Thus Christina and her aunt settled down to their joint life. Christina found her a very different companion from what she had feared. God's grace had done much for Miss Arbuthnot. The loss of a favourite nephew had almost broken her heart, and driven her to find comfort in God; and now she could better sympathise with Christina's loss, and behaved as wisely and as tenderly as was possible.
Thus the sacrifice on Christina's part was rendered less great than she anticipated, and by-and-by she began to perceive some of the reasons which might have made her father exact from her that promise. Her generous heart soon told her that her aunt was very lonely living by herself, and incidentally she gathered that when her father died, some of her aunt's income ceased.
"Doubtless he knew that," thought Christina; "and I believe he trusted me to be good to her. I will."
Thus Christina obeyed in "the letter and the spirit," and found increasing happiness in doing so.
[CHAPTER XI.]
THE LIFE-BOAT.
"BROTHER," said Netta, on Saturday morning, "are you going to have a little service to-day?"
"Yes, every day, dear, if the children come to listen."
"Oh, no fear of that!" said Arthur. "We had quite a crowd."