Mrs. Therlock pulled out her purse; and Josie flew off with the shilling in her hand.
No long time passed before she found herself in the shop with nurse. Such an array of toys lay before her, that it was no easy matter to choose. There were dolls in abundance, but she had plenty at home. There were boxes of toys, but Josie considered herself rather beyond them. And after all a shilling would not do very much. Josie inquired the price of half the things she saw, at first in high spirits, which grew slightly irritable, as she found how little she could purchase.
However, she satisfied herself at last with a neat white basket, which she told nurse "would just hold her smallest doll's best frocks, which were tumbling about among all the bigger things. And mother likes me to be tidy even with my toys," added Josie, anxious to prove the wisdom of her choice.
It was a keen day, though sunshiny. The frost had lasted long, and while most of the snow had disappeared, it still lay in thick patches on the roofs, and in sheltered corners. Nurse was lingering at a shop-window, to admire the remains of some Christmas decorations, and Josie had walked on a few yards, admiring her basket as she went. She remembered all at once that it was just about here she had seen the poor little starving girl some months back, and raising her eyes at the recollection, they unexpectedly encountered the same child. The very same—Josie had no doubt about that. Face and hands indeed were cleaner, and the ragged frock had been carefully patched; but she was just as thin, just as hollow-checked, just as miserable, just as much a picture of want, as when Josie had last come across her.
"Why," Josie exclaimed involuntarily, "you're the very same little girl that was starving that day,—ever so long ago."
"I'm starvin' now," said Ailie, speaking feebly, though with a gleam of recognition.
"But if you are always starving, how is it that you never get quite starved?" asked Josie.
"I haven't been since that day. Gran'father's kept me, an' I've had enough. But he's out o' work now, and we've sold nigh everythin', an' the money's gone," said Ailie.
"I did not know you had a grandfather," said Josie. "You told me you had no home."
"Nor I hadn't," said Ailie. "An' he only makes me call him gran'father, 'cause he's so good to me. Old Job Kippis is his name. He's give me a home all these months past."