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always she was companionable； attentive to what he had to say。
Never was she cold or reserved。 Never did she fail to greet him
with a cheery smile。
Bertram concluded； indeed； after a time； that she was too
companionable； too cheery。 He wished she would hesitate； stammer；
blush； be a little shy。 He wished that she would display surprise；
annoyance； evenanything but that eternal air of comradeship。 And
then； one afternoon in the early twilight of a January day； he
freed his mind； quite unexpectedly。
〃Billy； I wish you WOULDN'T be soso friendly！〃 he exclaimed in a
voice that was almost sharp。
Billy laughed at first； but the next moment a shamed distress drove
the merriment quite out of her face。
〃You mean that I presume onon our friendship？〃 she stammered。
〃That you fear that I will againshadow your footsteps？〃 It was
the first time since the memorable night itself that Billy had ever
in Bertram's presence referred to her young guardianship of his
welfare。 She realized now； suddenly； that she had just been giving
the man before her some very 〃sisterly advice；〃 and the thought
sent a confused red to her cheeks。
Bertram turned quickly。
〃Billy； that was the dearest and loveliest thing a girl ever did
only I was too great a chump to appreciate it！〃 finished Bertram in
a voice that was not quite steady。
〃Thank you；〃 smiled the girl； with a slow shake of her head and a
relieved look in her eyes； 〃but I'm afraid I can't quite agree to
that。〃 The next moment she had demanded mischievously： 〃Why；
then； pray； this unflattering objection to myfriendliness now？〃
〃Because I don't want you for a friend； or a sister； or anything
else that's related；〃 stormed Bertram； with sudden vehemence。 〃I
don't want you for anything buta wife！ Billy； WON'T you marry
me？〃
Again Billy laughedlaughed until she saw the pained anger leap to
the gray eyes before her； then she became grave at once。
〃Bertram； forgive me。 I didn't think you couldyou can't be
serious！〃
〃But I am。〃
Billy shook her head。
〃But you don't love menot ME； Bertram。 It's only the turn of my
head oror the tilt of my chin that you loveto paint；〃 she
protested； unconsciously echoing the words Calderwell had said to
her weeks before。 〃I'm only another 'Face of a Girl。'〃
〃You're the only 'Face of a girl' to me now； Billy；〃 declared the
man； with disarming tenderness。
〃No； no； not that；〃 demurred Billy； in distress。 〃You don't mean
it。 You only think you do。 It couldn't be that。 It can't be！〃
〃But it is； dear。 I think I have loved you ever since that night
long ago when I saw your dear； startled face appealing to me from
beyond Seaver's hateful smile。 And； Billy； I never went once with
Seaver againanywhere。 Did you know that？〃
〃No； butI'm gladso glad！〃
〃And I'm glad； too。 So you see； I must have loved you then； though
unconsciously； perhaps； and I love you now。〃
〃No； no； please don't say that。 It can't beit really can't be。
II don't love youthat way； Bertram。〃
The man paled a little。
〃Billyforgive me for asking； but it's so much to meis it that
there issome one else？〃 His voice shook。
〃No； no； indeed！ There is no one。〃
〃It's notCalderwell？〃
Billy's forehead grew pink。 She laughed nervous1y。
〃No； no； never！〃
〃But there are others； so many others！〃
〃Nonsense； Bertram； there's no oneno one； I assure you！〃
〃It's not William； of course； nor Cyril。 Cyril hates women。〃
A deeper flush came to Billy's face。 Her chin rose a little； and
an odd defiance flashed from her eyes。 But almost instantly it was
gone； and a slow smile had come to her lips。
〃Yes； I know。 Every onesays that Cyril hates women；〃 she
observed demurely。
〃Then； Billy； I sha'n't give up！〃 vowed Bertram； softly。 〃Sometime
you WILL love me！〃
〃No； no； I couldn't。 That is； I'm not going toto marry；〃
stammered Billy。
〃Not going to marry！〃
〃No。 There's my musicyou know how I love that； and how much it
is to me。 I don't think there'll ever be a manthat I'll love
better。〃
Bertram lifted his head。 Very slowly he rose till his splendid six
feet of clean…limbed strength and manly beauty towered away above
the low chair in which Billy sat。 His mouth showed new lines about
the corners； and his eyes looked down very tenderly at the girl
beside him； but his voice； when he spoke； had a light whimsicality
that deceived even Billy's ears。
〃And so it's musica cold； senseless thing of spidery marks on
clean white paperthat is my only rival；〃 he cried。 〃Then I'll
warn you； Billy； I'll warn you。 I'm going to win！〃 And with that
he was gone。
CHAPTER XXIX
〃I'M NOT GOING TO MARRY〃
Billy did not know whether to be more amazed or amused at Bertram's
proposal of marriage。 She was vexed； she was very sure of that。
To marry Bertram？ Absurd！ 。 。 。 Then she reflected that； after
all； it was only Bertram； so she calmed herself。
Still； it was annoying。 She liked Bertram； she had always liked
him。 He was a nice boy； and a most congenial companion。 He never
bored her； as did some others； and he was always thoughtful of
cushions and footstools and cups of tea when one was tired。 He
was； in fact； an ideal friend； just the sort she wanted； and it was
such a pity that he must spoil it all now with this silly
sentimentality！ And of course he had spoiled it all。 There was no
going back now to their old friendliness。 He would be morose or
silly by turns； according to whether she frowned or smiled； or else
he would take himself off in a tragic sort of way that was very
disturbing。 He had said； to be sure； that he would 〃win。〃 Win；
indeed！ As if she could marry Bertram！ When she married； her
choice would fall upon a man； not a boy； a big； grave； earnest man
to whom the world meant something； a man who loved music； of
course； a man who would single her out from all the world； and show
to her； and to her only； the depth and tenderness of his love； a
man whobut she was not going to marry； anyway； remembered Billy；
suddenly。 And with that she began to cry。 The whole thing was so
〃tiresome；〃 she declared； and so 〃absurd。〃
Billy rather dreaded her next meeting with Bertram。 She feared
she knew not what。 But； as it turned out； she need not have feared
anything； for he met her tranquilly； cheerfully； as usual； and he
did nothing and said nothing that he might not have done and said
before that twilight chat took place。
Billy was relieved。 She concluded that； after all； Bertram was
going to be sensible。 She decided that she； too； would be
sensible。 She would accept him on this； his chosen plane； and she
would think no more of his 〃nonsense。〃
Billy threw herself then even more enthusiastically into her
beloved work。 She told Marie that after all was said and done；
there could not be any man that would tip the scales one inch with
music on the other side。 She was a little hurt； it is true； when
Marie only laughed and answered：
〃But what if the man and the music both happen to be on the same
side； my dear； what then？〃
Marie's voice was wistful； in spite of the laughso wistful that
it reminded Billy of their conversation a