Miss Billy's Decision

Billy awaiting him-a Billy who let herself be kissed, it is true, and who even kissed

ter?" he demanded, his own ey

m, it's

ne? What d

n now there are some left for to-morrow. And then there's-the newspapers

ibly. A tender ligh

xpect everybody wou

es;

he tender light chan

you aren

used her face answered h

to just our two selves. Everybody will know it. And they'll bow and smile and say 'How lovely!'

id-Bi

es

gazed with pensive

d dismay. Bertram had thought he knew Billy in all her

lly!" he

d to come from the very bottoms o

eople that I never even saw. And they'll come and stand around and s

ve a relie

ld think you were a picture I

riends of yours. Bertram, what if they don'

ke

picture-me

he retorted, with the prompt

d. Her eyes had gon

ly" like that?' Bertram!"-Billy turned fiercely despairing eyes on her lover-"Bertram, sometimes I wish m

. But the words that followed the laugh, and the caressing to

Billy for her or any Clarissa or Arabella that

ess?" put in

box from his pocket, "see what I've brought for this same Billy to wear. She'd hav

flawless diamond in Bertram's fingers caught the lig

The man's voice and hand shook as he slipp

er breath with

I'll make you proud that I am yours, even if I am just 'Billy,'" sh

her into a

for that," he s

ed up in q

you don't mean

ook the dismayed little f

music. I care about everything that concerns you. I meant

es, as they looked at him, carried a c

my head and the tilt of my chin?

!" came the p

azement, Billy drew b

o-not

, Bi

unexpectedly;

was thinking of what Hugh Calderwell had once said to her: that Bertram Henshaw would never love any gir

what?" deman

ore deeply, but she

said to me once. You see, Bertram, I don'

s to show how much he knows about it. Er-did you annou

y sm

huckle. Her eyes were dancing, and she was seeming more like her usual self, Bertram thought. "You see there were such a lot of

as Bertram who was sitt

him a rogu

hat I wanted to say. What I really said was-quite another

elaxed wi

on her face. "Billy, I'm going to paint you

face of a girl," tea

e a sudden

old you, yet. Guess wha

nt a po

es

. Who

nthrop's

J. G. W

e s

ram, how

her? But you haven't, I know, unless you met her abr

she so very beautiful?" Bi

t her features are so regular-though her mouth and chin are perfect. But her face has so much character, and there's an

it, I know you will," claimed Billy,

a great thing if I do get it-J. G. Winthrop's daughte

ared her throat again. "You'v

ng discussing the details-sittings a

find one-

sture. "I found a dozen that I wanted. The

a nervous l

t-unusual?

s eyebrows with a

ll Marguerite Winthr

arguerite? I do think Marguerite is the deare

ll enough, of course, but it can't be com

, but she sh

ot a good judge of n

matter, I should love your

l, you'll have a chance to find out how you like that

ary Jane here? Do you mea

cies! My Mary Jane is a niece of Aunt Hannah's,-or rather, a cousin. She's coming to Boston to study music

am fr

ry nice for-Mary Jane," he

y la

ear. She won't

round-lots; you see if she isn't. Billy, I think

g girl was coming to Boston? Anyhow, you're not the one to talk, young man. I've

am ch

regarding his companion with fond eyes. "And

smiled Billy; "but she

eally,

nd what is more, sir, there will be two pinks worn this time. I sha'n't do as Uncle William did, and leave off my pink. Only think what lo

d and shrugged

e to be a boy," he added whimsically. "Oh, but Billy, she can't turn out to be such a dear treasure," finished the