In the little attic room Nancy swept and scrubbed vigorously, paying particular attentionto the corners. There were times, indeed, when the vigor she put into her work was more ofa relief to her feelings than it was an ardor to efface dirt-Nancy, in spite of her frightenedsubmission to her mistress, was no saint."I-just-wish-I could-dig-out the corners-of-her-soul!" she muttered jerkily, punctuating her words with murderous jabs of her pointed cleaning-stick. "There's plentyof 'em needs cleanin' all right, all right! The ...
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In the little attic room Nancy swept and scrubbed vigorously, paying particular attentionto the corners. There were times, indeed, when the vigor she put into her work was more ofa relief to her feelings than it was an ardor to efface dirt-Nancy, in spite of her frightenedsubmission to her mistress, was no saint."I-just-wish-I could-dig-out the corners-of-her-soul!" she muttered jerkily, punctuating her words with murderous jabs of her pointed cleaning-stick. "There's plentyof 'em needs cleanin' all right, all right! The idea of stickin' that blessed child 'way off uphere in this hot little room-with no fire in the winter, too, and all this big house ter pickand choose from! Unnecessary children, indeed! Humph!" snapped Nancy, wringing her ragso hard her fingers ached from the strain; "I guess it ain't CHILDREN what is MOSTunnecessary just now, just now!"For some time she worked in silence; then, her task finished, she looked about the barelittle room in plain disgust."Well, it's done-my part, anyhow," she sighed. "There ain't no dirt here-and there'smighty little else. Poor little soul!-a pretty place this is ter put a homesick, lonesome childinto!" she finished, going out and closing the door with a bang, "Oh!" she ejaculated, bitingher lip. Then, doggedly: "Well, I don't care. I hope she did hear the bang, -I do, I do!"In the garden that afternoon, Nancy found a few minutes in which to interview Old Tom, who had pulled the weeds and shovelled the paths about the place for uncounted years."Mr. Tom," began Nancy, throwing a quick glance over her shoulder to make sure shewas unobserved; "did you know a little girl was comin' here ter live with Miss Polly?""A-what?" demanded the old man, straightening his bent back with difficulty."A little girl-to live with Miss Polly.""Go on with yer jokin'," scoffed unbelieving Tom. "Why don't ye tell me the sun is a-goin'ter set in the east ter-morrer?""But it's true. She told me so herself," maintained Nancy. "It's her niece; and she's elevenyears old."The man's jaw fell."Sho!-I wonder, now," he muttered; then a tender light came into his faded eyes. "Itain't-but it must be-Miss Jennie's little gal! There wasn't none of the rest of 'em married.Why, Nancy, it must be Miss Jennie's little gal. Glory be ter praise! ter think of my old eyesa-seein' this!""Who was Miss Jennie?"
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