In the Close an organ was giving delight to a great crowd of children, some of them wearing holiday garb, but most clad in the native rags which served them for all seasons and all days.

The volume of clanging melody fell with torture upon Kirkwood's ear, and when he saw that the instrument was immediately before Mrs.Peckover's house, he stood aside in gloomy impatience, waiting till it should move away.
This happened in a few minutes.

The house door being open, he walked straight upstairs.
On the landing he confronted Mrs.Hewett; she started on seeing him, and whispered a question.

The exchange of a few words apprised Sidney that Hewett did not even know of Clara's having quitted Mrs.Tubbs'.
'Then I must tell him everything,' he said.

To put the task upon the poor woman would have been simple cowardice.