for　Billy；　or　into　a　candy　shop　on　a　like　atoning
  errand。
  As　to　BillyBilly；　too；　was　busy　these　days
  chief　of　her　concerns　being；　perhaps；　attention
  to　that　honeymoon　of　hers；　to　see　that　it　did
  not　wane。　　At　least；　the　most　of　her　thoughts；
  and　many　of　her　actions；　centered　about　that
  object。
  Billy　had　the　book；　nowthe　‘‘Talk　to　Young
  Wives。''　　For　a　time　she　had　worked　with　only
  the　newspaper　criticism　to　guide　her；　but；　coming
  at　last　to　the　conclusion　that　if　a　little　was　good；
  more　must　be　better；　she　had　shyly　gone　into　a
  bookstore　one　day　and；　with　a　pink　blush；　had
  asked　for　the　book。　　Since　bringing　it　home　she
  had　studied　assiduously　（though　never　if　Bertram
  was　near）；　keeping　it　well…hidden；　when　not　in
  use；　in　a　remote　corner　of　her　desk。
  There　was　a　good　deal　in　the　book　that　Billy
  did　not　like；　and　there　were　some　statements　that
  worried　her；　but　yet　there　was　much　that　she
  tried　earnestly　to　follow。　　She　was　still　striving
  to　be　the　oak；　and　she　was　still　eagerly　endeavoring
  to　brush　up　against　those　necessary　outside
  interests。　　She　was　so　thankful；　in　this　connection；
  for　Alice　Greggory；　and　for　Arkwright　and　Hugh
  Calderwell。　　It　was　such　a　help　that　she　had
  them！　　They　were　not　only　very　pleasant　and
  entertaining　outside　interests；　but　one　or　another
  of　them　was　almost　always　conveniently　within
  reach。
  Then；　too；　it　pleased　her　to　think　that　she　was
  furthering　the　pretty　love　story　between　Alice
  and　Mr。　Arkwright。　　And　she　_was_　furthering　it。
  She　was　sure　of　that。　　Already　she　could　see　how
  dependent　the　man　was　on　Alice；　how　he　looked
  to　her　for　approbation；　and　appealed　to　her　on
  all　occasions；　exactly　as　if　there　was　not　a　move
  that　he　wanted　to　make　without　her　presence
  near　him。　　Billy　was　very　sure；　now；　of　Arkwright。
  She　only　wished　she　were　as　much　so　of　Alice。
  But　Alice　troubled　her。　　Not　but　that　Alice　was
  kindness　itself　to　the　man；　either。　　It　was　only　a
  peculiar　something　almost　like　fear；　or　constraint；
  that　Billy　thought　she　saw　in　Alice's　eyes；　sometimes；
  when　Arkwright　made　a　particularly　intimate
  appeal。　　There　was　Calderwell；　too。　　He；
  also；　worried　Billy。　　She　feared　he　was　going　to
  complicate　matters　still　more　by　falling　in　love
  with　Alice；　himself；　and　this；　certainly；　Billy　did
  not　want　at　all。　　As　this　phase　of　the　matter
  presented　itself；　indeed；　Billy　determined　to
  appropriate　Calderwell　a　little　more　exclusively　to
  herself；　when　the　four　were　together；　thus　leaving
  Alice　for　Arkwright。　　After　all；　it　was　rather
  entertainingthis　playing　at　Cupid's　assistant。
  If　she　_could_　not　have　Bertram　all　the　time；　it　was
  fortunate　that　these　outside　interests　were　so
  pleasurable。
  Most　of　the　mornings　Billy　spent　in　the　kitchen；
  despite　the　remonstrances　of　both　Pete　and　Eliza。
  Almost　every　meal；　now；　was　graced　with　a　palatable
  cake；　pudding；　or　muffin　that　Billy　would
  proudly　claim　as　her　handiwork。　　Pete　still　served
  at　table；　and　made　strenuous　efforts　to　keep　up
  all　his　old　duties；　but　he　was　obviously　growing
  weaker；　and　really　serious　blunders　were　beginning
  to　be　noticeable。　　Bertram　even　hinted　once
  or　twice　that　perhaps　it　would　be　just　as　well　to
  insist　on　his　going；　but　to　this　Billy　would　not
  give　her　consent。　　Even　when　one　night　his　poor
  old　trembling　hands　spilled　half　the　contents　of
  a　soup　plate　over　a　new　and　costly　evening　gown
  of　Billy's　own；　she　still　refused　to　have　him　dismissed。
  ‘‘Why；　Bertram；　I　wouldn't　do　it；''　she　declared
  hotly；　‘‘and　you　wouldn't；　either。　　He's　been
  here　more　than　fifty　years。　　It　would　break　his
  heart。　　He's　really　too　ill　to　work；　and　I　wish　he
  would　go　of　his　own　accord；　of　course；　but　I
  sha'n't　ever　tell　him　to　gonot　if　he　spills　soup
  on　every　dress　I've　got。　　I'll　buy　moreand　more；
  if　it's　necessary。　　Bless　his　dear　old　heart！　　He
  thinks　he's　really　serving　usand　he　is；　too。''
  ‘‘Oh；　yes；　you're　right；　he　_is！_''　sighed　Bertram；
  with　meaning　emphasis；　as　he　abandoned　the
  argument。
  In　addition　to　her　‘‘Talk　to　Young　Wives；''
  Billy　found　herself　encountering　advice　and　comment
  on　the　marriage　question　from　still　other
  quartersfrom　her　acquaintances　（mostly　the
  feminine　ones）　right　and　left。　　Continually　she
  was　hearing　such　words　as　these：
  ‘‘Oh；　well；　what　can　you　expect；　Billy？　　You're
  an　old　married　woman；　now。''
  ‘‘Never　mind；　you'll　find　he's　like　all　the　rest
  of　the　husbands。　　You　just　wait　and　see！''
  ‘‘Better　begin　with　a　high　hand；　Billy。　　Don't
  let　him　fool　you！''
  ‘‘Mercy！　　If　I　had　a　husband　whose　business
  it　was　to　look　at　women's　beautiful　eyes；　peachy
  cheeks；　and　luxurious　tresses；　I　should　go　crazy！
  It's　hard　enough　to　keep　a　man's　eyes　on　yourself
  when　his　daily　interests　are　supposed　to　be
  just　lumps　of　coal　and　chunks　of　ice；　without
  flinging　him　into　the　very　jaws　of　temptation
  like　asking　him　to　paint　a　pretty　girl's　picture！''
  In　response　to　all　this；　of　course；　Billy　could
  but　laugh；　and　blush；　and　toss　back　some　gay　reply；
  with　a　careless　unconcern。　　But　in　her　heart
  she　did　not　like　it。　　Sometimes　she　told　herself
  that　if　there　were　not　any　advice　or　comment　from
  anybodyeither　book　or　womanif　there
  were　not　anybody　but　just　Bertram　and　herself；
  life　would　be　just　one　long　honeymoon　forever
  and　forever。
  Once　or　twice　Billy　was　tempted　to　go　to　Marie
  with　this　honeymoon　question；　but　Marie　was
  very　busy　these　days；　and　very　preoccupied。　　The
  new　house　that　Cyril　was　building　on　Corey　Hill；
  not　far　from　the　Annex；　was　almost　finished；　and
  Marie　was　immersed　in　the　subject　of　house…
  furnishings　and　interior　decoration。　　She　was；
  too；　still　more　deeply　engrossed　in　the　fashioning
  of　tiny　garments　of　the　softest　linen；　lace；　and
  woolen；　and　there　was　on　her　face　such　a　look　of
  beatific　wonder　and　joy　that　Billy　did　not　like　to
  so　much　as　hint　that　there　was　in　the　world　such
  a　book　as　‘‘When　the　Honeymoon　Wanes：　　A
  Talk　to　Young　Wives。''
  Billy　tried　valiantly　these　days　not　to　mind
  that　Bertram's　work　was　so　absorbing。　　She　tried
  not　to　mind　that　his　business　dealt；　not　with
  lumps　of　coal　and　chunks　of　ice；　but　with　beautiful
  women　like　Marguerite　Winthrop　who　asked
  him　to　luncheon；　and　lovely　girls　like　his　model
  for　‘‘The　Rose''　who　came　freely　to　his　studio
  and　spent　hours　in　the　beloved　presence；　being
  studied　for　what　Bertram　declared　was　absolutely
  the　most　wonderful　poise　of　head　and
  shoulders　that　he　had　ever　seen。
  Billy　tried；　also；　these　days；　to　so　conduct
  herself　that　not　by　any　chance　could　Calderwell
  suspect　that　sometimes　she　was　jealous　of　Bertram's
  art。　　Not　for　worlds　would　she　have　had
  Calderwell　begin　to　get　the　notion　into　his　head
  that　his　old…time　prophecy　concerning　Bertram's
  caring　only　for　the　turn　of　a　girl's　head　or　the
  tilt　of　her　chinto　paint；　was　being　fulfilled。
  Hence；　particularly　gay　and　cheerful　was　Billy
  when　Calderwell　was　near。　　Nor　could　it　be　said
  that　Billy　was　really　unhappy　at　any　time。　　It
  was　only　that；　on　occasion；　the　very　depth　of　her
  happiness　in　Bertram's　love　frightened　her；　lest
  it　bring　disaster　to　herself　or　Bertram。
  Billy　still　went　frequently　to　the　Annex。　　There
  were　yet　two　unfilled　rooms　in　the　house。　　Billy
  was　hesitating　which　two　of　six　new　friends　of
  hers　to　choose　as　occupants；　and　it　was　one　day
  early　in　March；　after　she　had　been　talking　the
  matter　over　with　Aunt　Hannah；　that　Aunt
  Hannah　said：
  ‘‘Dear　me；　Billy；　if　you　had　your　way　I　believe
  you'd　open　another　whole　house！''
  ‘‘Do　you　know？that's　just　what　I'm　thinking
  of；''　retorted　Billy；　gravely。　　Then　she　laughed
  at　Aunt　Hannah's　shocked　gesture　of　protest。
  ‘‘Oh；　well；　I　don't　expect　to；''　she　added。　　‘‘I
  haven't　lived　very　long；　but　I've　lived　long　enough
  to　know　that　you　can't　always　do　what　you
  want　to。''
  ‘‘Just　as　if　there　were　anything　_you_　wanted　to
  do　that　you　don't　do；　my　dear；''　reproved　Aunt
  Hannah；　mildly。
  ‘‘Yes；　I　know。''　　Billy　drew　in　her　breath　with
  a　little　catch。　　‘‘I　have　so　much　that　is　lovely；
  and　that's　why　I　need　this　house；　you　know；　for
  the　overflow；''　she　nodded　brightly。　　Then；　with
  a　characteristic　change　of　subject；　she　added：
  ‘‘My；　but　you　should　have　tasted　of　the　popovers
  I　made　for　breakfast　this　morning！''
  ‘‘I　should　like　to；''　smiled　Aunt　Hannah。
  ‘‘William　says　you're　getting　to　be　quite　a　cook。''
  ‘‘Well；　maybe；''　conceded　Billy；　doubtfully。
  ‘‘Oh；　I　can　do　some　things　all　right；　but　just
  wait　till　Pete　and　Eliza　go　away　again；　and　Bertram
  brings　home　a　friend　to　dinner。　　That'll
  tell　the　tale。　　I　think　now　I　could　have　something
  besides　potato…mush　and　burned　cornbut
  maybe　I　wouldn't；　when　the　time　came。　　If　only
  I　could　buy　everything　I　needed　to　cook　with；
  I'd　be　all　right。　　But　I　can't；　I　find。''
  ‘‘Can't　buy　what　you　ne