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was Hugh Calderwell。 As it happened Bertram
was out when he came； so Billy had the first half…
hour of the call to herself。 She was not sorry for
this； as it gave her a chance to question Calderwell
a little concerning Alice Greggorysomething
she had long ago determined to do at the
first opportunity。
‘‘Now tell me everythingeverything about
everybody；'' she began diplomatically； settling
herself comfortably for a good visit。
‘‘Thank you； I'm well； and have had a
passably agreeable summer； barring the heat； sundry
persistent mosquitoes； several grievous disappointments；
and a felon on my thumb；'' he began； with
shameless imperturbability。 ‘‘I have been to
Revere once； to the circus once； to Nantasket
three times； and to Keith's and the ‘movies' ten
times； perhapsto be accurate。 I have also
But perhaps there was some one else you desired
to inquire for；'' he broke off； turning upon
his hostess a bland but unsmiling countenance。
‘‘Oh； no； how could there be？'' twinkled Billy。
‘‘Really； Hugh； I always knew you had a pretty
good opinion of yourself； but I didn't credit you
with thinking you were _everybody_。 Go on。 I'm
so interested！''
Hugh chuckled softly； but there was a plaintive
tone in his voice as he answered。
‘‘Thanks； no。 I've rather lost my interest
now。 Lack of appreciation always did discourage
me。 We'll talk of something else； please。 You
enjoyed your trip？''
‘‘Very much。 It just couldn't have been
nicer！''
‘‘You were lucky。 The heat here has been
something fierce！''
‘‘What made you stay？''
‘‘Reasons too numerous； and one too heart…
breaking； to mention。 Besides； you forget；'' with
dignity。 ‘‘There is my profession。 I have joined
the workers of the world now； you know。''
‘‘Oh； fudge； Hugh！'' laughed Billy。 ‘‘You
know very well you're as likely as not to start
for the ends of the earth to…morrow morning！''
Hugh drew himself up。
‘‘I don't seem to succeed in making people
understand that I'm serious；'' he began aggrievedly。
‘‘I'' With an expressive flourish
of his hands he relaxed suddenly； and fell back
in his chair。 A slow smile came to his lips。
‘‘Well； Billy； I'll give up。 You've hit it；'' he
confessed。 ‘‘I _have_ thought seriously of starting to…
morrow morning for _half…way_ to the ends of the
earthPanama。''
‘‘Hugh！''
‘‘Well； I have。 Even this call was to be a
good…byif I went。''
‘‘Oh； Hugh！ But I really thoughtin spite
of my teasingthat you had settled down； this
time。''
‘‘Yes； so did I；'' sighed the man； a little soberly。
‘‘But I guess it's no use； Billy。 Oh； I'm coming
back； of course； and link arms again with their
worthy Highnesses； John Doe and Richard Roe；
but just now I've got a restless fit on me。 I want
to see the wheels go 'round。 Of course； if I had
my bread and butter and cigars to earn； 'twould
be different。 But I haven't； and I know I haven't；
and I suspect that's where the trouble lies。 If it
wasn't for those natal silver spoons of mine that
Bertram is always talking about； things might be
different。 But the spoons are there； and always
have been； and I know they're all ready to dish
out mountains to climb and lakes to paddle in；
any time I've a mind to say the word。 SoI
just say the word。 That's all。''
‘‘And you've said it now？''
‘‘Yes； I think so； for a while。''
‘‘Andthose reasons that _have_ kept you here
all summer；'' ventured Billy； ‘‘they aren't in
ercommission any longer？''
‘‘No。''
Billy hesitated； regarding her companion
meditatively。 Then； with the feeling that she had
followed a blind alley to its termination； she
retreated and made a fresh start。
‘‘Well； you haven't yet told me everything
about everybody； you know；'' she hinted
smilingly。 ‘‘You might begin thatI mean the
less important everybodies； of course； now that
I've heard about you。''
‘‘Meaning''
‘‘Oh； Aunt Hannah； and the Greggorys； and
Cyril and Marie； and the twins； and Mr。 Arkwright；
and all the rest。''
‘‘But you've had letters； surely。''
‘‘Yes； I've had letters from some of them； and
I've seen most of them since I came back。 It's
just that I wanted to know _your_ viewpoint of
what's happened through the summer。''
‘‘Very well。 Aunt Hannah is as dear as ever；
wears just as many shawls； and still keeps her
clock striking twelve when it's half…past eleven。
Mrs。 Greggory is just as sweet as everand a
little more frail； I fear；bless her heart！ Mr。
Arkwright is still abroad； as I presume you know。
I hear he is doing great stunts over there； and
will sing in Berlin and Paris this winter。 I'm
thinking of going across from Panama later。 If
I do I shall look him up。 Mr。 and Mrs。 Cyril
are as well as could be expected when you realize
that they haven't yet settled on a pair of names
for the twins。''
‘‘I know itand the poor little things three
months old； too！ I think it's a shame。 You've
heard the reason； I suppose。 Cyril declares that
naming babies is one of the most serious and
delicate operations in the world； and that； for his
part； he thinks people ought to select their own
names when they've arrived at years of discretion。
He wants to wait till the twins are eighteen；
and then make each of them a birthday present
of the name of their own choosing。''
‘‘Well； if that isn't the limit！'' laughed
Calderwell。 ‘‘I'd heard some such thing before； but
I hadn't supposed it was really so。''
‘‘Well； it is。 He says he knows more tomboys
and enormous fat women named ‘Grace' and
‘Lily；' and sweet little mouse…like ladies staggering
along under a sonorous ‘Jerusha Theodosia'
or ‘Zenobia Jane'； and that if he should name
the boys ‘Franz' and ‘Felix' after Schubert
and Mendelssohn as Marie wants to； they'd as
likely as not turn out to be men who hated the
sound of music and doted on stocks and dry
goods。''
‘‘Humph！'' grunted Calderwell。 ‘‘I saw Cyril
last week； and he said he hadn't named the twins
yet； but he didn't tell me why。 I offered him
two perfectly good names myself； but he didn't
seem interested。''
‘‘What were they？''
‘‘Eldad and Bildad。''
‘‘Hugh！'' protested Billy。
‘‘Well； why not？'' bridled the man。 ‘‘I'm
sure those are new and unique； and really musical；
too'way ahead of your Franz and Felix。''
‘‘But those aren't really names！''
‘‘Indeed they are。''
‘‘Where did you get them？''
‘‘Off our family tree； though they're Bible
names； Belle says。 Perhaps you didn't know； but
Sister Belle has been making the dirt fly quite
lively of late around that family tree of ours； and
she wrote me some of her discoveries。 It seems
two of the roots； or branchessay； are ancestors
roots； or branches？were called Eldad and
Bildad。 Now I thought those names were good
enough to pass along； but；