Miss Billy's Decision

by Eleanor H. Porter

“Yes, dear, don't worry. I'll take your cards and explain to Mrs. Carleton and her daughters.”

“And, of course, as far as Mary Jane is concerned, I don't know her any more than you do; so I couldn't be any help there,” sighed Aunt Hannah.

“Not a bit,” smiled Billy, cheerily. “Don't give it another thought, my dear. I sha'n't have a bit of trouble. All I'll have to do is to look for a girl alone with a pink. Of course I'll have mine on, too, and she'll be watching for me. So just run along and take your nap, dear, and be all rested and ready to welcome her when she comes,” finished Billy, stooping to give the soft, faintly pink cheek a warm kiss.

“Well, thank you, my dear; perhaps I will,” sighed Aunt Hannah, drawing the gray shawl about her as she turned away contentedly.

Mrs. Carleton's tea that afternoon was, for Billy, not an occasion of unalloyed joy. It was the first time she had appeared at a gathering of any size since the announcement of her engagement; and, as she dolefully told Bertram afterwards, she had very much the feeling of the picture hung on the wall.

“And they did put up their lorgnettes and say, 'Is that the one?'” she declared; “and I know some of them finished with 'Did you ever?' too,” she sighed.

But Billy did not stay long in Mrs. Carleton's softly-lighted, flower-perfumed rooms. At ten minutes past four she was saying good-by to a group of friends who were vainly urging her to remain longer.

“I can't—I really can't,” she declared. “I'm due at the South Station at half past four to meet a Miss Arkwright, a young cousin of Aunt Hannah's, whom I've never seen before. We're to meet at the sign of the pink,” she explained smilingly, just touching the single flower she wore.

Her hostess gave a sudden laugh.

“Let me see, my dear; if I remember rightly, you've had experience before, meeting at this sign of the pink. At least, I have a very vivid recollection of Mr. William Henshaw's going once to meet a boy with a pink, who turned out to be a girl. Now, to even things up, your girl should turn out to be a boy!”