Billie Bradley at Three Towers Hall; Or, Leading a Needed Rebellion

E-text prepared by Juliet Sutherland, Mary Meehan, and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net)


Oh, Dad, I can't believe it's true!
In the rather dim light of the gloomy old room the boys and girls looked queer—almost ghostly. They were gathered about a shabby old trunk, and beside this trunk a man was kneeling. As Billie Bradley spoke, the man, who was her father, rose to his feet and thoughtfully brushed the dust from his clothes. Then he stood looking down at the hundreds and hundreds of postage stamps and old coins that filled the queer old trunk.
Is it really true, Dad? Billie continued, shaking her father's arm impatiently while the other young folks looked eagerly up at him.
Mr. Bradley nodded slowly.
Yes, you really have made a find this time, Billie, he said. Of course I'm not an expert, but I'm sure the coins in that old trunk are worth three thousand dollars, and the postage stamps ought to bring at least two thousand more——
At least two thousand more! broke in Chet Bradley, excitedly. Does that mean that Billie may get more for the postage stamps?
I shouldn't wonder, replied Mr. Bradley, nodding his head. However, he added, smiling round at the girls and boys, you'd better not count on anything over five thousand.
But five thousand dollars! interrupted Laura Jordon, in an awed voice. Just think of it, Billie! And because your Aunt Beatrice left you this house and everything in it, every last cent of that five thousand belongs to you.
Yes, said Teddy Jordon, turning to Billie with a chuckle. I suppose you won't look at any of us now you've got this money. How does it feel, Billie?