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morrow； _after_ I send the six Mary Ellens packing
up here。 Now come； put on your bonnet。 We're
going down town to dinner。''
CHAPTER XVIII
BILLY TRIES HER HAND AT ‘‘MANAGING''
Bertram did not engage six Mary Ellens the
next morning； nor even one； as it happened； for
that evening； Elizawho had not been unaware
of conditions at the Stratatelephoned to say
that her mother was so much better now she
believed she could be spared to come to the Strata
for several hours each day； if Mrs。 Henshaw
would like to have her begin in that way。
Billy agreed promptly； and declared herself
as more than willing to put up with such an
arrangement。 Bertram； it is true； when he heard
of the plan； rebelled； and asserted that what Billy
needed was a rest； an entire rest from care and
labor。 In fact； what he wanted her to do； he said；
was to gallivantto gallivant all day long。
‘‘Nonsense！'' Billy had laughed； coloring to
the tips of her ears。 ‘‘Besides； as for the work；
Bertram； with just you and me here； and with all
my vast experience now； and Eliza here for several
hours every day； it'll be nothing but play for this
little time before we go away。 You'll see！''
‘‘All right； I'll _see_； then；'' Bertram had nodded
meaningly。 ‘‘But just make sure that it _is_ play
for you！''
‘‘I will；'' laughed Billy； and there the matter
had ended。
Eliza began work the next day； and Billy did
indeed soon find herself ‘‘playing'' under
Bertram's watchful insistence。 She resumed her
music； and brought out of exile the unfinished
song。 With Bertram she took drives and walks；
and every two or three days she went to see
Aunt Hannah and Marie。 She was pleasantly
busy； too； with plans for her coming trip； and
it was not long before even the remorseful
Bertram had to admit that Billy was looking and
appearing quite like her old self。
At the Annex Billy found Calderwell and
Arkwright； one day。 They greeted her as if she had
just returned from a far country。
‘‘Well； if you aren't the stranger lady；'' began
Calderwell； looking frankly pleased to see her。
‘‘We'd thought of advertising in the daily press
somewhat after this fashion： ‘Lost； strayed； or
stolen； one Billy； comrade； good friend； and kind
cheerer…up of lonely hearts。 Any information
thankfully received by her bereft； sorrowing
friends。' ''
Billy joined in the laugh that greeted this sally；
but Arkwright noticed that she tried to change
the subject from her own affairs to a discussion
of the new song on Alice Greggory's piano。
Calderwell； however； was not to be silenced。
‘‘The last I heard of this elusive Billy；'' he
resumed； with teasing cheerfulness； ‘‘she was running
down a certain lost calory that had slipped
away from her husband's breakfast； and''
Billy wheeled sharply。
‘‘Where did you get hold of that？'' she demanded。
‘‘Oh； I didn't；'' returned the man； defensively。
‘‘I never got hold of it at all。 I never even saw
the calorythough； for that matter； I don't
think I should know one if I did see it！ What we
feared was； that； in hunting the lost calory； you
had lost yourself； and'' But Billy would hear
no more。 With her disdainful nose in the air she
walked to the piano。
‘‘Come； Mr。 Arkwright；'' she said with dignity。
‘‘Let's try this song。''
Arkwright rose at once and accompanied her
to the piano。
They had sung the song through twice when
Billy became uneasily aware that； on the other
side of the room； Calderwell and Alice Greggory
were softly chuckling over something they had
found in a magazine。 Billy frowned； and twitched
the corners of a pile of music； with restless fingers。
‘‘I wonder if Alice hasn't got some quartets
here somewhere；'' she murmured； her disapproving
eyes still bent on the absorbed couple across
the room。
Arkwright was silent。 Billy； throwing a
hurried glance into his face； thought she detected
a somber shadow in his eyes。 She thought； too；
she knew why it was there。 So possessed had
Billy been； during the early winter； of the idea
that her special mission in life was to inaugurate
and foster a love affair between disappointed Mr。
Arkwright and lonely Alice Greggory； that now
she forgot； for a moment； that Arkwright himself
was quite unaware of her efforts。 She thought
only that the present shadow on his face must
be caused by the same thing that brought worry
to her own heartthe manifest devotion of
Calderwell to Alice Greggory just now across the
room。 Instinctively； therefore； as to a coworker
in a common cause； she turned a disturbed face
to the man at her side。
‘‘It is； indeed； high time that I looked after
something besides lost calories；'' she said
significantly。 Then； at the evident uncomprehension
in Arkwright's face； she added： ‘‘Has it
been going on like thisvery long？''
Arkwright still； apparently； did not understand。
‘‘Haswhat been going on？'' he questioned。
‘‘Thatover there；'' answered Billy；
impatiently； scarcely knowing whether to be more
irritated at the threatened miscarriage of her
cherished plans； or at Arkwright's （to her）
wilfully blind insistence on her making her meaning
more plain。 ‘‘Has it been going on longsuch
utter devotion？''
As she asked the question Billy turned and
looked squarely into Arkwright's face。 She saw；
therefore； the great change that came to it； as
her meaning became clear to him。 Her first
feeling was one of shocked realization that
Arkwright had； indeed； been really blind。 Her
secondshe turned away her eyes hurriedly from
what she thought she saw in the man's countenance。
With an assumedly gay little cry she sprang to
her feet。
‘‘Come； come； what are you two children
chuckling over？'' she demanded； crossing the
room abruptly。 ‘‘Didn't you hear me say I
wanted you to come and sing a quartet？''
Billy blamed herself very much for what she
called her stupidity in so baldly summoning
Arkwright's attention to Calderwell's devotion to
Alice Greggory。 She declared that she ought to
have known better； and she asked herself if this
were the way she was ‘‘furthering matters''
between Alice Greggory and Arkwright。
Billy was really seriously disturbed。 She had
never quite forgiven herself for being so blind to
Arkwright's feeling for herself during those days
when he had not known of her engagement to
Bertram。 She had never forgotten； either； the
painful scene when he had hopefully told of his
love； only to be met with her own shocked
repudiation。 For long weeks after that； his face had
haunted her。 She had wished； oh； so ardently；
that she could do something in some way to bring
him happiness。 When； therefore； it had come to
her knowledge afterward that he was frequently
with his old friend； Alice Greggory； she had been
so glad。 It was very easy then t