No，ofcoursenot，’hemurmuredabstractedly，risingtohisfeetandcrossingtheroomtothepiano。Then，withanelaborateairoftryingtoappearverynatural，heaskedjovially：
Anythingnewtoplaytome？’
Alicearoseatonce。
Yes。IhavealittlenocturnethatIwasplayingtoMr。Calderwelllastnight。’
Oh，toCalderwell!’Arkwrighthadstiffenedperceptibly。
Yes。_He_didn’tlikeit。I’llplayittoyouandseewhatyousay，’shesmiled，seatingherselfatthepiano。
Well，ifhehadlikedit，it’ssafetosayI
shouldn’t，’shruggedArkwright。
Nonsense!’laughedthegirl，beginningtoappearmorelikehernaturalself。IshouldthinkyouwereMr。CyrilHenshaw!Mr。Calderwell_is_partialtoragtime，I’lladmit。Buttherearesomegoodthingshelikes。’
Thereare，indeed，_some_goodthingshelikes，’
returnedArkwright，withgrimemphasis，hissombereyesfixedonwhathebelievedtobetheoneespecialobjectofCalderwell’saffectionsatthemoment。
Alice，unawarebothofthemelancholygazebentuponherselfandofthecausethereof，laughedagainmerrily。
PoorMr。Calderwell，’shecried，assheletherfingersslideintosoft，introductorychords。Heisn’ttoblamefornotlikingwhathecallsourlostspiritsthatwail。It’sjustthewayhe’smade。’
Arkwrightvouchsafednoreply。Withanabruptgestureheturnedandbegantopacetheroommoodily。AtthepianoAliceslippedfromthechordsintothenocturne。Sheplayeditstraightthrough，then，withacharmandskillthatbroughtArkwright’sfeettoapausebeforeitwashalffinished。
ByGeorge，that’sgreat!’hebreathed，whenthelasttonehadquiveredintosilence。
Yes，isn’tit——beautiful？’shemurmured。
Theroomwasveryquiet，andinsemi-darkness。
ThelastraysofalateJunesunsethadbeenfillingtheroomwithgoldenlight，butitwasgonenow。
Evenatthepianobythewindow，Alicehadbarelybeenabletoseeclearlyenoughtoreadthenotesofhernocturne。
ToArkwrighttheairstilltrembledwiththeexquisitemelodythathadbutjustleftherfingers。
Aquickfirecametohiseyes。HeforgoteverythingbutthatitwasAlicethereinthehalf-lightbythewindow——Alice，whomheloved。Withalowcryhetookaswiftsteptowardher。
Alice!’
Instantlythegirlwasonherfeet。Butitwasnottowardhimthatsheturned。Itwasaway——
resolutely，andwithahastethatwasstrangelyliketerror。
Alice，too，hadforgotten，forjustamoment。
Shehadletherselfdriftintoadreamworldwheretherewasnothingbutthemusicshewasplayingandthemansheloved。Thenthemusichadstopped，andthemanhadspokenhername。
Alicerememberedthen。SherememberedBilly，whomthismanloved。Sherememberedthelongdaysjustpassedwhenthismanhadstayedaway，presumablytoteach_her_——tosave_her_。Andnow，atthesoundofhisvoicespeakinghername，shehadalmostbaredherhearttohim。
NowonderthatAlice，withahastethatlookedliketerror，crossedthefloorandfloodedtheroomwithlight。
Dearme!’sheshivered，carefullyavoidingArkwright’seyes。IfMr。Calderwellwereherenowhe’dhavesomeexcusetotalkaboutourlostspiritsthatwail。That_is_acreepypieceofmusicwhenyouplayitinthedark!’And，forfearthatheshouldsuspecthowherheartwasaching，shegaveaparticularlybrilliantandjoyoussmile。
OnceagainatthementionofCalderwell’snameArkwrightstiffenedperceptibly。Thefirelefthiseyes。Foramomenthedidnotspeak；then，gravely，hesaid：
Calderwell？Yes，perhapshewould；and——
yououghttobeajudge，Ishouldthink。Youseehimquitefrequently，don’tyou？’
Why，yes，ofcourse。Heoftencomesouthere，youknow。’
Yes；Ihadheardthathedid——since_you_
came。’
Hismeaningwasunmistakable。Alicelookedupquickly。Apromptdenialofhisimplicationwasonherlipswhenthethoughtcametoherthatperhapsjustherelayasurewaytoprovetothismanbeforeherthattherewas，indeed，noneedforhimtoteachher，tosaveher，oryettosympathizewithher。Shecouldnotaffirm，ofcourse；butsheneednotdeny——yet。
Nonsense!’shelaughedlightly，pleasedthatshecouldfeelwhatshehopedwouldpassforatelltalecolorburninghercheeks。Come，letustrysomeduets，’sheproposed，leadingthewaytothepiano。AndArkwright，interpretingtheapparentlyembarrassedchangeofsubjectexactlyasshehadhopedthathewouldinterpretit，followedher，sickatheart。
`Owertthouinthecauldblast，’’sangArkwright’slipsafewmomentslater。
Ican’ttellhernow——whenI_know_shecaresforCalderwell，’gloomilyranhisthoughts，thewhile。Itwoulddonopossiblegood，andwouldonlymakeherunhappytogrieveme。’
`Owertthouinthecauldblast，’’chimedinAlice’salto，lowandsweet。
Ireckonnowhewon’tbestayingawayfromhereanymorejustto_save_me!’ranAlice’sthoughts，palpitatinglytriumphant。
ArkwrightdidnotcalltoseeAliceGreggoryforsomedays。HedidnotwanttoseeAlicenow。
Hetoldhimselfwearilythatshecouldnothelphimfightthistigerskinthatlayacrosshispath，Theveryfactofherpresencebyhissidewould，indeed，incapacitatehimselfforfighting。SohedeliberatelystayedawayfromtheAnnexuntilthedaybeforehesailedforGermany。Thenhewentouttosaygood-by。
Chagrinedashewasatwhathetermedhisimbecilestupidityinnotknowinghisownheartallthesepastmonths，andconvinced，ashealsowas，thatAliceandCalderwellcaredforeachother，hecouldseenowayforhimbuttoplaythepartofamanofkindlinessandhonor，leavingaclearfieldforhispreferredrival，andbringingnoshadowofregrettomarthehappinessofthegirlheloved。
Asforbeinghisoldeasy，frankselfonthislastcall，however，thatwasimpossible；soAlicefoundplentyoffuelforherstillburningfiresofsuspicion——fireswhichhad，indeed，blazedupanewatthissecondlongperiodofabsenceonthepartofArkwright。Naturally，therefore，thecallwasanythingbutajoyandcomforttoeitherone。
Arkwrightwasnervous，gloomy，andabnormallygaybyturns。Alicewasnervousandabnormallygayallthetime。Thentheysaidgood-byandArkwrightwentaway。Hesailedthenextday，andAlicesettleddowntothesummerofstudyandhardworkshehadlaidoutforherself。
OnthetenthofSeptemberBillycamehome。
Shewasbrown，plump-cheeked，andsmiling。Shedeclaredthatshehadhadaperfectlybeautifultime，andthattherecouldn’tbeanythingintheworldnicerthanthetripsheandBertramhadtaken——justtheytwotogether。InanswertoAuntHannah’ssolicitousinquiries，sheassertedthatshewasallwellandrestednow。ButtherewasavaguelytroubledquestioninginhereyesthatAuntHannahdidnotquitelike。AuntHannah，however，saidnothingeventoBillyherselfaboutthis。
OneofthefirstfriendsBillysawafterherreturnwasHughCalderwell。AsithappenedBertramwasoutwhenhecame，soBillyhadthefirsthalf-
hourofthecalltoherself。Shewasnotsorryforthis，asitgaveherachancetoquestionCalderwellalittleconcerningAliceGreggory——somethingshehadlongagodeterminedtodoatthefirstopportunity。
Nowtellmeeverything——everythingabouteverybody，’shebegandiplomatically，settlingherselfcomfortablyforagoodvisit。
Thankyou，I’mwell，andhavehadapassablyagreeablesummer，barringtheheat，sundrypersistentmosquitoes，severalgrievousdisappointments，andafelononmythumb，’hebegan，withshamelessimperturbability。IhavebeentoRevereonce，tothecircusonce，toNantasketthreetimes，andtoKeith’sandthe`movies’tentimes，perhaps——tobeaccurate。Ihavealso——
Butperhapstherewassomeoneelseyoudesiredtoinquirefor，’hebrokeoff，turninguponhishostessablandbutunsmilingcountenance。
Oh，no，howcouldtherebe？’twinkledBilly。
Really，Hugh，Ialwaysknewyouhadaprettygoodopinionofyourself，butIdidn’tcredityouwiththinkingyouwere_everybody_。Goon。I’msointerested!’
Hughchuckledsoftly；buttherewasaplaintivetoneinhisvoiceasheanswered。
Thanks，no。I’veratherlostmyinterestnow。Lackofappreciationalwaysdiddiscourageme。We’lltalkofsomethingelse，please。Youenjoyedyourtrip？’
Verymuch。Itjustcouldn’thavebeennicer!’
Youwerelucky。Theheatherehasbeensomethingfierce!’
Whatmadeyoustay？’
Reasonstoonumerous，andonetooheart-
breaking，tomention。Besides，youforget，’withdignity。Thereismyprofession。Ihavejoinedtheworkersoftheworldnow，youknow。’
Oh，fudge，Hugh!’laughedBilly。Youknowverywellyou’reaslikelyasnottostartfortheendsoftheearthto-morrowmorning!’
Hughdrewhimselfup。
Idon’tseemtosucceedinmakingpeopleunderstandthatI’mserious，’hebeganaggrievedly。
I——’Withanexpressiveflourishofhishandsherelaxedsuddenly，andfellbackinhischair。Aslowsmilecametohislips。
Well，Billy，I’llgiveup。You’vehitit，’heconfessed。I_have_thoughtseriouslyofstartingto-
morrowmorningfor_half-way_totheendsoftheearth——Panama。’
Hugh!’
Well，Ihave。Eventhiscallwastobeagood-by——ifIwent。’
Oh，Hugh!ButIreallythought——inspiteofmyteasing——thatyouhadsettleddown，thistime。’
Yes，sodidI，’sighedtheman，alittlesoberly。
ButIguessit’snouse，Billy。Oh，I’mcomingback，ofcourse，andlinkarmsagainwiththeirworthyHighnesses，JohnDoeandRichardRoe；
butjustnowI’vegotarestlessfitonme。Iwanttoseethewheelsgo’round。Ofcourse，ifIhadmybreadandbutterandcigarstoearn，’twouldbedifferent。ButIhaven’t，andIknowIhaven’t；
andIsuspectthat’swherethetroublelies。Ifitwasn’tforthosenatalsilverspoonsofminethatBertramisalwaystalkingabout，thingsmightbedifferent。Butthespoonsarethere，andalwayshavebeen；andIknowthey’reallreadytodishoutmountainstoclimbandlakestopaddlein，anytimeI’veamindtosaytheword。So——I
justsaytheword。That’sall。’
Andyou’vesaiditnow？’
Yes，Ithinkso；forawhile。’
And——thosereasonsthat_have_keptyouhereallsummer，’venturedBilly，theyaren’tin——
er——commissionanylonger？’
No。’
Billyhesitated，regardinghercompanionmeditatively。Then，withthefeelingthatshehadfollowedablindalleytoitstermination，sheretreatedandmadeafreshstart。
Well，youhaven’tyettoldmeeverythingabouteverybody，youknow，’shehintedsmilingly。Youmightbeginthat——Imeanthelessimportanteverybodies，ofcourse，nowthatI’veheardaboutyou。’
Meaning——’
Oh，AuntHannah，andtheGreggorys，andCyrilandMarie，andthetwins，andMr。Arkwright，andalltherest。’
Butyou’vehadletters，surely。’
Yes，I’vehadlettersfromsomeofthem，andI’veseenmostofthemsinceIcameback。It’sjustthatIwantedtoknow_your_viewpointofwhat’shappenedthroughthesummer。’
Verywell。AuntHannahisasdearasever，wearsjustasmanyshawls，andstillkeepsherclockstrikingtwelvewhenit’shalf-pasteleven。
Mrs。Greggoryisjustassweetasever——andalittlemorefrail，Ifear，——blessherheart!Mr。