miss billie married-第56章
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mystified as to what she was talking
about； suddenly flushed a painful red。 He was
obviously about to speak； but she prevented him
with a quick gesture。
‘‘There's a little more I've got to say； please。
As if it weren't bad enough to do what you're
doing _at all_； but you must needs take it at such
a time as this whenwhen her husband _isn't_
doing just what he ought to do； and we all know
itit's so unfair to take her now； and try to
to win And you aren't even fair with him；''
she protested tremulously。 ‘‘You pretend to
be his friend。 You go with him everywhere。 It's
just as if you were _helping_ toto pull him down。
You're one with the whole bunch。'' （The blood
suddenly receded from Arkwright's face； leaving
it very white； but if Alice saw it； she paid no
heed。） ‘‘Everybody says you are。 Then to
come here like this； on the sly； when you know
he can't be here； I Oh； can't you see what
you're doing？''
There was a moment's pause； then Arkwright
spoke。 A deep pain looked from his eyes。 He
was still very pale； and his mouth had settled
into sad lines。
‘‘I think； perhaps； it may be just as well if I
tell you what I _am_ doingor； rather； trying to
do；'' he said quietly。
Then he told her。
‘‘And so you see；'' he added； when he had
finished the tale； ‘‘I haven't really accomplished
much； after all； and it seems the little I have
accomplished has only led to my being misjudged
by you； my best friend。''
Alice gave a sobbing cry。 Her face was scarlet。
Horror； shame； and relief struggled for mastery
in her countenance。
‘‘Oh； but I didn't know； I didn't know；'' she
moaned； twisting her hands nervously。 ‘‘And
now； when you've been so brave； so truefor
me to accuse you of Oh； can you _ever_ forgive
me？ But you see； knowing that you _did_ care for
her； it did look'' She choked into silence；
and turned away her head。
He glanced at her tenderly； mournfully。
‘‘Yes；'' he said； after a minute； in a low voice。
‘‘I can see how it did look； and so I'm going to
tell you now something I had meant never to tell
you。 There really couldn't have been anything in
that； you see； for I found out long ago that it was
gonewhatever love there had been for
Billy。''
‘‘But yourtiger skin！''
‘‘Oh； yes； I thought it was alive；'' smiled
Arkwright； sadly； ‘‘when I asked you to help me
fight it。 But one day； very suddenly； I discovered
that it was nothing but a dead skin of dreams
and memories。 But I made another discovery；
too。 I found that just beyond lay another one；
and that was very much alive。''
‘‘Another one？'' Alice turned to him in
wonder。 ‘‘But you never asked me to help you fight
that one！''
He shook his head。
‘‘No； I couldn't； you see。 You couldn't have
helped me。 You'd only have hindered me。''
‘‘Hindered you？''
‘‘Yes。 You see； it was my love foryou；
that I was fightingthen。''
Alice gave a low cry and flushed vividly； but
Arkwright hurried on； his eyes turned away。
‘‘Oh； I understand。 I know。 I'm not asking
foranything。 I heard some time ago of your
engagement to Calderwell。 I've tried many
times to say the proper； expected pretty speeches；
butI couldn't。 I will now； though。 I do。
You have all my tenderest best wishes for your
happinessdear。 If long ago I hadn't been
such a blind fool as not to know my own
heart''
‘‘Butbut there's some mistake；'' interposed
Alice； palpitatingly； with hanging head。
‘‘II'm not engaged to Mr。 Calderwell。''
Arkwright turned and sent a keen glance into
her face。
‘‘You'renot？''
‘‘No。''
‘‘But I heard that Calderwell'' He stopped
helplessly。
‘‘You heard that Mr。 Calderwell was engaged；
very likely。 Butit so happens he isn't engaged
to me；'' murmured Alice； faintly。
‘‘But； long ago you said'' Arkwright
paused； his eyes still keenly searching her face。
‘‘Never mind what I saidlong ago；'' laughed
Alice； trying unsuccessfully to meet his gaze。
‘‘One says lots of things； at times； you know。''
Into Arkwright's eyes came a new light； a
light that plainly needed but a breath to fan it
into quick fire。
‘‘Alice；'' he said softly； ‘‘do you mean that
maybe nowI needn't try to fightthat other
tiger skin？''
There was no answer。
Arkwright reached out a pleading hand。
‘‘Alice； dear； I've loved you so long；'' he begged
unsteadily。 ‘‘Don't you think that sometime；
if I was very； very patient； you could just _begin_
to care a little for me？''
Still there was no answer。 Then； slowly； Alice
shook her head。 Her face was turned quite away
which was a pity； for if Arkwright could have
seen the sudden tender mischief in her eyes； his
own would not have become so somber。
‘‘Not even a little bit？''
‘‘I couldn't everbegin；'' answered a half…
smothered voice。
‘‘Alice！'' cried the man； heart…brokenly。
Alice turned now； and for a fleeting instant
let him see her eyes； glowing with the love so
long kept in relentless exile。
‘‘I couldn't； because； you see…I began
long ago；'' she whispered。
‘‘Alice！'' It was the same single word； but
spoken with a world of difference； for into it now
was crowded all the glory and the wonder of a
great love。 ‘‘Alice！'' breathed the man again；
and this time the word was； oh； so tenderly whispered
into the little pink and white ear of the girl
in his arms。
‘‘I got delayed；'' began Billy； in the doorway。
‘‘Oh…h！'' she broke off； beating a hushed； but
precipitate； retreat。
Fully thirty minutes later； Billy came to the
door again。 This time her approach was heralded
by a snatch of song。
‘‘I hope you'll excuse my being gone so long；''
she smiled； as she entered the room where her
two guests sat decorously face to face at the chess…
table。
‘‘Well； you know you said you'd be gone ten
minutes；'' Arkwright reminded her； politely。
‘‘Yes； I know I did。'' And Billy； to her credit；
did not even smile at the man who did not know
ten minutes from fifty。
CHAPTER XXX
BY A BABY'S HAND
After all； it was the baby's hand that did it；
as was proper； and perhaps to be expected； for
surely； was it not Bertram； Jr。's place to show
his parents that he was； indeed； no Wedge； but
a dear and precious Tie binding two loving； loyal
hearts more and more closely together？ It
would seem； indeed； that Bertram； Jr。； thought
so； perhaps； and very bravely he set about it；
though； to carry out his purpose； he had to turn
his steps into an unfamiliar waya way of pain；
and weariness； and danger。
It was Arkwright who told Bertram that the
baby was very sick； and that Billy wanted him。
Bertram went home at once to find a distracted；
white…faced Billy； and a twisted； pain…racked
little creature； who it was almost impossible to
believe was the happy； laughing baby boy he
had left that morning。
For the next two weeks nothing was thought
of in the silent old Beacon Street house but the
tiny little life hovering so near Death's door that
twice it appeared to have slipped quite across
the threshold。 All through those terrible weeks
it seemed as if Billy neither ate nor slept； and
always at her side； comforting； cheering； and
helping wherever possible was Bertram； tender；
loving； and marvelously thoughtful。
Then came the turning point when the universe
itself appeared to hang upon a baby's
breath。 Gradually； almost imperceptibly； came
the fluttering back of the tiny spirit into the
longing arms stretched so far； far out to meet and
hold it。 And the father and the mother； looking
into each other's sleepless； dark…ringed eyes；
knew that their son was once more theirs to love
and cherish。
When two have gone together with a dear one
down into the Valley of the Shadow of Death；
and have com
