ws that I'll take him. Of course
he won't come yet, till Harding hears from me."

It was just here, however, that William Henshaw met with a surprise, for
within twenty-four hours came Billy's answer, and by telegraph.

"I'm coming to-morrow. Train due at five P. M.

"BILLY."

William Henshaw did not know that in Hampden Falls Billy's trunk had
been packed for days. Billy was desperate. The house, even with the
maid, and with the obliging neighbor and his wife who stayed there
nights, was to Billy nothing but a dismal tomb. Lawyer Harding had
fallen suddenly ill; she could not even tell him that the blessed
telegram "Come" had arrived. Hence Billy, lonely, impulsive, and always
used to pleasing herself, had taken matters in hand with a confident
grasp, and had determined to wait no longer.

That it was a fearsomely unknown future to which she was so jauntily
pledging herself did not trouble the girl in the least. Billy was
romantic. To sally gaily forth with a pink in the buttonhole of her
coat to find her father's friend who was a "Billy" too, seemed to Billy
Neilson not only delightful, but eminently sensible, and an excellent
way out of her present homesick loneliness. So she bought the pink and
her ticket, and impatiently awaited the time to start.

To the Beacon Street house, Billy's cheerful telegram brought the direst
consternation. Even Kate was hastily summoned to the family conclave
that immediately resulted.

"There's nothing--simply nothing that I can do," she declared irritably,
when she had heard the story. "Surely, you don't expect ME to take the
boy!"

"No, no, of course not," sighed William. "But you see, I supposed I'd
have time to--to get used to things, and to make arrangements; and this
is so--so sudden! I hadn't even answered Harding's letter until to-day;
and he hasn't got that--much less replied to it."

"But what could you expect after sending that idiotic telegram?"
demanded the lady. "'Come,' indeed!"

"But that's what Billy told me to do."

"What if it was? Just because a foolish eighteen-year-old boy tells
you to do something, must you, a supposedly sensible forty-year-old man
obey?"

"I think it tickled Will's romantic streak," laughed Bertram. "It seemed
so sort of alluring to send that one word 'Come' out into space, and
watch what happened."

"Well, he's found out, certainly," observed Cyril, with grim
satisfaction.

"Oh, no; it hasn't happened yet," corrected Bert