"We know it," said Billie lightly. "But we can't help it. Listen, Teddy,"
and she leaned toward him confidentially. "I still have one hope left."

Then she told him about Uncle Bill and his fondness for her, and during
the recital the boy brightened noticeably.

"Well, I hope the old boy comes up to the scratch," he commented
disrespectfully, adding hurriedly as Laura said good-bye to Nellie Bane
and started toward them: "And, Billie, if you change your mind about what
I asked you let me know. Promise?"

Billie promised, and a few minutes later said good-bye to the brother and
sister and watched them down the street with a very warm feeling
somewhere in the region of her heart.

"Isn't it great to have friends?" she asked a robin that had perched
itself on the edge of the porch and was looking at her knowingly. "And
isn't Teddy the handsomest boy you ever saw?" to which the robin, knowing
little rascal that he was, nodded not once but twice.

Chet came up on the porch a few minutes later and enticed Billie out for
a game of tennis with him, hoping to get her mind off the broken statue.
But while she was too full of life and health not to enjoy the swift,
swinging game that Chet gave her, the thought of "The Girl Reading a
Book" stayed constantly in the back of her mind.

That night after dinner Billie broke the news to her father, and her
heart sank as she saw the harassed look that came into his eyes.