Wheredidyougetholdofthat？’shedemanded。
　　Oh，Ididn’t，’returnedtheman，defensively。
　　Inevergotholdofitatall。Ineverevensawthecalory——though，forthatmatter，Idon’tthinkIshouldknowoneifIdidseeit!Whatwefearedwas，that，inhuntingthelostcalory，youhadlostyourself，and——’ButBillywouldhearnomore。Withherdisdainfulnoseintheairshewalkedtothepiano。
　　Come，Mr。Arkwright，’shesaidwithdignity。
　　Let’strythissong。’
　　Arkwrightroseatonceandaccompaniedhertothepiano。
　　TheyhadsungthesongthroughtwicewhenBillybecameuneasilyawarethat，ontheothersideoftheroom，CalderwellandAliceGreggoryweresoftlychucklingoversomethingtheyhadfoundinamagazine。Billyfrowned，andtwitchedthecornersofapileofmusic，withrestlessfingers。
　　IwonderifAlicehasn’tgotsomequartetsheresomewhere，’shemurmured，herdisapprovingeyesstillbentontheabsorbedcoupleacrosstheroom。
　　Arkwrightwassilent。Billy，throwingahurriedglanceintohisface，thoughtshedetectedasombershadowinhiseyes。Shethought，too，sheknewwhyitwasthere。SopossessedhadBillybeen，duringtheearlywinter，oftheideathatherspecialmissioninlifewastoinaugurateandfosteraloveaffairbetweendisappointedMr。
　　ArkwrightandlonelyAliceGreggory，thatnowsheforgot，foramoment，thatArkwrighthimselfwasquiteunawareofherefforts。Shethoughtonlythatthepresentshadowonhisfacemustbecausedbythesamethingthatbroughtworrytoherownheart——themanifestdevotionofCalderwelltoAliceGreggoryjustnowacrosstheroom。Instinctively，therefore，astoacoworkerinacommoncause，sheturnedadisturbedfacetothemanatherside。
　　Itis，indeed，hightimethatIlookedaftersomethingbesideslostcalories，’shesaidsignificantly。Then，attheevidentuncomprehensioninArkwright’sface，sheadded：Hasitbeengoingonlikethis——verylong？’
　　Arkwrightstill，apparently，didnotunderstand。
　　Has——whatbeengoingon？’hequestioned。
　　That——overthere，’answeredBilly，impatiently，scarcelyknowingwhethertobemoreirritatedatthethreatenedmiscarriageofhercherishedplans，oratArkwright’stoher
　　wilfullyblindinsistenceonhermakinghermeaningmoreplain。Hasitbeengoingonlong——suchutterdevotion？’
　　AssheaskedthequestionBillyturnedandlookedsquarelyintoArkwright’sface。Shesaw，therefore，thegreatchangethatcametoit，ashermeaningbecamecleartohim。HerfirstfeelingwasoneofshockedrealizationthatArkwrighthad，indeed，beenreallyblind。Hersecond——sheturnedawayhereyeshurriedlyfromwhatshethoughtshesawintheman’scountenance。
　　Withanassumedlygaylittlecryshesprangtoherfeet。
　　Come，come，whatareyoutwochildrenchucklingover？’shedemanded，crossingtheroomabruptly。Didn’tyouhearmesayI
　　wantedyoutocomeandsingaquartet？’
　　BillyblamedherselfverymuchforwhatshecalledherstupidityinsobaldlysummoningArkwright’sattentiontoCalderwell’sdevotiontoAliceGreggory。Shedeclaredthatsheoughttohaveknownbetter，andsheaskedherselfifthiswerethewayshewasfurtheringmatters’
　　betweenAliceGreggoryandArkwright。
　　Billywasreallyseriouslydisturbed。ShehadneverquiteforgivenherselfforbeingsoblindtoArkwright’sfeelingforherselfduringthosedayswhenhehadnotknownofherengagementtoBertram。Shehadneverforgotten，either，thepainfulscenewhenhehadhopefullytoldofhislove，onlytobemetwithherownshockedrepudiation。Forlongweeksafterthat，hisfacehadhauntedher。Shehadwished，oh，soardently，thatshecoulddosomethinginsomewaytobringhimhappiness。When，therefore，ithadcometoherknowledgeafterwardthathewasfrequentlywithhisoldfriend，AliceGreggory，shehadbeensoglad。Itwasveryeasythentofanhopeintoconvictionthathere，inthisoldfriend，hehadfoundsweetbalmforhiswoundedheart；andshedeterminedatoncetodoallthatshecoulddotohelp。Soveryglowing，indeed，washereagernessinthematter，thatitlookedsuspiciouslyasifshethought，couldshebutbringthisthingabout，thatoldscoresagainstherselfwouldbeerased。
　　Billytoldherself，virtuously，however，thatnotonlyforArkwrightdidshedesirethismarriagetotakeplace，butforAliceGreggory。IntheverynatureofthingsAlicewouldonedaybeleftalone。Shewaspoor，andnotverystrong。
　　Shesorelyneededtheshieldingloveandcareofagoodhusband。Whatmorenaturalthanthatherold-timefriendandalmost-sweetheart，M。J。
　　Arkwright，shouldbethatgoodhusband？
　　ThatreallyitwasmoreArkwrightandlessAlicethatwasbeingconsidered，however，wasprovedwhenthedevotionofCalderwellbegantobefirstsuspected，thenknownforafact。Billy’sdistressatthisturnofaffairsindicatedveryplainlythatitwasnotjustahusband，butacertainoneparticularhusbandthatshedesiredforAliceGreggory。Allthemoredisturbedwasshe，therefore，whento-day，seeingherthreefriendstogetheragainforthefirsttimeforsomeweeks，shediscoveredincreasedevidencethatherworstfearsweretoberealized。ItwastobeAliceandCalderwell，notAliceandArkwright。
　　Arkwrightwasagaintobedisappointedinhisdearesthopes。
　　Tellingherselfindignantlythatitcouldnotbe，it_should_notbe，Billydeterminedtoremainafterthemenhadgone，andspeaktoAlice。Justwhatshewouldsayshedidnotknow。Evenwhatshecouldsay，shewasnotsure。Butcertainlytheremustbesomething，somelittlethingthatshecouldsay，whichwouldopenAlice’seyestowhatshewasdoing，andwhatsheoughttodo。
　　Itwasinthisframeofmind，therefore，thatBilly，afterArkwrightandCalderwellhadgone，spoketoAlice。Shebeganwarily，withassumednonchalance。
　　IbelieveMr。ArkwrightsingsbettereverytimeIhearhim。’
　　Therewasnoanswer。Alicewassortingmusicatthepiano。
　　Don’tyouthinkso？’Billyraisedhervoicealittle。
　　Aliceturnedalmostwithastart。
　　What’sthat？Oh，yes。Well，Idon’tknow；
　　maybeIdo。’
　　Youwould——ifyoudidn’thearhimanyoftenerthanIdo，’laughedBilly。Butthen，ofcourseyoudohearhimoftener。’
　　I？Oh，no，indeed。Notsoverymuchoftener。’Alicehadturnedbacktohermusic。
　　Therewasaslightembarrassmentinhermanner。
　　Iwonder——where——thatnewsong——is，’shemurmured。
　　Billy，whoknewverywellwherethesonglay，wasnottobediverted。
　　Nonsense!AsifMr。Arkwrightwasn’talwaystellinghowAlicelikedthissong，anddidn’tlikethatone，andthoughttheotherthebestyet!
　　Idon’tbelievehesingsathingthathedoesn’tfirstsingtoyou。Forthatmatter，Ifancyheasksyouropinionofeverything，anyway。’
　　Why，Billy，hedoesn’t!’exclaimedAlice，adeepredflamingintohercheeks。Youknowhedoesn’t。’
　　Billylaughedgleefully。Shehadnotbeenslowtonotethecolorinherfriend’sface，ortoascribetoittheonemeaningshewishedtoascribetoit。
　　Sosure，indeed，wasshenowthatherfearshadbeengroundless，thatsheflungcautiontothewinds。
　　Ho!MydearAlice，youcan’texpectusalltobeblind，’sheteased。Besides，weallthinkit’ssuchalovelyarrangementthatwe’rejustgladtoseeit。He’ssuchafinefellow，andwelikehimsomuch!Wecouldn’taskforabetterhusbandforyouthanMr。Arkwright，and——’FromsheeramazementatthesuddenwhitehorrorinAliceGreggory’sface，Billystoppedshort。
　　Why，Alice!’shefalteredthen。
　　WithavisibleeffortAliceforcedhertremblinglipstospeak。
　　Myhusband——_Mr。Arkwright!_Why，Billy，youcouldn’thaveseen——youhaven’tseen——
　　there’snothingyou_could_see!Heisn’t——hewasn’t——hecan’tbe!We——we’renothingbutfriends，Billy，justgoodfriends!’
　　Billy，thoughdismayed，wasstillnotquiteconvinced。
　　Friends!Nonsense!When——’
　　ButAliceinterruptedfeverishly。Alice，inanagonyoffearlestthetruestateofaffairsshouldbesuspected，washidingbehindabulwarkofpride。
　　Now，Billy，please!Saynomore。You’requitewrong，entirely。You’llnever，neverhearofmymarryingMr。Arkwright。AsIsaidbefore，we’refriends——thebestoffriends；thatisall。
　　Wecouldn’tbeanythingelse，possibly!’
　　Billy，plainlydiscomfited，fellback；butshethrewasharpglanceintoherfriend’sflushedcountenance。
　　Youmean——becauseof——HughCalderwell？’
　　shedemanded。Then，forthesecondtimethatafternoonthrowingdiscretiontothewinds，shewentonplaintively：Youwon’tlisten，ofcourse。Girlsinloveneverdo。Hughisallright，andIlikehim；butthere’smorerealsolidworthinMr。Arkwright’slittlefingerthanthereisinHugh’swholeself。And——’ButamerrypealoflaughterfromAliceGreggoryinterrupted。
　　And，pray，doyouthinkI’minlovewithHughCalderwell？’shedemanded。Therewasacuriousnoteofsomethingverylikereliefinhervoice。
　　Well，Ididn’tknow，’beganBilly，uncertainly。
　　ThenI’lltellyounow，’smiledAlice。I’mnot。Furthermore，perhapsit’sjustaswellthatyoushouldknowrightnowthatIdon’tintendtomarry——ever。’
　　Oh，Alice!’
　　No。’Therewasdetermination，andtherewasstillthatcuriousnoteofreliefinthegirl’svoice。Itwasasif，somewhere，agreatdangerhadbeenavoided。Ihavemymusic。Thatisenough。I’mnotintendingtomarry。’
　　Oh，butAlice，whileIwillownupI’mgladitisn’tHughCalderwell，there_is_Mr。Arkwright，andIdidhope——’ButAliceshookherheadandturnedresolutelyaway。Atthatmoment，too，AuntHannahcameinfromthestreet，soBillycouldsaynomore。
　　AuntHannahdroppedherselfalittlewearilyintoachair。
　　I’vejustcomefromMarie’s，’shesaid。
　　Howisshe？’askedBilly。
　　AuntHannahsmiled，andraisedhereyebrows。
　　Well，justnowshe’squiteexercisedoveranotherrattle——fromhercousinoutWest，thistime。Therewerefourlittlesilverbellsonit，andshehasn’tgotanyjanitor’swifenowtogiveitto。’
　　Billylaughedsoftly，butAuntHannahhadmoretosay。
　　Youknowsheisn’tgoingtoallowanytoysbutTeddybearsandwoollylambs，ofwhich，I
　　believe，shehasalreadyboughtquiteanassortment。
　　Shesaystheydon’trattleorsqueak。I
　　declare，whenIseethewoolenpadsandrubberhushersthatthatchildhasputeverywherealloverthehouse，Idon’tknowwhethertolaughorcry。Andshe’ssoworried!ItseemsCyrilmustneedstakejustthistimetostartcomposinganewoperaorsymphony，orsomething；andneverbeforehassheallowedhimtobeinterruptedbyanythingonsuchanoccasion。Butwhathe’lldowhenthebabycomesshesaysshedoesn’tknow，forshesaysshecan’t——shejustcan’tkeepitfrombotheringhimsome，she’safraid。Asifanyoperaorsymphonythateverlivedwasofmoreconsequencethanaman’sownchild!’
　　finishedAuntHannah，withanindignantsniff，asshereachedforhershawl。
　　CHAPTERXIX
　　ATOUGHNUTTOCRACKFORCYRIL
　　ItwasearlyintheforenoonofthefirstdayofJulythatElizatoldhermistressthatMrs。
　　Stetsonwasaskingforheratthetelephone。Eliza’sfacewasnotalittletroubled。
　　I’mafraid，maybe，itisn’tgoodnews，’shestammered，ashermistresshurriedlyarose。
　　She’satMr。CyrilHenshaw’s——Mrs。Stetsonis——andsheseemedsoterriblyupsetaboutsomethingthattherewasnomakingrealsenseoutofwhatshesaid。Butsheaskedforyou，andsaidtohaveyoucomequick。’
　　Billy，herownfacepaling，wasalreadyatthetelephone。
　　Yes，AuntHannah。Whatisit？’
　　Oh，mygriefandconscience，Billy，ifyou_can_，comeuphere，please。Youmustcome!
　　_Can’t_youcome？’
　　Why，yes，ofcourse。But——but——_Marie!_
　　The——the_baby!_’
　　Afaintgroancameacrossthewires。