CHAPTER IX.
A JOURNEY.
"OH, mother," exclaimed Ida, bounding into the room, fresh from
school.
She stopped short, in some confusion, on seeing a stranger.
"Is this my own dear child, over whose infancy I watched so
tenderly?" exclaimed the nurse, rising, her harsh features wreathed
into a smile.
"It is Ida," said Mrs. Crump.
Ida looked from one to the other in silent bewilderment.
"Ida," said Mrs. Crump, in a little embarrassment, "this is Mrs.
Hardwick, who took care of you when you were an infant."
"But I thought you took care of me, mother," said Ida, in surprise.
"Very true," said Mrs. Crump, evasively, "but I was not able to have
the care of you all the time. Didn't I ever mention Mrs. Hardwick to
you?"
"No, mother."
"Although it is so long since I have seen her, I should have known
her anywhere," said the nurse, applying a handkerchief to her eyes.
"So pretty as she's grown up, too!"
Mrs. Crump, who, as has been said, was devotedly attached to Ida,
glanced with pride at the beautiful child, who blushed at the
compliment.
"Ida," said Mrs. Hardwick, "won't you come and kiss your old nurse?"
Ida looked at the hard face, which now wore a smile intended to
express affection. Without knowing why, she felt an instinctive
repugnance to her, notwithstanding her words of endearment.
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