"Clement is not going to tire you any more. He is going to be very
gentle and good when Christie lets us come in here; and by and by we
will go and sit under the locust-tree and be very good and happy all
together."

And so they did that afternoon, and many afternoons besides. A very
happy time they had. Far from banishing Miss Gertrude and little
Clement, the doctor encouraged them to be much with the sick boy. The
noisy Clement was permitted to become the almost constant companion of
his brother, on certain conditions. He was never permitted to weary him
or vex him. A walk with his brother was made the reward of good
behaviour; and banishment from the green room for an entire day was felt
to be so severe a punishment that it was not insisted upon more than
once or twice during the time of his mother's absence. Upon both the
boys this intercourse had a very beneficial effect. The little invalid
brightened under the influence of Clement's merry ways, now that the
watchful care of Miss Gertrude or Christie kept his mirth within bounds,
and prevented him from being wearied with too boisterous play.

The whole of the pleasant summer morning was passed by him in the open
air. Up and down the broad garden-walks he was drawn, when the weather
was fine. Sometimes he was content to sit for hours in the shadow of
the locust-tree near the window, or in the pleasant cedar walk at the
other end of the grounds. Sometimes he was permitted to walk a little
while on the lawn; and in a few days the dawning colour on cheek and lip
was hailed as a hopeful sign of returning health.

Christie grew quite satisfied with her new place, and devoted herself to
her little charge with an interest that was untiring; and the increasing
affection of the little boy made her service day by day more pleasant to
her.

Of Miss Gertrude she scarcely knew what to make. She was always very
kind to her, and spent much time with her and little Claude, either in
the garden or in the green room. But she was not gentle and pleasant to
all the world. She was sometimes full of impatient and discontented
thoughts, and now and then let fall words that proved this too plainly.
Christie was sometimes pained, and sometimes amused, as she listened to
her. Like too many young people, she had a keener eye for defects than
for excellences of character; and she never hesitated to amuse herself
at the expense of those with whom she came in contact. Someti