Wheredidyougetholdofthat？’shedemanded。
Oh，Ididn’t，’returnedtheman，defensively。
Inevergotholdofitatall。Ineverevensawthecalory——though，forthatmatter，Idon’tthinkIshouldknowoneifIdidseeit!Whatwefearedwas，that，inhuntingthelostcalory，youhadlostyourself，and——’ButBillywouldhearnomore。Withherdisdainfulnoseintheairshewalkedtothepiano。
Come，Mr。Arkwright，’shesaidwithdignity。
Let’strythissong。’
Arkwrightroseatonceandaccompaniedhertothepiano。
TheyhadsungthesongthroughtwicewhenBillybecameuneasilyawarethat，ontheothersideoftheroom，CalderwellandAliceGreggoryweresoftlychucklingoversomethingtheyhadfoundinamagazine。Billyfrowned，andtwitchedthecornersofapileofmusic，withrestlessfingers。
IwonderifAlicehasn’tgotsomequartetsheresomewhere，’shemurmured，herdisapprovingeyesstillbentontheabsorbedcoupleacrosstheroom。
Arkwrightwassilent。Billy，throwingahurriedglanceintohisface，thoughtshedetectedasombershadowinhiseyes。Shethought，too，sheknewwhyitwasthere。SopossessedhadBillybeen，duringtheearlywinter，oftheideathatherspecialmissioninlifewastoinaugurateandfosteraloveaffairbetweendisappointedMr。
ArkwrightandlonelyAliceGreggory，thatnowsheforgot，foramoment，thatArkwrighthimselfwasquiteunawareofherefforts。Shethoughtonlythatthepresentshadowonhisfacemustbecausedbythesamethingthatbroughtworrytoherownheart——themanifestdevotionofCalderwelltoAliceGreggoryjustnowacrosstheroom。Instinctively，therefore，astoacoworkerinacommoncause，sheturnedadisturbedfacetothemanatherside。
Itis，indeed，hightimethatIlookedaftersomethingbesideslostcalories，’shesaidsignificantly。Then，attheevidentuncomprehensioninArkwright’sface，sheadded：Hasitbeengoingonlikethis——verylong？’
Arkwrightstill，apparently，didnotunderstand。
Has——whatbeengoingon？’hequestioned。
That——overthere，’answeredBilly，impatiently，scarcelyknowingwhethertobemoreirritatedatthethreatenedmiscarriageofhercherishedplans，oratArkwright’s(toher)
wilfullyblindinsistenceonhermakinghermeaningmoreplain。Hasitbeengoingonlong——suchutterdevotion？’
AssheaskedthequestionBillyturnedandlookedsquarelyintoArkwright’sface。Shesaw，therefore，thegreatchangethatcametoit，ashermeaningbecamecleartohim。HerfirstfeelingwasoneofshockedrealizationthatArkwrighthad，indeed，beenreallyblind。Hersecond——sheturnedawayhereyeshurriedlyfromwhatshethoughtshesawintheman’scountenance。
Withanassumedlygaylittlecryshesprangtoherfeet。
Come，come，whatareyoutwochildrenchucklingover？’shedemanded，crossingtheroomabruptly。Didn’tyouhearmesayI
wantedyoutocomeandsingaquartet？’
BillyblamedherselfverymuchforwhatshecalledherstupidityinsobaldlysummoningArkwright’sattentiontoCalderwell’sdevotiontoAliceGreggory。Shedeclaredthatsheoughttohaveknownbetter，andsheaskedherselfifthiswerethewayshewasfurtheringmatters’
betweenAliceGreggoryandArkwright。
Billywasreallyseriouslydisturbed。ShehadneverquiteforgivenherselfforbeingsoblindtoArkwright’sfeelingforherselfduringthosedayswhenhehadnotknownofherengagementtoBertram。Shehadneverforgotten，either，thepainfulscenewhenhehadhopefullytoldofhislove，onlytobemetwithherownshockedrepudiation。Forlongweeksafterthat，hisfacehadhauntedher。Shehadwished，oh，soardently，thatshecoulddosomethinginsomewaytobringhimhappiness。When，therefore，ithadcometoherknowledgeafterwardthathewasfrequentlywithhisoldfriend，AliceGreggory，shehadbeensoglad。Itwasveryeasythentofanhopeintoconvictionthathere，inthisoldfriend，hehadfoundsweetbalmforhiswoundedheart；andshedeterminedatoncetodoallthatshecoulddotohelp。Soveryglowing，indeed，washereagernessinthematter，thatitlookedsuspiciouslyasifshethought，couldshebutbringthisthingabout，thatoldscoresagainstherselfwouldbeerased。
Billytoldherself，virtuously，however，thatnotonlyforArkwrightdidshedesirethismarriagetotakeplace，butforAliceGreggory。IntheverynatureofthingsAlicewouldonedaybeleftalone。Shewaspoor，andnotverystrong。
Shesorelyneededtheshieldingloveandcareofagoodhusband。Whatmorenaturalthanthatherold-timefriendandalmost-sweetheart，M。J。
Arkwright，shouldbethatgoodhusband？
ThatreallyitwasmoreArkwrightandlessAlicethatwasbeingconsidered，however，wasprovedwhenthedevotionofCalderwellbegantobefirstsuspected，thenknownforafact。Billy’sdistressatthisturnofaffairsindicatedveryplainlythatitwasnotjustahusband，butacertainoneparticularhusbandthatshedesiredforAliceGreggory。Allthemoredisturbedwasshe，therefore，whento-day，seeingherthreefriendstogetheragainforthefirsttimeforsomeweeks，shediscoveredincreasedevidencethatherworstfearsweretoberealized。ItwastobeAliceandCalderwell，notAliceandArkwright。
Arkwrightwasagaintobedisappointedinhisdearesthopes。
Tellingherselfindignantlythatitcouldnotbe，it_should_notbe，Billydeterminedtoremainafterthemenhadgone，andspeaktoAlice。Justwhatshewouldsayshedidnotknow。Evenwhatshecouldsay，shewasnotsure。Butcertainlytheremustbesomething，somelittlethingthatshecouldsay，whichwouldopenAlice’seyestowhatshewasdoing，andwhatsheoughttodo。
Itwasinthisframeofmind，therefore，thatBilly，afterArkwrightandCalderwellhadgone，spoketoAlice。Shebeganwarily，withassumednonchalance。
IbelieveMr。ArkwrightsingsbettereverytimeIhearhim。’
Therewasnoanswer。Alicewassortingmusicatthepiano。
Don’tyouthinkso？’Billyraisedhervoicealittle。
Aliceturnedalmostwithastart。
What’sthat？Oh，yes。Well，Idon’tknow；
maybeIdo。’
Youwould——ifyoudidn’thearhimanyoftenerthanIdo，’laughedBilly。Butthen，ofcourseyoudohearhimoftener。’
I？Oh，no，indeed。Notsoverymuchoftener。’Alicehadturnedbacktohermusic。
Therewasaslightembarrassmentinhermanner。
Iwonder——where——thatnewsong——is，’shemurmured。
Billy，whoknewverywellwherethesonglay，wasnottobediverted。
Nonsense!AsifMr。Arkwrightwasn’talwaystellinghowAlicelikedthissong，anddidn’tlikethatone，andthoughttheotherthebestyet!
Idon’tbelievehesingsathingthathedoesn’tfirstsingtoyou。Forthatmatter，Ifancyheasksyouropinionofeverything，anyway。’
Why，Billy，hedoesn’t!’exclaimedAlice，adeepredflamingintohercheeks。Youknowhedoesn’t。’
Billylaughedgleefully。Shehadnotbeenslowtonotethecolorinherfriend’sface，ortoascribetoittheonemeaningshewishedtoascribetoit。
Sosure，indeed，wasshenowthatherfearshadbeengroundless，thatsheflungcautiontothewinds。
Ho!MydearAlice，youcan’texpectusalltobeblind，’sheteased。Besides，weallthinkit’ssuchalovelyarrangementthatwe’rejustgladtoseeit。He’ssuchafinefellow，andwelikehimsomuch!Wecouldn’taskforabetterhusbandforyouthanMr。Arkwright，and——’FromsheeramazementatthesuddenwhitehorrorinAliceGreggory’sface，Billystoppedshort。
Why，Alice!’shefalteredthen。
WithavisibleeffortAliceforcedhertremblinglipstospeak。
Myhusband——_Mr。Arkwright!_Why，Billy，youcouldn’thaveseen——youhaven’tseen——
there’snothingyou_could_see!Heisn’t——hewasn’t——hecan’tbe!We——we’renothingbutfriends，Billy，justgoodfriends!’
Billy，thoughdismayed，wasstillnotquiteconvinced。
Friends!Nonsense!When——’
ButAliceinterruptedfeverishly。Alice，inanagonyoffearlestthetruestateofaffairsshouldbesuspected，washidingbehindabulwarkofpride。
Now，Billy，please!Saynomore。You’requitewrong，entirely。You’llnever，neverhearofmymarryingMr。Arkwright。AsIsaidbefore，we’refriends——thebestoffriends；thatisall。
Wecouldn’tbeanythingelse，possibly!’
Billy，plainlydiscomfited，fellback；butshethrewasharpglanceintoherfriend’sflushedcountenance。
Youmean——becauseof——HughCalderwell？’
shedemanded。Then，forthesecondtimethatafternoonthrowingdiscretiontothewinds，shewentonplaintively：Youwon’tlisten，ofcourse。Girlsinloveneverdo。Hughisallright，andIlikehim；butthere’smorerealsolidworthinMr。Arkwright’slittlefingerthanthereisinHugh’swholeself。And——’ButamerrypealoflaughterfromAliceGreggoryinterrupted。
And，pray，doyouthinkI’minlovewithHughCalderwell？’shedemanded。Therewasacuriousnoteofsomethingverylikereliefinhervoice。
Well，Ididn’tknow，’beganBilly，uncertainly。
ThenI’lltellyounow，’smiledAlice。I’mnot。Furthermore，perhapsit’sjustaswellthatyoushouldknowrightnowthatIdon’tintendtomarry——ever。’
Oh，Alice!’
No。’Therewasdetermination，andtherewasstillthatcuriousnoteofreliefinthegirl’svoice。Itwasasif，somewhere，agreatdangerhadbeenavoided。Ihavemymusic。Thatisenough。I’mnotintendingtomarry。’
Oh，butAlice，whileIwillownupI’mgladitisn’tHughCalderwell，there_is_Mr。Arkwright，andIdidhope——’ButAliceshookherheadandturnedresolutelyaway。Atthatmoment，too，AuntHannahcameinfromthestreet，soBillycouldsaynomore。
AuntHannahdroppedherselfalittlewearilyintoachair。
I’vejustcomefromMarie’s，’shesaid。
Howisshe？’askedBilly。
AuntHannahsmiled，andraisedhereyebrows。
Well，justnowshe’squiteexercisedoveranotherrattle——fromhercousinoutWest，thistime。Therewerefourlittlesilverbellsonit，andshehasn’tgotanyjanitor’swifenowtogiveitto。’
Billylaughedsoftly，butAuntHannahhadmoretosay。
Youknowsheisn’tgoingtoallowanytoysbutTeddybearsandwoollylambs，ofwhich，I
believe，shehasalreadyboughtquiteanassortment。
Shesaystheydon’trattleorsqueak。I
declare，whenIseethewoolenpadsandrubberhushersthatthatchildhasputeverywherealloverthehouse，Idon’tknowwhethertolaughorcry。Andshe’ssoworried!ItseemsCyrilmustneedstakejustthistimetostartcomposinganewoperaorsymphony，orsomething；andneverbeforehassheallowedhimtobeinterruptedbyanythingonsuchanoccasion。Butwhathe’lldowhenthebabycomesshesaysshedoesn’tknow，forshesaysshecan’t——shejustcan’tkeepitfrombotheringhimsome，she’safraid。Asifanyoperaorsymphonythateverlivedwasofmoreconsequencethanaman’sownchild!’
finishedAuntHannah，withanindignantsniff，asshereachedforhershawl。
CHAPTERXIX
ATOUGHNUTTOCRACKFORCYRIL
ItwasearlyintheforenoonofthefirstdayofJulythatElizatoldhermistressthatMrs。
Stetsonwasaskingforheratthetelephone。Eliza’sfacewasnotalittletroubled。
I’mafraid，maybe，itisn’tgoodnews，’shestammered，ashermistresshurriedlyarose。
She’satMr。CyrilHenshaw’s——Mrs。Stetsonis——andsheseemedsoterriblyupsetaboutsomethingthattherewasnomakingrealsenseoutofwhatshesaid。Butsheaskedforyou，andsaidtohaveyoucomequick。’
Billy，herownfacepaling，wasalreadyatthetelephone。
Yes，AuntHannah。Whatisit？’
Oh，mygriefandconscience，Billy，ifyou_can_，comeuphere，please。Youmustcome!
_Can’t_youcome？’
Why，yes，ofcourse。But——but——_Marie!_
The——the_baby!_’
Afaintgroancameacrossthewires。
