I believe matters were still further complicated by a girl Bertram was painting, and a young fellow that used to sing with Billy--a Mr.Arkwright.
"Anyhow, things came to a head last spring, Billy broke the engagement and fled to parts unknown with Aunt Hannah, leaving Bertram here in Boston to alternate between stony despair and reckless gayety, according to William; and it was while he was in the latter mood that he had that awful automobile accident and broke his arm--and almost his neck.

He was wildly delirious, and called continually for Billy.
"Well, it seems Billy didn't know all this; but a week ago she came home, and in some way found out about it, I think through Pete--William's old butler, you know.

Just exactly what happened I can't say, but I do know that she dragged poor old Aunt Hannah down to Bertram's at some unearthly hour, and in the rain; and Aunt Hannah couldn't do a thing with her.

All Billy would say, was, 'Bertram wants me.' And Aunt Hannah told me that if I could have seen Billy's face I'd have known that she'd have gone to Bertram then if he'd been at the top of the Himalaya Mountains, or at the bottom of the China Sea.

So perhaps it's just as well--for Aunt Hannah's sake, at least--that he was in no worse place than on his own couch at home.