"Who have you got there?" she asked in surprise.
In a few words, spoken in a subdued voice, the widow told the sad tale, and also of the two children's brave conduct.
"What be she like?" was the natural question; "is it right to have her here, think ye?" she added.
Then, as if to satisfy herself on the first point, she stole softly to where the poor wanderer lay sleeping. The light on the table was but dim, not sufficient to enable her to see distinctly, so that she was compelled to kneel down to scan the face of the sleeping girl.
At that moment a bright flame shot up from the flickering fire, and lighted the corner where the bed had been made for the stranger.
There was a quick convulsive gasp.
"My God! oh, can it be?" the old woman cried in a hushed voice. "No, no, I've been deceived too often. Quick! quick! a light!"
Mrs. Turner hurried with it to her side. She almost snatched it from her in her eagerness; she gazed long and earnestly upon those wasted features, her breath coming thick and fast, almost as though her very heart was bursting. In silence she gave the light back into the hands of her wondering friend, then laying her head down on the pillow beside the fallen girl, and folding her arms around her, she sobbed out—
"My darling, my Nora! you've come back at last to your poor old mother! Nothing but death shall part us now!"