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unsteadily； the girl stammered：
‘‘Oh； I'm so sorryso very sorry！ II
didn't know。''
‘‘No； of course you didn't。 I've almost told
you； though； lots of times； you've been so good
to me all these weeks。'' He raised his head now；
and looked at her； frank comradeship in his
eyes。
The girl stirred restlessly。 Her eyes swerved
a little under his level gaze。
‘‘Oh； but I've done nothingn…nothing；'' she
stammered。 Then； at the light tap of crutches
on a bare floor she turned in obvious relief。
‘‘Oh； here's mother。 She's been in visiting with
Mrs。 Delano； our landlady。 Mother； Mr。 Arkwright
is here。''
Meanwhile； speeding north as fast as steam
could carry them； were the bride and groom。
The wondrousness of the first hour of their journey
side by side had become a joyous certitude
that always it was to be like this now。
‘‘Bertram；'' began the bride； after a long
minute of eloquent silence。
‘‘Yes； love。''
‘‘You know our wedding was very different
from most weddings。''
‘‘Of course it was！''
‘‘Yes； but _really_ it was。 Now listen。'' The
bride's voice grew tenderly earnest。 ‘‘I think
our marriage is going to be different； too。''
‘‘Different？''
‘‘Yes。'' Billy's tone was emphatic。 ‘‘There
are so many common； everyday marriages where
where Why； Bertram； as if you could ever
be to me likelike Mr。 Carleton is； for instance！''
‘‘Like Mr。 Carleton isto you？'' Bertram's
voice was frankly puzzled。
‘‘No； no！ As Mr。 Carleton is to Mrs。 Carleton；
I mean。''
‘‘Oh！'' Bertram subsided in relief。
‘‘And the Grahams and Whartons； and the
Freddie Agnews； andand a lot of others。
Why； Bertram； I've seen the Grahams and the
Whartons not even speak to each other a whole
evening； when they've been at a dinner； or
something； and I've seen Mrs。 Carleton not even
seem to know her husband came into the room。
I don't mean quarrel； dear。 Of course we'd never
_quarrel！_ But I mean I'm sure we shall never
get used toto you being you； and I being I。''
‘‘Indeed we sha'n't；'' agreed Bertram； rapturously。
‘‘Ours is going to be such a beautiful marriage！''
‘‘Of course it will be。''
‘‘And we'll be so happy！''
‘‘I shall be； and I shall try to make you so。''
‘‘As if I could be anything else；'' sighed Billy；
blissfully。 ‘‘And now we _can't_ have any
misunderstandings； you see。''
‘‘Of course not。 Erwhat's that？''
‘‘Why； I mean thatthat we can't ever repeat
hose miserable weeks of misunderstanding。
Everything is all explained up。 I _know_； now；
that you don't love Miss Winthrop； or just girls
any girlto paint。 You love me。 Not the
tilt of my chin； nor the turn of my head； but
_me_。''
‘‘I dojust you。'' Bertram's eyes gave the
caress his lips would have given had it not been
for the presence of the man in the seat across the
aisle of the sleeping…car。
‘‘And youyou know now that I love you
just you？''
‘‘Not even Arkwright？''
‘‘Not even Arkwright；'' smiled Billy。
There was the briefest of hesitations； then； a
little constrainedly； Bertram asked：
‘‘And you said youyou never _had_ cared for
Arkwright； didn't you？''
For the second time in her life Billy was
thankful that Bertram's question had turned upon _her_
love for Arkwright； not Arkwright's love for her。
In Billy's opinion； a man's unrequited love for a
girl was his secret； not hers； and was certainly
one that the girl had no right to tell。 Once
before Bertram had asked her if she had ever
cared for Arkwright； and then she had answered
emphatically； as she did now：
‘‘Never； dear。''
‘‘I thought you said so；'' murmured Bertram；
relaxing a little。
‘‘I did； besides； didn't I tell you？'' she went
on airily； ‘‘I think he'll marry Alice Greggory。
Alice wrote me all the time I was away； and
oh； she didn't say anything definite； I'll admit；''
confessed Billy； with an arch smile； ‘‘but she
spoke of his being there lots； and they used to
know each other years ago； you see。 There was
almost a romance there； I think； before the
Greggorys lost their money and moved away from all
their friends。''
‘‘Well； he may have her。 She's a nice girl
a mighty nice girl；'' answered Bertram； with the
unmistakably satisfied air of the man who knows
he himself possesses the nicest girl of them all。
Billy； reading unerringly the triumph in his
voice； grew suddenly grave。 She regarded her
husband with a thoughtful frown； then she drew
a profound sigh。
‘‘Whew！'' laughed Bertram； whimsically。 ‘‘So
soon as this？''
‘‘Bertram！'' Billy's voice was tragic。
‘‘Yes； my love。'' The bridegroom pulled his
face into sobriety； then Billy spoke； with solemn
impressiveness。
‘‘Bertram； I don't know a thing about
cookingexcept what I've been learning in
Rosa's cook…book this last week。''
Bertram laughed so loud that the man across
the aisle glanced over the top of his paper
surreptitiously。
‘‘Rosa's cook…book！ Is that what you were
doing all this week？''
‘‘Yes； that isI tried so hard to learn
something；'' stammered Billy。 ‘‘But I'm
afraid I didn'tmuch； there were so many
things for me to think of； you know； with
only a week。 I believe I _could_ make peach
fritters； though。 They were the last thing I
studied。''
Bertram laughed again； uproariously； but； at
Billy's unchangingly tragic face； he grew
suddenly very grave and tender。
‘‘Billy； dear； I didn't marry you toto get a
cook；'' he said gently。
Billy shook her head。
‘‘I know； but Aunt Hannah said that even if
I never expected to cook； myself； I ought to know
how it was done； so to properly oversee it。 She
said thatthat no woman； who didn't know how
to cook and keep house properly； had any business
to be a wife。 And； Bertram； I did try； honestly；
all this week。 I tried so hard to remember when
you sponged bread and when you kneaded it。''
‘‘I don't ever need_yours_；'' cut in Bertram；
shamelessly； but he got only a deservedly stern
glance in return。
‘‘And I repeated over and over again how
many cupfuls of flour and pinches of salt and
spoonfuls of baking…powder went into things；
but； Bertram； I simply could not keep my mind
on it。 Everything； everywhere was singing to
me。 And how do you suppose I could remember
how many pinches of flour and spoonfuls of salt
and cupfuls of baking…powder went into a loaf
of cake when all the while the very teakettle on
the stove was singing： ‘It's all rightBertram
loves meI'm going to marry Bertram！'？''
‘‘You darling！'' （In spite of the man across
the aisle Bertram did almost kiss her this time。）
‘‘As if anybody cared how many cupfuls of
baking…powder went anywherewith that in
your heart！''
‘‘Aunt Hannah says you willwhen you're
hungry。 And Kate said''
Bertram uttered a s