to　be　a　wife。　　And；　Bertram；　I　did　try；　honestly；
  all　this　week。　　I　tried　so　hard　to　remember　when
  you　sponged　bread　and　when　you　kneaded　it。''
  ‘‘I　don't　ever　need_yours_；''　cut　in　Bertram；
  shamelessly；　but　he　got　only　a　deservedly　stern
  glance　in　return。
  ‘‘And　I　repeated　over　and　over　again　how
  many　cupfuls　of　flour　and　pinches　of　salt　and
  spoonfuls　of　baking…powder　went　into　things；
  but；　Bertram；　I　simply　could　not　keep　my　mind
  on　it。　　Everything；　everywhere　was　singing　to
  me。　　And　how　do　you　suppose　I　could　remember
  how　many　pinches　of　flour　and　spoonfuls　of　salt
  and　cupfuls　of　baking…powder　went　into　a　loaf
  of　cake　when　all　the　while　the　very　teakettle　on
  the　stove　was　singing：　　‘It's　all　rightBertram
  loves　meI'm　going　to　marry　Bertram！'？''
  ‘‘You　darling！''　　（In　spite　of　the　man　across
  the　aisle　Bertram　did　almost　kiss　her　this　time。）
  ‘‘As　if　anybody　cared　how　many　cupfuls　of
  baking…powder　went　anywherewith　that　in
  your　heart！''
  ‘‘Aunt　Hannah　says　you　willwhen　you're
  hungry。　　And　Kate　said''
  Bertram　uttered　a　sharp　word　behind　his　teeth。
  ‘‘Billy；　for　heaven's　sake　don't　tell　me　what
  Kate　said；　if　you　want　me　to　stay　sane；　and　not
  attempt　to　fight　somebodybroken　arm；　and
  all。　　Kate　_thinks_　she's　kind；　and　I　suppose　she
  means　well；　butwell；　she's　made　trouble
  enough　between　us　already。　　I've　got　you　now；
  sweetheart。　　You're　mineall　mine''　his
  voice　shook；　and　dropped　to　a　tender　whisper
  ‘‘　‘till　death　us　do　part。'　''
  ‘‘Yes；　‘till　death　us　do　part；'　''　breathed　Billy。
  And　then；　for　a　time；　they　fell　silent。
  ‘‘　‘I；　Bertram；　take　thee；　Billy；'　''　sang　the
  whirring　wheels　beneath　them；　to　one。
  ‘‘　‘I；　Billy；　take　thee；　Bertram；'　''　sang　the
  whirring　wheels　beneath　them；　to　the　other。
  While　straight　ahead　before　them　both；　stretched
  fair　and　beautiful　in　their　eyes；　the　wondrous
  path　of　life　which　they　were　to　tread　together。
  CHAPTER　II
  FOR　WILLIAMA　HOME
  On　the　first　Sunday　after　the　wedding　Pete
  came　up…stairs　to　tell　his　master；　William；　that
  Mrs。　Stetson　wanted　to　see　him　in　the　drawing…
  room。
  William　went　down　at　once。
  ‘‘Well；　Aunt　Hannah；''　he　began；　reaching　out
  a　cordial　hand。　　‘‘Why；　what's　the　matter？''　he
  broke　off　concernedly；　as　he　caught　a　clearer　view
  of　the　little　old　lady's　drawn　face　and　troubled
  eyes。
  ‘‘William；　it's　silly；　of　course；''　cried　Aunt
  Hannah；　tremulously；　‘‘but　I　simply　had　to　go
  to　some　one。　　II　feel　so　nervous　and
  unsettled！　　Diddid　Billy　say　anything　to　you
  what　she　was　going　to　do？''
  ‘‘What　she　was　going　to　do？　　About　what？
  What　do　you　mean？''
  ‘‘About　the　houseselling　it；''　faltered　Aunt
  Hannah；　sinking　wearily　back　into　her　chair。
  William　frowned　thoughtfully。
  ‘‘Why；　no；''　he　answered。　　‘‘It　was　all　so
  hurried　at　the　last；　you　know。　　There　was　really
  very　little　chance　to　make　plans　for　anything
  except　the　wedding；''　he　finished；　with　a　smile。
  ‘‘Yes；　I　know；''　sighed　Aunt　Hannah。　　‘‘Everything
  was　in　such　confusion！　　Still；　I　didn't　know
  but　she　might　have　said　somethingto　you。''
  ‘‘No；　she　didn't。　　But　I　imagine　it　won't　be
  hard　to　guess　what　she'll　do。　　When　they　get
  back　from　their　trip　I　fancy　she　won't　lose　much
  time　in　having　what　things　she　wants　brought
  down　here。　　Then　she'll　sell　the　rest　and　put　the
  house　on　the　market。''
  ‘‘Yes；　ofof　course；''　stammered　Aunt　Hannah；
  pulling　herself　hastily　to　a　more　erect　position。
  ‘‘That's　what　I　thought；　too。　　Then　don't
  you　think　we'd　better　dismiss　Rosa　and　close　the
  house　at　once？''
  ‘‘Whyyes；　perhaps　so。　　Why　not？　　Then
  you'd　be　all　settled　here　when　she　comes　home。
  I'm　sure；　the　sooner　you　come；　the　better　I'll　be
  pleased；''　he　smiled。
  Aunt　Hannah　turned　sharply。
  ‘‘Here！''　she　ejaculated。　　‘‘William　Henshaw；
  you　didn't　suppose　I　was　coming　_here_　to　live；
  did　you？''
  It　was　William's　turn　to　look　amazed。
  ‘‘Why；　of　course　you're　coming　here！　　Where
  else　should　you　go；　pray？''
  ‘‘Where　I　was　beforebefore　Billy　cameto
  you；''　returned　Aunt　Hannah　a　little　tremulously；
  but　with　a　certain　dignity。　　‘‘I　shall　take　a　room
  in　some　quiet　boarding…house；　of　course。''
  ‘‘Nonsense；　Aunt　Hannah！　　As　if　Billy　would
  listen　to　that！　　You　came　before；　why　not　come
  now？''
  Aunt　Hannah　lifted　her　chin　the　fraction　of　an
  inch。
  ‘‘You　forget。　　I　was　needed　before。　　Billy　is　a
  married　woman　now。　　She　needs　no　chaperon。''
  ‘‘Nonsense！''　scowled　William；　again。　　‘‘Billy
  will　always　need　you。''
  Aunt　Hannah　shook　her　head　mournfully。
  ‘‘I　like　to　thinkshe　wants　me；　William；
  but　I　know；　in　my　heart；　it　isn't　best。''
  ‘‘Why　not？''
  There　was　a　moment's　pause；　then；　decisively
  came　the　answer。
  ‘‘Because　I　think　young　married　folks　should
  not　have　outsiders　in　the　home。''
  William　laughed　relievedly。
  ‘‘Oh；　so　that's　it！　　Well；　Aunt　Hannah；　you're
  no　outsider。　　Come；　run　right　along　home　and
  pack　your　trunk。''
  Aunt　Hannah　was　plainly　almost　crying；　but
  she　held　her　ground。
  ‘‘William；　I　can't；''　she　reiterated。
  ‘‘ButBilly　is　such　a　child；　and''
  For　once　in　her　circumspect　life　Aunt　Hannah
  was　guilty　of　an　interruption。
  ‘‘Pardon　me；　William；　she　is　not　a　child。　　She
  is　a　woman　now；　and　she　has　a　woman's　problems
  to　meet。''
  ‘‘Well；　then；　why　don't　you　help　her　meet
  them？''　retorted　William；　still　with　a　whimsical
  smile。
  But　Aunt　Hannah　did　not　smile。　　For　a　minute
  she　did　not　speak；　then；　with　her　eyes　studiously
  averted；　she　said：
  ‘‘William；　the　first　four　years　of　my　married
  life　werewere　spoiled　by　an　outsider　in　our
  home。　　I　don't　mean　to　spoil　Billy's。''
  William　relaxed　visibly。　　The　smile　fled　from
  his　face。
  ‘‘WhyAuntHannah！''　he　exclaimed。
  The　little　old　lady　turned　with　a　weary　sigh。
  ‘‘Yes；　I　know。　　You　are　shocked；　of　course。
  I　shouldn't　have　told　you。　　Still；　it　is　all　past
  long　ago；　andI　wanted　to　make　you　understand
  why　I　can't　come。　　He　was　my　husband's
  eldest　brothera　bachelor。　　He　was　good　and
  kind；　and　meant　well；　I　suppose；　buthe
  interfered　with　everything。　　I　was　young；　and
  probably　headstrong。　　At　all　events；　there　was
  constant　friction。　　He　went　away　once　and
  stayed　two　whole　months。　　I　shall　never　forget
  the　utter　freedom　and　happiness　of　those　months
  for　us；　with　the　whole　house　to　ourselves。　　No；
  William；　I　can't　come。''　　She　rose　abruptly　and
  turned　toward　the　door。　　Her　eyes　were　wistful；
  and　her　face　was　still　drawn　with　suffering；　but
  her　whole　frail　little　self　quivered　plainly　with
  high　resolve。　　‘‘John　has　Peggy　outside。　　I　must
  go。''
  ‘‘Butbut；　Aunt　Hannah；''　began　William；
  helplessly。
  She　lifted　a　protesting　hand。
  ‘‘No；　don't　urge　me；　please。　　I　can't　come　here。
  ButI　believe　I　won't　close　the　house　till　Billy
  gets　home；　after　all；''　she　declared。　　The　next
  moment　she　was　gone；　and　William；　dazedly；
  from　the　doorway；　was　watching　John　help　her
  into　Billy's　automobile；　called　by　Billy　and　half
  her　friends；　‘‘Peggy；''　short　for　‘‘Pegasus。''
  Still　dazedly　William　turned　back　into　the
  house　and　dropped　himself　into　the　nearest　chair。
  What　a　curious　call　it　had　been！　　Aunt　Hannah
  had　not　acted　like　herself　at　all。　　Not　once　had
  she　said　‘‘Oh；　my　grief　and　conscience！''　while
  the　things　she　_had_　said！　　Someway；　he　had
  never　thought　of　Aunt　Hannah　as　being　young；
  and　a　bride。　　Still；　of　course　she　must　have　been
  once。　　And　the　reason　she　gave　for　not　coming
  there　to　livethe　pitiful　story　of　that　outsider
  in　her　home！　　But　she　was　no　outsider！　　She　was
  no　interfering　brother　of　Billy's
  William　caught　his　breath　suddenly；　and　held
  it　suspended。　　Then　he　gave　a　low　ejaculation
  and　half　sprang　from　his　chair。
  Spunkie；　disturbed　from　her　doze　by　the　fire；
  uttered　a　purring　‘‘me…o…ow；''　and　looked　up　inquiringly。
  For　a　long　minute　William　gazed　dumbly　into
  the　cat's　yellow；　sleepily　contented　eyes；　then　he
  said　with　tragic　distinctness：
  ‘‘Spunkie；　it's　true：　　Aunt　Hannah　isn't　Billy's
  husband's　brother；　butI　am！　　Do　you　hear？
  I　_am！_''
  ‘‘Pur…r…me…ow！''　commented　Spunkie；　and
  curled　herself　for　another　nap。
  There　was　no　peace　for　William　after　that。　　In
  vain　he　told　himself　that　he　was　no　‘‘interfering''
  brother；　and　that　this　was　his　home　and
  had　been　all　his　life；　in　vain　did　he　declare
  emphatically　that　he　could　not　go；　he　would　not　go；
  that　Billy　would　not　wish　him　to　go：　always　before
  his　eyes　was　the　vision　of　that　little　bride　of
  years　long　gone；　always　in　his　ears　was　the　echo
  of　Aunt　Hannah's　‘‘I　shall　never　forget　the　utter
  freedom　and　happiness　of　those　months　for　us；
  with　the　whole　house　to　ourselves。''　　Nor；　turn
  which　way　he　would；　could　he　find　anything　to
  comfort　him。　　Simply　because　he　was