Miss Billy

rvest moon. According to Billy everything was just perfect-except, of course, poor Bertram's arm; and even the fact that th

told him earnestly, one day, "why, I'm not real

e not," he retort

ppy as I like over it," s

could hinder m

Everybody, even the newspapers and magazines, said I would do it, too. They said I'd slay your

what Kate said," interr

nd gave his ear

I myself shall conduct you to your studio, thrust the brushes into your hand, fill your palette with all the colors of the rainbow, and order you to paint, my

r me. You'll be my inspiration, dear, instead of slaying it. You'll s

urned q

you haven't-I mean, you

. "And this time it'll be a su

n her breath

you'd already start

ok his

you. That's the time you did hinder me," he smiled. "Then came your note breaking the engagement. Of course I k

, brightly, but a little fever

ack till then. I saw J. G. last week, and I

did he

grip and said: 'Good!-and

you do stay to luncheon, and break engagements with me, sir," she went on, tilting her chin archly, "for I shall kno

m so ardently that Billy blushed

way," she protested. Then, as he tried to catch her

rooms with Spunkie, or with Tommy Dunn, who was a frequent guest. Spunkie, be it known, was renewing her kittenhood, so potent was the influence of the dangling strings and rolling balls that she encountered everywhere; and Tommy Dunn, with Billy's help, was learning that not even a pair of crutches need keep a lonely litt

out her, that told how happy indeed were these days for her. There was proof by word of mouth, too-long talks with Bertram in the dancing firelight when they laid dear plans

tartled, dismayed eyes on his young wife; whereupon, with a very Billy-like

happy! Why, Bertram, if it weren't for that O

yed fervently in his heart that never might

ll-oiled machinery. Dong Ling, to be sure, was not there; but in his place reigned Pete's grandniece, a fresh-faced, capable young woman who (Bertram declared) cooked like an angel

avorite chair, and when William had asked if Billy were through using his pipe-tray, the young wife had concluded to let things remain about as they were. And when William ate no breakfast one morning, and Bertram aggrievedly refused dessert that night at dinner, Billy-learning through an apologetic Pete that Master William always had to have eggs for breakfast no matter what else there was, and that Master

elightful hours with Bertram. Then there was her music: Billy was

heart; and the melody just dropped down from the sky. And now, everywhere, I'm hearing the most wonderful harmonies. The whole u

d which must be returned, in spite of the occasional rebellion of the young husband. There were the mor

l more wonderful things from the piano in the living-room. Alice Greggory and her mother were there, too-the result of much persuasion. Indeed, according to Bertram, Billy had been able to fill the Annex onl

had declared, "for there's sure to be

had retorted, meaningly; but his

so fast. Certainly she always found plenty to do there, whenever she came. There was Aunt Hannah to be read to, Mrs. Greggory t

e would meet Mr. M. J. Arkwright; and sh

e, should she see him now, that he would be either white-faced, or stony-eyed. His heart, she was sure, had gone where it ought to have gone in the first place-to Alice. Such being, in her opinion, the case, she longed to get the embarrassment of a first meeting between themselves over with, for, after that, she was sur

as on his f

H-Henshaw,"

ade of nervousness in her voice as she advance

s rudeness of his reply dawned on him, he made matters infinitely worse by an at

laugh intended to turn aside all embarrassment-but not Billy. Billy held out a fr

going to be the best of friends from now on, I'm sure; and some day, soon, you're going to bring Alice to see me, and we'll have some music. I left her up-stairs.

steps, Billy dre

inute she frowned vexedly. She had missed her glove. "Never min

ter, Alice Greggory found only a ha

for not being here when you come down. 'Circumstances over which

ARKWR

he long white glove on the floor by the door. Half mechanically she crossed

ding dyed her face scarlet as she turned and fle

er Rosa tapped at h

He's downstairs." Rosa's eyes

Arkwr

have, for he's come again now. He wrote something in a little book; then h

ry well

that was meant to express a calm ignoring of the puzzled questioning in th

, you'll do it again, I know, and come down-

r head with a jerk. Her

use. Her eyes had encountered Rosa's, and in Rosa's eyes the pu

tations; then, lightly, Miss G

once, please," she directed careless

powder her telltale nose, smoothe her ruffled hair, and whip herself into the calm, steady-ey

hange their mind," she began brightly; but Arkwright

riness that instantly drove the forced smile fro

to a chair near her. He took the seat, an

anted to talk, she reminded h

ncerting abruptness. "Alice,

sten. People always li

know it, but he was thinking of another story he had once told in that same room

a particularly lifelike head. The first time I saw it I screamed, and ran and hid. I refused then even to go into the room again. My cousins urged, scolded, pleaded, a

m straight up to the dreaded creature, and stand by its side. He laid one of my shrinking hands on th

an't possibly hurt you. Just as if you weren't bigger and fine

re of my own free will I would walk up and

one you'll find it's nothing but a dead skin masquerading as the real thing. Even if it isn't if it's alive-face it. Find a

not look at the girl in the opposite chair. If he

t day when Uncle Ben thrust my hand into its hideous, but harmless, red mouth. Even a

sitively alert than were Alice Greggory's. For a moment after the words were uttered, only the clock's ticking broke the s

I discovered something worse: I discovered that I loved Billy Henshaw-another man's wife. And-I ran. But I've come back. I'm going to face the thing. Oh, I'm not deceiving

not see her face distinctly. Twilight had come, and the room was

ll this-so you would help m

e tried to see her face, but it w

iendship, your comradeship-they've been everything to

was low and a little bre

me. I'm no deep-dyed villain in a melodrama, nor wicked lover in a ten-penny novel, you know. I'm just an everyday man in real life; and we're going to fight this thing out in everyday living. That's where your help is coming in. We'll go together to see Mrs. Bertram Henshaw. She's asked u

e Greggory, alone, wa

Yes-you-can, Alice Greggory," she asserted, with swift change of voice and manner. "This is your tiger skin, and you'r