Well，itmustbeanewexperience——forCyril。Foramanwhosedailyexistenceforyearshasbeenrubber-heeledandwoolen-padded，andwhosefamilyfromboyhoodhasstoodatattentionandsalutedifhesomuchaslookedatthem，itmustbequiteachange，asthingsarenow。
However，it’llbedifferent，ofcourse，whenMarieisonherfeetagain。’
Doessheknowatallhowthingsaregoing？’
Notverymuch，asyet，thoughIbelieveshehasbeguntoworrysome。Sheconfidedtomeonedaythatshewasglad，ofcourse，thatshehadtwodarlingbabies，insteadofone；butthatshewasafraiditmightbehard，justatfirst，toteachthembothatoncetobequiet；forshewasafraidthatwhileshewasteachingone，theotherwouldbesuretocry，ordosomethingnoisy。’
Dosomethingnoisy，indeed!’ejaculatedAuntHannah。
Asfortherealstateofaffairs，Mariedoesn’tdreamthatCyril’ssacreddenisgivenovertoTeddybearsandbabyblankets。Allis，Ihopeshe’llbemeasurablystrongbeforeshedoesfinditout，’laughedBilly，assheroseto
WilliamcamebackfromhisbusinesstriptheeighthofJuly，andontheninthBillyandBertramwenttoNewYork。Eliza’smotherwassowellnowthatElizahadtakenupheroldquartersintheStrata，andthehouseholdaffairswereoncemorerunninglikeclockwork。LaterintheseasonWilliamwouldgoawayforamonth’sfishingtrip，andthehousewouldbeclosed。
Mr。andMrs。BertramHenshawwerenotexpectedtoreturnuntilthefirstofOctober；butwithElizatolookafterthecomfortofWilliam，themistressofthehousedidnoworrying。EversincePete’sgoing，Elizahadsaidthatshepreferredtobetheonlymaid，withacharwomantocomeinfortheheavierwork；andtothisarrangementhermistresshadwillinglyconsented，forthepresent。
Marieandthebabiesweredoingfinely，andAuntHannah’shealth，andaffairsattheAnnex，wereallthatcouldbedesired。AsBilly，indeed，sawit，therewasonlyoneflawtomarherperfectcontentonthisholidaytripwithBertram，andthatwasherdisappointmentovertheveryevidentdisasterthathadcometohercherishedmatrimonialplansforArkwrightandAliceGreggory。ShecouldnotforgetArkwright’sfacethatdayattheAnnex，whenshehadsofoolishlycalledhisattentiontoCalderwell’sdevotion；andshecouldnotforget，either，AliceGreggory’sveryobviousperturbationalittlelater，andhersuspiciouslyemphaticassertionthatshehadnointentionofmarryinganyone，certainlynotArkwright。AsBillythoughtofallthisnow，shecouldnotbutadmitthatitdidlookdarkforArkwright——poorArkwright，whomshe，morethananyoneelseintheworld，perhaps，hadaspecialreasonforwishingtoseehappilymarried。
Therewas，then，thisonecloudonBilly’shorizonasthebigboatthatwastobearheracrossthewatersteameddowntheharborthatbeautifulJulyday。
Asitchanced，naturally，perhaps，notonlywasBillythinkingofArkwrightthatmorning，butArkwrightwasthinkingofBilly。
ArkwrighthadthoughtfrequentlyofBillyduringthelastfewdays，particularlysincethatafternoonmeetingattheAnnexwhenthefourhadrenewedtheiroldgoodtimestogether。UptothatdayArkwrighthadbeentryingnottothinkofBilly。Hehadbeenfightinghistigerskin。’Sternlyhehadbeenforcinghimselftomeether，toseeher，totalkwithher，tosingwithher，ortopassherby——allwiththeindifferenceproperlyexpectedtobeshowninassociationwithMrs。BertramHenshaw，anotherman’swife。Hehadknown，ofcourse，thatdeepdowninhishearthelovedher，alwayshadlovedher，andalwayswouldloveher。Hopelesslyanddrearilyheacceptedthisasafactevenwhilewithallhismightfightingthattigerskin。Sosurewashe，indeed，ofthis，soimplicitlyhadheaccepteditasanunalterablecertainty，thatintimeevenhiseffortstofightitbecamealmostmechanicalandunconsciousintheirsternroundofforcedindifference。
ThencamethatdayattheAnnex——andthediscovery：thediscoverywhichhehadmadewhenBillycalledhisattentiontoCalderwellandAliceGreggoryacrosstheroominthecorner；
thediscoverywhichhadcomewithsoblindingaforce，andwhichevennowhewastemptedtoquestionastoitsreality；thediscoverythatnotBillyNeilson，norMrs。BertramHenshaw，noreventhetenderghostofalostloveheldthecenterofhisheart——butAliceGreggory。
ThefirstintimationofallthishadcomewithhiscuriousfeelingofunreasoninghatredandblindindignationtowardCalderwellas，throughBilly’seyes，hehadseenthetwotogether。ThenhadcometheoverwhelminglongingtopickupAliceGreggoryandrunoffwithher——somewhere，anywhere，sothatCalderwellcouldnotfollow。
Atonce，however，hehadpulledhimselfupshortwiththementalcryofAbsurd!’WhatwasittohimifCalderwelldidcareforAliceGreggory？Surelyhehimselfwasnotinlovewiththegirl。HewasinlovewithBilly；thatis——
Itwasallconfusionthen，inhismind，andhewasgladindeedwhenhecouldleavethehouse。
Hewantedtobealone。Hewantedtothink。
Hemust，insomeway，thrashoutthisastoundingthingthathadcometohim。
ArkwrightdidnotvisittheAnnexagainforsomedays。Untilhewasmorenearlysureofhimselfandofhisfeelings，hedidnotwishtoseeAliceGreggory。ItwasthenthathebegantothinkofBilly，deliberately，purposefully，foritmustbe，ofcourse，thathehadmadeamistake，hetoldhimself。Itmustbethathedid，really，stillcareforBilly——thoughofcourseheoughtnotto。
Arkwrightmadeanotherdiscoverythen。Helearnedthat，howeverdeliberatelyhestartedintothinkofBilly，heendedeverytimeinthinkingofAlice。Hethoughtofhowgoodshehadbeentohim，andofhowfaithfulshehadbeeninhelpinghimtofighthisloveforBilly。Justherehedecided，foramoment，thatprobably，afterall，hisfeelingofangeragainstCalderwellwasmerelythefearoflosingthishelpfulcomradeshipthathesoneeded。Evenwithhimself，however，Arkwrightcouldnotkeepupthisfarcelong，andverysoonheadmittedmiserablythatitwasnotthecomradeshipofAliceGreggorythathewantedorneeded，butthelove。
Heknewitnow。Nolongerwasthereanyuseinbeatingaboutthebush。HedidloveAliceGreggory；butsocuriouslyandunbelievablystupidhadhebeenthathehadnotfounditoutuntilnow。Andnowitwastoolate。HadnotevenBillycalledhisattentiontothefactofCalderwell’sdevotion？Besides，hadnothehimself，attheveryfirst，toldCalderwellthathemighthaveaclearfield？
Foolthathehadbeentoletanotherthuslightlystepinandwinfromunderhisverynosewhatmighthavebeenhisifhehadbutknownhisownmindbeforeitwastoolate!
Butwasit，afterall，quitetoolate？HeandAlicewereoldfriends。Awaybackintheiryoungdaysintheirnativetowntheyhadbeen，indeed，almostsweethearts，inaboy-and-girlfashion。
Itwouldnothavetakenmuchinthosedays，hebelieved，tohavemadetherelationshipmoreinteresting。Butchangeshadcome。Alicehadlefttown，andforyearstheyhaddriftedapart。
ThenhadcomeBilly，andBillyhadfoundAlice，thusbringingabouttheoddcircumstanceoftheirrenewingofacquaintanceship。Perhaps，atthattime，ifhehadnotalreadythoughthecaredforBilly，therewouldhavebeensomethingmorethanacquaintanceship。
Buthe_had_thoughthecaredforBillyalltheseyears；andnow，atthislateday，towakeupandfindthathecaredforAlice!Aprettymesshehadmadeofthings!Washesoinconstantthen，sofickle？Didhenotknowhisownmindfiveminutesatatime？WhatwouldAliceGreggorythink，evenifhefoundthecouragetotellher？
Whatcouldshethink？Whatcouldanybodythink？
Arkwrightfairlygroundhisteethinimpotentwrath——andhedidnotknowwhetherhewerethemostangrythathedidnotloveBilly，orthathehadlovedBilly，orthathelovedsomebodyelsenow。
ItwaswhilehewasinthisunenviableframeofmindthathewenttoseeAlice。Notthathehadplanneddefinitelytospeaktoherofhisdiscovery，noryetthathehadplannednotto。Hehad，indeed，plannednothing。Foramanusuallysodecidedastopurposeandenergeticastoaction，hewasinamostunhappystateofuncertaintyandchangeableness。Onethingonlywasunmistakablycleartohim，andthatwasthathemustseeAlice。
Formonths，now，hehadtakentoAliceallhishopesandgriefs，perplexitiesandproblems；andneverhadhefailedtofindcomfortintheshapeofsympatheticunderstandingandwisecounsel。
ToAlice，therefore，nowheturnedasamatterofcourse，tellinghimselfvaguelythat，perhaps，afterhehadseenAlice，hewouldfeelbetter。
JusthowintimatelythisparticularproblemofhisconcernedAliceherself，hedidnotstoptorealize。Hedidnot，indeed，thinkofitatallfromAlice’sstandpoint——untilhecamefacetofacewiththegirlintheliving-roomattheAnnex。
Then，suddenly，hedid。Hismannerbecameatonce，consequently，fullofembarrassmentandquitedevoidofitsusualfrankfriendliness。
Asithappened，thiswasperhapsthemostunfortunatethingthatcouldhaveoccurred，sofarasitconcernedtheattitudeofAliceGreggory，fortherebyinnumerabletinysparksofsuspicionthathadbeentormentingthegirlfordayswereinstantlyfannedintoconsumingflamesofconviction。
AlicehadnotbeenslowtonoteArkwright’sprolongedabsencefromtheAnnex。ComingasitdidsosoonafterhermostdisconcertingtalkwithBillyinregardtoherownrelationswithhim，ithadfilledherwithfrightenedquestionings。
IfBillyhadseenthingstomakeherthinkoflinkingtheirnamestogether，perhapsArkwrighthimselfhadheardsomesuchideaputforthsomewhere，andthatwaswhyhewasstayingaway——toshowtheworldthattherewasnofoundationforsuchrumors。Perhapshewasevendoingittoshow_her_that——
EveninherthoughtsAlicecouldscarcelybringherselftofinishthesentence。ThatArkwrightshouldeversuspectforamomentthatshecaredforhimwasintolerable。Painfullyconsciousasshewasthatshedidcareforhim，itwaseasytofearthatothersmustbeconsciousofit，too。HadshenotalreadyproofthatBillysuspectedit？Why，then，mightnotitbequitepossible，evenprobable，thatArkwrightsuspectedit，also；and，becausehedidsuspectit，haddecidedthatitwouldbejustaswell，perhaps，ifhedidnotcallsooften。
InspiteofAlice’sangryinsistencetoherselfthat，afterall，thiscouldnotbethecase——
thattheman_knew_sheunderstoodhestilllovedBilly——shecouldnothelpfearing，inthefaceofArkwright’sunusualabsence，thatitmightyetbetrue。When，therefore，hefinallydidappear，onlytobecomeatonceobviouslyembarrassedinherpresence，herfearsinstantlybecameconvictions。Itwastrue，then。Themandidbelieveshecaredforhim，andhehadbeentryingtoteachher——tosaveher。
Toteachher!Tosaveher，indeed!Verywell，heshouldsee!Andforthwith，fromthatmoment，AliceGreggory’schiefreasonforlivingbecametoprovetoMr。M。J。Arkwrightthatheneedednottoteachher，tosaveher，noryettosympathizewithher。
Howdoyoudo？’shegreetedhim，withaparticularlybrightsmile。I’msureI_hope_youarewell，suchabeautifuldayasthis。’
Oh，yes，I’mwell，Isuppose。Still，Ihavefeltbetterinmylife，’smiledArkwright，withsomeconstraint。
Oh，I’msorry，’murmuredthegirl，strivingsohardtospeakwithimpersonalunconcernthatshedidnotnoticetheinaptnessofherreply。
Eh？SorryI’vefeltbetter，areyou？’
retortedArkwright，withnervoushumor。Then，becausehewasembarrassed，hesaidtheonethinghehadmeantnottosay：Don’tyouthinkI’mquiteastranger？It’sbeensometimesinceI’vebeenhere。’
Alice，smartingunderthestingofwhatshejudgedtobetheonlypossiblecauseforhisembarrassment，leapedtothisnewopportunitytoshowherlackofinterest。
Oh，hasit？’shemurmuredcarelessly。
Well，Idon’tknowbutithas，nowthatIcometothinkofit。’
Arkwrightfrownedgloomily。Aweekagohewouldhavetossedbackalaughinglyaggrievedremarkastoherunflatteringindifferencetohispresence。Nowhewasinnomoodforsuchjoking。Itwastooseriousamatterwithhim。
You’vebeenbusy，nodoubt，with——othermatters，’hepresumedforlornly，thinkingofCalderwell。
Yes，Ihavebeenbusy，’assentedthegirl。
Oneisalwayshappier，Ithink，tobebusy。
NotthatImeantthatIneededtheworkto_be_
happy，’sheaddedhastily，inapaniclesthethinkshehadaconsumingsorrowtokill。
