the months of separation.

Nanny finally jumped on the trunks, snapped them shut, locked them and
watched the expressman carry them down and out into his waiting dray.
Then she sat down with a trembling little laugh.

"There--it's over and I'm really going! I have been to just about
every country but Japan. I believe father would rather have skipped
off alone this time. It seems to be some suddenly important
international crisis that we are going over to settle. That's why we
are going East the roundabout way. We must stop at Washington for
instructions, then again at London and Paris."

"Nanny," mused Grandma, "there's a good many years difference in our
ages but there's only one woman I ever loved as I love you. I think I
might have loved your mother but she died the very first year your
father brought her here. And she was ailing when she came. The other
woman that meant so much to me used to go traveling too. I always
helped her with her packing. Then one day she packed and went away,
never to come back."

"Was that Cynthia Churchill?" Nan asked gently.

"Yes--Cynthia. She was dearer than a sister to me, and neither of us
dreamed that a whole wide world would divide us."

"Why did she go, Grandma?"

"Because a Green Valley man well-nigh broke her heart."