saidthatindirectinfluencewasmuchtobepreferred，always，todirectpersuasion——whichlast，indeed，usuallyfailedtoproduceresults。
　　SoBillydressedup，’andpracticed，andtalkedofanythingbutthebaby，andevenhintedshamelesslyonceortwicethatshewouldliketogotothetheater；butalltolittleavail。
　　True，Bertrambrightenedup，foraminute，whenhecamehomeandfoundherinaneworafavoritedress，andhetoldherhowprettyshelooked。
　　Heappearedtoliketohaveherplaytohim，too，evendeclaringonceortwicethatitwasquitelikeoldtimes，yes，itwas。Buthenevernoticedherhintsaboutthetheater，andhedidnotseemtoliketotalkabouthiswork，evenalittlebit。
　　Billylaidthislastfacttohisinjuredarm。Shedecidedthathehadbecomeblueanddiscouraged，andthatheneededcheeringup，especiallyabouthiswork；soshedeterminedlyandsystematicallysetherselftodoingit。
　　Shetalkedofthefineworkhehaddone，andofthestillfinerworkhewouldyetdo，whenhisarmwaswell。Shetoldhimhowproudshewasofhim，andshelethimseehowdearhisArtwastoher，andhowbadlyshewouldfeelifshethoughthehadreallylostallhisinterestinhisworkandwouldneverpaintagain。Shequestionedhimaboutthenewportraithewastobeginassoonashisarmwouldlethim；andshetriedtoarousehisenthusiasminthepicturehehadplannedtoshowintheMarchExhibitionoftheBohemianTen，tellinghimthatshewassurehisarmwouldallowhimtocompleteatleastonecanvastohang。
　　Innoneofthis，however，didBertramappearintheleastinterested。Theonething，indeed，whichheseemednottowanttotalkabout，washiswork；andherespondedtoheroverturesonthesubjectwithonlymoodysilence，orelsewithalmostirritablemonosyllables；allofwhichnotonlygrievedbutsurprisedBillyverymuch。For，accordingtotheTalktoYoungWives，’shewasdoingexactlywhattheideal，sympathetic，interested-in-her-husband’s-workwifeshoulddo。
　　WhenFebruarycame，bringingwithitnochangeforthebetter，Billywasthoroughlyfrightened。Bertram’sarmplainlywasnotimproving。Hewasmoregloomyandrestlessthanever。Heseemednottowanttostayathomeatall；andBillyknewnowforacertaintythathewasspendingmoreandmoretimewithBobSeaverandtheboys。’
　　PoorBilly!Nowherecouldshelookthesedaysandseehappiness。Eventheadoredbabyseemed，attimes，almosttogiveanaddedpang。Hadhenotbecome，accordingtotheTalktoYoungWives’thatawfulthing，a_Wedge_？TheAnnex，too，carrieditssting；forwherewastheneedofanoverflowhouseforhappinessnow，whentherewasnohappinesstooverflow？EventhelittlejadeidolonBilly’smantelBillycouldnotbeartoseethesedays，foritsonceblandsmilehadbecomeahideousgrin，demanding，Where，now，isyourheapplentyvellygoodluckee？’
　　But，beforeBertram，Billystillcarriedabravelysmilingface，andtohimstillshetalkedearnestlyandenthusiasticallyofhiswork——whichlast，asithappened，wastheworstcourseshecouldhavepursued；fortheonethingpoorBertramwishedtoforget，justnow，was——hiswork。
　　EarlyinFebruarycameArkwright’sappearanceattheBostonOperaHouse——thefirstsincehehadsungthereasastudentafewyearsbefore。
　　Hewasanimmediateandanunquestionedsuccess。
　　HisportraitadornedthefrontpageofalmosteveryBostonnewspaperthenextmorning，andcaptiouscriticsviedwitheachothertodohimhonor。Hisfullhistory，fromboyhoodup，wasfeatured，withspecialemphasisonhisrecenttriumphsinNewYorkandforeigncapitals。Hewasinterviewedastohisopiniononeverythingfromvegetarianismtowoman’ssuffrage；andhispreferencesastopiesandpastimesweregivenheadlineprominence。Therewasnodoubtofit。
　　Mr。M。J。Arkwrightwasastar。
　　AllArkwright’soldfriends，includingBilly，Bertram，Cyril，Marie，Calderwell，AliceGreggory，AuntHannah，andTommyDunn，wenttohearhimsing；andaftertheperformanceheheldaminiaturereception，withenoughadulationtoturnhisheadcompletelyaround，hedeclareddeprecatingly。Notuntilthenextevening，however，didhehaveanopportunityforwhathecalledarealtalkwithanyofhisfriends；then，inCalderwell’sroom，hesettledbackinhischairwithasighofcontent。
　　ForatimehisownandCalderwell’saffairsoccupiedtheirattention；then，afterashortpause，thetenoraskedabruptly：
　　Isthereanything——wrongwiththeHenshaws，Calderwell？’
　　Calderwellcamesuddenlyerectinhischair。
　　Thankyou!Ihopedyou’dintroducethatsubject；though，forthatmatter，ifyouhadn’t，Ishould。Yes，thereis——andI’mlookingtoyou，oldman，togetthemoutofit。’
　　I？’Arkwrightsaterectnow。
　　Yes。’
　　Whatdoyoumean？’
　　Inaway，theexpectedhashappened——
　　thoughIknownowthatIdidn’treallyexpectittohappen，inspiteofmyprophecies。YoumayrememberIwasalwaysskepticalonthesubjectofBertram’ssettlingdowntoadomestichearthstone。
　　Iinsisted’twouldbetheturnofagirl’sheadandthecurveofhercheekthathewantedtopaint。’
　　Arkwrightlookedupwithaquickfrown。
　　Youdon’tmeanthatHenshawhasbeencadenoughtofindanother——’
　　Calderwellthrewuphishand。
　　No，no，notthat!Wehaven’tthattodealwith——yet，thankgoodness!There’snowomaninit。And，really，whenyoucomerightdowntoit，ifeverafellowhadanexcusetoseekdiversion，BertramHenshawhas——poorchap!It’sjustthis。BertrambrokehisarmagainlastOctober。’
　　Yes，soIhear，andIthoughthewaslookingbadly。’
　　Heis。It’sabadbusiness。’Twasimproperlysetinthefirstplace，andit’snotdoingwellnow。Infact，I’mtoldonprettygoodauthoritythatthedoctorsaysheprobablywillneveruseitagain。’
　　Oh，byGeorge!Calderwell!’
　　Yes。Tough，isn’tit？’Speciallywhenyouthinkofhiswork，andknow——asIhappento——
　　thathe’sparticularlydependentonhisrighthandforeverything。Hedoesn’ttellthisgenerally，andIunderstandBillyandthefamilyknownothingofit——howhopelessthecaseis，Imean。Well，naturally，thepoorfellowhasbeenprettythoroughlydiscouraged，andtogetawayfromhimselfhe’sgonebacktohisoldBohemianhabits，spendingmuchofhistimewithsomeofhisoldcroniesthatarenonetoogoodforhim——Seaver，forinstance。’
　　BobSeaver？Yes，Iknowhim。’Arkwright’slipssnappedtogethercrisply。
　　Yes。Hesaidheknewyou。That’swhyI’mcountingonyourhelp。’
　　Whatdoyoumean？’
　　ImeanIwantyoutogetHenshawawayfromhim，andkeephimaway。’
　　Arkwright’sfacedarkenedwithanangryflush。
　　GreatScott，Calderwell!Whatareyoutalkingabout？Henshawisnokidtobetotedhome，andI’mnonurserygovernesstodothetoting!’
　　Calderwelllaughedquietly。
　　No；Idon’tthinkanyonewouldtakeyouforanurserygoverness，Arkwright，inspiteofthefactthatyouarestillknowntosomeofyourfriendsas`MaryJane。’Butyoucansingasong，man，whichwillpromptlygiveyouathroughtickettotheirinnermostsacredcircle。Infact，tomycertainknowledge，Seaverisalreadyplanningajamboreewithyouattherighthandofthetoastmaster。There’syourchance。Oncein，stayin——longenoughtogetHenshawout。’
　　But，goodheavens，Calderwell，it’simpossible!
　　WhatcanIdo？’demandedArkwright，savagely。Ican’twalkuptotheman，takehimbytheear，andsay：`Here，you，sir——marchhome!’NeithercanIcomethe`I-am-holier-
　　than-thou’act，andholduptohimthemirrorofhistransgressions。’
　　No，butyoucangethimoutofit_some_way。
　　Youcanfindaway——forBilly’ssake。’
　　Therewasnoanswer，and，afteramoment，Calderwellwentonmorequietly。
　　Ihaven’tseenBillybuttwoorthreetimessinceIcamebacktoBoston——butIdon’tneedto，toknowthatshe’sbreakingherheartoversomething。Andofcoursethatsomethingis——
　　Bertram。’
　　Therewasstillnoanswer。Arkwrightgotupsuddenly，andwalkedtothewindow。
　　Yousee，I’mhelpless，’resumedCalderwell。
　　Idon’tpaintpictures，norsingsongs，norwritestories，nordancejigsforaliving——andyouhavetodooneoranothertobeinwiththatset。
　　Andit’sgottobeaJohnny-on-the-spotwithBertram。Allis，somethingwillhavetobedonetogethimoutofthestateofmindandbodyhe’sinnow，or——’
　　Arkwrightwheeledsharply。
　　Whendidyousaythisjamboreewasgoingtobe？’hedemanded。
　　Nextweek，sometime。Thedateisnotsettled。
　　Theyweregoingtoconsultyou。’
　　Hm-m，’commentedArkwright。And，thoughhisnextremarkwasacompletechangeofsubject，Calderwellgaveacontentedsigh。
　　If，whenthepropositionwasfirstmadetohim，ArkwrightwasdoubtfulofhisabilitytobeasuccessfulJohnny-on-the-spot，’hewasevenmoredoubtfulofitasthedayspassed，andhewasattemptingtocarryoutthesuggestion。
　　Hehadknownthathewasundertakingamostdifficultanddelicatetask，andhesoonbegantofearthatitwasanimpossibleone，aswell。Withadoggedpersistence，however，headheredtohispurpose，everonthealerttobemorewatchful，moretactful，moreefficientinemergencies。
　　Disagreeableaswasthetask，inaway，inanotherwayitwasagreatpleasuretohim。HewasgladoftheopportunitytodoanythingforBilly；andthen，too，hewasgladofsomethingabsorbingenoughtotakehismindoffhisownaffairs。Hetoldhimself，sometimes，thatthishelpinganothermantofighthistigerskinwasassistinghimselftofighthisown。
　　ArkwrightwastryingveryhardnottothinkofAliceGreggorythesedays。Hehadcomebackhopingthathewasinameasurecured’ofhisfolly，’ashetermedit；butthefirstlookintoAliceGreggory’sblue-grayeyeshadtaughthimthefallacyofthatidea。InthatveryfirstmeetingwithAlice，hefearedthathehadrevealedhissecret，forshewasplainlysonervouslydistantandillateasewithhimthathecouldbutconstrueherembarrassmentandchillydignityaspityforhimandadesiretoshowhimthatshehadnothingbutfriendshipforhim。Sincethenhehadseenbutlittleofher，partlybecausehedidnotwishtoseeher，andpartlybecausehistimewassofullyoccupied。Then，too，inaround-
　　aboutwayhehadheardarumorthatCalderwellwasengagedtobemarried；and，thoughnofemininenamehadbeenmentionedinconnectionwiththestory，ArkwrighthadnothesitatedtosupplyinhisownmindthatofAliceGreggory。
　　Beginningwiththejamboree，’whichcameoffquiteinaccordancewithCalderwell’sprophecies，ArkwrightspentthemostofsuchtimeaswasnotgiventohisprofessionaldutiesindeliberatelycultivatingthesocietyofBertramandhisfriends。Tothisextenthemetwithnodifficulty，forhefoundthatM。J。Arkwright，thenewstarintheoperaticfirmament，wasobviouslyawelcomecomrade。Beyondthisitwasnotsoeasy。Arkwrightwondered，indeed，sometimes，ifheweremakinganyprogressatall。Butstillhepersevered。
　　HewalkedwithBertram，hetalkedwithBertram，unobtrusivelyhecontrivedtobenearBertramalmostalways，whentheyweretogetherwiththeboys。’Graduallyhewonfromhimthestoryofwhatthesurgeonhadsaidtohim，andofhowblackthefuturelookedinconsequence。Thisestablishedanewbondbetweenthem，sopotentthatArkwrightventuredtotestitonedaybytellingBertramthestoryofthetigerskin——thefirsttigerskininhisuncle’slibraryyearsago，andofhow，sincethen，anydifficultyhehadencounteredhehadtriedtotreatasatigerskin。Intellingthestoryhewascarefultodrawnomoralforhislistener，andtopreachnosermon。Hetoldthetale，too，withallpossiblewhimsicallightnessoftouch，andimmediatelyatitsconclusionhechangedthesubject。
　　ButthathehadnotfailedutterlyinhisdesignwasevidencedafewdayslaterwhenBertramgrimlydeclaredthatheguessed_his_tigerskinwasalivelybeast，allright。
　　ThefirsttimeArkwrightwenthomewithBertram，hispresencewasalmostanecessity。