miss billy-第13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！


scarlet。　　She　was　almost　crying。　　〃Come；　you　won't　refuse　now！〃　she
finished；　resolutely　turning　toward　the　street。

And　because　old　Pete　could　not　pick　her　up　bodily　and　carry　her
home；　he　followed　close　at　her　heels。　　At　the　head　of　the　marble
stairs　〃all　lights　and　mirrors；〃　however；　he　made　one　last　plea。

〃Miss　Billy；　once　more　I　beg　of　ye；　won't　ye　come　home？　　Ye　don't
know　what　yer　a…doin'；　Miss　Billy；　ye　don'tye　don't！〃

〃I　can't　go　home；〃　persisted　Billy。　　〃I　must　get　Mr。　Bertram　away
from　that　man。　　Now　come；　we'll　just　stand　at　the　door　and　look　in
until　we　see　him。　　Then　I'll　go　straight　to　him　and　speak　to　him。〃
And　with　that　she　turned　and　ran　down　the　steps。

Billy　blinked　a　little　at　the　lights　which；　reflected　in　the　great
plate…glass　mirrors；　were　a　million　dazzling　points　that　found
themselves　again　repeated　in　the　sparkling　crystal　and　glittering
silver　on　the　flower…decked　tables。　　All　about　her　Billy　saw
flushed…faced　men；　and　bright…eyed　women；　laughing；　chatting；　and
clinking　together　their　slender…stemmed　wine　glasses。　　But　nowhere；
as　she　looked　about　her；　could　Billy　descry　the　man　she　sought。

The　head　waiter　came　forward　with　uplifted　hand；　but　Billy　did　not
see　him。　　A　girl　at　her　left　laughed　disagreeably；　and　several　men
stared　with　boldly　admiring　eyes；　but　to　them；　too；　Billy　paid　no
heed。　　Then；　halfway　across　the　room　she　spied　Bertram　and　Seaver
sitting　together　at　a　small　table　alone。

Simultaneously　her　own　and　Bertram's　eyes　met。

With　a　sharp　word　under　his　breath　Bertram　sprang　to　his　feet。　　His
befogged　brain　had　cleared　suddenly　under　the　shock　of　Billy's
presence。

〃Billy；　for　Heaven's　sake　what　are　you　doing　here？〃　he　demanded　in
a　low　voice；　as　he　reached　her　side。

〃I　came　for　you。　　I　want　you　to　go　home　with　me；　please；　Mr。
Bertram；〃　whispered　Billy；　pleadingly。

The　man　had　not　waited　for　an　answer　to　his　question。　　With　a　deft
touch　he　had　turned　Billy　toward　the　door；　and　even　as　she　finished
her　sentence　she　found　herself　in　the　marble　hallway　confronting
Pete；　pallid…faced；　and　shaking。

〃And　you；　too；　Pete！　　Great　Scott！　what　does　this　mean？〃　he
exploded　angrily。

Pete　could　only　shake　his　head　and　glance　imploringly　at　Billy。
His　dry　lips　and　tongue　refused　to　articulate　even　one　word。

〃We　cameforyou；〃　choked　Billy。　　〃You　see；　I　don't　like　that
Seaver　man。〃

〃Well；　by　Jove！　this　is　the　limit！〃　breathed　Bertram。



CHAPTER　XVI

KATE　TAKES　A　HAND


Undeniably　Billy　was　in　disgrace；　and　none　knew　it　better　than
Billy　herself。　　The　whole　family　had　contributed　to　this　knowledge。
Aunt　Hannah　was　inexpressibly　shocked；　she　had　not　breath　even　to
ejaculate　〃My　grief　and　conscience！〃　　Kate　was　disgusted；　Cyril　was
coldly　reserved；　Bertram　was　frankly　angry；　even　William　was　vexed；
and　showed　it。　　Spunk；　too；　as　if　in　league　with　the　rest；　took
this　opportunity　to　display　one　of　his　occasional　fits　of
independence；　and　when　Billy；　longing　for　some　sort　of　comfort；
called　him　to　her；　he　settled　back　on　his　tiny　haunches　and
imperturbably　winked　and　blinked　his　indifference。

Nearly　all　the　family　had　had　something　to　say　to　Billy　on　the
matter；　with　not　entirely　satisfactory　results；　when　Kate
determined　to　see　what　she　could　do。　　She　chose　a　time　when　she
could　have　the　girl　quite　to　herself　with　small　likelihood　of
interruption。

〃But；　Billy；　how　could　you　do　such　an　absurd　thing？〃　she　demanded。
〃The　idea　of　leaving　my　house　alone；　at　half…past　ten　at　night；　to
follow　a　couple　of　men　through　the　streets　of　Boston；　and　then　with
my　brothers'　butler　make　a　scene　like　that　in　aa　public　dining…
room！〃

Billy　sighed　in　a　discouraged　way。

〃Aunt　Kate；　can't　I　make　you　and　the　rest　of　them　understand　that　I
didn't　start　out　to　do　all　that？　　I　meant　just　to　speak　to　Mr。
Bertram；　and　get　him　away　from　that　man。〃

〃But；　my　dear　child；　even　that　was　bad　enough！〃

Billy　lifted　her　chin。

〃You　don't　seem　to　think；　Aunt　Kate；　Mr。　Bertram　waswas　not
sober。〃

〃All　the　more　reason　then　why　you　should　NOT　have　done　what　you
did！〃

〃Why；　Aunt　Kate；　you　wouldn't　leave　him　alone　in　that　condition
with　that　man！〃

It　was　Mrs。　Hartwell's　turn　to　sigh。

〃But；　Billy；〃　she　contested；　wearily；　〃can't　you　understand　that　it
wasn't　YOUR　place　to　interfereyou；　a　young　girl？〃

〃I'm　sure　I　don't　see　what　difference　that　makes。　　I　was　the　only
one　that　could　do　it！　　Besides；　afterward；　I　did　try　to　get　some
one　else；　Uncle　William　and　Mr。　Cyril。　　But　when　I　found　I　couldn't
get　them；　I　just　had　to　do　it　alonethat　is；　with　Pete。〃

〃Pete！〃　scoffed　Mrs。　Hartwell。　　〃Pete；　indeed！〃

Billy's　head　came　up　with　a　jerk。　　Billy　was　very　angry　now。

〃Aunt　Kate；　it　seems　I've　done　a　very　terrible　thing；　but　I'm　sure
I　don't　see　it　that　way。　　I　wasn't　afraid；　and　I　wasn't　in　the
least　bit　of　danger　anywhere。　　I　knew　my　way　perfectly；　and　I　did
NOT　make　any　'scene'　in　that　restaurant。　　I　just　asked　Mr。　Bertram
to　come　home　with　me。　　One　would　think　you　WANTED　Mr。　Bertram　to　go
off　with　that　man　andand　drink　too　much。　　But　Uncle　William
hasn't　liked　him　before；　not　one　bit！　　I've　heard　him　talk　about
himthat　Mr。　Seaver。〃

Mrs。　Hartwell　raised　both　her　hands；　palms　outward。

〃Billy；　it　is　useless　to　talk　with　you。　　You　are　quite　impossible。
It　is　even　worse　than　I　expected！〃　she　cried；　with　wrathful
impatience。

〃Worse　than　youexpected？　　What　do　you　mean；　please？〃

〃Worse　than　I　thought　it　would　bebefore　you　came。　　The　idea　of
those　five　men　taking　a　girl　to　bring　up！〃

Billy　sat　very　still。　　She　was　even　holding　her　breath；　though　Mrs。
Hartwell　did　not　know　that。

〃You　meanthat　they　did　notwant　me？〃　she　asked　quietly；　so
quietly　that　Mrs。　Hartwell　did　not　realize　the　sudden　tension
behind　the　words。　　For　that　matter；　Mrs。　Hartwell　was　too　angry　now
to　realize　anything　outside　of　herself。

〃Want　you！　　Billy；　it　is　high　time　that　you　understand　just　how
things　are；　and　have　been；　at　the　house；　then　perhaps　you　will
conduct　yourself　with　an　eye　a　little　more　to　other　people's
comfort。　　Can　you　imagine　three　young　men　like　my　brothers　WANTING
to　take　a　strange　young　woman　into　their　home　to　upset　everything？〃

〃Toupseteverything！〃　echoed　Billy；　faintly。　　〃And　have　I　done
that？〃

〃Of　course　you　have！　　How　could　you　help　it？　　To　begin　with；　they
thought　you　were　a　boy；　and　that　was　bad　enough；　but　William　was　so
anxious　to　do　right　by　his　dead　friend　that　he　insisted　upon　taking
you；　much　against　the　will　of　all　the　rest　of　us。　　Oh；　I　know　this
isn't　pleasant　for　you　to　hear；〃　admitted　Mrs。　Hartwell；　in
response　to　the　dismayed　expression　in　Billy's　eyes；　〃but　I　think
it's　high　time　you　realize　something　of　what　those　men　have
sacrificed　for　you。　　Now；　to　resume。　　When　they　found　you　were　a
girl；　what　did　they　do？　　Did　they　turn　you　over　to　some　school　or
such　place；　as　they　should　have　done？　　Certainly　not！　　William
would　not　hear　of　it。　　He　turned　Bertram　out　of　his　rooms；　put　you
into　them；　and　established　Aunt　Hannah　as　chaperon　and　me　as
substitute　until　she　arrived。　　But　because；　through　it　all；　he
smiled　blandly；　you　have　been　blind　to　the　whole　thing。

〃And　what　is　the　result？　　His　entire　household　routine　is　shattered
to　atoms。　　You　have　accepted　the　whole　house　as　if　it　were　your
own。　　You　take　Cyril's　time　to　teach　you　music；　and　Bertram's　to
teach　you　painting；　without　a　thought　of　what　it　means　to　them。
There！　　I　suppose　I　ought　not　to　have　said　all　this；　but　I　couldn't
help　it；　Billy。　　And　surely　now；　NOW　you　appreciate　a　little　more
what　your　coming　to　this　house　has　meant；　and　what　my　brothers　have
done　for　you。〃

〃I　do；　certainly；〃　said　Billy；　still　in　that　voice　that　was　so
oddly　smooth　and　emotionless。

〃And　you'll　try　to　be　more　tractable；　less　headstrong；　less
assertive　of　your　presence？〃

The　girl　sprang　to　her　feet　now。

〃More　tractable！　　Less　assertive　of　my　presence！〃　she　cried。　　〃Mrs。
Hartwell；　do　you　mean　to　say　you　think　I'd　STAY　after　what　you've
told　me？〃

〃Stay？　　Why；　of　course　you'll　stay！　　Don't　be　silly；　child。　　I
didn't　tell　you　this　to　make　you　go。　　I　only　wanted　you　to
understand　how　things　wereand　are。〃

〃And　I　do　understandand　I'm　going。〃

Mrs。　Hartwell　frowned。　　Her　face　changed　color。

〃Come；　come；　Billy；　this　is　nonsense。　　William　wants　you　here。　　He
would　never　forgive　me　if　anything　I　said　should　send　you　away。
You　must　not　be　angry　with；　him。〃

Billy　turned　now　like　an　enraged　little　tigress。

〃Angry　with　him！　　Why；　I　love　himI　love　them　all！　　They　are　the
dearest　men　ever；　and　they've　been　so　good　to　me！〃　　The　girl's
voice　broke　a　little；　then　went　on　with　a　more　determined　ring。
〃Do　you　think　I'd　have　them　know　why　I'm　going？that　I'd　hurt　them
like　that？　　Never！〃

〃But；　Billy；　what　are　you　going　to　do？〃

〃I　don't　know。　　I've　got　to　plan　it　out。　　I　only　know　now　that　I'm
going；　sure！〃　　And　with　a　choking　little　cry　Billy　ran　from　the
room。

In　her　own　chamber　a　minute　later　the　tears　fell　unrestrained。

〃It's　homeall　the　home　there　isanywhere！〃　she　sobbed。　　〃But
it's　got　to　goit's　got　to　go！〃



CHAPTER　XVII

A　PINK…RIBBON　TRAIL


Mrs。　Stetson　wore　an　air　of　unmistakable