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Miss Billy
by Eleanor H。 Porter
CONTENTS
CHAPTER
I。 BILLY WRITES A LETTER
II。 〃THE STRATA〃
III。 THE STRATAWHEN THE LETTER COMES
IV。 BILLY SENDS A TELEGRAM
V。 GETTING READY FOR BILLY
VI。 THE COMING OF BILLY
VII。 INTRODUCING SPUNK
VIII。 THE ROOMAND BILLY
IX。 A FAMILY CONCLAVE
X。 AUNT HANNAH
XI。 BERTRAM HAS VISITORS
XII。 CYRIL TAKES HIS TURN
XIII。 A SURPRISE ALL AROUND
XIV。 AUNT HANNAH SPEAKS HER MIND
XV。 WHAT BERTRAM CALLS 〃THE LIMIT〃
XVI。 KATE TAKES A HAND
XVII。 A PINK…RIBBON TRAIL
XVIII。 BILLY WRITES ANOTHER LETTER
XIX。 SEEING BILLY OFF
XX。 BILLY； THE MYTH
XXI。 BILLY； THE REALITY
XXII。 HUGH CALDERWELL
XXIII。 BERTRAM DOES SOME QUESTIONING
XXIV。 CYRIL； THE ENIGMA
XXV。 THE OLD ROOMAND BILLY
XXVI。 〃MUSIC HATH CHARMS〃
XXVII。 MARIE； WHO LONGS TO MAKE PUDDINGS
XXVIII。 〃I'M GOING TO WIN〃
XXIX。 〃I'M NOT GOING TO MARRY〃
XXX。 MARIE FINDS A FRIEND
XXXI。 THE ENGAGEMENT OF ONE
XXXII。 CYRIL HAS SOMETHING TO SAY
XXXIII。 WILLIAM IS WORRIED
XXXIV。 CLASS DAY
XXXV。 SISTER KATE AGAIN
XXXVI。 WILLIAM MEETS WITH A SURPRISE
XXXVII。 〃WILLIAM'S BROTHER〃
XXXVIII。 THE ENGAGEMENT OF TWO
XXXIX。 A LITTLE PIECE OF PAPER
XL。 WILLIAM PAYS A VISIT
XLI。 THE CROOKED MADE STRAIGHT
XLII。 THE 〃END OF THE STORY〃
MISS BILLY
CHAPTER I
BILLY WRITES A LETTER
Billy Neilson was eighteen years old when the aunt； who had brought
her up from babyhood； died。 Miss Benton's death left Billy quite
alone in the worldalone； and peculiarly forlorn。 To Mr。 James
Harding； of Harding & Harding； who had charge of Billy's not
inconsiderable property； the girl poured out her heart in all its
loneliness two days after the funeral。
〃You see； Mr。 Harding； there isn't any onenot any one who
cares；〃 she choked。
〃Tut； tut； my child； it's not so bad as that； surely；〃 remonstrated
the old man； gently。 〃Why； II care。〃
Billy smiled through tear…wet eyes。
〃But I can't LIVE with you；〃 she said。
〃I'm not so sure of that； either；〃 retorted the man。 〃I'm thinking
that Letty and Ann would LIKE to have you with us。〃
The girl laughed now outright。 She was thinking of Miss Letty； who
had 〃nerves；〃 and of Miss Ann； who had a 〃heart〃； and she pictured
her own young； breezy； healthy self attempting to conform to the
hushed and shaded thing that life was； within Lawyer Harding's
home。
〃Thank you； but I'm sure they wouldn't；〃 she objected。 〃You don't
know how noisy I am。〃
The lawyer stirred restlessly and pondered。
〃But； surely； my dear； isn't there some relative； somewhere？〃 he
demanded。 〃How about your mother's people？〃
Billy shook her head。 Her eyes filled again with tears。
There was only Aunt Ella； ever； that I knew anything about。 She
and mother were the only children there were； and mother died when
I was a year old； you know。〃
〃But your father's people？〃
〃It's even worse there。 He was an only child and an orphan when
mother married him。 He died when I was but six months old。 After
that there was only mother and Aunt Ella； then Aunt Ella alone； and
nowno one。〃
〃And you know nothing of your father's people？〃
〃Nothing； that isalmost nothing。〃
〃Then there is some one？〃
Billy smiled。 A deeper pink showed in her cheeks。
〃Why； there's onea man but he isn't really father's people；
anyway。 But II have been tempted to write to him。〃
〃Who is he？〃
〃The one I'm named for。 He was father's boyhood chum。 You see
that's why I'm 'Billy' instead of being a proper 'Susie；' or
'Bessie；' or 'Sally Jane。' Father had made up his mind to name his
baby 'William' after his chum； and when I came； Aunt Ella said； he
was quite broken…hearted until somebody hit upon the idea of naming
me Billy。' Then he was content； for it seems that he always called
his chum 'Billy' anyhow。 And so'Billy' I am to…day。〃
〃Do you know this man？〃
〃No。 You see father died； and mother and Aunt Ella knew him only
very slightly。 Mother knew his wife； though； Aunt Ella said； and
SHE was lovely。〃
〃Hm； well； we might look them up； perhaps。 You know his
address？〃
〃Oh； yes unless he's moved。 We've always kept that。 Aunt Ella
used to say sometimes that she was going to write to him some day
about me； you know。〃
〃What's his name？〃
〃William Henshaw。 He lives in Boston。〃
Lawyer Harding snatched off his glasses； and leaned forward in his
chair。
〃William Henshaw！ Not the Beacon Street Henshaws！〃 he cried。
It was Billy's turn to be excited。 She； too； leaned forward
eagerly。
〃Oh； do you know him？ That's lovely！ And his address IS Beacon
Street！ I know because I saw it only to…day。 You see； I HAVE been
tempted to write him。〃
〃Write him？ Of course you'll write him；〃 cried the lawyer。 〃And
we don't need to do much 'looking up' there； child。 I've known the
family for years； and this William was a college mate of my boy's。
Nice fellow； too。 I've heard Ned speak of him。 There were three
sons； William； and two others much younger than he。 I've forgotten
their names。〃
〃Then you do know him！ I'm so glad；〃 exclaimed Billy。 〃You see；
he never seemed to me quite real。〃
〃I know about him；〃 corrected the lawyer； smilingly； 〃though I'll
confess I've rather lost track of him lately。 Ned will know。 I'll
ask Ned。 Now go home； my dear； and dry those pretty eyes of yours。
Or； better still； come home with me to tea。 II'll telephone up
to the house。〃 And he rose stiffly and went into the inner office。
Some minutes passed before he came back； red of face； and plainly
distressed。
〃My dear child； II'm sorry； butbut I'll have to take back that
invitation；〃 he blurted out miserably。 〃My sisters areare not
well this afternoon。 Ann has been having a turn with her heart
you know Ann's heart isis bad； and LettyLetty is always nervous
at such timesvery nervous。 ErI'm so sorry！ But you'llexcuse
it？〃
〃Indeed I will；〃 smiled Billy； 〃and thank you just the same； only〃
her eyes twinkled mischievously〃you don't mind if I do say that
it IS lucky that we hadn't gone on planning to have me live with
them； Mr。 Harding！〃
〃Eh？ Weller； I think your plan about the Henshaws is very good；〃
he interposed hurriedly。 〃I'll speak to NedI'll speak to Ned；〃
he finished； as he ceremoniously bowed the girl from the office。
James Harding kept his word； and spoke to his son that night； but
there was little； after all； that Ned could tell him。 Yes； he
remembered Billy Henshaw well； but he had not heard of him for
years； since Henshaw's marriage； in fact。 He must be forty years
old； Ned said； but he was a fine fellow； an exceptionally fine
fellow； and would be sure to deal kindly and wisely by his little
orphan namesake； of that Ned was very sure。
〃That's good。 I'll write him；〃 declared Mr。 James Harding。 〃I'll
write him tomorrow。〃
He did writebut not so soon as Billy wrote； for even as he spoke；
Billy； in her lonely little room at the other end of the town； was
laying bare all her homesickness in four long pages to 〃Dear Uncle
William。〃
CHAPTER II
〃THE STRATA〃
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