"
"Is it wicked," asked Ida, after a pause, "not to like those that
like us?"
"What makes you ask?"
"Because, somehow or other, I don't like this Mrs. Hardwick at all,
for all she was my old nurse, and I don't believe ever shall."
"Oh yes, you will," said Mrs. Crump, "when you find she is exerting
herself to give you pleasure."
"Am I going to-morrow morning with Mrs. Hardwick?"
"Yes. She wanted you to go to-day, but your clothes were not in
order."
"We shall come back at night, sha'n't we?"
"I presume so."
"I hope we shall," said Ida, decidedly, "and that she won't want me
to go with her again."
"Perhaps you will think differently when it is over, and you find
you have enjoyed yourself better than you anticipated."
Mrs. Crump exerted herself to fit Ida up as neatly as possible, and
when at length she was got ready, she thought to herself, with
sudden fear, "Perhaps her mother won't be willing to part with her
again."
When Ida was ready to start, there came over all a little shadow of
depression, as if the child were to be separated from them for a
year, and not for a day only. Perhaps this was only natural, since
even this latter term, however brief, was longer than they had been
parted from her since, an infant, she was left at their door.
The nurse expressly desired that none of the family should accompany
her, as she declared it highly important that the whereabouts of
Ida's mother should not be known at once.
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