight　his　own。



Arkwright　was　trying　very　hard　not　to　think

of　Alice　Greggory　these　days。　　He　had　come　back

hoping　that　he　was　in　a　measure　‘‘cured'