Billie in the singles, Billie and Laura in the doubles, swiftly eliminated all their adversaries except Amanda Peabody and Eliza Dilks.
Then these two girls went down to a decided but in no sense ignominious defeat before the combined powers of Billie and Laura.
When Billie at last faced Amanda Peabody for the last and deciding match of the tournament, an audible sigh broke from the spectators.
“Now,” said Rose Belser, “we are about to see something!”
“It will be a battle of the century,” predicted Connie Danvers.
On the courts Billie waved good-naturedly to Amanda.
“Your serve,” she called. “Ready?”
CHAPTER XXIV
A SMASHING SET
Amanda Peabody had won first serve and her choice of courts. Billie Bradley was handicapped not only by her knee—which was beginning to pain rather severely—but by the fact that the sun was in her eyes.