If；　when　the　proposition　was　first　made　to　him；
  Arkwright　was　doubtful　of　his　ability　to　be　a
  successful　‘‘Johnny…on…the…spot；''　he　was　even
  more　doubtful　of　it　as　the　days　passed；　and　he
  was　attempting　to　carry　out　the　suggestion。
  He　had　known　that　he　was　undertaking　a　most
  difficult　and　delicate　task；　and　he　soon　began　to
  fear　that　it　was　an　impossible　one；　as　well。　　With
  a　dogged　persistence；　however；　he　adhered　to　his
  purpose；　ever　on　the　alert　to　be　more　watchful；
  more　tactful；　more　efficient　in　emergencies。
  Disagreeable　as　was　the　task；　in　a　way；　in
  another　way　it　was　a　great　pleasure　to　him。　　He
  was　glad　of　the　opportunity　to　do　anything　for
  Billy；　and　then；　too；　he　was　glad　of　something
  absorbing　enough　to　take　his　mind　off　his　own
  affairs。　　He　told　himself；　sometimes；　that　this
  helping　another　man　to　fight　his　tiger　skin　was
  assisting　himself　to　fight　his　own。
  Arkwright　was　trying　very　hard　not　to　think
  of　Alice　Greggory　these　days。　　He　had　come　back
  hoping　that　he　was　in　a　measure　‘‘cured''　of　his
  ‘‘folly；''　as　he　termed　it；　but　the　first　look　into
  Alice　Greggory's　blue…gray　eyes　had　taught　him
  the　fallacy　of　that　idea。　　In　that　very　first　meeting
  with　Alice；　he　feared　that　he　had　revealed
  his　secret；　for　she　was　plainly　so　nervously　distant
  and　ill　at　ease　with　him　that　he　could　but
  construe　her　embarrassment　and　chilly　dignity　as
  pity　for　him　and　a　desire　to　show　him　that　she
  had　nothing　but　friendship　for　him。　　Since　then
  he　had　seen　but　little　of　her；　partly　because　he
  did　not　wish　to　see　her；　and　partly　because　his
  time　was　so　fully　occupied。　　Then；　too；　in　a　round…
  about　way　he　had　heard　a　rumor　that　Calderwell
  was　engaged　to　be　married；　and；　though　no　feminine
  name　had　been　mentioned　in　connection
  with　the　story；　Arkwright　had　not　hesitated
  to　supply　in　his　own　mind　that　of　Alice　Greggory。
  Beginning　with　the　‘‘jamboree；''　which　came
  off　quite　in　accordance　with　Calderwell's　prophecies；
  Arkwright　spent　the　most　of　such　time　as
  was　not　given　to　his　professional　duties　in
  deliberately　cultivating　the　society　of　Bertram　and
  his　friends。　　To　this　extent　he　met　with　no　difficulty；
  for　he　found　that　M。　J。　Arkwright；　the
  new　star　in　the　operatic　firmament；　was　obviously
  a　welcome　comrade。　　Beyond　this　it　was　not　so
  easy。　　Arkwright　wondered；　indeed；　sometimes；
  if　he　were　making　any　progress　at　all。　　But　still
  he　persevered。
  He　walked　with　Bertram；　he　talked　with　Bertram；
  unobtrusively　he　contrived　to　be　near　Bertram
  almost　always；　when　they　were　together
  with　‘‘the　boys。''　　Gradually　he　won　from　him
  the　story　of　what　the　surgeon　had　said　to　him；
  and　of　how　black　the　future　looked　in
  consequence。　　This　established　a　new　bond　between
  them；　so　potent　that　Arkwright　ventured　to　test
  it　one　day　by　telling　Bertram　the　story　of　the
  tiger　skinthe　first　tiger　skin　in　his　uncle's
  library　years　ago；　and　of　how；　since　then；　any
  difficulty　he　had　encountered　he　had　tried　to　treat
  as　a　tiger　skin。　　In　telling　the　story　he　was　careful
  to　draw　no　moral　for　his　listener；　and　to　preach
  no　sermon。　　He　told　the　tale；　too；　with　all　possible
  whimsical　lightness　of　touch；　and　immediately
  at　its　conclusion　he　changed　the　subject。
  But　that　he　had　not　failed　utterly　in　his　design
  was　evidenced　a　few　days　later　when　Bertram
  grimly　declared　that　he　guessed　_his_　tiger　skin
  was　a　lively　beast；　all　right。
  The　first　time　Arkwright　went　home　with
  Bertram；　his　presence　was　almost　a　necessity。
  Bertram　was　not　quite　himself　that　night。　　Billy
  admitted　them。　　She　had　plainly　been　watching
  and　waiting。　　Arkwright　never　forgot　the　look
  on　her　face　as　her　eyes　met　his。　　There　was　a
  curious　mixture　of　terror；　hurt　pride；　relief；　and
  shame；　overtopped　by　a　fierce　loyalty　which　almost
  seemed　to　say　aloud　the　words：　　‘‘Don't
  you　dare　to　blame　him！''
  Arkwright's　heart　ached　with　sympathy　and
  admiration　at　the　proudly　courageous　way　in
  which　Billy　carried　off　the　next　few　painful
  minutes。　　Even　when　he　bade　her　good　night　a　little
  later；　only　her　eyes　said　‘‘thank　you。''　　Her　lips
  were　dumb。
  Arkwright　often　went　home　with　Bertram　after
  that。　　Not　that　it　was　always　necessary
  far　from　it。　　Some　time；　indeed；　elapsed　before
  he　had　quite　the　same　excuse　again　for　his　presence。
  But　he　had　found　that　occasionally　he
  could　get　Bertram　home　earlier　by　adroit
  suggestions　of　one　kind　or　another；　and　more　and
  more　frequently　he　was　succeeding　in　getting
  him　home　for　a　game　of　chess。
  Bertram　liked　chess；　and　was　a　fine　player。
  Since　breaking　his　arm　he　had　turned　to　games
  with　the　feverish　eagerness　of　one　who　looks　for
  something　absorbing　to　fill　an　unrestful　mind。
  It　was　Seaver's　skill　in　chess　that　had　at　first
  attracted　Bertram　to　the　man　long　ago；　but　Bertram
  could　beat　him　easilytoo　easily　for　much
  pleasure　in　it　now。　　So　they　did　not　play　chess
  often　these　days。　　Bertram　had　found　that；　in
  spite　of　his　injury；　he　could　still　take　part　in
  other　games；　and　some　of　them；　if　not　so　intricate
  as　chess；　were　at　least　more　apt　to　take　his
  mind　off　himself；　especially　if　there　were　a　bit
  of　money　up　to　add　zest　and　interest。
  As　it　happened；　however；　Bertram　learned
  one　day　that　Arkwright　could　play　chessand
  play　well；　too；　as　he　discovered　after　their　first
  game　together。　　This　fact　contributed　not　a
  little　to　such　success　as　Arkwright　was　having
  in　his　efforts　to　wean　Bertram　from　his　undesirable
  companions；　for　Bertram　soon　found　out
  that　Arkwright　was　more　than　a　match　for　himself；
  and　the　occasional　games　he　did　succeed　in
  winning　only　whetted　his　appetite　for　more。
  Many　an　evening　now；　therefore；　was　spent　by
  the　two　men　in　Bertram's　den；　with　Billy
  anxiously　hovering　near；　her　eyes　longingly
  watching　either　her　husband's　absorbed　face　or　the
  pretty　little　red　and　white　ivory　figures；　which
  seemed　to　possess　so　wonderful　a　power　to　hold
  his　attention。　　In　spite　of　her　joy　at　the　chessmen's
  efficacy　in　keeping　Bertram　at　home；　however；
  she　was　almost　jealous　of　them。
  ‘‘Mr。　Arkwright；　couldn't　you　show　_me_　how　to
  play；　sometime？''　she　said　wistfully；　one　evening；
  when　the　momentary　absence　of　Bertram
  had　left　the　two　alone　together。　　‘‘I　used　to
  watch　Bertram　and　Marie　play　years　ago；　but
  I　never　knew　how　to　play　myself。　　Not　that　I
  can　see　where　the　fun　is　in　just　sitting　staring　at
  a　chessboard　for　half　an　hour　at　a　time；　though！
  But　Bertram　likes　it；　and　so　II　want　to　learn
  to　stare　with　him。　　Will　you　teach　me？''
  ‘‘I　should　be　glad　to；''　smiled　Arkwright。
  ‘‘Then　will　you　come；　maybe；　sometimes
  when　Bertram　is　at　the　doctor's？　　He　goes　every
  Tuesday　and　Friday　at　three　o'clock　for　treatment。
  I'd　rather　you　came　then　for　two　reasons：
  first；　because　I　don't　want　Bertram　to　know
  I'm　learning；　till　I　can　play　_some_；　and；　secondly；
  becausebecause　I　don't　want　to　take　you
  awayfrom　him。''
  The　last　words　were　spoken　very　low；　and　were
  accompanied　by　a　painful　blush。　　It　was　the
  first　time　Billy　had　ever　hinted　to　Arkwright；
  in　words；　that　she　understood　what　he　was　trying
  to　do。
  ‘‘I'll　come　next　Tuesday；''　promised　Arkwright；
  with　a　cheerfully　unobservant　air。　　Then　Bertram
  came　in；　bringing　the　book　of　Chess　Problems；
  for　which　he　had　gone　up…stairs。
  CHAPTER　XXIX
  CHESS
  Promptly　at　three　o'clock　Tuesday　afternoon
  Arkwright　appeared　at　the　Strata；　and　for　the
  next　hour　Billy　did　her　best　to　learn　the　names
  and　the　moves　of　the　pretty　little　ivory　men。
  But　at　the　end　of　the　hour　she　was　almost　ready
  to　give　up　in　despair。
  ‘‘If　there　weren't　so　many　kinds；　and　if　they
  didn't　all　insist　on　doing　something　different；　it
  wouldn't　be　so　bad；''　she　sighed。　　‘‘But　how　can
  you　be　expected　to　remember　which　goes　diagonal；
  and　which　crisscross；　and　which　can't　go
  but　one　square；　and　which　can　skip　'way　across
  the　board；　'specially　when　that　little　pawn…thing
  can　go　straight　ahead　_two_　squares　sometimes；
  and　the　next　minute　only　one　（except　when　it
  takes　things；　and　then　it　goes　crooked　one　square）
  and　when　that　tiresome　little　horse　tries　to　go
  all　ways　at　once；　and　can　jump　'round　and　hurdle
  over　_anybody's_　head；　even　the　king'show　can
  you　expect　folks　to　remember？　　But；　then；　Bertram
  remembers；''　she　added；　resolutely；　‘‘so　I
  guess　I　can。''
  Whenever　possible；　after　that；　Arkwright　came
  on　Tuesdays　and　Fridays；　and；　in　spite　of　her
  doubts；　Billy　did　very　soon　begin　to　‘‘remember。''
  Spurred　by　her　great　desire　to　play　with　Bertram
  and　surprise　him；　Billy　spared　no　pains　to　learn
  well　her　lessons。　　Even　among　the　baby's　books
  and　playthings　these　days　might　be　found　a
  ‘‘Manual　of　Chess；''　for　Billy　pursued　her　study
  at　all　hours；　and　some　nights　even　her　dreams
  were　of　ruined；　castles　where　kings　and　queens
  and　bishops　di