"Miss Peabody will have to lose the brightest star in her galaxy. She draws too heavily upon our modest income. I shall join Ted at the High School," went on Miss Billy bravely.
"Are you sure that is wise?" asked Mrs. Lee. "Private school has been one of my pet extravagances. I should like to keep you with your old schoolmates as long as possible, for it will make a great change in your life to leave them."
"But think of the saving in expense," urged Miss Billy.
Beatrice gave a little shudder. "I hate to think of your going to that dirty, noisy place—filled with Germans and germs——"
"And Polish and poles, and Russians and rushes——" put in Theodore.
"The course is certainly good, and the instructors excellent," said the minister. "If Miss Billy could be reconciled to the public schools for a year, I think we could manage college for her later." There was a wistfulness in his tones that touched Miss Billy's tender heart.
"Of course I could," she said stoutly. "I'd rather go, daddy dear."
"As to the matter of houses," went on Mr. Lee, "I am afraid that we shall have to leave our present home. Your mother and I spent yesterday in looking at vacant houses. Just now there seem to be few unoccupied, but we finally found one that we thought might do."