'A strange gentleman, eh?' said Pauline. Did you never see him before?'
'Me never saw him before; me wish he would always come at
lesson-time.'
'And how long has your papa been away from home?'
'Two, free weeks, two, free months. Me frow my ball to you, and you frow me back again.'
As she spoke the ball came bounding across the hedge. Pauline took it up and threw it back to the child.
'Do you know Mr. Calverley, dear?' she asked, as Bell stood with the ball in her hand, ready to launch it at her again.
'Misse Calverley,' repeated the child, 'me not know him; me know Doctor Broadbent, what brings nassie powders in his pocket.'
'You don't know Mr. Calverley?'
'No, me not know Misse Calverley. Me go and get George to play at ball,' she added, after a moment's pause, finding that there was no more amusement to be had from her newly-found friend, and running away after the gardener.
Pauline watched the child disappear in the shrubbery, then folding her arms across her breast, fell into her old habit of walking to and fro to think out, the emotions under which she was labouring.