miss billie married-第54章

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of　Alice　Greggory　these　days。　　He　had　come　back

hoping　that　he　was　in　a　measure　‘‘cured''　of　his

‘‘folly；''　as　he　termed　it；　but　the　first　look　into

Alice　Greggory's　blue…gray　eyes　had　taught　him

the　fallacy　of　that　idea。　　In　that　very　first　meeting

with　Alice；　he　feared　that　he　had　revealed

his　secret；　for　she　was　plainly　so　nervously　distant

and　ill　at　ease　with　him　that　he　could　but

construe　her　embarrassment　and　chilly　dignity　as

pity　for　him　and　a　desire　to　show　him　that　she

had　nothing　but　friendship　for　him。　　Since　then

he　had　seen　but　little　of　her；　partly　because　he

did　not　wish　to　see　her；　and　partly　because　his

time　was　so　fully　occupied。　　Then；　too；　in　a　round…

about　way　he　had　heard　a　rumor　that　Calderwell

was　engaged　to　be　married；　and；　though　no　feminine

name　had　been　mentioned　in　connection

with　the　story；　Arkwright　had　not　hesitated

to　supply　in　his　own　mind　that　of　Alice　Greggory。



Beginning　with　the　‘‘jamboree；''　which　came

off　quite　in　accordance　with　Calderwell's　prophecies；

Arkwright　spent　the　most　of　such　time　as

was　not　given　to　his　professional　duties　in

deliberately　cultivating　the　society　of　Bertram　and

his　friends。　　To　this　extent　he　met　with　no　difficulty；

for　he　found　that　M。　J。　Arkwright；　the

new　star　in　the　operatic　firmament；　was　obviously

a　welcome　comrade。　　Beyond　this　it　was　not　so

easy。　　Arkwright　wondered；　indeed；　sometimes；

if　he　were　making　any　progress　at　all。　　But　still

he　persevered。



He　walked　with　Bertram；　he　talked　with　Bertram；

unobtrusively　he　contrived　to　be　near　Bertram

almost　always；　when　they　were　together

with　‘‘the　boys。''　　Gradually　he　won　from　him

the　story　of　what　the　surgeon　had　said　to　him；

and　of　how　black　the　future　looked　in

consequence。　　This　established　a　new　bond　between

them；　so　potent　that　Arkwright　ventured　to　test

it　one　day　by　telling　Bertram　the　story　of　the

tiger　skinthe　first　tiger　skin　in　his　uncle's

library　years　ago；　and　of　how；　since　then；　any

difficulty　he　had　encountered　he　had　tried　to　treat

as　a　tiger　skin。　　In　telling　the　story　he　was　careful

to　draw　no　moral　for　his　listener；　and　to　preach

no　sermon。　　He　told　the　tale；　too；　with　all　possible

whimsical　lightness　of　touch；　and　immediately

at　its　conclusion　he　changed　the　subject。　

But　that　he　had　not　failed　utterly　in　his　design

was　evidenced　a　few　days　later　when　Bertram

grimly　declared　that　he　guessed　_his_　tiger　skin

was　a　lively　beast；　all　right。



The　first　time　Arkwright　went　home　with

Bertram；　his　presence　was　almost　a　necessity。　

Bertram　was　not　quite　himself　that　night。　　Billy

admitted　them。　　She　had　plainly　been　watching

and　waiting。　　Arkwright　never　forgot　the　look

on　her　face　as　her　eyes　met　his。　　There　was　a

curious　mixture　of　terror；　hurt　pride；　relief；　and

shame；　overtopped　by　a　fierce　loyalty　which　almost

seemed　to　say　aloud　the　words：　　‘‘Don't

you　dare　to　blame　him！''



Arkwright's　heart　ached　with　sympathy　and

admiration　at　the　proudly　courageous　way　in

which　Billy　carried　off　the　next　few　painful

minutes。　　Even　when　he　bade　her　good　night　a　little

later；　only　her　eyes　said　‘‘thank　you。''　　Her　lips

were　dumb。



Arkwright　often　went　home　with　Bertram　after

that。　　Not　that　it　was　always　necessary

far　from　it。　　Some　time；　indeed；　elapsed　before

he　had　quite　the　same　excuse　again　for　his　presence。　

But　he　had　found　that　occasionally　he

could　get　Bertram　home　earlier　by　adroit

suggestions　of　one　kind　or　another；　and　more　and

more　frequently　he　was　succeeding　in　getting

him　home　for　a　game　of　chess。



Bertram　liked　chess；　and　was　a　fine　player。　

Since　breaking　his　arm　he　had　turned　to　games

with　the　feverish　eagerness　of　one　who　looks　for

something　absorbing　to　fill　an　unrestful　mind。　

It　was　Seaver's　skill　in　chess　that　had　at　first

attracted　Bertram　to　the　man　long　ago；　but　Bertram

could　beat　him　easilytoo　easily　for　much

pleasure　in　it　now。　　So　they　did　not　play　chess

often　these　days。　　Bertram　had　found　that；　in

spite　of　his　injury；　he　could　still　take　part　in

other　games；　and　some　of　them；　if　not　so　intricate

as　chess；　were　at　least　more　apt　to　take　his

mind　off　himself；　especially　if　there　were　a　bit

of　money　up　to　add　zest　and　interest。



As　it　happened；　however；　Bertram　learned

one　day　that　Arkwright　could　play　chessand

play　well；　too；　as　he　discovered　after　their　first

game　together。　　This　fact　contributed　not　a

little　to　such　success　as　Arkwright　was　having

in　his　efforts　to　wean　Bertram　from　his　undesirable

companions；　for　Bertram　soon　found　out

that　Arkwright　was　more　than　a　match　for　himself；

and　the　occasional　games　he　did　succeed　in

winning　only　whetted　his　appetite　for　more。　

Many　an　evening　now；　therefore；　was　spent　by

the　two　men　in　Bertram's　den；　with　Billy

anxiously　hovering　near；　her　eyes　longingly

watching　either　her　husband's　absorbed　face　or　the

pretty　little　red　and　white　ivory　figures；　which

seemed　to　possess　so　wonderful　a　power　to　hold

his　attention。　　In　spite　of　her　joy　at　the　chessmen's

efficacy　in　keeping　Bertram　at　home；　however；

she　was　almost　jealous　of　them。



‘‘Mr。　Arkwright；　couldn't　you　show　_me_　how　to

play；　sometime？''　she　said　wistfully；　one　evening；

when　the　momentary　absence　of　Bertram

had　left　the　two　alone　together。　　‘‘I　used　to

watch　Bertram　and　Marie　play　years　ago；　but

I　never　knew　how　to　play　myself。　　Not　that　I

can　see　where　the　fun　is　in　just　sitting　staring　at

a　chessboard　for　half　an　hour　at　a　time；　though！　

But　Bertram　likes　it；　and　so　II　want　to　learn

to　stare　with　him。　　Will　you　teach　me？''



‘‘I　should　be　glad　to；''　smiled　Arkwright。



‘‘Then　will　you　come；　maybe；　sometimes

when　Bertram　is　at　the　doctor's？　　He　goes　every

Tuesday　and　Friday　at　three　o'clock　for　treatment。　

I'd　rather　you　came　then　for　two　reasons：

first；　because　I　don't　want　Bertram　to　know

I'm　learning；　till　I　can　play　_some_；　and；　secondly；

becausebecause　I　don't　want　to　take　you

awayfrom　him。''



The　last　words　were　spoken　very　low；　and　were

accompanied　by　a　painful　blush。　　It　was　the

first　time　Billy　had　ever　hinted　to　Arkwright；

in　words；　that　she　understood　what　he　was　trying

to　do。



‘‘I'll　come　next　Tuesday；''　promised　Arkwright；

with　a　cheerfully　unobservant　air。　　Then　Bertram

came　in；　bringing　the　book　of　Chess　Problems；

for　which　he　had　gone　up…stairs。







CHAPTER　XXIX



CHESS





Promptly　at　three　o'clock　Tuesday　afternoon

Arkwright　appeared　at　the　Strata；　and　for　the

next　hour　Billy　did　her　best　to　learn　the　names

and　the　moves　of　the　pretty　little　ivory　men。　

But　at　the　end　of　the　hour　she　was　almost　ready

to　give　up　in　despair。



‘‘If　there　weren't　so　many　kinds；　and　if　they

didn't　all　insist　on　doing　something　different；　it

wouldn't　be　so　bad；''　she　sighed。　　‘‘But　how　can

you　be　expected　to　remember　which　goes　diagonal；

and　which　crisscross；　and　which　can't　go

but　one　square；　and　which　can　skip　'way　across

the　board；　'specially　when　that　little　pawn…thing

can　go　straight　ahead　_two_　squares　sometimes；

and　the　next　minute　only　one　（except　when　it

takes　things；　and　then　it　goes　crooked　one　square）

and　when　that　tiresome　little　horse　tries　to　go

all　ways　at　once；　and　can　jump　'round　and　hurdle

over　_anybody's_　head；　even　the　king'show　can

you　expect　folks　to　remember？　　But；　then；　Bertram

remembers；''　she　added；　resolutely；　‘‘so　I

guess　I　can。''



Whenever　possible；　after　that；　Arkwright　came

on　Tuesdays　and　Fridays；　and；　in　spite　of　her

doubts；　Billy　did　very　soon　begin　to　‘‘remember。''　

Spurred　by　her　great　desire　to　play　with　Bertram

and　surprise　him；　Billy　spared　no　pains　to　learn

well　her　lessons。　　Even　among　the　baby's　books

and　playthings　these　days　might　be　found　a

‘‘Manual　of　Chess；''　for　Billy　pursued　her　study

at　all　hours；　and　some　nights　even　her　dreams

were　of　ruined；　castles　where　kings　and　queens