CHAPTER XIV.
WILLIE’S GRANDMOTHER.

ILLIE was in a state of excitement until
she arrived, looking for her as eagerly as
if she had been a young princess. So few were
the opportunities of travelling between Priory Leas
and the town where his grandmother lived, that he
had never seen her, and curiosity had its influence
as well as affection. Great, therefore, was his de-
light when at last the chaise came round the corner
of the street, and began to draw up in order to
halt at their door. The first thing he caught
sight of was a curious bonnet, like a black coal-
scuttle upside down, inside which, when it turned
its front towards him, he saw a close-fitting widow’s
cap, and inside that a kind old face, and if he could
have looked still further, he would have seen a
kind young soul inside the kind old face. She
smiled sweetly when she saw him, but was too
tired to take any further notice of him until she
had had tea.
During that meal, Willie devoted himself to a