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〃And so you see；〃 she explained； 〃I shall not have a minute to
spare。 There'll be only time to skip home for Aunt Hannah； and to
pack the trunks before it'll be time to start。〃
Bertram looked at Cyril significantly when this letter was read
aloud； and afterward he muttered in Cyril's ear：
〃You see！ It's Hampden Falls she calls 'home' nownot the
Strata。〃
〃Yes； I see；〃 frowned Cyril。 〃It does look suspicious。〃
Two days before the date of Billy's expected sailing； William
announced at the breakfast table that he was going away on
business； might be gone until the end of the week。
〃You don't say；〃 commented Bertram。 〃I'M going to…morrow； but I'm
coming back in a couple of days。〃
〃Hm…m；〃 murmured William； abstractedly。 〃Oh； well； I may be back
before the end of the week。〃
Only one meal did Cyril eat alone after his brothers had gone； then
he told Pete that he had decided to take the night boat for New
York。 There was a little matter that called him there； he said；
and he believed the trip by water would be a pleasure； the night
was so fine and warm。
In New York Cyril had little trouble in finding Billy； as he knew
the steamship she was to take。
〃I thought as long as I was in New York to…day I'd just come and
say good…by to you and Aunt Hannah；〃 he informed her； with an
evident aim toward making his presence appear to be casual。
〃That was good of you！〃 exclaimed Billy。 〃And how are Uncle
William and Mr。 Bertram？〃
〃Very well； I fancy； though they weren't there when I left；〃
replied the man。
〃Oh！gone away？〃
〃Yes。 A little matter of business they said； butwell； by Jove！〃
he broke off； his gaze on a familiar figure hurrying at that moment
toward them。 〃There's William now！〃
William； with no eyes but for Billy； came rapidly forward。
〃Well； well； Billy！ I thought as long as I happened to be in New
York to…day I'd just run down to the boat and see you and Aunt
Hannah off； and wish CYRIL！ Where did YOU come from？〃
Billy laughed。
〃He just happened to be in town； too； Uncle William； like you；〃 she
explained。 〃And I'm sure I think it's lovely of you to be so kind。
Aunt Hannah'll be up right away。 She went down to the stateroom
to〃 This time it was Billy who stopped abruptly。 The two men
facing her could not see what she saw； and not until their brother
Bertram's merry greeting fell on their ears did they understand her
sudden silence。
〃And is this the way you meant to run away from us； young lady？〃
cried Bertram。 〃Not so fast！ You see； I happened to be in New
York this morning； and so I〃 Something in Billy's face sent a
pause to his words just as his eyes spied the two men at the girl's
side。 For a moment he stared dumbly； then he gave a merry gesture
of defeat。
〃It's all up！ I might as well confess。 I'VE been planning this
thing for three weeks； Billy； ever since your letter came； in fact。
As for my two fellow…sinners here； I'll wager they weren't two days
behind me in their planning。 So now； own up； boys！〃
William and Cyril； however； did not have to 〃own up。〃 Mrs。 Stetson
appeared at the moment and created； for them； a very welcome
diversion。
Long minutes later； when the good…byes had become nothing but a
flutter of white handkerchiefs from deck to shore； and shore to
deck； William drew a long sigh。
〃That's a nice little girl； boys； a nice little girl！〃 he
exclaimed。 〃I declare！ I didn't suppose I'd mind so much her going
so far away。〃
CHAPTER XX
BILLY； THE MYTH
To all appearances it came about very naturally that Billy did not
return to America for some time。 During the summer she wrote
occasionally to William； and gave glowing accounts of their
travels。 Then in September came the letter telling him that they
had concluded to stay through the winter in Paris。 Billy wrote
that she had decided not to go to college。 She would take up some
studies there in Paris； she said； but she would devote herself more
particularly to her music。
When the next summer came there was still something other than
America to claim her attention： the Calderwells had invited her to
cruise with them for three months。 Their yacht was a little
floating palace of delight； Billy declared； not to mention the
charm of the unknown lands and waters that she and Aunt Hannah
would see。
Of all this Billy wrote to Williamat occasional intervalsbut
she did not come home。 Even when the next autumn came； there was
still Paris to detain her for another long winter of study。
In the Henshaw house on Beacon Street； William mourned not a little
as each recurring season brought no Billy。
〃The idea！ It's just as if one didn't have a namesake！〃 he fumed。
〃Well； did you have one？〃 Bertram demanded one day。 〃Really； Will；
I'm beginning to think she's a myth。 Long years ago； from the
first of April till June we did have two frolicsome sprites here
that announced themselves as 'Billy' and 'Spunk；' I'll own。 And a
year later； by ways devious and secret； we three managed to see the
one called 'Billy' off on a great steamship。 Since then； what？ A
worda messagea scrap of paper。 Billy's a myth； I say！〃
William sighed。
〃Sometimes I don't know but you are right；〃 he admitted。 〃Why；
it'll be three years next June since Billy was here。 She must be
nearly twenty…oneand we know almost nothing about her。〃
〃That's so。 I wonder〃 Bertram paused； and laughed a little； 〃I
wonder if NOW she'd play guardian angel to me through the streets
of Boston。〃
William threw a keen glance into his brother's face。
〃I don't believe it would be quite necessary； NOW； Bert；〃 he said
quietly。
The other flushed a little； but his eyes softened。
〃Maybe not； Will； stillone can always find some use fora
guardian angel； you know；〃 he finished； almost under his breath。
To Cyril Bertram had occasionally spoken； during the last two
years； of their first suspicions concerning Billy's absence。 They
speculated vaguely； too； as to why she had gone； and if she would
ever come back； and they wondered if anything could have wounded
her and sent her away。 To William they said nothing of all this；
however； though they agreed that they would have asked Kate for her
opinion； had she been there。 But Kate was not there。 As it
chanced； a good business opportunity had called Kate's husband to a
Western town very soon after Billy herself had gone to Hampden
Falls； and since the family's removal to the West； Mrs。 Hartwell
had not once returned to Boston。
It was in April； three years since Billy's first appearance in the
Beacon Street house； that Bertram met his friend； Hugh Calderwell；
on the street one afternoon； and brought him home to dinner。
Hugh Calderwell was a youth who； Bertram said； had been born with a
whole dozen silver spoons in his mouth。 And； indeed； it would seem
so； if present prosperity were any indication。 He was a good…
looking young fellow with a frank manliness that appealed to men；
and a deferential chivalry that appealed to women； a combination
that brought him many friendsand some enemies。 With plenty of
money to indulge a passion for traveling； young Calderwell had
spent the