The article was marked in red pencil.
He read it slowly with a perfectly blank expression, as if it concerned some one he did not know.

Once only, when he came upon the allusion to the little girl, his eyes left the page and glanced quietly down at the large red felt hat with its knot of ribbands that moved along beside him, and hid all the child's face except the delicate chin and the corner of the pathetic little mouth.

She did not know that he looked down at her, for she was intent on the sparrows, and he went back to the article and read to the end.
Then, in order to fold the paper, he gently let go of Ida's hand, and she looked up into his face.

He did not speak, but his lips moved a little as he doubled the sheet to put it into his pocket; and instantly the child's expression changed, and she looked hurt and frightened, and stretched up her hand quickly to cover his mouth, as if to hide the words his lips were silently forming.
'Please, please!' she said, in her slightly monotonous voice.

'You promised me you wouldn't any more!' 'Quite right, my dear,' answered Mr.Van Torp, smiling, 'and I apologise.