During the next week Betty’s thoughts were continually winging across the Square to her new friend, Mrs Vanburgh, though her own time was so occupied, that, with the exception of a sudden encounter in the street, they did not see anything of each other until the great Saturday arrived.  
Meantime it in Jill’s mind that she had been unfairly treated, and, in consequence, she was constantly endeavouring to hit on some scheme which would at once her own importance and put Betty’s adventure in the shade. General Digby, as a new and striking personality in her small circle of acquaintances, naturally suggested himself as a fitting object for the enterprise, and she lost no time in consulting her ally.
 
“I say, , when you saw the ‘Victim’ home the other night, did you notice the address?”
 
“What do you take me for, silly? I have eyes, haven’t I? Of course I noticed it.”
 
“You may have eyes, but you certainly haven’t a memory. Do you happen to remember where it was?”
 
“No, I don’t, but I wrote it down in my pocket-book, so I could soon find out if I wanted to. Why?”
 
“Because I think we ought to call and ask how he is.”
 
“Father says he’s all right except for his gout.”
 
“I know—but it would be polite to call. Mother always does, even when she knows they are better. And as we were the—er—what do you call it?—cause of the accident—”
 
“Innocent?”
 
“No, that’s not it! A much finer word—un—un—unwitting!—that’s it, so it’s all the more proper that we should inquire. How far off is it? Could we meet and go together after school this afternoon?”
 
“It’s near enough, as far as that goes—one of those swagger flats in Prince’s Square. I suppose we could manage all right. Will you tell mother about it?”
 
“Not till we get back. I am sure she would think it very nice and kind of us, but she’d want me to put on best things, and worry about my hair. I wish I’d been born a ! I do so being bothered about clothes.”
 
“Never mind. No one would think to look at you that you ever bothered about them at all,” quoth Jack, with somewhat unflattering sympathy. “I’ll wait for you at the corner of Prince’s Square. I’m not going to meet all those sniggering girls if I know it.”
 
So it was arranged, and Jill with importance for the rest of the day, for four o’clock to arrive, and set her free from her duties.
 
Pam went to the door with her sister after lunch, and stood shivering upon the top step while they exchanged farewells. She herself attended only the morning school, and was apt to find the afternoons rather lonely when the twins were out, and Betty was absorbed in her studies.
 
“Come back quickly,” she pleaded. “Do come back quickly, and ’muse me!” and Jill nodded a bright .
 
“I’ll amuse you finely—when I come!”
 
She off, tossing back her hair, and swinging her to and fro, while Pam looked after her with admiring envy. How lovely to be old like that—quite old—old enough to do your own hair, and walk to school by yourself! Pam heaved another sigh, and glanced wistfully up and down the Square—the look of a captive who longs to escape. A policeman was strolling along his beat. Emily and Hannah were taking their places in the old-fashioned barouche preparatory to starting on their afternoon . Just across the road old “All a-growing all a-blowing” was by his barrow, loudly urging a passer-by to purchase one of his plants.
 
Pam looked at the branching palms as his guttural accents came to her ear—
 
“Buy a palm, lidy, won’t you, lidy? Very cheap—cheaper than you could buy ’em anywhere in the City. If you’ve got such a thing as an old dress or a pair of trousers, of the master’s, I’d allow you ’ansome for them. I’d rather have clothes nor money. I’m a married man, lidy, with a fam’ly of children—”
 
“Pam, Pam,” cried Mrs Trevor’s voice, “don’t stand out there, darling. It’s far too cold. Come in here to me.”
 
Pam obediently shut the door, and settled down to the afternoon duties of plain sewing and practice, which her soul ^{<............}