he possibility of
getting home had been suggested, the old feelings had started within
her. A sudden rush of home-sickness had come over her, and with it the
old unwillingness to go home and be a burden. She could fix her
thoughts on nothing else. Even after the baby had fallen into an uneasy
slumber, she wandered up and down the room, hushing it in her arms as
before.

There was a step on the stairs at last. It was not Annie, however, but
Mrs Lee.

"I am afraid the baby has been fretful," she said, kindly, as she took
the child in her arms. "You look tired, Christie."

"No; I'm not very tired." But she moved about the room, putting aside
little frocks and shoes, keeping her face all the time from the light.
She was very much afraid that if Mrs Lee were to speak so gently again
her tears must flow; and this must not be if she could possibly help it.
In the meantime, Mrs Lee had taken up a book, which lay on a table
beside her. It was Christie's Bible; and when she had finished putting
away the children's clothes worn through the day, and seated herself at
a little distance, Mrs Lee said:

"You are fond of reading, Christie?"

Christie had many times asked permission to take a book into the
nursery, when the children were asleep, and she answered:

"Yes, ma'am; I like to read, very much."

"And do you like to read the Bible? Some people seem to take great
pleasure in it."

"Yes; I read it every day. I promised Effie I would."

Mrs Lee continued to turn over the leaves.

"Whose marks are these on the margin?" she asked.

"I suppose they are Effie's. John Nesbitt marked one or two for me,
when I was staying at his mother's last summer. The rest are Effie's."

Mrs Lee read, "He shall cover thee with His feathers, and under His
wings shalt thou trust."

"That was John's," said Christie, quickly. "One day a hawk came very
near, and we saw the chickens run to take shelter with their mother; and
in the evening John marked that passage, because, he said, it was just
the right one for a feeble, frightened, faithless little creature like
me. I was not well at the time."

Christie paused, partly because she thought she had said enough, and
partly because it would not have been easy for her to say more just
then.

"I don't think your friend could have known you very well," said Mrs
Lee, smiling. "He would never call you feeble, or frightened, if he
knew all you have done, and what a comfort you have