She planned to telephone it from somewhere down town, later.

She told herself that she _could not_ stay all day under the sharp eyes of Aunt Hannah--but she managed, nevertheless, to bid that lady a particularly blithe and bright-faced good-by.
Billy had not been long gone when the telephone bell rang.

Aunt Hannah answered it.
"Why, Bertram, is that you ?" she called, in answer to the words that came to her across the wire.

"Why, I hardly knew your voice!" "Didn't you?
Well, is--is Billy there ?" "No, she isn't.

She's gone down to see Alice Greggory." "Oh!" So evident was the disappointment in the voice that Aunt Hannah added hastily: "I'm so sorry! She hasn't been gone ten minutes.