ge without Nanny now, they could not look for a place
for her so long as they had Ruby; and they were not altogether sorry for
this. One week at last was worse than they had yet had. They were almost
without bread before it was over. But the sadder he saw his father and
mother looking, the more Diamond set himself to sing to the two babies.

One thing which had increased their expenses was that they had been
forced to hire another little room for Nanny. When the second baby came,
Diamond gave up his room that Nanny might be at hand to help his mother,
and went to hers, which, although a fine place to what she had been
accustomed to, was not very nice in his eyes. He did not mind the change
though, for was not his mother the more comfortable for it? And was
not Nanny more comfortable too? And indeed was not Diamond himself more
comfortable that other people were more comfortable? And if there was
more comfort every way, the change was a happy one.

CHAPTER XXXII. DIAMOND AND RUBY

IT WAS Friday night, and Diamond, like the rest of the household, had
had very little to eat that day. The mother would always pay the week's
rent before she laid out anything even on food. His father had been very
gloomy--so gloomy that he had actually been cross to his wife. It is
a strange thing how pain of seeing the suffering of those we love will
sometimes make us add to their suffering by being cross with them. This
comes of not having faith enough in God, and shows how necessary this
faith is, for when we lose it, we lose even the kindness which alone can
soothe the suffering. Diamond in consequence had gone to bed very quiet
and thoughtful--a little troubled indeed.

It had been a very stormy winter, and even now that the spring had come,
the north wind often blew. When Diamond went to his bed, which was in
a tiny room in the roof, he heard it like the sea moaning; and when he
fell asleep he still heard the moaning. All at once he said to himself,
"Am I awake, or am I asleep?" But he had no time to answer the question,
for there was North Wind calling him. His heart beat very fast, it was
such a long time since he had heard that voice. He jumped out of bed,
and looked everywhere, but could not see her. "Diamond, come here," she
said again and again; but where the here was he could not tell. To be
sure the room was all but quite dark, and she might be close beside him.

"Dear North Wind," said Diamond, "I want so much to go t