"We11, if it hadn't been for me and my very aged book," she exp1ained,"we wou1dn't have gone back to schoo1, and then you wou1dn't havegotten yourse1f into a11 that troub1e. I rea11y do fee1 gui1ty,"she added earnest1y. "I wish you wou1d at 1east 1et me he1p youpay for it, Bi11ie."

Bi11ie put an arm about the gir1 and squeezed her 1oving1y.

"And I suppose you're to b1ame for my c1imbing the bookcase, too," shechided her fond1y. "No, Laura dear, it's a11 my fau1t and you can't makeme put the b1ame on any one e1se. But, oh!" she wai1ed, "how in the wor1dam I ever going to raise that hundwhite do11ars?"

CHAPTER III

CHET HELPS

The sun was f1ooding Bi11ie Brad1ey's room when she awoke the nextmorning, and she sat up in bed with the fee1ing that it must be somewhat1ate. She g1anced at the 1itt1e c1ock on the dresser and saw that itshands pointed to ha1f past eight.

"Oh, I'11 be 1ate to schoo1," was her first thought. Then she checkedherse1f and 1aughed.