‘‘Why；　Alice！''　she　faltered　then。
  With　a　visible　effort　Alice　forced　her　trembling
  lips　to　speak。
  ‘‘My　husband_Mr。　Arkwright！_　　Why；　Billy；
  you　couldn't　have　seenyou　haven't　seen
  there's　nothing　you　_could_　see！　　He　isn'the
  wasn'the　can't　be！　　Wewe're　nothing　but
  friends；　Billy；　just　good　friends！''
  Billy；　though　dismayed；　was　still　not　quite
  convinced。
  ‘‘Friends！　　Nonsense！　　When''
  But　Alice　interrupted　feverishly。　　Alice；　in　an
  agony　of　fear　lest　the　true　state　of　affairs　should
  be　suspected；　was　hiding　behind　a　bulwark　of
  pride。
  ‘‘Now；　Billy；　please！　　Say　no　more。　　You're
  quite　wrong；　entirely。　　You'll　never；　never　hear　of
  my　marrying　Mr。　Arkwright。　　As　I　said　before；
  we're　friendsthe　best　of　friends；　that　is　all。
  We　couldn't　be　anything　else；　possibly！''
  Billy；　plainly　discomfited；　fell　back；　but　she
  threw　a　sharp　glance　into　her　friend's　flushed
  countenance。
  ‘‘You　meanbecause　ofHugh　Calderwell？''
  she　demanded。　　Then；　for　the　second　time
  that　afternoon　throwing　discretion　to　the　winds；
  she　went　on　plaintively：　　‘‘You　won't　listen；　of
  course。　　Girls　in　love　never　do。　　Hugh　is　all　right；
  and　I　like　him；　but　there's　more　real　solid　worth
  in　Mr。　Arkwright's　little　finger　than　there　is　in
  Hugh's　whole　self。　　And''　　But　a　merry　peal
  of　laughter　from　Alice　Greggory　interrupted。
  ‘‘And；　pray；　do　you　think　I'm　in　love　with
  Hugh　Calderwell？''　she　demanded。　　There　was
  a　curious　note　of　something　very　like　relief　in　her
  voice。
  ‘‘Well；　I　didn't　know；''　began　Billy；　uncertainly。
  ‘‘Then　I'll　tell　you　now；''　smiled　Alice。　　‘‘I'm
  not。　　Furthermore；　perhaps　it's　just　as　well　that
  you　should　know　right　now　that　I　don't　intend
  to　marryever。''
  ‘‘Oh；　Alice！''
  ‘‘No。''　　There　was　determination；　and　there
  was　still　that　curious　note　of　relief　in　the　girl's
  voice。　　It　was　as　if；　somewhere；　a　great　danger
  had　been　avoided。　　‘‘I　have　my　music。　　That　is
  enough。　　I'm　not　intending　to　marry。''
  ‘‘Oh；　but　Alice；　while　I　will　own　up　I'm　glad　it
  isn't　Hugh　Calderwell；　there　_is_　Mr。　Arkwright；
  and　I　did　hope''　　But　Alice　shook　her　head
  and　turned　resolutely　away。　　At　that　moment；
  too；　Aunt　Hannah　came　in　from　the　street；　so
  Billy　could　say　no　more。
  Aunt　Hannah　dropped　herself　a　little　wearily
  into　a　chair。
  ‘‘I've　just　come　from　Marie's；''　she　said。
  ‘‘How　is　she？''　asked　Billy。
  Aunt　Hannah　smiled；　and　raised　her　eyebrows。
  ‘‘Well；　just　now　she's　quite　exercised　over
  another　rattlefrom　her　cousin　out　West；　this
  time。　　There　were　four　little　silver　bells　on　it；
  and　she　hasn't　got　any　janitor's　wife　now　to　give
  it　to。''
  Billy　laughed　softly；　but　Aunt　Hannah　had
  more　to　say。
  ‘‘You　know　she　isn't　going　to　allow　any　toys
  but　Teddy　bears　and　woolly　lambs；　of　which；　I
  believe；　she　has　already　bought　quite　an　assortment。
  She　says　they　don't　rattle　or　squeak。　　I
  declare；　when　I　see　the　woolen　pads　and　rubber
  hushers　that　that　child　has　put　everywhere　all
  over　the　house；　I　don't　know　whether　to　laugh
  or　cry。　　And　she's　so　worried！　　It　seems　Cyril
  must　needs　take　just　this　time　to　start　composing
  a　new　opera　or　symphony；　or　something；　and
  never　before　has　she　allowed　him　to　be　interrupted
  by　anything　on　such　an　occasion。　　But　what　he'll
  do　when　the　baby　comes　she　says　she　doesn't
  know；　for　she　says　she　can'tshe　just　can't　keep
  it　from　bothering　him　some；　she's　afraid。　　As　if
  any　opera　or　symphony　that　ever　lived　was　of
  more　consequence　than　a　man's　own　child！''
  finished　Aunt　Hannah；　with　an　indignant　sniff；　as
  she　reached　for　her　shawl。
  CHAPTER　XIX
  A　TOUGH　NUT　TO　CRACK　FOR　CYRIL
  It　was　early　in　the　forenoon　of　the　first　day　of
  July　that　Eliza　told　her　mistress　that　Mrs。
  Stetson　was　asking　for　her　at　the　telephone。　　Eliza's
  face　was　not　a　little　troubled。
  ‘‘I'm　afraid；　maybe；　it　isn't　good　news；''　she
  stammered；　as　her　mistress　hurriedly　arose。
  ‘‘She's　at　Mr。　Cyril　Henshaw'sMrs。　Stetson
  isand　she　seemed　so　terribly　upset　about　something
  that　there　was　no　making　real　sense　out　of
  what　she　said。　　But　she　asked　for　you；　and　said
  to　have　you　come　quick。''
  Billy；　her　own　face　paling；　was　already　at　the
  telephone。
  ‘‘Yes；　Aunt　Hannah。　　What　is　it？''
  ‘‘Oh；　my　grief　and　conscience；　Billy；　if　you
  _can_；　come　up　here；　please。　　You　must　come！
  _Can't_　you　come？''
  ‘‘Why；　yes；　of　course。　　Butbut_Marie！_
  Thethe　_baby！_''
  A　faint　groan　came　across　the　wires。
  ‘‘Oh；　my　grief　and　conscience；　Billy！　　It　isn't
  _the_　baby。　　It's　_babies！_　　It's　twinsboys。　　Cyril
  has　them　nowthe　nurse　hasn't　got　here　yet。''
  ‘‘Twins！　　_Cyril_　has　them！''　broke　in　Billy；
  hysterically。
  ‘‘Yes；　and　they're　crying　something　terrible。
  We've　sent　for　a　second　nurse　to　come；　too；　of
  course；　but　she　hasn't　got　here　yet；　either。　　And
  those　babiesif　you　could　hear　them！　　That's
  what　we　want　you　for；　to''
  But　Billy　was　almost　laughing　now。
  ‘‘All　right；　I'll　come　outand　hear　them；''
  she　called　a　bit　wildly；　as　she　hung　up　the　receiver。
  Some　little　time　later；　a　palpably　nervous　maid
  admitted　Billy　to　the　home　of　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Cyril
  Henshaw。　　Even　as　the　door　was　opened；　Billy
  heard　faintly；　but　unmistakably；　the　moaning
  wails　of　two　infants。
  ‘‘Mrs。　Stetson　says　if　you　will　please　to　help
  Mr。　Henshaw　with　the　babies；''　stammered　the
  maid；　after　the　preliminary　questions　and
  answers。　　‘‘I've　been　in　when　I　could；　and　they're
  all　right；　only　they're　crying。　　They're　in　his　den。
  We　had　to　put　them　as　far　away　as　possible
  their　crying　worried　Mrs。　Henshaw　so。''
  ‘‘Yes；　I　see；''　murmured　Billy。　　‘‘I'll　go　to
  them　at　once。　　No；　don't　trouble　to　come。　　I
  know　the　way。　　Just　tell　Mrs。　Stetson　I'm　here；
  please；''　she　finished；　as　she　tossed　her　hat　and
  gloves　on　to　the　hall　table；　and　turned　to　go　upstairs。
  Billy's　feet　made　no　sound　on　the　soft　rugs。
  The　crying；　however；　grew　louder　and　louder　as
  she　approached　the　den。　　Softly　she　turned　the
  knob　and　pushed　open　the　door。　　She　stopped
  short；　then；　at　what　she　saw。
  Cyril　had　not　heard　her；　nor　seen　her。　　His
  back　was　partly　toward　the　door。　　His　coat　was
  off；　and　his　hair　stood　fiercely　on　end　as　if　a
  nervous　hand　had　ruffled　it。　　His　usually　pale　face
  was　very　red；　and　his　forehead　showed　great　drops
  of　perspiration。　　He　was　on　his　feet；　hovering
  over　the　couch；　at　each　end　of　which　lay　a　rumpled
  roll　of　linen；　lace；　and　flannel；　from　which　emerged
  a　prodigiously　puckered　little　face；　two　uncertainly
  waving　rose…leaf　fists；　and　a　wail　of　protesting
  rage　that　was　not　uncertain　in　the　least。
  In　one　hand　Cyril　held　a　Teddy　bear；　in　the
  other　his　watch；　dangling　from　its　fob　chain。
  Both　of　these　he　shook　feebly；　one　after　the　other；
  above　the　tiny　faces。
  ‘‘Oh；　come；　come；　pretty　baby；　good　baby；
  hush；　hush；''　he　begged　agitatedly。
  In　the　doorway　Billy　clapped　her　hands　to　her
  lips　and　stifled　a　laugh。　　Billy　knew；　of　course；
  that　what　she　should　do　was　to　go　forward　at
  once；　and　help　this　poor；　distracted　man；　but
  Billy；　just　then；　was　not　doing　what　she　knew
  she　ought　to　do。
  With　a　muttered　ejaculation　（which　Billy；　to
  her　sorrow；　could　not　catch）　Cyril　laid　down　the
  watch　and　flung　the　Teddy　bear　aside。　　Then；　in
  very　evident　despair；　he　gingerly　picked　up　one
  of　the　rumpled　rolls　of　flannel；　lace；　and　linen；
  and　held　it　straight　out　before　him。　　After　a
  moment's　indecision　he　began　awkwardly　to　jounce
  it；　teeter　it；　rock　it　back　and　forth；　and　to　pat　it
  jerkily。
  ‘‘Oh；　come；　come；　pretty　baby；　good　baby；
  hush；　hush；''　he　begged　again；　frantically。
  Perhaps　it　was　the　change　of　position；　perhaps
  it　was　the　novelty　of　the　motion；　perhaps　it　was
  only　utter　weariness；　or　lack　of　breath。　　Whatever
  the　cause；　the　wailing　sobs　from　the　bundle
  in　his　arms　dwindled　suddenly　to　a　gentle　whisper；
  then　ceased　altogether。
  With　a　ray　of　hope　illuminating　his　drawn
  countenance；　Cyril　carefully　laid　the　baby　down　and
  picked　up　the　other。　　Almost　confidently　now　he
  began　the　jouncing　and　teetering　and　rocking
  as　before。
  ‘‘There；　there！　　Oh；　come；　come；　pretty　baby；
  good　baby；　hush；　hush；''　he　chanted　again。
  This　time　he　was　not　so　successful。　　Perhaps
  he　had　lost　his　skill。　　Perhaps　it　was　merely　the
  world…old　difference　in　babies。　　At　all　events；　this
  infant　did　not　care　for　jerks　and　jounces；　and
  showed　it　plainly　by　emitting　loud　and　yet　louder
  wails　of　ragewails　in　which　his　brother　on　the
  couch　speedily　joined。
  ‘‘Oh；　come；　come；　pretty　baby；　good　baby；
  hush；　hush_confound　it_；　HUSH；　I　say！''　exploded
  the　frightened；　weary；　baffled；　distracted　man；
  picking　up　the　other　baby；　and　trying　to　hold
  both　his　sons　at　once。
  Billy　hurried　forward　then；　tearfully；　remorsefully；
  her　face　all　sympathy；　her　arms