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really _is_ going to settle down to work；'' murmured
Billy； demurely； with a sidelong glance at her
companion。 ‘‘She says he's engaged to be married
one of her friends over there。''
There was no reply。 Alice appeared to be
absorbed in watching a tiny white sail far out at sea。
Again Billy was silent。 Then； with studied
carelessness； she said：
‘‘Yes； and you know Mr。 Arkwright； too。 She
told of him。''
‘‘Yes？ Well； what of him？'' Alice's voice
was studiedly indifferent。
‘‘Oh； there was quite a lot of him。 Belle had
just been to hear him sing； and then her brother
had introduced him to her。 She thinks he's perfectly
wonderful； in every way； I should judge。
In fact； she simply raved over him。 It seems that
while we've been hearing nothing from him all
winter； he's been winning no end of laurels for
himself in Paris and Berlin。 He's been studying；
too； of course； as well as singing； and now he's
got a chance to sing somewherecreate a rle； or
somethingBelle said she wasn't quite clear on
the matter herself； but it was a perfectly splendid
chance； and one that was a fine feather in his cap。''
‘‘Then he won't be coming homethat is；
to Bostonat all this winter； probably；'' said
Alice； with a cheerfulness that sounded just a
little forced。
‘‘Not until February。 But he is coming then。
He's been engaged for six performances with the
Boston Opera Companyas a star tenor； mind
you！ Isn't that splendid？''
‘‘Indeed it is；'' murmured Alice。
‘‘Belle writes that Hugh says he's improved
wonderfully； and that even he can see that his
singing is marvelous。 He says Paris is wild over
him； butfor my part； I wish he'd come home
and stay here where he belongs；'' finished Billy；
a bit petulantly。
‘‘Why； why； Billy！'' murmured her friend； a
curiously startled look coming into her eyes。
‘‘Well； I do；'' maintained Billy； then；
recklessly； she added： ‘‘I had such beautiful plans
for him； once； Alice。 Oh； if you only could have
cared for him； you'd have made such a splendid
couple！''
A vivid scarlet flew to Alice's face。
‘‘Nonsense！'' she cried； getting quickly to
her feet and bending over one of the flower boxes
along the veranda railing。 ‘‘Mr。 Arkwright
never thought of marrying meand I'm not
going to marry anybody but my music。''
Billy sighed despairingly。
‘‘I know that's what you say now； but if''
She stopped abruptly。 Around the turn of the
veranda had appeared Aunt Hannah； wheeling
Bertram； Jr。； still asleep in his carriage。
‘‘I came out the other door；'' she explained
softly。 ‘‘And it was so lovely I just had to go
in and get the baby。 I thought it would be so
nice for him to finish his nap out here。''
Billy arose with a troubled frown。
‘‘But； Aunt Hannah； he mustn'the can't
stay out here。 I'm sorry； but we'll have to take
him back。''
Aunt Hannah's eyes grew mutinous。
‘‘But I thought the outdoor air was just the
thing for him。 I'm sure your scientific hygienic
nonsense says _that！_''
‘‘They dothey didthat is； some of them
do；'' acknowledged Billy； worriedly； ‘‘but they
differ； so！ And the one I'm going by now says
that Baby should always sleep in an _even_
temperatureseventy degrees； if possible； and that's
exactly what the room in there was； when I left
him。 It's not the same out here； I'm sure。 In
fact I looked at the thermometer to see； just
before I came out myself。 So； Aunt Hannah； I'm
afraid I'll have to take him back。''
‘‘But you used to have him sleep out of doors
all the time； on that little balcony out of your
room；'' argued Aunt Hannah； still plainly unconvinced。
‘‘Yes； I know I did。 I was following the other
man's rules； then。 As I said； if only they wouldn't
differ so！ Of course I want the best； but it's so
hard to always know the best； and''
At this very inopportune moment Master Bertram
took occasion to wake up； which brought
even a deeper wrinkle of worry to his fond mother's
forehead； for she said that； according to the
clock； he should have been sleeping exactly ten
and one…half more minutes； and that of course he
couldn't commence the next thing until those ten
and one…half minutes were up； or else his entire
schedule for the day would be shattered。 So what
she should do with him for those should…have…
been…sleeping ten minutes and a half； she did not
know。 All of which drew from Aunt Hannah
the astounding exclamation of：
‘‘Oh； my grief and conscience； Billy； if you
aren't thethe limit！'' Which； indeed； she
must have been； to have brought circumspect
Aunt Hannah to the point of actually using slang。
CHAPTER XXIV
A NIGHT OFF
The Henshaw family did not return to the
Strata until late in September。 Billy said that
the sea air seemed to agree so well with the baby
it would be a pity to change until the weather
became really too cool at the shore to be comfortable。
William came back from his fishing trip in
August； and resumed his old habit of sleeping at the
house and taking his meals at the club。 To be
sure； for a week he went back and forth between
the city and the beach house； but it happened
to be a time when Bertram； Jr。； was cutting a
tooth； and this so wore upon William's sympathy
William still could not help insisting
it _might_ be a pinthat he concluded peace lay
only in flight。 So he went back to the Strata。
Bertram had stayed at the cottage all summer；
painting industriously。 Heretofore he had taken
more of a vacation through the summer months；
but this year there seemed to be nothing for him
to do but to paint。 He did not like to go away
on a trip and leave Billy； and she declared she
could not take the baby nor leave him； and that
she did not need any trip； anyway。
‘‘All right； then； we'll just stay at the beach；
and have a fine vacation together；'' he had answered her。
As Bertram saw it； however； he could detect
very little ‘‘vacation'' to it。 Billy had no time
for anything but the baby。 When she was not
actually engaged in caring for it； she was studying
how to care for it。 Never had she been
sweeter or dearer； and never had Bertram loved
her half so well。 He was proud； too； of her
devotion； and of her triumphant success as a mother；
but he did wish that sometimes； just once in a
while； she would remember she was a wife； and
pay a little attention to him； her husband。
Bertram was ashamed to own it； even to
himself； but he was feeling just a little abused that
summer； and he knew that； in his heart； he was
actually getting jealous of his own son； in spite
of his adoration of the little fellow。 He told
himself defensively that it was not to be expected
that he should not want the love of his wife； the
attentions of his wife； and the companionship
of his wifea part of the time。 It was nothing
mo