miss billie married-第31部分

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presence。　　Now　he　was　in　no　mood　for　such

joking。　　It　was　too　serious　a　matter　with　him。



‘‘You've　been　busy；　no　doubt；　withother

matters；''　he　presumed　forlornly；　thinking　of

Calderwell。



‘‘Yes；　I　have　been　busy；''　assented　the　girl。　

‘‘One　is　always　happier；　I　think；　to　be　busy。　

Not　that　I　meant　that　I　needed　the　work　to　_be_

happy；''　she　added　hastily；　in　a　panic　lest　he

think　she　had　a　consuming　sorrow　to　kill。



‘‘No；　of　course　not；''　he　murmured　abstractedly；

rising　to　his　feet　and　crossing　the　room　to

the　piano。　　Then；　with　an　elaborate　air　of　trying

to　appear　very　natural；　he　asked　jovially：　

‘‘Anything　new　to　play　to　me？''



Alice　arose　at　once。



‘‘Yes。　　I　have　a　little　nocturne　that　I　was

playing　to　Mr。　Calderwell　last　night。''



‘‘Oh；　to　Calderwell！''　Arkwright　had　stiffened

perceptibly。



‘‘Yes。　　_He_　didn't　like　it。　　I'll　play　it　to　you

and　see　what　you　say；''　she　smiled；　seating　herself

at　the　piano。



‘‘Well；　if　he　had　liked　it；　it's　safe　to　say　I

shouldn't；''　shrugged　Arkwright。



‘‘Nonsense！''　laughed　the　girl；　beginning　to

appear　more　like　her　natural　self。　　‘‘I　should

think　you　were　Mr。　Cyril　Henshaw！　　Mr。　Calderwell

_is_　partial　to　ragtime；　I'll　admit。　　But　there

are　some　good　things　he　likes。''



‘‘There　are；　indeed；　_some_　good　things　he　likes；''

returned　Arkwright；　with　grim　emphasis；　his

somber　eyes　fixed　on　what　he　believed　to　be　the

one　especial　object　of　Calderwell's　affections　at

the　moment。



Alice；　unaware　both　of　the　melancholy　gaze

bent　upon　herself　and　of　the　cause　thereof；

laughed　again　merrily。



‘‘Poor　Mr。　Calderwell；''　she　cried；　as　she　let　her

fingers　slide　into　soft；　introductory　chords。　　‘‘He

isn't　to　blame　for　not　liking　what　he　calls　our　lost

spirits　that　wail。　　It's　just　the　way　he's　made。''



Arkwright　vouchsafed　no　reply。　　With　an

abrupt　gesture　he　turned　and　began　to　pace　the

room　moodily。　　At　the　piano　Alice　slipped　from

the　chords　into　the　nocturne。　　She　played　it

straight　through；　then；　with　a　charm　and　skill

that　brought　Arkwright's　feet　to　a　pause　before

it　was　half　finished。



‘‘By　George；　that's　great！''　he　breathed；　when

the　last　tone　had　quivered　into　silence。



‘‘Yes；　isn't　itbeautiful？''　she　murmured。



The　room　was　very　quiet；　and　in　semi…darkness。　

The　last　rays　of　a　late　June　sunset　had　been　filling

the　room　with　golden　light；　but　it　was　gone　now。　

Even　at　the　piano　by　the　window；　Alice　had　barely

been　able　to　see　clearly　enough　to　read　the　notes

of　her　nocturne。



To　Arkwright　the　air　still　trembled　with　the

exquisite　melody　that　had　but　just　left　her　fingers。　

A　quick　fire　came　to　his　eyes。　　He　forgot　everything

but　that　it　was　Alice　there　in　the　half…light

by　the　windowAlice；　whom　he　loved。　　With　a

low　cry　he　took　a　swift　step　toward　her。



‘‘Alice！''



Instantly　the　girl　was　on　her　feet。　　But　it　was

not　toward　him　that　she　turned。　　It　was　away

resolutely；　and　with　a　haste　that　was　strangely

like　terror。



Alice；　too；　had　forgotten；　for　just　a　moment。　

She　had　let　herself　drift　into　a　dream　world　where

there　was　nothing　but　the　music　she　was　playing

and　the　man　she　loved。　　Then　the　music　had

stopped；　and　the　man　had　spoken　her　name。



Alice　remembered　then。　　She　remembered　Billy；

whom　this　man　loved。　　She　remembered　the　long

days　just　passed　when　this　man　had　stayed　away；

presumably　to　teach　_her_to　save　_her_。　　And

now；　at　the　sound　of　his　voice　speaking　her　name；

she　had　almost　bared　her　heart　to　him。



No　wonder　that　Alice；　with　a　haste　that　looked

like　terror；　crossed　the　floor　and　flooded　the　room

with　light。



‘‘Dear　me！''　she　shivered；　carefully　avoiding

Arkwright's　eyes。　　‘‘If　Mr。　Calderwell　were　here

now　he'd　have　some　excuse　to　talk　about　our　lost

spirits　that　wail。　　That　_is_　a　creepy　piece　of　music

when　you　play　it　in　the　dark！''　　And；　for　fear

that　he　should　suspect　how　her　heart　was　aching；

she　gave　a　particularly　brilliant　and　joyous　smile。



Once　again　at　the　mention　of　Calderwell's　name

Arkwright　stiffened　perceptibly。　　The　fire　left

his　eyes。　　For　a　moment　he　did　not　speak；　then；

gravely；　he　said：



‘‘Calderwell？　　Yes；　perhaps　he　would；　and

you　ought　to　be　a　judge；　I　should　think。　　You　see

him　quite　frequently；　don't　you？''



‘‘Why；　yes；　of　course。　　He　often　comes　out

here；　you　know。''



‘‘Yes；　I　had　heard　that　he　didsince　_you_

came。''



His　meaning　was　unmistakable。　　Alice　looked

up　quickly。　　A　prompt　denial　of　his　implication

was　on　her　lips　when　the　thought　came　to　her

that　perhaps　just　here　lay　a　sure　way　to　prove　to

this　man　before　her　that　there　was；　indeed；　no

need　for　him　to　teach　her；　to　save　her；　or　yet　to

sympathize　with　her。　　She　could　not　affirm；　of

course；　but　she　need　not　denyyet。



‘‘Nonsense！''　she　laughed　lightly；　pleased　that

she　could　feel　what　she　hoped　would　pass　for　a

telltale　color　burning　her　cheeks。　　‘‘Come；　let

us　try　some　duets；''　she　proposed；　leading　the

way　to　the　piano。　　And　Arkwright；　interpreting

the　apparently　embarrassed　change　of　subject

exactly　as　she　had　hoped　that　he　would　interpret

it；　followed　her；　sick　at　heart。



‘‘　‘O　wert　thou　in　the　cauld　blast；'　''　sang

Arkwright's　lips　a　few　moments　later。



‘‘I　can't　tell　her　nowwhen　I　_know_　she　cares

for　Calderwell；''　gloomily　ran　his　thoughts；　the

while。　　‘‘It　would　do　no　possible　good；　and　would

only　make　her　unhappy　to　grieve　me。''



‘‘　‘O　wert　thou　in　the　cauld　blast；'　''　chimed

in　Alice's　alto；　low　and　sweet。



‘‘I　reckon　now　he　won't　be　staying　away　from

here　any　more　just　to　_save_　me！''　ran　Alice's

thoughts；　palpitatingly　triumphant。







CHAPTER　XXI



BILLY　TAKES　HER　TURN　AT　QUESTIONING





Arkwright　did　not　call　to　see　Alice　Greggory

for　some　days。　　He　did　not　want　to　see　Alice　now。　

He　told　himself　wearily　that　she　could　not　help

him　fight　this　tiger　skin　that　lay　across　his　path；

The　very　fact　of　her　presence　by　his　side　would；

indeed；　incapacitate　himself　for　fighting。　　So　he

deliberately　stayed　away　from　the　Annex　until

the　day　before　he　sailed　for　Germany。　　Then　he

went　out　to　say　good…by。



Chagrined　as　he　was　at　what　he　termed　his

imbecile　stupidity　in　not　knowing　his　own　heart　all

these　past　months；　and　convinced；　as　he　also　was；

that　Alice　and　Calderwell　cared　for　each　other；

he　could　see　no　way　for　him　but　to　play　the　part

of　a　man　of　kindliness　and　honor；　leaving　a　clear

field　for　his　preferred　rival；　and　bringing　no

shadow　of　regret　to　mar　the　happiness　of　the　girl

he　loved。



As　for　being　his　old　easy；　frank　self　on　this　last

call；　however；　that　was　impossible；　so　Alice　found

plenty　of　fuel　for　her　still　burning　fires　of

suspicionfires　which　had；　indeed；　blazed　up　anew

at　this　second　long　period　of　absence　on　the　part

of　Arkwright。　　Naturally；　therefore；　the　call　was

anything　but　a　joy　and　comfort　to　either　one。　

Arkwright　was　nervous；　gloomy；　and　abnormally

gay　by　turns。　　Alice　was　nervous　and　abnormally

gay　all　the　time。　　Then　they　said　good…by　and

Arkwright　went　away。　　He　sailed　the　next　day；

and　Alice　settled　down　to　the　summer　of　study

and　hard　work　she　had　laid　out　for　herself。





On　the　tenth　of　September　Billy　came　home。　

She　was　brown；　plump…cheeked；　and　smiling。　　She

declared　that　she　had　had　a　perfectly　beautiful

time；　and　that　there　couldn't　be　anything　in　the

world　nicer　than　the　trip　she　and　Bertram　had

takenjust　they　two　together。　　In　answer　to

Aunt　Hannah's　solicitous　inquiries；　she　asserted

that　she　was　all　well　and　rested　now。　　But　there

was　a　vaguely　troubled　questioning　in　her　eyes

that　Aunt　Hannah　did　not　quite　like。　　Aunt

Hannah；　however；　said　nothing　even　to　Billy

herself　about　this。



One　of　the　first　friends　Billy　saw　after　her　return

was　Hugh　Calderwell。　　As　it　happened　Bertram

was　out　when　he　came；　so　Billy　had　the　first　half…

hour　of　the　call　to　herself。　　She　was　not　sorry　for

this；　as　it　gave　her　a　chance　to　question　Calderwell

a　little　concerning　Alice　Greggorysomething

she　had　long　ago　determined　to　do　at　the

first　opportunity。



‘‘Now　tell　me　everythingeverything　about

everybody；''　she　began　diplomatically；　settling

herself　comfortably　for　a　good　visit。



‘‘Thank　you；　I'm　well；　and　have　had　a

passably　agreeable　summer；　barring　the　heat；　sundry

persistent　mosquitoes；　several　grievous　disappointments；

and　a　felon　on　my　thumb；''　he　began；　with

shameless　imperturbability。　　‘‘I　have　been　to

Revere　once；　to　the　circus　once；　to　Nantasket

three　times；　and　to　Keith's　and　the　‘movies'　ten

times；　perhapsto　be　accurate。　　I　have　also

But　perhaps　there　was　some　one　else　you　desired

to　inquire　for；''　he　broke　off；　turning　upon

his　hostess　a　bland　but　unsmiling　countenance。



‘‘Oh；　no；　how　could　there　be？''　twinkled　Billy。　

‘‘Really；　Hugh；　I　always　knew　you　had　a　pretty

good　opinion　of　yourself；　but　I　didn't　credit　you

with　thinking　you　were　_everybody_。　　Go　on。　　I'm

so　interested！''



Hugh　chuckled　softly；　but　there　was　a　plaintive

tone　in　his　voice　as　he　answered。



‘‘Thanks；　no。　　I've　rather　lost　my　interest

now。　　Lack　of　appreciation　always　did　discourage

me。　　We'll　talk　of　something　else；　please。　　You

enjoyed　your　trip？''



‘‘Very　much。　　It　just　couldn't　have　been

nicer！''



‘‘You　were　lucky。　　The　heat　here　has　been

something　fierce！''



‘‘What　made　you　stay？''



‘‘Reasons　too　numerous；　and　one　too　heart…

breaking；　to　mention。　　Besides；　you　forget；''　with

dignity。　　‘‘There　is　my　profession。　　I　have　joined

the　workers　of　the　world　now；　you　know。''



‘‘Oh；　fudge；　Hugh！''　laughed　Billy。　　‘‘You

know　very　well　you're　as　likely　as　not　to　start

for　the　ends　of　the　earth　to…morrow　morning！''



Hugh　drew　himself　up。



‘‘I　don't　seem　to　succeed　in　making　people

understand　that　I'