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May I speak to you？〃
The girl turned with a start。
〃Why； of course！ What is it？but I thought you were playing。
Where is Marie？〃
〃The game is finished； besidesBilly； why are you always asking me
lately where Marie is； as if I were her keeper； or she mine？〃 he
demanded； with a touch of nervous irritation。
〃Why； nothing； Bertram；〃 smiled Billy； a little wearily； 〃only that
you were playing together a few minutes ago； and I wondered where
she had gone。〃
〃'A few minutes ago'！〃 echoed Bertram with sudden bitterness。
〃Evidently the time passed swiftly with you； Billy。 William was
out here MORE than an hour。〃
〃WhyBertram！〃
〃Yes； I know。 I've no business to say that； of course；〃 sighed the
man； 〃but； Billy； that's why I came outbecause I must speak to
you this once。 Won't you come and sit down； please？〃 he implored
despairingly。
〃Why； Bertram；〃 murmured Billy again； faintly； as she turned toward
the vine…shaded corner and sat down。 Her eyes were startled。 A
swift color had come to her cheeks。
〃Billy；〃 began the man； in a sternly controlled voice； 〃please let
me speak this once； and don't try to stop me。 You may think； for a
moment； that it's disloyal to William if you listen； but it isn't。
There's this much due to methat you let me speak now。 Billy； I
can't stand it。 I've tried； but it's no use。 I've got to go away；
and it's right that I should。 I'm not the only one that thinks so；
either。 Marie does； too。〃
〃MARIE！〃
〃Yes。 I talked it all over with her。 She's known for a long time
how it's been with me； how I caredfor you。〃
〃Marie！ You've told Marie that？〃 gasped Billy。
〃Yes。 Surely you don't mind Marie's knowing；〃 went on Bertram；
dejectedly。 〃And she's been so good to me； and tried tohelp me。〃
Bertram was not looking at Billy now。 If he had been he would have
seen the incredulous joy come into her face。 His eyes were moodily
fixed on the floor。
〃And so； Billy； I've come to tell you。 I'm going away；〃 he
continued； after a moment。 〃I've got to go。 I thought once； when
I first talked with you of William； that you didn't know your own
heart； that you didn't really care for him。 I was even fool enough
to think thatthat it would be I to whom you'd turnsome day。
And so I stayed。 But I stayed honorably； Billy！ YOU know that！
You know that I haven't once forgottennot once； that I was only
William's brother。 I promised you I'd be thatand I have been；
haven't I？〃
Billy nodded silently。 Her face was turned away。
〃But； Billy； I can't do it any longer。 I've got to ask for my
promise back； and then； of course； I can't stay。〃
〃But youyou don't have to goaway；〃 murmured the girl； faintly。
Bertram sprang to his feet。 His face was white。
〃Billy；〃 he cried； standing tall and straight before her； 〃Billy； I
love every touch of your hand； every glance of your eye； every word
that falls from your lips。 Do you think I can staynow？ I want
my promise back！ When I'm no longer William's brotherthen I'll
go！〃
〃But you don't have to have it backthat is； you don't have to
have it at all；〃 stammered Billy； flushing adorably。 She； too； was
on her feet now。
〃Billy； what do you mean？〃
〃Don't you see？ II HAVE turned；〃 she faltered breathlessly；
holding out both her hands。
Even then； in spite of the great light that leaped to his eyes；
Bertram advanced only a single step。
〃ButWilliam？〃 he questioned； unbelievingly。
〃It WAS a mistake； just as you thought。 We know nowboth of us。
We don't either of us care for the otherthat way。 AndBertram；
I think it HAS been youall the time； only I didn't know！〃
〃Billy； Billy！〃 choked Bertram in a voice shaken with emotion。 He
opened his arms then； wideand Billy walked straight into them。
CHAPTER XLII
THE 〃END OF THE STORY〃
It was two days after Billy's new happiness had come to her that
Cyril came home。 He went very soon to see Billy。
The girl was surprised at the change in his appearance。 He had
grown thin and haggard looking； and his eyes were somber。 He moved
restlessly about the room for a time； finally seating himself at
the piano and letting his fingers slip from one mournful little
melody to another。 Then； with a discordant crash； he turned。
〃Billy； do you think any girl would marryme？〃 he demanded。
〃Why； Cyril！〃
〃There； now； please don't begin that；〃 he begged fretfully。 〃I
realize； of course； that I'm a very unlikely subject for matrimony。
You made me understand that clearly enough last winter！〃
〃Lastwinter？〃
Cyril raised his eyebrows。
〃Oh； I came to you for a little encouragement； and to make a
confession；〃 he said。 〃I made the confessionbut I didn't get
the encouragement。〃
Billy changed color。 She thought she knew what he meant； but at
the same time she couldn't understand why he should wish to refer
to that conversation now。
〃Aconfession？〃 she repeated； hesitatingly。
〃Yes。 I told you that I'd begun to doubt my being such a woman…
hater； after all。 I intimated that YOU'D begun the softening
process； and that then I'd found a certain other young woman who
hadwell； who had kept up the good work。〃
〃Oh！〃 cried Billy suddenly； with a peculiar intonation。 〃Oh…h！〃
Then she laughed softly。
〃Well； that was the confession；〃 resumed Cyril。 〃Then I came out
flat…footed and said that I wanted to marry herbut there is where
I didn't get the encouragement！〃
〃Indeed！ I'm afraid I wasn't very considerate；〃 stammered Billy。
〃No； you weren't；〃 agreed Cyril； moodily。 〃I didn't know but now〃
his voice softened a little〃with this new happiness of yours
and Bertram's thatyou might find a little encouragement for me。〃
〃And I will；〃 cried Billy； promptly。 〃Tell me about her。〃
〃I didlast winter；〃 reproached the man； 〃and you were sure I was
deceiving myself。 You drew the gloomiest sort of picture of the
misery I would take with a wife。〃
〃I did？〃 Billy was laughing very merrily now。
〃Yes。 You said she'd always be talking and laughing when I wanted
to be quiet； and that she'd want to drag me out to parties and
plays when I wanted to stay at home； andoh； lots of things。 I
tried to make it clear to you thatthat this little woman wasn't
that sort。 But I couldn't；〃 finished Cyril； gloomily。
〃But of course she isn't；〃 declared Billy； with quick sympathy。
〃II didn't knowWHATI wastalking about；〃 she added with
emphatic distinctness。 Then she smiled to think how little Cyril
knew how very true those words were。 〃Tell me about her；〃 she
begged again。 〃I know she must be very lovely and brilliant； and
of course a wonderful musician。 YOU couldn't choose any one else！〃
To her surprise Cyril turned abruptly and began to play again。 A
nervous little staccato scherzo fell from his fingers； but it
dropped almost at once into a quieter melody； and ended with
something that sounded very much like the last strain of 〃Home；
Sweet Home。〃 Then he wheeled about on the piano stool。
〃Billy； that's exactly where you're wrongI DON'T want that kind
of wife。 I don't want a brilliant one； andnow； Billy； this
sounds like horrible heresy； I know； but it's trueI don't care
whether she can play； o