"

"Sane, you mean, to my way of thinking," exclaimed the farmer; "for you
never said a word to me about it, eating your meals as hearty and
contented as you please, buying your winter finery, and talking about
going to London for Christmas. Give me a friend who will think of me when
I am in trouble. But the lass knows what's what, and it isn't to you she
has come; it's to me. She wants me to help her because I made her a
promise, forsooth! But you come right down, for she will want a bit of
cuddling from a girl like yourself. Come right down this minute and see
her, for she badly wants some one to do something for her."

Now, Nancy was really fond of Pauline, notwithstanding her father's
words, and she got up willingly enough and ran downstairs to the kitchen;
and when she saw her little friend sitting by the fire, looking very
white, her head dropped forward, and her big black eyes fixed with an
almost vacant expression straight before her, a great lot of Nancy's
heart did go out to the sad and unhappy girl. She rushed to her side,
threw her arms round her, and hugged her over and over again.

"Come," said the farmer, "it's a bit of something to eat she wants; then
to go upstairs and share your bed with you, Nance. And in the morning,
why, I am at her service."

"Yes, that's what you do want, isn't it, Paulie?" said Nancy.

Pauline nodded. She felt almost incapable of speaking. So the farmer
brought her food, and made her eat and drink. And then she went upstairs
with Nancy, and Nancy made her he down by her side, and when they were
both together in the dark, in the warm bed in the pretty room, Pauline
flung her arms round Nancy and began to cry. It was really quite a long
time since Pauline had cried. At first her tears came slowly and with
great difficulty; but in a little they rained from her eyes more and more
easily, until at last they came in torrents, and her tears hurt her and
shook her little frame, and came faster, and yet faster, until from sheer
exhaustion she dropped asleep. But when Pauline woke from that sleep it
seemed to her that the numb part had greatly left her brain and that she
could think clearly. Only, still she had no wish to go back to The Dales.
She only wanted to wash and be clean.

"You are the queerest girl that ever lived," said Nancy. "You come right
downstairs and have breakfast. Of course, they are sure to look for you
and try to find you, but you must come straight downstairs no