“Set down on that little stool, Nancy,” she said, “so I kin look at ye better.  My!  But ye look well an’ strong ’side er what ye did when I last seen ye, whilst I’ve grown sick an’ tired.  But seein’ ye’ll do me good, an’ ter-morrer I’ll talk with ye.  They’s some things I must say, but I’ll rest ter-night, an’ tell ye ter-morrer.”

Nancy looked the fear that she felt, and Mrs. Ferris hastened to reassure her.

“Ye’re safe here, Nancy,” she said.  “There ain’t nobody here ter harm ye.  Like ’nough Sue remembered ter tell ye ’bout yer Uncle Steve.”

Nancy nodded, and was about to speak when Mrs. Ferris continued: 

“I don’t want ter speak hard ‘bout him now, an’ I don’t hev ter.  Ye was with us long ’nough ter know what yer Uncle Steve was like, but I will tell ye one thing:  we didn’t hev no luck after ye left us.  Steve kept ye dancin’ at the theatre, an’ they paid well fer dancin’, too.  Then ye was sick, an’ them two ladies come an’ took yer home.  After that we went from one place ter another, Steve workin’ when he felt like it, an’ not workin’ when he didn’t feel like it, which was most er the time.  Since he’s went, I’ve worked hard at sewin’, an’ with a few boarders I’ve managed ter save ’nough ter buy this little house.  It didn’t cost much.  It’s in a out-er-the-way place, an’ they’s only four rooms in it, but ef I kin git well agin I’ll earn ’nough ter git along.”

She lay back against the pillow as if telling the story had tired her.

The clock upon the little mantel ticked loudly, and the white cat blinked at it a moment, then sprang up into Nancy’s lap.  She clasped her arms around it, and bending, laid her cheek against its head.

Mrs. Ferris opened her eyes, and lay watching Nancy, as she caressed the cat.

“I like ter see ye here,” she said, “an’ ter-morrer I’ll tell ye why I sent fer ye.”

The kitchen door opened, and the scent of brewing tea came in with Sue as she entered with a little tray which she placed upon a chair near Mrs. Ferris.

“There’s yer tea an’ toast,” she said, “an’ ye kin help yerself while me an’ Nancy has some in the kitchen.”

And while Nancy sat beside Sue, and tried very hard to like the coarse food offered her, her friends at the great stone house found it impossible to taste the tempting dishes which graced their table.

Mr. Dainty was away from home on important business, and Mrs. Dainty had asked Aunt Charlotte to come to the house with Nancy, and stay with her until he should return.

So when Mrs. Dainty’s shopping was finished, and Aunt Charlotte had left the house of her friend, they had met at the station, and had found seats in the first car of the train.  Their carriage was waiting for them when they arrived at Merrivale, and all the way up the avenue Dorothy talked of the gift which she had bought for Nancy, and of Nancy’s delight when she should see it.