" But with all these little extras
the Forests found it sufficiently hard to live, and of course Nancy was
not yet earning.
"You ought to have sent that girl of yours to service," Mr. Hurst would
not infrequently say to Nancy's mother. He, moreover, said the same
thing to his maiden sister Sabina, when Fred was present.
It was then that Fred's eyes opened to the fact that Nancy Forest was
more to him than anything else in the world--far, far more than the old
playmate he had thought her. Send Nancy to service! sweet, delicate,
lady-like little Nancy, with her dimpled white hands. Perhaps Nancy had
no business to have white hands, and dainty, refined ways; but she had,
and that was Aunt Sabina's fault for having her so much at the Manor. It
was partly nature's fault, too, certainly, for Nancy had always seemed
like a changeling, she was so above her surroundings.
Fred Hurst having thus discovered his own love, proceeded to discover
Nancy's. It was all clear to him now, he was sure she had given her pure
childlike heart to him, perhaps unwittingly, as he had done. How blind
he had been! With knowledge, caution came. Fred made up his mind that he
must no more walk with Nancy till he was prepared to do so in his true
character--that of a lover. This would be impossible till he could offer
a home to Nancy. It might be that his father would even turn the Forests
away, if he suspected his son's affection for their only child.
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