too good to be true!" said Nanny.

"No, no!" cried Diamond. "How could anything be too good to be true? To
be true is to be the very best thing of all. It sounds like your wicked
old granny to say that!"

"Do you know, Diamond," said Nanny, "I do not think my old granny is my
real old granny at all. I don't think she was ever any one's granny or
mother. That was why she was not good to me. Perhaps she never had any
mother when she was little to be good to her. And somebody must first be
good to you, don't you think, before you can learn how to be good to any
body else? Isn't that so? But where was I in my dream? Oh yes, the big
yellow moon came down closer and closer to the grass in front of me.
Then somehow, it seemed to be my ruby lady. She reached out soft warm
arms of golden light and took me up. I sank against her breast into very
downy, golden clouds and went to sleep and left off having pain. And yet
I didn't sleep but knew it all the time, and just swung softly there all
night long."

"Wasn't it really North Wind?" said Diamond to himself. "Perhaps it
_was_ North Wind though she doesn't know it. Maybe the moon does just
the same. What if it should some day carry her to that same country--at
the back of _my_ North Wind! Who knows?"

The nurse now came and told him it was time to go. Nanny had closed her
eyes as if she were tired or asleep. So Diamond arose quietly and
tip-toed away.

CHAPTER IX

THINGS GO HARD WITH DIAMOND'S FAMILY

It was a great delight to Diamond, when at length Nanny was well enough
to leave the hospital and go to their house. She was not strong yet but
Diamond's mother was very careful of her. She took care she should have
nothing to do that she was not fit for. If Nanny had been taken straight
from the street, it is pretty sure she would not have been so pleasant
in a nice house nor so easy to teach. But the kindness they had shown
her in the hospital while she was ill so long had changed her quite a
little.

As she got better, the colour came back to her cheeks, her step grew
lighter and quicker, her smile shone out more readily, and it was clear
she would soon be a treasure of help. It was great fun to see Diamond
teaching her how to hold the baby and wash and dress him. Nanny had
never had a little brother or sister to care for and she and Diamond
often had to laugh over her awkwardness. But she was soon able to do it
all as well as Diamond himself.

Things, however,