ristie had only time for a hurried letter to Effie, telling her of
their plans. She wrote quite cheerfully. She was not strong, and the
runnings to and fro of the day often made her too weary to sleep at
night. But she was useful, she knew, and Mrs Lee's gentle kindness
proved that she appreciated her efforts to do her duty, and that helped
to make her work pleasant and easy. And there was, besides, an
excitement in the prospect of a change of scene. Looking forward to a
sight of the sea, to feeling the sea-breeze again, to getting away from
the heat and dust and confinement of the city, was enough to help her
through the day's toils and troubles. And so she felt and wrote
cheerfully, notwithstanding the disappointment that had been so hard to
bear.

But a disappointment which she was to feel still more bitterly awaited
her. The preparations for departure were nearly-completed. Mrs Lee
had so far recovered as to be able to go out, and they looked forward to
leaving within a day or two.

One afternoon, while Mrs Lee was superintending the packing that was
going on in the nursery, her husband came in. Christie had hardly seen
him since little Harry died. He looked grave enough as he came in. He
did not speak to her, but in a little while she heard him mention her
name, and her heart stood still, as she heard him say:

"You don't mean to tell me that you are to have no one to take care of
the children and wait on you while you are away, but that child? Why,
she looks as though she needed to be taken care of herself. I can never
think of permitting such a thing."

Christie felt, rather than saw, the look of entreaty that passed over
Mrs Lee's face as she laid her hand upon her husband's arm. Meeting
Christie's startled gaze, she said:

"Go down and ask Nelly if the clean things are ready for this other
trunk. I will ring when I want you."

Very quietly Christie obeyed; but before she closed the door, she heard
Mr Lee say, in his quick, careless manner:

"It is quite absurd to think of it! A rush of a girl like that!"

Christie's heart failed. She knew that Mrs Lee seldom found courage to
differ from her husband in any point where yielding was possible, and
she felt that there was little hope that she would do so now.

She was mistaken, however. Mrs Lee spoke very earnestly to her
husband. She told him of all that Christie had been to her and the
children through all the long, dreary winter and s