miss billie married-第6章

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his　master　did　not　even　glance　toward　his　once

treasured　possession　on　the　floor。



‘‘Nonsense；　Pete！''　he　was　saying　in　a

particularly　cheery　voice。　　‘‘Have　you　lived　all　these

years　and　not　found　out　that　newly…married

folks　don't　_need_　any　one　else　around？　　Come；

do　you　suppose　we　could　begin　to　pack　these

teapots　to…night？''　he　added；　a　little　feverishly。　

‘‘Aren't　there　some　boxes　down　cellar？''



‘‘I'll　see；　sir；''　said　Pete；　respectfully；　but　the

expression　on　his　face　as　he　turned　away　showed

that　he　was　not　thinking　of　teapotsnor　of

boxes　in　which　to　pack　them。







CHAPTER　III



BILLY　SPEAKS　HER　MIND





Mr。　and　Mrs。　Bertram　Henshaw　were　expected

home　the　first　of　September。　　By　the　thirty…first

of　August　the　old　Beacon　Street　homestead　facing

the　Public　Garden　was　in　spick…and…span　order；

with　Dong　Ling　in　the　basement　hovering　over　a

well…stocked　larder；　and　Pete　searching　the　rest

of　the　house　for　a　chair　awry；　or　a　bit　of　dust

undiscovered。



Twice　before　had　the　Strataas　Bertram

long　ago　dubbed　the　home　of　his　boyhood

been　prepared　for　the　coming　of　Billy；　William's

namesake：　once；　when　it　had　been　decorated

with　guns　and　fishing…rods　to　welcome　the　‘‘boy''

who　turned　out　to　be　a　girl；　and　again　when

with　pink　roses　and　sewing…baskets　the　three

brothers　got　joyously　ready　for　a　feminine　Billy

who　did　not　even　come　at　all。



The　house　had　been　very　different　then。　　It

had　been；　indeed；　a　‘‘strata；''　with　its　distinctive

layers　of　fads　and　pursuits　as　represented　by

Bertram　and　his　painting　on　one　floor；　William

and　his　curios　on　another；　and　Cyril　with　his

music　on　a　third。　　Cyril　was　gone　now。　　Only

Pete　and　his　humble　belongings　occupied　the　top

floor。　　The　floor　below；　too；　was　silent　now；　and

almost　empty　save　for　a　rug　or　two；　and　a　few

pieces　of　heavy　furniture　that　William　had　not

cared　to　take　with　him　to　his　new　quarters　on

top　of　Beacon　Hill。　　Below　this；　however；　came

Billy's　old　rooms；　and　on　these　Pete　had　lavished

all　his　skill　and　devotion。



Freshly　laundered　curtains　were　at　the　windows；

dustless　rugs　were　on　the　floor。　　The　old

work…basket　had　been　brought　down　from　the

top…floor　storeroom；　and　the　long…closed　piano

stood　invitingly　open。　　In　a　conspicuous　place；

also；　sat　the　little　green　god；　upon　whose

exquisitely　carved　shoulders　was　supposed　to　rest　the

‘‘heap　plenty　velly　good　luckee''　of　Dong　Ling's

prophecy。



On　the　first　floor　Bertram's　old　rooms　and　the

drawing…room　came　in　for　their　share　of　the

general　overhauling。　　Even　Spunkie　did　not　escape；

but　had　to　submit　to　the　ignominy　of　a

bath。　　And　then　dawned　fair　and　clear　the　first

day　of　September；　bringing　at　five　o'clock　the

bride　and　groom。



Respectfully　lined　up　in　the　hall　to　meet　them

were　Pete　and　Dong　Ling：　　Pete　with　his　wrinkled

old　face　alight　with　joy　and　excitement；　Dong

Ling　grinning　and　kotowing；　and　chanting　in　a

high…pitched　treble：



‘‘Miss　Billee；　Miss　Billeeplenty　much　welcome；

Miss　Billee！''



‘‘Yes；　welcome　home；　Mrs。　_Henshaw！_''　bowed

Bertram；　turning　at　the　door；　with　an　elaborate

flourish　that　did　not　in　the　least　hide　his　tender

pride　in　his　new　wife。



Billy　laughed　and　colored　a　pretty　pink。



‘‘Thank　youall　of　you；''　she　cried　a　little

unsteadily。　　‘‘And　how　good；　good　everything

does　look　to　me！　　Why；　where's　Uncle　William？''

she　broke　off；　casting　hurriedly　anxious　eyes

about　her。



‘‘Well；　I　should　say　so；''　echoed　Bertram。　

‘‘Where　is　he；　Pete？　　He　isn't　sick；　is　he？''



A　quick　change　crossed　the　old　servant's　face。　

He　shook　his　head　dumbly。



Billy　gave　a　gleeful　laugh。



‘‘I　knowhe's　asleep！''　she　caroled；　skipping

to　the　bottom　of　the　stairway　and　looking　up



‘‘Ho；　Uncle　William！　　Better　wake　up；　sir。　　The

folks　have　come！''



Pete　cleared　his　throat。



‘‘Mr。　William　isn't　here；　Missma'am；''　he

corrected　miserably。



Billy　smiled；　but　she　frowned；　too。



‘‘Not　here！　Well；　　I　like　that；''　she　pouted；

‘‘and　when　I've　brought　him　the　most　beautiful

pair　of　mirror　knobs　he　ever　saw；　and　all　the

way　in　my　bag；　too；　so　I　could　give　them　to　him

the　very　first　thing；''　she　added；　darting　over　to

the　small　bag　she　had　brought　in　with　her。　　‘‘I'm

glad　I　did；　too；　for　our　trunks　didn't　come；''　she

continued　laughingly。　　‘‘Still；　if　he　isn't　here　to

receive　them　　There；　Pete；　aren't　they　beautiful？''

she　cried；　carefully　taking　from　their　wrappings

two　exquisitely　decorated　porcelain　discs

mounted　on　two　long　spikes。　　‘‘They're　Batterseas

the　real　article。　　I　know　enough　for

that；　and　they're　finer　than　anything　he's　got。　

Won't　he　be　pleased？''



‘‘Yes；　Missma'am；　I　mean；''　stammered

the　old　man。



‘‘These　new　titles　come　hard；　don't　they；

Pete？''　laughed　Bertram。



Pete　smiled　faintly。



‘‘Never　mind；　Pete；''　soothed　his　new　mistress。　

‘‘You　shall　call　me　‘Miss　Billy'　all　your　life　if

you　want　to。　　Bertram；''　she　added；　turning　to

her　husband；　‘‘I'm　going　to　just　run　up…stairs

and　put　these　in　Uncle　William's　rooms　so　they'll

be　there　when　he　comes　in。　　We'll　see　how　soon

he　discovers　them！''



Before　Pete　could　stop　her　she　was　half…way

up　the　first　flight　of　stairs。　　Even　then　he　tried

to　speak　to　his　young　master；　to　explain　that

Mr。　William　was　not　living　there；　but　the　words

refused　to　come。　　He　could　only　stand　dumbly

waiting。



In　a　minute　it　cameBilly's　sharp；　startled

cry。



‘‘Bertram！　　Bertram！''



Bertram　sprang　for　the　stairway；　but　he　had

not　reached　the　top　when　he　met　his　wife　coming

down。　　She　was　white…faced　and　trembling。



‘‘Bertramthose　roomsthere's　not　so

much　as　a　teapot　there！　　Uncle　William's

gone！''



‘‘Gone！''　　Bertram　wheeled　sharply。　　‘‘Pete；

what　is　the　meaning　of　this？　　Where　is　my

brother？''　　To　hear　him；　one　would　think　he

suspected　the　old　servant　of　having　hidden　his

master。



Pete　lifted　a　shaking　hand　and　fumbled　with

his　collar。



‘‘He's　moved；　sir。''



‘‘Moved！　　Oh；　you　mean　to　other　roomsto

Cyril's。''　　Bertram　relaxed　visibly。　　‘‘He's

upstairs；　maybe。''



Pete　shook　his　head。



‘‘No。　　sir。　　He's　moved　awayout　of　the

house；　sir。''



For　a　brief　moment　Bertram　stared　as　if　he

could　not　believe　what　his　ears　had　heard。　　Then；

step　by　step；　he　began　to　descend　the　stairs。



‘‘Do　you　meanto　saythat　my　brother

has　moved…gone　away_left_his　_home？_''

he　demanded。



‘‘Yes；　sir。''



Billy　gave　a　low　cry。



‘‘But　whywhy？''　she　choked；　almost　stumbling

headlong　down　the　stairway　in　her　effort

to　reach　the　two　men　at　the　bottom。　　‘‘Pete；

why　did　he　go？''



There　was　no　answer。



‘‘Pete；''Bertram's　voice　was　very　sharp

‘‘what　is　the　meaning　of　this？　　Do　you　know

why　my　brother　left　his　home？''



The　old　man　wet　his　lips　and　swallowed　chokingly；

but　he　did　not　speak。



‘‘I'm　waiting；　Pete。''



Billy　laid　one　hand　on　the　old　servant's　arm

in　the　other　hand　she　still　tightly　clutched　the

mirror　knobs。



‘‘Pete；　if　you　do　know；　won't　you　tell　us；

please？''　she　begged。



Pete　looked　down　at　the　hand；　then　up　at　the

troubled　young　face　with　the　beseeching　eyes。　

His　own　features　worked　convulsively。　　With　a

visible　effort　he　cleared　his　throat。



‘‘I　knowwhat　he　said；''　he　stammered；　his

eyes　averted。



‘‘What　was　it？''



There　was　no　answer。



‘‘Look　here；　Pete；　you'll　have　to　tell　us；　you

know；''　cut　in　Bertram；　decisively；　‘‘so　you　might

as　well　do　it　now　as　ever。''



Once　more　Pete　cleared　his　throat。　　This　time

the　words　came　in　a　burst　of　desperation。



‘‘Yes；　sir。　　I　understand；　sir。　　It　was　only　that

he　saidhe　said　as　how　young　folks　didn't　_need_

any　one　else　around。　　So　he　was　goin'。''



‘‘Didn't　_need_　any　one　else！''　exclaimed　Bertram；

plainly　not　comprehending。



‘‘Yes；　sir。　　You　two　bein'　married