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display something that might pass for surprise。
〃BILLY！〃
〃Come； dear；〃 coaxed Billy； winningly。 〃Tell me about it。 I'm so
interested！〃
〃But there isn't anything to tellreally there isn't。〃
〃Who is he？〃
〃He isn't anybodythat is； he doesn't know he's anybody；〃 amended
Marie。
Billy laughed softly。
〃Oh； doesn't he！ Hasn't he ever shownthat he cared？〃
〃No； that isperhaps he has； only I thought thenthat it was
another girl。〃
〃Another girl！ So there's another girl in the case？〃
〃Yes。 I mean； no；〃 corrected Marie； suddenly beginning to realize
what she was saying。 〃Really； it wasn't anythingit isn't
anything！〃 she protested。
〃Hm…m；〃 murmured Billy； archly。 〃Oh； I'm getting on some！ He did
show； once； that he cared； but you thought it was another girl； and
you coldly looked the other way。 Now； there ISN'T any other girl；
you find； andMarie； tell me the rest！〃
Marie shook her head emphatically； and pulled herself gently away
from Billy's grasp。
〃No； no； please！〃 she begged。 〃It really isn't anything。 I'm sure
I'm imagining it all！〃 she cried； as she ran away。
During the days that followed； Billy speculated not a little on
Marie's half…told story； and wondered interestedly who the man
might be。 She questioned Marie once again； but the girl would tell
nothing more； and； indeed； Billy was so occupied with her own
perplexities that she had little time for those of other people。
To herself Billy was forced to own that she was not 〃getting used
to things。〃 She was still self…conscious with William； she could
not forget that she was one day to be his wife。 She could not
bring back the dear old freedom of comradeship with him。
Billy was alarmed now。 She had begun to ask herself searching
questions。 What should she do if never； never should she get used
to the idea of marrying William？ How could she marry him if he was
still 〃Uncle William；〃 and never her dear lover in her eyes？ Why
had she not been wise enough and brave enough to tell him in the
first place that she was not at all sure that she loved him； but
that she would try to do so？ Then when she had triedas she had
nowand failed； she could have told him honestly the truth； and it
would not have been so great a shock to him as it must be now； if
she should tell him。
Billy had remorsefully come to the conclusion that she could never
love any man well enough to marry him； when one day so small a
thing as a piece of paper fluttered into her vision； and showed her
the fallacy of that idea。
It was a half…sheet of note paper； and it blew from Marie's balcony
to the lawn below。 Billy found it there later； and as she picked
it up her eyes fell on a single name in Marie's handwriting
inscribed half a dozen times as if the writer had musingly
accompanied her thoughts with her pen； and the name was； 〃Marie
Henshaw。〃
For a moment Billy stared at the name perplexedlythen in a flash
came the remembrance of Marie's words； and Billy breathed：
〃Henshaw！the manBERTRAM！〃
Billy dropped the paper then and fled。 In her own room； behind
locked doors； she sat down to think。
Bertram！ It was he for whom Marie caredHER Bertram！ And then it
came to Billy with staggering force that he was not HER Bertram at
all。 He never could be her Bertram now。 He wasMarie's。
Billy was frightened then； so fierce was this strange new something
that rose within herthis overpowering something that seemed to
blot out all the world； and leave onlyBertram。 She knew then；
that it had always been Bertram to whom she had turned； though she
had been blind to the cause of that turning。 Always her plans had
included him。 Always she had been the happiest in his presence；
never had she pictured him anywhere else but at her side。
Certainly never had she pictured him as the devoted lover of
another woman！ 。 。 。 And she had not known what it all meant
poor blind child that she was！
Very resolutely now Billy set herself to looking matters squarely
in the face。 She understood it quite well。 All summer Marie and
Bertram had been thrown together。 No wonder Marie had fallen in
love with Bertram； and that heBilly thought she comprehended now
why Bertram had found it so easy for the last few weeks to be
William's brother。 She； of course； had been the 〃other girl〃 whom
Marie had once feared that the man loved。 It was all so clearso
woefully clear！
With an aching heart Billy asked herself what now was to be done。
For herself； turn whichever way she could； she could see nothing
but unhappiness。 She determined； therefore； with Spartan
fortitude； that to no one else would she bring equal unhappiness。
She would be silent。 Bertram and Marie loved each other。 That
matter was settled。 As to WilliamBilly thought of the story
William had told her of his lonely life；of the plea he had made
to her； and her heart ached。 Whatever happened； William must be
made happy。 William must not be told。 Her promise to William must
be kept。
CHAPTER XL
WILLIAM PAYS A VISIT
Before September passed all Billy's friends said that her summer's
self…appointed task had been too hard for her。 In no other way
could they account for the sad change that had come to her。
Undeniably Billy looked really ill。 Always slender； she was
shadow…like now。 Her eyes had found again the wistful appeal of
her girlhood； only now they carried something that was almost fear；
as well。 The rose…flush had gone from her cheeks； and pathetic
little hollows had appeared； making the round young chin below look
almost pointed。 Certainly Billy did seem to be ill。
Late in September William went West on business。 Incidentally he
called to see his sister； Kate。
〃Well； and how is everybody？〃 asked Kate； cheerily； after the
greetings were over。
William sighed。
〃Well； 'everybody；' to me； Kate； is pretty badly off。 We're
worried about Billy。〃
〃Billy！ You don't mean she's sick？ Why； she's always been the
picture of health！〃
〃I know she has； but she isn't now。〃
〃What's the trouble？〃
〃That's what we don't know。〃
〃You've had the doctor？〃
〃Of course； two or three of themthough much against Billy's will。
Butthey didn't help us。〃
〃What did they say？〃
〃They could find nothing except perhaps a little temporary stomach
trouble； or something of that kind； which they all agreed was no
just cause for her present condition。〃
〃But what did they say it was？〃
〃Why； they said it seemed like nervousness； or as if something was
troubling her。 They asked if she weren't under some sort of
strain。〃
〃Well； is she？ Does anything trouble her？〃
〃Not that I know of。 Anyhow； if there is anything； none of us can
find out what it is。〃
Kate frowned。 She threw a quick look into her brother's face。
〃William；〃 she began hesitatingly； 〃forgive me； butBilly is quite
happy inher engagement； I suppose。〃
The man flushed painfully； and sighed。
〃I've thought of that； of course。 In fact； it was the first thing
I did think of。 I even began to watch her rather closely； and once
Iquestioned her a little。〃
〃What did she say？〃
〃She seemed so frightened and distressed that I didn't say mu