sorry."

Di emphasised her sorrow by laughing, for she had a keen sense of the
ludicrous, and the memory of the spinning helmet was strong upon her
just then.

"It must indeed have been an unpleasant blow," replied Sir Richard,
gravely, "but then, dear, you couldn't help it, you know--and I dare say
he is none the worse for it now. Men like him are not easily injured.
I fear we cannot say as much for the boy who was holding the pony."

"Oh! I quite forgot about him," exclaimed Di; "the naughty boy! he
wouldn't let go the pony's reins when I bid him, but I saw he tumbled
down when we set off."

"Yes, he has been somewhat severely punished, I fear, for his
disobedience. His leg had been broken. Is it not so, Balls?"

"Yes, sir," replied the butler, "'e 'as 'ad 'is--"

Balls got no farther, for Diana, who had been struck dumb for the moment
by the news, recovered herself.

"His leg broken!" she exclaimed with a look of consternation; "Oh! the
poor, poor boy!--the dear boy! and it was me did that too, as well as
knocking down the poor policeman!"

There is no saying to what lengths the remorseful child would have gone
in the way of self-condemnation if her father had not turned her
thoughts from herself by asking what had been done for the boy.

"We sent 'im 'ome, sir, in a cab."

"I'm afraid that was a little too prompt," returned the knight
thoughtfully. "A broken leg requires careful treatment, I suppose. You
should have had him into the house, and sent for a doctor."

Balls coughed. He was slightly chagrined to find that the violation of
his own humane feelings had been needless, and that his attempt to do as
he thought his master would have wished was in vain.

"I thought, Sir Richard, that you didn't like the lower orders to go
about the 'ouse more--"

Again little Di interrupted the butler by asking excitedly where the
boy's home was.

"In the neighbour'ood of W'itechapel, Miss Di."

"Then, papa, we will go straight off to see him," said the child, in the
tone of one whose mind is fully made up. "You and I shall go together--
won't we? good papa!"

"That will do, Balls, you may go. No, my dear Di, I think we had better
not. I will write to one of the city missionaries whom I know, and ask
him to--"

"No, but, papa--dear papa, we _must_ go. The city missionary could
never say how very, _very_ sorry I am that he should have broken his leg
while helping me. And then I should _so_ like