.

THE BIG BAD QUARREL.
It was a brilliant dinner--because Billy made it so.

At first William met her sallies of wit with mild surprise; but it was not long before he rose gallantly to the occasion, and gave back full measure of retort.
Even Pete twice had to turn his back to hide a smile, and once his hand shook so that the tea he was carrying almost spilled.

This threatened catastrophe, however, seemed to frighten him so much that his face was very grave throughout the rest of the dinner.
Still laughing and talking gayly, Billy and Uncle William, after the meal was over, ascended to the drawing-room.

There, however, the man, in spite of the young woman's gay badinage, fell to dozing in the big chair before the fire, leaving Billy with only Spunkie for company--Spunkie, who, disdaining every effort to entice her into a romp, only winked and blinked stupid eyes, and finally curled herself on the rug for a nap.
Billy, left to her own devices, glanced at her watch.
Half-past seven! Time, almost, for Bertram to be coming.