"No, dear," said Mrs. Ryan, rousing herself with an effort. "There's nothing much the matter, but a trouble of my own that ye can't help. And it's glad and pleased I am to see you so neat and handy, and to know that the child of my heart has found friends to help her when—But never mind that. Was it the park you was asking about?"
"Yes, granny; about the fountains you told me of, and the lake where the young lord was drowned."
Mrs. Ryan plunged at once into the legend of the lake; and when Nelly went out with her milk, she left her granny almost as cheerful as ever.
She went first, as usual, to Mrs. Vandake's.
"What book have you there?" asked Mrs. Vandake.
"My spelling-book, ma'am. I bought it myself," said Nelly, with justifiable pride.
"But you need not have done that, child. Don't you know I promised you one? I found it for you only this afternoon."
"I didn't like to wait, and you didn't like it, either, when I told you of it," said Nelly.
"But you might have known. However, I don't blame you. I did put you off, I know. Well, never mind; you won't want the spelling-book, but you may have the Reader all the same."
Nelly thanked her, thinking that there was no end of presents that day. After she had finished all her other errands, she went to Mrs. Powers's; and it was with no small satisfaction to pupil and teacher that she took her first reading-lesson of Kitty Brown.