d had during his mother's
absence.

There was one change which at first seemed anything but a pleasant one;
they left the pretty green room for a smaller one in a higher story. At
first it seemed a dull, dismal place, but Christie learned to love it
very much before she left it.

Miss Gertrude's lessons commenced again soon after the return of Mrs
Seaton, but there was nothing more said of her going to school, at least
for the present. She was not old enough to go much into society, and
she had plenty of time to devote to the readings in the upper nursery,
as Christie's new room was called. Her interest in these readings was
not uniform. Sometimes for several days at a time her visits were few
and brief; but on the whole, she enjoyed them very much, and did not
neglect them very long.

The balconied window of the green room was not the only one at which the
locust-tree made pleasant music. It shaded also one of the library
windows. The library had become so much the resort of Mr Sherwood that
it almost came to be considered as his room. He spent much of his time
in it undisturbed. So it happened one day, when he was not at all busy,
he heard the sound of voices beneath, and looking out, discovered that
the nursery party had placed themselves on the rustic seat that always
stood there. The September wind had scattered many of the long, slender
leaves of the locust; but they had come there rather to enjoy the
sunshine than the shade. He could see them quite plainly--Claude
sitting on his cushion, Clement running here and there about the lawn,
Miss Gertrude, as usual, with her book, and Christie with her work. He
could not hear what they said, except a word now and then from the
children's shrill voices. Miss Gertrude pretended to read, but
evidently the reading did not prosper; and by and by the book was laid
aside, and in the conversation that followed the girls seemed to take an
equal part. Mr Sherwood was quite astonished to find himself wishing
that he could hear what they were saying; but he could not, except when
Miss Gertrude's voice was raised in warning or in reproof, as Master
Clement pursued his own pleasure in a distant part of the garden.

By and by the sound of wheels was heard in the garden, and Miss Gertrude
rose quickly.

"Oh, here come visitors!" she exclaimed. Her face was turned towards
the window, and he heard every word plainly. "Let us go to the cedar
walk. I don't want to go i