miss billie married-第6部分

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a　frown。



‘‘Yes；　sir；''　answered　Pete；　respectfully。　　Then；

as　if　impelled　by　some　hidden　force；　he　touched

his　master's　arm。　　‘‘It　was　that　way　she　looked；

sir；　when　she　came　to　_you_that　night　last

Julywith　her　eyes　all　shining；''　he　whispered。



A　tender　smile　curved　Bertram's　lips。　　The

frown　vanished　from　his　face。



‘‘Bless　you；　Peteand　bless　her；　too！''　he

whispered　back。　　The　next　moment　he　had　hurried

after　his　wife。



The　house　that　bore　the　number　Pete　had

given　proved　to　have　a　pretentious　doorway；　and

a　landlady　who；　in　response　to　the　summons　of

the　neat　maid；　appeared　with　a　most　impressive

rustle　of　black　silk　and　jet　bugles。



No；　Mr。　William　Henshaw　was　not　in　his

rooms。　　In　fact；　he　was　very　seldom　there。　　His

business；　she　believed；　called　him　to　State　Street

through　the　day。　　Outside　of　that；　she　had　been

told；　he　spent　much　time　sitting　on　a　bench　in

the　Common。　　Doubtless；　if　they　cared　to　search；

they　could　find　him　there　now。



‘‘A　bench　in　the　Common；　indeed！''　stormed

Billy；　as　she　and　Bertram　hurried　down　the　wide

stone　steps。　　‘‘Uncle　Williamon　a　bench！''



‘‘But　surely　now；　dear；''　ventured　her

husband；　‘‘you'll　come　home　and　get　your

dinner！''



Billy　turned　indignantly。



‘‘And　leave　Uncle　William　on　a　bench　in　the

Common？　　Indeed；　no！　　Why；　Bertram；　you

wouldn't；　either；''　she　cried；　as　she　turned

resolutely　toward　one　of　the　entrances　to　the　Common。



And　Bertram；　with　the　‘‘eyes　all　shining''

still　before　him；　could　only　murmur：　　‘‘No；　of

course　not；　dear！''　and　follow　obediently　where

she　led。



Under　ordinary　circumstances　it　would　have

been　a　delightful　hour　for　a　walk。　　The　sun　had

almost　set；　and　the　shadows　lay　long　across　the

grass。　　The　air　was　cool　and　unusually　bracing

for　a　day　so　early　in　September。　　But　all　this

was　lost　on　Bertram。　　Bertram　did　not　wish　to

take　a　walk。　　He　was　hungry。　　He　wanted　his

dinner；　and　he　wanted；　too；　his　old　home　with

his　new　wife　flitting　about　the　rooms　as　he　had

pictured　this　first　evening　together。　　He　wanted

William；　of　course。　　Certainly　he　wanted　William；

but　if　William　would　insist　on　running　away

and　sitting　on　park　benches　in　this　ridiculous

fashion；　he　ought　to　take　the　consequences

until　to…morrow。



Five；　ten；　fifteen　minutes　passed。　　Up　one　path

and　down　another　trudged　the　anxious…eyed　Billy

and　her　increasingly　impatient　husband。　　Then

when　the　fifteen　weary　minutes　had　become　a

still　more　weary　half…hour；　the　bonds　Bertram

had　set　on　his　temper　snapped。



‘‘Billy；''　he　remonstrated　despairingly；　‘‘do；

please；　come　home！　　Don't　you　see　how　highly

improbable　it　is　that　we　should　happen　on　William

if　we　walked　like　this　all　night？　　He　might

movechange　his　seatgo　home；　even。　　He

probably　has　gone　home。　　And　surely　never　before

did　a　bride　insist　on　spending　the　first　evening

after　her　return　tramping　up　and　down　a　public

park　for　hour　after　hour　like　this；　looking　for　any

man。　　_Won't_　you　come　home？''



But　Billy　had　not　even　heard。　　With　a　glad　little

cry　she　had　darted　to　the　side　of　the　humped…up

figure　of　a　man　alone　on　a　park　bench　just　ahead

of　them。



‘‘Uncle　William！　　Oh；　Uncle　William；　how

could　you？''　she　cried；　dropping　herself　on　to

one　end　of　the　seat　and　catching　the　man's　arm

in　both　her　hands。



‘‘Yes；　how　could　you？''　demanded　Bertram；

with　just　a　touch　of　irritation；　dropping　himself

on　to　the　other　end　of　the　seat；　and　catching

the　man's　other　arm　in　his　one　usable

hand。



The　bent　shoulders　and　bowed　head　straightened

up　with　a　jerk。



‘‘Well；　well；　bless　my　soul！　　If　it　isn't　our　little

bride；''　cried　Uncle　William；　fondly。　　‘‘And　the

happy　bridegroom；　too。　　When　did　you　get

home？''



‘‘We　haven't　got　home；''　retorted　Bertram；

promptly；　before　his　wife　could　speak。　　‘‘Oh；　we

looked　in　at　the　door　an　hour　or　so　back；　but　we

didn't　stay。　　We've　been　hunting　for　you　ever

since。''



‘‘Nonsense；　children！''　Uncle　William　spoke

with　gay　cheeriness；　but　he　refused　to　meet

either　Billy's　or　Bertram's　eyes。



‘‘Uncle　William；　how　could　you　do　it？''

reproached　Billy；　again。



‘‘Do　what？''　Uncle　William　was　plainly

fencing　for　time。



‘‘Leave　the　house　like　that？''



‘‘Ho！　I　wanted　a　change。''



‘‘As　if　we'd　believe　that！''　scoffed　Billy。



‘‘All　right；　let's　call　it　you've　had　the　change；

then；''　laughed　Bertram；　‘‘and　we'll　send　over

for　your　things　to…morrow。　　Comenow　let's

go　home　to　dinner。''



William　shook　his　head。　　He　essayed　a　gay

smile。



‘‘Why；　I've　only　just　begun。　　I'm　going　to

stayoh；　I　don't　know　how　long　I'm　going　to

stay；''　he　finished　blithely。



Billy　lifted　her　chin　a　little。



‘‘Uncle　William；　you　aren't　playing　square。　

Pete　told　us　what　you　said　when　you　left。''



‘‘Eh？　　What？''　William　looked　up　with

startled　eyes。



‘‘Aboutabout　our　not　_needing_　you。　　So　we

know；　now；　why　you　left；　and　we　_sha'n't　stand_

it。''



‘‘Pete？　　That？　　Oh；　thatthat's　nonsense

II'll　settle　with　Pete。''



Billy　laughed　softly。



‘‘Poor　Pete！　　Don't。　　We　simply　dragged　it

out　of　him。　　And　now　we're　here　to　tell　you　that

we　_do_　want　you；　and　that　you　_must_　come　back。''



Again　William　shook　his　head。　　A　swift　shadow

crossed　his　face。



‘‘Thank　you；　no；　children；''　he　said　dully。



You're　very　kind；　but　you　don't　need　me。　　I

should　be　just　an　interfering　elder　brother。　　I

should　spoil　your　young　married　life。''　　（William's

voice　now　sounded　as　if　he　were　reciting　a　well…

learned　lesson。）''　　If　I　went　away　and　stayed　two

months；　you'd　never　forget　the　utter　freedom　and

joy　of　those　two　whole　months　with　the　house　all

to　yourselves。''



‘‘Uncle　William；''　gasped　Billy；　‘‘what　_are_

you　talking　about？''



‘‘Aboutabout　my　not　going　back；　of　course。''



‘‘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。