lady you're afther makin' of my girl. Her
mother would bless you were she here," and Mrs. Hollister would reply:

"She is naturally a perfect lady, Mr. Casey, so it's not hard work. I
consider Nora a very superior girl and I'm very fond of her," at which
the father's eyes would grow half tearful, and he'd seem proud to hear
it.

Nannie Bigelow and Nora became very intimate and she was made much of
by Dorothy Kip and Sara Judson. Nora took an active interest in the Day
Nursery and donated generously for its maintenance. Twice a week she'd
go and read to the elder children and get on the floor and play with
the younger ones, for she adored babies. She was especially sweet and
generous to Grandmother, spending hours with her lest she should become
lonely. It was like a mother and daughter, instead of a girl and
chaperon, to see Mrs. Hollister and Nora go about together.

"I wish I had a son, Nora," said that lady one day. "Then I should never
have to see you leave me."

Nora blushed rosy red, saying:

"I wish you had, Mrs. Hollister. I dislike to think of our separation."

Mr. Casey sent the most wonderful barrels of apples and potatoes from
his own place to the Hollisters, and when he came to New York he'd order
fruit from the most expensive fruiterers to be sent three times a week,
say nothing of boxes of flowers which came regularly throughout the
entire winter.

CHAPTER XIV

A BIRTHDAY PRESENT

On one of Mr. Casey's flying trips to the city it happened to be Mrs.
Hollister's birthday. Nora told him of the fact and after school together
they whisked away in a taxi to shop. Upon their return he presented Mrs.
Hollister with a large box, and in the most delicate manner begged her to
accept it as a slight token of his gratitude for her interest in and
kindness to Nora.

"Ye've been a mother to my girl and she loves ye well. Her own
mother--God rest her soul--as I've often told ye, would be proud of
her, and she'd know better what to give a lady, but if ye'll accept
these, ma'am, Nora and I will be pleased."

Mrs. Hollister was visibly affected. She actually wiped her eyes.

"I will accept them with pleasure, Mr. Casey," she said, "but don't
forget Nora is a great comfort to all of us. We have grown to love her
as our own," and she opened the box thinking it might contain a pretty
waist or something of that sort when to her surprise there she beheld a
most magnificent set of sables. She couldn't spea