It's so lovely you came in just when you did!" "Indeed! I--I'm not so sure of that," stammered the lady, dropping the letter into her lap, and patting with agitated fingers her cap, her curls, the two shawls about her shoulders, and the lace at her throat.
"My grief and conscience, Billy! Wors't you _ever_ grow up ?" "Hope not," purred Billy cheerfully, dropping herself on to a low hassock at Aunt Hannah's feet.
"But, my dear, you--you're engaged!" Billy bubbled into a chuckling laugh.
"As if I didn't know that, when I've just written a dozen notes to announce it! And, oh, Aunt Hannah, such a time as I've had, telling what a dear Bertram is, and how I love, love, _love_ him, and what beautiful eyes he has, and _such_ a nose, and--" "Billy!" Aunt Hannah was sitting erect in pale horror.
"Eh ?" Billy's eyes were roguish.
"You didn't write that in those notes!" "Write it?
Oh, no! That's only what I _wanted_ to write," chuckled Billy.

"What I really did write was as staid and proper as--here, let me show you," she broke off, springing to her feet and running over to her desk.

"There! this is about what I wrote to them all," she finished, whipping a note out of one of the unsealed envelopes on the desk and spreading it open before Aunt Hannah's suspicious eyes.
"Hm-m; that is very good--for you," admitted the lady.
"Well, I like that!--after all my stern self-control and self-sacrifice to keep out all those things I _wanted_ to write," bridled Billy.
"Besides, they'd have been ever so much more interesting reading than these will be," she pouted, as she took the note from her companion's hand.
"I don't doubt it," observed Aunt Hannah, dryly.
Billy laughed, and tossed the note back on the desk.
"I'm writing to Belle Calderwell, now," she announced musingly, dropping herself again on the hassock.

"I suppose she'll tell Hugh." "Poor boy! He'll be disappointed." Billy sighed, but she uptilted her chin a little.
"He ought not to be.

I told him long, long ago, the very first time, that--that I couldn't." "I know, dear; but--they don't always understand." Aunt Hannah sighed in sympathy with the far-away Hugh Calderwell, as she looked down at the bright young face near her.
There was a moment's silence; then Billy gave a little laugh.
"He _will_ be surprised," she said.