Miss Billys Decision | Page 7

into a chuckling laugh.
``As if I didn't know that, when I've just written a dozen notes to
announce it! And, oh, Aunt Hannah, such a time as I've had, telling
what a dear Bertram is, and how I love, love, love him, and what
beautiful eyes he has, and such a nose, and--''
``Billy!'' Aunt Hannah was sitting erect in pale horror.
``Eh?'' Billy's eyes were roguish.
``You didn't write that in those notes!''
``Write it? Oh, no! That's only what I wanted to write,'' chuckled Billy.
``What I really did write was as staid and proper as--here, let me show
you,'' she broke off, springing to her feet and running over to her desk.
``There! this is about what I wrote to them all,'' she finished, whipping
a note out of one of the unsealed envelopes on the desk and spreading it
open before Aunt Hannah's suspicious eyes.
``Hm-m; that is very good--for you,'' admitted the lady.
``Well, I like that!--after all my stern self- control and self-sacrifice to
keep out all those things I wanted to write,'' bridled Billy. ``Besides,
they'd have been ever so much more interesting reading than these will
be,'' she pouted, as she took the note from her companion's hand.

``I don't doubt it,'' observed Aunt Hannah, dryly.
Billy laughed, and tossed the note back on the desk.
``I'm writing to Belle Calderwell, now,'' she announced musingly,
dropping herself again on the hassock. ``I suppose she'll tell Hugh.''
``Poor boy! He'll be disappointed.''
Billy sighed, but she uptilted her chin a little.
``He ought not to be. I told him long, long ago, the very first time,
that--that I couldn't.''
``I know, dear; but--they don't always understand.'' Aunt Hannah
sighed in sympathy with the far-away Hugh Calderwell, as she looked
down at the bright young face near her.
There was a moment's silence; then Billy gave a little laugh.
``He will be surprised,'' she said. ``He told me once that Bertram
wouldn't ever care for any girl except to paint. To paint, indeed! As if
Bertram didn't love me--just _me!_--if he never saw another tube of
paint!''
``I think he does, my dear.''
Again there was silence; then, from Billy's lips there came softly:
``Just think; we've been engaged almost four weeks--and to-morrow
it'll be announced. I'm so glad I didn't ever announce the other two!''
``The other _two!_'' cried Aunt Hannah.
Billy laughed.
``Oh, I forgot. You didn't know about Cyril.''
``Cyril!''

``Oh, there didn't anybody know it, either not even Cyril himself,''
dimpled Billy, mischievously. ``I just engaged myself to him in
imagination, you know, to see how I'd like it. I didn't like it. But it
didn't last, anyhow, very long-- just three weeks, I believe. Then I
broke it off,'' she finished, with unsmiling mouth, but dancing eyes.
``Billy!'' protested Aunt Hannah, feebly.
``But I am glad only the family knew about my engagement to Uncle
William--oh, Aunt Hannah, you don't know how good it does seem to
call him `Uncle' again. It was always slipping out, anyhow, all the time
we were engaged; and of course it was awful then.''
``That only goes to prove, my dear, how entirely unsuitable it was,
from the start.''
A bright color flooded Billy's face.
``I know; but if a girl will think a man is asking for a wife when all he
wants is a daughter, and if she blandly says `Yes, thank you, I'll marry
you,' I don't know what you can expect!''
``You can expect just what you got--misery, and almost a tragedy,''
retorted Aunt Hannah, severely.
A tender light came into Billy's eyes.
``Dear Uncle William! What a jewel he was, all the way through! And
he'd have marched straight to the altar, too, with never a flicker of an
eyelid, I know--self-sacrificing martyr that he was!''
``Martyr!'' bristled Aunt Hannah, with extraordinary violence for her.
``I'm thinking that term belonged somewhere else. A month ago, Billy
Neilson, you did not look as if you'd live out half your days. But I
suppose _you'd_ have gone to the altar, too, with never a flicker of an
eyelid!''
``But I thought I had to,'' protested Billy. ``I couldn't grieve Uncle

William so, after Mrs. Hartwell had said how he--he wanted me.''
Aunt Hannah's lips grew stern at the corners.
``There are times when--when I think it would be wiser if Mrs. Kate
Hartwell would attend to her own affairs!'' Aunt Hannah's voice fairly
shook with wrath.
``Why-Aunt Hannah!'' reproved Billy in mischievous horror. ``I'm
shocked at you!''
Aunt Hannah flushed miserably.
``There, there, child, forget I said it. I ought not to have said it, of
course,'' she murmured agitatedly.
Billy laughed.
``You should have heard what Uncle William said! But never mind.
We all found out the mistake before it was