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Wheredidyougetholdofthat？’shedemanded。
Oh，Ididn’t，’returnedtheman，defensively。
Inevergotholdofitatall。Ineverevensawthecalory——though，forthatmatter，Idon’tthinkIshouldknowoneifIdidseeit!Whatwefearedwas，that，inhuntingthelostcalory，youhadlostyourself，and——’ButBillywouldhearnomore。Withherdisdainfulnoseintheairshewalkedtothepiano。
Come，Mr。Arkwright，’shesaidwithdignity。
Let’strythissong。’
Arkwrightroseatonceandaccompaniedhertothepiano。
TheyhadsungthesongthroughtwicewhenBillybecameuneasilyawarethat，ontheothersideoftheroom，CalderwellandAliceGreggoryweresoftlychucklingoversomethingtheyhadfoundinamagazine。Billyfrowned，andtwitchedthecornersofapileofmusic，withrestlessfingers。
IwonderifAlicehasn’tgotsomequartetsheresomewhere，’shemurmured，herdisapprovingeyesstillbentontheabsorbedcoupleacrosstheroom。
Arkwrightwassilent。Billy，throwingahurriedglanceintohisface，thoughtshedetectedasombershadowinhiseyes。Shethought，too，sheknewwhyitwasthere。SopossessedhadBillybeen，duringtheearlywinter，oftheideathatherspecialmissioninlifewastoinaugurateandfosteraloveaffairbetweendisappointedMr。
ArkwrightandlonelyAliceGreggory，thatnowsheforgot，foramoment，thatArkwrighthimselfwasquiteunawareofherefforts。Shethoughtonlythatthepresentshadowonhisfacemustbecausedbythesamethingthatbroughtworrytoherownheart——themanifestdevotionofCalderwelltoAliceGreggoryjustnowacrosstheroom。Instinctively，therefore，astoacoworkerinacommoncause，sheturnedadisturbedfacetothemanatherside。
Itis，indeed，hightimethatIlookedaftersomethingbesideslostcalories，’shesaidsignificantly。Then，attheevidentuncomprehensioninArkwright’sface，sheadded：Hasitbeengoingonlikethis——verylong？’
Arkwrightstill，apparently，didnotunderstand。
Has——whatbeengoingon？’hequestioned。
That——overthere，’answeredBilly，impatiently，scarcelyknowingwhethertobemoreirritatedatthethreatenedmiscarriageofhercherishedplans，oratArkwright’s(toher)
wilfullyblindinsistenceonhermakinghermeaningmoreplain。Hasitbeengoingonlong——suchutterdevotion？’
AssheaskedthequestionBillyturnedandlookedsquarelyintoArkwright’sface。Shesaw，therefore，thegreatchangethatcametoit，ashermeaningbecamecleartohim。HerfirstfeelingwasoneofshockedrealizationthatArkwrighthad，indeed，beenreallyblind。Hersecond——sheturnedawayhereyeshurriedlyfromwhatshethoughtshesawintheman’scountenance。
Withanassumedlygaylittlecryshesprangtoherfeet。
Come，come，whatareyoutwochildrenchucklingover？’shedemanded，crossingtheroomabruptly。Didn’tyouhearmesayI
wantedyoutocomeandsingaquartet？’
BillyblamedherselfverymuchforwhatshecalledherstupidityinsobaldlysummoningArkwright’sattentiontoCalderwell’sdevotiontoAliceGreggory。Shedeclaredthatsheoughttohaveknownbetter，andsheaskedherselfifthiswerethewayshewasfurtheringmatters’
betweenAliceGreggoryandArkwright。
Billywasreallyseriouslydisturbed。ShehadneverquiteforgivenherselfforbeingsoblindtoArkwright’sfeelingforherselfduringthosedayswhenhehadnotknownofherengagementtoBertram。Shehadneverforgotten，either，thepainfulscenewhenhehadhopefullytoldofhislove，onlytobemetwithherownshockedrepudiation。Forlongweeksafterthat，hisfacehadhauntedher。Shehadwished，oh，soardently，thatshecoulddosomethinginsomewaytobringhimhappiness。When，therefore，ithadcometoherknowledgeafterwardthathewasfrequentlywithhisoldfriend，AliceGreggory，shehadbeensoglad。Itwasveryeasythentofanhopeintoconvicti
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