Nelly approached; and Mr. Grayson turned his arm-chair towards the fire, and drew her close to him.
"What is your name?"
"Nelly Ryan."
"How old are you, Nelly?"
"Going on fourteen, sir."
"And so you have earned some money? How much?"
"Twenty-five dollars, sir; and I have five dollars more."
"Twenty-five dollars!" said Mr. Grayson, surprised. He had expected to hear of three or four dollars at the most. "Twenty-five dollars!" he repeated. "Pray, how could such a chit as you earn twenty-five dollars?"
"I work for Mrs. Kirkland, at the fancy-store on the corner," said Nelly. "I make tatting for her, and sometimes I help her in the store. I didn't think it was so much myself, till she told me."
"Tatting!" repeated the old gentleman. "I think I have seen my girl make something she called tatting. That is the work the ladies do when they hold a pin in their mouth, isn't it?"