第27章

KATE TAKES A HAND

Undeniably Billy was in disgrace, and none knew it better than Billy herself. The whole family had contributed to this knowledge.

Aunt Hannah was inexpressibly shocked; she had not breath even to ejaculate "My grief and conscience!" Kate was disgusted; Cyril was coldly reserved; Bertram was frankly angry; even William was vexed, and showed it. Spunk, too, as if in league with the rest, took this opportunity to display one of his occasional fits of independence; and when Billy, longing for some sort of comfort, called him to her, he settled back on his tiny haunches and imperturbably winked and blinked his indifference.

Nearly all the family had had something to say to Billy on the matter, with not entirely satisfactory results, when Kate determined to see what she could do. She chose a time when she could have the girl quite to herself with small likelihood of interruption.

"But, Billy, how could you do such an absurd thing?" she demanded.

"The idea of leaving my house alone, at half-past ten at night, to follow a couple of men through the streets of Boston, and then with my brothers' butler make a scene like that in a--a public dining-room!"

Billy sighed in a discouraged way.

"Aunt Kate, can't I make you and the rest of them understand that Ididn't start out to do all that? I meant just to speak to Mr.

Bertram, and get him away from that man.""But, my dear child, even that was bad enough!"Billy lifted her chin.

"You don't seem to think, Aunt Kate; Mr. Bertram was--was not sober.""All the more reason then why you should NOT have done what you did!""Why, Aunt Kate, you wouldn't leave him alone in that condition with that man!"It was Mrs. Hartwell's turn to sigh.

"But, Billy," she contested, wearily, "can't you understand that it wasn't YOUR place to interfere--you, a young girl?""I'm sure I don't see what difference that makes. I was the only one that could do it! Besides, afterward, I did try to get some one else, Uncle William and Mr. Cyril. But when I found I couldn't get them, I just had to do it alone--that is, with Pete.""Pete!" scoffed Mrs. Hartwell. "Pete, indeed!"Billy's head came up with a jerk. Billy was very angry now.

"Aunt Kate, it seems I've done a very terrible thing, but I'm sure I don't see it that way. I wasn't afraid, and I wasn't in the least bit of danger anywhere. I knew my way perfectly, and I did NOT make any 'scene' in that restaurant. I just asked Mr. Bertram to come home with me. One would think you WANTED Mr. Bertram to go off with that man and--and drink too much. But Uncle William hasn't liked him before, not one bit! I've heard him talk about him--that Mr. Seaver."Mrs. Hartwell raised both her hands, palms outward.

"Billy, it is useless to talk with you. You are quite impossible.

It is even worse than I expected!" she cried, with wrathful impatience.

"Worse than you--expected? What do you mean, please?""Worse than I thought it would be--before you came. The idea of those five men taking a girl to bring up!"Billy sat very still. She was even holding her breath, though Mrs.

Hartwell did not know that.