Prominent in the group was the woman who "cared for" Biddy.

Her baby was crying, her children were crying, and she was crying too.

And with every moment that passed the crowd grew larger and larger, as few things but bad news can make a crowd grow.
We learnt it very quickly.

Biddy had been so much cheered up by our visit, that when the woman went out to buy supper for them, she did not lock the door.

When she came back, Biddy was gone.