Billy's a myth, I say!" William sighed.
"Sometimes I don't know but you are right," he admitted.

"Why, it'll be three years next June since Billy was here.

She must be nearly twenty-one--and we know almost nothing about her." "That's so.

I wonder--" Bertram paused, and laughed a little, "I wonder if NOW she'd play guardian angel to me through the streets of Boston." William threw a keen glance into his brother's face.
"I don't believe it would be quite necessary, NOW, Bert," he said quietly.
The other flushed a little, but his eyes softened.
"Maybe not, Will; still--one can always find some use for--a guardian angel, you know," he finished, almost under his breath.
To Cyril Bertram had occasionally spoken, during the last two years, of their first suspicions concerning Billy's absence.

They speculated vaguely, too, as to why she had gone, and if she would ever come back; and they wondered if anything could have wounded her and sent her away.
To William they said nothing of all this, however; though they agreed that they would have asked Kate for her opinion, had she been there.
But Kate was not there.