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heart； and the rooms lost their echoing sighs and sobs。 The man
knew； then； that never again could he hope to fill his heart and
life with senseless things of clay and metal。 He knew that the one
thing he wanted always near him was the little brown…eyed girl； and
he hoped that he could keep her。 But just as he was beginning to
bask in this new lightit went out。 As suddenly as they had come；
the little brown…eyed girl and the gray cat went away。 Why； the
man did not know。 He knew only that the ache had come back； doubly
intense； and that the rooms were more gloomy than ever。 And now；
Billy；〃William's voice shook a little〃it is for you to finish
the story。 It is for you to say whether that man's heart shall
ache on and on down to a lonely old age； and whether those rooms
shall always echo the sighs and sobs of the past。〃
〃And I will finish it；〃 choked Billy； holding out both her hands。
〃It sha'n't achethey sha'n't echo！〃
The man leaned forward eagerly； unbelievingly； and caught the hands
in his own。
〃Billy； do you mean it？ Then you willcome？〃
〃Yes； yes！ I didn't knowI didn't think。 I never supposed it was
like that！ Of course I'll come！〃 And in a moment she was sobbing
in his arms。
〃Billy！〃 breathed William rapturously； as he touched his lips to
her forehead。 〃My own little Billy！〃
It was a few minutes later； when Billy was more calm； that William
started to speak of Bertram。 For a moment he had been tempted not
to mention his brother； now that his own point had been won so
surprisingly quick； but the new softness in Billy's face had
encouraged him； and he did not like to let the occasion pass when a
word from him might do so much for Bertram。 His lips parted； but
no words cameBilly herself had begun to speak。
〃I'm sure I don't know why I'm crying；〃 she stammered； dabbing her
eyes with her round moist ball of a handerchief。 〃I hope when I'm
your wife I'll learn to be more self…controlled。 But you know I am
young； and you'll have to be patient。〃
As once before at something Billy said； the world to William went
suddenly mad。 His head swam dizzily； and his throat tightened so
that he could scarcely breathe。 By sheer force of will he kept his
arm about Billy's shoulder； and he prayed that she might not know
how numb and cold it had grown。 Even then he thought he could not
have heard aright。
〃Eryou said〃 he questioned faintly。
〃I say when I'm your wife I hope I'll learn to be more self…
controlled；〃 laughed Billy； nervously。 〃You see I just thought I
ought to remind you that I am young； and that you'll have to be
patient。〃
William stammered somethinga hurried something； he wondered
afterward what it was。 That it must have been satisfactory to
Billy was evident； for she began laughingly to talk again。 What
she said； William scarcely knew； though he was conscious of making
an occasional vague reply。 He was still floundering in a hopeless
sea of confusion and dismay。 His own desire was to get up and say
good night at once。 He wanted to be alone to think。 He realized；
however； with sickening force； that men do not propose and run
awayif they are accepted。 And he was accepted； he realized that；
too； overwhelmingly。 Then he tried to think how it had happened；
what he had said； how she could so have misunderstood his meaning。
This line of thought he abandoned quickly； however； it could do no
good。 But what could do good； he asked himself。 What could he do？
With blinding force came the answer： he could do nothing。 Billy
cared for him。 Billy had said 〃yes。〃 Billy expected to be his
wife。 As if he could say to her now： 〃I beg your pardon； but
'twas all a mistake。 _I_ did not ask you to marry me。〃
Very valiantly then William summoned his wits and tried to act his
part。 He told himself； too； that it would not be a hard one； that
he loved Billy dearly； and that he would try to make her happy。 He
winced a little at this thought； for he remembered suddenly how old
he wasas if he； at his age； were a fit match for a girl of
twenty…one！
And then he looked at Billy。 The girl was plainly nervous。 There
was a deep flush on her cheeks and a brilliant sparkle in her eyes。
She was talking rapidlyalmost incoherently at timesand her
voice was tremulous。 Frequent little embarrassed laughs punctuated
her sentences； and her fingers toyed with everything that came
within reach。 Some time before she had sprung to her feet and had
turned on the electric lights； and when she came back she had not
taken her old position at William's side； but had seated herself in
a chair near by。 All of which； according to William's eyes； meant
the maidenly shyness of a girl who has just said 〃yes〃 to the man
she loves。
William went home that night in a daze。 To himself he said that he
had gone out in search of a daughter； and had come back with a
wife。
CHAPTER XXXVII
〃WILLIAM'S BROTHER〃
It was decided that for the present； the engagement should not be
known outside the family。 The wedding would not take place
immediately； William said； and it was just as well to keep the
matter to themselves until plans were a little more definite。
The members of the family were told at once。 Aunt Hannah said 〃Oh；
my grief and conscience！〃 three times； and made matters scarcely
better by adding apologetically： 〃Oh； of course it's all right；
it's all right； only〃 She did not finish her sentence； and
William； who had told her the news； did not know whether he would
have been more or less pleased if she had finished it。
Cyril received the information moodily； and lapsed at once into a
fit of abstraction from which he roused himself hardly enough to
offer perfunctory congratulations and best wishes。
Billy was a little puzzled at Cyril's behavior。 She had been sure
for some time that Cyril had ceased to care specially for her； even
if he ever did fancy that he loved her。 She had hoped to keep him
for a friend； but of late she had been forced to question even his
friendliness。 He had； in fact； gone back almost to his old reserve
and taciturn aloofness。
From the West； in response to William's news of the engagement；
came a cordially pleased note in Kate's scrawling handwriting。
Kate； indeed； seemed to be the only member of the family who was
genuinely delighted with the coming marriage。 As to Bertram
Bertram appeared to have aged years in a single night； so drawn and
white was his face the morning after William had told him his
plans。
William had dreaded most of all to tell Bertram。 He was very sure
that Bertram himself cared for Billy； and it was doubly hard
because in William's own mind was a strong conviction that the
younger man was decidedly the one for her。 Realizing； however；
that Bertram must be told； William chose a time for the telling
when Bertram was smoking in his den in the twilight； with his face
half hidden from sight。
Bertram said littlevery little； that night； but in the morning he
went straight to Billy。
Billy was shocked。 She had never seen the smiling； self…reliant；
debonair Bertram like this。
〃Billy； is this true？〃 he demanded。 The dull misery in his voic