miss billie married-第8章

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‘‘But　you　are　coming　back；''　cut　in　Bertram；

almost　angrily。　　‘‘Oh；　come；　Will；　this　is　utter

nonsense；　and　you　know　it！　　Come；　let's　go　home

to　dinner。''



A　stern　look　came　to　the　corners　of　William's

moutha　look　that　Bertram　understood　well。



‘‘All　right；　I'll　go　to　dinner；　of　course；　but

I　sha'n't　stay；''　said　William；　firmly。　　‘‘I've

thought　it　all　out。　　I　know　I'm　right。　　Come；

we'll　go　to　dinner　now；　and　say　no　more　about

it；''　he　finished　with　a　cheery　smile；　as　he　rose　to

his　feet。　　Then；　to　the　bride；　he　added：　　‘‘Did

you　have　a　nice　trip；　little　girl？''



Billy；　too；　had　risen；　now；　but　she　did　not

seem　to　have　heard　his　question。　　In　the　fast

falling　twilight　her　face　looked　a　little　white。



‘‘Uncle　William；''　she　began　very　quietly；　‘‘do

you　think　for　a　minute　that　just　because　I　married

your　brother　I　am　going　to　live　in　that　house

and　turn　you　out　of　the　home　you've　lived　in　all

your　life？''



‘‘Nonsense；　dear！　　I'm　not　turned　out。　　I　just

go；''　corrected　Uncle　William；　gayly。



With　superb　disdain　Billy　brushed　this　aside。



‘‘Oh；　no；　you　won't；''　she　declared；　‘‘but

_I　shall_。''



‘‘Billy！''　gasped　Bertram。



‘‘Mymy　dear！''　expostulated　William；

faintly。



‘‘Uncle　William！　　Bertram！　　Listen；''　panted

Billy。　　‘‘I　never　told　you　much　before；　but　I'm

going　to；　now。　　Long　ago；　when　I　went　away　with

Aunt　Hannah；　your　sister　Kate　showed　me　how

dear　the　old　home　was　to　youhow　much　you

thought　of　it。　　And　she　saidshe　said　that　I　had

upset　everything。''　　（Bertram　interjected　a　sharp

word；　but　Billy　paid　no　attention。）　　‘‘That's

why　I　went；　and　_I　shall　go　again_if　you　don't

come　home　to…morrow　to　stay；　Uncle　William。

Come；　now　let's　go　to　dinner；　please。　　Bertram's

hungry；''　she　finished；　with　a　bright　smile。



There　was　a　tense　moment　of　silence。　　William

glanced　at　Bertram；　Bertram　returned　the　glance

with　interest。



‘‘Erahyes；　well；　we　might　go　to　dinner；''

stammered　William；　after　a　minute。



‘‘Eryes；''　agreed　Bertram。　　And　the　three

fell　into　step　together。







CHAPTER　IV



‘‘JUST　LIKE　BILLY''





Billy　did　not　leave　the　Strata　this　time。　

Before　twenty…four　hours　had　passed；　the　last

cherished　fragment　of　Mr。　William　Henshaw's

possessions　had　been　carefully　carried　down　the

imposing　steps　of　the　Beacon　Hill　boarding…house

under　the　disapproving　eyes　of　its　bugle…adorned

mistress；　who　found　herself　now　with　a　month's

advance　rent　and　two　vacant　‘‘parlors''　on　her

hands。　　Before　another　twenty…four　hours　had

passed　her　quondam　boarder；　with　a　tired　sigh；

sank　into　his　favorite　morris　chair　in　his　old

familiar　rooms；　and　looked　about　him　with　contented

eyes。　　Every　treasure　was　in　place；　from

the　traditional　four　small　stones　of　his　babyhood

days　to　the　Batterseas　Billy　had　just　brought　him。　

Pete；　as　of　yore；　was　hovering　near　with　a　dust…

cloth。　　Bertram's　gay　whistle　sounded　from　the

floor　below。　　William　Henshaw　was　at　home　again。



This　much　accomplished；　Billy　went　to　see

Aunt　Hannah。



Aunt　Hannah　greeted　her　affectionately；　though

with　tearfully　troubled　eyes。　　She　was　wearing

a　gray　shawl　to…day　topped　with　a　black　one

sure　sign　of　unrest；　either　physical　or　mental；　as

all　her　friends　knew。



‘‘I'd　begun　to　think　you'd　forgottenme；''

she　faltered；　with　a　poor　attempt　at　gayety。



‘‘You've　been　home　three　whole　days。''



‘‘I　know；　dearie；''　smiled　Billy；　‘‘and　'twas

a　shame。　　But　I　have　been　so　busy！　　My　trunks

came　at　last；　and　I've　been　helping　Uncle　William

get　settled；　too。''



Aunt　Hannah　looked　puzzled。



‘‘Uncle　William　get　settled？　　You　mean

he's　changed　his　room？''



Billy　laughed　oddly；　and　threw　a　swift　glance

into　Aunt　Hannah's　face。



‘‘Well；　yes；　he　did　change；''　she　murmured；

‘‘but　he's　moved　back　now　into　the　old　quarters。　

Eryou　haven't　heard　from　Uncle　William

then；　lately；　I　take　it。''



‘‘No。''　　Aunt　Hannah　shook　her　head

abstractedly。　　‘‘I　did　see　him　once；　several　weeks

ago；　but　I　haven't；　since。　　We　had　quite　a　talk；

then；　and；　Billy；　I've　been　wanting　to　speak　to

you；''　she　hurried　on；　a　little　feverishly。　　‘‘I

didn't　like　to　leave；　of　course；　till　you　did　come

home；　as　long　as　you'd　said　nothing　about　your

plans；　but''



‘‘Leave！''　interposed　Billy；　dazedly。　　‘‘Leave

where？　　What　do　you　mean？''



‘‘Why；　leave　here；　of　course；　dear。　　I　mean。　

I　didn't　like　to　get　my　room　while　you　were

away；　but　I　shall　now；　of　course；　at　once。''



‘‘Nonsense；　Aunt　Hannah！　　As　if　I'd　let　you

do　that；''　laughed　Billy。



Aunt　Hannah　stiffened　perceptibly。　　Her　lips

looked　suddenly　thin　and　determined。　　Even　the

soft　little　curls　above　her　ears　seemed　actually

to　bristle　with　resolution。



‘‘Billy；''　she　began　firmly；　‘‘we　might　as　well

understand　each　other　at　once。　　I　know　your

good　heart；　and　I　appreciate　your　kindness。　　But

I　can　not　come　to　live　with　you。　　I　shall　not。　　It

wouldn't　be　best。　　I　should　be　like　an　interfering

elder　brother　in　your　home。　　I　should　spoil　your

young　married　life；　and　if　I　went　away　for　two

months　you'd　never　forget　the　utter　joy　and

freedom　of　those　two　months　with　the　whole

house　ali　to　yourselves。''



At　the　beginning　of　this　speech　Billy's　eyes

had　still　carried　their　dancing　smile；　but　as　the

peroration　progressed　on　to　the　end；　a　dawning

surprise；　which　soon　became　a　puzzled　questioning；

drove　the　smile　away。　　Then　Billy　sat　suddenly　erect。



‘‘Why；　Aunt　Hannah；　that's　exactly　what

Uncle　William''　　Billy　stopped；　and　regarded

Aunt　Hannah　with　quick　suspicion。　　The　next

moment　she　burst　into　gleeful　laughter。



Aunt　Hannah　looked　grieved；　and　not　a　little

surprised；　but　Billy　did　not　seem　to　notice

this。



‘‘Oh；　oh；　Aunt　Hannahyou；　too！　　How

perfectly　funny！''　she　gurgled。　　‘‘To　think　you

two　old　blesseds　should　get　your　heads　together

like　this！''



Aunt　Hannah　stirred　restively；　and　pulled　the

black　shawl　more　closely　about　her。



‘‘Indeed；　Billy；　I　don't　know　what　you　mean

by　that；''　she　sighed；　with　a　visible　effort　at　self…

control；　‘‘but　I　do　know　that　I　can　not　go　to　live

with　you。''



‘‘Bless　your　heart；　dear；　I　don't　want　you　to；''

soothed　Billy；　with　gay　promptness。



‘‘Oh！　　O…h…h；''　stammered　Aunt　Hannah；　surprise；

mortification；　dismay；　and　a　grieved　hurt

bringing　a　flood　of　color　to　her　face。　　It　is　one

thing　to　refuse　a　home；　and　quite　another　to　have

a　home　refused　you。



‘‘Oh！　　O…h…h；　Aunt　Hannah；''　cried　Billy；

turning　very　red　in　her　turn。　　‘‘Please；　_please_　don't

look　like　that。　　I　didn't　mean　it　that　way。　　I　do

want　you；　dear；　onlyI　want　you　somewhere

else　more。　　I　want　youhere。''



‘‘Here！''　　Aunt　Hannah　looked　relieved；　but

unconvinced。



‘‘Yes。　　Don't　you　like　it　here？''



‘‘Like　it！　　Why；　I　love　it；　dear。　　You　know　I

do。　　But　you　don't　need　this　house　now；　Billy。''



‘‘Oh；　yes；　I　do；''　retorted　Billy；　airily。　　‘‘I'm

going　to　keep　it　up；　and　I　want　you　here。



‘‘Fiddlededee；　Billy！　　As　if　I'd　let　you　keep　up

this　house　just　for　me；''　scorned　Aunt　Hannah。



‘‘　'Tisn't　just　for　you。　　It's　forfor　lots　of

folks。''



‘‘My　grief　and　conscience；　Billy！　　What　are

you　talking　about？''



Billy　laughed；　and　settled　herself　more

comfortably　on　the　hassock　at　Aunt　Hannah's　feet。



‘‘Well；　I'll　tell　you。　　Just　now　I　want　it　for

Tommy　Dunn；　and　the　Greggorys　if　I　can　get

them；　and　maybe　one　or　two　others。　　There'll

always　be　somebody。　　You　see；　I　had　thought

I'd　have　them　at　the　Strata。''



‘‘Tommy　Dunnat　the　Strata！''



Billy　laughed　again　ruefully。



‘‘O　dear！　　You　sound　just　like　Bertram；''　she

pouted。　　‘‘He　didn't　want　Tommy；　either；　nor

any　of　the　rest　of　them。''



‘‘The　rest　of　them！''



‘‘Well；　I　could　have　had　a　lot　more；　you　know；

the　Strata　is　so　big；　especially　now　that　Cyril

has　gone；　and　left　all