Miss　Billie　Married
  by　Eleanor　H。　Porter
  TO
  My　Cousin　Maud
  CONTENTS
  CHAPTER
  I。　　　　　　SOME　OPINIONS　AND　A　WEDDING
  II。　　　　　FOR　WILLIAMA　HOME
  III。　　　　BILLY　SPEAKS　HER　MIND
  IV。　　　　　JUST　LIKE　BILLY
  V。　　　　　　TIGER　SKINS
  VI。　　　　　‘‘THE　PAINTING　LOOK''
  VII。　　　　THE　BIG　BAD　QUARREL
  VIII。　　　BILLY　CULTIVATES　A　COMFORTABLE　INDIFFERENCE''
  IX。　　　　　THE　DINNER　BILLY　TRIED　TO　GET
  X。　　　　　　THE　DINNER　BILLY　GOT
  XI。　　　　　CALDERWELL　DOES　SOME　QUESTIONING
  XII。　　　　FOR　BILLYSOME　ADVICE
  XIII。　　　PETE
  XIV。　　　　WHEN　BERTRAM　CAME　HOME
  XV。　　　　　AFTER　THE　STORM
  XVI。　　　　INTO　TRAINING　FOR　MARY　ELLEN
  XVII。　　　THE　EFFICIENCY　STARAND　BILLY
  XVIII。　　BILLY　TRIES　HER　HAND　AT　‘‘MANAGING''
  XIX。　　　　A　TOUGH　NUT　TO　CRACK　FOR　CYRIL
  XX。　　　　　ARKWRIGHT'S　EYES　ARE　OPENED
  XXI。　　　　BILLY　TAKES　HER　TURN　AT　QUESTIONING
  XXII。　　　A　DOT　AND　A　DIMPLE
  XXIII。　　BILLY　AND　THE　ENORMOUS　RESPONSIBILITY
  XXIV。　　　A　NIGHT　OFF
  XXV。　　　　‘‘SHOULD　AULD　ACQUAINTANCE　BE　FORGOT''
  XXVI。　　　GHOSTS　THAT　WALKED　FOR　BERTRAM
  XXVII。　　THE　MOTHERTHE　WIFE
  XXVIII。　CONSPIRATORS
  XXIX。　　　CHESS
  XXX。　　　　BY　A　BABY'S　HAND
  Miss　BillyMarried
  CHAPTER　I
  SOME　OPINIONS　AND　A　WEDDING
  ‘‘I；　Bertram；　take　thee；　Billy；''　chanted　the
  white…robed　clergyman。
  ‘‘　‘I；　Bertram；　take　thee；　Billy；'　''　echoed　the
  tall　young　bridegroom；　his　eyes　gravely　tender。
  ‘‘To　my　wedded　wife。''
  ‘‘　‘To　my　wedded　wife。'　''　　The　bridegroom's
  voice　shook　a　little。
  ‘‘To　have　and　to　hold　from　this　day　forward。''
  ‘‘　‘To　have　and　to　hold　from　this　day
  forward。'　''　　Now　the　young　voice　rang　with
  triumph。　　It　had　grown　strong　and　steady。
  ‘‘For　better　for　worse。''
  ‘‘　‘For　better　for　worse。'　''
  ‘‘For　richer　for　poorer；''　droned　the　clergyman；
  with　the　weariness　of　uncounted　repetitions。
  ‘‘　‘For　richer　for　poorer；'　''　avowed　the
  bridegroom；　with　the　decisive　emphasis　of　one　to
  whom　the　words　are　new　and　significant。
  ‘‘In　sickness　and　in　health。''
  ‘‘　‘In　sickness　and　in　health。'　''
  ‘‘To　love　and　to　cherish。''
  ‘‘　‘To　love　and　to　cherish。'　''　　The　younger
  voice　carried　infinite　tenderness　now。
  ‘‘Till　death　us　do　part。''
  ‘‘　‘Till　death　us　do　part；'　''　repeated　the
  bridegroom's　lips；　but　everybody　knew　that　what　his
  heart　said　was：　　‘‘Now；　and　through　all　eternity。''
  ‘‘According　to　God's　holy　ordinance。''
  ‘‘　‘According　to　God's　holy　ordinance。'　''
  ‘‘And　thereto　I　plight　thee　my　troth。''
  ‘‘　‘And　thereto　I　plight　thee　my　troth。'　''
  There　was　a　faint　stir　in　the　room。　　In　one
  corner　a　white…haired　woman　blinked　tear…wet
  eyes　and　pulled　a　fleecy　white　shawl　more　closely
  about　her　shoulders。　　Then　the　minister's　voice
  sounded　again。
  ‘‘I；　Billy；　take　thee；　Bertram。''
  ‘‘　‘I；　Billy；　take　thee；　Bertram。'　''
  This　time　the　echoing　voice　was　a　feminine　one；
  low　and　sweet；　but　clearly　distinct；　and　vibrant
  with　joyous　confidence；　on　through　one　after　another
  of　the　ever　familiar；　but　ever　impressive
  phrases　of　the　service　that　gives　into　the　hands
  of　one　man　and　of　one　woman　the　future　happiness；
  each　of　the　other。
  The　wedding　was　at　noon。　　That　evening　Mrs。
  Kate　Hartwell；　sister　of　the　bridegroom；　wrote
  the　following　letter：
  BOSTON；　July　15th。
  ‘‘MY　DEAR　HUSBAND：Well；　it's　all　over
  with；　and　they're　married。　　I　couldn't　do　one
  thing　to　prevent　it。　　Much　as　ever　as　they　would
  even　listen　to　what　I　had　to　sayand　when
  they　knew　how　I　had　hurried　East　to　say　it；　too；
  with　only　two　hours'　notice！
  ‘‘But　then；　what　can　you　expect？　　From　time
  immemorial　lovers　never　did　have　any　sense；
  and　when　those　lovers　are　such　irresponsible
  flutterbudgets　as　Billy　and　Bertram！
  ‘‘And　such　a　wedding！　　I　couldn't　do　anything
  with　_that_；　either；　though　I　tried　hard。　　They　had
  it　in　Billy's　living…room　at　noon；　with　nothing
  but　the　sun　for　light。　　There　was　no　maid　of　honor；
  no　bridesmaids；　no　wedding　cake；　no　wedding
  veil；　no　presents　（except　from　the　family；　and　from
  that　ridiculous　Chinese　cook　of　brother　William's；
  Ding　Dong；　or　whatever　his　name　is。　　He　tore　in
  just　before　the　wedding　ceremony；　and　insisted
  upon　seeing　Billy　to　give　her　a　wretched　little
  green　stone　idol；　which　he　declared　would　bring
  her　‘heap　plenty　velly　good　luckee'　if　she
  received　it　before　she　‘got　married。'　　I　wouldn't
  have　the　hideous；　grinning　thing　around；　but
  William　says　it's　real　jade；　and　very　valuable；　and
  of　course　Billy　was　crazy　over　itor　pretended
  to　be）。　　There　was　no　trousseau；　either；　and　no
  reception。　　There　was　no　anything　but　the　bridegroom；
  and　when　I　tell　you　that　Billy　actually
  declared　that　was　all　she　wanted；　you　will　understand
  how　absurdly　in　love　she　isin　spite　of　all
  those　weeks　and　weeks　of　broken　engagement
  when　I；　at　least；　supposed　she　had　come　to　her
  senses；　until　I　got　that　crazy　note　from　Bertram
  a　week　ago　saying　they　were　to　be　married　today。
  ‘‘I　can't　say　that　I've　got　any　really
  satisfactory　explanation　of　the　matter。　　Everything　has
  been　in　such　a　hubbub；　and　those　two　ridiculous
  children　have　been　so　afraid　they　wouldn't　be
  together　every　minute　possible；　that　any　really
  rational　conversation　with　either　of　them　was　out
  of　the　question。　　When　Billy　broke　the　engagement
  last　spring　none　of　us　knew　why　she　had　done
  it；　as　you　know；　and　I　fancy　we　shall　be　almost
  as　much　in　the　dark　as　to　why　she　hasermended
  it　now；　as　you　might　say。　　As　near　as　I
  can　make　out；　however；　she　thought　he　didn't
  want　her；　and　he　thought　she　didn't　want　him。　　I
  believe　matters　were　still　further　complicated　by
  a　girl　Bertram　was　painting；　and　a　young　fellow
  that　used　to　sing　with　Billya　Mr。　Arkwright。
  ‘‘Anyhow；　things　came　to　a　head　last　spring；
  Billy　broke　the　engagement　and　fled　to　parts　unknown
  with　Aunt　Hannah；　leaving　Bertram　here
  in　Boston　to　alternate　between　stony　despair　and
  reckless　gayety；　according　to　William；　and　it　was
  while　he　was　in　the　latter　mood　that　he　had　that
  awful　automobile　accident　and　broke　his　arm
  and　almost　his　neck。　　He　was　wildly　delirious；
  and　called　continually　for　Billy。
  ‘‘Well；　it　seems　Billy　didn't　know　all　this；
  but　a　week　ago　she　came　home；　and　in　some　way
  found　out　about　it；　I　think　through　PeteWilliam's
  old　butler；　you　know。　　Just　exactly　what
  happened　I　can't　say；　but　I　do　know　that　she
  dragged　poor　old　Aunt　Hannah　down　to　Bertram's
  at　some　unearthly　hour；　and　in　the　rain；
  and　Aunt　Hannah　couldn't　do　a　thing　with　her。
  All　Billy　would　say；　was；　‘Bertram　wants　me。'
  And　Aunt　Hannah　told　me　that　if　I　could　have
  seen　Billy's　face　I'd　have　known　that　she'd　have
  gone　to　Bertram　then　if　he'd　been　at　the　top　of
  the　Himalaya　Mountains；　or　at　the　bottom　of　the
  China　Sea。　　So　perhaps　it's　just　as　wellfor
  Aunt　Hannah's　sake；　at　leastthat　he　was　in
  no　worse　place　than　on　his　own　couch　at　home。
  Anyhow；　she　went；　and　in　half　an　hour　they
  blandly　informed　Aunt　Hannah　that　they　were
  going　to　be　married　to…day。
  ‘‘Aunt　Hannah　said　she　tried　to　stop　that；　and
  get　them　to　put　it　off　till　October　（the　original
  date；　you　know）；　but　Bertram　was　obdurate。
  And　when　he　declared　he'd　marry　her　the　next
  day　if　it　wasn't　for　the　new　license　law；　Aunt
  Hannah　said　she　gave　up　for　fear　he'd　get　a　special
  dispensation；　or　go　to　the　Governor　or　the　President；
  or　do　some　other　dreadful　thing。　　（What　a
  funny　old　soul　Aunt　Hannah　is！）　　Bertram　told
  _me_　that　he　should　never　feel　safe　till　Billy　was
  really　his；　that　she'd　read　something；　or　hear
  something；　or　think　something；　or　get　a　letter
  from　me　（as　if　anything　_I_　could　say　would　do
  any　good…or　harm！）；　and　so　break　the　engagement
  again。
  ‘‘Well；　she's　his　now；　so　I　suppose　he's
  satisfied；　though；　for　my　part；　I　haven't　changed　my
  mind　at　all。　　I　still　say　that　they　are　not　one　bit
  suited　to　each　other；　and　that　matrimony　will
  simply　ruin　his　career。　　Bertram　never　has　loved
  and　never　will　love　any　girl　longexcept　to
  paint。　　But　if　he　simply　_would_　get　married；　why
  couldn't　he　have　taken　a　nice；　sensible　domestic
  girl　that　would　have　kept　him　fed　and
  mended？
  ‘‘Not　but　that　I'm　very　fond　of　Billy；　as　you
  know；　dear；　but　imagine　Billy　as　a　wifeworse
  yet；　a　mother！　　Billy's　a　dear　girl；　but　she　knows
  about　as　much　of　real　life　and　its　problems　as
  as　our　little　Kate。　　A　more　impulsive；　irresponsible；
  regardless…of…consequences　young　woman　I
  never　saw。　　She　can　play　divinely；　and　write
  delightful　songs；　I'll　acknowledge；　but　what　is　that
  when　a　man　is　hungry；　or　has　lost　a　button？
  ‘‘Billy　has　had　her　own　way；　and　had　everything
  she　wanted　for　years　nowa　rather　dangerous
  preparation　for　marriage；　especially　marriage
  to　a　fellow　like　Bertram　who　has　had　_his_
  own　way　and　everything　_he's_　wanted　for　years。