but　even　she　would　not　mind　this　once
  and；　anyhow；　it　was　Jenkins　that　was　the　attraction；
  not　Seaver。　　Besides；　he　himself　was　no
  undeveloped　boy　now。　　He　was　a　man；　presumedly
  able　to　take　care　of　himself。　　Besides；　again；　had
  not　Billy　herself　told　him　to　go　out　and　enjoy　the
  evening　without　her；　as　she　had　to　stay　with　the
  baby？　　He　would　telephone　her；　of　course；　that
  he　had　met　some　old　friends；　and　that　he　might
  be　late；　then　she　would　not　worry。
  And　forthwith；　having　settled　the　matter　in
  his　mind；　and　to　his　complete　satisfaction；　Bertram
  gave　his　undivided　attention　to　Seaver；　who
  had　already　plunged　into　an　account　of　a　recent
  Art　Exhibition　he　had　attended　in　Paris。
  CHAPTER　XXVI
  GHOSTS　THAT　WALKED　FOR　BERTRAM
  October　proved　to　be　unusually　mild；　and
  about　the　middle　of　the　month；　Bertram；　after
  much　unselfish　urging　on　the　part　of　Billy；　went
  to　a　friend's　camp　in　the　Adirondacks　for　a　week's
  stay。　　He　came　back　with　an　angry；　lugubrious
  faceand　a　broken　arm。
  ‘‘Oh；　Bertram！　　And　your　right　one；　too
  the　same　one　you　broke　before！''　mourned　Billy；
  tearfully。
  ‘‘Of　course；''　retorted　Bertram；　trying　in　vain
  to　give　an　air　of　jauntiness　to　his　reply。　　‘‘Didn't
  want　to　be　too　changeable；　you　know！''
  ‘‘But　how　did　you　do　it；　dear？''
  ‘‘Fell　into　a　silly　little　hole　covered　with
  underbrush。　　Butoh；　Billy；　what's　the　use？　　I
  did　it；　and　I　can't　undo　itmore's　the　pity！''
  ‘‘Of　course　you　can't；　you　poor　boy；''
  sympathized　Billy；　‘‘and　you　sha'n't　be　tormented　with
  questions。　　We'll　just　be　thankful　'twas　no　worse。
  You　can't　paint　for　a　while；　of　course；　but　we
  won't　mind　that。　　It'll　just　give　Baby　and　me　a
  chance　to　have　you　all　to　ourselves　for　a　time；
  and　we'll　love　that！'
  ‘‘Yes；　of　course；''　sighed　Bertram；　so　abstractedly
  that　Billy　bridled　with　pretty　resentment。
  ‘‘Well；　I　like　your　enthusiasm；　sir；''　she　frowned。
  ‘‘I'm　afraid　you　don't　appreciate　the　blessings
  you　do　have；　young　man！　　Did　you　realize　what
  I　said？　　I　remarked　that　you　could　be　with　_Baby_
  and　_me_；''　she　emphasized。
  Bertram　laughed；　and　gave　his　wife　an　affectionate
  kiss。
  ‘‘Indeed　I　do　appreciate　my　blessings；　dear
  when　those　blessings　are　such　treasures　as　you
  and　Baby；　but''　　Only　his　doleful　eyes　fixed
  on　his　injured　arm　finished　his　sentence。
  ‘‘I　know；　dear；　of　course；　and　I　understand；''
  murmured　Billy；　all　tenderness　at　once。
  They　were　not　easy　for　Bertramthose　following
  days。　　Once　again　he　was　obliged　to　accept
  the　little　intimate　personal　services　that　he
  so　disliked。　　Once　again　he　could　do　nothing　but
  read；　or　wander　disconsolately　into　his　studio
  and　gaze　at　his　half…finished　‘‘Face　of　a　Girl。''
  Occasionally；　it　is　true；　driven　nearly　to　desperation
  by　the　haunting　vision　in　his　mind's　eye；　he
  picked　up　a　brush　and　attempted　to　make　his
  left　hand　serve　his　will；　but　a　bare　half…dozen
  irritating；　ineffectual　strokes　were　usually　enough
  to　make　him　throw　down　his　brush　in　disgust。
  He　never　could　do　anything　with　his　left　hand；
  he　told　himself　dejectedly。
  Many　of　his　hours；　of　course；　he　spent　with
  Billy　and　his　son；　and　they　were　happy　hours；
  too；　but　they　always　came　to　be　restless　ones
  before　the　day　was　half　over。　　Billy　was　always
  devotion　itself　to　himwhen　she　was　not
  attending　to　the　baby；　he　had　no　fault　to　find　with
  Billy。　　And　the　baby　was　delightfulhe　could
  find　no　fault　with　the　baby。　　But　the　baby　_was_
  fretfulhe　was　teething；　Billy　saidand　he
  needed　a　great　deal　of　attention；　so；　naturally；
  Bertram　drifted　out　of　the　nursery；　after　a　time；
  and　went　down　into　his　studio；　where　were　his
  dear；　empty　palette；　his　orderly　brushes；　and
  his　tantalizing　‘‘Face　of　a　Girl。''　　From　the
  studio；　generally；　Bertram　went　out　on　to　the　street。
  Sometimes　he　dropped　into　a　fellow…artist's
  studio。　　Sometimes　he　strolled　into　a　club　or
  caf