



Produced by Al Haines.





[Illustration: When the wagon came Nell was placed inside (page 138)]




                             *NELL AND HER
                              GRANDFATHER*

                      *Told from Charles Dickens's
                       "The Old Curiosity Shop"*



                      THOMAS NELSON AND SONS, LTD.
                    LONDON, EDINBURGH, AND NEW YORK
                                  1908




                      PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN AT
                      THE PRESS OF THE PUBLISHERS.




                              *CONTENTS.*

      I. The Old Curiosity Shop
     II. Driven from Home
    III. In the Open Country
     IV. The Village School
      V. The Caravan
     VI. The Wax-work Show
    VII. Nell the Bread-Winner
   VIII. Trouble for Nell
     IX. Flying from Temptation
      X. A Bed of Ashes
     XI. A Friend in Need
    XII. Peace after Storm




                       _*LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.*_


When the wagon came Nell was placed inside... _Frontispiece_

The old man gave an angry reply

Forth from the city went the two poor wanderers (missing from book)

So they set off together

The tea things were set forth upon a drum (missing from book)

After a few moments she moved nearer to the group




                      *NELL AND HER GRANDFATHER.*



                              *Chapter I.*

                       *THE OLD CURIOSITY SHOP.*


One evening an Old Gentleman was taking a walk in the city of London,
when some one spoke to him in a soft, sweet voice that fell pleasantly
upon his ears. He turned hastily round, and found at his elbow a pretty
little girl of some thirteen summers, who begged to be directed to a
certain street which was in quite another part of London.

"It is a very long way from here, my child," said the Old Gentleman.

"I know that, sir," she replied timidly. "I am afraid it _is_ a very
long way, for I came from there to-night."

"Alone?" said the Old Gentleman.

"Oh yes; I don't mind that.  But I am a little afraid now, for I have
lost my road."

"And what made you ask it of me? Suppose I should tell you wrong?"

"I am sure you will not do that," said the little maiden.  "You are such
a very old gentleman, and walk so slow yourself."

As the child spoke these words a tear came into her clear eye, and her
slight figure trembled as she looked up into the Old Gentleman's face.

"Come," said he, "I'll take you there."

She put her hand in his as if she had known him from her cradle; and
they trudged away together, the little creature rather seeming to lead
and take care of the Old Gentleman than he to be protecting her.

"Who has sent you so far by yourself?" said he.

"Somebody who is very kind to me, sir."

"And what have you been doing?"

"That I must not tell," said the child.

The Old Gentleman looked at the little creature with surprise, for he
wondered what kind of errand it might be that made her unwilling to
answer the question.  Her quick eye seemed to read his thoughts.  As it
met his she added that there was no harm in what she had been doing, but
it was a great secret--a secret which she did not even know herself.

This was said with perfect frankness.  She now walked on as before,
talking cheerfully by the way; but she said no more about her home,
beyond remarking that they were going quite a new road, and asking if it
were a short one.

At length, clapping her hands with pleasure and running on before her
new friend for a short distance, the little girl stopped at a door, and
remaining on the step till the Old Gentleman came up, knocked at it when
he joined her.  When she had knocked twice or thrice there was a noise
as if some person were moving inside, and at length a faint light was
seen through the glass of the upper part of the door.  As this light
approached very slowly it showed clearly both what kind of person it was
who advanced and what kind of apartment it was through which he came.

He was a little old man, with long gray hair, whose face and figure, as
he held the light above his head and looked before him, could be plainly
seen.  The place through which he made his way was one of those found in
odd corners of the town, and known as "curiosity shops."  There were
suits of mail standing like ghosts in armour here and there; rusty
weapons of various kinds; twisted figures in china, and wood, and iron,
and ivory; curtains, and strange furniture that might have been designed
in dreams.

The thin, worn face of the little old man was suited to the place.  He
might have groped among old churches, and tombs, and deserted houses,
and gathered all the spoils