dden inspiration:
"There's the watch Aunt Beatrice left me, you know. Mother said it was
very valuable."

Billie's face lighted for a moment, then fell again.

"But you know Uncle Bill always said that you never could get anything
like the value for old gold. And anyway," she rose and put a loving arm
about him, "I couldn't let you do that for me, Chet, dear. I think you're
the dearest brother in the world."

A few hours later Laura Jordon and Violet Farrington came over, trying
their best not to look curious. They had waited as long as they could,
but knowing about the death of Billie's queer old aunt and knowing also
that Billie, as her namesake, might expect some share of the fortune--if
there was one--they had been filled with excitement, and now as they ran
up the steps to Billie's porch it was all they could do to keep from
blurting out the question.

For both Laura and Violet had been perfectly certain that Billie's Aunt
Beatrice had been some sort of miser who had piled up an immense fortune
simply for their chum's benefit.

"Just think," Violet had said in one of their excited conferences on the
subject, "what a wonderful thing it will be for Billie just now when she
is so worried about that miserable old statue. And for Chet too!"

"Yes, it would mean they could both go to school and we'd all have such a
good time," Laura had chimed in. "Goodness!" she had added with a
chuckle, "I feel almost as much obliged to Aunt Beatrice as Billie will."

But now that the great moment had come, they sat decorously in Billie's
porch swing and tried to appear not at all curious as to whether Billie
had gathered in a fortune since they last had seen her or not.

And Billie, her little imp of mischief at work again, guessed the object
of their visit and decided with an inward chuckle to keep them guessing.

She managed to accomplish her purpose for just about five minutes. Then
Laura, unable to stand the suspense a moment more, took the bit in her
teeth and bolted.

"For goodness' sake, Billie," she cried desperately, "why don't
you tell us?"

"Tell you what?" asked Billie, trying to look innocent. "Haven't I been
telling you--"

"Yes, about the way Debbie makes potato salad," cried Laura disgustedly.
"You know well enough why we came."

"Why you came?" Billie repeated, looking still more surprised. "Why,
naturally, I thought you came to see me."

"Billie Bradley, if you don't tell us what we want to know this