fter the accident, while Paul was still too weak to get
about, Mr. Anketell suggested that they should drive that afternoon to a
village called Windycross, walk on a mile to the little town which was
their nearest shopping-place, and come back to Windycross to tea.
Stella was delighted. For days she had been longing to buy a little
present for Paul, but did not know how to manage it; here was her
opportunity, and with her purse in her pocket, and heart full of
delightful importance, she clambered up into the carriage and drove off.

It was a lovely day, and the children were in the highest spirits,
only saddened every now and again by the sight of the searchers still
scouring the country for the escaped man, and the fear that the poor
fellow might at any moment be caught, for, strange though it may seem,
all the children's sympathies were with him, and they longed to hear that
the search had been abandoned.

The drive to Windycross was a long one, but they reached there in good
time, and Michael and Stella stood looking about them full of interest at
the funny little low white cottages, while their father went into one and
ordered tea. Then they strolled slowly on to the town, and Stella laid
out two of the five shillings she possessed on a book she knew Paul was
longing to possess. Her pleasure and excitement over her purchase were
immense; she could not allow anyone else to carry it, and every now and
again she was filled with a longing to untie the string and look at her
treasure, to turn over the crisp new leaves, and glance at the pictures.
At last, when they reached the village, she could restrain herself no
longer. They had got back earlier than they thought they would, and the
tea was not ready, so Mr. Anketell, who wanted to call on a friend near
by, thought he would go and do that while they were waiting, and take the
children with him.

But Stella wanted so much to undo her precious parcel and look at her book
that she pleaded to be left behind, and Mr. Anketell and Michael left her
at the cottage. But she soon found that that did not suit her; there were
too many people about, and she was shy under the glances of so many eyes;
so she strolled into the garden, but that was close to the village street,
and a girl who was working there dropped her work to stare at the
stranger.

Stella began to feel quite cross, and she looked around to see if there
was no secluded spot in all that place. Then her eye