human
You dear Aunt Helen, cried Nan,
gpt
You know me then,
human
Oh, yes. When I told mother, she guessed who you were.
gpt
And she let you come to meet me to-day?
human
She didn't know. She wasn't here to ask. She's gone away, you know.
gpt
I didn't know. Tell me about it, please.
human
Oh, dear, oh, dear, sighed Miss Helen.
gpt
We didn't know. Oh, my dear.
human
Do you think she may be very ill?
gpt
I hope not. I hope not. Her aunt spoke more cheerfully.
human
No doubt she will get quite well where she is.
gpt
She says she will if she can stay long enough.
human
She must stay. Miss Helen spoke with decision.
gpt
Did she mind very much, Nancy, that you met me?
human
Oh, no; she was glad. She said----
gpt
Go on, please.
human
She told me that she had said something that she regretted.
gpt
And that was----
human
That she never wanted to see any of the Corner family again, here Nan hurried on.
gpt
It wasn't any wonder, was it, when she was in such trouble and distress?
human
I never blamed her,
gpt
She said she ought to have tried to be friendly to you and --Nan looked up shyly,
human
I've always loved you dearly, returned her aunt warmly,
gpt
Don't say that! Don't! cried Nan.
human
It makes me feel as if I ought to be scared and trembly about mother and I don't want to.
gpt
My dearest child, cried Miss Helen,
human
I won't cry, said Nan lifting her head.
gpt
She is better, oh, she is, Aunt Helen.
human
I am sure of it, darling. Now, do you want to know what brings me here?
gpt
I do indeed.
human
I have crossed the ocean twice since I saw you. I took your kiss to your grandmother all the way over with me, and oh, Nannie, dear, you don't know how much it meant to her! The first tears I have seen her shed for many a long day came to her eyes when I told her about you and what you said. Then she was restless and unhappy until she decided that nothing would do but she must see you. At first she urged me to send for you or to come over and bring you back, but I could not leave her and I doubted if you would be allowed to come. When she realized that, for the first time in all these years, she expressed a desire to come back to America. She has come to see you, Nannie. You won't refuse to go to her, will you?
gpt
Oh, I want to see her, she said.
human
I can't ask mother, but I know she would say yes; I know she would. Where is she, Aunt Helen? And when can I see her?
gpt
She is coming home. She is coming here as soon as I can get the house ready. She is with friends in Washington and I have engaged Martha Jackson to come over to clean the house and with Henry Johnson's help we shall soon have everything in order.
human
I wish I could help,
gpt
Would you really like to?
human
I certainly would.
gpt
Then you may. We'll go right over now for I promised Martha I'd come back soon so she would know what to do next.