OnthedayafterhisdinnerwithMr。andMrs。
　　BertramHenshaw，HughCalderwellleftBostonanddidnotreturnuntilmorethanamonthhadpassed。Oneofhisfirstacts，whenhedidcome，wastolookupMr。M。J。ArkwrightattheaddresswhichBillyhadgivenhim。
　　CalderwellhadnotseenArkwrightsincetheypartedinParissometwoyearsbefore，afterasix-
　　monthstrampthroughEuropetogether。CalderwelllikedArkwrightthen，greatly，andhelostnotimenowinrenewingtheacquaintance。
　　Theaddress，asgivenbyBilly，provedtobeanattractivebutmodestapartmenthotelneartheConservatoryofMusic；andCalderwellwasdelightedtofindArkwrightathomeinhiscomfortablelittlebachelorsuite。
　　Arkwrightgreetedhimmostcordially。
　　Well，well，’hecried，ifitisn’tCalderwell!
　　Andhow’sMontBlanc？OrisittheKillarneyLakesthistime，ormaybetheSphinxthatI
　　shouldinquirefor，eh？’
　　Guessagain，’laughedCalderwell，throwingoffhisheavycoatandsettlinghimselfcomfortablyintheinviting-lookingmorrischairhisfriendpulledforward。
　　Sha’n’tdoit，’retortedArkwright，withasmile。Inevergambleonpalpableuncertainties，exceptforachancethrowortwo，asIgaveaminuteago。Yourmovementsarealtogethertooerratic，andtoofar-reaching，forordinarymortalstokeeptrackof。’
　　Well，maybeyou’reright，’grinnedCalderwell，appreciatively。Anyhow，youwouldhavelostthistime，surething，forI’vebeenworking。’
　　Seenthedoctoryet？’queriedArkwright，coolly，pushingthecigarsacrossthetable。
　　Thanks——forboth，’sniffedCalderwell，withareproachfulglance，helpinghimself。Yourgoodjudgmentinsomemattersisstillunimpaired，Isee，’heobserved，tappingthelittlegildedbandwhichhadtoldhimthecigarwasanoldfavorite。
　　Astoothermatters，however，——you’rewrongagain，myfriend，inyoursurmise。Iamnotsick，andIhavebeenworking。’
　　So？Well，I’mtoldtheyhaveverygoodspecialistshere。Someoneofthemoughttohityourcase。Still——howlonghasitbeenrunning？’Arkwright’sfaceshowedonlygraveconcern。
　　Oh，come，letup，Arkwright，’snappedCalderwell，strikinghismatchalightwithavigorousjerk。I’lladmitIhaven’tevergivenany_special_
　　indicationofanabsorbingpassionforwork。Butwhatcanyouexpectofafellowbornwithawholedozensilverspoonsinhismouth？Andthat’swhatIwas，accordingtoBertramHenshaw。
　　Accordingtohimagain，it’sawonderI
　　evertriedtofeedmyself；andperhapshe’sright——withmymouthalreadysofull。’
　　Ishouldsayso，’laughedArkwright。
　　Well，bethatasitmay。I’mgoingtofeedmyself，andI’mgoingtoearnmyfeed，too。I
　　haven’tclimbedamountainorpaddledacanoe，forayear。I’vebeeninChicagocultivatingtheacquaintanceofJohnDoeandRichardRoe。’
　　Youmean——law？’
　　Sure。Istudiedithereforawhile，beforethatboutofoursacoupleofyearsago。Billydrovemeaway，then。’
　　Billy!——er——Mrs。Henshaw？’
　　Yes。IthoughtItoldyou。Sheturneddownmytenth-dozenproposalsoemphaticallythatI
　　lostallinterestinBostonandtooktothetalltimberagain。ButI’vecomeback。Afriendofmyfather’swrotemetocomeonandconsideragoodopeningtherewasinhislawoffice。Icameonamonthago，andconsidered。ThenIwentbacktopackup。NowI’vecomeforgood，andhereIam。Youhavemyhistorytodate。Nowtellmeofyourself。You’relookingasfitasapennyfromthemint，eventhoughyouhavediscardedthat`lovely’brownbeard。Wasthataconcessionto——er——_MaryJane_？’
　　Arkwrightliftedaquickhandofprotest。
　　`MichaelJeremiah，’please。Thereisno`MaryJane，’now，’hesaidabitstiffly。
　　Theotherstaredalittle。Thenhegavealowchuckle。
　　`MichaelJeremiah，’’herepeatedmusingly，eyeingtheglowingtipofhiscigar。Andtothinkhowthatmysterious`M。J。’usedtotantalizeme!Doyoumean，’headded，turningslowly，thatnoonecallsyou`MaryJane’
　　now？’
　　Notiftheyknowwhatisbestforthem。’
　　Oh!’Calderwellnotedthesmoulderingfireintheother’seyesalittlecuriously。Verywell。I’lltakethehint——MichaelJeremiah。’
　　Thanks。’Arkwrightrelaxedalittle。Totellthetruth，I’vehadquiteenoughnow——ofMaryJane。’
　　Verygood。Sobeit，’noddedtheother，stillregardinghisfriendthoughtfully。Buttellme——whatofyourself？’
　　Arkwrightshruggedhisshoulders。
　　There’snothingtotell。You’veseen。I’mhere。’
　　Humph!Verypretty，’scoffedCalderwell。
　　Thenif_you_won’ttell，I_will_。IsawBillyamonthago，yousee。Itseemsyou’vehitthetrailforGrandOpera，asyouthreatenedtothatnightinParis；butyou_haven’t_broughtupinvaudeville，asyouprophesiedyouwoulddo——though，forthatmatter，judgingfromtheplumssomeofthestarsarepickingonthevaudevillestage，nowadays，thatisn’ttobesneezedat。ButBillysaysyou’vemadetwoorthreeappearancesalreadyonthesacredboardsthemselves——oneofthemasubscriptionperformance——andthatyoucreatednoendofasensation。’
　　Nonsense!I’mmerelyastudentattheOperaSchoolhere，’scowledArkwright。
　　Oh，yes，Billysaidyouwerethat，butshealsosaidyouwouldn’tbe，long。Thatyou’dalreadyhadonegoodoffer——I’mnotspeakingofmarriage——
　　andthatyouweregoingabroadnextsummer，andthattheywereallinsufferablyproudofyou。’
　　Nonsense!’scowledArkwright，again，coloringlikeagirl。Thatisonlysomeof——ofMrs。
　　Henshaw’skindflattery。’
　　Calderwelljerkedthecigarfrombetweenhislips，andsatsuddenlyforwardinhischair。
　　Arkwright，tellmeaboutthem。Howaretheymakingitgo？’
　　Arkwrightfrowned。
　　Who？Makewhatgo？’heasked。
　　TheHenshaws。Isshehappy？Ishe——onthesquare？’
　　Arkwright’sfacedarkened。
　　Well，really，’hebegan；butCalderwellinterrupted。
　　Oh，come；don’tbesqueamish。YouthinkI’mbuttingintowhatdoesn’tconcernme；butI’mnot。WhatconcernsBillydoesconcernme。
　　Andifhedoesn’tmakeherhappy，I’ll——I’llkillhim。’
　　InspiteofhimselfArkwrightlaughed。Thevehemenceoftheother’swords，andthefiercenesswithwhichhepuffedathiscigarashefellbackinhischairweremostexpressiveWell，Idon’tthinkyouneedtoloadrevolversnorsharpendaggers，justyet，’heobservedgrimly。
　　Calderwelllaughedthistime，thoughwithoutmuchmirth。
　　Oh，I’mnotinlovewithBilly，now，’heexplained。Pleasedon’tthinkIam。Ishouldn’tseeherifIwas，ofcourse。’
　　Arkwrightchangedhispositionsuddenly，bringinghisfaceintotheshadow。Calderwelltalkedonwithoutpausing。
　　No，I’mnotinlovewithBilly。ButBilly’satrump。Youknowthat。’
　　Ido。’Thewordswerelow，butsteadilyspoken。
　　Ofcourseyoudo!Wealldo。Andwewantherhappy。ButasforhermarryingBertram——
　　youcouldhavebowledmeoverwithasoapbubblewhenIheardshe’ddoneit。Nowunderstand：
　　Bertramisagoodfellow，andIlikehim。I’veknownhimallhislife，andhe’sallright。Oh，sixoreightyearsago，tobesure，hegotinwithasetoffellows——BobSeaverandhisclique——thatwerenogood。WentinforBohemianism，andallthatrot。Itwasn’tgoodforBertram。He’sgottheconfoundedtemperamentthatgoeswithhistalent，Isuppose——thoughwhyamancan’tpaintapicture，orsingasong，andkeephistemperandalevelheadIdon’tsee!’
　　Hecan，’cutinArkwright，withcurtemphasis。
　　Humph!Well，that’swhatIthink。But，aboutthismarriagebusiness。Bertramadmiresaprettyfacewhereverheseesit——_topaint_，andalwayshas。Notbutthathe’sstraightasastringwithwomen——Idon’tmeanthat；
　　butgirlsarealwaysjustsomanypicturestobepickeduponhisbrushesandtransferredtohiscanvases。Andasforhissettlingdownandmarryinganybodyforkeeps，rightalong——GreatScott!imagineBertramHenshawasa_domestic_
　　man!’
　　Arkwrightstirredrestlesslyashespokeupinquickdefense：
　　Oh，butheis，Iassureyou。I——I’veseenthemintheirhometogether——manytimes。I
　　thinktheyare——veryhappy。’Arkwrightspokewithdecision，thoughstillalittlediffidently。
　　Calderwellwassilent。Hehadpickedupthelittlegiltbandhehadtornfromhiscigarandwasfingeringitmusingly。
　　Yes；I’veseenthem——once，’hesaid，afteraminute。ItookdinnerwiththemwhenIwason，amonthago。’
　　Iheardyoudid。’
　　AtsomethinginArkwright’svoice，Calderwellturnedquickly。
　　Whatdoyoumean？Whydoyousayitlikethat？’
　　Arkwrightlaughed。Theconstraintfledfromhismanner。
　　Well，Imayaswelltellyou。You’llhearofit。It’snosecret。Mrs。Henshawherselftellsofiteverywhere。Itwasherfriend，AliceGreggory，whotoldmeofitfirst，however。Itseemsthecookwasgone，andthemistresshadtogetthedinnerherself。’
　　Yes，Iknowthat。’
　　ButyoushouldhearMrs。Henshawtellthestorynow，orBertram。Itseemssheknewnothingwhateveraboutcooking，andhertrialsandtribulationsingettingthatdinnerontothetablewereonlyonedegreeworsethanthedinneritself，accordingtoherstory。Didn’tyou——er——noticeanything？’
　　Noticeanything!’explodedCalderwell。I
　　noticedthatBillywassobrilliantshefairlyradiatedsparks；andInoticedthatBertramwassoglumhe——healmostradiatedthunderclaps。
　　ThenIsawthatBilly’shighspiritswereallassumedtocoverathreatenedburstoftears，andIlaiditalltohim。Ithoughthe’dsaidsomethingtohurther；andIcouldhavepunchedhim。GreatScott!Was_that_whatailedthem？’
　　Ireckonitwas。AlicesaysthatsincethenMrs。Henshawhasfairlyhauntedthekitchen，beggingElizatoteachhereverything，_everysinglething_sheknows!’
　　Calderwellchuckled。
　　Ifthatisn’tjustlikeBilly!Sheneverdoesanythingbyhalves。ByGeorge，butshewasgameoverthatdinner!Icanseeitallnow。’
　　Alicesaysshe’sreallylearningtocook，inspiteofoldPete’shorror，andEliza’spleadingsnottospoilherprettyhands。’
　　ThenPeteisbackallright？Whatafaithfuloldsoulheis!’
　　Arkwrightfrownedslightly。
　　Yes，he’sfaithful，butheisn’tallright，byanymeans。Ithinkhe’sasickman，myself。’
　　WhatmakesBillylethimwork，then？’
　　Lethim!’sniffedArkwright。I’dliketoseeyoutrytostophim!Mrs。Henshawbegsandpleadswithhimtostop，buthescoutstheidea。
　　Peteisthoroughlyandunalterablyconvincedthatthefamilywouldstarvetodeathifitweren’tforhim；andMrs。Henshawsaysthatshe’lladmithehassomegroundsforhisopinionwhenonerememberstheconditionofthekitchenanddining-roomthenightshepresidedoverthem。’
　　PoorBilly!’chuckledCalderwell。I’dhavegonedownintothekitchenmyselfifI’dsuspectedwhatwasgoingon。’
　　Arkwrightraisedhiseyebrows。
　　Perhapsit’swellyoudidn’t——ifBertram’spictureofwhathefoundtherewhenhewentdownisatrueone。Mrs。Henshawacknowledgesthateventhecatsoughtrefugeunderthestove。’
　　AsiftheveriestwormthatcrawlseverneededtoseekrefugefromBilly!’scoffedCalderwell。
　　Bytheway，what’sthisAnnexIhearof？Bertrammentionedit，butIcouldn’tgeteitherofthemtotellwhatitwas。Billywouldn’t，andBertramsaidhecouldn’t——notwithBillyshakingherheadathimlikethat。SoIhadmysuspicions。
　　OneofBilly’spetcharities？’