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CHAPTER XIV
WHEN BERTRAM CAME HOME
It was a little after half…past three o'clock that
afternoon when Bertram Henshaw hurried up
Beacon Street toward his home。 He had been
delayed； and he feared that Miss Winthrop would
already have reached the house。 Mindful of
what Billy had said that morning； he knew how
his wife would fret if he were not there when the
guest arrived。 The sight of what he surmised to
be Miss Winthrop's limousine before his door
hastened his steps still more。 But as he reached
the house； he was surprised to find Miss Winthrop
herself turning away from the door。
‘‘Why； Miss Winthrop；'' he cried； ‘‘you're not
going _now！_ You can't have been here anyyet！''
‘‘Well； no； II haven't；'' retorted the lady；
with heightened color and a somewhat peculiar
emphasis。 ‘‘My ring wasn't answered。''
‘‘Wasn't answered！'' Bertram reddened
angrily。 ‘‘Why； what can that mean？ Where's
the maid？ Where's my wife？ Mrs。 Henshaw
must be here！ She was expecting you。''
Bertram； in his annoyed amazement； spoke
loudly； vehemently。 Hence he was quite plainly
heard by the group of small boys and girls who
had been improving the mild weather for a frolic
on the sidewalk； and who had been attracted to
his door a moment before by the shining magnet
of the Winthrop limousine with its resplendently
liveried chauffeur。 As Bertram spoke； one of
the small girls； Bessie Bailey； stepped forward and
piped up a shrill reply。
‘‘She ain't； Mr。 Henshaw！ She ain't here。
I saw her go away just a little while ago。''
Bertram turned sharply。
‘‘You saw her go away！ What do you mean？''
Small Bessie swelled with importance。 Bessie
was thirteen； in spite of her diminutive height。
Bessie's mother was dead； and Bessie's caretakers
were gossiping nurses and servants； who
frequently left in her way books that were much
too old for Bessie to readbut she read them。
‘‘I mean she ain't hereyour wife； Mr。 Henshaw。
She went away。 I saw her。 I guess likely
she's eloped； sir。''
‘‘Eloped！''
Bessie swelled still more importantly。 To her
experienced eyes the situation contained all the
necessary elements for the customary flight of
the heroine in her story…books； as here； now；
was the irate； deserted husband。
‘‘Sure！ And 'twas just before you came
quite a while before。 A big shiny black automobile
like this drove uponly it wasn't quite
such a nice onean' Mrs。 Henshaw an' a man
came out of your house an' got in； an' drove
right away _quick！_ They just ran to get into it；
toodidn't they？'' She appealed to her young
mates grouped about her。
A chorus of shrill exclamations brought Mr。
Bertram Henshaw suddenly to his senses。 By a
desperate effort he hid his angry annoyance as
he turned to the manifestly embarrassed young
woman who was already descending the steps。
‘‘My dear Miss Winthrop；'' he apologized
contritely； ‘‘I'm sure you'll forgive this seeming
great rudeness on the part of my wife。 Notwithstanding
the lurid tales of our young friends here；
I suspect nothing more serious has happened
than that my wife has been hastily summoned to
Aunt Hannah； perhaps。 Or； of course； she may
not have understood that you were coming to…day
at half…past threethough I thought she did。
But I'm so sorrywhen you were so kind as to
come'' Miss Winthrop interrupted with a
quick gesture。
‘‘Say no more； I beg of you；'' she entreated。
‘‘Mrs。 Henshaw is quite excusable； I'm sure。
Please don't give it another thought；'' she
finished； as with a hurried direction to the man who
was holding open the door of her car； she stepped
inside and bowed her good…byes。
Bertram； with stern self…control； forced
himself to walk nonchalantly up his steps； leisurely
take out his key； and open his door； under the
interested eyes of Bessie Bailey and her friends；
but once beyond their hateful stare； his demeanor
underwent a complete change。 Throwing aside
his hat and coat； he strode to the telephone。
‘‘Oh； is that you； Aunt Hannah？'' he called
crisply； a moment later。 ‘‘Well； if Billy's there
will you tell her I want to speak to her；
please？''
‘‘Billy？'' answered Aunt Hannah's slow； gentle
tones。 ‘‘Why； my dear boy； Billy isn't here！''
‘‘She isn't？ Well； when did she leave？ She's
been there； hasn't she？''
‘‘Why； I don't think so； but I'll see； if you
like。 Mrs。 Greggory and I have just this minute
come in from an automobile ride。 We would
have stayed longer； but it began to get chilly； and
I forgot to take one of the shawls that I'd laid
out。''
‘‘Yes； well； if you will see； please； if Billy has
been there； and when she left；'' said Bertram；
with grim self…control。
‘‘All right。 I'll see；'' murmured Aunt Hannah。
In a few moments her voice again sounded across
the wires。 ‘‘Why； no； Bertram； Rosa says she
hasn't been here since yesterday。 Isn't she there
somewhere about the house？ Didn't you know
where she was going？''
‘‘Well； no； I didn'telse I shouldn't have
been asking you；'' snapped the irate Bertram
and hung up the receiver with most rude haste；
thereby cutting off an astounded ‘‘Oh； my grief
and conscience！'' in the middle of it。
The next ten minutes Bertram spent in going
through the whole house； from garret to basement。
Needless to say； he found nothing to
enlighten him； or to soothe his temper。 Four
o'clock came； then half…past； and five。 At five
Bertram began to look for Eliza； but in vain。
At half…past five he watched for William； but
William； too； did not come。
Bertram was pacing the floor now； nervously。
He was a little frightened； but more mortified
and angry。 That Billy should have allowed Miss
Winthrop to call by appointment only to find
no hostess； no message； no maid； even； to answer
her ringit was inexcusable！ Impulsiveness；
unconventionality； and girlish irresponsibility were
all very delightful； of courseat times； but
not now； certainly。 Billy was not a girl any
longer。 She was a married woman。 _Something_
was due to him； her husband！ A pretty picture
he must have made on those steps； trying to
apologize for a truant wife； and to laugh off that
absurd Bessie Bailey's preposterous assertion at
the same time！ What would Miss Winthrop
think？ What could she think？ Bertram fairly
ground his teeth with chagrin； at the situation
in which he found himself。
Nor were matters helped any by the fact that
Bertram was hungry。 Bertram's luncheon had
been meager and unsatisfying。 That the kitchen
down…stairs still remained in silent； spotless order
instead of being astir with the sounds and smells
of a good dinner （as it should have been） did not
improve his temper。 Where Billy was he could
not imagine。 He thought； once or twice； of
calling up some of her friends； but something
held him ba