aid
Hebe. 'I'm not even sure of the name, though I heard it, and I've a
better memory than Anne. I only know it's in Rodney Square.'

'They'll have gone to Flossy Barry's to ask for the redress,' said Maud.

We couldn't help smiling; it is so funny when Maud says words wrong, for
she is so wonderfully clever and sensible.

'Yes,' exclaimed Hebe. 'I'm sure they'll have done that. Maud always
thinks of the right thing.'

But what were _we_ to do?

Every moment we hoped to hear the front-door bell ring, followed by our
sisters' pattering steps running upstairs. We didn't seem to care much
about the diamond brooch. Even if I had heard Anne's voice calling out,
'It _is_ it. We've got it!' I think my first words would have been, 'Oh,
Anne, how _could_ you go out and frighten us so?'

And of course, even if it had been the brooch, they would never have
given it to two children to bring back. Mums would have had to vow it
was hers, and all sorts of fuss, I daresay.

Nurse poured out our three cups of tea. She was very sensible; I think
she wanted to stop us getting too excited, though she told me afterwards
she had been as frightened as frightened: it had been all she could do
to keep quiet and not go off just as she was to look for them.

'I'll just go down and have a word with Mr. Barstow,' she said. 'I
daresay he'll send round to Mrs. Barry's to see if the young ladies have
been there, as Miss Maudie says, dear child. We'll find Mrs. Barry's
number in the red book. And you don't know the other family's name?'

'It's a Lady something,' said Hebe. 'Not Mrs., and not Lady Mary or Lady
Catharine, but Lady ---- the name straight off.'

'That won't help so very much, I'm afraid,' said nurse. 'Not in Rodney
Square. But they'll be sure to know the name at Mrs. Barry's. I
shouldn't wonder if Mr. Barstow steps round himself. Now go on with your
tea, my dears, while I go downstairs for a minute. Of course there's
nothing at all to be really frightened about.'

We pretended to go on with our tea, but we were very unhappy.

CHAPTER V

RODNEY SQUARE

It seemed a long time till nurse came back again. We had finished our
tea--it was really rather a pretence one, as I said--when we thought we
heard her coming upstairs, and ran out to meet her.

It was her: she was coming up the big front staircase, for she still, as
she told me afterwards, had a half-silly idea that _perhaps_ the two
girls were still hiding somewher