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know the boys are always away more or less； but I seldom go until
August； and we let Pete and Dong Ling off then for a month and
close the house。 I told Billy I'd send you and her anywhere she
liked for the whole summer； but she says no。 She prefers to stay
here with me。 But I don't quite fancy that ideathrough all the
hot June and Julyso I don't know but I'll get a cottage somewhere
near at one of the beaches； where I can run back and forth night
and morning。 Of course； in that case； we take Pete and Dong Ling
with us and close the house right away。 I fear Cyril would not
fancy it much； but； after all； he and Bertram would be off more or
less。 They always are in the summer。〃
〃But； William； you haven't yet got my idea at all；〃 demurred Aunt
Hannah； with a discouraged shake of her head。 〃It's away！away
from all thisfrom youthat I want to get Billy。〃
〃Away！ Away from me；〃 cried the man； with an odd intonation of
terror； as he started forward in his chair。 〃Why； Aunt Hannah；
what are you talking about？〃
〃About Billy。 This is no place in which to bring up a young girl
a young girl who has not one shred of relationship to excuse it。〃
〃But she is my namesake； and quite alone in the world； Aunt Hannah；
quite alonepoor child！〃
〃My dear William； that is exactly itshe is a child； and yet she
is not。 That's where the trouble lies。〃
〃What do you mean？〃
〃William； Billy has been brought up in a little country town with
a spinster aunt and a whole good…natured； tolerant village for
company。 Well； she has accepted you and your entire household；
even down to Dong Ling； on the same basis。〃
〃Well； I'm sure I'm glad；〃 asserted the man with genial warmth。
〃It's good for us to have her here。 It's good for the boys。 She's
already livened Cyril up and toned Bertram down。 I may as well
confess； Aunt Hannah； that I've been more than a little disturbed
about Bertram of late。 I don't like that Bob Seaver that he is so
fond of； and some other fellows； too； that have been coming here
altogether too much during the last year。 Bertram says they're
only a little 'Bohemian' in their tastes。 And to me that's the
worst of it； for Bertram himself is quite too much inclined that
way。〃
〃Exactly； William。 And that only goes to prove what I said before。
Bertram is not a spinster aunt； and neither are any of the rest of
you。 But Billy takes you that way。〃
〃Takes us that wayas spinster aunts！〃
〃Yes。 She makes herself as free in this house as she was in her
Aunt Ella's at Hampden Falls。 She flies up to Cyril's rooms half a
dozen times a day with some question about her lessons； and I don't
know how long she'd sit at his feet and adoringly listen to his
playing if he didn't sometimes get out of patience and tell her to
go and practise herself。 She makes nothing of tripping into
Bertram's studio at all hours of the day； and he's sketched her
head at every conceivable anglewhich certainly doesn't tend to
make Billy modest or retiring。 As to youyou know how much she's
in your rooms； spending evening after evening fussing over your
collections。〃
〃I know； but we'rewe're sorting them and making a catalogue；〃
defended the man； anxiously。 〃Besides； II like to have her
there。 She doesn't bother me a bit。〃
〃No； I know she doesn't；〃 replied Aunt Hannah； with a curious
inflection。 〃But don't you see； William； that all this isn't going
to quite do？ Billy's too youngand too old。〃
〃Come； come； Aunt Hannah； is that exactly logical？〃
〃It's true； at least。〃
〃But； after all； where's the harm？ Don't you think that you are
just a little bit toofastidious？ Billy's nothing but a care…free
child。〃
〃It's the 'free' part that I object to； William。 She has taken
every one of you into intimate companionshipeven Pete and Dong
Ling。〃
〃Pete and Dong Ling！〃
〃Yes。〃 Mrs。 Stetson's chin came up； and her nostrils dilated a
little。 〃Billy went to Pete the other day to have him button her
shirt…waist up in the back； and yesterday I found her down…stairs
in the kitchen instructing Dong Ling how to make chocolate fudge！〃
William fell back in his chair。
〃Well； well；〃 he muttered； 〃well； well！ She is a child； and no
mistake！〃 He paused； his brows drawn into a troubled frown。 〃But；
Aunt Hannah； what CAN I do？ Of course you could talk to her； but
I don't seem to quite like that idea。〃
〃My grief and conscienceno； no！ That isn't what is needed at
all。 It would only serve to make her self…conscious； and that's
her one salvation nowthat she isn't self…conscious。 You see；
it's only the fault of her environment and training； after all。 It
isn't her heart that's wrong。〃
〃Indeed it isn't！〃
〃It will be different when she is olderwhen she has seen a little
more of the world outside Hampden Falls。 She'll go to school； of
course； and I think she ought to travel a little。 Meanwhile； she
mustn't livejust like this； though； certainly not for a time； at
least。〃
〃No； no； I'm afraid not；〃 agreed William； perplexedly； rising to
his feet。 〃But we must thinkwhat can be done。〃 His step was
even slower than usual as he left the room； and his eyes were
troubled。
CHAPTER XV
WHAT BERTRAM CALLS 〃THE LIMIT〃
At half past ten o'clock on the evening following Mrs。 Stetson's
very plain talk with William； the telephone bell at the Beacon
Street house rang sharply。 Pete answered it。
〃Well？〃Pete never said 〃hello。〃
〃Hello。 Is that you； Pete？〃 called Billy's voice agitatedly。 〃Is
Uncle William there？〃
〃No； Miss Billy。〃
〃Oh dear！ Well； Mr。 Cyril； then？〃
〃He's out； too； Miss Billy。 And Mr。 Bertramthey're all out。〃
〃Yes； yes； I know HE'S out；〃 almost sobbed Billy。 〃Dear； dear；
what shall I do！ Pete； you'll have to come。 There isn't any other
way！〃
〃Yes； Miss； where？〃 Pete's voice was dubious； but respectful。
〃To the Boylston Street subwayon the Common； you knowNorth…
bound side。 I'll wait for youbut HURRY！ You see； I'm all alone
here。〃
〃Alone！ Miss Billyin the subway at this time of night！ But；
Miss Billy； you shouldn'tyou can'tyou mustn't〃stuttered the
old man in helpless horror。
〃Yes； yes； Pete； but never mind； I am here！ And I should think if
'twas such a dreadful thing you would hurry FAST to get here； so I
wouldn't be alone；〃 appealed Billy。
With an inarticulate cry Pete jerked the receiver on to the hook；
and stumbled away from the telephone。 Five minutes later he had
left the house and was hurrying through the Common to the Boylston
Street subway station。
Billy； a long cloak thrown over her white dress； was waiting for
him。 Her white slippers tapped the platform nervously； and her
hair； under the light scarf of lace； fluffed into little broken
curls as if it had been blown by the wind。
〃Miss Billy； Miss Billy； what can this mean？〃 gasped the man。
〃Where is Mrs。 Stetson？〃
〃At Mrs。 Hartwell'syou know she is giving a reception to…night。
But come； we must hurry！ I'm after Mr。 Bertram。〃
〃After Mr。 Bertram！〃
〃Yes； yes。〃
〃Alone？like this？〃
〃But I'm not alone now； I have you。 Don't you see？〃
At the blank stupefaction in the man's face； the girl sighed
impatiently。