miss billy-第1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！





Miss　Billy

by　Eleanor　H。　Porter






CONTENTS


CHAPTER

I。　　BILLY　WRITES　A　LETTER

II。　　〃THE　STRATA〃

III。　　THE　STRATAWHEN　THE　LETTER　COMES

IV。　　BILLY　SENDS　A　TELEGRAM

V。　　GETTING　READY　FOR　BILLY

VI。　　THE　COMING　OF　BILLY

VII。　　INTRODUCING　SPUNK

VIII。　　THE　ROOMAND　BILLY

IX。　　A　FAMILY　CONCLAVE

X。　　AUNT　HANNAH

XI。　　BERTRAM　HAS　VISITORS

XII。　　CYRIL　TAKES　HIS　TURN

XIII。　　A　SURPRISE　ALL　AROUND

XIV。　　AUNT　HANNAH　SPEAKS　HER　MIND

XV。　　WHAT　BERTRAM　CALLS　〃THE　LIMIT〃

XVI。　　KATE　TAKES　A　HAND

XVII。　　A　PINK…RIBBON　TRAIL

XVIII。　　BILLY　WRITES　ANOTHER　LETTER

XIX。　　SEEING　BILLY　OFF

XX。　　BILLY；　THE　MYTH

XXI。　　BILLY；　THE　REALITY

XXII。　　HUGH　CALDERWELL

XXIII。　　BERTRAM　DOES　SOME　QUESTIONING

XXIV。　　CYRIL；　THE　ENIGMA

XXV。　　THE　OLD　ROOMAND　BILLY

XXVI。　　〃MUSIC　HATH　CHARMS〃

XXVII。　　MARIE；　WHO　LONGS　TO　MAKE　PUDDINGS

XXVIII。　　〃I'M　GOING　TO　WIN〃

XXIX。　　〃I'M　NOT　GOING　TO　MARRY〃

XXX。　　MARIE　FINDS　A　FRIEND

XXXI。　　THE　ENGAGEMENT　OF　ONE

XXXII。　　CYRIL　HAS　SOMETHING　TO　SAY

XXXIII。　　WILLIAM　IS　WORRIED

XXXIV。　　CLASS　DAY

XXXV。　　SISTER　KATE　AGAIN

XXXVI。　　WILLIAM　MEETS　WITH　A　SURPRISE

XXXVII。　　〃WILLIAM'S　BROTHER〃

XXXVIII。　　THE　ENGAGEMENT　OF　TWO

XXXIX。　　A　LITTLE　PIECE　OF　PAPER

XL。　　WILLIAM　PAYS　A　VISIT

XLI。　　THE　CROOKED　MADE　STRAIGHT

XLII。　　THE　〃END　OF　THE　STORY〃







MISS　BILLY



CHAPTER　I

BILLY　WRITES　A　LETTER



Billy　Neilson　was　eighteen　years　old　when　the　aunt；　who　had　brought
her　up　from　babyhood；　died。　　Miss　Benton's　death　left　Billy　quite
alone　in　the　worldalone；　and　peculiarly　forlorn。　　To　Mr。　James
Harding；　of　Harding　&　Harding；　who　had　charge　of　Billy's　not
inconsiderable　property；　the　girl　poured　out　her　heart　in　all　its
loneliness　two　days　after　the　funeral。

〃You　see；　Mr。　Harding；　there　isn't　any　onenot　any　one　who
cares；〃　she　choked。

〃Tut；　tut；　my　child；　it's　not　so　bad　as　that；　surely；〃　remonstrated
the　old　man；　gently。　　〃Why；　II　care。〃

Billy　smiled　through　tear…wet　eyes。

〃But　I　can't　LIVE　with　you；〃　she　said。

〃I'm　not　so　sure　of　that；　either；〃　retorted　the　man。　　〃I'm　thinking
that　Letty　and　Ann　would　LIKE　to　have　you　with　us。〃

The　girl　laughed　now　outright。　　She　was　thinking　of　Miss　Letty；　who
had　〃nerves；〃　and　of　Miss　Ann；　who　had　a　〃heart〃；　and　she　pictured
her　own　young；　breezy；　healthy　self　attempting　to　conform　to　the
hushed　and　shaded　thing　that　life　was；　within　Lawyer　Harding's
home。

〃Thank　you；　but　I'm　sure　they　wouldn't；〃　she　objected。　　〃You　don't
know　how　noisy　I　am。〃

The　lawyer　stirred　restlessly　and　pondered。

〃But；　surely；　my　dear；　isn't　there　some　relative；　somewhere？〃　he
demanded。　　〃How　about　your　mother's　people？〃

Billy　shook　her　head。　　Her　eyes　filled　again　with　tears。

There　was　only　Aunt　Ella；　ever；　that　I　knew　anything　about。　　She
and　mother　were　the　only　children　there　were；　and　mother　died　when
I　was　a　year　old；　you　know。〃

〃But　your　father's　people？〃

〃It's　even　worse　there。　　He　was　an　only　child　and　an　orphan　when
mother　married　him。　　He　died　when　I　was　but　six　months　old。　　After
that　there　was　only　mother　and　Aunt　Ella；　then　Aunt　Ella　alone；　and
nowno　one。〃

〃And　you　know　nothing　of　your　father's　people？〃

〃Nothing；　that　isalmost　nothing。〃

〃Then　there　is　some　one？〃

Billy　smiled。　　A　deeper　pink　showed　in　her　cheeks。

〃Why；　there's　onea　man　but　he　isn't　really　father's　people；
anyway。　　But　II　have　been　tempted　to　write　to　him。〃

〃Who　is　he？〃

〃The　one　I'm　named　for。　　He　was　father's　boyhood　chum。　　You　see
that's　why　I'm　'Billy'　instead　of　being　a　proper　'Susie；'　or
'Bessie；'　or　'Sally　Jane。'　　Father　had　made　up　his　mind　to　name　his
baby　'William'　after　his　chum；　and　when　I　came；　Aunt　Ella　said；　he
was　quite　broken…hearted　until　somebody　hit　upon　the　idea　of　naming
me　Billy。'　　Then　he　was　content；　for　it　seems　that　he　always　called
his　chum　'Billy'　anyhow。　　And　so'Billy'　I　am　to…day。〃

〃Do　you　know　this　man？〃

〃No。　　You　see　father　died；　and　mother　and　Aunt　Ella　knew　him　only
very　slightly。　　Mother　knew　his　wife；　though；　Aunt　Ella　said；　and
SHE　was　lovely。〃

〃Hm；　well；　we　might　look　them　up；　perhaps。　　You　know　his
address？〃

〃Oh；　yes　unless　he's　moved。　　We've　always　kept　that。　　Aunt　Ella
used　to　say　sometimes　that　she　was　going　to　write　to　him　some　day
about　me；　you　know。〃

〃What's　his　name？〃

〃William　Henshaw。　　He　lives　in　Boston。〃

Lawyer　Harding　snatched　off　his　glasses；　and　leaned　forward　in　his
chair。

〃William　Henshaw！　　Not　the　Beacon　Street　Henshaws！〃　he　cried。

It　was　Billy's　turn　to　be　excited。　　She；　too；　leaned　forward
eagerly。

〃Oh；　do　you　know　him？　　That's　lovely！　　And　his　address　IS　Beacon
Street！　　I　know　because　I　saw　it　only　to…day。　　You　see；　I　HAVE　been
tempted　to　write　him。〃

〃Write　him？　　Of　course　you'll　write　him；〃　cried　the　lawyer。　　〃And
we　don't　need　to　do　much　'looking　up'　there；　child。　　I've　known　the
family　for　years；　and　this　William　was　a　college　mate　of　my　boy's。
Nice　fellow；　too。　　I've　heard　Ned　speak　of　him。　　There　were　three
sons；　William；　and　two　others　much　younger　than　he。　　I've　forgotten
their　names。〃

〃Then　you　do　know　him！　　I'm　so　glad；〃　exclaimed　Billy。　　〃You　see；
he　never　seemed　to　me　quite　real。〃

〃I　know　about　him；〃　corrected　the　lawyer；　smilingly；　〃though　I'll
confess　I've　rather　lost　track　of　him　lately。　　Ned　will　know。　　I'll
ask　Ned。　　Now　go　home；　my　dear；　and　dry　those　pretty　eyes　of　yours。
Or；　better　still；　come　home　with　me　to　tea。　　II'll　telephone　up
to　the　house。〃　　And　he　rose　stiffly　and　went　into　the　inner　office。

Some　minutes　passed　before　he　came　back；　red　of　face；　and　plainly
distressed。

〃My　dear　child；　II'm　sorry；　butbut　I'll　have　to　take　back　that
invitation；〃　he　blurted　out　miserably。　　〃My　sisters　areare　not
well　this　afternoon。　　Ann　has　been　having　a　turn　with　her　heart
you　know　Ann's　heart　isis　bad；　and　LettyLetty　is　always　nervous
at　such　timesvery　nervous。　　ErI'm　so　sorry！　　But　you'llexcuse
it？〃

〃Indeed　I　will；〃　smiled　Billy；　〃and　thank　you　just　the　same；　only〃
her　eyes　twinkled　mischievously〃you　don't　mind　if　I　do　say　that
it　IS　lucky　that　we　hadn't　gone　on　planning　to　have　me　live　with
them；　Mr。　Harding！〃

〃Eh？　　Weller；　I　think　your　plan　about　the　Henshaws　is　very　good；〃
he　interposed　hurriedly。　　〃I'll　speak　to　NedI'll　speak　to　Ned；〃
he　finished；　as　he　ceremoniously　bowed　the　girl　from　the　office。

James　Harding　kept　his　word；　and　spoke　to　his　son　that　night；　but
there　was　little；　after　all；　that　Ned　could　tell　him。　　Yes；　he
remembered　Billy　Henshaw　well；　but　he　had　not　heard　of　him　for
years；　since　Henshaw's　marriage；　in　fact。　　He　must　be　forty　years
old；　Ned　said；　but　he　was　a　fine　fellow；　an　exceptionally　fine
fellow；　and　would　be　sure　to　deal　kindly　and　wisely　by　his　little
orphan　namesake；　of　that　Ned　was　very　sure。

〃That's　good。　　I'll　write　him；〃　declared　Mr。　James　Harding。　　〃I'll
write　him　tomorrow。〃

He　did　writebut　not　so　soon　as　Billy　wrote；　for　even　as　he　spoke；
Billy；　in　her　lonely　little　room　at　the　other　end　of　the　town；　was
laying　bare　all　her　homesickness　in　four　long　pages　to　〃Dear　Uncle
William。〃



CHAPTER　II

〃THE　STRATA〃


Bertram　Henshaw　called　the　Beacon　Street　home　〃The　Strata。〃　　This
annoyed　Cyril；　and　even　William；　not　a　little；　though　they
reflected　that；　after　all；　it　was　〃only　Bertram。〃　　For　the　whole　of
Bertram's　twenty…four　years　of　life　it　had　been　like　this〃It's
only　Bertram；〃　had　been　at　once　the　curse　and　the　salvation　of　his
existence。

In　this　particular　case；　however；　Bertram's　vagary　of　fancy　had
some　excuse。　　The　Beacon　Street　house；　the　home　of　the　three
brothers；　was　a　〃Strata。〃

〃You　see；　it's　like　this；〃　Bertram　would　explain　airily　to　some　new
acquaintance　who　expressed　surprise　at　the　name；　〃if　I　could　slice
off　the　front　of　the　house　like　a　loaf　of　cake；　you'd　understand　it
better。　　But　just　suppose　that　old　Bunker　Hill　should　suddenly
spout　fire　and　brimstone　and　bury　us　under　tons　of　ashesonly
fancy　the　condition　of　mind　of　those　future　archaeologists　when
they　struck　our　house　after　their　months　of　digging！

〃What　would　they　find？　　Listen。　　First：　stratum　number　one；　the　top
floor；　that's　Cyril's；　you　know。　　They'd　note　the　bare　floors；　the
sparse　but　heavy　furniture；　the　piano；　the　violin；　the　flute；　the
book…lined　walls；　and　the　absence　of　every　sort　of　curtain；
cushion；　or　knickknack。　　'Here　lived　a　plain　man；'　they'd　say；　'a
scholar；　a　musician；　stern；　unloved　and　unloving；　a　monk。'

〃And　what　next？　　They'd　strike　William's　stratum　next；　the　third
floor。　　Imagine　it！　　You　know　William　as　a　State　Street　broker；
well…off；　a　widower；　tall；　angular；　slow　of　speech；　a　little　bald；
very　much　nearsighted；　and　the　owner　of　the　kindest　heart　in　the
world。　　But　really　to　know　William；　you　must　know　his　rooms。
William　collects　things。　　He　has　always　collected　thingsand　he's
saved　every　one　of　them。　　There's　a　tradition　that　at　the　age　of
one　year　he　crept　into　the　house　with　four　small　round　white
stones。　　Anyhow；　if　he　did；　he's　got　them　now。　　Rest　assured　of
thatand　he's　forty　this　year。　　Miniatures；　carved　ivories；　bugs；
moths；　porcelains；　jades；　stamps；　postcards；　spoons；