Dorothy Dainty's Gay Times Part 22

"Here we are," said Sue, as she rose to her feet.

Nancy slipped from the seat, and together they left the car and stepped out upon the platform. "I didn't ask ye ef ye wanted ter bring anything with yer?" said Sue. "Ye could hev packed a little bag with anything ye'd want while ye was here."

"Why, what should I want to bring in a bag?" Nancy asked in surprise.

"I didn't know but you'd want a ap.r.o.n, a night-gown, or something," Sue replied.

Nancy stood still in the middle of the road, and stared at Sue.

"A _night-dress_! Why, aren't you coming back with me to-night?"

"Why, Nancy, don't stop there. I thought I told ye that yer aunt wanted yer ter visit her."

"You said she wanted to look at me, and that she had something to give me, and something to tell me, but that wouldn't take long, and I ought to go home to-night."

"But there's no train home ter-night, Nancy. This is a little town, an'

there's only two er three trains a day. Ye _must_ hev told in yer letter that ye was goin' ter _visit_ yer aunt, didn't yer?"

"I don't know whether I _said_ visit or not, but truly I didn't think you meant to stay over night," Nancy replied.

"Wal, I guess ye said so, an' here's the street. It's only a lane, an'

that little bit of a house where the cat sits on the step is the one where yer aunt lives. It's kind er cosy, ain't it?"

Nancy did not notice Sue's question. She was looking at the little house, the tiny fruit-trees in the yard, and the white cat that sat upon the upper step, was.h.i.+ng its face in the sun.

The place looked very poor and small after the Dainty mansion and the trim stone cottage. But small though it was, it looked far better than the old house in the city where Steve Ferris had taken her, when he had stolen her from her home and friends.

CHAPTER XII

THE NECKLACE

Nancy could not help making friends with the white cat, and it purred with delight at being noticed. Sue slipped a key into the lock, and opened the door. They entered the tiny hall, and the white cat followed them, as they walked towards a little room at the rear.

"Is that you, Sue? Did ye see her? Did she come?" called a thin, tired voice.

Sue opened the door of the sitting-room and Nancy ran in, all sympathy now for the aunt who was really ill.

Mrs. Ferris lay upon an old carpet-covered lounge, and she raised herself upon her elbow to look at Nancy as she stood before her.

"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 rea.s.sure her.

"Ye're safe here, Nancy," she said. "There ain't n.o.body 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 coa.r.s.e 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.

But no Nancy ran out to greet them, nor was she in sight when they entered the hall.

In sudden terror Dorothy had thrown herself down into a cus.h.i.+oned chair, and no words of comfort could stop her sobbing or stay her hot tears.

That Nancy was stolen, never to return, she earnestly believed, and although Mrs. Dainty tried to quiet her, and to a.s.sure her that her playmate would doubtless soon be found, she only shook her head, and cried at the thought that her Nancy was not with her.

The maid was sent to the cottage to see if any accident had befallen her which kept her there, while the butler, in the interest which he felt, forgot his dignity and begged permission to call at the homes of her little friends to learn if she were there.

He soon returned with the news that Mollie and Flossie had played with her all the forenoon, and had promised to go over to the cottage after lunch; that they did so, but they found no one to play with, and after waiting for some time, they ran unable to understand why Nancy had not been waiting to greet them.

Then the maid entered.

"If ye please, Mrs. Grayson, I found this paper on yer table. I do'no'

what it is, fer I'd not be readin' what wa'n't writ ter me, but wonderin' if it was writ by Miss Nancy, I've brought it ter ye."

Dorothy sat with wide eyes and pale cheeks, her slender fingers tightly clasping the arms of the chair. Could the note be from Nancy? Would it tell where she was?

Mrs. Dainty leaned over Aunt Charlotte's chair, and together they read the hastily pencilled note.

"Dear Aunt Charlotte:--I guess you remember Sue, I've forgotten what her other name is, but she's the girl that worked for Uncle Steve, and was so good to me when I was sick. She called to-day, and says my aunt is sick and thinks she _must_ see me, and you needn't think I'm stolen, because Uncle Steve is dead, so he couldn't steal me again.

"My aunt doesn't live in the city. Sue meant to ask you if I could go, but you were away, and she said I ought to go so I did. I'll be right home as soon as my aunt has told me what Sue says she's _got_ to tell.

"Lovingly,

"NANCY."