took a huge, crooked hair-pin from her hair, and buttoned Nancy's
boots with wonderful speed, when the tool which she worked with was
considered.

And what a breakfast that was, which Nancy ate from a blue-edged
pie-plate that was badly crackled.

A small piece of very tough ham, an egg fried for ten minutes, until it
looked and tasted like leather, a boiled potato the color of lead, and
a biscuit of about the same hue.

"I don't s'pose ye're used ter drinkin' tea, but I guess I'll give ye
some ter wash yer bread down. That biscuit's kinder dry," and she
offered Nancy a cup of drink, which, from its flavor, might have been
tea--or anything else.

The little kitchen was dingy, and the food not at all like the
appetizing fare which she usually enjoyed, but she was hungry, and Sue
felt flattered that Nancy ate the breakfast which she had served.

And after breakfast how the hours dragged!

Nancy was anxious to be starting for home, yet she could do nothing to
hasten the time when she could go. Sue was busy with the ordinary work
of the morning, and Mrs. Ferris had told her to tell Nancy that she
would talk with her after dinner. That she felt too ill to see her
until afternoon.

"'Tain't no use ter fret, Nancy," said Sue, "she ain't good fer much
till after dinner, but I guess shell talk with ye then fast 'nough."

"But I'm wild to get back to the cottage," wailed Nancy.

"Ye couldn't git there ter-day, fer this is Sunday, and we don't hev but
two trains that stop here Sundays. One leaves here at half-past seven in
the morning, an' the other stops here at half-past nine at night, but
that one goes ter the city, an' that would be going right away from
Merrivale."

Nancy made no reply, but turned to look from the window.

"To-morrow will be Monday, and I _must_ get back to school," she
thought.

It was late in the afternoon when Mrs. Ferris called Nancy to listen to
what she had to say.

"I kin talk ter ye now," she said, "an' first I'll ask ye ef ye remember
the old house in Merrivale where ye used ter live before Mis' Dainty
give ye a home?"

"I guess I _do_," said Nancy.

"Wal, 'twa'n't much of er livin' ye had, an' the woman what took keer of
ye was only yer _stepmother_. Did ye know that?"

"Some of the children told me," Nancy replied.

"Wal, did any one ever tell ye 'bout yer _own_ mother?"

Nancy stared in round-eyed surprise.

"Why, if she was my _stepmother_, of course I must have had an ow