CHAPTER XV.

PEEPS INTO FAIRY-LAND.

HRISTIE," said Gertrude, coming into the green room just as the little nurse had arranged the crib for Claude's mid-day nap, "did you ever

read The Lady of the Lake?"

Christie was sitting down, with a basket of little socks and a bunch of darning-cotton in her hand, and she looked up eagerly as she entered.

No, I never read it; but I have heard of it. It is a nice book, isn't it?"

"Yes. Get your work ready, and I'll tell Martha to look after Clement for the next two hours, and I will read to you while Claude sleeps. I have read it once; but I would like to read it again."

It

And she did read it. Soon Christie's socks and darningcotton were forgotten, and she sat listening intently. was something entirely new to her, and she yielded herself to the charm of the book with an eagerness that delighted the reader. Miss Gertrude liked the book at the second reading even better than at the first. She enjoyed it this time for herself and Christie too.

"There seems so much more in a book when you have anybody to enjoy it with you," she said, at the end of an hour. "But I am tired of reading aloud. You must take it a while now."

"But I have got out of the way of reading aloud," said Christie; "and besides, I don't read so well as you."

"Oh, never mind; you'll read well enough. And give me the basket; I'll darn your socks in the meantime." "The socks? Oh, I had forgotten them! But there is very little to do. I'll read a while, if you like; but I know I don't read so well as you."

She took the book, however, and another hour passed rapidly away. She shut the book with a sigh when Claude moved.

And

This was the first of many such readings. During the hours when Claude was asleep and Clement under the immediate superintendence of Martha, Miss Gertrude brought her book into the green room and shared the pleasure it gave her with her little brother's nurse. at other times, too, when the little boys were amusing themselves together in the garden, they read and discussed their books, sitting in the cedar walk, or under the shadow of the locust-tree. And a very pleasant month they had. Christie had great enjoyment in all this; and apparently Miss Gertrude had no less; for she refused several invitations, and broke more than one engagement with her aunt, rather than interfere with these new arrangements.

But one day Miss Gertrude came into the green room with a cloud upon her brow. It was plain that something was the matter.

"It has been a great deal too pleasant to last long," she said, throwing down a letter which she held in her hand. "Here is papa coming home immediately. I wouldn't

mind his coming," she added, checked by the look of surprise on Christie's face. "I shall be very glad to see him; and he won't make much difference-he is so seldom at home. Besides, he will let me please myself about things. He has no fancy for my going here and there at everybody's bidding. But Mr. Sherwood is coming with him-Mrs. Seaton's cousin a very disagreeable person; at least, I think so. Mamma thinks him wonderfully good, and he is a great favourite with papa, too. I am sure I don't know why. I think he is conceited; and he is an Englishman, besides."

Christie laughed.

"That's not a very good reason.'

'Perhaps not. But he has such a cool, indifferent way of asserting the superiority of the English over all other nations, as though the question need not be discussed. 'It must be quite evident to everybody,' his manner seems to say."

After a pause, Miss Gertrude continued:

He is

"And that is not all. He is very meddlesome. always telling mamma what ought to be expected from a young lady like me, and getting her to annoy me about lessons and other things; at least, I think so. I know he thinks me quite childish; and sometimes he interferes between Clement and me. What do you think he had the impertinence to say to me once? That no one was fit to govern who had not learned to obey. That it would be wiser for me to learn the lesson of obedience myself, than to attempt to teach it to my little brother."

"And what answer did you make?" asked Christie, after a little hesitation.

"I turned and walked out of the room; and I did not see him again. I chose to be out of the way when he

came to say good-bye. I dare say that is one reason why I don't like the thought of his coming just now. I feel a little awkward, you know. I owe him one good turn, howIf it had not been for him, I think father would have listened to Aunt Barbara and sent me to school. I ought to thank him for that."

ever.

“And didn't you want to go to school?" asked Christie, in some surprise.

"No, indeed! I never was at school, you know. We had a governess and teachers at home. I am to have private teachers for some things here, when the summer is over, unless I should be sent to school, after all." When the gentleman made his appearance among them the next day, he did not look like the formidable person Christie imagined him to be. They were sitting on the lawn, in the shadow of the locust-tree, when he arrived; and before he went into the house he came and shook hands with Miss Gertrude and the little boys. Christie thought he must have quite forgotten his falling-out with the young lady, he met her so pleasantly and frankly. The embarrassment was all on her side.

As for the boys, they were beside themselves with delight. It was easy to see they did not share their sister's dislike. Poor little Claude clasped his arms about his neck and kissed him eagerly. Clement, in a way that showed he felt sure of his sympathy, began to tell him of the pony and the rabbits, insisting that he should come with him to the stable to see them at once.

The next day was Sunday. After a fortnight of lovely summer weather, a great change had taken place. The rain was falling in torrents, and the wind was whistling through the trees in the garden, when Christie looked out. A rainy day in the green room was by no means such a

dreary matter as it used to be in Mrs. Lee's attic-nursery with only a glimpse of driving clouds and dripping roofs to vary the dulness within. So Christie comforted little

Claude for the want of his morning ride and ramble in the garden, telling him how glad the dusty leaves and thirsty little flowers would be for all the bright drops that were falling on them. She told him how the bees, that had been so busy all the week, must take a rest to-day, and how warm and dry the little birds would be in their nest in the pear-tree, for all the driving rain. Setting him in his favourite chair by the window, she amused him with talk like this, as she went about putting things in order in the room. While she comforted him, she comforted herself; for the rain had brought a disappointment to her too. It had been arranged that Martha should take charge of Claude while Christie went to church in the morning, where she had not been for several Sabbaths. But remembering Mrs. Greenly's oft-repeated warnings against exposing herself to dampness, she did not like to venture in the rain. So she had to content herself at home.

This was an easier matter than it had sometimes been. As the morning wore away, and the time approached for the little boy to take his usual sleep, she was quite contented to be where she was.

"It is very pleasant, all this reading with Miss Gertrude," she said. "She is very kind, and I like her very much. But I shall be glad to be alone for a little while."

Claude's eyes closed at last, and she was just taking her Bible from the table beside her, when the door opened and Miss Gertrude entered.

"I only heard this minute from not go to church, after all," she said. a rain! Papa thought it was too

Mattie that you did "No wonder! What bad to take out the