It was a homely and thoroughly Irish face that turned to Norah, and a kind voice that sought to calm the excited child.
"Be quiet, honey; ye mustn't be afther making such a time o' it, at all at all. The promises o' great folks are not as it is wid de poor, and ye may niver see the gintleman again, nor de likes o' him. I have seen de likes o' it before now. Come and eat your supper," she continued, taking at the same time a cup containing some broken pieces of bread and meat, which had been simmering over the fire.
Norah finished her supper, and then throwing herself on a little straw pallet, which she drew up to the fire, was soon sleeping as peacefully as though she rested on a bed of down.
Judy waited until the regular breathing betrayed Norah's sound slumber; then going to a chest, she took from it a worsted dress, which she had already commenced to alter into one of smaller size. By the light of a penny candle and the flame of the fire, which was occasionally supplied with pieces of an old tub, the dress was completed, and with a mingled look of admiration and regret she laid it on the chest, and lay down by the side of Norah.
By morning's dawn she was again astir. While scrubbing the door-step a wagon load of potatoes stopped just in front of the house to allow a train of carriages to pass. Judy gazed with wistfulness toward the wagoner, which, though she was silent, he could not fail to understand.
"Here, ma'am, take a couple; I own but a peck of them myself, or you would be welcome to more." And grasping as many as his brawny hand could hold, he threw them into her apron, whipped up his horses, and drove on.
"What's up?" said Dick Carrow, talking to himself. "'Pears as if my mouth would whistle in spite of me, and my heart is as light as a feather." It was his kind act which had brought its own reward.
Judy leaned over the fire, her face brimful of honest joy, and stole a glance at Nora, who went, by her direction, to get the dress prepared for her; but great was the good woman's surprise to see the child throw herself upon it, and burst into a flood of tears.
"Doesn't it plaze you," asked Judy, who, expecting to see demonstrations of joy, did not know how to offer consolation.
"You know I like it," said Norah, as soon as she could speak; "but you have cut up your only decent dress, and now what will you do?"