CHAPTER XIV. AUNT NESBIT'S LOSS.

Onenteringthehouse,NinawasmetatthedoorbyMilly,withacountenanceofsomeanxiety. "MissNina,"shesaid,"youraunthasheardbadnewsthismorning." "Badnews!"saidNina,quickly,—"what?" "Well,honey,yeseederehasbeenalawyerhere,"saidMilly,followingNinaasshewasgoingupstairs"andshehasbeenshutupwithhimalldemornin'andwhenhecomeoutIfoundhertakingonquitedreadful!Andshesaysshehaslostallherproperty." "Oh!isthatall?"saidNina."Ididn'tknowwhatdreadfulthingmighthavehappened.Why,Milly,thisisn'tsoverybad.Shehadn'tmuchtolose." "Oh,blessyou,chile!nobodywantstolosealltheygot,muchorlittle!" "Yesbut,"saidNina,"youknowshecanalwaysliveherewithusandwhatlittlemoneyshewantstofusswith,tobuynewcaps,andparegoricforhercough,andallsuchlittlematters,wecangiveher,easilyenough." "Ah,MissNina,yourheartisfreeenoughyou'dgiveawaybothendsoftherainbow,ifyouhad'emtogive.Butthetroubleis,chile,youhaven'tgot'em.Why,chile,disyergreatplace,andsomanymouthsopenedtoeatandeat,chile,Itellyouittakesheapstokeepitagoing.AndHarry,Itellyou,findsithardworktobringitevenalltheyearround,thoughheneversaysnothingtoyouabouthistroubles,—wantsyoualwaystowalkonflowers,withbothhandsfull,andneverthinkwheretheycomefrom.Itellyouwhat,chile,we'sboun'tothinkforyoualittleandItellyouwhat,I'sjistagoingtohireout." "Why,Milly,howridiculous!" "Itan'tridiculous,now.Why,justlookonit,MissNina.Here'sMissLoo,dat'sonehere'sme,dat'stwohere'sPolly,—greatgrowngirl,—threedere'sTomtit,fourallonuseatingyourbread,andnotbringinginacenttoyou,'causeallonustogetheran'tdonemuchmorethanwaitonMissLoo.Why,you'sgotservantsenoughofyourowntodoeveryturnthatwantsdoingindisyerhouse.Iknow,MissNina,youngladiesdon'tliketohearaboutdesethingsbutthefac'is,victualscostsomething,andderemustbesomeonustobringinsomething.Now,datargentlemanwhattalkedwithyouraunt,hesaidhecouldfindmearightgoodplaceupdartothetown,andIwasjestagoing.Sally,sheisbigenoughnowtodoeverythingthatIhavebeenusedtodoingforMissLoo,andIamjestagoingbesides,totellyouthetruth,IthinkMissLoohaskindo'setherheartuponit.Youknowsheisaweaklykindofthing,—don'tknowhowtodomuch'ceptsitinherchairandgroan.ShehasalwaysbeensousedtohavingmemakeawayforherandwhenItoldheraboutdisyer,shekindo'brightenedup." "But,Milly,whatshallIdo?Ican'tspareyouatall,"saidNina. "Lawblessyou,chile!don'tyousupposeI'sgoteyes?Itellyou,MissNina,Ilookedthatgen'lemanoverprettywellforyou,andmyopinionishe'lldo." "Oh,come,youhush!"saidNina. "Yousee,chile,itwouldn'tbeeverybodythatourpeoplewouldbewillingtohavecomeontodeplace,here,buttherean'toneof'emthatwouldn'tgoinfordisyar,nowItellyou.Dere'sOldHundred,asyoucallshim,toldme'twasjustasgoodasameetingtohearhimreadingdeprayersdatardayatdefuneral.Now,yousee,I'sseengen'lemenhandsome,andrich,andrightpleasant,too,datdepeoplewouldn'twantatall'causewhy?deyhasderefrolicsanddrinks,anddemoneyfliesonewayfordistingandonewayfordat,tillbyandbyit'sallgone.Dencomesdesheriff,anddepeopleisallsold,someonewayandsomeanotherway.Now,Mr.Clayton,hean'tnoneofdem." "But,Milly,allthismaybeverywellbutifIcouldn'tlovehim?" "Lawsakes,MissNina!Youlookmeinthefaceandtellmedatar?Why,chile,it'splainenoughtoseethroughyou.'Tisso!Thepeople'sallpre