Miss Billy's Decision

nt Hannah in the little sitting-room at the end of the hall upstairs. Aunt Hannah

tched across the darning-egg in her hand; "only she'd want a bigger hole. She does so love to make a beautiful black latticework brid

d tranquilly, but

ed into my head last night when Cyril was playing that concerto so superbly. It did, actually-right in the middle of the adagio movement, too. And in spite of my

h-passed for a chuckle. "If I remember rightly, when I was there at the house with you at f

r. "That will never do in the world. It would brea

t Hannah. "By the way, wh

her eyebrow

iture-and-rug hunting in the afternoon, and her poring over house-plans in the evening, I can't get her to attend to her clothes

r twice, since she came back, hasn't she

y la

rock, and some silk for a couple of waists to go with her tailored suit; and what did we get? We purchased a new-style egg-beater and a set of cake tins. Marie got into the kitchen department and I simply co

looked a lit

have some th

she had saved up some money, and I've finally convinced her that a trousseau doesn't consist of egg-beaters and cake tins, and that Cyril would want her to look pretty. That name will fetch h

ah laughe

just as if Marie were the only one in t

epened in Bi

or the man she loves. Just as if I wouldn't

oung woman Bertram was talking with last

e Winthrop. Bertram is-is pai

red Aunt Hannah. "Hm-m; well

e even hummed a little tune as she carefully se

ething in her face," mu

ped abruptly, ending

says she has it. He's trying to 'catch it,' he says. I wonder now-if he does catch it,

y-Aunt Hannah had heard only

ear. You might ask

ent. The china egg in her

fternoon," she said lightly, as

" Aunt Hannah's sentence e

isn't going. He telephoned me this morning. Miss Winthrop wanted the sittin

The whir of an electric bell had sounded through the hou

He said as how he had broug

at once," directed th

lly put aside her work and

ight about some duets he had, and he said he'd bring

Billy caught her breath, and held her foot suspended. The next moment the familiar strain of music had become a lullaby-on

ast low "lul-la-by" vibrated into silence; then with shini

-beautiful,"

feet instantly. His e

ust once-here," he said a little

lieve it was mine," choked Billy, still plainly very much

shook his

all,", he said. "It is a beautiful so

lushed

ou know-more

s you have some new ones out.

hook he

itten anything si

u're go

w a lon

she had told Bertram that night by the fire-that she knew that now, now she would write beautiful songs, with his love, and his pride in her, as incentive

nteresting. To Billy, too, it was new (and interesting) to hear her own voice ble

st note of a particularly beautiful phrase. "I ne

right in a voice that

ppen to turn and catch their expression. Still, it might have been better if she had turned, after all. But Billy

ed you'd sung them before; but you see I never did

another and another. Then

lared reluctantly. "I'm so hoarse now I can scarce

ter than some who do, anyhow

others aren't here to care. But tell me of yourself. I haven't had a chance to

ed and shrugged

derwell, she's quite likely

ugh Calderwell?" Billy's c

tle laugh. He had not meant to

on recklessly. "We tramped half

t this isn't telling me about your own plans," she hurried on a little p

and I've had a year or two of church work, bes

begun he

e had my vo

ect with eag

ed it, of

ght la

t sayin

illy, with conviction. "Th

eir remarks had been quite too flattering to repeat even to this very plainly intereste

u," was a

cited little bou

in to learn r?l

me-after a fashion-

ext right on the Boston Opera House stage, and we'll all

-but his eyes glo

ing things a litt

pil at the School. She sang first in a Sunday concert, then they put her in the bill for a Saturday night. She did sp

t could put me there had your flatteri

o soon-not before the wedding, you know," she added jokingly. "We

ok crossed Ar

he asked, a l

nd, Miss Hawthorn, is to marry

osite relax

mured; then, with sudden astonishment he added

u seem s

telling me only last September how very unmarriageable all the Henshaw brothers we

son stained

you must kno

evident confusion that would not let her finish her sentence. "But Calderwell made it so emphatic, you see, about a

prevent Arkwright's next words. But again was she unable to finish her sentence, and again was

lderwell declared-that it would always be the tilt of a ch

nshaw was engaged to her! He would find it out soon, of course, for himself; and perhaps he

y defiantly now as she he