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may remember； it made a great impression on
her at the time。''
‘‘Yes； II remember；'' stammered Billy；
trying to laugh off her embarrassment。
‘‘But you haven't told me yet whether you
did wish you'd married Uncle William； or Uncle
Cyril；'' interposed little Kate； persistently。
‘‘No； no； of course not！'' exclaimed Billy；
with a vivid blush； casting her eyes about for a
door of escape； and rejoicing greatly when she
spied Delia with the baby coming toward them。
‘‘There； look； my dear； here's your new cousin；
little Bertram！'' she exclaimed。 ‘‘Don't you
want to see him？''
Little Kate turned dutifully。
‘‘Yes'm； Aunt Billy； but I'd rather see the
twins。 Mother says _they're_ real pretty and cunning。''
‘‘Ery…yes； they are；'' murmured Billy； on
whom the emphasis of the ‘‘they're'' had not
been lost。
Naturally； as may be supposed； therefore；
Billy had not forgotten little Kate's opening remarks。
Immediately after Christmas Mr。 Hartwell
and the boys went back to their Western home；
leaving Mrs。 Hartwell and her daughter to make
a round of visits to friends in the East。 For
almost a week after Christmas they remained at
the Strata； and it was on the last day of their
stay that little Kate asked the question that
proved so momentous in results。
Billy； almost unconsciously； had avoided tte…
…ttes with her small guest。 But to…day they
were alone together。
‘‘Aunt Billy；'' began the little girl； after a
meditative gaze into the other's face； ‘‘you _are_
married to Uncle Bertram； aren't you？''
‘‘I certainly am； my dear；'' smiled Billy；
trying to speak unconcernedly。
‘‘Well； then； what makes you forget it？''
‘‘What makes me forget Why； child； what
a question！ What do you mean？ I don't forget
it！'' exclaimed Billy； indignantly。
‘‘Then what _did_ mother mean？ I heard her
tell Uncle William myselfshe didn't know I
heard； thoughthat she did wish you'd remember
you were Uncle Bertram's wife as well as
Cousin Bertram's mother。''
Billy flushed scarlet； then grew very white。
At that moment Mrs。 Hartwell came into the
room。 Little Kate turned triumphantly。
‘‘There； she hasn't forgotten； and I knew she
hadn't； mother！ I asked her just now； and she
said she hadn't。''
‘‘Hadn't what？'' questioned Mrs。 Hartwell；
looking a little apprehensively at her sister…in…
law's white face and angry eyes。
‘‘Hadn't forgotten that she was Uncle Bertram's
wife。''
‘‘Kate；'' interposed Billy； steadily meeting
her sister…in…law's gaze； ‘‘will you be good enough
to tell me what this child is talking about？''
Mrs。 Hartwell sighed； and gave an impatient
gesture。
‘‘Kate； I've a mind to take you home on the
next train；'' she said to her daughter。 ‘‘Run
away； now； down…stairs。 Your Aunt Billy and I
want to talk。 Come； come； hurry！ I mean what
I say；'' she added warningly； as she saw unmistakable
signs of rebellion on the small young
face。
‘‘I wish；'' pouted little Kate； rising reluctantly；
and moving toward the door； ‘‘that you
didn't always send me away just when I wanted
most to stay！''
‘‘Well； Kate？'' prompted Billy； as the door
closed behind the little girl。
‘‘Yes； I suppose I'll have to say it now； as
long as that child has put her finger in the pie。
But I hadn't intended to speak； no matter what
I saw。 I promised myself I wouldn't； before I
came。 I know； of course； how Bertram and Cyril；
and William； too； say that I'm always interfering
in affairs that don't concern methough；
for that matter； if my own brother's affairs don't
concern me； I don't know whose should！
‘‘But； as I said； I wasn't going to speak this
time； no matter what I saw。 And I haven't
except to William； and Cyril； and Aunt Hannah；
but I suppose somewhere little Kate got
hold of it。 It's simply this； Billy。 It seems
to me it's high time you began to realize that
you're Bertram's wife as well as the baby's
mother。''
‘‘That； I am I don't think I quite understand；''
said Billy； unsteadily。
‘‘No； I suppose you don't；'' sighed Kate；
‘‘though where your eyes are； I don't seeor；
rather； I do see： they're on the baby； _always_。
It's all very well and lovely； Billy； to be a devoted
mother； and you certainly are that。 I'll
say that much for you； and I'll admit I never
thought you would be。 But _can't_ you see what
you're doing to Bertram？''
‘‘_Doing to Bertram！_by being a devoted
mother to his son！''
‘‘Yes； doing to Bertram。 Can't you see what
a change there is in the boy？ He doesn't act
like himself at all。 He's restless and gloomy and
entirely out of sorts。''
‘‘Yes； I know； but that's his arm；'' pleaded
Billy。 ‘‘Poor boyhe's so tired of it！''
Kate shook her head decisively。
‘‘It's more than his arm； Billy。 You'd see
it yourself if you weren't blinded by your
absorption in that baby。 Where is Bertram every
evening？ Where is he daytimes？ Do you realize
that he's been at home scarcely one evening
since I came？ And as for the dayshe's almost
never here。''
‘‘But； Kate； he can't paint now； you know；
so of course he doesn't need to stay so closely
at home；'' defended Billy。 ‘‘He goes out to find
distraction from himself。''
‘‘Yes； ‘distraction；' indeed；'' sniffed Kate。
‘‘And where do you suppose he finds it？ Do
you _know_ where he finds it？ I tell you； Billy；
Bertram Henshaw is not the sort of man that
should find too much ‘distraction' outside his
home。 His tastes and his temperament are
altogether too Bohemian； and''
Billy interrupted with a peremptorily upraised
hand。
‘‘Please remember； Kate； you are speaking
of my husband to his wife； and his wife has perfect
confidence in him； and is just a little particular
as to what you say。''
‘‘Yes； well； I'm speaking of my brother； too；
whom I know very well；'' shrugged Kate。 ‘‘All
is； you may remember sometime that I warned
youthat's all。 This trusting business is all
very pretty； but I think 'twould be a lot prettier；
and a vast deal more sensible； if you'd give him
a little attention as well as trust； and see if you
can't keep him at home a bit more。 At least
you'll know whom he's with； then。 Cyril says
he saw him last week with Bob Seaver。''
‘‘WithBobSeaver？'' faltered Billy；
changing color。
‘‘Yes。 I see you remember him；'' smiled
Kate； not quite agreeably。 ‘‘Perhaps now
you'll take some stock in what I've said； and
remember it。''
‘‘I'll remember it； certainly；'' returned Billy；
a little proudly。 ‘‘You've said a good many
things to me； in the past； Mrs。 Hartwell； and
I've remembered them allevery one。''
It was Kate's turn to flush； and she did it。
‘‘Yes； I know。 And I presume very likely
sometimes there _hasn't_ been much foundation
for what I've said。 I think this time； however；
you'l