Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1910-07-26
The
Invincible
Billy
An lsreprsssible Boys Part In .
Love Affair
By AGNES G. BROGAN
Copyright. 1910, by American Press
Association.

They sat upon the pier together. the
girl whose eyes were as blue US the
sea, the little boy whose aaxen curls
framed the face Of cherub and the
man who looked askance at the boy
and frowned. The girl caressed the
child. Dear" she asked tenderly.
ARE you tired?
Billy rested the curly head against
his aunt's shoulder and confidingly
placed his damp boots upon the skirt
of her white linen dress. Nope" he
answered concisely.
Jack Winston sighed and shook his
head. when l see the amount Of at
lection you are wasting upon that
imp" he said. my soul is filled with
wrath"
The boy scrambled to his feet sud-
denly and. collecting handful of small
sharp stones. began pelting them ut
the two occupants Of a small boat
which glided noiselessly along beside
the pier.
Billy" his aunt cried. Mortified
Billy. did you hit the little boy?"
You bet / did," her nephew re-
piled gleefully. THAT was Dicky
Smith. hate Dicky Smith"
Miss Brereton's eyes looked unuttcr.
ably sad. THAT was very wrong"
she said reprovlngly, "and you must
not hate him. dear: you must love
everybody"
Her nephew laughed. "Everybody!'
he exclaimed derisively.
"Yes. indeed" his aunt reiterated
Billy considered.
do you love everybody, Aunt Bea,
trice" he asked. do you love Mr.
Winston?" A rosy flush covered his
aunt's pretty face.
"Of course do" she answered even.
ly.
Billy turned to seek an ally in the
man. do you love everybody. Mr.
Winston?" he persisted.
Not by u good deal, BILL" the man
responded warmly. II have much the
same feeling for Mr.. Fenway. for In
stance. that you have for Dicky
Smith"
The girl laughed and caught bel
small nephew by the hand. "Wha'
nonsense" she said And now don't
you think 1t Is time to 60 back?'
The three went strolllng up the
sandy beach. the boy skipping along
between them. The hotel guests had
assembled upon the wide verandas
awaiting the sound Of the gong which
would summon them to the evening
meal. They hailed the delinquents
merrily. Last call for dinner In the
dining car" said Fenway. BILLY
come here and give an account OF
Yourself" He caught up the boy anc
perched him upon his knee. Beatrice
stood leaning against white pillar
smiling down at them. Winston sal
upon lower step.
What have you been doing, Billy
boy?" Fenway questioned. The chile
was always very amusing. so TIT
guests leaned forward. eagerly listen
ing for his replies.
"Been down on the pier" Billy piped
In his shrill treble, with Aunt Bea
trice and Mr.. Winston" A pause
Aunt Beatrice says she loves Mr.. Win
ston." he repeated deliberately. For
moment there was silence. tense. dead
" silence; then Jack Winston commit
ted the objectionable crime-he laugh
ed. No one joined him. That made /
worse, for all were fascinated II
watching the girls face. which changed
so suddenly from white to crimson
She looked contemptuously ut Winston
for a moment because he could thus
enjoy her discontinue.
Billy" she said desperately. "yor
remember. spoke Of loving every
body-not Mr.. Winston In particular
he was merely included with the 9th
ers."
1t seemed to the man on the lower
step that her eyes sought Fenway''
appealingly. Merely included Will
the others" He arose suddenly. "io'
have sufficiently cleared yourself o.
the imputation." he began in a low
tone, but Billy was speaking again.
"Mr. Winston says" the eherub an
nounced distinctly. that sometimes hi
would like to pelt stones ut Mr.. Fen
way" There was II general laugh u
this. and Winston was conscious OF III
overwhelming desire to fall upon thu
boy and thrash him within an inch O.
his life.
Thanks. awfully, Bill" Fenway OBJ
served calmly. "Forewarned Is fore
armed. Henceforth. whenever sex
Jack Winston coming my way. / shall
run"
The company dispersed in little chat
tering groups toward the dining room
Billy was borne thence upon Fenway
shoulder. and Beatrice followed. Al
Winston passed she averted her eyes
and so during the endlessly long weel
which followed she perversely Ignored
his existence and admirably succeeded
In dispelling any erroneous idea whicl
might have prevailed regarding he
partially toward him. And the In
iured one hid himself In faraway cor
hers and worked resolutely upon tn
serial story which he was preparin,
for one Of the current magazines. III
had neglected his writing lately. ant
there was much to do. OCCASIONAL.
Billy would seek him out. but was al
ways CURLY dismissed. In fact, tn
thorns were beginning to show amonl
Billy's roses. for his champion. Fen
way. had suddenly departed for town
and Aunt Beatrice had developed int
a very unreasonable person. One cOul
not tell how to please her.
When they started for walk upo
their last afternoon ut the seaside Aun
Beatrice first found the wooded pat
too shady. then decided that the SUI
shone too brightly upon the pier, AM
later when the man In the little post
office Informed them that there wer
mo letters today" Billy really though
she was going to cry. "P'raps." b
romforted. MIR. Fenway will write
nice letter to you bimeby, but" b
added. with the strange perversity o
childhood. II like Mr.. Winston best"
Aunt Beatrice very Unexpected.
bent down and kissed his upturne'
face. BILLY boy" she said sadly. mi
Winston does not like US any more