miss billy-第14部分

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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　to　be　so　kind。
Aunt　Hannah'll　be　up　right　away。　　She　went　down　to　the　stateroom
to〃　　This　time　it　was　Billy　who　stopped　abruptly。　　The　two　men
facing　her　could　not　see　what　she　saw；　and　not　until　their　brother
Bertram's　merry　greeting　fell　on　their　ears　did　they　understand　her
sudden　silence。

〃And　is　this　the　way　you　meant　to　run　away　from　us；　young　lady？〃
cried　Bertram。　　〃Not　so　fast！　　You　see；　I　happened　to　be　in　New
York　this　morning；　and　so　I〃　　Something　in　Billy's　face　sent　a
pause　to　his　words　just　as　his　eyes　spied　the　two　men　at　the　girl's
side。　　For　a　moment　he　stared　dumbly；　then　he　gave　a　merry　gesture
of　defeat。

〃It's　all　up！　　I　might　as　well　confess。　　I'VE　been　planning　this
thing　for　three　weeks；　Billy；　ever　since　your　letter　came；　in　fact。
As　for　my　two　fellow…sinners　here；　I'll　wager　they　weren't　two　days
behind　me　in　their　planning。　　So　now；　own　up；　boys！〃

William　and　Cyril；　however；　did　not　have　to　〃own　up。〃　　Mrs。　Stetson
appeared　at　the　moment　and　created；　for　them；　a　very　welcome
diversion。

Long　minutes　later；　when　the　good…byes　had　become　nothing　but　a
flutter　of　white　handkerchiefs　from　deck　to　shore；　and　shore　to
deck；　William　drew　a　long　sigh。

〃That's　a　nice　little　girl；　boys；　a　nice　little　girl！〃　he
exclaimed。　　〃I　declare！　I　didn't　suppose　I'd　mind　so　much　her　going
so　far　away。〃



CHAPTER　XX

BILLY；　THE　MYTH


To　all　appearances　it　came　about　very　naturally　that　Billy　did　not
return　to　America　for　some　time。　　During　the　summer　she　wrote
occasionally　to　William；　and　gave　glowing　accounts　of　their
travels。　　Then　in　September　came　the　letter　telling　him　that　they
had　concluded　to　stay　through　the　winter　in　Paris。　　Billy　wrote
that　she　had　decided　not　to　go　to　college。　　She　would　take　up　some
studies　there　in　Paris；　she　said；　but　she　would　devote　herself　more
particularly　to　her　music。

When　the　next　summer　came　there　was　still　something　other　than
America　to　claim　her　attention：　the　Calderwells　had　invited　her　to
cruise　with　them　for　three　months。　　Their　yacht　was　a　little
floating　palace　of　delight；　Billy　declared；　not　to　mention　the
charm　of　the　unknown　lands　and　waters　that　she　and　Aunt　Hannah
would　see。

Of　all　this　Billy　wrote　to　Williamat　occasional　intervalsbut
she　did　not　come　home。　　Even　when　the　next　autumn　came；　there　was
still　Paris　to　detain　her　for　another　long　winter　of　study。

In　the　Henshaw　house　on　Beacon　Street；　William　mourned　not　a　little
as　each　recurring　season　brought　no　Billy。

〃The　idea！　　It's　just　as　if　one　didn't　have　a　namesake！〃　he　fumed。

〃Well；　did　you　have　one？〃　Bertram　demanded　one　day。　　〃Really；　Will；
I'm　beginning　to　think　she's　a　myth。　　Long　years　ago；　from　the
first　of　April　till　June　we　did　have　two　frolicsome　sprites　here
that　announced　themselves　as　'Billy'　and　'Spunk；'　I'll　own。　　And　a
year　later；　by　ways　devious　and　secret；　we　three　managed　to　see　the
one　called　'Billy'　off　on　a　great　steamship。　　Since　then；　what？　　A
worda　messagea　scrap　of　paper。　　Billy's　a　myth；　I　say！〃

William　sighed。

〃Sometimes　I　don't　know　but　you　are　right；〃　he　admitted。　　〃Why；
it'll　be　three　years　next　June　since　Billy　was　here。　　She　must　be
nearly　twenty…oneand　we　know　almost　nothing　about　her。〃

〃That's　so。　　I　wonder〃　　Bertram　paused；　and　laughed　a　little；　〃I
wonder　if　NOW　she'd　play　guardian　angel　to　me　through　the　streets
of　Boston。〃

William　threw　a　keen　glance　into　his　brother's　face。

〃I　don't　believe　it　would　be　quite　necessary；　NOW；　Bert；〃　he　said
quietly。

The　other　flushed　a　little；　but　his　eyes　softened。

〃Maybe　not；　Will；　stillone　can　always　find　some　use　fora
guardian　angel；　you　know；〃　he　finished；　almost　under　his　breath。

To　Cyril　Bertram　had　occasionally　spoken；　during　the　last　two
years；　of　their　first　suspicions　concerning　Billy's　absence。　　They
speculated　vaguely；　too；　as　to　why　she　had　gone；　and　if　she　would
ever　come　back；　and　they　wondered　if　anything　could　have　wounded
her　and　sent　her　away。　　To　William　they　said　nothing　of　all　this；
however；　though　they　agreed　that　they　would　have　asked　Kate　for　her
opinion；　had　she　been　there。　　But　Kate　was　not　there。　　As　it
chanced；　a　good　business　opportunity　had　called　Kate's　husband　to　a
Western　town　very　soon　after　Billy　herself　had　gone　to　Hampden
Falls；　and　since　the　family's　removal　to　the　West；　Mrs。　Hartwell
had　not　once　returned　to　Boston。

It　was　in　April；　three　years　since　Billy's　first　appearance　in　the
Beacon　Street　house；　that　Bertram　met　his　friend；　Hugh　Calderwell；
on　the　street　one　afternoon；　and　brought　him　home　to　dinner。

Hugh　Calderwell　was　a　youth　who；　Bertram　said；　had　been　born　with　a
whole　dozen　silver　spoons　in　his　mouth。　　And；　indeed；　it　would　seem
so；　if　present　prosperity　were　any　indication。　　He　was　a　good…
looking　young　fellow　with　a　frank　manliness　that　appealed　to　men；
and　a　deferential　chivalry　that　appealed　to　women；　a　combination
that　brought　him　many　friendsand　some　enemies。　　With　plenty　of
money　to　indulge　a　passion　for　traveling；　young　Calderwell　had
spent　the　most　of　his　time　since　graduation　in　daring