miss billie married-第9章

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the　Strata　is　so　big；　especially　now　that　Cyril

has　gone；　and　left　all　those　empty　rooms。　　_I_　got

real　enthusiastic；　but　Bertram　didn't。　　He　just

laughed　and　said　‘nonsense！'　until　he　found　I

was　really　in　earnest；　then　hewell；　he　said

‘nonsense；'　then；　tooonly　he　didn't　laugh；''

finished　Billy；　with　a　sigh。



Aunt　Hannah　regarded　her　with　fond；　though

slightly　exasperated　eyes。



‘‘Billy；　you　are；　indeed；　a　most　extraordinary

young　womanat　times。　　Surely；　with　you；　a

body　never　knows　what　to　expectexcept　the

unexpected。''



‘‘Why；　Aunt　Hannah！and　from　you；　too！''

reproached　Billy；　mischievously；　but　Aunt　Hannah

had　yet　more　to　say。



‘‘Of　course　Bertram　thought　it　was　nonsense。　

The　idea　of　you；　a　bride；　filling　up　your　house

withwith　people　like　that！　　Tommy　Dunn；

indeed！''



‘‘Oh；　Bertram　said　he　liked　Tommy　all　right；''

sighed　Billy；　‘‘but　he　said　that　that　didn't　mean

he　wanted　him　for　three　meals　a　day。　　One　would

think　poor　Tommy　was　a　breakfast　food！　　So

that　is　when　I　thought　of　keeping　up　this　house；

you　see；　and　that's　why　I　want　you　hereto

take　charge　of　it。　　And　you'll　do　thatfor　me；

won't　you？''



Aunt　Hannah　fell　back　in　her　chair。



Why；　y…yes；　Billy；　of　course；　ifif　you　want

it。　　But　what　an　extraordinary　idea；　child！''



Billy　shook　her　head。　　A　deeper　color　came　to

her　cheeks；　and　a　softer　glow　to　her　eyes。



‘‘I　don't　think　so；　Aunt　Hannah。　　It's　only

that　I'm　so　happy　that　some　of　it　has　just　got　to

overflow　somewhere；　and　this　is　going　to　be　the

overflow　housea　sort　of　safety　valve　for　me；

you　see。　　I'm　going　to　call　it　the　Annexit　will

be　an　annex　to　our　home。　　And　I　want　to　keep　it

full；　always；　of　people　whowho　can　make　the

best　use　of　all　that　extra　happiness　that　I　can't

possibly　use　myself；''　she　finished　a　little

tremulously。　　‘‘Don't　you　see？''



‘‘Oh；　yes；　I　_see_；''　replied　Aunt　Hannah；　with　a

fond　shake　of　the　head。



‘‘But；　really；　listenit's　sensible；''　urged

Billy。　　‘‘First；　there's　Tommy。　　His　mother　died

last　month。　　He's　at　a　neighbor's　now；　but　they're

going　to　send　him　to　a　Home　for　Crippled　Children；

and　he's　grieving　his　heart　out　over　it。　

I'm　going　to　bring　him　here　to　a　real　home

the　kind　that　doesn't　begin　with　a　capital　letter。　

He　adores　music；　and　he's　got　real　talent；　I　think。　

Then　there's　the　Greggorys。''



Aunt　Hannah　looked　dubious。



‘‘You　can't　get　the　Greggorys　toto　use　any

of　that　happiness；　Billy。　　They're　too　proud。''



Billy　smiled　radiantly。



‘‘I　know　I　can't　get　them　to　_use_　it；　Aunt

Hannah；　but　I　believe　I　can　get　them　to　_give_　it；''

she　declared　triumphantly。　　‘‘I　shall　ask　Alice

Greggory　to　teach　Tommy　music；　and　I　shall

ask　Mrs。　Greggory　to　teach　him　books；　and　I

shall　tell　them　both　that　I　positively　need　them

to　keep　you　company。''



‘‘Oh；　but　Billy；''　bridled　Aunt　Hannah；　with

prompt　objection。



‘‘Tut；　tut！I　know　you'll　be　willing　to　be

thrown　as　a　little　bit　of　a　sop　to　the　Greggorys'

pride；''　coaxed　Billy。　　‘‘You　just　wait　till　I　get

the　Overflow　Annex　in　running　order。　　Why；

Aunt　Hannah；　you　don't　know　how　busy　you're

going　to　be　handing　out　all　that　extra　happiness

that　I　can't　use！''



‘‘You　dear　child！''　Aunt　Hannah　smiled

mistily。　　The　black　shawl　had　fallen　unheeded

to　the　floor　now。　　‘‘As　if　anybody　ever　had　any

more　happiness　than　one's　self　could　use！''



‘‘I　have；''　avowed　Billy；　promptly；　‘‘and　it's

going　to　keep　growing　and　growing；　I　know。''



‘‘Oh；　my　grief　and　conscience；　Billy；　don't！''

exclaimed　Aunt　Hannah；　lifting　shocked　hands　of

remonstrance。　　‘‘Rap　on　wooddo！　　How　can

you　boast　like　that？''



Billy　dimpled　roguishly　and　sprang　to　her　feet｛。？？｝



‘‘Why；　Aunt　Hannah；　I'm　ashamed　of　you！　

To　be　superstitious　like　thatyou；　a　good

Presbyterian！''



Aunt　Hannah　subsided　shamefacedly。



‘‘Yes；　I　know；　Billy；　it　is　silly；　but　I　just　can't

help　it。''



‘‘Oh；　but　it's　worse　than　silly；　Aunt　Hannah；''

teased　Billy；　with　a　remorseless　chuckle。　　‘‘It's

really　_heathen！_　　Bertram　told　me　once　that　it

dates　'way　back　to　the　time　of　the　Druids

appealing　to　the　god　of　trees；　or　something　like　that

when　you　rap　on　wood；　you　know。''



‘‘Ugh！''　shuddered　Aunt　Hannah。　　‘‘As　if

I　would；　Billy！　　How　is　Bertram；　by　the　by？''



A　swift　shadow　crossed　Billy's　bright　face。



‘‘He's　lovelyonly　his　arm。''



‘‘His　arm！　　But　I　thought　that　was　better。''



‘‘Oh；　it　is；''　drooped　Billy；　‘‘but　it　gets　along

so　slowly；　and　it　frets　him　dreadfully。　　You　know

he　never　can　do　anything　with　his　left　hand；　he

says；　and　he　just　hates　to　have　things　done　for

himthough　Pete　and　Dong　Ling　are　quarreling

with　each　other　all　the　time　to　do　things　for

him；　and　I'm　quarreling　with　both　of　them　to　do

them　for　him　myself！　　By　the　way；　Dong　Ling

is　going　to　leave　us　next　week。　　Did　you　know

it？''



‘‘Dong　Lingleave！''



‘‘Yes。　　Oh；　he　told　Bertram　long　ago　he

should　go　when　we　were　married；　that　he　had

plenty　much　money；　and　was　going　back　to　China；

and　not　be　Melican　man　any　longer。　　But　I　don't

think　Bertram　thought　he'd　do　it。　　William　says

Dong　Ling　went　to　Pete；　however；　after　we　left；

and　told　him　he　wanted　to　go；　that　he　liked　the

little　Missee　plenty　well；　but　that　there'd　be　too

much　hen…talk　when　she　got　back；　and''



‘‘Why；　the　impudent　creature！''



Billy　laughed　merrily。



‘‘Yes；　Pete　was　furious；　William　says；　but

Dong　Ling　didn't　mean　any　disrespect；　I'm　sure。　

He　just　wasn't　used　to　having　petticoats　around；

and　didn't　want　to　take　orders　from　them；　that's

all。''



‘‘But；　Billy；　what　will　you　do？''



‘‘Oh；　Pete's　fixed　all　that　lovely；''　returned

Billy；　nonchalantly。　　‘‘You　know　his　niece　lives

over　in　South　Boston；　and　it　seems　she's　got　a

daughter　who's　a　fine　cook　and　will　be　glad　to

come。　　Mercy！　　Look　at　the　time；''　she　broke　off；

glancing　at　the　clock。　　‘‘I　shall　be　late　to　dinner；

and　Dong　Ling　loathes　anybody　who's　late　to　his

mealsas　I　found　out　to　my　sorrow　the　night

we　got　home。　　Good…by；　dear。　　I'll　be　out　soon

again　and　fix　it　all　upabout　the　Annex；　you

know。''　　And　with　a　bright　smile　she　was　gone。



‘‘Dear　me；''　sighed　Aunt　Hannah；　stooping　to

pick　up　the　black　shawl；　‘‘dear　me！　　Of　course

everything　will　be　all　rightthere's　a　girl　coming；

even　if　Dong　Ling　is　going。　　Butbut

Oh；　my　grief　and　conscience；　what　an　extraordinary

child　Billy　is；　to　be　surebut　what　a　dear

one！''　she　added；　wiping　a　quick　tear　from　her

eye。　　‘‘An　Overflow　Annex；　indeed；　for　her　‘extra

happiness'！　　Now　isn't　that　just　like　Billy？''







CHAPTER　V



TIGER　SKINS





September　passed　and　October　came；　bringing

with　it　cool　days　and　clear；　crisp　evenings　royally

ruled　over　by　a　gorgeous　harvest　moon。　　According

to　Billy　everything　was　just　perfectexcept；

of　course；　poor　Bertram's　arm；　and　even　the

fact　that　that　gained　so　slowly　was　not　without

its　advantage　（again　according　to　Billy）；　for　it

gave　Bertram　more　time　to　be　with　her。



‘‘You　see；　dear；　as　long　as　you　_can't_　paint；''　she

told　him　earnestly；　one　day；　‘‘why；　I'm　not

really　hindering　you　by　keeping　you　with　me　so

much。''



‘‘You　certainly　are　not；''　he　retorted；　with　a

smile。



‘‘Then　I　may　be　just　as　happy　as　I　like　over

it；''　settled　Billy；　comfortably。



‘‘As　if　you　ever　could　hinder　me；''　he　ridiculed。



‘‘Oh；　yes；　I　could；''　nodded　Billy；　emphatically。　

‘‘You　forget；　sir。　　That　was　what　worried

me　so。　　Everybody；　even　the　newspapers　and

magazines；　said　I　_would_　do　it；　too。　　They　said　I'd

slay　your　Art；　stifle　your　Ambition；　destroy　your

Inspiration；　and　be　a　nuisance　generally。　　And

Kate　said''



‘‘Yes。　　Well；　never　mind　what　Kate　said；''

interrupted　the　man；　savagely。



Billy　laughed；　and　gave　his　ear　a　playful

tweak。



‘‘All　right；　but　I'm　not　going　to　do　it；　you

knowspoil　your