it all round. But we'd better be
getting on, don't you think? It is rather chilly sitting out-of-doors,
and I don't want you to catch cold. You don't feel cold, do you?" And
Christopher's face grew quite anxious.

"Not at all."

"You don't seem to me to have enough furbelows and things round your
neck to keep you warm," continued he; "let me tie it up tighter,
somehow."

And while he turned up the fur collar of her coat and hooked the highest
hook and eye, Elisabeth thought how nice it was to be petted and taken
care of; and as she walked homeward by Christopher's side, she felt like
a good little girl again. Even reigning monarchs now and then like to
have their ermine tucked round them, and to be patted on their crowns by
a protecting hand.

As the weeks rolled on and the spring drew nearer, Elisabeth gradually
took up the thread of human interest again. Fortunately for her she was
very busy with plans for the benefit of the work-people at the
Osierfield. She started a dispensary; she opened an institute; she
inaugurated courses of lectures and entertainments for keeping the young
men out of the public-houses in the evenings; she gave to the Wesleyan
Conference a House of Rest--a sweet little house, looking over the
fields toward the sunset--where tired ministers might come and live at
ease for a time to regain health and strength; and in Sedgehill Church
she put up a beautiful east window to the memory of Maria Farringdon,
and for a sign-post to all such pilgrims as were in need of one, as the
east window in St. Peter's had once been a sign-post to herself showing
her the way to Zion.

In all these undertakings Christopher was her right hand; and while
Elisabeth planned and paid for them, he carefully carried them out--the
hardest part of the business, and the least effective one.

When Elisabeth had set afoot all these improvements for the benefit of
her work-people, she turned her attention to the improving of herself;
and she informed Christopher that she had decided to go up to London,
and fulfil the desire of her heart by studying art at the Slade School.

"But you can not live by yourself in London," Christopher objected; "you
are all right here, because you have the Tremaines and other people to
look after you; but in town you would be terribly lonely; and, besides,
I don't approve of girls living in London by themselves."

"I sha'n't be by myself. There is a house where some of the Slade pupils
live