ock on a rainy July evening that Billy and Aunt Hannah
arrived at Hillside; and it was only a little past eight that Aunt
Hannah was summoned to the telephone. When she came back to Billy she
was crying and wringing her hands.

Billy sprang to her feet.

"Why, Aunt Hannah, what is it? What's the matter?" she demanded.

Aunt Hannah sank into a chair, still wringing her hands.

"Oh, Billy, Billy, how can I tell you, how can I tell you?" she moaned.

"You must tell me! Aunt Hannah, what is it?"

"Oh--oh--oh! Billy, I can't--I can't!"

"But you'll have to! What is it, Aunt Hannah?"

"It's--B-Bertram!"

"Bertram!" Billy's face grew ashen. "Quick, quick--what do you mean?"

For answer, Aunt Hannah covered her face with her hands and began to sob
aloud. Billy, almost beside herself now with terror and anxiety, dropped
on her knees and tried to pull away the shaking hands.

"Aunt Hannah, you must tell me! You must--you must!"

"I can't, Billy. It's Bertram. He's--_hurt!_" choked Aunt Hannah,
hysterically.

"Hurt! How?"

"I don't know. Pete told me."

"Pete!"

"Yes. Rosa had told him we were coming, and he called me up. He said
maybe I could do something. So he told me."

"Yes, yes! But told you what?"

"That he was hurt."

"How?"

"I couldn't hear all, but I think 'twas an accident--automobile. And,
Billy, Billy--Pete says it's his arm--his right arm--and that maybe he
can't ever p-paint again!"

"Oh-h!" Billy fell back as if the words had been a blow. "Not that, Aunt
Hannah--not that!"

"That's what Pete said. I couldn't get all of it, but I got that.
And, Billy, he's been out of his head--though he isn't now, Pete
says--and--and--and he's been calling for you."

"For--_me?_" A swift change came to Billy's face.

"Yes. Over and over again he called for you--while he was crazy, you
know. That's why Pete told me. He said he didn't rightly understand what
the trouble was, but he didn't believe there was any trouble, _really_,
between you two; anyway, that you wouldn't think there was, if you could
hear him, and know how he wanted you, and--why, Billy!"

Billy was on her feet now. Her fingers were on the electric push-button
that would summon Rosa. Her face was illumined. The next moment Rosa
appeared.

"Tell John to bring Peggy to the door at once, please," directed her
mistress.

"Billy!" gasped Aunt Hannah again, as the maid disappeared. Billy was
tremblingly putting on the hat she had but j