Billy　had　to　apologize　again　at　the　theater；　for
  the　curtain　had　already　risen　on　the　ancient　quarrel
  between　the　houses　of　Capulet　and　Montague；
  and　Billy　knew　her　husband's　special　abhorrence
  of　tardy　arrivals。　　Later；　though；　when　well
  established　in　their　seats；　Billy's　mind　was　plainly
  not　with　the　players　on　the　stage。
  ‘‘Do　you　suppose　Baby　_is_　all　right？''　she
  whispered；　after　a　time。
  ‘‘Sh…h！　　Of　course　he　is；　dear！''
  There　was　a　brief　silence；　during　which　Billy
  peered　at　her　program　in　the　semi…darkness。
  Then　she　nudged　her　husband's　arm　ecstatically。
  ‘‘Bertram；　I　couldn't　have　chosen　a　better
  play　if　I'd　tried。　　There　are　_five_　acts！　　I'd　forgotten
  there　were　so　many。　　That　means　you　can
  telephone　four　times！''
  ‘‘Yes；　dear。''　　Bertram's　voice　was　sternly
  cheerful。
  ‘‘You　must　be　sure　they　tell　you　exactly　how
  Baby　is。''
  ‘‘All　right；　dear。　　Sh…h！　　Here's　Romeo。''
  Billy　subsided。　　She　even　clapped　a　little　in
  spasmodic　enthusiasm。　　Presently　she　peered　at
  her　program　again。
  ‘‘There　wouldn't　be　time；　I　suppose；　to　telephone
  between　the　scenes；''　she　hazarded　wistfully。
  ‘‘There　are　sixteen　of　those！''
  ‘‘Well；　hardly！　　Billy；　you　aren't　paying　one
  bit　of　attention　to　the　play！''
  ‘‘Why；　of　course　I　am；''　whispered　Billy；
  indignantly。　　‘‘I　think　it's　perfectly　lovely；　and
  I'm　perfectly　contented；　toosince　I　found　out
  about　those　five　acts；　and　as　long　as　I　_can't_　have
  the　sixteen　scenes；''　she　added；　settling　back　in
  her　seat。
  As　if　to　prove　that　she　was　interested　in　the
  play；　her　next　whisper；　some　time　later；　had　to
  do　with　one　of　the　characters　on　the　stage。
  ‘‘Who's　thatthe　nurse？　　Mercy！　　We
  wouldn't　want　her　for　Baby；　would　we？''
  In　spite　of　himself　Bertram　chuckled　this　time。
  Billy；　too；　laughed　at　herself。　　Then；　resolutely；
  she　settled　into　her　seat　again。
  The　curtain　was　not　fairly　down　on　the　first
  act　before　Billy　had　laid　an　urgent　hand　on　her
  husband's　arm。
  ‘‘Now；　remember；　ask　if　he's　waked　up；　or
  anything；''　she　directed。　　‘‘And　be　sure　to　say　I'll
  come　right　home　if　they　need　me。　　Now　hurry。''
  ‘‘Yes；　dear。''　　Bertram　rose　with　alacrity。
  ‘‘I'll　be　back　right　away。''
  ‘‘Oh；　but　I　don't　want　you　to　hurry　_too_　much；''
  she　called　after　him；　softly。　　‘‘I　want　you　to　take
  plenty　of　time　to　ask　questions。''
  ‘‘All　right；''　nodded　Bertram；　with　a　quizzical
  smile；　as　he　turned　away。
  Obediently　Bertram　asked　all　the　question
  she　could　think　of；　then　came　back　to　his　wife。
  There　was　nothing　in　his　report　that　even　Billy
  could　disapprove　of；　or　worry　about；　and　with
  almost　a　contented　look　on　her　face　she　turned
  toward　the　stage　as　the　curtain　went　up　on　the
  second　act。
  ‘‘I　love　this　balcony　scene；''　she　sighed　happily。
  Romeo；　however；　had　not　half　finished　his
  impassioned　love…making　when　Billy　clutched　her
  husband's　arm　almost　fiercely。
  ‘‘Bertram；''　she　fairly　hissed　in　a　tragic
  whisper；　‘‘I've　just　happened　to　think！　　Won't　it　be
  awful　when　Baby　falls　in　love？　　I　know　I　shall
  just　hate　that　girl　for　taking　him　away　from　me！''
  ‘‘Sh…h！　　_Billy！_''　expostulated　her　husband；
  choking　with　half…stifled　laughter。　　‘‘That　woman
  in　front　heard　you；　I　know　she　did！''
  ‘‘Well；　I　shall；''　sighed　Billy；　mournfully；
  turning　back　to　the　stage。
  ‘‘　‘Good　night；　good　night！　parting　is　such　sweet　sorrow；
  That　I　shall　say　good　night；　till　it　be　morrow；'''
  sighed　Juliet　passionately　to　her　Romeo。
  ‘‘Mercy！　　I　hope　not；''　whispered　Billy　flippantly
  in　Bertram's　ear。　　‘‘I'm　sure　I　don't　want
  to　stay　here　till　to…morrow！　　I　want　to　go　home
  and　see　Baby。''
  ‘‘_Billy！_''　pleaded　Bertram　so　despairingly；
  that　Billy；　really　conscience…smitten；　sat　back　in
  her　seat　and　remained；　for　the　rest　of　the　act；
  very　quiet　indeed。
  Deceived　by　her　apparent　tranquillity；　Bertram
  turned　as　the　curtain　went　down。
  ‘‘Now；　Billy；　surely　you　don't　think　it'll　be
  necessary　to　telephone　so　soon　as　this　again；''　he
  ventured。
  Billy's　countenance　fell。
  ‘‘But；　Bertram；　you　_said_　you　would！　　Of　course
  if　you　aren't　willing　tobut　I've　been　counting　on
  hearing　all　through　this　horrid　long　act；　and''
  ‘‘Goodness　me；　Billy；　I'll　telephone　every
  minute　for　you；　of　course；　if　you　want　me　to；''
  cried　Bertram；　springing　to　his　feet；　and　trying
  not　to　show　his　impatience。
  He　was　back　more　promptly　this　time。
  ‘‘Everything　0。　K。；''　he　smiled　reassuringly
  into　Billy's　anxious　eyes。　　‘‘Delia　said　she'd　just
  been　up；　and　the　little　chap　was　sound　asleep。''
  To　the　man's　unbounded　surprise；　his　wife
  grew　actually　white。
  ‘‘Up！　　Up！''　she　exclaimed。　　‘‘Do　you　mean
  that　Delia　went　down…stairs　to　_stay_；　and　left　my
  baby　up　there　alone？''
  ‘‘But；　Billy；　she　said　he　was　all　right；''
  murmured　Bertram；　softly；　casting　uneasy　sidelong
  glances　at　his　too　interested　neighbors。
  ‘‘　‘All　right'！　　Perhaps　he　was；　_then_but　he
  may　not　be；　later。　　Delia　should　stay　in　the　next
  room　all　the　time；　where　she　could　hear　the　least
  thing。''
  ‘‘Yes；　dear；　she　will；　I'm　sure；　if　you　tell　her
  to；''　soothed　Bertram；　quickly。　　‘‘It'll　be　all
  right　next　time。''
  Billy　shook　her　head。　　She　was　obviously　near
  to　crying。
  ‘‘But；　Bertram；　I　can't　stand　it　to　sit　here
  enjoying　myself　all　safe　and　comfortable；　and　know
  that　Baby　is　_alone_　up　there　in　that　great　big　room！
  Please；　_please_　won't　you　go　and　telephone　Delia
  to　go　up　_now_　and　stay　there？''
  Bertram；　weary；　sorely　tried；　and　increasingly
  aware　of　those　annoyingly　interested　neighbors；
  was　on　the　point　of　saying　a　very　decided　no；　but
  a　glance　into　Billy's　pleading　eyes　settled　it。
  Without　a　word　he　went　back　to　the　telephone。
  The　curtain　was　up　when　he　slipped　into　his
  seat；　very　red　of　face。　　In　answer　to　Billy's　hurried
  whisper　he　shook　his　head；　but　in　the　short
  pause　between　the　first　and　second　scenes　he　said；
  in　a　low　voice：
  ‘‘I'm　sorry；　Billy；　but　I　couldn't　get　the　house
  at　all。''
  ‘‘Couldn't　get　them！　　But　you'd　just　been
  talking　with　them！''
  ‘‘That's　exactly　it；　probably。　　I　had　just
  telephoned；　so　they　weren't　watching　for　the　bell。
  Anyhow；　I　couldn't　get　them。''
  ‘‘Then　you　didn't　get　Delia　at　all！''
  ‘‘Of　course　not。''
  ‘‘And　Baby　is　stillall　alone！''
  ‘‘But　he's　all　right；　dear。　　Delia's　keeping
  watch　of　him。''
  For　a　moment　there　was　silence；　then；　with
  clear　decisiveness　carne　Billy's　voice。
  ‘‘Bertram；　I　am　going　home。''
  ‘‘Billy！''
  ‘‘I　am。''
  ‘‘Billy；　for　heaven's　sake　don't　be　a　silly　goose！
  The　play's　half　over　already。　　We'll　soon　be　going；
  anyway。''
  Billy's　lips　came　together　in　a　thin　little
  determined　line。
  ‘‘Bertram；　I　am　going　home　now；　please；''　she
  said。　　‘‘You　needn't　come　with　me；　I　can　go
  alone。''
  Bertram　said　two　words　under　his　breath　which
  it　was　just　as　well；　perhaps；　that　Billyand　the
  neighborsdid　not　hear；　then　he　gathered　up
  their　wraps　and；　with　Billy；　stalked　out　of　the
  theater。
  At　home　everything　was　found　to　be　absolutely
  as　it　should　be。　　Bertram；　Jr。；　was　peacefully
  sleeping；　and　Delia；　who　had　come　up　from
  downstairs；　was　sewing　in　the　next　room。
  ‘‘There；　you　see；''　observed　Bertram；　a　little
  sourly。
  Billy　drew　a　long；　contented　sigh。
  ‘‘Yes；　I　see；　everything　is　all　right。　　But　that's
  exactly　what　I　wanted　to　do；　Bertram；　you　know
  to　_see　for　myself_；''　she　finished　happily。
  And　Bertram；　looking　at　her　rapt　face　as　she
  hovered　over　the　baby's　crib；　called　himself　a
  brute　and　a　beast　to　mind　_anything_　that　could
  make　Billy　look　like　that。
  CHAPTER　XXV
  ‘‘SHOULD　AULD　ACQUAINTANCE　BE　FORGOT''
  Bertram　did　not　ask　Billy　very　soon　again　to
  go　to　the　theater。　　For　some　days；　indeed；　he　did
  not　ask　her　to　do　anything。　　Then；　one　evening；
  he　did　beg　for　some　music。
  ‘‘Billy；　you　haven't　played　to　me　or　sung　to
  me　since　I　could　remember；''　he　complained。　　‘‘I
  want　some　music。''
  Billy　gave　a　merry　laugh　and　wriggled　her
  fingers　experimentally。
  ‘‘Mercy；　Bertram！　　I　don't　believe　I　could
  play　a　note。　　You　know　I'm　all　out　of　practice。''
  ‘‘But　why　_don't_　you　practice？''
  ‘‘Why；　Bertram；　I　can't。　　In　the　first　place　I
  don't　seem　to　have　any　time　except　when　Baby's
  asleep；　and　I　can't　play　then…I'd　wake　him
  up。''
  Bertram　sighed　irritably；　rose　to　his　feet；　and
  began　to　walk　up　and　down　the　room。　　He　came
  to　a　pause　at　last；　his　eyes　bent　a　trifle
  disapprovingly　on　his　wife。
  ‘‘Billy；　dear；　_don't_　you　wear　anything　but
  those　wrapper　things　nowadays？''　he　asked　plaintively。
  Again　Billy　laughed。　　But　this　time　a　troubled
  frown　followed　the　laugh。
  ‘‘I　know；　Bertram；　I　suppose　they　do　look
  dowdy；　someti