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him　back。''



Aunt　Hannah's　eyes　grew　mutinous。



‘‘But　I　thought　the　outdoor　air　was　just　the

thing　for　him。　　I'm　sure　your　scientific　hygienic

nonsense　says　_that！_''



‘‘They　dothey　didthat　is；　some　of　them

do；''　acknowledged　Billy；　worriedly；　‘‘but　they

differ；　so！　　And　the　one　I'm　going　by　now　says

that　Baby　should　always　sleep　in　an　_even_

temperatureseventy　degrees；　if　possible；　and　that's

exactly　what　the　room　in　there　was；　when　I　left

him。　　It's　not　the　same　out　here；　I'm　sure。　　In

fact　I　looked　at　the　thermometer　to　see；　just

before　I　came　out　myself。　　So；　Aunt　Hannah；　I'm

afraid　I'll　have　to　take　him　back。''



‘‘But　you　used　to　have　him　sleep　out　of　doors

all　the　time；　on　that　little　balcony　out　of　your

room；''　argued　Aunt　Hannah；　still　plainly　unconvinced。



‘‘Yes；　I　know　I　did。　　I　was　following　the　other

man's　rules；　then。　　As　I　said；　if　only　they　wouldn't

differ　so！　　Of　course　I　want　the　best；　but　it's　so

hard　to　always　know　the　best；　and''



At　this　very　inopportune　moment　Master　Bertram

took　occasion　to　wake　up；　which　brought

even　a　deeper　wrinkle　of　worry　to　his　fond　mother's

forehead；　for　she　said　that；　according　to　the

clock；　he　should　have　been　sleeping　exactly　ten

and　one…half　more　minutes；　and　that　of　course　he

couldn't　commence　the　next　thing　until　those　ten

and　one…half　minutes　were　up；　or　else　his　entire

schedule　for　the　day　would　be　shattered。　　So　what

she　should　do　with　him　for　those　should…have…

been…sleeping　ten　minutes　and　a　half；　she　did　not

know。　　All　of　which　drew　from　Aunt　Hannah

the　astounding　exclamation　of：



‘‘Oh；　my　grief　and　conscience；　Billy；　if　you

aren't　thethe　limit！''　　Which；　indeed；　she

must　have　been；　to　have　brought　circumspect

Aunt　Hannah　to　the　point　of　actually　using　slang。







CHAPTER　XXIV



A　NIGHT　OFF





The　Henshaw　family　did　not　return　to　the

Strata　until　late　in　September。　　Billy　said　that

the　sea　air　seemed　to　agree　so　well　with　the　baby

it　would　be　a　pity　to　change　until　the　weather

became　really　too　cool　at　the　shore　to　be　comfortable。



William　came　back　from　his　fishing　trip　in

August；　and　resumed　his　old　habit　of　sleeping　at　the

house　and　taking　his　meals　at　the　club。　　To　be

sure；　for　a　week　he　went　back　and　forth　between

the　city　and　the　beach　house；　but　it　happened

to　be　a　time　when　Bertram；　Jr。；　was　cutting　a

tooth；　and　this　so　wore　upon　William's　sympathy

William　still　could　not　help　insisting

it　_might_　be　a　pinthat　he　concluded　peace　lay

only　in　flight。　　So　he　went　back　to　the　Strata。



Bertram　had　stayed　at　the　cottage　all　summer；

painting　industriously。　　Heretofore　he　had　taken

more　of　a　vacation　through　the　summer　months；

but　this　year　there　seemed　to　be　nothing　for　him

to　do　but　to　paint。　　He　did　not　like　to　go　away

on　a　trip　and　leave　Billy；　and　she　declared　she

could　not　take　the　baby　nor　leave　him；　and　that

she　did　not　need　any　trip；　anyway。



‘‘All　right；　then；　we'll　just　stay　at　the　beach；

and　have　a　fine　vacation　together；''　he　had　answered　her。



As　Bertram　saw　it；　however；　he　could　detect

very　little　‘‘vacation''　to　it。　　Billy　had　no　time

for　anything　but　the　baby。　　When　she　was　not

actually　engaged　in　caring　for　it；　she　was　studying

how　to　care　for　it。　　Never　had　she　been

sweeter　or　dearer；　and　never　had　Bertram　loved

her　half　so　well。　　He　was　proud；　too；　of　her

devotion；　and　of　her　triumphant　success　as　a　mother；

but　he　did　wish　that　sometimes；　just　once　in　a

while；　she　would　remember　she　was　a　wife；　and

pay　a　little　attention　to　him；　her　husband。



Bertram　was　ashamed　to　own　it；　even　to

himself；　but　he　was　feeling　just　a　little　abused　that

summer；　and　he　knew　that；　in　his　heart；　he　was

actually　getting　jealous　of　his　own　son；　in　spite

of　his　adoration　of　the　little　fellow。　　He　told

himself　defensively　that　it　was　not　to　be　expected

that　he　should　not　want　the　love　of　his　wife；　the

attentions　of　his　wife；　and　the　companionship

of　his　wifea　part　of　the　time。　　It　was　nothing

more　than　natural　that　occasionally　he　should　like

to　see　her　show　some　interest　in　subjects　not

mentioned　in　Mothers'　Guides　and　Scientific

Trainings　of　Infants；　and　he　did　not　believe　he

could　be　blamed　for　wanting　his　residence　to　be

a　home　for　himself　as　well　as　a　nursery　for　his

offspring。



Even　while　he　thus　discontentedly　argued　with

himself；　however；　Bertram　called　himself　a　selfish

brute　just　to　think　such　things　when　he　had

so　dear　and　loving　a　wife　as　Billy；　and　so　fine　and

splendid　a　baby　as　Bertram；　Jr。　　He　told　himself；

too；　that　very　likely　when　they　were　back　in

their　own　house　again；　and　when　motherhood

was　not　so　new　to　her；　Billy　would　not　be　so

absorbed　in　the　baby。　　She　would　return　to　her　old

interest　in　her　husband；　her　music；　her　friends；

and　her　own　personal　appearance。　　Meanwhile

there　was　always；　of　course；　for　him；　his

painting。　　So　he　would　paint；　accepting　gladly　what

crumbs　of　attention　fell　from　the　baby's　table；

and　trust　to　the　future　to　make　Billy　none　the

less　a　mother；　perhaps；　but　a　little　more　the

wife。



Just　how　confidently　he　was　counting　on　this

coming　change；　Bertram　hardly　realized　himself；

but　certainly　the　family　was　scarcely　settled　at

the　Strata　before　the　husband　gayly　proposed

one　evening　that　he　and　Billy　should　go　to　the

theater　to　see　‘‘Romeo　and　Juliet。''



Billy　was　clearly　both　surprised　and　shocked。



‘‘Why；　Bertram；　I　can'tyou　know　I　can't！''

she　exclaimed　reprovingly。



Bertram's　heart　sank；　but　he　kept　a　brave

front。



‘‘Why　not？''



‘‘What　a　question！　　As　if　I'd　leave　Baby！''



‘‘But；　Billy；　dear；　you'd　be　gone　less　than　three

hours；　and　you　say　Delia's　the　most　careful　of

nurses。''



Billy's　forehead　puckered　into　an　anxious

frown。



‘‘I　can't　help　it。　　Something　might　happen

to　him；　Bertram。　　I　couldn't　be　happy　a　minute。''



‘‘But；　dearest；　aren't　you　_ever_　going　to　leave

him？''　demanded　the　young　husband；　forlornly。



‘‘Why；　yes；　of　course；　when　it's　reasonable

and　necessary。　　I　went　out　to　the　Annex　yesterday

afternoon。　　I　was　gone　almost　two　whole

hours。''



‘‘Well；　did　anything　happen？''



‘‘N…no；　but　then　I　telephoned；　you　see；

several　times；　so　I　_knew_　everything　was　all　right。''



‘‘Oh；　well；　if　that's　all　you　want；　I　could

telephone；　you　know；　between　every　act；''　suggested

Bertram；　with　a　sarcasm　that　was　quite　lost　on

the　earnest　young　mother。



‘‘Y…yes；　you　could　do　that；　couldn't　you？''

conceded　Billy；　‘‘and；　of　course；　I　_haven't_　been

anywhere　much；　lately。''



‘‘Indeed　I　could；''　agreed　Bertram；　with　a

promptness　that　carefully　hid　his　surprise　at　her

literal　acceptance　of　what　he　had　proposed　as　a

huge　joke。　　‘‘Come；　is　it　a　go？　　Shall　I　telephone

to　see　if　I　can　get　seats？''



‘‘You　think　Baby'll　surely　be　all　right？''



‘‘I　certainly　do。''



‘‘And　you'll　telephone　home　between　every

act？''



‘‘I　will。''　　Bertram's　voice　sounded　almost　as

if　he　were　repeating　the　marriage　service。



‘‘And　we'll　come　straight　home　afterwards　as

fast　as　John　and　Peggy　can　bring　us？''



‘‘Certainly。''



‘‘Then　I　thinkI'llgo；''　breathed　Billy；

tremulously；　plainly　showing　what　a　momentous

concession　she　thought　she　was　making。　　‘‘I　do

love　‘Romeo　and　Juliet；'　and　I　haven't　seen　it

for　ages！''



‘‘Good！　　Then　I'll　find　out　about　the　tickets；''

cried　Bertram；　so　elated　at　the　prospect　of　having

an　old…time　evening　out　with　his　wife　that

even　the　half…hourly　telephones　did　not　seem　too

great　a　price　to　pay。



When　the　time　came；　they　were　a　little　late　in

starting。　　Baby　was　fretful；　and　though　Billy

usually　laid　him　in　his　crib　and　unhesitatingly

left　the　room；　insisting　that　he　should　go　to　sleep

by　himself　in　accordance　with　the　most　approved

rules　in　her　Scientific　Training；　yet　to…night　she

could　not　bring　herself　to　the　point　of　leaving　the

house　until　he　was　quiet。　　Hurried　as　they　were

when　they　did　start；　Billy　was　conscious　of　Bertram's

frowning　disapproval　of　her　frock。



‘‘You　don't　like　it；　of　course；　dear；　and　I　don't

blame　you；''　she　smiled　remorsefully。



‘‘Oh；　I　like　itthat　is；　I　did；　when　it　was

new；''　rejoined　her　husband；　with　apologetic

frankness。　　‘‘But；　dear；　didn't　you　have　anything

else？　　This　looks　almostwell；　mussy；

you　know。''



‘‘Nowell；　yes；　maybe　there　were　others；''

admitted　Billy；　‘‘but　this　was　the　quickest　and

easiest　to　get　into；　and　it　all　came　just　as　I　was

getting　Baby　ready　for　bed；　you　know。　　I　am　a

fright；　though；　I'll　acknowledge；　so　far　as　clothes

go。　　I　haven't　had　time　to　get　a　thing　since　Baby

came。　　I　must　get　something　right　away；　I　suppose。''



‘‘Yes；　indeed；''　declared　Bertram；　with

emphasis；　hurrying　his　wife　into　the　waiting　automobile。



Billy　had　to　apologize　again　at　the　theater；　for

the　curtain　had　already　risen　on　the　ancient　quarrel

between　the　houses　of　Capulet　and　Montague；

and　Billy　knew　her　husband's　special　abhorrence

of　tardy　arrivals。　　Later；　though；　when　well

established　in　their　seats；　Billy's　mind　was　plainly

not　with　the　players　on　the　stage。



‘‘Do　you　suppose　Baby　_is_　all　right？''　she

whispered；　after　a　time。



‘‘Sh…h！　　Of　course　he　is；　dear！''



There　was　a　brief　silence；　during　which　Billy

peered　at　her　program　in　the　semi…darkness。　

Then　she　nudged　her　husband's　arm　ecstatically。



‘‘Bertram；　I　couldn't　have　chosen　a　better

play　if　I'd　tried。　　There　are　_five_　acts！　　I'd　forgotten

there　were　so　many。　　That　means　you　can

telephone　four　times！''



‘‘Yes；　dear。''　　Bertram's　voice　was　sternly

cheerful。



‘‘You　must　be　sure　they　tell　you　exactly　how

Baby　is。''



‘‘All　right；　dear。　　Sh…h！　　Here's　Romeo。''



Billy　subsided。　　She　even　clapped　a　little　in

spasmodic　enthusiasm。　　Presently　she　peered　at

h