majestic　air　Billy　rose　from　the　table　and　began
  to　clear　away　the　dishes。
  CHAPTER　XVII
  THE　EFFICIENCY　STARAND　BILLY
  Billy　was　not　a　young　woman　that　did　things
  by　halves。　　Long　ago；　in　the　days　of　her　childhood；
  her　Aunt　Ella　had　once　said　of　her：　　‘‘If
  only　Billy　didn't　go　into　things　all　over；　so；　but
  whether　it's　measles　or　mud　pies；　I　always　know
  that　she'll　be　the　measliest　or　the　muddiest　of　any
  child　in　town！''　　It　could　not　be　expected；　therefore；
  that　Billy　would　begin　to　play　her　new　rle
  now　with　any　lack　of　enthusiasm。　　But　even　had
  she　needed　any　incentive；　there　was　still　ever
  ringing　in　her　ears　Bertram's　accusing：　　‘‘If　you'd
  tend　to　your　husband　and　your　home　a　little
  more''　　Billy　still　declared　very　emphatically
  that　she　had　forgiven　Bertram；　but　she　knew；　in
  her　heart；　that　she　had　not　forgotten。
  Certainly；　as　the　days　passed；　it　could　not　be
  said　that　Billy　was　not　tending　to　her　husband
  and　her　home。　　From　morning　till　night；　now；
  she　tended　to　nothing　else。　　She　seldom　touched
  her　pianosave　to　dust　itand　she　never
  touched　her　half…finished　song…manuscript；　long
  since　banished　to　the　oblivion　of　the　music
  cabinet。　　She　made　no　calls　except　occasional　flying
  visits　to　the　Annex；　or　to　the　pretty　new　home
  where　Marie　and　Cyril　were　now　delightfully
  settled。　　The　opera　and　the　Symphony　were　over
  for　the　season；　but　even　had　they　not　been；　Billy
  could　not　have　attended　them。　　She　had　no　time。
  Surely　she　was　not　doing　any　‘‘gallivanting''
  now；　she　told　herself　sometimes；　a　little　aggrievedly。
  There　was；　indeed；　no　time。　　From　morning
  until　night　Billy　was　busy；　flying　from　one　task
  to　another。　　Her　ambition　to　have　everything
  just　right　was　equalled　only　by　her　dogged
  determination　to　‘‘just　show　them''　that　she　could　do
  this　thing。　　At　first；　of　course；　hampered　as　she
  was　by　ignorance　and　inexperience；　each　task
  consumed　about　twice　as　much　time　as　was　necessary。
  Yet　afterwards；　when　accustomedness　had
  brought　its　reward　of　speed；　there　was　still　for
  Billy　no　time；　for　increased　knowledge　had　only
  opened　the　way　to　other　paths；　untrodden　and
  alluring。　　Study　of　cookbooks　had　led　to　the
  study　of　food　values。　　Billy　discovered　suddenly
  that　potatoes；　beef；　onions；　oranges；　and
  puddings　were　something　besides　vegetables；　meat；
  fruit；　and　dessert。　　They　possessed　attributes
  known　as　proteids；　fats；　and　carbohydrates。
  Faint　memories　of　long　forgotten　school　days
  hinted　that　these　terms　had　been　heard　before；
  but　never；　Billy　was　sure；　had　she　fully　realized
  what　they　meant。
  It　was　at　this　juncture　that　Billy　ran　across　a
  book　entitled　‘‘Correct　Eating　for　Efficiency。''
  She　bought　it　at　once；　and　carried　it　home　in
  triumph。　　It　proved　to　be　a　marvelous　book。
  Billy　had　not　read　two　chapters　before　she　began
  to　wonder　how　the　family　had　managed　to　live
  thus　far　with　any　sort　of　success；　in　the　face　of
  their　dense　ignorance　and　her　own　criminal　carelessness
  concerning　their　daily　bill　of　fare。
  At　dinner　that　night　Billy　told　Bertram　and
  William　of　her　discovery；　and；　with　growing
  excitement；　dilated　on　the　wonderful　good　that　it
  was　to　bring　to　them。
  ‘‘Why；　you　don't　know；　you　can't　imagine
  what　a　treasure　it　is！''　she　exclaimed。　　‘‘It　gives
  a　complete　table　for　the　exact　balancing　of　food。''
  ‘‘For　what？''　demanded　Bertram；　glancing　up。
  ‘‘The　exact　balancing　of　food；　and　this　book
  says　that's　the　biggest　problem　that　modern　scientists
  have　to　solve。''
  ‘‘Humph！''　shrugged　Bertram。　　‘‘Well；　you
  just　balance　my　food　to　my　hunger；　and　I'll　agree
  not　to　complain。''
  ‘‘Oh；　but；　Bertram；　it's　serious；　really；''　urged
  Billy；　looking　genuinely　distressed。　　‘‘Why；　it
  says　that　what　you　eat　goes　to　make　up　what　you
  are。　　It　makes　your　vital　energies。　　Your　brain
  power　and　your　body　power　come　from　what　you
  eat。　　Don't　you　see？　　If　you're　going　to　paint　a
  picture　you　need　something　different　from　what
  you　would　if　you　were　going　toto　saw　wood；
  and　what　this　book　tells　isis　what　I　ought　to
  give　you　to　make　you　do　each　one；　I　should　think；
  from　what　I've　read　so　far。　　Now　don't　you　see
  how　important　it　is？　　What　if　I　should　give　you
  the　saw…wood　kind　of　a　breakfast　when　you　were
  just　going　up…stairs　to　paint　all　day？　　And　what
  if　I　should　give　Uncle　William　aa　soldier's
  breakfast　when　all　he　is　going　to　do　is　to　go　down
  on　State　Street　and　sit　still　all　day？''
  ‘‘Butbut；　my　dear；''　began　Uncle　William；
  looking　slightly　worried；　‘‘there's　my　eggs　that
  I　_always_　have；　you　know。''
  ‘‘For　heaven's　sake；　Billy；　what　_have_　you　got
  hold　of　now？''　demanded　Bertram；　with　just　a
  touch　of　irritation。
  Billy　laughed　merrily。
  ‘‘Well；　I　suppose　I　didn't　sound　very　logical；''
  she　admitted。　　‘‘But　the　bookyou　just　wait。
  It's　in　the　kitchen。　　I'm　going　to　get　it。''　　And
  with　laughing　eagerness　she　ran　from　the　room。
  In　a　moment　she　had　returned；　book　in　hand。
  ‘‘Now　listen。　　_This_　is　the　real　thingnot
  my　garbled　inaccuracies。　　‘The　food　which　we
  eat　serves　three　purposes：　it　builds　the　body
  substance；　bone；　muscle；　etc。；　it　produces　heat　in
  the　body；　and　it　generates　vital　energy。　　Nitrogen
  in　different　chemical　combinations　contributes
  largely　to　the　manufacture　of　body　substances；
  the　fats　produce　heat；　and　the　starches　and
  sugars　go　to　make　the　vital　energy。　　The　nitrogenous
  food　elements　we　call　proteins；　the　fats
  and　oils；　fats；　and　the　starches　and　sugars
  （because　of　the　predominance　of　carbon）；　we　call
  carbohydrates。　　Now　in　selecting　the　diet　for　the
  day　you　should　take　care　to　choose　those　foods
  which　give　the　proteins；　fats；　and　carbohydrates
  in　just　the　right　proportion。'　''
  ‘‘Oh；　Billy！''　groaned　Bertram。
  ‘‘But　it's　so；　Bertram；''　maintained　Billy；
  anxiously。　　‘‘And　it's　every　bit　here。　　I　don't
  have　to　guess　at　it　at　all。　　They　even　give　the
  quantities　of　calories　of　energy　required　for
  different　sized　men。　　I'm　going　to　measure　you
  both　to…morrow；　and　you　must　be　weighed；　too；''
  she　continued；　ignoring　the　sniffs　of　remonstrance
  from　her　two　listeners。　　‘‘Then　I'll　know　just
  how　many　calories　to　give　each　of　you。　　They　say
  a　man　of　average　size　and　weight；　and　sedentary
  occupation；　should　have　at　least　2；000　calories
  and　some　authorities　say　3；000in　this　proportion：
  proteins；　300　calories；　fats；　350　calories；
  carbohydrates；　1；350　calories。　　But　you　both　are
  taller　than　five　feet　five　inches；　and　I　should　think
  you　weighed　more　than　145　pounds；　so　I　can't
  tell　just　yet　how　many　calories　you　will　need。''
  ‘‘How　many　we　will　need；　indeed！''　ejaculated
  Bertram。
  ‘‘But；　my　dear；　you　know　I　have　to　have　my
  eggs；''　began　Uncle　William　again；　in　a　worried
  voice。
  ‘‘Of　course　you　do；　dear；　and　you　shall　have
  them；''　soothed　Billy；　brightly。　　‘‘It's　only　that
  I'll　have　to　be　careful　and　balance　up　the　other
  things　for　the　day　accordingly。　　Don't　you　see？
  Now　listen。　　We'll　see　what　eggs　are。''　　She
  turned　the　leaves　rapidly。　　‘‘Here's　the　food
  table。　　It's　lovely。　　It　tells　everything。　　I　never
  saw　anything　so　wonderful。　　Abcde
  here　we　are。　　‘Eggs；　scrambled　or　boiled；　fats
  and　proteins；　one　egg；　100。'　　If　it's　poached　it's
  only　50；　but　you　like　yours　boiled；　so　we'll　have
  to　reckon　on　the　100。　　And　you　always　have
  two；　so　that　means　200　calories　in　fats　and
  proteins。　　Now；　don't　you　see？　　If　you　can't　have
  but　300　proteins　and　350　fats　all　day；　and　you've
  already　eaten　200　in　your　two　eggs；　that'll　leave
  juster450　for　all　the　rest　of　the　day；of
  fats　and　proteins；　you　understand。　　And　you've
  no　idea　how　fast　that'll　count　up。　　Why；　just　one
  serving　of　butter　is　100　of　fats；　and　eight　almonds
  is　another；　while　a　serving　of　lentils　is　100　of
  proteins。　　So　you　see　how　it'll　go。''
  ‘‘Yes；　I　see；''　murmured　Uncle　William；　casting
  a　mournful　glance　about　the　generously　laden
  table；　much　as　if　he　were　bidding　farewell　to　a
  departing　friend。　　‘‘But　if　I　should　want　more
  to　eat''　　He　stopped　helplessly；　and　Bertram's
  aggrieved　voice　filled　the　pause。
  ‘‘Look　here；　Billy；　if　you　think　I'm　going　to
  be　measured　for　an　egg　and　weighed　for　an　almond；
  you're　much　mistaken；　because　I'm　not。
  I　want　to　eat　what　I　like；　and　as　much　as　I　like；
  whether　it's　six　calories　or　six　thousand！''
  Billy　chuckled；　but　she　raised　her　hands　in
  pretended　shocked　protest。
  ‘‘Six　thousand！　　Mercy！　　Bertram；　I　don't
  know　what　would　happen　if　you　ate　that　quantity；
  but　I'm　sure　you　couldn't　paint。　　You'd
  just　have　to　saw　wood　and　dig　ditches　to　use　up
  all　that　vital　energy。''
  ‘‘Humph！''　scoffed　Bertram。
  ‘‘Besides；　this　is　for　_efficiency_；''　went　on　Billy；
  with　an　earnest　air。　　‘‘This　man　owns　up　that
  some　may　think　a　2；000　calory　ration　is　altogether
  too　small；　and　he　advises　such　to　begin　with