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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； or not； but I should prefer that she
shouldn't playmuch！〃
〃Why； Cyril Henshaw！and you； with your music！ As if you could be
contented with a woman like that！〃
〃Oh； I want her to like music； of course；〃 modified Cyril； 〃but I
don't care to have her MAKE it。 Billy； do you know？ You'll laugh；
of course； but my picture of a wife is always one thing： a room
with a table and a shaded lamp； and a little woman beside it with
the light on her hair； and a great； basket of sewing beside her。
You see I AM domestic！〃 he finished a little defiantly。
〃I should say you were；〃 laughed Billy。 〃And have you found her？
this little woman who is to do nothing but sit and sew in the
circle of the shaded lamp？〃
〃Yes； I've found her； but I'm not at all sure she's found me。
That's where I want your help。 Oh； I don't mean； of course；〃 he
added； 〃that she's got to sit under that lamp all the time。 It's
only thatthat I hope she likes that sort of thing。〃
〃Anddoes she？〃
〃Yes； that is； I think she does；〃 smiled Cyril。 〃Anyhow； she told
me once thatthat the things she liked best to do in all the world
were to mend stockings and to make puddings。〃
Billy sprang to her feet with a little cry。 Now； indeed； had Cyril
kept his promise and made 〃many things clear〃 to her。
〃Cyril； come here；〃 she cried tremulously； leading the way to the
open veranda door。 The next moment Cyril was looking across the
lawn to the little summerhouse in the midst of Billy's rose garden。
In full view within the summerhouse sat Mariesewing。
〃Go； Cyril； she's waiting for you；〃 smiled Billy； mistily。 〃The
light's only the sun； to be sure； and maybe there isn't a whole
basket of sewing there。 ButSHE'S there！〃
〃You'veguessed； then！〃 breathed Cyril。
〃I've not guessedI know。 Andit's all right。〃
〃You mean？〃 Only Cyril's pleading eyes finished the question。
〃Yes； I'm sure she does；〃 nodded Billy。 And then she added under
her breath as the man passed swiftly down the steps： 〃'Marie
Henshaw' indeed！ So 'twas Cyril all the timeand never Bertram
who was the inspiration of that bit of paper give…away！〃
When she turned back into the room she came face to face with
Bertram。
〃I spoke； dear； but you didn't hear；〃 he said； as he hurried
forward with outstretched hands。
〃Bertram；〃 greeted Billy； with surprising irrelevance； 〃'and they
all lived happily ever after'they DID！ Isn't that always the
ending to the storya love story？〃
〃Of course；〃 said Bertram with emphasis；〃OUR love story！〃
〃And theirs；〃 supplemented Billy； softly； but Bertram did not hear
that。
End