Miss Billie's Decision [9]
one--to suit?''
``Find one!'' The artist made a despairing gesture. ``I found a dozen that I wanted. The trouble was to tell which I wanted the most.''
Billy gave a nervous little laugh.
``Isn't that--unusual?'' she asked.
Bertram lifted his eyebrows with a quizzical smile.
``Well, they aren't all Marguerite Winthrops,'' he reminded her.
``Marguerite!'' cried Billy. ``Oh, is her name Marguerite? I do think Marguerite is the dearest name!'' Billy's eyes and voice were wistful.
``I don't--not the _dearest_. Oh, it's all well enough, of course, but it can't be compared for a moment to--well, say, `Billy'!''
Billy smiled, but she shook her head.
``I'm afraid you're not a good judge of names,'' she objected.
``Yes, I am; though, for that matter, I should love your name, no matter what it was.''
``Even if 'twas `Mary Jane,' eh?'' bantered Billy. ``Well, you'll have a chance to find out how you like that name pretty quick, sir. We're going to have one here.''
``You're going to have a Mary Jane here? Do you mean that Rosa's going away?''
``Mercy! I hope not,'' shuddered Billy. ``You don't find a Rosa in every kitchen--and never in employment agencies! My Mary Jane is a niece of Aunt Hannah's,--or rather, a cousin. She's coming to Boston to study music, and I've invited her here. We've asked her for a month, though I presume we shall keep her right along.''
Bertram frowned.
``Well, of course, that's very nice for--_Mary Jane_,'' he sighed with meaning emphasis.
Billy laughed.
``Don't worry, dear. She won't bother us any.''
``Oh, yes, she will,'' sighed Bertram. ``She'll be 'round--lots; you see if she isn't. Billy, I think sometimes you're almost too kind--to other folks.''
``Never!'' laughed Billy. Besides, what would you have me do when a lonesome young girl was coming to Boston? Anyhow, _you're_ not the one to talk, young man. I've known _you_ to take in a lonesome girl and give her a home,'' she flashed merrily.
Bertram chuckled.
``Jove! What a time that was!'' he exclaimed, regarding his companion with fond eyes. ``And Spunk, too! Is she going to bring a Spunk?''
``Not that I've heard,'' smiled Billy; ``but she _is_ going to wear a pink.''
``Not really, Billy?''
``Of course she is! I told her to. How do you suppose we could know her when we saw her, if she didn't?'' demanded the girl, indignantly. ``And what is more, sir, there will be _two_ pinks worn this time. _I_ sha'n't do as Uncle William did, and leave off my pink. Only think what long minutes-- that seemed hours of misery--I spent waiting there in that train-shed, just because I didn't know which man was my Uncle William!''
Bertram laughed and shrugged his shoulders.
``Well, your Mary Jane won't probably turn out to be quite such a bombshell as our Billy did--unless she should prove to be a boy,'' he added whimsically. ``Oh, but Billy, she _can't_ turn out to be such a dear treasure,'' finished the man. And at the adoring look in his eyes Billy blushed deeply--and promptly forgot all about Mary Jane and her pink.
CHAPTER IV
FOR MARY JANE
``I have a letter here from Mary Jane, my dear,'' announced Aunt Hannah at the luncheon table one day.
``Have you?'' Billy raised interested eyes from her own letters. ``What does she say?''
``She will be here Thursday. Her train is due at the South Station at four-thirty. She seems to be very grateful to you for your offer to let her come right here for a month; but she says she's afraid you don't realize, perhaps, just what you are doing--to take her in like that, with her singing, and all.''
``Nonsense! She doesn't refuse, does she?''
``Oh, no; she doesn't refuse--but she doesn't accept either, exactly, as I can see. I've read the letter over twice, too. I'll let you judge for yourself by and by, when you have time to read it.''
Billy laughed.
``Never mind. I don't want to read it. She's just a little shy about coming, that's all. She'll stay all right, when we come to meet her. What
``Find one!'' The artist made a despairing gesture. ``I found a dozen that I wanted. The trouble was to tell which I wanted the most.''
Billy gave a nervous little laugh.
``Isn't that--unusual?'' she asked.
Bertram lifted his eyebrows with a quizzical smile.
``Well, they aren't all Marguerite Winthrops,'' he reminded her.
``Marguerite!'' cried Billy. ``Oh, is her name Marguerite? I do think Marguerite is the dearest name!'' Billy's eyes and voice were wistful.
``I don't--not the _dearest_. Oh, it's all well enough, of course, but it can't be compared for a moment to--well, say, `Billy'!''
Billy smiled, but she shook her head.
``I'm afraid you're not a good judge of names,'' she objected.
``Yes, I am; though, for that matter, I should love your name, no matter what it was.''
``Even if 'twas `Mary Jane,' eh?'' bantered Billy. ``Well, you'll have a chance to find out how you like that name pretty quick, sir. We're going to have one here.''
``You're going to have a Mary Jane here? Do you mean that Rosa's going away?''
``Mercy! I hope not,'' shuddered Billy. ``You don't find a Rosa in every kitchen--and never in employment agencies! My Mary Jane is a niece of Aunt Hannah's,--or rather, a cousin. She's coming to Boston to study music, and I've invited her here. We've asked her for a month, though I presume we shall keep her right along.''
Bertram frowned.
``Well, of course, that's very nice for--_Mary Jane_,'' he sighed with meaning emphasis.
Billy laughed.
``Don't worry, dear. She won't bother us any.''
``Oh, yes, she will,'' sighed Bertram. ``She'll be 'round--lots; you see if she isn't. Billy, I think sometimes you're almost too kind--to other folks.''
``Never!'' laughed Billy. Besides, what would you have me do when a lonesome young girl was coming to Boston? Anyhow, _you're_ not the one to talk, young man. I've known _you_ to take in a lonesome girl and give her a home,'' she flashed merrily.
Bertram chuckled.
``Jove! What a time that was!'' he exclaimed, regarding his companion with fond eyes. ``And Spunk, too! Is she going to bring a Spunk?''
``Not that I've heard,'' smiled Billy; ``but she _is_ going to wear a pink.''
``Not really, Billy?''
``Of course she is! I told her to. How do you suppose we could know her when we saw her, if she didn't?'' demanded the girl, indignantly. ``And what is more, sir, there will be _two_ pinks worn this time. _I_ sha'n't do as Uncle William did, and leave off my pink. Only think what long minutes-- that seemed hours of misery--I spent waiting there in that train-shed, just because I didn't know which man was my Uncle William!''
Bertram laughed and shrugged his shoulders.
``Well, your Mary Jane won't probably turn out to be quite such a bombshell as our Billy did--unless she should prove to be a boy,'' he added whimsically. ``Oh, but Billy, she _can't_ turn out to be such a dear treasure,'' finished the man. And at the adoring look in his eyes Billy blushed deeply--and promptly forgot all about Mary Jane and her pink.
CHAPTER IV
FOR MARY JANE
``I have a letter here from Mary Jane, my dear,'' announced Aunt Hannah at the luncheon table one day.
``Have you?'' Billy raised interested eyes from her own letters. ``What does she say?''
``She will be here Thursday. Her train is due at the South Station at four-thirty. She seems to be very grateful to you for your offer to let her come right here for a month; but she says she's afraid you don't realize, perhaps, just what you are doing--to take her in like that, with her singing, and all.''
``Nonsense! She doesn't refuse, does she?''
``Oh, no; she doesn't refuse--but she doesn't accept either, exactly, as I can see. I've read the letter over twice, too. I'll let you judge for yourself by and by, when you have time to read it.''
Billy laughed.
``Never mind. I don't want to read it. She's just a little shy about coming, that's all. She'll stay all right, when we come to meet her. What