e thought better of it.

"I'll be good, Tudie. I won't make a noise," said he.

"Stay where you are," said Miss Gertrude, decidedly. She led the way
down the long hall, then up a flight of steps, and opened the door of a
large room. It seemed quite dark at first, but soon Christie was able
to distinguish the different things in it. The furniture of the room
was covered with green stuff, and there was on the floor a soft green
carpet, with bright flowers scattered over it. The curtains on the
windows and on the bed were of white muslin, but the hangings above were
green. The paper on the walls was white, with a border of brown acorns
and green oak-leaves. It was a very pretty room; and the coolness and
the softened light made it seem altogether delightful to Christie after
her long, dusty walk.

On the bed was a lady, dressed for an outdoor walk, but her hands were
pressed over her eyes as though she were in pain. A little boy lay
tossing fretfully on the sofa, but his peevish cry ceased for a moment
as they entered the room. Miss Gertrude seated herself beside him, and
said, without approaching the bed--

"Here is the young girl that Mrs Lee sent."

The lady took her hand from her eyes, and raised herself up. Seating
herself in a large chair by the bed, she beckoned to Christie to come
towards her.

"You came from Mrs Lee, did you?" said she.

Christie came forward. The lady observed her for a moment.

"Mrs Lee told me you were young, and not very strong," said she; "but I
had no idea you were quite such a child."

"I am past fifteen," said Christie.

"And do you mean to tell me that Mrs Lee trusted her children to you--
that infant too--through all her illness?"

"Mrs Greenly was in the house nearly all the winter, and she was in the
nursery very often. That was all the help I had," said Christie, with a
slight change of colour.

"And was it you who took care of little Harry, and who was with him when
he died?"

The remembrance of that sorrowful time was too vivid for Christie to
bear this allusion to it unmoved. She grew quite pale, and took one
step forward towards a little table, and laid her hand upon it. Miss
Gertrude, who had been watching her with great interest, rose and
brought forward a chair, looking towards her mother, without speaking.

"You look tired," said Mrs Seaton. "Did you walk? Sit down and rest."
Christie gladly obeyed.

"Mrs Lee speaks very highly of you--very h