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do。 But you don't need this house now； Billy。''
‘‘Oh； yes； I do；'' retorted Billy； airily。 ‘‘I'm
going to keep it up； and I want you here。
‘‘Fiddlededee； Billy！ As if I'd let you keep up
this house just for me；'' scorned Aunt Hannah。
‘‘ 'Tisn't just for you。 It's forfor lots of
folks。''
‘‘My grief and conscience； Billy！ What are
you talking about？''
Billy laughed； and settled herself more
comfortably on the hassock at Aunt Hannah's feet。
‘‘Well； I'll tell you。 Just now I want it for
Tommy Dunn； and the Greggorys if I can get
them； and maybe one or two others。 There'll
always be somebody。 You see； I had thought
I'd have them at the Strata。''
‘‘Tommy Dunnat the Strata！''
Billy laughed again ruefully。
‘‘O dear！ You sound just like Bertram；'' she
pouted。 ‘‘He didn't want Tommy； either； nor
any of the rest of them。''
‘‘The rest of them！''
‘‘Well； I could have had a lot more； you know；
the Strata is so big； especially now that Cyril
has gone； and left all those empty rooms。 _I_ got
real enthusiastic； but Bertram didn't。 He just
laughed and said ‘nonsense！' until he found I
was really in earnest； then hewell； he said
‘nonsense；' then； tooonly he didn't laugh；''
finished Billy； with a sigh。
Aunt Hannah regarded her with fond； though
slightly exasperated eyes。
‘‘Billy； you are； indeed； a most extraordinary
young womanat times。 Surely； with you； a
body never knows what to expectexcept the
unexpected。''
‘‘Why； Aunt Hannah！and from you； too！''
reproached Billy； mischievously； but Aunt Hannah
had yet more to say。
‘‘Of course Bertram thought it was nonsense。
The idea of you； a bride； filling up your house
withwith people like that！ Tommy Dunn；
indeed！''
‘‘Oh； Bertram said he liked Tommy all right；''
sighed Billy； ‘‘but he said that that didn't mean
he wanted him for three meals a day。 One would
think poor Tommy was a breakfast food！ So
that is when I thought of keeping up this house；
you see； and that's why I want you hereto
take charge of it。 And you'll do thatfor me；
won't you？''
Aunt Hannah fell back in her chair。
Why； y…yes； Billy； of course； ifif you want
it。 But what an extraordinary idea； child！''
Billy shook her head。 A deeper color came to
her cheeks； and a softer glow to her eyes。
‘‘I don't think so； Aunt Hannah。 It's only
that I'm so happy that some of it has just got to
overflow somewhere； and this is going to be the
overflow housea sort of safety valve for me；
you see。 I'm going to call it the Annexit will
be an annex to our home。 And I want to keep it
full； always； of people whowho can make the
best use of all that extra happiness that I can't
possibly use myself；'' she finished a little
tremulously。 ‘‘Don't you see？''
‘‘Oh； yes； I _see_；'' replied Aunt Hannah； with a
fond shake of the head。
‘‘But； really； listenit's sensible；'' urged
Billy。 ‘‘First； there's Tommy。 His mother died
last month。 He's at a neighbor's now； but they're
going to send him to a Home for Crippled Children；
and he's grieving his heart out over it。
I'm going to bring him here to a real home
the kind that doesn't begin with a capital letter。
He adores music； and he's got real talent； I think。
Then there's the Greggorys。''
Aunt Hannah looked dubious。
‘‘You can't get the Greggorys toto use any
of that happiness； Billy。 They're too proud。''
Billy smiled radiantly。
‘‘I know I can't get them to _use_ it； Aunt
Hannah； but I believe I can get them to _give_ it；''
she declared triumphantly。 ‘‘I shall ask Alice
Greggory to teach Tommy music； and I shall
ask Mrs。 Greggory to teach him books； and I
shall tell them both that I positively need them
to keep you company。''
‘‘Oh； but Billy；'' bridled Aunt Hannah； with
prompt objection。
‘‘Tut； tut！I know you'll be willing to be
thrown as a little bit of a sop to the Greggorys'
pride；'' coaxed Billy。 ‘‘You just wait till I get
the Overflow Annex in running order。 Why；
Aunt Hannah； you don't know how busy you're
going to be handing out all that extra happiness
that I can't use！''
‘‘You dear child！'' Aunt Hannah smiled
mistily。 The black shawl had fallen unheeded
to the floor now。 ‘‘As if anybody ever had any
more happiness than one's self could use！''
‘‘I have；'' avowed Billy； promptly； ‘‘and it's
going to keep growing and growing； I know。''
‘‘Oh； my grief and conscience； Billy； don't！''
exclaimed Aunt Hannah； lifting shocked hands of
remonstrance。 ‘‘Rap on wooddo！ How can
you boast like that？''
Billy dimpled roguishly and sprang to her feet｛。？？｝
‘‘Why； Aunt Hannah； I'm ashamed of you！
To be superstitious like thatyou； a good
Presbyterian！''
Aunt Hannah subsided shamefacedly。
‘‘Yes； I know； Billy； it is silly； but I just can't
help it。''
‘‘Oh； but it's worse than silly； Aunt Hannah；''
teased Billy； with a remorseless chuckle。 ‘‘It's
really _heathen！_ Bertram told me once that it
dates 'way back to the time of the Druids
appealing to the god of trees； or something like that
when you rap on wood； you know。''
‘‘Ugh！'' shuddered Aunt Hannah。 ‘‘As if
I would； Billy！ How is Bertram； by the by？''
A swift shadow crossed Billy's bright face。
‘‘He's lovelyonly his arm。''
‘‘His arm！ But I thought that was better。''
‘‘Oh； it is；'' drooped Billy； ‘‘but it gets along
so slowly； and it frets him dreadfully。 You know
he never can do anything with his left hand； he
says； and he just hates to have things done for
himthough Pete and Dong Ling are quarreling
with each other all the time to do things for
him； and I'm quarreling with both of them to do
them for him myself！ By the way； Dong Ling
is going to leave us next week。 Did you know
it？''
‘‘Dong Lingleave！''
‘‘Yes。 Oh； he told Bertram long ago he
should go when we were married； that he had
plenty much money； and was going back to China；
and not be Melican man any longer。 But I don't
think Bertram thought he'd do it。 William says
Dong Ling went to Pete； however； after we left；
and told him he wanted to go； that he liked the
little Missee plenty well； but that there'd be too
much hen…talk when she got back； and''
‘‘Why； the impudent creature！''
Billy laughed merrily。
‘‘Yes； Pete was furious； William says； but
Dong Ling didn't mean any disrespect； I'm sure。
He just wasn't used to having petticoats around；
and didn't want to take orders from them； that's
all。''
‘‘But； Billy； what will you do？''
‘‘Oh； Pete's fixed all that lovely；'' returned
Billy； nonchalantly。 ‘‘You know his niece lives
over in South Boston； and it seems she's got a
daughter who's a fine cook and will be glad to
come。 Mercy！ Look at the time；'' she broke off；
glancing at the clock。 ‘‘I shall be late to dinner；
and Dong