"Why, Mrs.Hardwick was the woman who carried her away." "Mrs.Hardwick--her mother ?" "No; not her mother.

She said she was the woman who took care of Ida before she was brought to us." "Then you think this Ida Hardwick may be your missing sister ?" "That's what I don't know yet," said Jack.

"If you would only describe her, Uncle Abel, I could tell better." "Well," said the baker, thoughtfully, "I should say this little girl was seven or eight years old." "Yes," said Jack, nodding; "what color were her eyes ?" "Blue." "So are Ida's." "A small mouth, with a very sweet expression, yet with something firm and decided about it." "Yes." "And I believe her dress was a light one, with a blue ribbon round the waist." "Did she wear anything around her neck ?" "A brown scarf, if I remember rightly." "That is the way Ida was dressed when she went away with Mrs.Hardwick.
I am sure it must be she.

But how strange that she should come into your shop!" "Perhaps," suggested his uncle, "this woman, representing herself as Ida's nurse, was her mother." "No; it can't be," said Jack, vehemently.

"What, that ugly, disagreeable woman, Ida's mother?
I won't believe it.