steps of the Beacon Hill boarding-house under the disapproving eyes of its bugle-adorned mistress, who found herself now with a month's advance rent and two vacant "parlors" on her hands.

the Batterseas Billy had just brought him. Pete, as of yore, was hovering near with a dust-c

shed, Billy went t

d eyes. She was wearing a gray shawl to-day topped with a black one-s

rgotten-me," she faltered, w

home three

But I have been so busy! My trunks came at last, a

ah looked

ettled? You mean-he'

d threw a swift glance

moved back now into the old quarters. Er-you haven

had quite a talk, then; and, Billy, I've been wanting to speak to you," she hurried on, a little feverishly. "

lly, dazedly. "Leave w

I didn't like to get my room while you were

! As if I'd let you do

enly thin and determined. Even the soft little curls ab

ome to live with you. I shall not. It wouldn't be best. I should be like an interfering elder brother in your home. I should spoil your young marri

e, but as the peroration progressed on to the end, a dawning surprise, which soon

Billy stopped, and regarded Aunt Hannah with quick susp

not a little surprised; but Bi

unny!" she gurgled. "To think you two old bles

ly, and pulled the black sh

" she sighed, with a visible effort at self-control

don't want you to," soothed

and a grieved hurt bringing a flood of color to her face. It is one

"Please, please don't look like that. I didn't mean it that way. I do

ah looked relieve

t you like

r. You know I do. But you don

ly, airily. "I'm going to kee

let you keep up this house ju

you. It's for-fo

ence, Billy! What ar

rself more comfortably on the

ggorys if I can get them, and maybe one or two others. There'll alwa

nn-at the

ghed agai

" she pouted. "He didn't want Tommy,

est of

those empty rooms. I got real enthusiastic, but Bertram didn't. He just laughed and said 'nonsense!' until he found I

r with fond, though sli

oung woman-at times. Surely, with you, a body n

!" reproached Billy, mischievously;

e idea of you, a bride, filling up your house

r three meals a day. One would think poor Tommy was a breakfast food! So that is when I thought of keeping up

fell back

, if-if you want it. But what

r color came to her cheeks, a

house-a sort of safety valve for me, you see. I'm going to call it the Annex-it will be an annex to our home. And I want to keep it full, always, of

ed Aunt Hannah, with a

're going to send him to a Home for Crippled Children; and he's grieving his heart out over it. I'm going to bring him here to a real h

ah looked

to-to use any of that happine

miled r

lared triumphantly. "I shall ask Alice Greggory to teach Tommy music, and I shall ask Mrs. Greggor

dled Aunt Hannah, wi

," coaxed Billy. "You just wait till I get the Overflow Annex in running order. Why, Aunt Hannah,

shawl had fallen unheeded to the floor now. "As if anybo

tly, "and it's going to keep

med Aunt Hannah, lifting shocked hands of remonstra

oguishly and sp

of you! To be superstitious lik

subsided s

it is silly; but I

It's really heathen! Bertram told me once that it dates 'way back to the time of the Drui

ah. "As if I would, Billy!

crossed Billy

ely-only

I thought th

he says, and he just hates to have things done for him-though Pete and Dong Ling are quarreling with each other all the time to do things for

Ling-l

t be Melican man any longer. But I don't think Bertram thought he'd do it. William says Dong Ling went to Pete, however, after we left,

impudent

aughed

any disrespect, I'm sure. He just wasn't used to having petticoa

y, what wi

will be glad to come. Mercy! Look at the time," she broke off, glancing at the clock. "I shall be late to dinner, and Dong Ling loathes anybody who's late to his meals-as

ng, even if Dong Ling is going. But-but-Oh, my grief and conscience, what an extraordinary child Billy is, to be sure-but what a dear on