miss billie married-第4节
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to be a wife。 And； Bertram； I did try； honestly；
all this week。 I tried so hard to remember when
you sponged bread and when you kneaded it。''
‘‘I don't ever need_yours_；'' cut in Bertram；
shamelessly； but he got only a deservedly stern
glance in return。
‘‘And I repeated over and over again how
many cupfuls of flour and pinches of salt and
spoonfuls of baking…powder went into things；
but； Bertram； I simply could not keep my mind
on it。 Everything； everywhere was singing to
me。 And how do you suppose I could remember
how many pinches of flour and spoonfuls of salt
and cupfuls of baking…powder went into a loaf
of cake when all the while the very teakettle on
the stove was singing： ‘It's all rightBertram
loves meI'm going to marry Bertram！'？''
‘‘You darling！'' （In spite of the man across
the aisle Bertram did almost kiss her this time。）
‘‘As if anybody cared how many cupfuls of
baking…powder went anywherewith that in
your heart！''
‘‘Aunt Hannah says you willwhen you're
hungry。 And Kate said''
Bertram uttered a sharp word behind his teeth。
‘‘Billy； for heaven's sake don't tell me what
Kate said； if you want me to stay sane； and not
attempt to fight somebodybroken arm； and
all。 Kate _thinks_ she's kind； and I suppose she
means well； butwell； she's made trouble
enough between us already。 I've got you now；
sweetheart。 You're mineall mine'' his
voice shook； and dropped to a tender whisper
‘‘ ‘till death us do part。' ''
‘‘Yes； ‘till death us do part；' '' breathed Billy。
And then； for a time； they fell silent。
‘‘ ‘I； Bertram； take thee； Billy；' '' sang the
whirring wheels beneath them； to one。
‘‘ ‘I； Billy； take thee； Bertram；' '' sang the
whirring wheels beneath them； to the other。
While straight ahead before them both； stretched
fair and beautiful in their eyes； the wondrous
path of life which they were to tread together。
CHAPTER II
FOR WILLIAMA HOME
On the first Sunday after the wedding Pete
came up…stairs to tell his master； William； that
Mrs。 Stetson wanted to see him in the drawing…
room。
William went down at once。
‘‘Well； Aunt Hannah；'' he began； reaching out
a cordial hand。 ‘‘Why； what's the matter？'' he
broke off concernedly； as he caught a clearer view
of the little old lady's drawn face and troubled
eyes。
‘‘William； it's silly； of course；'' cried Aunt
Hannah； tremulously； ‘‘but I simply had to go
to some one。 II feel so nervous and
unsettled！ Diddid Billy say anything to you
what she was going to do？''
‘‘What she was going to do？ About what？
What do you mean？''
‘‘About the houseselling it；'' faltered Aunt
Hannah； sinking wearily back into her chair。
William frowned thoughtfully。
‘‘Why； no；'' he answered。 ‘‘It was all so
hurried at the last； you know。 There was really
very little chance to make plans for anything
except the wedding；'' he finished； with a smile。
‘‘Yes； I know；'' sighed Aunt Hannah。 ‘‘Everything
was in such confusion！ Still； I didn't know
but she might have said somethingto you。''
‘‘No； she didn't。 But I imagine it won't be
hard to guess what she'll do。 When they get
back from their trip I fancy she won't lose much
time in having what things she wants brought
down here。 Then she'll sell the rest and put the
house on the market。''
‘‘Yes； ofof course；'' stammered Aunt Hannah；
pulling herself hastily to a more erect position。
‘‘That's what I thought； too。 Then don't
you think we'd better dismiss Rosa and close the
house at once？''
‘‘Whyyes； perhaps so。 Why not？ Then
you'd be all settled here when she comes home。
I'm sure； the sooner you come； the better I'll be
pleased；'' he smiled。
Aunt Hannah turned sharply。
‘‘Here！'' she ejaculated。 ‘‘William Henshaw；
you didn't suppose I was coming _here_ to live；
did you？''
It was William's turn to look amazed。
‘‘Why； of course you're coming here！ Where
else should you go； pray？''
‘‘Where I was beforebefore Billy cameto
you；'' returned Aunt Hannah a little tremulously；
but with a certain dignity。 ‘‘I shall take a room
in some quiet boarding…house； of course。''
‘‘Nonsense； Aunt Hannah！ As if Billy would
listen to that！ You came before； why not come
now？''
Aunt Hannah lifted her chin the fraction of an
inch。
‘‘You forget。 I was needed before。 Billy is a
married woman now。 She needs no chaperon。''
‘‘Nonsense！'' scowled William； again。 ‘‘Billy
will always need you。''
Aunt Hannah shook her head mournfully。
‘‘I like to thinkshe wants me； William；
but I know； in my heart； it isn't best。''
‘‘Why not？''
There was a moment's pause； then； decisively
came the answer。
‘‘Because I think young married folks should
not have outsiders in the home。''
William laughed relievedly。
‘‘Oh； so that's it！ Well； Aunt Hannah； you're
no outsider。 Come； run right along home and
pack your trunk。''
Aunt Hannah was plainly almost crying； but
she held her ground。
‘‘William； I can't；'' she reiterated。
‘‘ButBilly is such a child； and''
For once in her circumspect life Aunt Hannah
was guilty of an interruption。
‘‘Pardon me； William； she is not a child。 She
is a woman now； and she has a woman's problems
to meet。''
‘‘Well； then； why don't you help her meet
them？'' retorted William； still with a whimsical
smile。
But Aunt Hannah did not smile。 For a minute
she did not speak； then； with her eyes studiously
averted； she said：
‘‘William； the first four years of my married
life werewere spoiled by an outsider in our
home。 I don't mean to spoil Billy's。''
William relaxed visibly。 The smile fled from
his face。
‘‘WhyAuntHannah！'' he exclaimed。
The little old lady turned with a weary sigh。
‘‘Yes； I know。 You are shocked； of course。
I shouldn't have told you。 Still； it is all past
long ago； andI wanted to make you understand
why I can't come。 He was my husband's
eldest brothera bachelor。 He was good and
kind； and meant well； I suppose； buthe
interfered with everything。 I was young； and
probably headstrong。 At all events； there was
constant friction。 He went away once and
stayed two whole months。 I shall never forget
the utter freedom and happiness of those months
for us； with the whole house to ourselves。 No；
William； I can't come。'' She rose abruptly and
turned toward the door。 Her eyes were wistful；
and her face was still drawn with suffering； but
her whole frail little self quivered plainly with
high resolve。 ‘‘John has Peggy outside。 I must
go。''
‘‘Butbut； Aunt Hannah；'' began William；
helplessly。
She lifted a protesting hand。
‘‘No； don't urge me； please。 I can't come here。
ButI believe I won't close the house till Billy
gets home； after all；'' she declared。 The next
moment she was gone； and William； dazedly；
from the doorway； was watching John help her
into Billy's automobile； called by Billy and half
her friends； ‘‘Peggy；'' short for ‘‘Pegasus。''
Still dazedly William turned back into the
house and dropped himself into the nearest chair。
What a curious call it had been！ Aunt Hannah
had not acted like herself at all。 Not once had
she said ‘‘Oh； my grief and conscience！'' while
the things she _had_ said！ Someway； he had
never thought of Aunt Hannah as being young；
and a bride。 Still； of course she must have been
once。 And the reason she gave for not coming
there to livethe pitiful story of that outsider
in her home！ But she was no outsider！ She was
no interfering brother of Billy's
William caught his breath suddenly； and held
it suspended。 Then he gave a low ejaculation
and half sprang from his chair。
Spunkie； disturbed from her doze by the fire；
uttered a purring ‘‘me…o…ow；'' and looked up inquiringly。
For a long minute William gazed dumbly into
the cat's yellow； sleepily contented eyes； then he
said with tragic distinctness：
‘‘Spunkie； it's true： Aunt Hannah isn't Billy's
husband's brother； butI am！ Do you hear？
I _am！_''
‘‘Pur…r…me…ow！'' commented Spunkie； and
curled herself for another nap。
There was no peace for William after that。 In
vain he told himself that he was no ‘‘interfering''
brother； and that this was his home and
had been all his life； in vain did he declare
emphatically that he could not go； he would not go；
that Billy would not wish him to go： always before
his eyes was the vision of that little bride of
years long gone； always in his ears was the echo
of Aunt Hannah's ‘‘I shall never forget the utter
freedom and happiness of those months for us；
with the whole house to ourselves。'' Nor； turn
which way he would； could he find anything to
comfort him。 Simply because he was
