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roots； or branches？were called Eldad and
Bildad。 Now I thought those names were good
enough to pass along； but； as I said before； Cyril
wasn't interested。''
‘‘I should say not；'' laughed Billy。 ‘‘But；
honestly； Hugh； it's really serious。 Marie wants
them named _something_； but she doesn't say much
to Cyril。 Marie wouldn't really breathe； you
know； if she thought Cyril disapproved of breathing。
And in this case Cyril does not hesitate to
declare that the boys shall name themselves。''
‘‘What a situation！'' laughed Calderwell。
‘‘Isn't it？ But； do you know； I can
sympathize with it； in a way； for I've always mourned
so over _my_ name。 ‘Billy' was always such a
trial to me！ Poor Uncle William wasn't the only
one that prepared guns and fishing rods to entertain
the expected boy。 I don't know； though；
I'm afraid if I'd been allowed to select my name
I should have been a ‘Helen Clarabella' all my
days； for that was the name I gave all my dolls；
with ‘first；' ‘second；' ‘third；' and so on； added
to them for distinction。 Evidently I thought that
‘Helen Clarabella' was the most feminine
appellation possible； and the most foreign to the
despised ‘Billy。' So you see I can sympathize
with Cyril to a certain extent。''
‘‘But they must call the little chaps _something_；
now；'' argued Hugh。
Billy gave a sudden merry laugh。
‘‘They do；'' she gurgled； ‘‘and that's the funniest
part of it。 Oh； Cyril doesn't。 He always calls
them impersonally ‘they' or ‘it。' He doesn't
see much of them anyway； now； I understand。
Marie was horrified when she realized how the
nurses had been using his den as a nursery annex
and she changed all that instanter； when she took
charge of things again。 The twins stay in the
nursery now； I'm told。 But about the names
the nurses； it seems； have got into the way of
calling them ‘Dot' and ‘Dimple。' One has a
dimple in his cheek； and the other is a little smaller
of the two。 Marie is no end distressed； particularly
as she finds that she herself calls them that；
and she says the idea of boys being ‘Dot' and
‘Dimple'！''
‘‘I should say so；'' laughed Calderwell。 ‘‘Not
I regard that as worse than my ‘Eldad' and
‘Bildad。' ''
‘‘I know it； and Alice says By the way；
you haven't mentioned Alice； but I suppose you
see her occasionally。''
Billy paused in evident expectation of a reply。
Billy was； in fact； quite pluming herself on the
adroit casualness with which she had introduced
the subject nearest her heart。
Calderwell raised his eyebrows。
‘‘Oh； yes； I see her。''
‘‘But you hadn't mentioned her。''
There was the briefest of pauses； then with a
half…quizzical dejection； there came the remark：
‘‘You seem to forget。 I told you that I stayed
here this summer for reasons too numerous； and
one too heart…breaking； to mention。 She was
the _one_。''
‘‘You mean''
‘‘Yes。 The usual thing。 She turned me down。
Oh； I haven't asked her yet as many times as I
did you； but''
‘‘_Hugh！_''
Hugh tossed her a grim smile and went on
imperturbably。
‘‘I'm older now； of course； and know more；
perhaps。 Besides； the finality of her remarks was
not to be mistaken。''
Billy； in spite of her sympathy for Calderwell；
was conscious of a throb of relief that at least one
stumbling…block was removed from Arkwright's
possible pathway to Alice's heart。
‘‘Did she give any special reason？'' hazarded
Billy； a shade too anxiously。
‘‘Oh； yes。 She said she wasn't going to marry
anybodyonly her music。''
‘‘Nonsense！'' ejaculated Billy； falling back in
her chair a little。
‘‘Yes； I said that； too；'' gloomed the man；
‘‘but it didn't do any good。 You see； I had
known another girl who'd said the same thing
once。'' （He did not look up； but a vivid red
flamed suddenly into Billy's cheeks。） ‘‘And she
when the right one cameforgot all about
the music； and married the man。 So I naturally
suspected that Alice would do the same thing。
In fact； I said so to her。 I was bold enough to
even call the man by nameI hadn't been
jealous of Arkwright for nothing； you seebut
she denied it； and flew into such an indignant
allegation that there wasn't a word of truth in it；
that I had to sue for pardon before I got
anything like peace。''
‘‘Oh…h！'' said Billy； in a disappointed voice；
falling quite back in her chair this time。
‘‘And so that's why I'm wanting especially
just now to see the wheels go 'round；'' smiled
Calderwell； a little wistfully。 ‘‘Oh； I shall get
over it； I suppose。 It isn't the first time； I'll
ownbut some day I take it there will be a last
time。 Enough of this； however！ You haven't
told me a thing about yourself。 How about it？
When I come back； are you going to give me a
dinner cooked by your own fair hands？ Going
to still play Bridget？''
Billy laughed and shook her head。
‘‘No； far from it。 Eliza has come back； and
her cousin from Vermont is coming as second girl
to help her。 But I _could_ cook a dinner for you if
I had to now； sir； and it wouldn't be potato…mush
and cold lamb；'' she bragged shamelessly； as there
sounded Bertram's peculiar ring； and the click of
his key in the lock。
It was the next afternoon that Billy called on
Marie。 From Marie's； Billy went to the Annex；
which was very near Cyril's new house； and there；
in Aunt Hannah's room； she had what she told
Bertram afterwards was a perfectly lovely visit。
Aunt Hannah； too； enjoyed the visit very much；
though yet there was one thing that disturbed
herthe vaguely troubled look in Billy's eyes；
which to…day was more apparent than ever。 Not
until just before Billy went home did something
occur to give Aunt Hannah a possible clue as to
what was the meaning of it。 That something
was a question from Billy。
‘‘Aunt Hannah； why don't I feel like Marie
did？ why don't I feel like everybody does in
books and stories？ Marie went around with such
a detached； heavenly； absorbed look in her eyes；
before the twins came to her home。 But I don't。
I don't find anything like that in my face； when I
look in the glass。 And I don't feel detached and
absorbed and heavenly。 I'm happy； of course；
but I can't help thinking of the dear； dear times
Bertram and I have together； just we two； and I
can't seem to imagine it at all with a third person
around。''
‘‘Billy！ _Third person_； indeed！''
‘‘There！ I knew 'twould shock you；'' mourned
Billy。 It shocks me。 I _want_ to feel detached
and heavenly and absorbed。''
‘‘But Billy； dear； think of itcalling your
own baby a third person！''
Billy sighed despairingly。
‘‘Yes； I know。 And I suppose I might as well
own up to the rest of it too。 II'm actually afraid
of babies； Aunt Hannah！ Well； I am；'' she
reiterated； in answer to Aunt Hannah's gasp of
disapproval。 ‘‘I