to the expectation of all, Mr Redfern opened his eyes
and spoke. For a few days he seemed to revive so rapidly that the
doctor had hopes of his entire recovery. It would be a work of time, he
said. His back had been much injured by the fall. He could never
expect to be so strong as he had been before; but he did not doubt that
a few weeks would restore him to a good degree of health and strength
again. And so they all took courage.

Effie, who had been summoned home, would fain have remained for the
winter; but this did not seem best. The surplus of the harvest, over
which she and Christie had so lately rejoiced, would be required to pay
the wages of the man who must for the winter take their father's place;
and Effie's increased salary would be of more value than ever to the
family. With a face which she strove to make cheerful for the sake of
those she left behind, she went away; but her heart was heavy, and when
she kissed Christie a good-bye and bade her keep her courage up for the
sake of all, she could hardly restrain her tears till the words were
spoken.

Those who were left at home needed all the cheerfulness they could
gather from each other; for it was a very dreary winter that lay before
them. The passing weeks did not bring to Mr Redfern the health and
strength so confidently promised by the doctor and so earnestly hoped
for by his children. In her brief visits, Effie could see little change
in him from week to week--certainly none for the better. He gradually
came to suffer less, and was always cheerful and patient; but the times
when he could be relieved from the weariness of his bed by changing his
position to the arm-chair were briefer and at longer intervals.

And, in the meantime, another cloud was gathering over them. Aunt
Elsie's rheumatism, which during the autumn had given her much trouble
from time to time, was growing daily worse. Painful days and sleepless
nights were no longer the exception, but the rule; and not long after
the coming in of the New Year, the help which for a long time she had
positively and even sternly refused, became a necessity to her. She
could neither rise nor lie down without assistance, and she was fast
losing the use of her limbs. She was patient, or at least she strove to
be, towards her nieces; but she murmured audibly against God, who had so
heavily afflicted them.

The firm health and cheerful spirits of the girls, Annie and Sarah,
stood them in g