e corner,
and offered to bring me home, as he was coming this way. How beautiful
your pans look, Christie! Will you need them all?"

They were in the milk-house now. It was a large, low place, partly made
by digging into the side of the hill. It was a cool, pleasant place in
summer, and well suited to the purpose for which it had been built. It
was dark, however, when the girls entered, and would have been very
gloomy but for Christie's shining milk-pans and the rows of
cream-covered dishes beyond.

They were all needed, and some new ones had just been brought from the
tinman's. "I like them," said Christie: "they're lighter than the
earthen ones, and no' so easily broken. We've got much more milk since
the cows went into the upper field. You'll see what a pailful Fleckie
gives."

"Fleckie is your favourite yet," said Effie, smiling, as they left the
dairy together.

"Oh, yes! she's the best of them all--and so gentle! and I'm sure she
knows me. I don't think she likes any one to milk her half so well as
me."

"She'll let me milk her to-night, though," said Effie, removing her
cuffs and turning up her sleeves.

"You'll spoil your pretty frock," said Christie, doubtfully.

"There's no fear. I'll take care. Give me the stool."

Christie hesitated.

"But there's Blackie and Brownie to do yet--unless you would rather milk
Fleckie."

"I would rather milk them all," said Effie. "I'm sure, child, you look
as though you had had enough of it for one day."

"Oh, no; I expected to milk them all. I'm not very tired."

Christie ran for another stool, and seated herself beside her favourite.
She was quite near her sister, too; and they went on talking.

"I suppose this was churning-day?" said Effie.

"No; we churned yesterday, and we'll churn again to-morrow. It's
harder, and takes longer, now that the nights have got cooler. But the
butter is beautiful. We have the two tubs full, and we put the last we
made in a jar. I'll show it to you when we go in."

"I suppose Annie and Sarah have but little time to help you now? No
wonder you are tired," said Effie.

"No; they cannot help us except on a rainy day. But I never churn
alone. Aunt Elsie helps me. It took us three hours last time."

"I shouldna wonder if that is the reason that Aunt Elsie's shoulder is
worse," said Effie, with a sigh.

"Is it worse?" asked Christie. "She has said nothing about it."

"No; she says there is no use in comp