Christina

a home out of the fog, kindly call at 100, Eaton

The day before she had perforce spent in bed, for her day of fatigue, emotion, and exposure to the weather, had been followed by a night of fever and aching limbs; and on the Thursday morning she could scarcely lift her head from the pillow. But on Friday, realising affrightedly that each day brought her nearer to absolute destitution, she made a herculean effort, got up and dressed, and, feeling more dead than a

a home out of the fog, kindly call at 100, Eaton

sh came into her white cheeks as the word "reward" entered her mind; all her instincts revolted against the notion of being rewarded for doing what had been a most obvious duty. But with the instinct of revolt came also a little rush of hope. To the tired girl the advertisement seemed like a friendly hand outstretched towards her; and though pride whispered to her to pay no heed to

, so full was her mind of the coming visit to Eaton Square. Her weary limbs still refused to hurry, and she walked slowly back to her lodgings, "to make herself tidy," as she put it, before venturing into what was to her an actually new world. Her heart was beating very fast as she rang the bell of the great Eaton Square mansion, and, thanks partly to nervousness, partly to fatigue, her legs were trembling so much, that she was ob

e lady of the h

ith her?" the servant

e girl answered, her voice shaking with nervous weariness

e changed to one of huge condescension. "Oh! well,

, and said faintly-"I don't know anything about a place. I have not come fo

he wished her ladyship wouldn't go putting in advertisements, and not mentioning them to th

of the front door, or to sit down and cry. The hall, softly-carpeted and warm, fragrant with the flowers massed in great pots at the foot of the staircase, and quiet with the stillness of a well-ordered house, oppressed her. The solemn voice of a grandfath

ome this wa

d him up the wide staircase, whose soft carpet was a bewildering novelty to the girl accustomed to the simplest surroundings, across a landing, fragrant, like the hall, with growing roses and exotic plants, into a small boudoir, in which she found

outside, did not appear to enter into this lovely apartm

he pictures on the walls drew a gasp of delight from Christina's lips. They were mainly landscapes, and in almost every case they represented wide spaces, open tracts of country, that gave one a sense of life and freshness. Here was an expanse of sea, blue and smiling as the sky that stooped to meet it; there, long green rollers swept up a sandy beach, whilst clouds lit up by a rift of sunshine, lay on the horizon. On this side was a moorland, purple with heather, bathed in the glory of the setting sun; on that side, a plain, far-reaching as the sea itself, soft and gr

nds, "you are the kind lady who brought my Baba home? Henry was very incoherent; he always is, in a grand, long-wi

it was so kind of you to advertise, that I came. But, of course, when I brought the darling

t ran through her listener's brain;

d she is very precious. If anything had happened to her, I-oh! but we mustn't talk about dreadful things that might happe

, in presence of this kindly, dainty little lady. With girlish enthusiasm her eyes drank in the loveliness of the other's fair face, its delicate colouring, its crown of bright hair; the pe

rather out of hand since her nurse left. We do try not to spoil her, but we don't always succeed ve

licity and sincerity which characterised her; "since I have

ed, with a gay laugh. "Rupert did not put any name in the advertisement; he said it was wiser not-but I am Lady Cicely Redesdale, and Baba, a

e footman ran along the pavement when he saw us, and until I read your advertisement to-day, I had no idea which n

t rather a-wretched neighbourhood

friends, and taking care of their children. But now they have gone to Canada and I am alone in the world." It was said without any arrière pensée; no thought of exploiting her loneliness crossed Christina's mi

yourself?" Lady Cicely put the qu

t I can do. You see, I have had very little education-not enough to teach big children-and I have no certificates or diplomas, or

again Lady Cicely's eyes searched the girl's f

m, and taking care of them. But there are such lots of other girls like me, with very few

ou to see Baba before you go; perhaps we might find-we might think--" and with this vagu

airs to the library, where a man sat

s the girl who brought Baba back, and my b

a young

d guess; but unmistakably a lady. And-I'm so sorry for her, Rupert;

mother's r?le? As one of your trustees, let

nd see this girl. I don't want to be quixotic, and I am ready

inheritance of your daughter, Miss Veronica Joan Redesdale," her cousin answered with a laugh;

rinking in her eyes-and she has very pretty eyes, too. Of course, my idea had been to offer her money, because I imagined she

tion over. But, if you can't give her mo

ncied, perhaps, I might help her to get work. She is horribly poor, and she looks half-fed, and so

upert's response, t

r this girl is a perfect stranger. She may be-anything. As you yourself told me two d

but I am not entirely devoid of all common sense. Come and give me you

she had never inspired him with any deeper affection. Like an elder brother to her from her earliest childhood, the brotherly relation had continued between them after Cicely's marriage, and it had been by her dead husband's

ure with flying golden curls, and filmy white frock,

from Jane. Now Bab

found a very stern nurse. Nevertheless her appearance is opportune," she said, sotto voce, to Rupert. "I told Miss Moore I would fetch Baba, and I don't

Rupert paused for an instant in the doorway, to look and smile. Baba, after one short glance at the stranger, who

and Cicely saw the girl stoop and lift the baby in her arms, with a tenderness that marked a true child lov

ty lady," she added suddenly, "Baba like when the pinky colour goes all up and down your cheeks." For, at that moment, the girl had become awar

rt, this is Miss Moore, who so kindly brought naughty Baba home out of the fog.

f the tall stranger's surname; Cicely herself was unconscious that she ha

istina's neck, and her soft face pressed against the girl's flushed one; "but we all owe you a debt of gratitude for having found,

ammered, "I couldn't help being glad that I was the first person to find her, and tha

world, he skilfully led the conversation to more general subjects, until Christina

Cicely held her hands in a clasp that was very

t you to come and see me again in a day or two. I think, per

l, and she was sure-quite, quite sure-that if the sweet little blue-eyed lady said she would do something for her, that something would infallibly be done. And-the tall cousin, with the grave grey eyes, and th

mfort him. I am su

t by Mr. Coles, and the little man himself

id good-naturedly; "it came yesterday morning, a

e to be addressed to Mr. Coles's shop. The memory of Wednesday's disappointment came back to her, and as Mr. Coles put into her hand a letter addr

along the street, she opened, and read the letter, feeling a certain compunction as

R MA

had done-no one there but a caretaker. My friend must have been called away suddenly, for on Tuesday, when I saw her, she most kindly arranged that her house should be at my

faith

MERN