AndleaveUncleWilliamonabenchintheCommon？Indeed，no!Why，Bertram，youwouldn’t，either，’shecried，assheturnedresolutelytowardoneoftheentrancestotheCommon。
　　AndBertram，withtheeyesallshining’
　　stillbeforehim，couldonlymurmur：No，ofcoursenot，dear!’andfollowobedientlywheresheled。
　　Underordinarycircumstancesitwouldhavebeenadelightfulhourforawalk。Thesunhadalmostset，andtheshadowslaylongacrossthegrass。TheairwascoolandunusuallybracingforadaysoearlyinSeptember。ButallthiswaslostonBertram。Bertramdidnotwishtotakeawalk。Hewashungry。Hewantedhisdinner；andhewanted，too，hisoldhomewithhisnewwifeflittingabouttheroomsashehadpicturedthisfirsteveningtogether。HewantedWilliam，ofcourse。CertainlyhewantedWilliam；
　　butifWilliamwouldinsistonrunningawayandsittingonparkbenchesinthisridiculousfashion，heoughttotaketheconsequences——
　　untilto-morrow。
　　Five，ten，fifteenminutespassed。Uponepathanddownanothertrudgedtheanxious-eyedBillyandherincreasinglyimpatienthusband。Thenwhenthefifteenwearyminuteshadbecomeastillmorewearyhalf-hour，thebondsBertramhadsetonhistempersnapped。
　　Billy，’heremonstrateddespairingly，do，please，comehome!Don’tyouseehowhighlyimprobableitisthatweshouldhappenonWilliamifwewalkedlikethisallnight？Hemightmove——changehisseat——gohome，even。Heprobablyhasgonehome。Andsurelyneverbeforedidabrideinsistonspendingthefirsteveningafterherreturntrampingupanddownapublicparkforhourafterhourlikethis，lookingforanyman。_Won’t_youcomehome？’
　　ButBillyhadnotevenheard。Withagladlittlecryshehaddartedtothesideofthehumped-upfigureofamanaloneonaparkbenchjustaheadofthem。
　　UncleWilliam!Oh，UncleWilliam，howcouldyou？’shecried，droppingherselfontooneendoftheseatandcatchingtheman’sarminbothherhands。
　　Yes，howcouldyou？’demandedBertram，withjustatouchofirritation，droppinghimselfontotheotherendoftheseat，andcatchingtheman’sotherarminhisoneusablehand。
　　Thebentshouldersandbowedheadstraightenedupwithajerk。
　　Well，well，blessmysoul!Ifitisn’tourlittlebride，’criedUncleWilliam，fondly。Andthehappybridegroom，too。Whendidyougethome？’
　　Wehaven’tgothome，’retortedBertram，promptly，beforehiswifecouldspeak。Oh，welookedinatthedooranhourorsoback；butwedidn’tstay。We’vebeenhuntingforyoueversince。’
　　Nonsense，children!’UncleWilliamspokewithgaycheeriness；butherefusedtomeeteitherBilly’sorBertram’seyes。
　　UncleWilliam，howcouldyoudoit？’
　　reproachedBilly，again。
　　Dowhat？’UncleWilliamwasplainlyfencingfortime。
　　Leavethehouselikethat？’
　　Ho!Iwantedachange。’
　　Asifwe’dbelievethat!’scoffedBilly。
　　Allright；let’scallityou’vehadthechange，then，’laughedBertram，andwe’llsendoverforyourthingsto-morrow。Come——nowlet’sgohometodinner。’
　　Williamshookhishead。Heessayedagaysmile。
　　Why，I’veonlyjustbegun。I’mgoingtostay——oh，Idon’tknowhowlongI’mgoingtostay，’hefinishedblithely。
　　Billyliftedherchinalittle。
　　UncleWilliam，youaren’tplayingsquare。
　　Petetolduswhatyousaidwhenyouleft。’
　　Eh？What？’Williamlookedupwithstartledeyes。
　　About——aboutournot_needing_you。Soweknow，now，whyyouleft；andwe_sha’n’tstand_
　　it。’
　　Pete？That？Oh，that——that’snonsenseI——I’llsettlewithPete。’
　　Billylaughedsoftly。
　　PoorPete!Don’t。Wesimplydraggeditoutofhim。Andnowwe’reheretotellyouthatwe_do_wantyou，andthatyou_must_comeback。’
　　AgainWilliamshookhishead。Aswiftshadowcrossedhisface。
　　Thankyou，no，children，’hesaiddully。
　　You’reverykind，butyoudon’tneedme。I
　　shouldbejustaninterferingelderbrother。I
　　shouldspoilyouryoungmarriedlife。’William’svoicenowsoundedasifhewererecitingawell-
　　learnedlesson。’IfIwentawayandstayedtwomonths，you’dneverforgettheutterfreedomandjoyofthosetwowholemonthswiththehousealltoyourselves。’
　　UncleWilliam，’gaspedBilly，what_are_
　　youtalkingabout？’
　　About——aboutmynotgoingback，ofcourse。’
　　Butyouarecomingback，’cutinBertram，almostangrily。Oh，come，Will，thisisutternonsense，andyouknowit!Come，let’sgohometodinner。’
　　AsternlookcametothecornersofWilliam’smouth——alookthatBertramunderstoodwell。
　　Allright，I’llgotodinner，ofcourse；butIsha’n’tstay，’saidWilliam，firmly。I’vethoughtitallout。IknowI’mright。Come，we’llgotodinnernow，andsaynomoreaboutit，’hefinishedwithacheerysmile，asherosetohisfeet。Then，tothebride，headded：Didyouhaveanicetrip，littlegirl？’
　　Billy，too，hadrisen，now，butshedidnotseemtohaveheardhisquestion。Inthefastfallingtwilightherfacelookedalittlewhite。
　　UncleWilliam，’shebeganveryquietly，doyouthinkforaminutethatjustbecauseImarriedyourbrotherIamgoingtoliveinthathouseandturnyououtofthehomeyou’velivedinallyourlife？’
　　Nonsense，dear!I’mnotturnedout。Ijustgo，’correctedUncleWilliam，gayly。
　　WithsuperbdisdainBillybrushedthisaside。
　　Oh，no，youwon’t，’shedeclared；but——
　　_Ishall_。’
　　Billy!’gaspedBertram。
　　My——mydear!’expostulatedWilliam，faintly。
　　UncleWilliam!Bertram!Listen，’pantedBilly。Inevertoldyoumuchbefore，butI’mgoingto，now。Longago，whenIwentawaywithAuntHannah，yoursisterKateshowedmehowdeartheoldhomewastoyou——howmuchyouthoughtofit。Andshesaid——shesaidthatIhadupseteverything。’Bertraminterjectedasharpword，butBillypaidnoattention。That’swhyIwent；and_Ishallgoagain_——ifyoudon’tcomehometo-morrowtostay，UncleWilliam。
　　Come，nowlet’sgotodinner，please。Bertram’shungry，’shefinished，withabrightsmile。
　　Therewasatensemomentofsilence。WilliamglancedatBertram；Bertramreturnedtheglance——withinterest。
　　Er——ah——yes；well，wemightgotodinner，’
　　stammeredWilliam，afteraminute。
　　Er——yes，’agreedBertram。Andthethreefellintosteptogether。
　　CHAPTERIV
　　JUSTLIKEBILLY’
　　BillydidnotleavetheStratathistime。
　　Beforetwenty-fourhourshadpassed，thelastcherishedfragmentofMr。WilliamHenshaw’spossessionshadbeencarefullycarrieddowntheimposingstepsoftheBeaconHillboarding-houseunderthedisapprovingeyesofitsbugle-adornedmistress，whofoundherselfnowwithamonth’sadvancerentandtwovacantparlors’onherhands。Beforeanothertwenty-fourhourshadpassedherquondamboarder，withatiredsigh，sankintohisfavoritemorrischairinhisoldfamiliarrooms，andlookedabouthimwithcontentedeyes。Everytreasurewasinplace，fromthetraditionalfoursmallstonesofhisbabyhooddaystotheBatterseasBillyhadjustbroughthim。
　　Pete，asofyore，washoveringnearwithadust-
　　cloth。Bertram’sgaywhistlesoundedfromthefloorbelow。WilliamHenshawwasathomeagain。
　　Thismuchaccomplished，BillywenttoseeAuntHannah。
　　AuntHannahgreetedheraffectionately，thoughwithtearfullytroubledeyes。Shewaswearingagrayshawlto-daytoppedwithablackone——
　　suresignofunrest，eitherphysicalormental，asallherfriendsknew。
　　I’dbeguntothinkyou’dforgotten——me，’
　　shefaltered，withapoorattemptatgayety。
　　You’vebeenhomethreewholedays。’
　　Iknow，dearie，’smiledBilly；and’twasashame。ButIhavebeensobusy!Mytrunkscameatlast，andI’vebeenhelpingUncleWilliamgetsettled，too。’
　　AuntHannahlookedpuzzled。
　　UncleWilliamgetsettled？Youmean——
　　he’schangedhisroom？’
　　Billylaughedoddly，andthrewaswiftglanceintoAuntHannah’sface。
　　Well，yes，hedidchange，’shemurmured；
　　buthe’smovedbacknowintotheoldquarters。
　　Er——youhaven’theardfromUncleWilliamthen，lately，Itakeit。’
　　No。’AuntHannahshookherheadabstractedly。Ididseehimonce，severalweeksago；butIhaven’t，since。Wehadquiteatalk，then；and，Billy，I’vebeenwantingtospeaktoyou，’shehurriedon，alittlefeverishly。I
　　didn’tliketoleave，ofcourse，tillyoudidcomehome，aslongasyou’dsaidnothingaboutyourplans；but——’
　　Leave!’interposedBilly，dazedly。Leavewhere？Whatdoyoumean？’
　　Why，leavehere，ofcourse，dear。Imean。
　　Ididn’tliketogetmyroomwhileyouwereaway；butIshallnow，ofcourse，atonce。’
　　Nonsense，AuntHannah!AsifI’dletyoudothat，’laughedBilly。
　　AuntHannahstiffenedperceptibly。Herlipslookedsuddenlythinanddetermined。Eventhesoftlittlecurlsaboveherearsseemedactuallytobristlewithresolution。
　　Billy，’shebeganfirmly，wemightaswellunderstandeachotheratonce。Iknowyourgoodheart，andIappreciateyourkindness。ButIcannotcometolivewithyou。Ishallnot。Itwouldn’tbebest。Ishouldbelikeaninterferingelderbrotherinyourhome。Ishouldspoilyouryoungmarriedlife；andifIwentawayfortwomonthsyou’dneverforgettheutterjoyandfreedomofthosetwomonthswiththewholehousealitoyourselves。’
　　AtthebeginningofthisspeechBilly’seyeshadstillcarriedtheirdancingsmile，butastheperorationprogressedontotheend，adawningsurprise，whichsoonbecameapuzzledquestioning，drovethesmileaway。ThenBillysatsuddenlyerect。
　　Why，AuntHannah，that’sexactlywhatUncleWilliam——’Billystopped，andregardedAuntHannahwithquicksuspicion。Thenextmomentsheburstintogleefullaughter。
　　AuntHannahlookedgrieved，andnotalittlesurprised；butBillydidnotseemtonoticethis。
　　Oh，oh，AuntHannah——you，too!Howperfectlyfunny!’shegurgled。Tothinkyoutwooldblessedsshouldgetyourheadstogetherlikethis!’
　　AuntHannahstirredrestively，andpulledtheblackshawlmorecloselyabouther。
　　Indeed，Billy，Idon’tknowwhatyoumeanbythat，’shesighed，withavisibleeffortatself-
　　control；butIdoknowthatIcannotgotolivewithyou。’
　　Blessyourheart，dear，Idon’twantyouto，’
　　soothedBilly，withgaypromptness。
　　Oh!O-h-h，’stammeredAuntHannah，surprise，mortification，dismay，andagrievedhurtbringingafloodofcolortoherface。Itisonethingtorefuseahome，andquiteanothertohaveahomerefusedyou。
　　Oh!O-h-h，AuntHannah，’criedBilly，turningveryredinherturn。Please，_please_don’tlooklikethat。Ididn’tmeanitthatway。Idowantyou，dear，only——Iwantyousomewhereelsemore。Iwantyou——here。’
　　Here!’AuntHannahlookedrelieved，butunconvinced。
　　Yes。Don’tyoulikeithere？’
　　Likeit!Why，Iloveit，dear。YouknowI
　　do。Butyoudon’tneedthishousenow，Billy。’
　　Oh，yes，Ido，’retortedBilly，airily。I’mgoingtokeepitup，andIwantyouhere。
　　Fiddlededee，Billy!AsifI’dletyoukeepupthishousejustforme，’scornedAuntHannah。
　　’Tisn’tjustforyou。It’sfor——forlotsoffolks。’
　　Mygriefandconscience，Billy!Whatareyoutalkingabout？’
　　Billylaughed，andsettledherselfmorecomfortablyonthehassockatAuntHannah’sfeet。