something of this. 'You cannot think how your kindness has helped me,'
she said, with a look which told more than her words.

'Don't!' said Mrs. Bounder, when this had happened a second time. 'I
was readin' in the Bible the other day--you set me readin' the Bible,
Miss Esther--where it says somethin' about a good woman "ministerin' to
the saints." I ain't no saint myself, and I guess it'll never be said
of me; but I suppose the next thing to _bein'_ a saint is ministerin'
to the saints, and I'd like to du that anyhow, ef I only knowed how.'

'You have been kind ever since I knew you,' said Esther. 'I am glad to
know our Christopher has got such a good wife.'

Mrs. Bounder laughed a little slyly, as she retorted, 'Ain't there
nothin' to be glad of on my side tu?'

'Indeed, yes!' answered Esther. 'Christopher is as true and faithful as
it is possible to be; and as to business-- But you do not need that I
should tell you what Christopher is,' she broke off, laughing.

There was a pleasant look in the little woman's eyes as she stood up
for a moment and faced Esther.

'I guess I took him most of all because he be longed to you!' she said.

CHAPTER XXXII.

_MOVING_.

Esther made to herself a pleasure of getting the little dwelling in
order. With two such helpers as she had, the work went on bravely, and
Christopher got in coal and chopped wood enough to last all winter. The
ready money from the sale of Buonaparte had given her the means for
that and for some other things. She was intent upon making the new home
look so homelike that her father should be in some measure consoled for
the shock which she knew its exterior would give him. The colonel liked
no fire so well as one of his native 'sea-coal.' The house had open
fireplaces only. So Esther had some neat grates put in the two lower
rooms and in her father's sleeping chamber. They had plenty of carpets,
and the two little parlours were soon looking quite habitable.

'We will keep the back one for a dining-room,' she said to Mrs. Barker;
'that will be convenient for you, being nearest the kitchen stairs, and
this will be for papa's study. But it has a bare look yet. I must make
some curtains and put up, to hide the view of that dreadful street.'

'That'll cost money, mum,' observed the housekeeper. 'Wouldn't some o'
them old ones at home be passable, if they was made over a bit?'

'The colour would not fit here. No, that would not do. I'll get some