d remembrance of a time when she dropped the
heavy trap door of the cellar in a foolish prank and barely escaped
giving Ellen a terrible blow on the head. And this time she might have
killed her if she had been careless enough to forsake her in the day of
her despair!

CHAPTER VIII

THE WAR DRUM

"And what would the grand news be that you promised to tell me?" asked
Grandpa, that evening, when bed-time came and Christina was getting the
little hymn-book ready.

"The news?" she hesitated, nonplussed. Then she went close and shouted
into his ear, "Allister is going to take Ellen back to Prairie Park
when he comes home, and perhaps she will stay with him all next winter."

And she ran away before he could ask her to go into any of the details.
But she could not help hearing him as he talked it over with himself.
And the result of his conversation was that though he did not like to
see any one of the family leave, and especially one of his girls, he
was reconciled.

"Aye, it'll be grand for Ellie, she's not been away, the bit lass, for
a long time. But it's a grand thing he didn't take away my own lass.
Eh, ah'm a selfish old body, but ah could ill spare her."

And once more Christina was rather surprised that she was not
desperately disappointed. It was hard to be very sad in the face of
Grandpa's perfect contentment and Ellen's overwhelming relief.

And so once more Christina turned her feet resolutely from the road to
success to walk in the commonplace paths of field and farmyard and
home. Allister came and took Ellen away with him in July. He was
disappointed at Christina's failure to accompany him, but promised her
the long deferred college course would be hers yet. He was putting
through a new deal and if all went well he might be a millionaire one
day.

"Now old Lady Stick-in-the-mud," he shouted jovially, as he bade
Christina good-bye, "I see I can't pull you out of this place with a
stumping machine just yet. But I'll call around for you again in about
five years or so, and perhaps you'll be ready then."

Christina tried to laugh and take it all in good part, but it was
harder to be misunderstood than it was to give up her chance to Ellen.
But her sister did not misunderstand her. "I'll come home soon and do
the work and let you have your turn, Christine," she whispered
tremulously, as she said good-bye. "And oh, oh, Christine, I can't
ever, ever tell you how good you've been to me!"