e and opened her eyes
to see her bending over her, her look of glad surprise, changing slowly
into one of sweet content, was beautiful to see.

She could not talk much, or even listen for a long time to reading, but
she was always quite content and at rest with Effie sitting beside her.
A visit from Gertrude or Mr Sherwood was all that happened to break the
monotony of those days to them. Once little Claude and his brother were
brought to see her. They had not forgotten her. Claude lay down beside
her, and put his little hand on her cheek, as he used to do, and told
her about the sea and the broad sands where they used to play, and
prattled away happily enough of the time when Christie should come home
quite well again. Clement was shy, and a little afraid of her altered
face, and gave all his attention to Effie. But the visit exhausted
Christie, and it never was repeated. Indeed, a very little thing
exhausted her now.

One day Christie awoke to find her sister watching the clouds and the
autumn rain with a dark shadow resting on her face. Her first movement
sent it away, but the remembrance of it lingered with Christie. After a
little time, when she had been made comfortable, and Effie had seated
herself with her work beside her, she said:

"Are you longing to get home, Effie?"

"No, indeed," said Effie, cheerfully, "except for your sake."

"But I am sure they will miss you sadly."

"Yes, I dare say they will; but they don't really need me. Sarah is at
home, and Katie and Nellie are quite to be trusted even should she be
called away. I am not in the least troubled about them. Still, I hope
we shall soon get home, for your sake."

"But without your wages, how can they manage? I am afraid--"

"I am not afraid," said Effie. "I left all that in safe hands before I
came here. Our garden did wonderfully well last year; and besides, we
managed to lay by something--and God is good. I am not afraid."

"And they have all grown very much, you say. And little Will! Oh, how
I should like to have seen them all! They will soon forget me, Effie."

Effie started. It was the first time she had ever said anything that
seemed to imply a doubt of her recovery. Even now she was not quite
sure that she meant that, and she hastened to say:

"Oh, there is no fear of their forgetting you. You cannot think how
delighted they all were when your letters came."

"They could not give you half the pleasure that yours