miss billy-第15节

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back　then　as　soon　as　you　can；　and　we'll　talk　it　up。　　And　that
reminds　me；　I　wonder　how　Spunk　will　get　along　with　Spunkie。
Spunkie　has　been　boarding　out　all　August　at　a　cat　home；　but　he
seems　glad　to　get　back　to　us。　　I　am　anxious　to　see　the　two　little
chaps　together；　just　to　find　out　how　much　alike　they　really　do
look。〃

Very　promptly　came　Billy's　answer；　but　William's　face；　after　he　had
read　the　letter；　was　almost　as　blank　as　it　had　been　on　that　April
day　when　Billy's　first　letter　camethough　this　time　for　a　far
different　reason。

〃Why；　boys；　sheisn'tcoming；〃　he　announced　in　dismay。

〃Isn't　coming！〃　ejaculated　two　astonished　Voices。

〃No。〃

〃NotatALL？〃

〃Why；　of　course；　later；〃　retorted　William；　with　unwonted　sharpness。
〃But　not　now。　　This　is　what　she　says。〃　　And　he　read　aloud：


〃DEAR　UNCLE　WILLIAM：You　poor　dear　man！　　Did　you　think　I'd　really
let　you　spend　your　time　and　your　thought　over　hunting　up　a　school
for　me；　after　all　the　rest　you　have　done　for　me？　　Not　a　bit　of　it！
Why；　Aunt　Hannah　and　I　have　been　buried　under　school　catalogues　all
summer；　and　I　have　studied　them　all　until　I　know　just　which　has
turkey　dinners　on　Sundays；　and　which　ice　cream　at　least　twice　a
week。　　And　it's　all　settled；　too；　long　ago。　　I'm　going　to　a　girls'
school　up　the　Hudson　a　little　waya　lovely　place；　I'm　sure；　from
the　pictures　of　it。

〃Oh；　and　another　thing；　I　shall　go　right　from　here。　　Two　girls　at
Hampden　Falls　are　going；　and　I　shall　go　with　them。　　Isn't　that　a
fine　chance　for　me？　　You　see　it　would　never　do；　anyway；　for　me　to
go　aloneme；　a　'Billy'unless　I　sent　a　special　courier　ahead　to
announce　that　'Billy'　was　a　girl。

〃Aunt　Hannah　has　decided　to　stay　here　this　winter　in　the　old　house。
She　likes　it　ever　so　much；　and　I　don't　think　I　shall　sell　the　place
just　yet；　anyway。　　She　will　go　back；　of　course；　to　Boston　（after
I've　gone）　to　get　some　things　at　the　house　that　she'll　want；　and
also　to　do　some　shopping。　　But　she'll　let　you　know　when　she'll　be
there。

〃I'll　write　more　later；　but　just　now　I'm　in　a　terrible　rush。　　I
only　write　this　note　to　set　your　poor　heart　at　rest　about　having　to
hunt　up　a　school　for　me。

〃With　love　to　all；

〃BILLY。〃


As　had　happened　once　before　after　a　letter　from　Billy　had　been
read；　there　was　a　long　pause。

〃Well；　by　Jove！〃　breathed　Bertram。

〃It's　very　sensible；　I'm　sure；〃　declared　Cyril。　　〃Still；　I　must
confess；　I　would　have　liked　to　pick　out　her　piano　teacher　for　her。〃

William　said　nothingperhaps　because　he　was　reading　Billy's　letter
again。

At　eight　o'clock　that　night　Bertram　tapped　on　Cyril's　door。

〃What's　the　trouble？〃　demanded　Cyril　in　answer　to　the　look　on　the
other's　face。

Bertram　lifted　his　eyebrows　oddly。

〃I'm　not　sure　whether　you'll　call　it　'trouble'　or　not；〃　he　replied；
〃but　I　think　it's　safe　to　say　that　Billy　is　gonefor　good。〃

〃For　good！　　What　do　you　mean？that　she's　not　coming　backever？〃

〃Exactly　that。〃

〃Nonsense！　　What's　put　that　notion　into　your　head？〃

〃Billy's　letter　first；　after　that；　Pete。〃

〃Pete！〃

〃Yes。　　He　came　to　me　a　few　minutes　ago；　looking　as　if　he　had　seen　a
ghost。　　It　seems　he　swept　Billy's　rooms　this　morning　and　put　them
in　order　against　her　coming；　and　tonight　William　told　him　that　she
wouldn't　be　here　at　present。　　Pete　came　straight　to　me。　　He　said　he
didn't　dare　tell　Mr。　William；　but　he'd　got　to　tell　some　one：　there
wasn't　one　single　thing　of　Miss　Billy's　left　in　her　rooms　nor
anywhere　else　in　the　housenot　so　much　as　a　handkerchief　or　a
hairpin。〃

〃Hm…m；　that　does　looksuspicious；〃　murmured　Cyril。　　〃What's　up；　do
you　think？〃

〃Don't　know；　but　something；　sure。　　Still；　of　course　we　may　be
wrong。　　We　won't　say　anything　to　Will　about　it；　anyhow。　　Poor　old
chap；　'twould　worry　him；　specially　if　he　thought　Billy's　feelings
had　been　hurt。〃

〃Hurt？nonsense！　　Why；　we　did　everything　for　hereverything！〃

〃Yes；　I　knowand　she　tried　to　do　EVERYTHING　for　us；　too；〃　retorted
Bertram；　quizzically；　as　he　turned　away。



CHAPTER　XIX

SEEING　BILLY　OFF


Early　in　October　Mrs。　Stetson　arrived　at　the　Beacon　Street　house；
but　she　did　not　stay　long。

〃I've　come　for　just　a　few　things　I　want；　and　to　do　some　shopping；〃
she　explained。

〃But　Aunt　Hannah；〃　remonstrated　William；　〃what　is　the　meaning　of
this？　　Why　are　you　staying　up　there　at　Hampden　Falls？〃

〃I　like　it　there；　William；　and　why　shouldn't　I　stay？　　Surely
there's　no　need　for　me　to　be　here　now；　with　Billy　away！〃

〃But　Billy's　coming　back！〃

〃Of　course　she's　coming　back；〃　laughed　Aunt　Hannah；　〃but　not　this
winter；　certainly。　　Why；　William；　what's　the　matter？　　I'm　sure；　I
think　it's　a　beautiful　arrangement。　　Why；　don't　you　remember？　　It's
just　what　we　said　we　wantedto　keep　Billy　away　for　awhile。　　And
the　best　part　of　it　is；　it's　her　own　idea　from　the　start。〃

〃Yes；　I　know；　I　know；〃　frowned　William：　〃but　I'm　not　sure；　after
all；　that　that　idea　of　ours　wasn't　a　mistake；a　mistake　that　she
needed　to　get　away。〃

〃Never！　　We　were　just　right　about　it；〃　declared　Aunt　Hannah；　with
conviction。

〃And　is　Billyhappy？〃

〃She　seems　to　be。〃

〃Hm…m；　well；　THAT'S　good；〃　said　William；　as　he　turned　to　go　up　to
his　room。　　But　as　he　climbed　the　stairs　he　sighed；　and　to　hear　him；
one　would　have　thought　it　anything　but　good　to　himthat　Billy　was
happy。

One　by　one　the　weeks　passed。　　Mrs。　Stetson　had　long　since　gone　back
to　Hampden　Falls；　and　Bertram　said　that　the　Strata　was　beginning　to
look　natural　again。　　There　remained　now；　indeed；　only　Spunkie；　the
small　gray　cat；　to　remind　any　one　of　the　days　that　were　gone
though；　to　be　sure；　there　were　Billy's　letters；　if　they　might　be
called　a　reminder。

Billy　did　not　write　often。　　She　said　that　she　was　〃too　busy　to
breathe。〃　　Such　letters　as　did　come　from　her　were　addressed　to
William；　though　they　soon　came　to　be　claimed　by　the　entire　family。
Bertram　and　Cyril　frankly　demanded　that　William　read　them　aloud；
and　even　Pete　always　contrived　to　have　some　dusting　or　〃puttering〃
within　earshota　subterfuge　quite　well　understood；　but　never
reproved　by　any　of　the　brothers。

When　the　Christmas　vacation　drew　near；　William　wrote　that　he　hoped
Billy　and　Aunt　Hannah　would　spend　it　with　them；　but　Billy　answered
that　although　she　appreciated　their　kindness　and　thanked　them　for
it；　yet　she　must　decline　their　invitation；　as　she　had　already
invited　several　of　the　girls　to　go　home　with　her　to　Hampden　Falls
for　a　country　Christmas。

For　the　Easter　vacation　William　was　even　more　insistentbut　so　was
Billy：　she　had　already　accepted　an　invitation　to　go　home　with　one
of　the　girls；　and　she　did　not　think　it　would　be　at　all　polite　to
change　her　plans　now。

William　fretted　not　a　little。　　Even　Cyril　and　Bertram　said　that　it
was　〃too　bad〃；　that　they　themselves　would　like　to　see　the　girlso
they　would！

It　was　in　the　spring；　at　the　close　of　school；　however；　that　the
heaviest　blow　fell：　Billy　was　not　coming　to　Boston　even　then。　　She
wrote　that　she　and　Aunt　Hannah　were　going　to　〃run　across　the　water
for　a　little　trip　through　the　British　Isles〃；　and　that　their
passage　was　already　engaged。

〃And　so　you　see；〃　she　explained；　〃I　shall　not　have　a　minute　to
spare。　　There'll　be　only　time　to　skip　home　for　Aunt　Hannah；　and　to
pack　the　trunks　before　it'll　be　time　to　start。〃

Bertram　looked　at　Cyril　significantly　when　this　letter　was　read
aloud；　and　afterward　he　muttered　in　Cyril's　ear：

〃You　see！　　It's　Hampden　Falls　she　calls　'home'　nownot　the
Strata。〃

〃Yes；　I　see；〃　frowned　Cyril。　　〃It　does　look　suspicious。〃

Two　days　before　the　date　of　Billy's　expected　sailing；　William
announced　at　the　breakfast　table　that　he　was　going　away　on
business；　might　be　gone　until　the　end　of　the　week。

〃You　don't　say；〃　commented　Bertram。　　〃I'M　going　to…morrow；　but　I'm
coming　back　in　a　couple　of　days。〃

〃Hm…m；〃　murmured　William；　abstractedly。　　〃Oh；　well；　I　may　be　back
before　the　end　of　the　week。〃

Only　one　meal　did　Cyril　eat　alone　after　his　brothers　had　gone；　then
he　told　Pete　that　he　had　decided　to　take　the　night　boat　for　New
York。　　There　was　a　little　matter　that　called　him　there；　he　said；
and　he　believed　the　trip　by　water　would　be　a　pleasure；　the　night
was　so　fine　and　warm。

In　New　York　Cyril　had　little　trouble　in　finding　Billy；　as　he　knew
the　steamship　she　was　to　take。

〃I　thought　as　long　as　I　was　in　New　York　to…day　I'd　just　come　and
say　good…by　to　you　and　Aunt　Hannah；〃　he　informed　her；　with　an
evident　aim　toward　making　his　presence　appear　to　be　casual。

〃That　was　good　of　you！〃　exclaimed　Billy。　　〃And　how　are　Uncle
William　and　Mr。　Bertram？〃

〃Very　well；　I　fancy；　though　they　weren't　there　when　I　left；〃
replied　the　man。

〃Oh！gone　away？〃

〃Yes。　　A　little　matter　of　business　they　said；　butwell；　by　Jove！〃
he　broke　off；　his　gaze　on　a　familiar　figure　hurrying　at　that　moment
toward　them。　　〃There's　William　now！〃

William；　with　no　eyes　but　for　Billy；　came　rapidly　forward。

〃Well；　well；　Billy！　　I　thought　as　long　as　I　happened　to　be　in　New
York　to…day　I'd　just　run　down　to　the　boat　and　see　you　and　Aunt
Hannah　off；　and　wish　　CYRIL！　　Where　did　YOU　come　from？〃

Billy　laughed。

〃He　just　happened　to　be　in　town；　too；　Uncle　William；　like　you；〃　she
explained。　　〃And　I'm　sure　I　think　it's　lovely　of　you