despairingly down the street in the hope of seeing Miss
Thompson, but only an unceasing stream of strangers passed and repassed
the spot where she stood. Then she stooped down and peered through the
grating. It was so dark down below that she could not distinguish the
bag; only, of course, having seen it fall, and even heard the clatter
of some of the coins as they rolled out, she knew it must be there.
She did not like to leave the spot and go back to Miss Thompson. It
seemed as if the money would be more likely to disappear in her
absence; although she could not really take care of it by standing on
top of the grating, yet she felt as if she could.

While hesitating what to do next, Madge happened to look through the
window of the stationer's shop, and saw an elderly woman sitting behind
the counter. She had spectacles on her nose, and such a very mild
appearance that Madge at last decided to go in and explain the whole
matter to her. If the woman would only let her run down to the cellar
and pick up the money, nobody at home need ever know anything about the
silly accident.

CHAPTER XIV.

KEEPING SHOP.

"Please may I just look in your cellar for a minute?" began Madge very
politely, as she entered the shop. "I am very sorry to trouble you,
but I won't be long."

"What did you say you wanted, miss?" inquired the old woman, thinking
that she had not heard correctly what Madge asked for. "You must
excuse me, miss," she went on, "for ever since I had the influenza last
winter my hearing has not been what it was before. It's very awkward
in the shop, as you may think. Many days I get one of my
grand-children, a little girl about your age, to come and help me, but
this week she has gone off to visit an aunt in London. Of course that
was a great treat for her, so I couldn't think of interfering with it,
and I am trying to do the best I can alone."

Another time Madge would have been much interested in hearing all about
the little girl who helped her grandmother to keep shop; but now she
was in a great hurry to get her money back before Miss Thompson came to
look for her, so directly the old woman stopped speaking she began a
more detailed explanation of what she wanted, in a particularly clear
voice.

"If it was only my own money I wouldn't interrupt you to look for it,"
she said, "although it is five shillings and sevenpence. But it
belongs to the others as well, and, of course, they are expecting