“Dear me! it sounds mysterious. Can I have the parcel now, or am I to wait a while, in order to have my curiosity roused to boiling point?” asked Nell, eagerly.
“You shall have it now; then you can look at it while I take Miss Lorimer’s tea across to the depot,” said Mrs. Nichols, thrusting her work on one side, and going off to her room in search of the mysterious parcel.
It was of considerable size and bulky, well tied up in stout brown paper with strong string fastened in many knots, and it was addressed “Miss Nell, care of Mr. Doss Umpey.”
A wave of burning colour surged over Nell’s face as she looked at the handwriting and read the address. But she seemed to have lost all interest concerning the contents, and sat with it unopened on her lap, while Mrs. Nichols prepared Gertrude’s tea, and went off with it to the depot.
Even then, when she was alone, a great reluctance to open it still oppressed her, until at length, ashamed of what looked so much like cowardice, she picked up a knife, and cutting the string pulled off the outer wrappings.
Then was revealed a big piece of crimson merino, yards and yards of it, a long length of soft white flannel, some ribbon to match the merino, and four books. There was a letter packed in between the books, and Nell picked it up with an odd sensation of knowing already exactly what it contained.
“Dear Miss Nell” (so ran the letter),
“Will you please pardon the liberty I am taking in sending you the accompanying books and material? The books were all the store-keeper had, of a readable sort that is, and the choice of material was likewise limited, but I thought you would look so nice in a red frock, so I am sending it along.
“As you would not take any payment for your kindness, I just shot a little old case with a few dollars in it under the settle where I slept; please use the money to buy books, or anything else that you may need. I shall not forget that in reality I owe you my life, for I must certainly have died if you had not taken me in and cared for me so kindly. I hope some day to see you again. Until then, I am, sincerely yours,
“D—— B——.”