d. But Aunt
Elsie did not seem inclined to drop it.

"Well, it's but a little girl that is wanted," she said. "And as for
her not being strong enough, I am sure there canna be any great strength
required to amuse two or three bairns. I dare say it might be the very
place for her."

"Yes; I dare say, if it was needful for Christie to go. There will be
many glad to get the place. You must speak to the Cairns' girls,
Annie."

"Would you like to go, Christie?" asked her aunt, with a pertinacity
which seemed, to Effie at least, uncalled for.

But Christie made no answer, and looked still at Effie.

"There is no use in discussing the question," said Effie, more hastily
than she meant to speak. "Christie is far better off at home. There is
no need of her going. Don't speak of it, Aunt Elsie."

Now Aunt Elsie did not like to have any one differ from her--"to be
dictated to," as she called it. Effie very rarely expressed a different
opinion from Aunt Elsie. But her usual forbearance made her doing so on
the present occasion the more disagreeable to her aunt; and she did not
fail to take her to task severely for what she called her disrespect.

"I didna mean to say anything disrespectful, Aunt Elsie," said she,
soothingly, and earnestly hoping that the cause of her reproof might be
discussed no further. But she was disappointed.

"Wherefore should I no' speak about this thing for Christie? If it's no
disgrace for Annie to go to service, I see no season why it should not
be spoken of for Christie."

"Disgrace, aunt!" repeated Effie. "What an idea! Of course it is
nothing of the sort. But why should we speak of Christie's going when
there is no need?"

"For that matter, you may say there is no need for Annie's going. They
both need food and clothes as well as the rest."

Effie took refuge in silence. In a little while her aunt went on:

"And as for her being a child, how much younger, pray, is she than
Annie? Not above two years, at most. And as for health, she's well
enough, for all that I can see. She's not very strong, and she wouldna
have hard work; and the change might do her good. You spoil her by
making a baby of her. I see no reason why the bread of dependence
should be sweeter to her than to the rest."

"It would be bitter enough, eaten at your expense," were the words that
rose to Christie's lips in reply, Effie must have seen them there, for
she gave her no time to utter them, but ha