on them. So Saints really are rather puzzling sort
of people still. I do hope I shall find out more about them some
day.'_

_Thus Lois went on wondering, till, gradually, she came to find out
more of the things that make a Saint--not purple robes, or shining
garments, or haloes; not even crowns and palms; but other things,
quite different, and much more difficult to get._

* * * * *

_'It is enough to vex a Saint!' her kind nurse exclaimed when Lois
spilled her jam at tea, all down her clean white frock. Or, on other
days, 'Oh dear! my patiences is not so good as they once were!' and,
'These rheumatics would try the patience of a Saint!' nurse would say,
with a weary sigh._

_'Then the reason my Nanny isn't a Saint is because she gets vexed
when I'm naughty, and because she isn't patient when she has a pain,'
reasoned Lois. 'What a number of things it does seem to take to make a
Saint! But then it takes eggs and milk and butter and sugar and flour
and currants and raisins too to make a cake. Saints must be brave_ and
_faithful; never get vexed; have patience always. Mother said patience
was the beginning of everything, when I stamped my foot because I
broke my cotton. Do Saints have to begin with patience too? If only I
could see a real live one with my own eyes and find out!'_

_Yet, strange to say, when Lois was told that she was looking at a
'real live Saint' at last, the little girl did not even wish to
believe it. This happened one Saturday afternoon. She was walking with
her governess to a beautiful wooded Dene, through which a clear stream
hurried to join the big black river that flowed past the windows of
Lois' home. On the way to the Dene they passed near a broad marsh with
stepping-stones across it. Close to the river Lois saw, in the
distance, the roofs of some wretched-looking cottages. Evidently on
her way to these cottages, balancing herself on the slippery
stepping-stones, was a little old lady in a hideous black bonnet with
jet ornaments that waggled as she moved, and shiny black gloves
screwed up into tight corkscrews at the finger ends. She carried a
large basket in one hand, and held up her skirts with the other,
showing that she wore boots with elastic sides, which Lois
particularly disliked._

_'Look there!' her governess said to Lois, 'actually crossing the
marsh to visit that den of fever! Old Miss S ... may not be a beauty,
but she certainly is a perfect Sai