miss billy-第6部分

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returned　in　a　moment；　the　green　covered　basket　in　her　hand。　　〃He's
been　asleep；　I　guess。　　He's　slept　'most　all　the　way　down；　anyhow。
He's　so　used　to　being　toted　'round　in　this　basket　that　he　doesn't
mind　it　a　bit。　　I　take　him　everywhere　in　it　at　the　Falls。〃

There　was　an　electric　pause。　　Four　pairs　of　startled；　questioning；
fearful　eyes　were　on　the　basket　while　Billy　fumbled　at　the　knot　of
the　string。　　The　next　moment；　with　a　triumphant　flourish；　Billy
lifted　from　the　basket　and　placed　on　the　floor　a　very　small　gray
kitten　with　a　very　large　pink　bow。

〃There；　ladies　and　gentlemen；　may　I　present　to　you；　Spunk。〃

The　tiny　creature　winked　and　blinked；　and　balanced　for　a　moment　on
sleepy　legs；　then　at　the　uncontrollable　shout　that　burst　from
Bertram's　throat；　he　faced　the　man；　humped　his　tiny　back；　bristled
his　diminutive　tail　to　almost　unbelievable　fluffiness；　and　spit
wrathfully。

〃And　so　that　is　Spunk！〃　choked　Bertram。

〃Yes；〃　said　Billy。　　〃This　is　Spunk。〃



CHAPTER　VIII

THE　ROOMAND　BILLY


For　the　first　fifteen　minutes　after　Billy's　arrival　conversation
was　a　fitful　thing　made　up　mostly　of　a　merry　monologue　on　the　part
of　Billy　herself；　interspersed　with　somewhat　dazed　replies　from　one
after　another　of　her　auditors　as　she　talked　to　them　in　turn。　　No
one　thought　to　ask　if　she　cared　to　go　up　to　her　room；　and　during
the　entire　fifteen　minutes　Billy　sat　on　the　floor　with　Spunk　in　her
lap。　　She　was　still　there　when　the　funereal　face　of　Pete　appeared
in　the　doorway。　　Pete's　jaw　dropped。　　It　was　plain　that　only　the
sternest　self…control　enabled　him　to　announce　dinner；　with　anything
like　dignity。　　But　he　managed　to　stammer　out　the　words；　and　then
turn　loftily　away。　　Bertram；　who　sat　near　the　door；　however；　saw
him　raise　his　hands　in　horror　as　he　plunged　through　the　hall　and
down　the　stairway。

With　a　motion　to　Bertram　to　lead　the　way　with　Billy；　William
frenziedly　gripped　his　sister's　arm；　and　hissed　in　her　ear　for　all
the　world　like　a　villain　in　melodrama：

〃Listen！　　You'll　sleep　in　Bert's　room　to…night；　and　Bert　will　come
up…stairs　with　me。　　Get　Billy　to　bed　as　soon　as　you　can　after
dinner；　and　then　come　back　down　to　us。　　We've　got　to　plan　what's
got　to　be　done。　　Sh…h！〃　　And　he　dragged　his　sister　downstairs。

In　the　dining…room　there　was　a　slight　commotion。　　Billy　stood　at
her　chair　with　Spunk　in　her　arms。　　Before　her　Pete　was　standing；
dumbly　staring　into　her　eyes。　　At　last　he　stammered：

〃Ma'am？〃

〃A　chair；　please；　I　said；　for　Spunk；　you　know。　　Spunk　always　sits
at　the　table　right　next　to　me。〃

It　was　too　much　for　Bertram。　　He　fled　chokingly　to　the　hall。
William　dropped　weakly　into　his　own　place。　　Cyril　stared　as　had
Pete；　but　Mrs。　Hartwell　spoke。

〃You　don't　meanthat　that　cathas　a　chairat　the　table！〃　she
gasped。

〃Yes；　and　isn't　it　cute　of　him？〃　beamed　Billy；　entirely　misconstruing
the　surprise　in　the　lady's　voice。　　〃His　mother　always　sat　at　table
with　us；　and　behaved　beautifully；　too。　　Of　course　Spunk　is　little；
and　makes　mistakes　sometimes。　　But　he'll　learn。　Oh；　there's　a　chair
right　here；〃　she　added；　as　she　spied　Bertram's　childhood's
high…chair；　which　for　long　years　had　stood　unused　in　the　corner。
〃I'll　just　squeeze　it　right　in　here；〃　she　finished　gleefully；　making
room　for　the　chair　at　her　side。

When　Bertram；　a　little　red　of　face；　but　very　grave；　entered；　the
dining…room　a　moment　later；　he　found　the　family　seated　with　Spunk
snugly　placed　between　Billy　and　a　plainly　disgusted　and　dismayed
brother；　Cyril。　　The　kitten　was　alert　and　interested；　but　he　had
settled　back　in　his　chair；　and　was　looking　as　absurdly　dignified　as
the　flaring　pink　bow　would　let　him。

〃Isn't　he　a　dear？〃　Billy　was　saying。　　But　Bertram　noticed　that
there　was　no　reply　to　this　question。

It　was　a　peculiar　dinner…party。　　Only　Billy　did　not　feel　the
strain。　　Even　Spunk　was　not　entirely　happyhis　efforts　to
investigate　the　table　and　its　contents　were　too　frequently　curbed
by　his　mistress　for　his　unalloyed　satisfaction。　　William；　it　is
true；　made　a　valiant　attempt　to　cause　the　conversation　to　be
general；　but　he　failed　dismally。　　Kate　was　sternly　silent；　while
Cyril　was　openly　repellent。　　Bertram　talked；　indeedbut　Bertram
always　talked；　and　very　soon　he　and　Billy　had　things　pretty　much　to
themselvesthat　is；　with　occasional　interruptions　caused　by　Spunk。
Spunk　had　an　inquisitive　nose　or　paw　for　each　new　dish　placed
before　his　mistress；　and　Billy　spent　much　time　admonishing　him。
Billy　said　she　was　training　him；　that　it　was　wonderful　what
training　would　do；　and；　of　course；　Spunk　WAS　little；　now。

Dinner　was　half　over　when　there　was　a　slight　diversion　created　by
Spunk's　conclusion　to　get　acquainted　with　the　silent　man　at　his
left。　　Cyril；　however；　did　not　respond　to　Spunk's　advances。　　So
very　evident；　indeed；　was　the　man's　aversion　that　Billy　turned　in
amazement。

〃Why；　Mr。　Cyril；　don't　you　see？　　Spunk　is　trying　to　say　'How　do　you
do'？〃

〃Very　likely；　but　I'm　not　fond　of　cats；　Miss　Billy。〃

〃You're　not　fondofcats！〃　repeated　the　girl；　as　if　she　could　not
have　heard　aright。　　〃Why　not？〃

Cyril　changed　his　position。

〃Why；　just　because　II'm　not；〃　he　retorted　lamely。　　〃Isn't　there
anything　thatthat　you　don't　like？〃

Billy　considered。

〃Why；　not　that　I　know　of；〃　she　began；　after　a　moment；　〃only　rainy
days　andtripe。　　And　Spunk　isn't　a　bit　like　those。〃

Bertram　chuckled；　and　even　Cyril　smiledthough　unwillingly。

〃All　the　same；〃　he　reiterated；　〃I　don't　like　cats。〃

〃Oh；　I'm　so　sorry；〃　lamented　Billy；　and　at　the　grieved　hurt　in　her
dark　eyes　Bertram　came　promptly　to　the　rescue。

〃Never　mind；　Miss　Billy。　　Cyril　is　only　ONE　of　us；　and　there　is　all
the　rest　of　the　Strata　besides。〃

〃Thewhat？〃

〃The　Strata。　　You　don't　know；　of　course；　but　listen；　and　I'll　tell
you。〃　　And　he　launched　gaily　forth　into　his　favorite　story。

Billy　was　duly　amused　and　interested。　　She　laughed　and　clapped　her
hands；　and　when　the　story　was　done　she　clapped　them　again。

〃Oh；　what　a　funny　house！　　And　how　perfectly　lovely　that　I'm　going
to　live　in　it；〃　she　cried。　　Then　straight　at　Mrs。　Hartwell　she
hurled　a　bombshell。　　〃But　where　is　your　stratum？〃　she　demanded。
〃Mr。　Bertram　didn't　mention　a　thing　about　you！〃

Cyril　said　a　sharp　word　under　his　breath。　　Bertram　choked　over　a
cough。　　Kate　threw　into　William's　eyes　a　look　that　was　at　once
angry；　accusing；　and　despairing。　　Then　William　spoke。

〃Ersheit　isn't　anywhere；　my　dear；〃　he　stammered；　〃or　rather；　it
isn't　here。　　Kate　lives　up　on　the　Avenue；　you　see；　and　is　only　here
forfor　a　day　or　twojust　now。〃

〃Oh！〃　murmured　Billy。　　And　there　was　not　one　in　the　room　at　that
moment　who　did　not　bless　Spunkfor　Spunk　suddenly　leaped　to　the
table　before　him；　and　in　the　ensuing　confusion　his　mistress　quite
forgot　to　question　further　concerning　Mrs。　Hartwell's　stratum。

Dinner　over；　the　three　men；　with　their　sister　and　Billy；　trailed
up…stairs　to　the　drawing…rooms。　　Billy　told　them；　then；　of　her　life
at　Hampden　Falls。　　She　cried　a　little　at　the　mention　of　Aunt　Ella；
and　she　portrayed　very　vividly　the　lonely　life　from　which　she
herself　had　so　gladly　escaped。　　She　soon　had　every　one　laughing；
even　Cyril；　over　her　stories　of　the　lawyer's　home　that　might　have
been　hers；　with　its　gloom　and　its　hush　and　its　socketed　chairs。

As　soon　as　possible；　however；　Mrs。　Hartwell；　with　a　murmured　〃I
know　you　must　be　tired；　Billy；〃　suggested　that　the　girl　go　up…
stairs　to　her　room。　　〃Come；〃　she　added；　〃I　will　show　you　the　way。〃

There　was　some　delay；　even　then；　for　Spunk　had　to　be　provided　with
sleeping　quarters；　and　it　was　not　without　some　hesitation　that
Billy　finally　placed　the　kitten　in　the　reluctant　hands　of　Pete；　who
had　been　hastily　summoned。　　Then　she　turned　and　followed　Mrs。
Hartwell　up…stairs。

It　seemed　to　the　three　men　in　the　drawing…room　that　almost
immediately　came　the　piercing　shriek；　and　the　excited　voice　of
their　sister　in　expostulation。　　Without　waiting　for　more　they
leaped　to　the　stairway　and　hurried　up；　two　steps　at　a　time。

〃For　heaven's　sake；　Kate；　what　is　it？〃　panted　William；　who　had　been
outdistanced　by　his　more　agile　brothers。

Kate　was　on　her　feet；　her　face　the　picture　of　distressed　amazement。
In　the　low　chair　by　the　window　Billy　sat　where　she　had　flung
herself；　her　hands　over　her　face。　　Her　shoulders　were　shaking；　and
from　her　throat　came　choking　little　cries。

〃I　don't　know；〃　quavered　Kate。　　〃I　haven't　the　least　idea。　　She　was
all　right　till　she　got　up…stairs　here；　and　I　turned　on　the　lights。
Then　she　gave　one　shriek　andyou　know　all　I　know。〃

William　advanced　hurriedly。

〃Billy；　what　is　the　matter？　　What　are　you　crying　for？〃　he　demanded。

Billy　dropped　her　hands　then；　and　they　saw　her　face。　　She　was　not
crying。　　She　was　laughing。　　She　was　laughing　so　she　could　scarcely
speak。

〃Oh；　you　did；　you　did！〃　she　gurgled。　　〃I　thought　you　did；　and　now　I
know！〃

〃Did　what？　　What　do　you　mean？〃　　William's　usually　gentle　voice　was
sharp。　　Even　William's　nerves　were　beginning　to　feel　the　strain　of
the　last　few　hours。

〃Thought　I　was　ab…boy！〃　choked　Billy。　　〃You　called　me　'he'　once
in　the　stationI　thought　you　did；　but　I　wasn't　surenot　till　I
saw　this　room。　　But　now　I　knowI　know！〃　　And　off　she　went　into
another　hysterical　gale　of　laughterBilly's　nerves；　too；　were
beginning　to　respond　to　the　excitement　of　the　last　few　hours。

As　to　the　three　men　and　the　woman；　they　stood　silent；　helpless；
looking　into　each　other's　faces　with　despairing　eyes。

In　a　moment　Billy　was　on　her　feet；　fluttering　about　the　room；
touching　this　thing；　looking　at　that。　　Nothing　escaped　her。

〃I'm　to　fishand　shootand　fence！〃　she　crowed。　　〃And；　oh！look
at　those　knives！　　U…ugh！　。　。　。　　And；　my！　what　are　these？〃　she
cried；　pouncing　on　the　Indian　clubs。　　〃And　look　at　the　spiders！
Dear；　dear；　I　AM　glad　they're　dead；　anyhow；〃　she　shuddered　with　a
nervous　laugh　that　was　almost　a　sob。

Something　in　Billy's　voice　stirred　Mrs。　Hartwell　to　sudden　action。

〃Come；　come；　this　will　never　do；〃　she　protested　authoritatively；
motioning　her　brothers　to　leave　the　room。　　〃Billy　is　quite　tired
out；　and　needs　rest。　　She　mustn't　talk　another　bit　to…night。〃

〃Of　c…course　not；〃　stammered　William。　　And　only　too　glad　of　an
ex