We're waiting!' 'Mummy promised'--cut
short by the nurse saying sharply, 'Not so much noise, Miss Sara.' But
the presiding genius of the Tunbridge nursery opened the door a little
wider and stood aside. Handsome compensation for her studied coldness
was offered in the shrill shrieks of joy with which a little girl and a
very small boy celebrated the lady's entrance. She, for her part, joined
the austere nurse in saying, 'Sh! sh!' and in simulating consternation
at the spectacle behind the screen, Miss Sara jumping up and down in the
middle of her bed with wild brown hair swirling madly about a laughing
but mutinous face. The visitor, hurrying forward, received the impetuous
little girl in her arms, while the nurse described her own sentiments
of horror and detestation of such performances, and hinted vaguely at
Retribution that might with safety be looked for no later than the
morrow. Nobody listened. Miss Levering nodded smiling across Sara's
nightgowned figure to the little boy hanging over the side of the
neighbouring cot. But he kept remonstrating, 'You always go to her
first.'

The lady drew a flat, shiny wooden box out of the inside pocket of her
cloak. The little girl seized it rapturously.

'Oh, did you only bring Sara's bock?' wailed the smaller Tunbridge. 'I
told you expecially we wanted _two_ bocks.'

'I've got two pockets and I've got two bocks. Let me give him his, Sara
darling.'

But 'Sara darling' dropped her own 'bock' the better to cling round the
neck of the giver.

Naturally Master Cecil sounded the horn of indignation.

'Hush!' commanded his sister. 'Don't you know his little lordship never
did that?' And to emphasize this satirical appeal to a higher standard
of manners, Sara loosened her tight-locked arms an instant; but still
holding to the visitor with one hand, she picked up the pillow and
deftly hurled it at the neighbouring cot, extinguishing the little boy.
Through the general recriminations that ensued, the culprit cried with
shrill rapture, 'Lady Gladys never pillow-fought! Lady Gladys was a
little lady and never did _any_thing!' The merry eyes shamelessly
invited Miss Levering to mock at Dampney's former charges. But the
visitor detached herself from Miss Sara, and wishing apparently to
ingratiate herself with the offended majesty of the nurse, Miss Levering
said gravely over her shoulder, 'Now, lie down, Sara, and be a good
girl.' Sara's reply to that was to (what she called) 'didd