按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
top of Beacon Hill。 Below this； however； came
Billy's old rooms； and on these Pete had lavished
all his skill and devotion。
Freshly laundered curtains were at the windows；
dustless rugs were on the floor。 The old
work…basket had been brought down from the
top…floor storeroom； and the long…closed piano
stood invitingly open。 In a conspicuous place；
also； sat the little green god； upon whose
exquisitely carved shoulders was supposed to rest the
‘‘heap plenty velly good luckee'' of Dong Ling's
prophecy。
On the first floor Bertram's old rooms and the
drawing…room came in for their share of the
general overhauling。 Even Spunkie did not escape；
but had to submit to the ignominy of a
bath。 And then dawned fair and clear the first
day of September； bringing at five o'clock the
bride and groom。
Respectfully lined up in the hall to meet them
were Pete and Dong Ling： Pete with his wrinkled
old face alight with joy and excitement； Dong
Ling grinning and kotowing； and chanting in a
high…pitched treble：
‘‘Miss Billee； Miss Billeeplenty much welcome；
Miss Billee！''
‘‘Yes； welcome home； Mrs。 _Henshaw！_'' bowed
Bertram； turning at the door； with an elaborate
flourish that did not in the least hide his tender
pride in his new wife。
Billy laughed and colored a pretty pink。
‘‘Thank youall of you；'' she cried a little
unsteadily。 ‘‘And how good； good everything
does look to me！ Why； where's Uncle William？''
she broke off； casting hurriedly anxious eyes
about her。
‘‘Well； I should say so；'' echoed Bertram。
‘‘Where is he； Pete？ He isn't sick； is he？''
A quick change crossed the old servant's face。
He shook his head dumbly。
Billy gave a gleeful laugh。
‘‘I knowhe's asleep！'' she caroled； skipping
to the bottom of the stairway and looking up
‘‘Ho； Uncle William！ Better wake up； sir。 The
folks have come！''
Pete cleared his throat。
‘‘Mr。 William isn't here； Missma'am；'' he
corrected miserably。
Billy smiled； but she frowned； too。
‘‘Not here！ Well； I like that；'' she pouted；
‘‘and when I've brought him the most beautiful
pair of mirror knobs he ever saw； and all the
way in my bag； too； so I could give them to him
the very first thing；'' she added； darting over to
the small bag she had brought in with her。 ‘‘I'm
glad I did； too； for our trunks didn't come；'' she
continued laughingly。 ‘‘Still； if he isn't here to
receive them There； Pete； aren't they beautiful？''
she cried； carefully taking from their wrappings
two exquisitely decorated porcelain discs
mounted on two long spikes。 ‘‘They're Batterseas
the real article。 I know enough for
that； and they're finer than anything he's got。
Won't he be pleased？''
‘‘Yes； Missma'am； I mean；'' stammered
the old man。
‘‘These new titles come hard； don't they；
Pete？'' laughed Bertram。
Pete smiled faintly。
‘‘Never mind； Pete；'' soothed his new mistress。
‘‘You shall call me ‘Miss Billy' all your life if
you want to。 Bertram；'' she added； turning to
her husband； ‘‘I'm going to just run up…stairs
and put these in Uncle William's rooms so they'll
be there when he comes in。 We'll see how soon
he discovers them！''
Before Pete could stop her she was half…way
up the first flight of stairs。 Even then he tried
to speak to his young master； to explain that
Mr。 William was not living there； but the words
refused to come。 He could only stand dumbly
waiting。
In a minute it cameBilly's sharp； startled
cry。
‘‘Bertram！ Bertram！''
Bertram sprang for the stairway； but he had
not reached the top when he met his wife coming
down。 She was white…faced and trembling。
‘‘Bertramthose roomsthere's not so
much as a teapot there！ Uncle William's
gone！''
‘‘Gone！'' Bertram wheeled sharply。 ‘‘Pete；
what is the meaning of this？ Where is my
brother？'' To hear him； one would think he
suspected the old servant of having hidden his
master。
Pete lifted a shaking hand and fumbled with
his collar。
‘‘He's moved； sir。''
‘‘Moved！ Oh； you mean to other roomsto
Cyril's。'' Bertram relaxed visibly。 ‘‘He's
upstairs； maybe。''
Pete shook his head。
‘‘No。 sir。 He's moved awayout of the
house； sir。''
For a brief moment Bertram stared as if he
could not believe what his ears had heard。 Then；
step by step； he began to descend the stairs。
‘‘Do you meanto saythat my brother
has moved…gone away_left_his _home？_''
he demanded。
‘‘Yes； sir。''
Billy gave a low cry。
‘‘But whywhy？'' she choked； almost stumbling
headlong down the stairway in her effort
to reach the two men at the bottom。 ‘‘Pete；
why did he go？''
There was no answer。
‘‘Pete；''Bertram's voice was very sharp
‘‘what is the meaning of this？ Do you know
why my brother left his home？''
The old man wet his lips and swallowed chokingly；
but he did not speak。
‘‘I'm waiting； Pete。''
Billy laid one hand on the old servant's arm
in the other hand she still tightly clutched the
mirror knobs。
‘‘Pete； if you do know； won't you tell us；
please？'' she begged。
Pete looked down at the hand； then up at the
troubled young face with the beseeching eyes。
His own features worked convulsively。 With a
visible effort he cleared his throat。
‘‘I knowwhat he said；'' he stammered； his
eyes averted。
‘‘What was it？''
There was no answer。
‘‘Look here； Pete； you'll have to tell us； you
know；'' cut in Bertram； decisively； ‘‘so you might
as well do it now as ever。''
Once more Pete cleared his throat。 This time
the words came in a burst of desperation。
‘‘Yes； sir。 I understand； sir。 It was only that
he saidhe said as how young folks didn't _need_
any one else around。 So he was goin'。''
‘‘Didn't _need_ any one else！'' exclaimed Bertram；
plainly not comprehending。
‘‘Yes； sir。 You two bein' married so； now。''
Pete's eyes were still averted。
Billy gave a low cry。
‘‘You meanbecause _I_ came？'' she demanded。
‘‘Why； yes； Missnothat is'' Pete
stopped with an appealing glance at Bertram。
‘‘Then it wasit _was_on account of _me_；''
choked Billy。
Pete looked still more distressed
‘‘No； no！'' he faltered。 ‘‘It was only that
he thought you wouldn't want him here now。''
‘‘Want him here！'' ejaculated Bertram。
‘‘Want him here！'' echoed Billy； with a sob。
‘‘Pete； where is he？'' As she asked the question
she dropped the mirror knobs into her open bag；
and reached for her coat and glovesshe had
not removed her hat。
Pete gave the address。
‘‘It's just down the street a bit and up the
hill；'' he added excitedly； divining her purpose。
‘‘It's a sort of a boarding…house； I reckon。''
‘‘A _boarding…house_for Uncle William！''
scorned Billy； her eyes ablaze。 ‘‘Come； Bertram；
we'll see about th