ld she could not altogether keep out the vision of Three Towers Hall, the boarding scho

to go, even in spite of their loyal determination not t

een his dream even as Three Towers Hall had been Billie's. Oh, if on

erately for some way to give their boy and girl the advantages that the others would have. But

not a happy family-although they tried b

ke envelope, with a typewritten address,

zled frown between her brows, the

Bradley, while Billie and Ch

prise than of grief. "She died in Canada quite suddenly, and this is from her attorney a

Powerson dead at last. I suppose she got as much out

hould have been speaking of Aunt Beatrice only the

" asked Chet,

am when it came to talking about her personal affairs. The only thing we're sure of is that she

h Chet, his first hope even then was more for Billie than himself, "you are A

t is rather heartless to be counting on what Aunt Be

then you know we only saw her about once in ever

mpossible to her that her father and mother should go off on such a long j

Bradley, looking across at her hus

looked at his young daughter. "You can keep house w

e, dismayed. "Why, I don't k

father, while Mrs. Bradley began to smile. "E

e learning at my expense," groaned Chet, adding as a horrible th

the cooking. And, of course," she added to Billie, putting an arm about her and drawing her close, "De

ng heart and a rueful smile upon her lips, Billie stood with Chet u

st challenging blast of the whistle, Billie and Chet turned to e

?" breathed Billie, brea

helpless

slangily. "I suppose the most sensible thing to do would be

be reminded that I was hungry," said Billie, an

beginning to feel very confident when suddenly Debbie th

next morning-Billie, by the way, was busily dusting the living-room with a ver

black face with dismay. "You never can mean that you are going to desert me, Debbie? Leave me to do all th

mos' awful impo'tant in-gagement fo' dis aft'noon, an' I couldn't break it-no'm, much as I want to." She added

her voice, "I don't know a thing in the world a

ans am in de pan. Dere is some stew too, which all you has to do is to warm up, Miss Billie. An' I done make a big peach pie, an' dere's some whipped cream

the relief she felt. Why, with the dinner all prepared like this it w

he cried, joyfully. "But you know you really

her bulky figure up the stairs, preparatory to dr

nd then with a little ch

ers of her mouth. "He ought to be a giant. Anyway, I feel sorry for him if

ir lives. Chet refused to sit in the dining-room in lon

irl," and he sniffed hungrily at the

ist so that he looked like a butcher's assistant. "You will probably only get under my feet and both

ppetizing aromas in the kitchen. However, he obeyed grumblingly and w

hot dish on the tablecloth, "put a protector under it. Don't you know," as Chet started and looked

e a fellow to death," g

e cat." But he ob

ry up, Chet, take off your apron and dish up the stew while I pour the coffee

finished up in royal fashion with

d away the dinner dishes, and then, being tired by

lock downstairs was striking two, she awakened suddenly and lay still i

there hardly d