miss billie married-第23节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



enough　for　that；　sir！''



‘‘Don't　worry；''　her　husband　had　laughed。　

‘‘I'll　be　here。''



As　it　chanced；　however；　something　occurred

an　hour　before　half…past　three　o'clock　that　drove

every　thought　of　Miss　Winthrop's　call　from

Billy's　head。



For　three　days；　now；　Pete　had　been　at　the　home

of　his　niece　in　South　Boston。　　He　had　been　forced；

finally；　to　give　up　and　go　away。　　News　from　him

the　day　before　had　been　anything　but　reassuring；

and　to…day；　Bertram　being　gone；　Billy　had　suggested

that　Eliza　serve　a　simple　luncheon　and　go

immediately　afterward　to　South　Boston　to　see

how　her　uncle　was。　　This　suggestion　Eliza　had

followed；　leaving　the　house　at　one　o'clock。



Shortly　after　two　Calderwell　had　dropped　in

to　bring　Bertram；　as　he　expressed　it；　a　bunch　of

bouquets　he　had　gathered　at　the　picture　show

the　night　before。　　He　was　still　in　the　drawing…

room；　chatting　with　Billy；　when　the　telephone

bell　rang。



‘‘If　that's　Bertram；　tell　him　to　come　home；

he's　got　company；''　laughed　Calderwell；　as　Billy

passed　into　the　hall。



A　moment　later　he　heard　Billy　give　a　startled

cry；　followed　by　a　few　broken　words　at　short

intervals。　　Then；　before　he　could　surmise　what　had

happened；　she　was　back　in　the　drawing…room

again；　her　eyes　full　of　tears。



‘‘It's　Pete；''　she　choked。　　‘‘Eliza　says　he　can't

live　but　a　few　minutes。　　He　wants　to　see　me　once

more。　　What　shall　I　do？　　John's　got　Peggy　out

with　Aunt　Hannah　and　Mrs。　Greggory。　　It　was　so

nice　to…day　I　made　them　go。　　But　I　must　get

there　some　wayPete　is　calling　for　me。　　Uncle

William　is　going；　and　I　told　Eliza　where　she　might

reach　Bertram；　but　what　shall　_I_　do？　　How　shall

I　go？''



Calderwell　was　on　his　feet　at　once。



‘‘I'll　get　a　taxi。　　Don't　worrywe'll　get

there。　　Poor　old　soulof　course　he　wants　to　see

you！　　Get　on　your　things。　　I'll　have　it　here　in　no

time；''　he　finished；　hurrying　to　the　telephone。



‘‘Oh；　Hugh；　I'm　so　glad　I've　got　_you_　here；''

sobbed　Billy；　stumbling　blindly　toward　the

stairway。　　‘‘I'll　be　ready　in　two　minutes。''



And　she　was；　but　neither　then；　nor　a　little　later

when　she　and　Calderwell　drove　hurriedly　away

from　the　house；　did　Billy　once　remember　that

Miss　Marguerite　Winthrop　was　coming　to　call

that　afternoon　to　see　Mrs。　Bertram　Henshaw　and

a　roomful　of　Billy　pictures。



Pete　was　still　alive　when　Calderwell　left　Billy

at　the　door　of　the　modest　little　home　where

Eliza's　mother　lived。



‘‘Yes；　you're　in　time；　ma'am；''　sobbed　Eliza；

‘‘and；　oh；　I'm　so　glad　you've　come。　　He's　been

askin'　and　askin'　for　ye。''



From　Eliza　Billy　learned　then　that　Mr。　William

was　there；　but　not　Mr。　Bertram。　　They　had　not

been　able　to　reach　Mr。　Bertram；　or　Mr。　Cyril。



Billy　never　forgot　the　look　of　reverent　adoration

that　came　into　Pete's　eyes　as　she　entered　the

room　where　he　lay。



‘‘Miss　Billymy　Miss　Billy！　　You　were　so

good…to　come；''　he　whispered　faintly。



Billy　choked　back　a　sob。



‘‘Of　course　I'd　come；　Pete；''　she　said　gently；

taking　one　of　the　thin；　worn　hands　into　both　her

soft　ones。



It　was　more　than　a　few　minutes　that　Pete　lived。　

Four　o'clock　came；　and　five；　and　he　was　still　with

them。　　Often　he　opened　his　eyes　and　smiled。　

Sometimes　he　spoke　a　low　word　to　William　or

Billy；　or　to　one　of　the　weeping　women　at　the　foot

of　the　bed。　　That　the　presence　of　his　beloved

master　and　mistress　meant　much　to　him　was

plain　to　be　seen。



‘‘I'm　so　sorry；''　he　faltered　once；　‘‘about　that

pretty　dressI　spoiled；　Miss　Billy。　　But　you

knowmy　hands''



‘‘I　know；　I　know；''　soothed　Billy；　‘‘but　don't

worry。　　It　wasn't　spoiled；　Pete。　　It's　all　fixed

now。''



‘‘Oh；　I'm　so　glad；''　sighed　the　sick　man。　　After

another　long　interval　of　silence　he　turned　to

William。



‘‘Them　socksthe　medium　thin　onesyou'd

oughter　be　puttin'　'em　on　soon；　sir；　now。　　They're

in　the　right…hand　corner　of　the　bottom　drawer

you　know。''



‘‘Yes；　Pete；　I'll　attend　to　it；''　William　managed

to　stammer；　after　he　had　cleared　his　throat。



Eliza's　turn　came　next。



‘‘Remember　about　the　coffee；''　Pete　said　to

her；　‘‘the　way　Mr。　William　likes　it。　　And　always

eggs；　you　know；　forfor''　　His　voice

trailed　into　an　indistinct　murmur；　and　his　eyelids

drooped　wearily。



One　by　one　the　minutes　passed。　　The　doctor

came　and　went：　there　was　nothing　he　could　do。　

At　half…past　five　the　thin　old　face　became　again

alight　with　consciousness。　　There　was　a　good…by

message　for　Bertram；　and　one　for　Cyril。　　Aunt

Hannah　was　remembered；　and　even　little　Tommy

Dunn。　　Then；　gradually；　a　gray　shadow　crept

over　the　wasted　features。　　The　words　came　more

brokenly。　　The　mind；　plainly；　was　wandering；

for　old　Pete　was　young　again；　and　around　him

were　the　lads　he　loved；　William；　Cyril；　and

Bertram。　　And　then；　very　quietly；　soon　after　the

clock　struck　six；　Pete　fell　into　the　beginning　of

his　long　sleep。







CHAPTER　XIV



WHEN　BERTRAM　CAME　HOME





It　was　a　little　after　half…past　three　o'clock　that

afternoon　when　Bertram　Henshaw　hurried　up

Beacon　Street　toward　his　home。　　He　had　been

delayed；　and　he　feared　that　Miss　Winthrop　would

already　have　reached　the　house。　　Mindful　of

what　Billy　had　said　that　morning；　he　knew　how

his　wife　would　fret　if　he　were　not　there　when　the

guest　arrived。　　The　sight　of　what　he　surmised　to

be　Miss　Winthrop's　limousine　before　his　door

hastened　his　steps　still　more。　　But　as　he　reached

the　house；　he　was　surprised　to　find　Miss　Winthrop

herself　turning　away　from　the　door。



‘‘Why；　Miss　Winthrop；''　he　cried；　‘‘you're　not

going　_now！_　　You　can't　have　been　here　anyyet！''



‘‘Well；　no；　II　haven't；''　retorted　the　lady；

with　heightened　color　and　a　somewhat　peculiar

emphasis。　　‘‘My　ring　wasn't　answered。''



‘‘Wasn't　answered！''　Bertram　reddened

angrily。　　‘‘Why；　what　can　that　mean？　　Where's

the　maid？　　Where's　my　wife？　　Mrs。　Henshaw

must　be　here！　　She　was　expecting　you。''



Bertram；　in　his　annoyed　amazement；　spoke

loudly；　vehemently。　　Hence　he　was　quite　plainly

heard　by　the　group　of　small　boys　and　girls　who

had　been　improving　the　mild　weather　for　a　frolic

on　the　sidewalk；　and　who　had　been　attracted　to

his　door　a　moment　before　by　the　shining　magnet

of　the　Winthrop　limousine　with　its　resplendently

liveried　chauffeur。　　As　Bertram　spoke；　one　of

the　small　girls；　Bessie　Bailey；　stepped　forward　and

piped　up　a　shrill　reply。



‘‘She　ain't；　Mr。　Henshaw！　　She　ain't　here。　

I　saw　her　go　away　just　a　little　while　ago。''



Bertram　turned　sharply。



‘‘You　saw　her　go　away！　　What　do　you　mean？''



Small　Bessie　swelled　with　importance。　　Bessie

was　thirteen；　in　spite　of　her　diminutive　height。　

Bessie's　mother　was　dead；　and　Bessie's　caretakers

were　gossiping　nurses　and　servants；　who

frequently　left　in　her　way　books　that　were　much

too　old　for　Bessie　to　readbut　she　read　them。



‘‘I　mean　she　ain't　hereyour　wife；　Mr。　Henshaw。　

She　went　away。　　I　saw　her。　　I　guess　likely

she's　eloped；　sir。''



‘‘Eloped！''



Bessie　swelled　still　more　importantly。　　To　her

experienced　eyes　the　situation　contained　all　the

necessary　elements　for　the　customary　flight　of

the　heroine　in　her　story…books；　as　here；　now；

was　the　irate；　deserted　husband。



‘‘Sure！　　And　'twas　just　before　you　came

quite　a　while　before。　　A　big　shiny　black　automobile

like　this　drove　uponly　it　wasn't　quite

such　a　nice　onean'　Mrs。　Henshaw　an'　a　man

came　out　of　your　house　an'　got　in；　an'　drove

right　away　_quick！_　　They　just　ran　to　get　into　it；

toodidn't　they？''　　She　appealed　to　her　young

mates　grouped　about　her。



A　chorus　of　shrill　exclamations　brought　Mr。

Bertram　Henshaw　suddenly　to　his　senses。　　By　a

desperate　effort　he　hid　his　angry　annoyance　as

he　turned　to　the　manifestly　embarrassed　young

woman　who　was　already　descending　the　steps。



‘‘My　dear　Miss　Winthrop；''　he　apologized

contritely；　‘‘I'm　sure　you'll　forgive　this　seeming

great　rudeness　on　the　part　of　my　wife。　　Notwithstanding

the　lurid　tales　of　our　young　friends　here；

I　suspect　nothing　more　serious　has　happened

than　that　my　wife　has　been　hastily　summoned　to

Aunt　Hannah；　perhaps。　　Or；　of　course；　she　may

not　have　understood　that　you　were　coming　to…day

at　half…past　threethough　I　thought　she　did。　

But　I'm　so　sorrywhen　you　were　so　kind　as　to

come''　　Miss　Winthrop　interrupted　with　a

quick　gesture。



‘‘Say　no　more；　I　beg　of　you；''　she　entreated。　

‘‘Mrs。　Henshaw　is　quite　excusable；　I'm　sure。　

Please　don't　give　it　another　thought；''　she

finished；　as　with　a　hurried　direction　to　the　man　who

was　holding　open　the　door　of　her　car；　she　stepped

inside　and　bowed　her　good…byes。



Bertram；　with　stern　self…control；　forced

himself　to　walk　nonchalantly　up　his　steps；　leisurely

take　out　his　key；　and　open　his　door；　under　the

interested　eyes　of　Bessie　Bailey　and　her　friends；

but　once　beyond　their　hateful　stare；　his　demeanor

underwent　a　comp