It's the wall or something." He came down from the chair yawning.
"Jim's nice," he confided to her.

"He's going to take me ratting one day!" "I'm going," Mary said again, and waited.
Jeremy coloured, looked as though he would say something, then, in silence, presented a very grimy cheek.

"Good-night," he said, with an air of intense relief.
"Good-night," she said, kissing him.
She closed the door behind her.

She knew that the worst had happened.

He had passed away, utterly beyond her company, her world, her interests.
She crept along to her room, and there, with a determination and a strength rare in a child so young and so undisciplined, faced her loneliness..