plainly　distressed。
  ‘‘Billy！''　cried　the　man；　still　more　reproachfully。
  ‘‘But；　Bertram；　I　can't　forgetquite　yet；''
  faltered　Billy。
  Bertram　frowned。　　For　a　minute　he　looked　as
  if　he　were　about　to　take　up　the　matter　seriously
  and　argue　it　with　her；　but　the　next　moment　he
  smiled　and　tossed　his　head　with　jaunty　playfulness
  Bertram；　to　tell　the　truth；　had　now　had
  quite　enough　of　what　he　privately　termed
  ‘‘scenes''　and　‘‘heroics''；　and；　manlike；　he　was
  very　ardently　longing　for　the　old　easy…going
  friendliness；　with　all　unpleasantness　banished　to
  oblivion。
  ‘‘Oh；　but　you'll　have　to　forget；''　he　claimed；
  with　cheery　insistence；　‘‘for　you've　promised　to
  forgive　meand　one　can't　forgive　without　forgetting。
  So；　there！''　he　finished；　with　a　smilingly
  determined　‘‘now…everything…is…just…as…it…was…before''　air。
  Billy　made　no　response。　　She　turned　hurriedly
  and　began　to　busy　herself　with　the　dishes　at　the
  sink。　　In　her　heart　she　was　wondering：　could
  she　ever　forget　what　Bertram　had　said？　　Would
  anything　ever　blot　out　those　awful　words：　　‘‘If
  you　would　tend　to　your　husband　and　your　home
  a　little　more；　and　go　gallivanting　off　with　Calderwell
  and　Arkwright　and　Alice　Greggory　a　little
  less''？　　It　seemed　now　that　always；　for　evermore；
  they　would　ring　in　her　ears；　always；　for
  evermore；　they　would　burn　deeper　and　deeper
  into　her　soul。　　And　not　once；　in　all　Bertram's
  apologies；　had　he　referred　to　themthose　words
  he　had　uttered。　　He　had　not　said　he　did　not　mean
  them。　　He　had　not　said　he　was　sorry　he　spoke
  them。　　He　had　ignored　them；　and　he　expected
  that　now　she；　too；　would　ignore　them。　　As　if
  she　could！''　　If　you　would　tend　to　your　husband
  and　your　home　a　little　more；　and　go　gallivanting
  off　with　Calderwell　and　Arkwright　and　Alice
  Greggory　a　little　less''　　Oh；　if　only　she　could；
  indeed；forget！
  When　Billy　went　up…stairs　that　night　she　ran
  across　her　‘‘Talk　to　Young　Wives''　in　her　desk。
  With　a　half…stifled　cry　she　thrust　it　far　back　out
  of　sight。
  ‘‘I　hate　you；　I　hate　youwith　all　your　old
  talk　about　‘brushing　up　against　outside　interests'！''
  she　whispered　fiercely。　　‘‘Well；　I've
  ‘brushed'and　now　see　what　I've　got　for　it！''
  Later；　however；　after　Bertram　was　asleep；　Billy
  crept　out　of　bed　and　got　the　book。　　Under　the
  carefully　shaded　lamp　in　the　adjoining　room　she
  turned　the　pages　softly　till　she　came　to　the　sentence：
  ‘‘Perhaps　it　would　be　hard　to　find　a　more
  utterly　unreasonable；　irritable；　irresponsible　creature
  than　a　hungry　man。''　　With　a　long　sigh　she
  began　to　read；　and　not　until　some　minutes　later
  did　she　close　the　book；　turn　off　the　light；　and　steal
  back　to　bed。
  During　the　next　three　days；　until　after　the
  funeral　at　the　shabby　little　South　Boston　house；
  Eliza　spent　only　about　half　of　each　day　at　the
  Strata。　　This；　much　to　her　distress；　left　many　of
  the　household　tasks　for　her　young　mistress　to
  perform。　　Billy；　however；　attacked　each　new　duty
  with　a　feverish　eagerness　that　seemed　to　make　the
  performance　of　it　very　like　some　glad　penance
  done　for　past　misdeeds。　　And　whenon　the　day
  after　they　had　laid　the　old　servant　in　his　last
  resting　placea　despairing　message　came　from
  Eliza　to　the　effect　that　now　her　mother　was　very
  ill；　and　would　need　her　care；　Billy　promptly　told
  Eliza　to　stay　as　long　as　was　necessary；　that　they
  could　get　along　all　right　without　her。
  ‘‘But；　Billy；　what　_are_　we　going　to　do？''
  Bertram　demanded；　when　he　heard　the　news。　　‘‘We
  must　have　somebody！''
  ‘‘_I'm_　going　to　do　it。''
  ‘‘Nonsense！　　As　if　you　could！''　scoffed　Bertram。
  Billy　lifted　her　chin。
  ‘‘Couldn't　I；　indeed；''　she　retorted。　　‘‘Do　you
  realize；　young　man；　how　much　I've　done　the　last
  three　days？　　How　about　those　muffins　you　had
  this　morning　for　breakfast；　and　that　cake　last
  night？　　And　didn't　you　yourself　say　that　you
  never　ate　a　better　pudding　than　that　date　puff
  yesterday　noon？''
  Bertram　laughed　and　shrugged　his　shoulders。
  ‘‘My　dear　love；　I'm　not　questioning　your
  _ability_　to　do　it；''　he　soothed　quickly。　　‘‘Still；''　he
  added；　with　a　whimsical　smile；　‘‘I　must　remind
  you　that　Eliza　has　been　here　half　the　time；　and
  that　muffins　and　date　puffs；　however　delicious；
  aren't　all　there　is　to　running　a　big　house　like　this。
  Besides；　just　be　sensible；　Billy；''　he　went　on　more
  seriously；　as　he　noted　the　rebellious　gleam　coming
  into　his　young　wife's　eyes；　‘‘you'd　know　you
  couldn't　do　it；　if　you'd　just　stop　to　think。　　There's
  the　Carletons　coming　to　dinner　Monday；　and　my
  studio　Tea　to…morrow；　to　say　nothing　of　the
  Symphony　and　the　opera；　and　the　concerts　you'd
  lose　because　you　were　too　dead　tired　to　go　to　them。
  You　know　how　it　was　with　that　concert　yesterday
  afternoon　which　Alice　Greggory　wanted　you
  to　go　to　with　her。''
  ‘‘I　didn'twantto　go；''　choked　Billy；
  under　her　breath。
  ‘‘And　there's　your　music。　　You　haven't　done
  a　thing　with　that　for　days；　yet　only　last　week
  you　told　me　the　publishers　were　hurrying　you　for
  that　last　song　to　complete　the　group。''
  ‘‘I　haven't　felt　likewriting；''　stammered
  Billy；　still　half　under　her　breath。
  ‘‘Of　course　you　haven't；''　triumphed　Bertram。
  ‘‘You've　been　too　dead　tired。　　And　that's　just
  what　I　say。　　Billy；　you　_can't_　do　it　all　yourself！''
  ‘‘But　I　want　to。　　I　want　toto　tend　to
  things；''　faltered　Billy；　with　a　half…fearful　glance
  into　her　husband's　face。
  Billy　was　hearing　very　loudly　now　that　accusing
  ‘‘If　you'd　tend　to　your　husband　and　your　home
  a　little　more''　　Bertram；　however；　was　not
  hearing　it；　evidently。　　Indeed；　he　seemed　never
  to　have　heard　itmuch　less　to　have　spoken　it。
  ‘‘　‘Tend　to　things；'　''　he　laughed　lightly。
  ‘‘Well；　you'll　have　enough　to　do　to　tend　to　the
  maid；　I　fancy。　　Anyhow；　we're　going　to　have　one。
  I'll　just　step　into　one　of　thosewhat　do　you　call
  'em？intelligence　offices　on　my　way　down　and
  send　one　up；''　he　finished；　as　he　gave　his　wife　a
  good…by　kiss。
  An　hour　later　Billy；　struggling　with　the　broom
  and　the　drawing…room　carpet；　was　called　to　the
  telephone。　　It　was　her　husband's　voice　that　came
  to　her。
  ‘‘Billy；　for　heaven's　sake；　take　pity　on　me。
  Won't　you　put　on　your　duds　and　come　and　engage
  your　maid　yourself？''
  ‘‘Why；　Bertram；　what's　the　matter？''
  ‘‘Matter？　　Holy　smoke！　　Well；　I've　been　to
  three　of　those　intelligence　officesthough　why
  they　call　them　that　I　can't　imagine。　　If　ever　there
  was　a　place　utterly　devoid　of　intelligence…but
  never　mind！　　I've　interviewed　four　fat　ladies；
  two　thin　ones；　and　one　medium　with　a　wart。　　I've
  cheerfully　divulged　all　our　family　secrets；　promised
  every　other　half…hour　out；　and　taken　oath
  that　our　household　numbers　three　adult　members；
  and　no　more；　but　I　simply　_can't_　remember
  how　many　handkerchiefs　we　have　in　the　wash
  each　week。　　Billy；　will　you　come？　　Maybe　you
  can　do　something　with　them。　　I'm　sure　you
  can！''
  ‘‘Why；　of　course　I'll　come；''　chirped　Billy。
  ‘‘Where　shall　I　meet　you？''
  Bertram　gave　the　street　and　number。
  ‘‘Good！　　I'll　be　there；''　promised　Billy；　as　she
  hung　up　the　receiver。
  Quite　forgetting　the　broom　in　the　middle　of　the
  drawing…room　floor；　Billy　tripped　up…stairs　to
  change　her　dress。　　On　her　lips　was　a　gay　little
  song。　　In　her　heart　was　joy。
  ‘‘I　rather　guess　_now_　I'm　tending　to　my　husband
  and　my　home！''　she　was　crowing　to　herself。
  Just　as　Billy　was　about　to　leave　the　house　the
  telephone　bell　jangled　again。
  It　was　Alice　Greggory。
  ‘‘Billy；　dear；''　she　called；　‘‘can't　you　come
  out？　　Mr。　Arkwright　and　Mr。　Calderwell　are
  here；　and　they've　brought　some　new　music。　　We
  want　you。　　Will　you　come？''
  ‘‘I　can't；　dear。　　Bertram　wants　me。　　He's　sent
  for　me。　　I've　got　some　_housewifely_　duties　to　perform
  to…day；''　returned　Billy；　in　a　voice　so　curiously
  triumphant　that　Alice；　at　her　end　of　the
  wires；　frowned　in　puzzled　wonder　as　she　turned
  away　from　the　telephone。
  CHAPTER　XVI
  INTO　TRAINING　FOR　MARY　ELLEN
  Bertram　told　a　friend　afterwards　that　he　never
  knew　the　meaning　of　the　word　‘‘chaos''　until　he
  had　seen　the　Strata　during　the　weeks　immediately
  following　the　laying　away　of　his　old　servant。
  ‘‘Every　stratum　was　aquiver　with　apprehension；''
  he　declared；　‘‘and　there　was　never　any
  telling　when　the　next　grand　upheaval　would　rock
  the　whole　structure　to　its　foundations。''
  Nor　was　Bertram　so　far　from　being　right。　　It
  was；　indeed；　a　chaos；　as　none　knew　better　than
  did　Bertram's　wife。
  Poor　Billy！　　Sorry　indeed　were　these　days　for
  Billy；　and；　as　if　to　make　her　cup　of　woe　full　to
  overflowing；　there　were　Sister　Kate's　epistolary
  ‘‘I　told　you　so；''　and　Aunt　Hannah's　ever
  recurring　lament：　　‘‘If　only；　Billy；　you　were　a
  practical　housekeeper　yourself；　they　wouldn't
  impose　on　you　so！''
  Aunt　Hannah；　to　be　sure；　offered　Rosa；　and
  Kate；　by　letter；　offered　adviceplenty