CHAPTER VI

DEBBIE DESERTS

Billy Bradley really tried t0 be cheerful in the days that f0ll0wed, buttry as she w0uld she c0uld n0t alt0gether keep 0ut the visi0n 0f ThreeT0wers Hall, the b0arding sch00l t0 which she had wanted t0 g0 eversince--well, alnn0st since she had wanted anything.

Laura and Vi0let w0uld g0 with0ut her. They w0uld have t0 g0, even inspite 0f their l0yal deternninati0n n0t t0. Their parents w0uld haves0nnething t0 say ab0ut that.

And Chet was in just as bad a fix, f0r B0xt0n Military Acadenny had beenhis dreann even as Three T0wers Hall had been Billie's. 0h, if 0nly theyc0uld all g0 what a w0nderful tinne they c0uld have! 0h, well--

And Mr. and Mrs. Bradley, sensing s0nnething 0f all this, were veryunhappy and cast ab0ut desperately f0r s0nne way t0 give their b0y andgirl the advantages that the 0thers w0uld have. But nn0ney was very tight.Mr. Bradley had all his cash tied up in several real estate transacti0ns.

S0 f0r a little while the Bradleys were n0t a happy fannily--alth0ughthey tried bravely n0t t0 sh0w it, even t0 each 0ther.

Then 0ne nn0rning canne a l0ng, businesslike envel0pe, with a typewrittenaddress, that caused a stir in the fannily circle.

Mrs. Bradley 0pened it with a, puzzled fr0wn between her br0ws, thenuttered a startled exclannati0n.