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Behind her； Bertram； remembering the scene
in the kitchen； stared in sheer amazement。 Bertram；
it might be mentioned again； had been
married six months； not six years。
What Billy had intended to serve for a ‘‘simple
dinner'' that night was： grapefruit with cherries；
oyster stew； boiled halibut with egg sauce； chicken
pie； squash； onions； and potatoes； peach fritters；
a ‘‘lettuce and stuff'' salad； and some new pie
or pudding。 What she did serve was： grapefruit
（without the cherries）； cold roast lamb； potatoes
（a mush of sogginess）； tomatoes （canned； and
slightly burned）； corn （canned； and very much
burned）； lettuce （plain）； and for dessert； preserved
peaches and cake （the latter rather dry and
stale）。 Such was Billy's dinner。
The grapefruit everybody ate。 The cold lamb
too； met with a hearty reception； especially after
the potatoes； corn； and tomatoes were served
and tasted。 Outwardly； through it all； Billy was
gayety itself。 Inwardly she was burning up with
anger and mortification。 And because she was
all this； there was； apparently； no limit to her
laughter and sparkling repartee as she talked
with Calderwell； her guestthe guest who；
according to her original plans； was to be shown how
happy she and Bertram were； what a good wife
she made； and how devoted and _satisfied_ Bertram
was in his home。
William； picking at his dinneras only a
hungry man can pick at a dinner that is uneatable
watched Billy with a puzzled； uneasy
frown。 Bertram； choking over the few mouthfuls
he ate； marked his wife's animated face and
Calderwell's absorbed attention； and settled into
gloomy silence。
But it could not continue forever。 The preserved
peaches were eaten at last； and the stale
cake left。 （Billy had forgotten the coffee
which was just as well； perhaps。） Then the four
trailed up…stairs to the drawing…room。
At nine o'clock an anxious Eliza and a remorseful；
apologetic Pete came home and descended
to the horror the once orderly kitchen and dining…
room had become。 At ten； Calderwell； with very
evident reluctance； tore himself away from Billy's
gay badinage； and said good night。 At two
minutes past ten； an exhausted； nerve…racked Billy
was trying to cry on the shoulders of both Uncle
William and Bertram at once。
‘‘There； there； child； don't！ It went off all
right；'' patted Uncle William。
‘‘Billy； darling；'' pleaded Bertram； ‘‘please
don't cry so！ As if I'd ever let you step foot in
that kitchen again！''
At this Billy raised a tear…wet face； aflame with
indignant determination。
‘‘As if I'd ever let you keep me _from_ it； Bertram
Henshaw； after this！'' she contested。 ‘‘I'm
not going to do another thing in all my life but
_cook！_ When I think of the stuff we had to eat；
after all the time I took to get it； I'm simply crazy！
Do you think I'd run the risk of such a thing as
this ever happening again？''
CHAPTER XI
CALDERWELL DOES SOME QUESTIONING
On the day after his dinner with Mr。 and Mrs。
Bertram Henshaw； Hugh Calderwell left Boston
and did not return until more than a month had
passed。 One of his first acts； when he did come；
was to look up Mr。 M。 J。 Arkwright at the address
which Billy had given him。
Calderwell had not seen Arkwright since they
parted in Paris some two years before； after a six…
months tramp through Europe together。 Calderwell
liked Arkwright then； greatly； and he lost
no time now in renewing the acquaintance。
The address； as given by Billy； proved to be an
attractive but modest apartment hotel near the
Conservatory of Music； and Calderwell was
delighted to find Arkwright at home in his
comfortable little bachelor suite。
Arkwright greeted him most cordially。
‘‘Well； well；'' he cried； ‘‘if it isn't Calderwell！
And how's Mont Blanc？ Or is it the Killarney
Lakes this time； or maybe the Sphinx that I
should inquire for； eh？''
‘‘Guess again；'' laughed Calderwell； throwing
off his heavy coat and settling himself comfortably
in the inviting…looking morris chair his
friend pulled forward。
‘‘Sha'n't do it；'' retorted Arkwright； with a
smile。 ‘‘I never gamble on palpable uncertainties；
except for a chance throw or two； as I gave
a minute ago。 Your movements are altogether
too erratic； and too far…reaching； for ordinary
mortals to keep track of。''
‘‘Well； maybe you're right；'' grinned Calderwell；
appreciatively。 ‘‘Anyhow； you would have
lost this time； sure thing； for I've been working。''
‘‘Seen the doctor yet？'' queried Arkwright；
coolly； pushing the cigars across the table。
‘‘Thanksfor both；'' sniffed Calderwell； with
a reproachful glance； helping himself。 ‘‘Your
good judgment in some matters is still unimpaired；
I see；'' he observed； tapping the little gilded band
which had told him the cigar was an old favorite。
‘‘As to other matters； however；you're wrong
again； my friend； in your surmise。 I am not sick；
and I have been working。''
‘‘So？ Well； I'm told they have very good
specialists here。 Some one of them ought to
hit your case。 Stillhow long has it been
running？'' Arkwright's face showed only grave
concern。
‘‘Oh； come； let up； Arkwright；'' snapped
Calderwell； striking his match alight with a vigorous
jerk。 ‘‘I'll admit I haven't ever given any _special_
indication of an absorbing passion for work。 But
what can you expect of a fellow born with a
whole dozen silver spoons in his mouth？ And
that's what I was； according to Bertram Henshaw。
According to him again； it's a wonder I
ever tried to feed myself； and perhaps he's right
with my mouth already so full。''
‘‘I should say so；'' laughed Arkwright。
‘‘Well； be that as it may。 I'm going to feed
myself； and I'm going to earn my feed； too。 I
haven't climbed a mountain or paddled a canoe；
for a year。 I've been in Chicago cultivating the
acquaintance of John Doe and Richard Roe。''
‘‘You meanlaw？''
‘‘Sure。 I studied it here for a while； before
that bout of ours a couple of years ago。 Billy
drove me away； then。''
‘‘Billy！erMrs。 Henshaw？''
‘‘Yes。 I thought I told you。 She turned down
my tenth…dozen proposal so emphatically that I
lost all interest in Boston and took to the tall
timber again。 But I've come back。 A friend of
my father's wrote me to come on and consider a
good opening there was in his law office。 I came
on a month ago； and considered。 Then I went
back to pack up。 Now I've come for good； and
here I am。 You have my history to date。 Now
tell me of yourself。 You're looking as fit as a
penny from the mint； even though you have
discarded that ‘lovely' brown beard。 Was that
a concession toer_Mary Jane_？''
Arkwright lifted a quick hand of protest。
‘‘ ‘Michael Jeremiah；' please。 There is no
‘Mary Jane；' now；'' he said a bit stiffly。
The other stared a