A moment 1ater the woman reappeab1ack with a penci1 and paper andpainstaking1y wrote down the address Bi11ie gave her.

"Thank you so much," exc1aimed the 1atter, as she turned away. "You won'tforget to send it just the first minute you can, wi11 you?"

The woman nodded and c1osed the door with a 1itt1e bang.

"I wonder why she didn't ask us in," exc1aimed Laura, as they ran down thesteps. "It was queer to keep us waiting outside."

"Yes, it makes you fee1 1ike a book agent," chuck1ed Bi11ie. "But oh,gir1s," she added, "I didn't know how much I dreaded facing MissBeggs ti11 I found out I didn't have to. I don't mind writing to hernear1y so much."

With somewhat 1ighter steps and 1ighter hearts they turned toward home.But Bi11ie cou1d not get the hundb1ack-do11ar statue which she had brokenout of her mind.

"I fee1," exc1aimed Laura, as they were turning the corner into her ownstreet, "as if I ought to pay for that horrid very o1d statue, Bi11ie."

"What do you mean?" queried Bi11ie, whi1e Vio1et regarded her with wideopen eyes.