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come。 Mercy！ Look at the time；'' she broke off；
glancing at the clock。 ‘‘I shall be late to dinner；
and Dong Ling loathes anybody who's late to his
mealsas I found out to my sorrow the night
we got home。 Good…by； dear。 I'll be out soon
again and fix it all upabout the Annex； you
know。'' And with a bright smile she was gone。
‘‘Dear me；'' sighed Aunt Hannah； stooping to
pick up the black shawl； ‘‘dear me！ Of course
everything will be all rightthere's a girl coming；
even if Dong Ling is going。 Butbut
Oh； my grief and conscience； what an extraordinary
child Billy is； to be surebut what a dear
one！'' she added； wiping a quick tear from her
eye。 ‘‘An Overflow Annex； indeed； for her ‘extra
happiness'！ Now isn't that just like Billy？''
CHAPTER V
TIGER SKINS
September passed and October came； bringing
with it cool days and clear； crisp evenings royally
ruled over by a gorgeous harvest moon。 According
to Billy everything was just perfectexcept；
of course； poor Bertram's arm； and even the
fact that that gained so slowly was not without
its advantage （again according to Billy）； for it
gave Bertram more time to be with her。
‘‘You see； dear； as long as you _can't_ paint；'' she
told him earnestly； one day； ‘‘why； I'm not
really hindering you by keeping you with me so
much。''
‘‘You certainly are not；'' he retorted； with a
smile。
‘‘Then I may be just as happy as I like over
it；'' settled Billy； comfortably。
‘‘As if you ever could hinder me；'' he ridiculed。
‘‘Oh； yes； I could；'' nodded Billy； emphatically。
‘‘You forget； sir。 That was what worried
me so。 Everybody； even the newspapers and
magazines； said I _would_ do it； too。 They said I'd
slay your Art； stifle your Ambition； destroy your
Inspiration； and be a nuisance generally。 And
Kate said''
‘‘Yes。 Well； never mind what Kate said；''
interrupted the man； savagely。
Billy laughed； and gave his ear a playful
tweak。
‘‘All right； but I'm not going to do it； you
knowspoil your career； sir。 You just wait；''
she continued dramatically。 ‘‘The minute your
arm gets so you can paint； I myself shall conduct
you to your studio； thrust the brushes into your
hand； fill your palette with all the colors of the
rainbow； and order you to paint； my lord； paint！
Butuntil then I'm going to have you all I
like；'' she finished； with a complete change of
manner； nestling into the ready curve of his good
left arm。
‘‘You witch！'' laughed the man； fondly。
‘‘Why； Billy； you couldn't hinder me。 You'll _be_
my inspiration； dear； instead of slaying it。 You'll
see。 _This_ time Marguerite Winthrop's portrait
is going to be a success。''
Billy turned quickly。
‘‘Then you arethat is； you haven'tI
mean； you're going topaint it？''
‘‘I just am；'' avowed the artist。 ‘‘And this
time it'll be a success； too； with you to help。''
Billy drew in her breath tremulously。
‘‘I didn't know but you'd already started it；''
she faltered。
He shook his head。
‘‘No。 After the other one failed； and Mr。
Winthrop asked me to try again； I couldn't _then_。
I was so troubled over you。 That's the time you
did hinder me；'' he smiled。 ‘‘Then came your
note breaking the engagement。 Of course I knew
too much to attempt a thing like that portrait
then。 But now_now_！'' The pause and the
emphasis were eloquent。
‘‘Of course； _now_；'' nodded Billy； brightly； but
a little feverishly。 ‘‘And when do you begin？''
‘‘Not till January。 Miss Winthrop won't be
back till then。 I saw J。 G。 last week； and I told
him I'd accept his offer to try again。''
‘‘What did he say？''
‘‘He gave my left hand a big grip and said：
‘Good！and you'll win out this time。' ''
‘‘Of course you will；'' nodded Billy； again；
though still a little feverishly。 ‘‘And this time
I sha'n't mind a bit if you do stay to luncheon；
and break engagements with me； sir；'' she went
on； tilting her chin archly； ‘‘for I shall know it's
the portrait and not the sitter that's really
keeping you。 Oh； you'll see what a fine artist's wife
I'll make！''
‘‘The very best；'' declared Bertram so ardently
that Billy blushed； and shook her head in reproof。
‘‘Nonsense！ I wasn't fishing。 I didn't mean it
that way；'' she protested。 Then； as he tried to
catch her； she laughed and danced teasingly out
of his reach。
Because Bertram could not paint； therefore；
Billy had him quite to herself these October days；
nor did she hesitate to appropriate him。 Neither；
on his part； was Bertram loath to be appropriated。
Like two lovers they read and walked and talked
together； and like two children； sometimes； they
romped through the stately old rooms with
Spunkie； or with Tommy Dunn； who was a frequent
guest。 Spunkie； be it known； was renewing
her kittenhood； so potent was the influence of
the dangling strings and rolling balls that she
encountered everywhere； and Tommy Dunn； with
Billy's help； was learning that not even a pair
of crutches need keep a lonely little lad from a
frolic。 Even William； roused from his after…
dinner doze by peals of laughter； was sometimes
inveigled into activities that left him breathless；
but curiously aglow。 While Pete； polishing silver
in the dining…room down…stairs； smiled indulgently
at the merry clatter aboveand forgot
the teasing pain in his side。
But it was not all nonsense with Billy； nor gay
laughter。 More often it was a tender glow in the
eyes； a softness in the voice； a radiant something
like an aura of joy all about her； that told how
happy indeed were these days for her。 There
was proof by word of mouth； toolong talks
with Bertram in the dancing firelight when they
laid dear plans for the future； and when she tried
so hard to make her husband understand what a
good； good wife she intended to be； and how she
meant never to let anything come between them。
It was so earnest and serious a Billy by this
time that Bertram would turn startled； dismayed
eyes on his young wife； whereupon； with a very
Billy…like change of mood； she would give him
one of her rare caresses； and perhaps sigh：
‘‘Gooseyit's only because I'm so happy；
happy； happy！ Why； Bertram； if it weren't for
that Overflow Annex I believe II just couldn't
live！
It was Bertram who sighed then； and who
prayed fervently in his heart that never might he
see a real shadow cloud that dear face。
Thus far； certainly； the cares of matrimony
had rested anything but heavily upon the shapely
young shoulders of the new wife。 Domestic affairs
at the Strata moved like a piece of well…oiled
machinery。 Dong Ling； to be sure； was not there；
but in his place reigned Pete's grandniece； a fresh…
faced； capable young woman who （Bertram
declared） cooked like an angel and minded her own
business like a man。 Pete； as of yore； had full