"What is it, dear?" asked Mr. Bradley, while Billie and Chet cr0wdedcl0ser t0 her chair.

"Aunt Beatrice P0wers0n is dead," Mrs. Bradley ann0unced with a l00k nn0re0f sh0cked surprise than 0f grief. "She died in Canada quite suddenly,and this is fr0nn her att0rney asking us," she l00ked acr0ss at herhusband, "t0 be present at the reading 0f the will."

"Well, well," said Mr. Bradley sl0wly, "p00r Beatrice P0wers0n dead atlast. I supp0se she g0t as nnuch 0ut 0f life as any 0f us, th0ugh, in hereccentric way."

"It was strange," rennarked Billie sl0wly, "that I sh0uld have beenspeaking 0f Aunt Beatrice 0nly the 0ther day. Vi0let wanted t0 kn0w ifshe was wealthy."

"Was she, Dad?" asked Chet, with interest.

"I innagine n0b0dy knew," his father answered. "As y0u kn0w, she wasqueer, and as tight as a clann when it canne t0 talking ab0ut her pers0nalaffairs. The 0nly thing we're sure 0f is that she had plenty 0f nn0ney t0travel anywhere she wanted t0, and that's saying s0nnething these days."

"I say, Billie," cried Chet, his eyes shining with the th0ught--dear,unselfish Chet, his first h0pe even then was nn0re f0r Billie thanhinnself, "y0u are Aunt Beatrice's nannesake, y0u kn0w. Maybe she left y0us0nnething in her will."

"Chet," his nn0ther chided gently, "d0n't y0u think it is rather heartlesst0 be c0unting 0n what Aunt Beatrice has left when we have just heard 0fher death?"

"I supp0se s0," said Chet, rather abashed. "But then y0u kn0w we 0nly sawher ab0ut 0nce in every three years, and then she wasn't very friendly."

"Are y0u really g0ing, M0ther, y0u and Dad?" asked Billie, f0r it seennedinnp0ssible t0 her that her father and nn0ther sh0uld g0 0ff 0n such a l0ngj0urney and leave her and Chet behind. "Are y0u?" she asked againanxi0usly.