v 
 
 
 ir 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 BY 
 
 THE AUTHOR OP "WIDE WIDE WORLD," 
 
 AND 
 
 THE AUTHOR OF "DOLLARS AND CENTS/ 
 
 TWO VOLUMES IN ONE. 
 
 PHILADELPHIA: 
 
 J. B. LIPPINCOTT & CO 
 
 1883. 
 
A YA 
 
 Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1860, by 
 
 J. B. LIPPINCOTT & CO., 
 
 In the Clerk s Office of the District Court of the United States for the 
 Eastern District of Pennsylvania. 
 
b 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 IT is a melancholy fact, that this book is somewhat larger 
 than the mould into which most of the fluid fiction material is 
 poured in this degenerate age. You perceive, good reader, that 
 it has run over. 
 
 Doubtless the Procrustean critic would say, "Cut it off," 
 which point we waive. 
 
 The book is really of very moderate limits considering that 
 two women had to have their say in it. 
 
 It is pleasant to wear a glove when one shakes hands with the 
 Public ; therefore we still use our ancestors names instead of 
 our own, but it is fair to state, that in this case there are a pair 
 of gloves! Which is the right glove, and which the left, the 
 Public will never know 
 
 A word to that "dear delightful" class of readers who believe 
 everything that is written, and do not look at the number of the 
 last page till they come to it nor perhaps even then. Well 
 they and the author know, that if the heroine cries or laughs 
 too much, it is nobody s fault but her own ! Gently they quarrel 
 with him for not permitting them to see every Jenny happily 
 married and every Tom with settled good habits. Most lenient 
 readers ! when you turn publishers, then will such books doubt 
 less be written ! Meantime, hear this. 
 
 In a shady, sunshiny town, lying within certain bounds gco- 
 
Vi PREFACE. 
 
 graphical or imaginary, these events (really or in imagination) 
 occurred. Precisely when, the chroniclers do not say. Scene 
 opens with the breezes which June, and the coming of a new 
 school teacher, naturally create. After the fashion of the place, 
 his lodgings are arranged for him beforehand, by the School 
 Committee. But where, or in what circumstances, the scene 
 may close, having told at the end of the book, we do not incline 
 to tell at the beginning. 
 
 ELIZABETH WETHERELL. 
 AMY LOTHROP. 
 
 NKW YORK, Kb. 1, 1860. 
 
SAY AND SEAL 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 THE street was broad, with sidewalks, and wide grass- 
 grown borders, and a spacious track of wheels and 
 horses feet in the centre. Great elms, which the early 
 settlers planted, waved their pendent branches over the 
 peaceful highway, and gave shelter and nest-room to 
 numerous orioles, killdeer, and robins; putting off their 
 yellow leaves in the autumn, and bearing their winter 
 weight of snow, in seeming quiet assurance that spring 
 would make amends for all. So slept the early settlers iu 
 the churchyard ! 
 
 Along the street, at pleasant neighbourly intervals not 
 near enough to be crowded, nor far enough to be lonely 
 stood the houses, comfortable, spacious, compact, "with 
 no nonsense about them." The Mong lay like a mere blue 
 thread in the distance, its course often pointed out by the 
 gaff of some little sloop that followed the bends of the river 
 up toward Suckiaug. The low rolling shore was spotted 
 with towns and spires : over all was spread the fairest blue 
 sky and floating specks of white. 
 
 Not many sounds were astir, the robins whistled, thief- 
 like, over the cherry-trees; the killdeer, from some high 
 twig, sent forth his sweet clear note; and now and then a 
 pair of wheels rolled softly along the smooth road the 
 rush of the wind filled up the pauses. Anybody who was 
 down by the Moiig might have heard the soft roll of his 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 ,. by the light-house might have heard 
 
 the harsher dah of the salt waves. 
 
 I might go* on, and say that if anybody had been looking 
 out of Mrs. Derrick s window he or she might have seen 
 what Mrs. Derrick really saw I For she was looking out 
 of the window (or rather through the blind) at the critical 
 moment that afternoon. It would be too much to say that 
 she placed herself there on purpose, let the reader sup 
 pose what he likes. 
 
 At the time, then, that the village clock was striking four, 
 when meditative cows were examining the length of their 
 shadows, and all the geese were setting forth for their 
 afternoon swim, a stranger opened Mrs. Derrick s little 
 gate and walked in. Stretching out one hand to the dog 
 in token of good fellowship, fa classical mind might have 
 fancied him breaking the cake by whose help Quickear got 
 past the lions,) he went up the walk, neither fast nor slow, 
 ascended the steps, and gave what Mrs. Derrick called " con 
 siderable of a rap" at the door. That done, he faced about 
 and looked at the far off blue Mong. 
 
 Not more intently did he eye and read that fair river; 
 not more swiftly did his thoughts pass from the Mong to 
 things beyond human ken; than Mrs. Derrick eyed and 
 read his back, and suffered her ideas to roam into the far 
 off regions of speculation. The light summer coat, the 
 straw hat, were nothing uncommon ; but the silk umbrella 
 was too good for the coat the gloves and boots altogether 
 extravagant ! 
 
 "He ain t a bit like the Pattaquasset folks, Faith," 
 she said, in a whisper thrown over her shoulder to her 
 daughter. 
 
 "Mother" 
 
 Mrs. Derrick replied by an inarticulate sound of interro 
 gation. 
 
 "I wish you wouldn t stand just there. Do come 
 away!" 
 
 " La, child," said Mrs. Derrick, moving back about hah 
 an inch, "he s looking off into space." 
 
 "But he ll be in." 
 
 "Not till somebody goes to the door," said Mrs. Derrick, 
 "and there s not a living soul in the house but us two." 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 9 
 
 " Why didn t you say so before ? Must I go, mother ?" 
 
 " He didn t seem in a hurry," said her mother, " and I 
 wasn t. Yes, you can go if you like, child and if you 
 don t like, I ll go." 
 
 With a somewhat slower step than usual, with a slight 
 hesitating touch of her hand to the smooth brown rair 
 which lay over her temples, Miss Faith moved through the 
 hall to the front door, gently opened it, and stood there, 
 in the midst of the doorway, fronting the stranger. By no 
 means an uncomely picture for the frame ; for the face was 
 good, the figure trim, and not only was the rich hair 
 smooth, but a little white ruffle gave a dainty setting to 
 the throat and chin which rose above it, both themselves 
 rather on the dainty order. 
 
 I say fronting the stranger, yet to speak truth the 
 stranger was not fronting her. For having made one more 
 loud appeal to the knocker, having taken off his hat, the 
 better to feel the soft river breeze, he stood as before 
 "looking off into space;" but with one hand resting more 
 decidedly upon the silk umbrella. 
 
 Faith took a minute s view of decidedly pleasant outlines 
 of shoulders and head or what she thought such glanced 
 at the hand which grasped the umbrella handle, and then 
 lifting her own fingers to the knocker of the door, caused 
 it gently to rise and fall. 
 
 A somewhat long breath escaped the stranger as if the 
 sound chimed in with his thoughts nothing more. 
 
 Faith stood still and waited. 
 
 Perhaps that last sound of the knocker had by degrees 
 asserted its claim to reality; perhaps impatience began to 
 assert its claim; perhaps that long elm-tree shadow which 
 was creeping softly on, even to his very feet, broke in upon 
 the muser s vision. Certainly he turned with a very quick 
 motion towards the door, and a gesture of the hand which 
 said that this time the knocker should speak out. The 
 door however stood open, the knocker beyond his reach ; 
 and Miss Faith so nearly within it, that he dropped his 
 hand even quicker than he had raised it. 
 
 "I beg your pardon!" he said, with a grave inclination 
 of the head. "I believe I knocked." 
 
 "Yes, sir I thought you had forgotten," said Faith; 
 
10 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 not with perfect demureness, which she would like to have 
 achieved. "Will you please to come in ?" And somewhat 
 regardless of consequences, leaving the hall door where it 
 stood, Faith preceded her guest along the hall and again 
 performed for him the office of door-opener at the parlour, 
 ushering him thus into the presence of her mother. 
 
 Mrs. Derrick was seated in the rocking-chair, at the 
 furthest corner from the window, and perfectly engrossed 
 with the last monthly magazine. But she came out of 
 them all with wonderful ease and promptness, shook hands 
 very cordially with the new comer, seated him in her corner 
 and chair before he ^ould make much resistance, and would 
 also have plunged him into the magazine but there he 
 was firm. 
 
 "If you would only make yourself comfortable while I 
 see where your baggage is 1" said the good lady. 
 
 "But I can tell you where it is, ma am," said he looking 
 up at her, "it is at the station, and will be here in half 
 an hour." 
 
 "Well when did you have dinner?" said Mrs. Derrick, 
 resolved upon doing something. 
 
 "Yesterday," was his quiet reply. "To-day I have been 
 in the cars." 
 
 "0 my! my!" said Mrs. Derrick, "then of course we ll 
 have tea at once. Faith !" 
 
 "I m here, mother. I ll go and see to it, right away." 
 
 But in some mysterious manner the stranger reached the 
 doorway before either of the ladies. 
 
 "Mrs. Derrick Miss Faith I told you that I had had 
 no dinner, and that was true. It is also true that I am 
 in not the least huj y for tea. Please do not have it until 
 your usual time." And he walked back to his seat. 
 
 But after the slightest possible pause of hesitancy, Faith 
 had disappeared. Her mother followed her. 
 
 "Child," she said, "what on earth is his name?" 
 
 "Mother! how should I know? I didn t ask him." 
 
 "But the thing is," said Mrs. Derrick, "I did know, 
 the Committee told me all about it. And of course he 
 thinks I know, and I don t no more than I do my great- 
 grandmother s name, which I never did remember yet." 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 11 
 
 " Mother shall I go and ask him ? or wait till after 
 supper ?" 
 
 "0 you shan t go," said her mother. "Wait till after 
 supper and we ll send Cindy. He won t care about his 
 name till he gets his tea, I ll warrant. But what made 
 you so long getting the door open, child ? Does it stick ?" 
 
 "Why, "said Faith, baring her arms and entering upon 
 sundry quick movements about the room, "it was open and 
 he didn t know it." 
 
 "Didn t know it!" said Mrs. Derrick, "my! I hope he 
 ain t short-sighted. Now Faith, I m not going to have 
 you burn your face for all the school teachers in Connecti 
 cut. Keep away, child, I ll put on the kettle myself. 
 Cindy must have found her beau again it s as tiresome as 
 tiresome can be." 
 
 " It s just as well, mother ; I d rather do it myself. Now 
 you go in and find what his name is, and I ll have every 
 thing together directly. The oven s hot now." 
 
 "I ll go in presently," said Mrs. Derrick ; " but as to ask 
 ing him what his name is la, child, I d just as soon ask 
 him where he came from." And in deep thought on the 
 subject, Mrs. Derrick stepped briskly about the kitchen. 
 
 "Faith," she said, "where shall I ask him to sit?" 
 
 " Will you pour out tea or shall I, mother ?" 
 
 "What s that to do?" 
 
 "Why I was thinking but it don t matter where you 
 put him. There s four sides to the table." 
 
 "Don t talk of my putting him anywhere, child I m as 
 afraid of him as can be." And Mrs. Derrick went back 
 to see how time went with her guest. 
 
 It went fast or slow, I suppose, after all, somewhat 
 according to the state of his appetite. One hour and ten 
 minutes certainly had slipped away if he was hungry he 
 knew that another ten minutes was following in train 
 when at length the parlour door opened again and Faith 
 stood there, with a white apron on and cheeks a good deal 
 heightened in colour since the date of their last appearance. 
 
 " Mother, tea s ready. Cindy hasn t got back." And 
 having made this gentle announcement, Faith disappeared 
 again, leaving it to her mother to shew the way to the 
 supper-room. 
 
12 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 This was back of the parlour and communicated with the 
 kitchen, from which Faith came in as they entered, bearing 
 a plate of white biscuits, smoking hot, in her hand. The 
 floor was painted with thick yellow paint, smooth and 
 shining ; plenty of windows let in plenty of light and the 
 sweet evening air; the table stood covered with a clean 
 brownish table-cloth, but what a supper covered that ! 
 Rosy slices of boiled ham, snowy rounds of milk empty 
 ings bread, strawberries, pot-cheeses, pickles, fried pota 
 toes, and Faith s white cakes, with tea and coffee ! 
 
 Now as Faith had laid the clean napkin for the stranger 
 at the foot of the table, opposite her mother, it cannot be 
 thought presumption in him that he at once took his seat 
 there; thus relieving Mrs. Derrick s mind of an immense 
 responsibility. Yet something in his manner then made 
 her pause and look at him, though she did not expect to 
 see him bow his head and ask for a blessing on the meal be 
 fore them. If that was presumption, neither of his hearers 
 felt it so, the little flush on the mother s cheek told rather 
 of emotion, of some old memory now quickened into life. 
 Her voice even, trembled a little as she said, 
 
 "Will you have tea or coffee, sir ?" 
 
 And Faith offered her biscuit. 
 
 "Or there s bread, if you like it better, sir." 
 
 "The biscuits are best," said her mother, "Faith s bis 
 cuits are always good." 
 
 And he took a biscuit, while a very slight unbending of 
 the lines of his face said that the excellence of faith s 
 handiwork was at least not always so apparent. 
 
 "Miss Faith, what shall I give you in return that is be 
 yond your reach and (comparatively) within mine ?" 
 
 Possibly possibly, the slight grave opening of two rather 
 dark eyes confessed that in her apprehension the store thus 
 designated, from which he might give her, was very large 
 indeed. But if that was so, her lips came short of the 
 truth, for she answered, 
 
 "I don t want anything, thank you." 
 
 "Not even butter?" with his hand on the knife. 
 
 Faith seemed inclined not to want butter, but finally 
 submitted and held out her plate. Whereupon, having 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 13 
 
 helped her and himself, the stranger diverged a little, with 
 the rather startling question, 
 
 "What sort of a Flora have you in this neighbourhood ?" 
 
 " There isn t any, mother ?" said Faith, with a doubtful 
 appeal towards the tea-tray. 
 
 A pleasant look fell upon her while her look went away - 
 a look which said he would like to tell her all about the 
 matter, then and there; but merely taking another of the 
 white biscuits, he went on to ask whether the roads were 
 good and the views fine. 
 
 "The roads are first-rate," said Mrs. Derrick. "I don t 
 know much of views myself, but Faith thinks they re won 
 derful." 
 
 "I don t suppose they are wonderful, 1 1 said Faith ; "but 
 it is pretty up the Mong, and I am sure, mother, it s pretty 
 down on the shore, towards the sunsetting." 
 
 " And how is it towards the sunrising ?" 
 
 "I never saw it we never go down there then," Faith 
 said, with a very frank smile. 
 
 "Faith always stays by me," said Mrs. Derrick; "if I 
 can t go, she won t. And of course I never can at that 
 time of day. It s quite a way down to the shore." 
 
 " What shore ?" 
 
 " It s the sea-shore that is, not the real sea-shore it s 
 only the Sound," said Faith ; "but there is the salt-water, 
 and it is as good as the sea." 
 
 " How far off?" said the stranger, bestowing upon Faith 
 a saucer of strawberries. 
 
 Faith would have asked him to help himself, but taking 
 notice mentally that he was extremely likely to do so, she 
 contented herself with replying, "It s about two miles." 
 
 " And what are some of the good things there ?" 
 
 " Perhaps you wouldn t think it much," said Faith 
 modestly ; "but the water is pretty, and I like to see the 
 ships and vessels on it going up and down ; and the points 
 of the shore and the wet stones look such beautiful colours 
 when the sun is near set." 
 
 " I like stones whether wet or dry," said her ques 
 tioner. 
 
 " Most people here don t like them," said Faith. " But 
 
14 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 there are plenty down by the sea-shore. And plenty on 
 the farm too," she added. 
 
 " Ah, people like and dislike things for very different 
 reasons, Miss Faith," he answered ; " so perhaps your 
 neighbours and I are not so far apart in our opinions as you 
 may think. Only I believe, that while there is a time to 
 cast away stones, there is also a time to gather stones 
 together and therein perhaps they would not agree with 
 me." 
 
 Faith looked up, and her lips parted and if tne thought 
 had been spoken which parted them, it would probably 
 have been a confession that she did not understand, or a 
 request for more light. But if her face did not say it for 
 her, she did not say it for herself. 
 
 If anybody could have seen Mrs. Derrick s face while 
 these little sentences went back and forth, he would have 
 acknowledged it was worth the sight. Her awe and ad 
 miration of every word uttered by the stranger the intense 
 interest with which she waited for every word spoken by 
 Faith the slight look of anxiety changing to one of per 
 fect satisfaction, was pretty to see. 
 
 " Faith," she said when tea was over, and her guest had 
 walked to the front door to take another look at space, 
 " Faith, don t you think he liked his supper ?" 
 
 " I should think he would after having no dinner," said 
 Faith. 
 
 " But it was such a mercy, child, that you hadn t gone 
 out to supper anywhere I can t think what I should have 
 done. There s Cindy this minute ! run and tell her to go 
 right away and find out what his name is tell her / want 
 to know, you can put it in good words." 
 
 "Mother ! I d rather ask him myself." 
 
 But that did not suit Mrs. Derrick s ideas of propriety. 
 And stepping out into the kitchen she despatched Cindy 
 on her errand. Cindy presently came back from the front 
 door, and went into the dining-room, but not finding Mrs. 
 Derrick she handed a card to Faith. 
 
 "It s easy done," said Cindy. "I just asked him if he d 
 any objections to wards tellin his name and he kinder opened 
 his eyes at me and said no. Then I said, says I, Mis 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 15 
 
 Derrick do know, and she d like ter. Miss Derrick ! says 
 he and he took out his pencil and writ that. But I d 
 like to know what he cleans his pencil with," said Cindy in 
 conclusion, "for I m free to confess I never see brass shine 
 so in ray born days." 
 
 Faith took the card and read, 
 
 JOHN ENDECOTT LINDEN. 
 
 She looked a little curiously at the pencilling, at the 
 forraation of the capitals and of the small letters ; then laid 
 it down and gave her attention to the dishes of the supper- 
 table. 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 THE next day was Saturday. The morning opened with 
 grey clouds, covering the sky, but which were light 
 and light-broken and promised to roll away entirely as 
 soon as the sun should reach a commanding position in the 
 heavens. The sun however was still quite distant from 
 such a position, in fact was not much more than an hour 
 high, when Lucinda, who was sweeping the front door 
 steps, was hailed from the front door by a person not one 
 of the party of the preceding evening, and very unlike 
 either of them. It was a lady, not young, of somewhat 
 small figure, trim, and nicely dressed. Indeed she was 
 rather handsomely dressed and in somewhat French taste ; 
 she had showy gold earrings in her ears, and a head much 
 more in the mode than either Mrs. Derrick s or her 
 daughter s. The face of this lady was plain, decidedly ; but 
 redeemed by a look of sense and shrewdness altogether un 
 mixed with ill nature. The voice spoke alert and pleasantly. 
 
 " So Lucindy, you had company last night, didn t you ?" 
 
 " May be we did and may be we didn t," said Lucindy, 
 brushing away with great energy at an imaginary bit of 
 lint at the end of the upper step. " I do know but we d 
 just as good call him one of the family." 
 
 " So much at home already ? I missed seeing him last 
 night I couldn t get home. What s he like, Cindy ? and 
 what has he done ?" 
 
 " Done ?" said Cindy " well he s went out a most afore 
 I was up. And as to like, Miss Dilly -just you look at him 
 when he comes in. He looks some like folks, and yet he 
 don t, neither." 
 
 " He s out, is he ?" 
 
 " Yes," said Cindy, reducing a large family of spiders to 
 temporary starvation and despair, " he s out if he ain t 
 gone in nowheres. Miss Dilly, if you ll stand just inside 
 the door I can wash the steps just as well. 
 (16) 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 17 
 
 "What s the gentleman out so early for? Maybe he s 
 missed some of his luggage, Cindy." 
 
 " Hope he haVt got no more without its lighter," said 
 Cindy. " However, he carried it upstairs himself, I m free 
 to confess. I guess twarn t for luggage he went out, cause 
 he asked about breakfast time, special." 
 
 " If he means to be out till then he ll have a good walk 
 of it." 
 
 It wanted five minutes of breakfast time, and Mrs. Der 
 rick what with stepping into the kitchen to oversee Cindy, 
 and stepping to the front window to oversee the street 
 was warm enough for a cooler morning. 
 
 " Faith," she said, referring as usual to her daughter, 
 " Faith what shall we do if he don t come ?" 
 
 " I guess he ll come, mother ; he knows the time. The 
 things won t hurt much by waiting a little." 
 
 As she spoke, the little front gate swung softly to, and 
 the person in question came leisurely up the steps and into 
 the hall. Then having just glanced into the parlor, he at 
 once with a promptitude which bespoke him too punctual 
 himself to doubt the punctuality of others advanced to 
 the dining-room door and walked in. 
 
 Mrs. Derrick s face shewed gratification mingled with 
 her good nature. Faith smiled ; and Miss Dilly was duly 
 introduced as Miss Delia Danforth, Mrs. Derrick s aunt, 
 then on a visit at Pattaquasset. 
 
 " You ve taken an early stroll this morning, sir," said 
 this last lady. " View the country ?" 
 
 " No," said Mr. Linden, " I have been viewing the 
 town." 
 
 " Ah ! Well I call that viewing the country. Town and 
 country, all s one here ; and it makes a very pleasant sort 
 of place. But what do you call the town, sir ? Do you 
 drink coffee ?" 
 
 " The town," said Mr. Linden, in answer to the first 
 question receiving his coffee-cup from Mrs. Derrick by 
 way of answer to the second, " means in this instance, 
 Miss Danforth, that spot of country which is most thickly 
 settled. Yes, ma am I drink coffee." 
 
 " Very bad for you, sir ; don t you know it ?" 
 2* 
 
18 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 " Bad for me as one of the human race ? or as an indi 
 vidual specially marked out not to drink it ?" 
 
 " Dear me !" said Miss Danforth sipping her own tea, . 
 " I don t know what yon. are marked out for. I think it s 
 a mistake for everybody to think he is marked for some 
 thing special they set the mark themselves, and generally 
 it don t fit." 
 
 " But the fact that a man often gets the wrong mark, by 
 no means proves that there is no right one which belongs 
 to him, "said Mr. Linden, looking gravely at Faith as if he 
 meant she should smile. 
 
 Faith seemed to look at the question however rather 
 seriously, for dropping her knife and fork she asked, 
 
 "How shall a man know his mark ?" 
 
 "By earnest consideration and prayer," he answered, 
 really grave this time. " I know of no other way, Miss 
 Faith." 
 
 What a remark that was ! it silenced the whole table. 
 Knives and forks and .spoons had it alone, with only words 
 of necessity ; till Faith asked Mr. Linden if he would not 
 have another cup of coffee. 
 
 "Certainly!" he said, handing her his cup. "There is 
 so much to be said on both sides of that little bit of china 
 I must not be partial in my attention. 7 
 
 "But you can t study both sides of a subject at once," 
 said the coffee-hater. 
 
 "Then take them alternately and (figuratively) walk 
 round your coffee-cup, surveying its fair proportions from 
 different points of view. If the coffee is strong and you 
 are nervous that s one thing. Again, if the coffee be 
 weak and you be phlegmatic that s another." 
 
 " The coffee s not strong to-day," said Mrs. Derrick with 
 a regretful shake of the head. 
 
 "Nor am I phlegmatic," with the slightest possible 
 indication of a smile. 
 
 " Do you think," said Miss Danforth, " a man is better 
 able to decide questions of common judgment for having 
 studied a great deal ? learned a great many things, I 
 mean." 
 
 " That depends very much upon what effect his studies 
 have had upon his judgment. Mrs. Derrick are you trying 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 19 
 
 to break me off from coffee by degrees ? this cup has no 
 sugar in it." 
 
 " ray !" said Mrs. Derrick, colouring up in the greatest 
 confusion. " I do beg your pardon, sir ! Faith, take the 
 sugar-bowl, child, and pick out some large lumps." 
 
 " You will get more praise from Miss Danforth than 
 blame from me, ma am," said Mr. Linden, submitting his 
 cup to Faith s amendment and watching the operation. 
 
 "/ don t know," said Miss Danforth goodhumouredly. 
 Maybe he can stand it. If he takes two cups I should 
 say he can. How do you like the profession of teaching, 
 sir ?" 
 
 Now to say truth, Mr. Linden did not know not by 
 actual practice, but it was also a truth which he did not 
 feel bound to disclose. He therefore stirred his coffee with 
 a good deal of deliberation, and even tasted it, before he 
 replied, 
 
 " What would you say to me, Miss Danferth, if I pro 
 fessed to be fond of teaching some people some things ? 
 Miss Faith, that last lump of sugar was potent." 
 
 " What sort of people, and what sort of things, for in 
 stance ?" said the lady. 
 
 " The things I know best, and the people who think they 
 know least -for instance," he replied. 
 
 " I should say you know definitions," was Miss Dan- 
 forth s again goodhumoured rejoinder. 
 
 " What did you say was the matter with the sugar, sir ?" 
 said Faith. 
 
 " I said it was potent, Miss Faith, or I might have 
 said, powerful. But indeed it was not the sugar s fault 
 the difficulty was, there was not enough coffee to counter 
 balance it." 
 
 " I put in too much !" said Faith, making a regretful 
 translation of this polite speech. 
 
 "Yes" said Mr. Linden with great solemnity as he set 
 down the empty cup, "but too much sugar is at least not 
 a common misfortune. With what appreciation I shall 
 look back to this, some day when I have not enough I 
 What did you think of the sunrise this morning ?" 
 
 " Do you mean, because the sky was covered with clouds ?" 
 said Faith. " But there was enough the sun looked 
 
20 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 through; and the colours were beautiful. Did you see 
 them ?" 
 
 " I wonder when you did, child 1" said Miss Danforth ; 
 "up to your elbows in butter !" 
 
 "Yes, I saw them. Then you are true to your name, 
 Miss Faith, and find enough in a cloudy sky? Pray, Miss 
 Danforth, what depth of butter does a cturning yield in 
 this region ?" 
 
 " I guess," said Miss Danforth laughing, " you never 
 saw much of farmer s work did you ?" 
 
 " Is butter-making farmer s work ?" said Mr. Linden 
 with a face of grave inquiry. 
 
 " Here s the trustys" said Cindy opening the door ; 
 " at least that s what they said they be, but I m free to 
 confess tain t nobody but Squire Deacon and Parson 
 Somers." 
 
 "Do they want me ?" said Mr. Linden looking round. 
 
 " I guess likely" said Cindy. " The Squire does come 
 here to see Miss Faith, but I guess tain t her he wants this 
 time. n 
 
 And Cindy vanished. 
 
 " What do the trustees want ?" said Miss Danforth. 
 
 " Upon the testimony of Cinderella, they want me," said 
 Mr. Linden. " Miss Faith, may I have a glass of water ? 
 What tliey want to do with me, Miss Danforth, is a little 
 uncertain. " 
 
 " Well," said Miss Danforth, " I think you ll be able to 
 prevent them !" 
 
 He rose to take the glass from Faith s hand, and then 
 merely inquiring whether the ladies were coming to second 
 him, left the room. 
 
 Parson Somers was a young-looking, good-looking, affa 
 ble gentleman, who pressed the ladies hands very cordially 
 and was very happy to see them. Squire Deacon was 
 younger, and likewise good looking, but affability he had 
 never been charged with. Over the handsome cut of face, 
 the strong well-built figure, he wore a manner as rough 
 as a bear s great-coat ; only at some times and for some 
 people the roughness was brushed down. It never would 
 stay, any more than the various elegant phrases with which 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 21 
 
 Deacon sometimes seasoned his speech, would take 
 root there and spread. 
 
 " Quite an agreeable variation," said Mr. Somers, "ha 
 in such a place as Pattaquasset to, have a new arrival 
 among us. Mr. Linden I hope you will like our little 
 town. You have a pleasant experience of us to begin 
 with." 
 
 " Yes but, Parson, don t make him think we re all like 
 some," said Squire .Deacon, and as he turned towards 
 Faith the beaming of his face seemed almost reflected in 
 his brass buttons. "Dreadful gloomy morning, Miss 
 Faith 1" 
 
 " Mr. Linden has probably seen too much of the world," 
 said Mr. Somers, " not to know that ha ! too great a 
 preponderance of good is not to be looked for." 
 
 " May as well look for as much as you can find," said 
 Miss Danforth. " A good deal s lost by not looking for 
 it." 
 
 "Ah," said the Squire, with another glance at Faith, 
 "it s not so hard to find things, neither, Miss Danforth. 
 You remember Sinbad the sailor lookin down into the vale 
 of diamonds ?" 
 
 " Don t remember him a bit. What did he see there ?" 
 
 " Nothin but diamond jewelry," said Squire Deacon in 
 a sentimental tone. " Miss Faith, you doubtless recollect 
 the tale ?" 
 
 " I hope," said Mr. Somers, " ha ! friend Deacon you 
 don t mean that Mr. Linden should look for a valley of 
 diamonds in Pattaquasset ?" 
 
 " Whereabouts does the valley lie, sir ?" said Mr. Lin 
 den. 
 
 But the Squire, as if a new idea had struck him, replied 
 somewhat brusquely, 
 
 " It don t lie nowheres, sir, nowheres but in fancy s field." 
 
 " I suppose," said Mr. Somers smiling blandly, " Mr. 
 Linden s peculiar course of business don t lead him much 
 into that field." 
 
 "You can strike into it most anywhere," said Miss Dan 
 forth. " Mr. Linden s an early man he ll find the valley 
 of diamonds, if it s in the town." 
 
22 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "Miss Faith told me there were stones enough here," 
 he said, " but she did not hint that any of them were pre 
 cious." 
 
 "We shall expect," said Mr. Somers, "to see some of 
 our stones I mean, some of our hard heads and thick 
 heads grow precious, or a improve ! under Mr. Lin 
 den s management." 
 
 " Pray sir," said Squire Deacon, suddenly recollecting 
 that he was a trusty, "what do yau consider the best 
 plan for the instruction of youth? what is your method ?" 
 
 Mr. Linden looked contemplatively out of the window. 
 
 "I think sir, if the boys are very rough I should first 
 teach them manners. If they are smoother boys, I should 
 teach them spelling, if they have already learned spelling, 
 I should let them read." 
 
 The Squire bowed. 
 
 " Quite satisfactory, sir. Mr. Somers I think perhaps 
 Mr. Linden would like to visit our little temple of lit- 
 teratur. " 
 
 " I should be very gratified to accompany Mr. Linden 
 in viewing so much of Pattaquasset. I trust, Mr. Linden, 
 that the highest ha the moral and religious teaching, of 
 the youth here, will not be quite overlooked in your system." 
 
 The reply that first rose to Mr. Linden s lips came not 
 forth. He checked himself rather perhaps in deference 
 to the subject than anything else, and simply answered, 
 
 "I trust not, sir." 
 
 And with many low bows from the Squire, the two gen 
 tlemen went into the hall, Mr. Linden following. But he 
 came back the next moment to ask the dinner hour. 
 
 "We are as apt to have it at noon as any time," said 
 Faith. " Will that do, Mr. Linden ? we could have it 
 later." 
 
 " That will do perfectly. Only if the temple of litera 
 ture opens and swallows me up, Miss Faith, don t wait 
 that s all." 
 
 And with a smile that was a strong contrast to the face 
 he had bestowed upon the trustees, he went after them. 
 
CHAPTER III. 
 
 MONDAY morning came, with its hands full of work. 
 They were willing hands that were outstretched to 
 receive the load, strong hands too, and skilful ; but it 
 may be, better suited to other work. Certainly as the 
 days passed Endecott s gravity took a deeper tinge, and 
 his words became fewer. Still maintaining his morning 
 walk, and a like tasting of the air at night, ever punctual 
 at meals, and when there displaying an unruffled equanim 
 ity and cheerfulness, the even tones of his voice shewed 
 sometimes a little weariness, and his step grew more 
 thoughtful. And so the week rolled on, and the afternoon 
 sun of Friday began to near the horizon. 
 
 It was a warm afternoon, soft and balmy ; a little haze 
 on the sky, the least veil upon the Mong s further shore ; 
 the summer roses hanging their heads, heavy with sleep 
 and sweetness. The honeysuckles on the porch grew 
 sweeter and sweeter as the sun went down, and the hum 
 ming-birds dipped into those long flagons, or poised them 
 selves in mid- air for a survey. 
 
 In the porch sat the three ladies. Each had been busy, 
 and now each laid down her work, obedient to unseen 
 influences. The warm breeze was softly rubbing Faith s 
 cheek with its rouging fingers, and her mother gazed nor 
 could give one look to humming-birds or roses. 
 
 Her thoughts however, took greater range or the low 
 chiming of the village clock sent them off; for she pres 
 ently said, 
 
 " Faith, my dear, what have we got for tea ?" that meal 
 being under Faith s special superintendence. 
 
 " Very good blackberries, mother, and beautiful rasp 
 berries ; and I cut my cream-cheese ; and Cindy is ready to 
 bake the bannocks. Butter s as sweet as it can be, this 
 churning. Will that do ? Mr. Linden likes raspberries 
 and cream," she added a little lower. . 
 
 Mrs. Derrick gave a comprehensive "Yes, child," to 
 
 (23) 
 
24 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 both parts of Faith s reply, and then stopped and looked 
 away up the street. For down the street at that moment 
 came Mr. Linden, walking leisurely, his head bent towards 
 one of his older scholars who had both hands clasped 
 round his arm. The boy s upraised eager face shewed 
 even at a distance how earnestly he was talking. 
 
 " There he comes !" said Miss Danforth. 
 
 " Who is that with him ?" said Faith. 
 
 "Reuben Taylor, child," her mother answered. 
 
 Then as they came near the gate, and stopped and 
 shook hands, Reuben cried out (in answer to words which 
 they did not hear) 
 
 " Let me go I do, please, Mr. Linden I" and went ; while 
 his teacher opened the gate, picked one of the drooping 
 roses, came up the steps and taking off his hat bowed to 
 the assembled ladies. 
 
 "Well, Mr. Linden," said Miss Danforth, "how do you 
 find the Pattaquasset diamonds ?" 
 
 " I find, madam, that they shine as is the custom of 
 diamonds." 
 
 " Are you going to let Reuben Taylor go ?" 
 
 " Whither ?" said Mr. Linden. 
 
 " Why, where he asked you. Is he one of Mr. Somers 1 
 precious stones ?" 
 
 " He has gone," was the smiling reply. " Precious ? 
 yes, everybody is precious in one sense." 
 
 "You haven t been to college for nothing," said Miss 
 Danforth, who would talk about anything. " I should like 
 you to find out in what sense I am precious. I ve a good 
 many friends but there isn t one of em that wouldn t eat 
 and drink just as well with me out of the world as in it." 
 
 He smiled a little though rather soberly, and stood 
 watching the changing colours of clouds and sky for a 
 minute or two without speaking. Then, half to himself 
 as it were, low but very distinctly, he repeated 
 
 " And they shall be mine, saith the Lord, in the day 
 when I make up my jewels. *" 
 
 The answer to this was only in pantomime, but striking. 
 Miss Danforth did not speak, and instead thereof turned 
 her head over her shoulder and looked away steadily over 
 the meadows which stretched north of the house into the 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 25 
 
 distance. Faith s eyes fell to the floor and the lids drooped 
 over them ; and as plain a veil of shadow fell upon her face. 
 Mrs. Derrick s eyes went from one to the other with a look 
 which was not unwonted with her, and a little sigh which 
 said she thought everybody was good but herself. 
 
 " Bain t ye never comin in to supper ?" said Cindy, fram 
 ing herself in the doorway. " I want to get out after 
 supper, Miss Faith," she said dropping her voice, "I do, 
 real bad." 
 
 " Is all ready, Cindy ?" 
 
 " Yes marm," said Cindy. " I m free to confess there s 
 a pile o cakes baked." 
 
 " Miss Faith, when do you mean to shew me the shore ?" 
 said Mr. Linden turning round. 
 
 " You have been so busy all the week," said Faith, 
 " and then you didn t speak of it, Mr. Linden I can go 
 any time." 
 
 "My dear," said Mrs. Derrick, "there comes Squire 
 Deacon. Maybe he ll stay to supper. I ll go and put on 
 another cup." 
 
 Mr. Linden gave one glance at the opening gate, and 
 followed Mrs. Derrick into the house. 
 
 " Miss Faith," said the Squire, "do you think the night 
 dews conducive to to your comfort ?" 
 
 " When they are falling," said Faith abstractedly. 
 " Why not, Mr. Deacon ?" 
 
 " To be sure !" said the Squire gallantly, "honeysuckles 
 and such things do. But what I mean is this. Cilly s 
 goin to get up a great shore party to-morrow, and she 
 says she couldn t touch a mouthful down there if you didn t 
 go. And like enough some other folks couldn t neither." 
 
 " Mother s gone in to tea. Will you come in and ask 
 her, Squire ?" 
 
 " Couldn t stay, Miss Faith Cilly s lookin out for me 
 now. But you can tell your mother 11 go if you do, or 
 you can go if she don t, you* and Miss Danlbrth. It s 
 good for you now, Miss Faith, the saline breezes are so 
 very different," said the Squire. 
 
 " When are you going, Mr. Deacon ?" 
 
 " Soon as we can tackle up after dinner, Cilly thought. 
 
 VOL. 1. 
 
2< SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 Bat fix your own time, Miss Faith I ll call for you any 
 hour of the twenty-six." 
 
 Faith hesitated, and pulled a leaf or two from tlie honey 
 suckle ; then she spoke boldly. 
 
 " But you forget we have a gentleman here, Squire ; . 
 we can t go without Mr. Linden." 
 
 "I don t want his help to drive my horse," said the 
 Squire, with a little change of tone, " but whoever hin 
 ders his going, / don t. The shore s wide, Miss Faith, 
 it don t matter how many gets onto it. There s no chance 
 but he ll go if you ask him. Who wouldn t!" said the 
 Squire, relapsing into his former self. 
 
 " We ll come down then some time in the course of the 
 afternoon," said Faith, "and see what you are doing." 
 
 "Then I sha n t drive you down, sha n t I ?" said Squire 
 Deacon. " Never mind it s no matter, come when you 
 like, Miss Faith, we ll be glad to see you, anyhow." And 
 the Squire closed the little gate after him energetically. 
 
 " Cinderella is in despair, Miss Faith," said Mr. Linden 
 as Faith entered the dining-room. " Miss Danforth how 
 could you keep Squire Deacon so long, and then send him 
 home to supper !" 
 
 " It s all your fault, sir," said Miss Danforth cheerfully. 
 "And I guess the Squire has got his supper." 
 
 "He must be a man of quick despatch," said Mr. Lin 
 den ; while Faith after a glance to see if her bannocks 
 were right, made her announcement. , 
 
 "Mother, there s a shore party to-morrow." 
 
 " Who s going, child ?" 
 
 " Squire Deacon and Cecilia and I don t know who 
 else and he came to ask us. Will you go and take tea 
 with us at the shore, Mr. Linden ?" 
 
 " Does that mean that my tea is to be transported to the 
 shore, and that I am to go there to find it, Miss Faith ?" 
 
 "You have a very puzzling way of putting things," said 
 Faith laughing, though her look bore out her words. "I 
 don t think it means that. Your tea won t be there before 
 you are, Mr. Linden. Wouldn t you like to go ?" 
 
 "The Squire says there is room enough on the shore," 
 suggested Miss Danforth. " I suppose he wants a good 
 deal for himself, or he wouldn t have thought of it." 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 2t 
 
 "Perhaps he thinks I want a good deal," said Mr. Lin 
 den. " Well in consideration of the width of the shore, 
 I think I will go. Is not that your advice, Miss Faith ? 
 What are the pros and cons. if you were to state them 
 fairly ?" 
 
 "Well," said Faith, "you will have a. pleasant ride, or 
 walk, down whichever you like; /think it is very pleas 
 ant. You can go in the water, if you like, which every 
 body does ; there s a beautiful shore ; arid I suppose that 
 would be pleasant. You ll see all that is pretty about the 
 place while the people are digging clams and preparing 
 supper ; and then you ll have supper ; and then we shall 
 come home ; and I think it is all pleasant, except that there 
 will be too many people. I like it best with just a few." 
 
 "As if we were to go down there to-night in the moon 
 light. Xow Miss Faith what is the other side ?" 
 
 "Just that the too many people. There isn t a chance 
 to enjoy anything quietly. I can enjoy the people too, 
 sometimes, but not the other things at the same time so 
 well. Perhaps you can, Mr. Linden." 
 
 " I can sometimes enjoy the other things at the same 
 time better." 
 
 Faith again looked a little puzzled, but answered with 
 a simple 
 
 " Then I dare say you will like it." 
 
 "What I am puzzled about," said he smiling, "is, how 
 you are to shew me the shore. Miss Danforth why is that 
 bread-plate so attractive to me, while I am like the reverse 
 end of the magnet to it?" 
 
 " But my dear," said Mrs. Derrick, for the bread-plate 
 was suggestive, " ain t you going along with the Squire s 
 party ?" 
 
 " I said we would come after, mother." 
 
 " The Squire only said there was room on the shore," 
 added Miss Dauforth. 
 
 " Is the shore wide enough for us to drive down there ? 
 or must we walk ?" asked Mr. Linden. 
 
 " But you ll eat supper with them, of course," said Mrs. 
 Derrick. 
 
 " Of course, mother. The wagon must go, Mr. Lindfcn 
 There s room enough for anything." 
 
2S SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 Mr. Linden made no comment upon that, and finished 
 his tea in comparative silence. Then went forth, as was 
 his custom, to the post-office, and as was not his custom . 
 returned very soon. Mrs. Derrick and Miss Danforth had 
 gone out to see a neighbour, and Faith sat alone in the 
 twilight parlour. It was very twilight there, but he walked 
 in and stood waiting for his eyes to discover what there 
 might be. 
 
 " There is nobody here but me, Mr. Linden," said a 
 very soft and clear voice. "Do you want anything ?" 
 
 " I wanted to see you and am foiled by the darkness. 
 Are you tired, Miss Faith ?" 
 
 " Never. I wasn t sitting in the dark for that." 
 
 " Would you object to coming into the light ?" 
 
 " Not at all," said Faith laughing:. " Which way ?" 
 
 " There is to be a fine illumination to-night, which I 
 should like to have you see." 
 
 "An illumination! Where is it? Shall I want my 
 bonnet?" 
 
 " You will be better illuminated without it, but you may 
 perhaps take cold." 
 
 "How do you make your scholars understand you?" 
 said Faith. "I am sure I must need illuminating. So 
 much, that I had better leave my bonnet, Mr. Linden ?" 
 
 " I think you may if you will take some light substi 
 tute. Why my scholars are my scholars, Miss Faith." 
 
 " What then ?" said Faith stopping short. 
 
 " Why then I am their teacher." 
 
 "I half wish I was a scholar too," said Faith with a 
 tone v which filled up the other half "I don t know 
 much, Mr. Linden." 
 
 "About illuminations? I will promise you some light 
 upon that point." 
 
 With which encouragement, Faith fetched the scarf which 
 was to do duty for a bonnet if desired, and they set out. 
 
 "Now Miss Faith," said her companion as he closed 
 the gate, "if you will shew me the road, I will shew you 
 the shore. Which will not at all interfere with your shew 
 ing it to me to-morrow." 
 
 *The shore !" said Faith. " To-night ? Are you in 
 earnest ?" 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 29 
 
 " Very mnch in earnest. Ton prefer some other road ?" 
 
 "No indeed it s beauti il, and I like it very much. 
 Cindy," she said to that dk isel whom they opportunely 
 passed at the entrance of the lane "you tell my mother 
 I am gone to take a walk." And so they passed on. 
 
 The way was down a lane breaking from the high road 
 of the village, just by Mrs. Derrick s house. It was a 
 quiet country lane ; passing between fields of grass or 
 grain, with few trees near at hand. Here and there a 
 house, small and unnotable like the trees. Over all the 
 country the moon, near full though not high, threw a gen 
 tle light; revealing to the fancy a less picturesque land 
 scape than the sun would have shewn ; for there were no 
 strong lines or points to be made more striking by her 
 partial touches, and its greatest beauty lay in the details 
 which she could not light up. The soft and rich colours of 
 grain and grass, the waving tints of broken ground and 
 hillside, were lost now ; the flowers in the hedges had 
 shrunk into obscurity ; the thrifty and well-to do order of 
 every field and haystack, could hardly be noted even by 
 one who knew it was there. Only the white soft glimmer 
 on a wide pleasant land ; the faint lighting of one side of 
 trees and fences, the broader salutation to a house-front, 
 and the deeper shadow which sometimes told of a piece of 
 woodland or a slight hilly elevation. 
 
 Then all that was passed ; and the road descended a lit 
 tle steep to where it crossed, by a wooden bridge, a small 
 stream or bed of a creek. Here the moon, now getting 
 up in the sky, did greater execution ; the little winding 
 piece of water glittered in silver patches, and its sedgy 
 borders were softly touched out; with the darker outlines of 
 two or three fishing-boats. 
 
 And so on, towards the shore. Now the salt smell met 
 and mingled with the perfume of woods and flowers, and 
 the road grew more and more sandy. But still the fields 
 waved with Indian -com, were sweet with hay, or furrowed 
 with potatoes. Then the outlines of sundry frame bathing- 
 houses appeared in the distance, and near them the road 
 came to an end. 
 
 The shore was improved by the moonlight, its great 
 rocks, slippery with sea-weed, glittered with a wet sheen. 
 . 3* 
 
SO SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 The Sound wore its diamonds royally, and each tiny wave 
 broke in a jewelled light upon the sand. Far in the dis 
 tance the dim shore of Long Island lay like a black line 
 upon the water; and sloops and schooners sailed softly 
 on their course, or tacked across the rippling waves, a 
 fleet of " Black spirits and white." 
 
 " What do you think of the illumination, Miss Faith ?" 
 said her companion, when they had sat still for five min 
 utes. 
 
 " What do you think of it, I think I should say. Mr. 
 Linden, I have shewed you the shore 1" 
 
 "You!" 
 
 " Who else ? 
 
 " Were you ever here before by moonlight ?" 
 
 " I don t know No, I think not. Were you ever here 
 before at all ?" 
 
 " Is it owing to you that I am here now ?" 
 
 "You couldn t have got here without me," said Faith, 
 stooping to turn over some of the glittering pebbles at her 
 feet ; " and I couldn t have got here without you. I am 
 willing to allow that we are square, Mr. Linden. I must 1 
 for you will turn a corner faster than I can catch 
 you." 
 
 " If you really suppose that first proposition to be true," 
 said Mr. Linden raising his eyebrows, "why of course there 
 is no more to be said. Miss Faith, how would you like to 
 be sailing about in one of those phantom ships?" 
 
 "I should like it very well," said Faith, "in a good 
 time. I went to Pequot in one once. It was very pleas 
 ant. Why do you call them phantoms ?" 
 
 "Look at that one standing off across the moonlight 
 towards the other shore, gliding along so silently with her 
 black sails all set, does she look real? You cannot even 
 hear the creaking of a rope." 
 
 Faith looked, and drew an interrupted deep breath. 
 She had lived in a world of realities. Perhaps this was 
 the first phantom that had ever suggested itself or been 
 suggested to her imagination. Possibly something of 
 the same thought crossed her mind ; for she drew her 
 breath again a little short as she spoke. 
 
 "Yes! it s beautiful ! But I live in such a different 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 31 
 
 world, Mr. Linden, I never thought of such a thing be- 
 tore." 
 
 He smiled pleasantly and thoughtfully. " How came 
 you to see the sunrise colours the other day, Miss Faith ?" 
 
 "01 see them always. -And that puts me in mind 
 of something I have been wanting to say to you every day 
 all the week I and I could never find a chance. You asked 
 me that morning, Mr. Linden, if I was true to my name, 
 finding enough in a cloudy sky. What did you mean ? 
 What did you mean by being true to my name ? " 
 
 " I shall have to use your name a little freely, to tell 
 you," he said. "It is faith s privilege to be independent 
 of circumstances. Faith always finds something whereiu 
 to rejoice. If the sky be clear, 
 
 Far into distant worlds she pries, 
 And brings eternal glories near. 
 
 If cloudy, faith uses her glass as a prism, and in one little 
 ray of light finds all the colours of the rainbow." 
 
 " I don t know what a prism is," said Faith somewhat 
 sadly. 
 
 "A prism, in strictness, is a piece of glass cut in a par 
 ticular way, so that the colourless sunbeams which pass 
 through it are divided into their many-coloured members. 
 But other things act as prisms, the rain-drops in a show 
 er the lustres upon your church chandelier. You have 
 seen the colours there ?" 
 
 " Well, how do they do that ?" 
 
 " I must take some other time to tell you, it would be 
 too long a matter to-night. And I doubt whether you 
 ought to sit here any longer." 
 
 " But this Faith don t do as you say," she said, as she 
 slowly and rather unwillingly rose from her seat. "And 
 I don t understand how any faith can." 
 
 " This Faith must study the Bible then, and do what 
 that says." The tone was encouraging though the voice 
 was grave. 
 
 He was not answered; and the homeward walk was oe- 
 gun. But Faith stopped and turned again to look before 
 she had gone three paces. 
 
32 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "I am in no hurry," Mr. Linden said, "take your 
 own time only do not take cold." 
 
 Faith turned away silently again, and began trudging 
 along the sandy road which led back to the lane. The 
 moonlight shewed the way better now. Passing on, as 
 they neared home one house after another shewed its 
 glimmer of light and gave forth its cheerful sound of 
 voices. From one, however, the sound was not cheerful. 
 It was Squire Deacon s. 
 
 " Well, you ll see to-morrow, Cilly if the sky don t fall, 
 you ll see. Folks thinks the water down to the shore s 
 mighty deep way over their heads till they ve made its 
 acquaintance ; and then they find out they can wade round 
 in it most anywheres." 
 
 " What s the matter with the Squire ?" said Faith with 
 a slight laugh, as these strange statements reached her 
 ears. 
 
 " I should think to use his own phraseology he must 
 be over his head somewhere," replied Mr. Linden. 
 
 Whereat Faith s laugh deepened, but the low sweet 
 tone of it only sounded an instant. 
 
 " My dear 1" said Mrs. Derrick, running out as they en 
 tered the gate, "ain t you very imprudent? Wasn t she 
 very imprudent, Mr. Linden ?" 
 
 "Very prudent, ma am, for she wore a shawl." 
 
 "And didn t want that, mother," said Faith. 
 
CHAPTER IY. 
 
 T 
 
 HE illumination lasted through the night until 
 
 "Night s candles were burnt out, and jocund day 
 Stood tip-toe on the misty mountain tops." 
 
 Very jocund she looked, with her light pink veils wreath 
 ing about the horizon, and the dancing white clouds which 
 hurried up as the sun rose, driven by a fresh wind. Mr. 
 Linden declared, when he came in to breakfast, that the 
 day promised to equal the preceding night. 
 
 "And whoever wants more," he added, " must wait; for 
 I think it will not surpass it." 
 
 With which, Mr. Linden stirred his coffee, and told Miss 
 Danforth with a little look of defiance, "it was particularly 
 good she had better try a cup." 
 
 Miss Danforth instituted a fierce inquiry as to the direc 
 tion of the preceding evening s walk; to which Faith gave 
 an unsatisfactory answer. 
 
 " Did you ever look at coffee in connexion with the 
 Vitigues of life ?" pursued Mr. Linden. 
 
 " I shall, probably, in future," said Miss Danforth. 
 "Now Mr. Linden, I ask you; you re a nice man to give 
 a straight answer; where did you and Faith go ?" 
 
 "I am glad I am a nice man," said Mr. Linden, "but I 
 can scarce give a straight answer to that question." 
 
 " Why not, for pity s sake ?" 
 
 "It must needs travel a crooked road." 
 
 " Did you ?" 
 
 "It has left a meandering sort of recollection in my 
 mind." 
 
 " Where did it lead to ?" 
 
 "It led to another." 
 
 " What I want to know is," said Miss Danforth, " where 
 did you find yourselves when y.ou were furthest from 
 home." 
 
 (33) 
 
34 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "Let me shew you," said he. " Suppose your plate to 
 be a rock, and this tumbler of radishes a tree, arid the 
 table-cloth gr*,ss, the moon over your head, crickets under 
 your feet. Miss Faith walks round the rock, I follow her, 
 and we both follow the road. On the way, the still night 
 air is enlivened with owls, grasshoppers, family secrets 
 Our attention is thus divided between the moon and sub 
 lunary affairs. Miss Faith what shall I give you ?" 
 
 Miss Danforth s curiosity seemed for once willing to be 
 satisfied with fun ; and Faith s hunger was in the same 
 predicament. 
 
 " But child," said Mrs. Derrick, who had bent her atten 
 tion upon the diagram at the other end of the table, " I 
 don t recollect any such place !" 
 
 " Mother !" said Faith, arid her gravity gave way hope 
 lessly. 
 
 " Squire Deacon sends his best compliments of the 
 season," said Cindy opening the door a while later, " and 
 he > ays they ll be to take supper percisely at four. I m 
 free to confess he don t look much sweeter than common," 
 add-^d Cindy. 
 
 " Pray Miss Faith," said Mr. Linden as they left the 
 <abk, "what is the precise depth of water down at the 
 shore ?" 
 
 Faith had very near broke down again, for she laughed 
 and blushed, a good deal more than her wont ; and at last 
 replied that " it depended on how far people went in she 
 never went very far herself." 
 
 " I was naturally curious," said he. 
 
 After a dinner somewhat more hasty than usual, Mr. 
 Linden and two of the ladies set off for the shore. The 
 blackberry jam, or some other hindering cause, kept Mrs. 
 Derrick at home. 
 
 The country by daylight looked, rich and smooth. At 
 not a very great distance a slight hilly elevation bounded 
 the horizon line, which nearer seen would have been found 
 bristling with stern grey rock, itself a ridge of rock, one of 
 the ribs of the rigid soil. But where the lane led down to 
 the water, fair fields and crops extended on every side, 
 spotted very picturesquely with clumps of woodland. All 
 looked genial in the summer light. If the distant rocks 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 35 
 
 poke a stubborn soil, the fine growth between said that 
 man had overcome it ; and the fine order everywhere ap 
 parent said too that the victory had been effectual for man s 
 comfort and prosperity. The stone walls, in some places 
 thin and open, told of times when they had been hurriedly 
 put up ; moss on the rail fences said the rails had been long 
 doing duty ; within them no fields failed of their crops, and 
 no crops wanted hoeing or weeding. No straw lay scat 
 tered about the- ricks ; no barrack roofs were tumbling 
 down ; no gate-posts stood sideways ; no barnyards shewed 
 rickety outhouses or desolate mangers. No cattle were 
 poor, and seemingly, no people. It was a pretty ride the 
 party had, in the little wagon, behind an old horse that 
 Knew every inch of the way and trotted on as if he were a 
 part of it. 
 
 " How do you like Pattaquasset, Mr. Linden ?" said 
 Faith, leaning forward to reach him where he sat alone on 
 the front seat. 
 
 " I like it well," he answered a little musingly. 
 
 They came to the bridge and stream ; and now they 
 could see. that Awasee River did not fill its sometime 
 channel, but flowed in a bottom of alluvial soil, rich in 
 bright-coloured marsh grass, which stretched up the country 
 between two of those clumps of woodland they had seen 
 from a distance. A little further on, just where the sandy 
 road branched off to the shore, there stood a farm house, 
 with a conglomerate of barns and outhouses, all painted to 
 match, in bright yellow picked out with red. 
 
 " Do you see that settlement of farm-houses ?" said Faith, 
 leaning forward again, " of all sizes, in uniform ?" 
 
 " Is it the fashion here to put earmarks on buildings ? w 
 he answered with a smile. 
 
 " Mr. Linden ! You should ask Mr. Simlins that. I see 
 his wagon there he ll be down at the shore very likely 
 He s a character. He lives a mile and a half further on, 
 just where the road turns off to Mrs. Somers ." 
 
 " Simlins I" was the only reply. 
 
 " He s a good sort of man, but he s funny." 
 
 " What is a good sort of man, Miss Faith ?" 
 
 The old horse was walking quietly along the sandy road, 
 
36 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 and the smell of the salt water was becoming pleasantly 
 perceptible. 
 
 "I suppose I mean by it," said Faith thoughtfully, "a 
 man who is not very good, but who is on the good side of 
 things." 
 
 " I don t call that a good sort," said Mr. Linden, then 
 looking round with a little smile he said, " You ought to 
 say sort o good. " 
 
 Faith looked serious and as if she felt half rebuked. 
 
 "But," she said, "you would not call that a bad sort?" 
 
 " Then you mean that he is in the same road with what 
 you call the best people, only not so far advanced ?" 
 
 "No," said Faith doubtfully, " I don t mean so much as 
 that. I don t think Mr. Sinilins is in the same road with 
 you." 
 
 "How many best roads are there to the same place? 
 As for instance does it matter which of these two I take 
 to the shore ?" 
 
 "Only one leads to the shore," said Faith. 
 
 " Yet they seem to lie near together at the outset. The 
 same is true of the other shore. " 
 
 Faith sat back in her place with a face exceedingly un 
 like a young lady who was going to a merry-making. 
 
 But they were near the shore now ; not only the salt 
 smell proclaimed it, but they could see the various bathing 
 and other houses collected at the place, and the flag which 
 floated high from the flag-staff, telling all who were not 
 concerned that it was a gala day. A piece of ground im 
 mediately surrounding these buildings was fenced in ; as 
 they neared the gate, it was opened for them, and a tall 
 farmer-looking man, whose straw hat shaded a sensible 
 face, nodded as they passed. 
 
 " That is Mr. Simlins 1" said Faith. 
 
 Mr. Simlins seemed for the present to be king of the 
 castle. Horses there were, and wagons, standing here and 
 there, and one or two oldish faces looked out from the 
 windows of one long shanty ; but the rest of the birds had 
 flown into the water 1 It was the time of low tide, and 
 the long strips of rippling water which lay one beyond the 
 other, were separated by sand banks nearly as long. In 
 these little tide lakes were the bathers, the more timid 
 
SAY AND SEAL 37 
 
 near snore, taking almost a sand bath ; the more adven 
 turous going further and further out, till the last party 
 bathed beyond the last sand bank. Not dressed in the latest 
 Cape May fashion, nor the latest fashion of any kind ; for 
 each had brought some dress too old to be hurt with salt 
 water. Calico frocks, of every hue and pattern, caps, hand 
 kerchiefs, sun-bonnets, gave additional force to the cries 
 and shouts and screams which were wafted inshore. 
 
 But when they began to come in ! and when the bathing 
 dresses were hung on the fence to dry ! and when mermaid 
 visions appeared at the windows ! who shall describe the 
 scene then ? Over all, a blue smoke now began to curl 
 and float, rising from the stove-pipe of the eating-house. 
 
 Mr. Linden had driven up to one of the fence posts, and 
 fastening his horse stood a while watching the show, till 
 the bathers began to draw in from the water. Then helped 
 the ladies out. 
 
 " Which of these baskets contains my tea, Miss Faith ?" 
 he said. " I feel a particular interest in that basket." 
 
 " Perhaps your tea is in some other basket," said Faith ; 
 "but both of these must come into the eating-house. 0, 
 thank you, Mr. Linden 1" 
 
 The eating-house was a long shanty, built for the express 
 purpose of feasting picnic and other parties. At one end 
 of it, within the house, was a well of excellent water ; at 
 the other end a door opened into a cooking-house, which 
 held a stove ; and through the length of the apartment a 
 narrow table of boards was erected, ready to be covered 
 with any description and any succession of table-cloths. In 
 this room Mr. Linden with Faith s help deposited her 
 baskets; while Miss Danforth looked on. At the door of 
 the shanty coming out they met Mr. Simlins. Faith made 
 the introductions. 
 
 11 Happy to have your acquaintance," said Mr. Simlins. 
 " This is a piece of Pattaquasset, sir, that we all of us 
 rather cord ally like. You haven t seen it before ?" 
 
 " Yes, I don t wonder you like it," said Mr. Linden. 
 " The sea-shore is no uovelty to me, sir such a shore 
 party is." 
 
 " I hope you ll enjoy it, as the rest of us do. We all do 
 as we like, Mr. Linden I hope you ll use the grounds as 
 voi-. i. 4 
 
38 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 your own. We have the flag flying, sir, and it ratifies 
 liberty to all who amuse themselves under it." 
 
 Mr. Linden looked up at the stars and stripes, with an 
 acknowledging smile for the benefits thereby conferred. 
 
 " Faith I Faith Derrick !" called out half a dozen mer 
 maids from the bathing house ; and Faith was obliged to 
 go, while her companions walked up the green slope, 
 and entered into a deep discussion of the crops and the 
 weather. 
 
 A while after, when Faith was busy about the supper 
 table twenty young voices chiming around her, another 
 voice that she did not know spoke close at her elbow. 
 
 " Miss Faith I am Reuben Taylor. Mr. Linden told 
 me to come to you and make myself useful. Is there any 
 thing I can do ? would you like some round clams ? 
 Father s out there in the boat." 
 
 The earnest eyes said how gladly he would do any 
 thing. 
 
 " Who is your father ?" said Faith, a little surprised. 
 
 My father s a fisherman." 
 
 " The very tiling !" said Faith "if you ll help me roast 
 em, Reuben. I guess nobody else ll want to do it, but I d 
 just as lieve. Can you have em here quickly ? and I ll 
 see and have the stove ready." 
 
 " I ll fetch em and roast em too, Miss Faith. I m 
 used to it," he added, with a half bashful half admiring 
 glance at her face. 
 
 Faith had the fire ready by the time Reuben returned 
 with the clams. The kettle was on to boil, and nothing 
 else was wanted of the fire, as it happened, by anybody ; 
 least of all to roast clams, that necessarily making a kitchen 
 prisoner of the roaster; so Faith and her new coadjutor 
 had the field i.e. the cooking house all to themselves. 
 Miss Danforth was to leave Pattaquasset in a day or two, 
 and was busy talking to everybody. Readily the clams 
 opened their shells on the hot stove-top ; savourily the 
 odour of steaming clam juice spread itself abroad ; but 
 Faith and Reuben were in for it, and nobody else cared 
 to be in. 
 
 So when Miss Cecilia Deacon had finished her toilet, 
 which was somewhat of the longest, as it had been one of 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 39 
 
 the latest, she found nobody but her brother to apply to on 
 the score of her hostess duties. 
 
 "Sam!" said the young lady pinching her brother s 
 arm, "I haven t been introduced to Mr. Linden." 
 
 " He ll keep," was the encouraging reply. 
 
 " Yes, but supper won t. See, Sam ! I haven t been in 
 troduced to him, and I must." 
 
 The Squire nodded his head politely, and began to 
 whistle. 
 
 " Come ! you Sam you ve got to, and in a hurry. I 
 can t find Faith, or I d make her." 
 
 Well I can t find him," said the Squire pettishly. " I 
 haven t got neither of em in my pocket nor the crown of 
 my hat," he added, taking off that useful article of dress for 
 the express purpose of looking into it. " My deliberate 
 judgment is to have supper." 
 
 " Don t be a goose, Sam ! What s the use of asking him, 
 if you didn t mean to conduct yourself?" 
 
 "Didn t ask him." 
 
 " Who did ?" 
 
 "/didn t hear anybody," was the Squire s reply. 
 
 "Don t you mean to introduce me, Sam Deacon?" said 
 his sister in a tone which was rather over the verge of 
 patience. 
 
 "Jem Williams!" said the Squire, calling up a spruce 
 embodiment of blue cloth, brass buttons, and pink cravat, 
 " I say ! here s Cilly off the hooks to get hold of the new 
 teacher. Whereabouts do you s pose he is ?" 
 
 " Really Squire !" said Jem Williams, with a silly little 
 laugh, " 1 couldn t testify ! Reckon he knows Miss Cilly 
 d keep hold on him ef she got a chance !" 
 
 " Sha n t speak to you in a month, Jem !" said the 
 lady with a toss of her head and some heightening of 
 the really pretty colour in her cheeks. " You may fix it as 
 you ve a mind to, among you, and let anybody that likes 
 bring him in to supper 1 I m going in, out of the way, 
 myself." 
 
 Whither she went, on the spur, as good as her word ; 
 nor shewed her pretty face a^ain outside. 
 
 Meanwhile Reuben and Faith had worked on through 
 their basket of clams, and now the last were sputtering on 
 
40 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 the stove. The work had been done almost in silence, for 
 though the excitement now and then made Reuben break 
 into a low whistle of some tune or other, he always checked 
 himself the next moment with a very apologetic look. For 
 the rest, if he had not done all the work himself, it cer 
 tainly was not his fault. Now, watching quietly the open 
 ing shells of that last dozen of clams, Reuben remarked, 
 
 " I hope Mr. Linden won t forget about supper !" 
 
 " Why what about it ?" said Faith. " Why should he 
 forget ? or what if he does ?" 
 
 The last sentence seemed to puzzle Reuben. 
 
 "I don t know, ma am," he said, "it s better before 
 everybody eats it up." 
 
 "Who s going to eat it up?" said Faith. "Where is 
 he?" 
 
 " He went down on the sands with me," said Reuben, 
 "but he didn t come up again. Maybe he has now. He 
 liked it down there, real well." 
 
 Faith went to the shutter window and flung it open, and 
 looked to see whether or no the missing gentleman had 
 returned to the shore. It was a fair view that lay spread 
 before her. The low beams of the sun gave a cool after 
 noon look to everything ; the sloop sails shone and gleamed 
 in the distance ; down by the muscle rocks one little boat 
 lay rocking on the advancing tide, which was fast covering 
 the sand banks and connecting the strips of water ; and the 
 freshening breeze curled the little waves as they came danc 
 ing in, and brought a low sweet murmur to the shore. 
 One or two gulls sailed floatingly about, and a brown 
 mink perceiving that the company had retreated to higher 
 ground came out and aired himself on one of the rocks. 
 
 But Faith saw none of these things, for in swinging 
 open her shutter (which the wind caught and clapped up 
 against the house) she so nearly swung it against Mr. 
 Linden that her first look was a startled one. 
 
 " Miss Faith !" he said, turning round, " what can you 
 possibly be about!" 
 
 " I beg your pardon, Mr. Linden !" said Faith. 
 
 "Is that all you are about?" 
 
 " You were anxious about your supper, Mr. Linden 
 Are you ready for it ?" 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 41 
 
 "Much more ready than anxious, Miss Faith." 
 
 " How do you like the shore to-day ?" said Faith, drop 
 ping her voice, and giving a glance of her eye to the fair, 
 cool sunlight colours on the water and shore and ship 
 ping fresh as the very sea-breeze itself, and glittering aa 
 the water s thousand mirrors could make them. 
 
 He turned and looked again, drawing in the breeze with 
 a deep breath that more than answered her question. 
 
 " How do you like this ?" he said, handing her through 
 the window a little miniature tree of red sea- weed. Then, 
 while she examined it, he repeated, 
 
 " When descends on the Atlantic 
 
 The gigantic 
 
 Storm-wind of the equinox, 
 Landward in his wrath he scourges 
 
 The toiling surges, 
 Laden with sea-weed from the rocks; 
 
 " From Bermuda s reefs ; from edges 
 
 Of sunken ledges, 
 In some far-off, bright Azore ; 
 Prom Bahama, and the dashing, 
 
 Silver-flashing 
 Surges of San Salvador ; 
 
 " * From the tumbling surf that buries 
 
 The Orkneyan skerries, 
 Answering the hoarse Hebrides; 
 And from wrecks of ships, and drifting 
 
 Spars, uplifting 
 On the desolate, rainy seas ; 
 
 " Ever drifting, drifting, drifting 
 
 On the shifting 
 
 Currents of the restless main; 
 Till in shelter d coves, and reaches 
 
 Of sandy beaches, 
 All have found repose again. " 
 
 Faith s eye was upon the sprig of sea-weed while these 
 verses were repeating, then she looked up at the speaker 
 with an intenseness in which oddly mingled some strong 
 feeling of sorrow or regret. 
 
 "It s beautiful!" she said, "beautiful! both the one 
 and the other. But there are a great many things there I 
 
 4* 
 
42 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 don t understand," she added once more with a smrle. " If 
 there was time but there isn t. Mr. Linden, Reuben 
 and I have been roasting clams." 
 
 " Yes, Miss Faith," he said answering the smile and 
 stepping nearer the window. " So one of my senses informed 
 me. Do you know what that is in your hand ?" 
 
 " It s sea-weed, isn t it ?" 
 
 " Yes. And moreover Miss Faith, that is part of your 
 marine Flora. Now what about the clams ?" 
 
 " My what?" said Faith. "First tell me, please, what 
 you said." 
 
 " Your marine Flora." 
 
 "What is that?" 
 
 " The particular department of life in the sea, of which 
 this is a specimen." 
 
 Faith looked puzzled, and amused. 
 
 " You don t mean to enlighten me more than you can 
 help," she said. "But why do you call it Flora? you 
 
 used that word before. And oh Mr. Linden You can t 
 
 tell me now, for supper s all -ready." 
 
 His eyes looked amused too, and laying a clover head 
 on the window, he said, 
 
 " That is part of your land Flora," then pushed the 
 shutter to rather quick, but softly; and Faith heard the 
 reason thereof as follows. 
 
 " Wai sir ef this be you, Fve looked all over for you." 
 
 "How was it that you overlooked me then, sir?" was 
 Mr. Linden s reply. 
 
 "Don t jes know," laughed Jem Williams, "but Miss 
 Cilly Deacon wants you the worst kind." 
 
 "And where shall I go to receive her commands?" said 
 Mr. Linden. 
 
 Faith heard their retreating steps, and turning to take 
 off her apron saw the dish of hot clams still on the stove, 
 and that Reuben had removed himself outside the door, 
 quite beyond the conversation but not beyond call. He 
 stood looking thoughtfully out towards the muscle rocks. 
 
 " Oh Reuben! there you are. Come!" said Faith ; "you re 
 going in with me. Fcm re going to have some supper to 
 night, whoever else does. You open the door, and I ll 
 take in this dish. You keep by me, Reuben." 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 43 
 
 " Please let me take the dish, then, Miss Faith, I can 
 the door first." 
 
 But Faith had her own way, and followed by Reuben 
 carried the clams into the supper room, where some of the 
 company were already seated, and others stood waiting. 
 Squire Deacon had not only given the desired introduc 
 tion, but had (self-denyingly) placed Mr. Linden next Miss 
 Cilly at the table, where he stood. 
 
 "Here s a contribution," said Faith, "if somebody 11 
 make a place for it. Thank you, Mr. Deacon. Now 
 Reuben, come here." 
 
 And refusing more than one offer of a place at the 
 table, Faith made her way down to the well end where 
 there was room for two at a remote distance from the tea 
 and coffee. 
 
 What else was there not, npon that table ! 
 
 " Won t you take a seat, Mr. Linden ?" said Miss Ceci 
 lia. " I hope you ve got room there. Jerushy, can t you 
 shove down a little ? I hope my coffee-pot s not disagree 
 able." 
 
 " I hope not !" said Mr. Linden, surveying the coffee 
 pot. " How long does it take to declare itself, Miss Dea 
 con ?" 
 
 " ! it won t do anything, but spout coffee," said the 
 young lady, " if you don t mind that. Won t you be helped 
 to what you like, Mr. Linden ? I hope you have enjoyed 
 our shore party this afternoon." 
 
 " Thank you" said Mr. Linden, feeling perhaps that it 
 was not their party he had enjoyed, " there has been a 
 combination of pleasant things. As far as I could judge 
 the bathers enjoyed their particular expedition." 
 
 " yes, it was delightful invigorating. Mr. Sim- 
 lins, I think Mr. Linden will like a piece of that cherry- 
 pie with his clams. Do you take cheese, Mr. Linden ? Is 
 your coffee agreeable ? There is the cold tongue by you, 
 Jerushy. I hope you like Pattaquasset." 
 
 " Ask Mr Linden whether Pattaquasset ain t a good place 
 for handsome gals," said Mr. Simlins, as he handed over the 
 piece of cherry-pie. " He knows by this time. I say 
 there s a con-catenation of beauty now here this arternoon. 
 
44 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 If yon look from the top to the bottom of the table, now. 
 ain t it true, sir?" 
 
 Mr. Linden certainly looked from the top to the bottom 
 of the table, and then setting the plate of cherry-pie as far 
 from his clams as he could, he said, 
 
 " Miss Deacon let me help you, tell me where these 
 cups belong, and I will convey them to their destination." 
 
 " I thought they d shove down somehow," said the young 
 lady. " Jerushy, do pass the coffee ! They re for anybody 
 down there who ll take coffee. Tea ll be along presently," 
 added Miss Cecilia, raising her voice a little to give the 
 information. "Don t you trouble yourself, Mr. Linden." 
 
 But Mr. Linden secured one, and carrying it down to 
 Faith, requested her to stir it and taste it, and not give 
 him the trouble of coming back with the sugar-bowl. 
 
 "What will you have?" he said while she obeyed his 
 directions. " Here are all the pies that can be thought of 
 except the musical one recorded in history." 
 
 "And so," said Faith with a laughing flash of her usu 
 ally soft eye, "you immediately give me a desire for the 
 one not here I It s like you, Mr. Linden. No, thank you . 
 I ll have none of these. I believe Reuben has a desire for 
 some of the clams he and I have roasted." 
 
 "I m afraid I cannot get them away from Squire Dea 
 con !" he said, "but I ll try." 
 
 The Squire however held fast to the dish, and rising 
 from his place midway at the table, insisted upon taking it 
 to Faith himself. 
 
 "Miss Faith," he said, "you have ruined my supper by 
 sitting down here. My appetite has quite forsaken me," 
 (whereupon Jem Williams observed, "that warn t strange. ") 
 "and the worst is," added the Squire, "I can t maintain 
 the constant supervision of your plate which my feelings 
 prompt. I am too far off" he concluded in a melancholy 
 tone. 
 
 "I say, Squire!" said Jem Williams, "you bain t wior n 
 as far agin as he" with a nod towards the upper end of 
 the table. 
 
 Squire Deacon lowered, but for the present his feelings 
 were restrained. 
 
 " Mr. Simlins," said Endecott, when he had resumed his 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 45 
 
 seat, "I ask you as one who knows the country where 
 abouts does the concatenation you spoke of reach a climax ?" 
 
 " The star you look at is always the brightest," said the 
 farmer. " However, I think the clams is the best thing at 
 table or near the best," with a slight glance towards 
 Squire Deacon and the dish at the well end. 7 " I ve a 
 legendary attachment to beauty, sir; my father married 
 the three prettiest wives in the country." 
 
 " I say, Squire," said Jem Williams, " Mr. Simlins says 
 you r hot." 
 
 " Hot ?" said Squire Deacon, flushing up very much, and 
 setting down the clams, " that dish is. 7 m as cool as all 
 these cucumbers accumulated into a heap." 
 
 " Hope you ll stay where you are, then," said Mr. Sim 
 lins. " I m cool too. Don t come near me, or we shall be 
 in a state of concentration." 
 
 Mr. Linden remarked that that was an excellent point 
 when reached. 
 
 "What point?" said Squire Deacon, who had returned 
 to his seat with the strong impression that everybody was 
 laughing at him, under the special guidance of the new 
 teacher. You know mighty little of the points round here, 
 I tell you." 
 
 " The point of concentration is found in various places, 
 sir," said Mr. Linden; "though I grant you it is rare." 
 
 "What do you know about Pattaquasset points ?" re 
 peated the Squire, " or Pattaquasset people or Patta 
 quasset water either, for that matter? Just yon go down 
 here when the tide s in and afore you know where you are 
 you ll find yourself wading round over your head." 
 
 " No sir never," said Mr. Linden with great assur 
 ance. 
 
 "Why not? how re you goin to help it?" said Squire 
 Deacon. 
 
 " When I reach that point," said Mr. Linden, " I shall 
 swim." 
 
 And Faith heard Reuben Taylor s smothered laugh of 
 great gratification. 
 
 " Hope you haven t spoiled your own supper, Squire," 
 said Mr. Simlins, "by your complacency in carrying about 
 them hot clams. Have somethin this way?" 
 
46 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 While this question was getting its answer, Faith sat 
 back in her chair and looked up and down the length of 
 the table. It presented a distinguished -after-supper 
 view, but the demands of the company had not yet ceased. 
 Mr. Simlins was still discussing cheese and politics; Jem 
 Williams was deep in cherry pie ; plum cake was not out 
 of favour with the ladies. The Squire was hard at work at 
 his supper, which had been diversely and wickedly inter 
 rupted. He was making up for lost time now; while his 
 sister, much disengaged, was bending her questions and 
 smiles on Mr. Linden. Faith tried to see Mr. Linden, but 
 she couldn t ; he was leaning back from the table ; and her 
 eyes went out of doors. It was too fair and sweet there 
 to be cooped up from it. The sun had just set. Faith 
 could not see the water ; the windows of the eating house 
 looked landward ; but the air which came in at them said 
 where it had come from, and breathed the salt freshness of 
 the sea into her face. 
 
 But presently every chair was pushed back. And now 
 there was no more silence nor quiet The busy swarm 
 poured out of the supper room; the men to lounge or 
 tackle their horses, the women to gather up the bathing 
 dresses from the fence, to look round, laugh, and go in 
 again to pack up the dishes. It would seem that this last 
 might be a work of time, each had to find her own through 
 such a maze of confusion. There was a spoon of Miss 
 Cecilia s providing, in a cup of Mrs. Derrick s, beside a 
 plate of Mrs. David s, and before a half-eaten cherry pie 
 which had been compounded in the distant home and by 
 the fair fingers of Miss Jerusha Fax. However, most 
 people know their own at least ; and as on the present oc 
 casion nobody had any particular desire to meddle with 
 what was not her own, the difficulty was got through with. 
 The baskets and hampers were packed again and stowed 
 in their respective wagons; and everybody was bidding 
 good bye to everybody. Noisy thanks and praises fell lib 
 erally to the share of Miss Cecilia and her brother, and the 
 afternoon was declared to have been "splendid." 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 
 FOR some weeks the little town of Pattaquasset held 
 on its peaceful way as usual. Early summer passed 
 into harvest, and harvest gave way to the first blush of 
 autumn, and still the Mong flowed quietly along, and the 
 kildeers sang fearlessly. For even tenor and happy spirits, 
 the new teacher and his scholars were not unlike the smooth 
 river and its feathered visiters. Whatever the boys were 
 taught, they certainly learned to be happy ; and Mr. Lin- 
 den s popularity knew no bounds in his own domain. 
 Neither did it end there : those fair members of the Patta 
 quasset society who thought early walks good for their 
 health, felt their sleepy eyes well paid for keeping open 
 when they met Mr. Linden. Those who were fond of even 
 ing expeditions, declared that his figure in the twilight was 
 quite a picture, and made them feel so safe, a great 
 slander, by the way, on Pattaquasset. Mr. Simlins was 
 his firm friend, and many another known and unknown. 
 Squire Deacon, I regret to say, was an exception. 
 
 Squire Deacon declared (confidentially) that he never 
 had thought the new teacher fit for his business, no how. 
 As far as he could hear, Mr. Linden had never taught 
 school before, and in that case what could you expect? 
 "Moreover," said the Squire, "I am creditably informed, 
 that the first day he kep school here, he begun by asking 
 the boys who made them! as if that had anything to do 
 with geography. Of course it s nat ral for a man to ask 
 what he knows he can answer if the boys don t," added 
 Squire Deacon in the way of kind explanation. 
 
 Whereupon, Jonathan Fax, the Squire s right hand man, 
 requested to be informed, "why ef a man was poor didn t he 
 dress as though he felt so, and why ef he warn t rich did 
 he act as though he war?" And thus by degrees, there 
 was quite an opposition party in Pattaquasset if that 
 could be opposition which the object of it never opposed. 
 By degrees too, the murmurs became more audible. 
 
 (47) 
 
48 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "Faith, child," said Mrs. Derrick in a cautions whisper, 
 coining out where Faith sat OH the porch, bathed in the 
 late September light: "Faith, child, where s our Linden 
 tree ?" (Mrs. Derrick thought she had concealed her mean 
 ing now, if anybody did overhear ) 
 
 Faith started, more than so gentle a question seemed to 
 sail for. 
 
 " He s gone down to the post-office, mother." 
 
 Her mother stood still and thought. 
 
 " Child," she said, " I never thought we had any fools in 
 our town before." 
 
 " I didn t know there were so many," said Faith. "What 
 new, mother?" 
 
 "Child," she said, "you know more than I about some 
 things what do you s pose fools can do ? Isn t he a whole 
 tree of knowledge ?" 
 
 "There is no fear of him, mother!" Faith said with a 
 smile, which if the subject of it valued any faith in the 
 world but his own it would have gratified him to see. 
 "They can t touch him. They may vex him." 
 
 Mrs. Derrick shook her head, softly, behind Faith s 
 chair, then turned and went back into the house; not 
 caring, as it seemed, to spread the vexation. Then after 
 a little interval of bird music, the gate opened to ad 
 mit Reuben Taylor. He held a bunch of water lilies 
 drooping their fair heads from his hand ; his own head 
 drooped a little too. Then he raised it and came firmly 
 on. 
 
 " Is Mr. Linden home, Miss Faith ?" 
 
 " No, Reuben He will be directly, I guess. Do you 
 want to see him ?" 
 
 " No" said Reuben, " I don know as I do, more 
 than usual. I have seen him all day. He wanted some 
 pond lilies, Miss Faith at least he told me to bring em. 
 Maybe it was you wanted em." 
 
 " I ll give them to him, Reuben. What s the matter 
 with you?" 
 
 But Reuben stood silent perhaps from the difficulty of 
 speaking, 
 
 " Miss Faith," he said at last, "is Squire Deacon all the 
 trustees of our school, besides Mr. Somers ?" 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 49 
 
 " No. Why ? What about it ?" 
 
 "He s doin all the mischief he can," said Reuben con 
 cisely. 
 
 " What mischief has he done, Reuben ?" said Faith, 
 waiting upon the boy s answer with an anxious face. 
 
 " Well" said Reuben, as if he could not put it in plain 
 words, "he s tryin to turn folks heads and some heads 
 is easy turned." 
 
 " How did you know this ? and whose head has he 
 turned, Reuben ? Not yours ?" 
 
 " They d have to turn my heart, Miss Faith," was Reu 
 ben s subdued answer. Then he looked up and listened 
 hearing a step he well knew. Nor that alone, for a few 
 low notes of a sweet hymn tune, seemed to say there were 
 pleasant thoughts within reach of at least one person. Then 
 Reuben broke forth. 
 
 " They can t keep him out of heaven, anyway! nor me, 
 neither," he added softly. But he ran down the steps and 
 out of the gate, passing his teacher with only a bow; and 
 once beyond the fence, Reuben s head dropped in his hands. 
 
 "Reuben! I want you !" said Mr. Liuden. But Reu 
 ben was out of sight. Faith stood between the house and 
 the gate. 
 
 " Where is he ? can t you make him hear? I want that 
 boy !" she said. 
 
 " 1 can run after him with doubtful success." 
 
 " The foolish fellow brought these for you, Mr. Linden," 
 said Faith, giving the lilies where they belonged. 
 
 "Complimentary, Miss Faith!" said Mr. Linden, taking 
 the lilies and smelling them gravely. 
 
 "H* is, J said Faith, "and you speak as if /wasn t." 
 
 "Will it redeem my character or Reuben s if I bestow 
 the lilies upon you, Miss Faith? I think that was their 
 destination." 
 
 Faith took the lilies ba;k again, with a slight smile and 
 flash, and stood attentively turning them over for a while. 
 Then suddenly said "Thank you." 
 
 " What did you want of Reuben Taylor?" said Mr. Lin 
 den. " Cannot I do as well ?" 
 
 " I should be sorry to think you wanted, Mr. Linden, 
 \rhat I wanted to give him." 
 
 VOL. I. 6 
 
50 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 " That sounds terrific ! But Reuben is under my juris 
 diction I don t allow anybody to scold him but myself. 
 So deliver it to me, Miss Faith, and I will give it to him 
 duly pointed and sharpened up." 
 
 " No," said Faith smiling, "you couldn t do it so well as 
 I. I wanted to say two words to him to put nonsense out 
 of his head." 
 
 * ; Nonsense !" said Mr. Linden, looking grave, "I am 
 as anxious on that point as you can be. What nonsense 
 has he got in his head?" 
 
 Faith hesitated, flushed and paled a little, and looked at 
 her lilies. 
 
 "I don t know whether I ought to speak of it," she be 
 gan, with much less than her usual composure of speech. 
 " Perhaps it is not my business. Please forgive me if I 
 speak wrong. But I half think you ought to know it." 
 
 "I ll try to bear the knowledge," he said smiling "if 
 you will promise to speak the cabalistic two words that were 
 to have such effect upon Reuben. So you want to put 
 nonsense into my head, Miss Faith?" 
 
 " Perhaps you know it already?" said Faith. "At any 
 rate I think I should feel better satisfied if you did know 
 it. Mr. Linden," she said speaking low "do you know 
 that Squire Deacon has been trying to do you mischief?" 
 
 " Just suppose for a moment that you are one of my 
 scholars, and give me a definition of mischief." 
 
 To judge by the unbent lines of Faith s brow, there was 
 nothing very disagreeable to her in the supposition. Yet 
 she had a look of care for the * definition, 7 too. 
 
 " When a man is meaning to do harm, isn t he doing 
 mischief?" 
 
 Only to himself." 
 
 But do you mean that one can t do harm to others in 
 th s world ?" 
 
 You said when a man is meaning to do harm. " 
 
 Ah," said Faith laughing, "I should want a great deal 
 of teaching before I could give a definition that would suit 
 you ! Well then, isn t harm mischief?" 
 
 "I m afraid I must yield that point." 
 
 "Then," said Faith simply, but very modestly, "we 
 come back to where we started from ?" 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 51 
 
 "What shall we do there ?" said he smiling. 
 
 " Nothing, perhaps," said Faith with the same simplicity. 
 " I only thought it right to put you there, Mr. Linden." 
 
 "Thank you, Miss Faith. Now will you please pro 
 nounce over me the two words intended for Reuben ?" 
 
 Faith laughed a little, but then said gravely, " Mr. Lin 
 den, I should be very sorry to think you needed them." 
 
 "It s impossible always to avoid being very sorry: I 
 want them, at all events. Haven t you just been putting 
 nonsense into my head ?" 
 
 "Have I?" said Faith. 
 
 "Do you suppose there was any there before ?" 
 
 "I don t think," said Faith, surveying his face, 
 " there is much there now. I guess you don t need the 
 two words, Mr. Linden. I was going to tell Reuben he 
 was a goose for thinking that that man could hurt you." 
 
 His face changed a little. 
 
 "Poor Reuben !" he said then with the former look 
 " On the whole, perhaps it was well he did not come back. 
 If you put those in water they will open their eyes to 
 morrow. Fresh water not salt," he added as he followed 
 her into the house, "they are not part of the marine 
 Flora." 
 
 Tea was ready, with its usual cheer of eatables and 
 pleasant faces ; not quite with its usual flow of talk. Mrs. 
 Derrick certainly had something bewildering on her mind, 
 for she even looked at her guest two or three times when 
 he was looking at her. The pond lilies were alone in the 
 twilight parlour. 
 
 That was probably the reason why Lucinda introduced 
 Parson Somers into the tea-room, the parson happening to 
 call at this identical time. 
 
 Parson Somers was always in a genial state of mind ; 
 always, at least, whenever he came into Mrs. Derrick s 
 parlour ; by the testimony of numbers it was the same in 
 many other parlours. He came in*so now ; gave a smile 
 all round ; and took an empty chair and place at the table 
 like one who found it pleasant. 
 
 " Well, I declare, Mrs. Derrick," said Mr. Somers when 
 he was seated, "I don t think there s a a more cheer 
 ful room in Pattaquasset than this one ; why, you always 
 
52 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 have everything agreeable here. A cnp of tea, now I 
 didn t expect it" 
 
 "Why we always do have tea, Mr. Sorners," said Mrs. 
 Derrick, " but it don t seem strong to-night. Lucindy . 
 take the teapot and make some fresh." 
 
 " These baked apples are strong in numbers at least," 
 said Mr. Linden, as he bestowed one upon Mr. Somers. 
 
 "Thank you! it s all strong enough, Mrs. Derrick 
 thank you ! very good. And Mr. Linden how are you 
 a getting along with your juvenile charge ? Confining 
 work/ sir, isn t it ?" 
 
 "Rather, sir to the body." 
 
 "Not to the mind, eh? Well I should have thought 
 ihat to a gentleman like you it would prove a more 
 deleterious to the mental faculties. But I suppose you 
 find yourself rewarded by your pupils improvement and 
 regard !" 
 
 " Yes sir th eir regard is very precious to me," was the 
 quiet reply. 
 
 "I should think so ! Why there s that boy Reuben Tay 
 lor strange father that boy has fisherman ; I met that 
 boy this evening, in the street, and he was crying, clown 
 a little below here he was going home. I asked him 
 ha if Mr. Linden had been dealing hardly with him ? and 
 I declare ! I didn t know but Reuben would have attacked 
 me on the spot." 
 
 " Has Mr. Linden a character in the village for cruelty?" 
 said Faith. 
 
 "I I declare not that I know of, Miss Faith. I 
 should think it could not be deserved. That boy s attach 
 ment is certainly ha very warm. My dear Mrs. Derrick, 
 how well Miss Faith is looking ! She always looks well ; 
 but to-night ha the colour of her cheeks is to be re 
 marked. " 
 
 "You will get a character for cruelty, Miss Faith," 
 said Mr. Linden, "if you ask about my character before 
 my face." 
 
 Faith looked up as if she would willingly have asked a 
 question ; but that being in present circumstances impos 
 sible, she merely uttered a quiet little no, and went on 
 with her tea and with a colour still further improved, A 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 53 
 
 quiet little yes, of about equal prominence, did not divert 
 the attention of Mr. Somers from his own remarks. 
 
 " It s delightful to see really," said that gentleman. 
 "But Mr. Linden ha I am sorry to find that you haven t 
 the good will of our neighbour, Squire Deacon. The 
 Squire s a valuable man very ! the Squire s a valuable 
 man in the town. I am sorry. Do you know, Mr. Lin 
 den ha how it has happened ?" 
 
 " Have you asked the Squire himself, sir ?" said Mr. 
 Linden. 
 
 " Why no, sir, I haven t. I ha wanted to get at 
 the truth of it, that I might, if possible, do something to 
 heal the breach. Now you are doing a valuable work 
 in Pattaquasset, sir I should be sorry to see it inter 
 rupted very and I thought the best way would be to try 
 to find out what the matter was, in order if possible to 
 its being removed. And to get at the truth it is often best 
 to hear both sides." 
 
 " But I have no side to tell, sir," said Mr. Linden 
 smiling in spite of himself. " I cannot deny that Squire 
 Deacon seems to withhold his good will I think it is for 
 him to tell his reasons." 
 
 " Then you really have no idea what it can be about ? 
 and I may tell him so ? Because that would be a great 
 point." 
 
 "No sir, you may not tell him that." 
 
 " Then you have an idea what the matter is ?" said Mr. 
 Somers eagerly. " Then, sir, if you will be so good as to 
 let me know what it is I, have no doubt I entertain no 
 doubt we shall be able to smooth it all away, and have 
 peace." 
 
 "You cannot prove one man s ideas by another man s," 
 said Mr. Linden. 
 
 " Then you can give me no help ?" said Mr. Somers re 
 gretfully. " But Mr. Linden ha it strikes me that it 
 would be useful for me to know your view of the cause of 
 offence whatever it is before I know his. One may cor 
 rect the other." 
 
 " There has been no offence given sir," said Mr. Linden. 
 " That the Squire has taken offence we both know, why 
 he has taken it if I kuow I have no right to tell you, 
 
 5* 
 
54 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 Squire Deacon might justly complain of me if I did. It 
 is from no disrespect to you, believe me." 
 
 "I say !" said Cindy coming into the room with a basket, 
 "here s Sam Stoutenburgh been and fetched some Stouten- 
 burgh Sweetenings for his teacher, he says. I m free to 
 confess," added Cindy as she set down the basket by Mr. 
 Linden, "he said if he would like to do anythin better 
 with em, it would just be to shy em at Squire Deacon s 
 head so I guess they aint over and above ripe." 
 
 "Ha! Yery pleasant, certainly! very gratifying," 
 said Mr. Somers rising. " Mr. Linden I have no more 
 to say. You are a gentleman, sir, and understand these 
 matters. I will see what I can do. Mrs. Derrick I 
 thank you for your tea, ma am I am sorry there should be 
 anything disagreeable, but I have no doubt it will all be 
 set right The Squire is a good-feeling man I have no 
 doubt of it. Miss Faith ha ! why Mrs. Derrick this 
 colour is too deep, it isn t natural. It looks feverish !" 
 
 " Do the Pattaquasset ladies use any rouge but their 
 own sea breezes ?" asked Mr. Linden. 
 
 " Ha ! we do get the sea breezes here pleasantly," 
 answered Mr. Somers. "Good evening 1" 
 
 Mr. Linden accompanied the visiter to the little gate, 
 and returning paced up and down the moonlit porch, 
 followed only by his shadow 
 
CHAPTER VI. 
 
 WHILE Mr. Somers was enjoying his cup of unex 
 pected tea at Mrs. Derrick s, Squire Deacon and 
 Miss Cilly had a sociable tete-a-tete over theirs ; for Joe 
 Deacon, who was in the full enjoyment of some fourteen 
 years of boyhood, scarcely made a third in the conversation 
 until his appetite was satisfied. 
 
 Conversation indeed hardly existed during the first por 
 tion of the meal. Miss Cilly poured out her tea and 
 broke her biscuit with a certain prim sort of elegance 
 which belonged to that young lady as at least she be 
 lieved. But sipping tea and nibbling biscuit went on in 
 company with thoughts. 
 
 " Sam, what are you bothering yourself abcut Mr. Lin 
 den for i 
 
 " How long since you was made a trustee ?" said the 
 Squire, beginning his sentence with an untranslatable sort 
 of grunt, and ending it in his teacup. 
 
 " Give us the sugar bowl down this way, Cilly," said 
 Joe, " this apple sarce is as sour as sixty." 
 
 " I ve been your trustee ever since you was up to any 
 thing," said his sister. " Come Sam don t you begin 
 now What s made you so crusty ?" 
 
 " It aint the worst thing to be crusty," said the Squire, 
 while Joe started up and seized the sugar bowl. " Shews 
 a man s inore n half baked, any how." 
 
 Miss Cilly vouchsafed a rather sour smile to these mani 
 festations of disposition on the part of both her brothers 
 
 "Well, what has he done ?" 
 
 " Sure enough," said the Squire, (he kept his small stock 
 of big words for company) " what has he done ? That s 
 just what I can t find out." 
 
 " What do you want to find out for ? What ails him ?" 
 
 " Suppose he hasn t done nothing" said the Squire, 
 " is that the sort o man to teach litteratur in Patta- 
 quasset ?" 
 
 (55) 
 
56 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 " Lit what ?" said his sister with an arch of her head 
 
 " Anything you ve a mind to," said the Squire sulkily. 
 
 "I wouldn t say anything against Mr. Linden s litera 
 ture, if I was you ; because it s my belief, Sam, it ll stand 
 any pecking you make at it. What s given you such a 
 spite at him ? You re a goodnatured fellow enough in 
 general." 
 
 " The whole temperature of Pattaquasset s come about 
 since lie come," replied the Squire comprehensively. 
 
 " He s a gentleman !" said Miss Cilly bridling again. 
 " He won t hurt anybody s manners not the best if they 
 was to copy him." 
 
 "He didn t hurt mine," said Joe patronizingly. " To be 
 sure 1 didn t go to him long." 
 
 " Do the boys like him, Joe ?" 
 
 " Well I daresay they wouldn t if they could help it," 
 said Joe, " if that s any comfort. Some other folks likesi 
 him too, besides Sam." 
 
 "Aint he a good teacher ?" 
 
 " Firstrate " said Joe, " taught me all I eve^learned. 
 I didn t go but four weeks, and Sam thought twarn t no use 
 for me to hold on any longer. My ! Cilly he d make you 
 roll up your eyes in arithmetic !" 
 
 " Now Sam Deacon, what do you expect to do by all 
 this fuss you re making ?" said his sister judicially. 
 
 "What s the use of cross-examining a man at that rate ?" 
 said the Squire restlessly. " When I do anything, you ll 
 know it." 
 
 " You ll make yourself a fool, one of these fine morn 
 ings ; that s what I count upon," said Miss Cecilia. " He s 
 a match for you, I have a presentiment, Sam." 
 
 " He won t be for you," said the Squire with some heat. 
 
 " There s Mr. Simlins goin along," said Joe, who having 
 finished his supper was gazing out of the window. " O my I 
 if he was cut up into real simlinses, what a many there d 
 be I" 
 
 " You hush, Joe 1" said his sister wrathfully. " He s 
 comin in." 
 
 And Mr. Simlins tall figure did indeed come through the 
 gate and up the walk, from which a very few more steps 
 and minutes brought him to the tea table. 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 57 
 
 "Well, Mr. Simlins !" said Miss Cecilia as she gave him 
 his cup, "you ve got back. I heard you were returned." 
 
 "Yes!" said the farmer deliberately stirring his tea, 
 "Fve got back! And I m glad, for one. I ve been visit 
 ing my relations in New Jersey ; and I ve made up my 
 mind that the Simlinses made a good move when they 
 come to Connecticut." 
 
 "You found them all well?" said Miss Cecilia po 
 litely. 
 
 "Well, no, I didn t," said Mr. Simlins. "How s a man 
 to find five hundred and fifty people all well ? Taint 
 nature. How s things with you, Squire?" 
 
 "Wheat s done well corn middlin ," replied the Squire, 
 while Joe got behind his sister s chair and whispered, 
 
 "There s another name in the diction ry sounds like 
 your n, though they aint spelled just alike." 
 
 "Goin to school, Joe?" growled Mr. Simlins. 
 
 "No sir," said Joe. "Mr. Linden teached me all he 
 knowed in a jiffy, and all I know, too." 
 
 " Well are the other boys learnin yet ?" said Mr. Sim 
 lins, as he spread a slice of bread pretty thick with butter. 
 
 " S pose so" said Joe, "all they kin." 
 
 "It s hard work!" said Mr. Simlins. "I feel it now I 
 Never ploughin made my back ache like learnin . I wonder 
 whatever they made me school trustee for, seein I hate it 
 like pison. But I s pose we mustn t quarrel with onerous 
 duties," said the farmer, carrying on sighing and bread 
 and butter and tea very harmoniously together. "I 
 shouldn t mind takin a look at your last copy-book, Joe, 
 if it would be agreeable." 
 
 "0 Mr. Linden kep that," said Joe unblushingly, 
 " cause it was so good lookin ." 
 
 "He was so fond of you?" said Mr. Simlins. "How 
 come he to let you go ?" 
 
 " I staid away," said Joe, drumming on the back of Miss 
 Cecilia s chair. "Cilly s got the rest of the copy-books 
 she likes the writin too." 
 
 "Joe, behave yourself!" said his sister. "Mr. Simlins 
 knows better than to believe you." 
 
 "Did you ever get flogged, Joe, for bad writin ?" said 
 the farmer. 
 
58 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "Worse n that I" said Joe, shaking his head, "I ve had 
 to do it over!" 
 
 " Now you ve got to doit over for me," said Mr. Sirnlins. 
 "You write your name for me there the best you kin . 
 and Pattaquasset, Connecticut I want to see what the 
 new school s up to." 
 
 "No" said Joe "I aint agoin to do it. You ask one 
 of the other boys. It wouldn t tell you nothin if I did, 
 cause I learned writin afore, and I didn t go to him but 
 four weeks, besides." And Joe at once absented himself. 
 
 "Is it workin as straight with all the rest of em as it is 
 with him ?" said Mr. Simlins. " You and me s got to see to 
 it, you know, Squire seein we re honorary individuals." 
 
 " Yes," said Squire Deacon, rousing up now Joe was 
 gone he had a wholesome fear of Joe s tongue "Yes, 
 Mr. Simlins, and it s my belief it wants seein to and 
 he too." 
 
 "Joe," said Mr. Simlins. "Ne-ver fear he ll see to 
 himself." 
 
 " Here s some of his writin ," said Joe, returning with a 
 spelling book. "All the boys gets him to write in their 
 books." And laying it down by Mr. Simlins, Joe took his 
 final departure. 
 
 " What do the boys want him to write in their books for ?" 
 growled Mr. Simlins, surveying the signature. 
 
 "I believe," said Miss Cecilia, "he is very popular in the 
 school." 
 
 "Well, Squire," pursued Mr. Simlins, "can Joe clinch 
 this?" 
 
 " He aint with me if that s what you mean," said Squire 
 Deacon. "A man s writing don t prove much." 
 
 "Don t go no furder," said Mr. Simlins assentingly. 
 Well Squire if you ll go furder I shall be wiser." 
 
 And freed from the fear of contradiction, the Squire 
 had not the least objection to going further. 
 
 "He s not the man to have here," said Squire Deacon, 
 " I saw that the first day I saw him. I tried him, and he 
 didn t toe the mark." 
 
 " How did you try him?" growled Mr. Simlius. " I d 
 like to know how much he s up to. / haint found it oufc 
 yet." 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 59 
 
 "I tried him, sir," said the Squire, "I tried him with a 
 classical story. Now Miss Faith gave in at once, and 
 said she didn t know what it was ; but tother one made 
 believe as though he knew all about it. And if a man 
 aint classical, Mr. Simlins, what is he?" 
 
 " I aint classical," growled Mr. Simlins again, " but then 
 I don t set up for to be. I s pose that makes a difference, 
 Squire ; don t it?" 
 
 " Some people s more than they set out to be, and some 
 people s less," replied the Squire. 
 
 " Well, does he set up for to be classical in school? 
 What does he teach em?" 
 
 " I reckon he sets up for most everything he ever heard 
 spoke of, Mr. Simlins. Teach em ? why he teaches em 
 out of all sorts o superflus books 1" 
 
 " Does !" said Mr. Simlins with a surprised look. "Our 
 boys don t want none o your superficies. They ve got 
 their bread to make. Give us an invoice o them books, 
 Squire." 
 
 " Just you look at em for yourself, Mr. Simlins then 
 you ll know. Step down there some day in school time 
 and look over the boys. Now I can understand figurs 
 with any man, but what s the use o crosses and straight 
 lines and Ys turned wrong side up ?" 
 
 Mr. Simlins pushed back his chair and rubbed his chin. 
 
 " Well Squire you and me are trustees what in your 
 judgment and opinion had we ought to do, in these pre 
 cedents ?" 
 
 " Get rid on him / say," replied the Squire promptly. 
 " Then here he is, leadin all the girls round town, and for 
 all any one of em knows he s a married man." 
 
 " Humph I think so ? What do the folks say of him?" 
 said Mr. Simlins. "There s Mrs. Derrick what does 
 she say of him he s in her house, she ought to have an 
 idee. And Faith now I d take that gal s judgment on 
 a most anything What do they think about him, Squire ?" 
 
 "Never asked em a word," said the Squire stoutly 
 " nor heard em say one, neither. But he gets fur n letters 
 all the time, Widow Stamp says and female writin too. 
 Who knows but he s got a wife in some fur n country ? or 
 two" added the Squire, without specifying where the 
 
60 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 plural belonged. " I m a justice of peace, Mr. Simlins. 
 and this shouldn t be let go on." 
 
 Mr. Simlins looked up from under his brows with a 
 queer look at his host. 
 
 "If he has two, he must want the school bad !" said 
 he. " Well Squire, I ll go along and see what can be 
 done. If I was you, mean time, I d not say much to no 
 one. There s Judge Harrison, you know ; we can t act 
 without him. Good night t ye I Squire, I guess he haint 
 two? Anyhow, I wouldn t let fly no warrants till I saw 
 my bird sitting somewhere. It s bad to have em hit in a 
 wrong place." 
 
 And it was well it was darkish and nobody to look at 
 him ; for Mr. Simlins went grinning pretty much all the 
 way between Squire Deacon s house and the house of Mrs. 
 Derrick, where Mr. Linden was entertaining his shadow in 
 the moonlit porch. 
 
 "Good even to you !" growled Mr. Simlins as he came 
 up. The grin was gone, and the farmer stood with his 
 wonted solemnity of face and manner. " Where s the rest 
 o your folks ?" 
 
 "The rest of my folks are a good way off, Mr. Siralins," 
 said the person addressed, giving the questioner his hand ; 
 while his shadow exchanged civilities with the shadow of 
 Mr. Simlins. "When did you come back? I am glad to 
 see you ?" 
 
 " I m glad ,to see myself," said Mr. Simlins. " There s 
 no State like Connecticut, sir. Where s your bringin up 
 place ? 
 
 " No one place has had that honour, Mr. Simlins, I have 
 been brought up from one to another." 
 
 "Not Connecticut, eh?" 
 
 "Not altogether 1 am here just now, as you see, 
 
 getting a part of my education. I am one of the Say 
 and Seal people in a way. Won t you come in, Mr. Sim 
 lins ?" 
 
 " Well I d as lief see Faith and Mrs. Derrick as a most 
 any other two folks in Pattaquasset, but they re a long 
 ways off, you say ?" 
 
 "No further than the parlour, I believe." 
 
 Mr. Simlins was willing to go as far as the parlour, and 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 61 
 
 so the party on the porch adjourned thither. A bright 
 lamp lit the room, by which Faith was mending stockings ; 
 while Mrs. Derrick sat in an easy chair a little further off, 
 rocking and knitting. 
 
 "Well," said Mr. Simlins, "when the sun goes down / 
 think it is time to knock off work ; but womeukind don t 
 seem to think so." 
 
 " I guess when the sun goes down your work s knocked 
 off, Mr. Simlins," said Mrs. Derrick. 
 
 " Fact, Mrs. Derrick, when I m to home ; but when a 
 man s visiting he has to work night and day. Moonlight s 
 moonlight now. I declare, in Jersey I thought it was 
 broad sunshine. You haven t been down to my place yet, 
 Mr. Linden ?" 
 
 "No sir, not within the gate." 
 
 " The Simlins have held that place, sir, off and on, for 
 nigh three hundred years. We re a good many Simlins 
 and we re a good set, I ll say it 1 a pretty good set. Not 
 thin-skinned, you know, we can take a scratch without 
 bein killed but we never would stand bein trampled on. 
 We re soft-hearted too ; plenty o what I may call tendrils, 
 ready to take hold of anything ; and when we take hold we 
 do take hold. We cover a good deal of ground in the 
 country, here and elsewhere in the various branches. My 
 mother was a Mush, and my grandmother was a Citron ; 
 good families those, sir ; can t do better than take a wife 
 from one of them, Mr. Linden, if you are so disposed ; 
 you haven t got one already, have you ?" 
 
 " What, sir?" said Mr. Linden, with more sharpness 
 than he often shewed, and which made Mrs. Derrick drop 
 her knitting and look up. 
 
 " I thought you wasn t a married man are you ?" said 
 Mr. Simlins, the grin just shewing itself again on his face. 
 
 " Is that one of the charges brought against me ?" said 
 Mr. Linden, a little too roused himself to pay much heed 
 to Mr. Simlins questions. 
 
 " Well I didn t know as you d think it a charge, " said 
 Mr. Simlins with an unchanged tone. " I guess you mean 
 to make it true some day, don t you ?" 
 
 The question fell unheeded the charge did not; it 
 
 VOL. i 6 
 
62 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 touched him deeply; touched the proud sense of character ; 
 though no words gave evidence of the fact. 
 
 "Faith, child," said Mrs. Derrick in that moment of 
 silence, her whisper as low as she thought would reach 
 across the table, "ought we to be here ?" 
 
 But a very emphatic "Yes 1" from the window, prevented 
 the need of Faith s answer. 
 
 " I was only recommending," said Mr. Simlins, " in case 
 you wanted help to make up your mind. The Citrons are 
 all gone to New Jersey there s a few of the Mushes 
 ramblin round Connecticut yet. Well Mr. Linden I 
 hope you and your boys get on commodiously together ?" 
 
 "Just look into that basket on the table, and see what 
 one of em brought him to-night," said Mrs. Derrick. 
 "Those are Stoutenburgh Sweetings, Mr. Simlins." 
 
 Mr. Simlins looked at the Sweetings and then looked 
 towards the window. 
 
 " I d like to hear you speak a little on that point," he said. 
 "Fact is, there s been some winds bio win about Pattaquas- 
 set that aint come off beds o roses ; and I d like to find 
 where the pison is and clap a stopper on it for the future. 
 It s easy done." 
 
 Mr. Linden looked up with his usual expression, only 
 the smile was grave and a little moved, and answered, 
 
 "I could say a good deal on that point, Mr. Simlins. 
 Yet I had rather you should ask the boys than me." 
 
 "Don t want to ask the boys nothin, bless you I" said 
 Mr. Simlins. " What I want to say is this ; what s the 
 matter between you and the Squire ? I ve been askin him, 
 and he says you learn the boys to make a Y wrong side up 
 ward I can t make nothin of that," said Mr. Simlins, with 
 again the approach to a grin ; " taint over easy to tell 
 whether his Y s are one side up or tother. Now I d like 
 to know from you where the hitch is. The Squire aiiit 
 likely to set the Mong in a configuration just yet but if 
 he s swingiu a torch round, I d jest as lief put it out afore 
 the sharks fly." 
 
 "But Mr. Simlins, don t you think it is rather hard 
 measure to ask me why people dislike me ?" 
 
 "Well I don t see as I do," said Mr. Simlins placidly; 
 " cause I know pretty well it s some chymistry idee of 
 
AND SEAL. 63 
 
 his own ; and if I could get hold of it, you see, I should 
 have a better handle. I guess the school never went on 
 better than it s goin ; he don t know beans." 
 
 " How do you know that I do ?" said Mr. Linden smil 
 ing. " Why don t you ask him ? I think at least half his 
 ill will arises from a mistake." 
 
 "Have asked him," said Mr. Simlins "just come from 
 there ; but he s pretty much like them V s we were speak- 
 in about; don t spell 1 nothin . What s his mistake about 
 then ? if I knowed that, I could bring things to a con 
 cert." 
 
 "Why," said Mr. Linden with grave deliberation, "sup 
 pose he wants to buy your house ? and takes a walk up 
 that way to set forth his terms." 
 
 "Well suppose he does" said Mr. Simlins atten 
 tively. 
 
 "He finds you and Judge Harrison in the porch, you 
 talk about the crops and the weather, and he tells you he 
 wants your house. What do you say to him ?" 
 
 "I tell him I don t sell it to no one but a Simlins nor 
 that neither till I can t live in it no longer myself." 
 
 " Is that your fault or Judge Harrison s ?" said Mr. 
 Linden, setting the basket of Stoutenburgh Sweetings on 
 the little table in the full light of the lamp. " Miss Faith, 
 if those are sweetenings, they may as well do their 
 office." 
 
 The farmer sat with his elbows on his knees, touching 
 the tips of his fingers together in thoughtful fashion, and 
 softly blowing the breath through his lips in a way that 
 might have reached the dignity of a whistle if it had had 
 a trifle more of musicalness. 
 
 " Is them the sort of lessons you give in school ?" he 
 said at length without stirring. 
 
 " Why ?" said Mr. Linden with a little bit of a smile. 
 
 "Ingen-uous," said Mr. Simlins. "It s as good as a 
 book. Mrs. Derrick," added he glancing up at the rocking 
 chair, "is Squire Deacon wantin to buy your house ?" 
 
 " My !" said Mrs. Derrick, again laying down her knit 
 ting, "can t he be content with his own ? I hope he don t 
 want ours," she added, some fear mingling with her sur 
 prise. 
 
64 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "Miss Faith," said Mr. Linden, "do you think if I gave 
 you an apple you would give me a knife ?" 
 
 "I hope he don t," growled Mr. Simlins as he rose up 
 " I never heerd that he did. Miss Faith them Stouten- 
 burgh Sweetings is good eatin ." Faith after setting a 
 pile of plates and knives on the table, had taken up her 
 stocking again. 
 
 " Yes Mr. Simlins I know they are." 
 
 "Then why don t you eat one ?" 
 
 "I don t want it just now, Mr. Simlins I d rather finish 
 my work." 
 
 "Work!" said the farmer taking an apple. "Well 
 good evening ! I ll go and look after my work. I guess 
 we ll fix it. There s a sight o work in the world!" 
 
 With which moral reflection Mr. Simlins departed. 
 
 "There ll be more work than sight, at this rate," said 
 Mr. Linden when he came back from the front door. 
 "Mrs. Derrick, how many stockings does Miss Faith abso 
 lutely require for one day ?" 
 
 "Why I don t know sir and I don t believe I ever did 
 know since she was big enough to run about," said Mrs. 
 Derrick, her mind still dwelling upon the house. 
 
 "Miss Faith, my question stands transferred to you." 
 
 " Why you know," said Faith, intent upon the motions 
 of her needle, "I might require to mend in one day 
 what would last me to wear a good many and I do." 
 
 "But, 
 
 The day is done and the darkness 
 Falls from the wing of night. " 
 
 " I never mend stockings till then," said Faith smiling 
 over her work. "Are Sam s apples good ?" 
 
 "By reputation." 
 
 " I thought you were trying them ! Why you asked me 
 for a knife, Mr. Linden and I brought it." 
 
 " I m sure I gave you an apple. Perhaps you thought 
 it was a ball of darning cotton." 
 
 " No, I didn t," said Faith laughing. " Bat what use is 
 my apple to your knife, Mr. Linden ?" 
 
 " Not much it has served the purposes of trade." 
 
 " But what is the purpose of trade, Mr. Linden, if the 
 articles aren t wanted ?" 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 65 
 
 " I see you are dissatisfied with your bargain," he said. 
 "Well, I will be generous you shall have the knife too; ; 
 and Mr. Linden walked away from the table and went up 
 stairs. 
 
 The parlour was very still after that. Faith s needle, 
 indeed, worked with more zeal than ever, but Mrs. Derrick 
 rolled up her knitting and put it in her basket, sighing 
 a little as she did so : then sat and thought. 
 
 "Faith, child," she said after a long pause, "do you 
 think the Squire would ever take our house ?" 
 
 Faith hesitated, and the answer when it came was not 
 satisfactory. 
 
 "I don t know, mother." 
 
 Mrs. Derrick sighed again, and leaned back in her chair, 
 and rocked ; the rockers creaking in rather doleful sympa 
 thy with her thoughts. Then an owl on a tree before the 
 door hooted at the world generally, though Mrs. Derrick 
 evidently thought his remarks personal. 
 
 " I can t think why he should do that to-night, of all 
 nights in the year !" she said, sitting straight up in her 
 chair. " It never did mean good. Faith what should 
 we do if he did ?" this time she meant the Squire, not the 
 owl. 
 
 " Mother !" said Faith, and then she spoke in her usual 
 tone. " We d find a way." 
 
 " Well ! " said Mrs. Derrick, rocking back and forth. 
 Then she started up. " We ve got to have biscuits for 
 breakfast, whether or no ! It s good I remembered em !" 
 And she hurried out of the room, coming back to kiss 
 Faith and say, 
 
 " Don t fret, pretty child, whatever happens. Go to bed 
 ttud to sleep, I ll make the biscuit." And alert and busy 
 ehe left the parlour. 
 
 Faith s sleep was quiet, but not unbroken. For at that 
 time when all well-disposed people, young or old, are gene 
 rally asleep (in such a well-ordered community as Patta- 
 quasset) it pleased the younger portion of said community 
 to be awake. Yet they were well -disposed and also ill ! 
 For repairing in a body to Mrs. Derrick s house they gave 
 her nine cheers for her lodger, thence departing to Squire 
 Deacon s, they gave him as many groans as he could rea- 
 
66 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 sonably want for himself. After which the younger part 
 of the community retired in triumph. 
 
 It was said, by one adventurous boy, that falling in with 
 Mr. Siralins they impressed him that his voice helped on 
 the cheers, but not the groans : and indeed the whole story 
 needs confirmation. 
 
 Faith heard the groans but faintly, owing to the dis 
 tance, but the cheers were tremendous. 
 
 It is painful to add that Joe Deacon was vociferous iu 
 both parties. 
 
CHAPTER TIL 
 
 f 1 HOPE your rest was disturbed last night," said 
 
 JL Faith rather gaily, as she came in to the breakfast- 
 table with a plate of biscuits and set them down before 
 Mr. Linden. 
 
 "Thank you! you have reason to be quite satisfied in 
 that respect." 
 
 " But did you hear them after they left our house ?" 
 
 " 1 heard them really or in imagination all night, thank 
 you again, Miss Faith and am as sleepy this morning as 
 you can desire." 
 
 "It wasn t I," said Faith. "Now what notice, Mr. 
 Linden, will you think it proper to take of such a proceeding?" 
 
 " That was one thing which kept me awake." 
 
 " But as you are sleepy now, I suppose the point is de 
 cided ?" 
 
 " You are as quick at conclusions as Johnny Fax," said 
 Mr. Linden smiling, "who always supposes that when I am 
 not using my pen myself I am quite ready to let him have it." 
 
 " Does he get it ?" 
 
 "What should you advise ?" 
 
 "0 Mr. Linden 1" said Faith, "I should advise you to 
 do just what you do I" 
 
 "Unsound!" he said, "I thought you were a better 
 adviser. But about this matter of the boys I shall pro 
 bably read them a lecture, wherein I shall set forth the risk 
 they run of getting sick by such exposure to the night air; 
 also the danger I am in of being sent away from my pre 
 sent quarters, because ladies prefer sleep to disturbance. 
 Having thus wrought up their feelings to the highest pitch, 
 I shall give them a holiday and come home to dinner." 
 
 Faith laughed her little low laugh of pleasure ; at least 
 it always sounded so. It might be pleasure at one thing 
 or at another ; but it was as round and sweet a tone of 
 merry or happy acknowledgment, as is ever heard in this 
 world of discordances. 
 
 (67) 
 
(J8 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "But are you really sleepy, sir?" said Mrs. Derrick 
 "I m so sorry! I thought they were doing nothing but 
 good. I never once thought of their waking you up." 
 
 Mr. Linden laughed too, a little. 
 
 " I shall get waked up" he said, " in the course of the 
 day. Unless somebody has drugged my coffee." 
 
 " Judge Harrison was here this morning, Mr. Linden, 
 with a message for you," said Faith. " Mother, will you 
 tell Mr. Linden what Judge Harrison said ?" 
 
 "I d rather hear you, child, by half," said her mother, 
 with a smile whereon the house cast a little shadow. " Tell 
 him yourself, Faith." And Mrs. Derrick sighed, and took 
 her napkin and rubbed off a spot on the coffeepot. 
 
 "Judge Harrison came " said Faith, and paused. 
 
 "And went away" said Mr. Linden. 
 
 " Yes," said Faith. " He stopped on his way some 
 where, and came into the kitchen to talk to us. He said 
 he would like, if you would like it, he would like to have a 
 great exhibition of the boys he knows about the school, 
 he says, and there hasn t been such a school in Pattaqnas- 
 set since he has been here himself; and he would like to 
 shew it up to the whole town. So if Mr. Linden approved 
 of it, Judge Harrison said, he would have a gathering of 
 all the countryside in some nice place the Judge has 
 plenty of ground and can get anybody else s besides ; and 
 the boys should have a great examination, and after that 
 there should be an entertainment under the trees, for boys 
 and all. And he wanted mother to speak to Mr. Linden, 
 and see whether he would like it. And mother wouldn t," 
 said Faith as she finished. 
 
 Mr. Linden raised his eyebrows slightly then let them 
 fall and likewise his eyes. Then sent his cup to be re 
 plenished, gravely remarking to Faith that if she had any 
 drugs, she might put them in now ! 
 
 " What kind of drugs would you like, Mr. Linden ?" 
 said Faith. 
 
 "Any that are deeply sedative." 
 
 " Sedative ?" said Faith, with that look whi<-h he often, 
 drew from her, very earnest, half wistful, half sorrow 
 ful, " I don t know what it means, Mr. Linden." 
 
 " It means," said he, his face relaxing a little, " such aa 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 69 
 
 diminish the physical energy, without destroying life, such. 
 in short, as might qualify a man for the situation of a tame 
 monkey on a pole." 
 
 Faith s 1 jok changed to a sort of indignant little glance, 
 and her lips parted ; but they closed again and her eyes 
 went down to her plate. 
 
 "What were you going to remark, Miss Faith?" 
 
 Faith blushed a good deal, however the answer came stea 
 dily. " I don t think any drugs would do that for yon." 
 
 " I am in a bad way, then," said Mr. Linden with un 
 moved gravity. " Because if I survive this trial of what I 
 can bear, I intend to advertise for the afore-named situa 
 tion. Have you heard of any vacant pole, Miss Faith?" 
 
 Faith looked at him with a grave, considering wonder, 
 which gradually broke into a sense of fun ; and then she 
 laughed, as she did not often laugh 
 
 Apparently Mr. Linden was well enough pleased with 
 such answer to his words, for he not only made no attempt 
 to stop her, but even remarked that it was good to be of a 
 Sympathizing disposition. 
 
 The day passed as usual ; only of late it had got to be 
 Faith s habit to spend a good deal of time shut up in her 
 room. It had never been her habit before. But now, 
 after going through her early household duties, of which 
 Faith had plenty, she used to be out of sight often for an 
 hour before dinner; unless when the dinner required just 
 that hour of her attention. Nothing was left behind her 
 to call her down. Her dairy, her bread and cake, her pies 
 and cream-cheeses, her dinner preparations whatever the 
 things might be were all ready for the day s wants; and 
 then Faith was gone. After dinner it was still more surely 
 the same. Yet though all this was true, it was so quietly 
 and unobtrusively true that Mrs. Derrick had hardly ob 
 served it. 
 
 It happened this afternoon that Faith lingered upstairs, 
 not until teatime, but until she heard her mother call. 
 Reuben Taylor wanted to see her. He was at the gate. 
 
 " I didn t want to disturb you, Miss Faith. I told Mrs. 
 Derrick so. It s only some clams, which I thought maybe 
 you d like," said Reuben modestly. "I left em in the 
 kitchen." 
 
YO SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 " Thank you, Reuben I like them very much. Do you 
 feel better than you did yesterday?" 
 
 " Yes, ma am" said Reuben rather slowly, " I felt a 
 great deal better last night." 
 
 "And to-day don t you ?" 
 
 "Yes, ma am," Reuben answered as before. 
 
 " But not so well as last night ? What s the matter, 
 Reuben ?" 
 
 " Didn t you hear what they did last night, ma am ?" 
 
 " To be sure I did, but what has made you feel worse to 
 day ?" 
 
 "Why you know, ma am," said Reuben, "last night I 
 forgot all about everybody but Mr. Linden. But oh Miss 
 Faith ! I just wish you could have been in school to-day 
 for one minute! when Mr. Linden came in! You see," 
 said Reuben, excitement conquering reserve, " the boys 
 were all there there wasn t one of em late, and every one 
 had a sprig of basswood in his hat and in his buttonhole. 
 And we all kept our hats on till he got in, and stood up to 
 meet him (though that we do always) and then we took off 
 our hats together and gave him such a shout ! You know, 
 Miss Faith," added Reuben with a smile both expressive 
 and sweet, "basswood s a kind of linden." 
 
 " And what did Mr. Linden do ?" said Faith with a 
 smile of her own that very well reflected Reuben s. 
 
 " He didn t say much," said Reuben, " he looked a good 
 deal." 
 
 "Well, you foolish boy," said Faith gently, "don t you 
 feel well now, after all that ? What s the matter ?" 
 
 A heavy, shoe-leathery step came down the street it 
 was Squire Deacon. Reuben knew who it was before the 
 Squire came near, for he flushed up, and for a moment 
 stood with his back resolutely turned towards the gate ; 
 then with an air as resolute, but different, he turned round 
 and bowed as courteously as he knew how far more so 
 than the Squire did to him ; for the combination of Faith 
 and Reuben did not seem to fall pleasantly upon Squire 
 Deacon s organs of vision ; nor indeed could he have quite 
 forgotten last night. 
 
 "Reuben, come in," said Faith touching his shoulder 
 and smiling, " I want to speak to you. But first answer 
 
SAY AND SEAL. fl 
 
 my question why don t you feel quite well now ? Yon 
 ought, Reuben " 
 
 " Yes, Miss Faith I know I ought, at least I oughtn t 
 to feel just as I do," Reuben answered. "Mr. Linden 
 told me so to-day." 
 
 " Then why do you feel so ?" Faith asked with increased 
 earnestness. 
 
 Reuben coloured and hesitated. 
 
 " Folks vex me " he said in a low voice. "And and 
 Mr. Linden says I love him too well if I m not willing to 
 let him go when God pleases. And I know it s true 
 but " and Reuben followed Faith into the house without 
 another word. 
 
 " What do you mean about Mr. Linden s going ?" 
 
 " Just that, ma am," said Reuben simply. " Because we 
 can t make ourselves feel well by thinking things are going 
 just as we want era to he says that s not strong enough 
 ground to rest on." 
 
 " But does he talk of going away, Reuben ?" 
 
 " no 1 Miss Faith I never heard him, he only talked 
 so to me because of what other folks said." 
 
 "Well," said Faith with a change of tone, "you re a 
 foolish boy. You come and see me whenever you get feel 
 ing bad again. Folks can t hurt Mr. Linden. Now look 
 here Wait a minute, will you 1" 
 
 Faith ran upstairs; speedily came down again with & 
 little blue-covered book in her hand. 
 
 " Is this the arithmetic you study ?" she said softly, 
 coming close to him. 
 
 Reuben took the book with some surprise in his face. 
 
 "Yes, ma am, this is the one." And he looked up at 
 her as if to ask, what next. 
 
 " How far have you gone ?" 
 
 "I am through this now," said Reuben, "but some of 
 the others are here and here." 
 
 " Then you can tell me," said Faith. She turned over to 
 a certain page, far on in the book too, and putting it into 
 Reuben s hands, said quietly, 
 
 " I am studying it, and I cannot make anything of this. 
 Do you remember how it was explained ?" 
 
 " The book s wrong," said Reuben, after a glance at it, 
 
V2 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 I remember, Miss Faith. See it ought to be so and 
 so "Reuben went on explaining. "All the books we 
 could get here were just like it, and Mr. Linden said if 
 Ue found any more mistakes he would send to Qnilipeak 
 ind get good ones. He shewed us how this ought to 
 >e." 
 
 " That s it ! said Faith. " Thank you, Reuben. And 
 you needn t tell anybody I asked you about it." 
 
 Reuben looked a little surprised again, but he said "No, 
 ma am," and made his bow. 
 
 It was Faith s turn to be surprised then, for stepping 
 into the tea-room .to look at the clock, she found not only 
 the clock but Mr. Linden, the former ticking sundry 
 minutes past teatime, the latter enjoying the sunset clouds 
 and his own reflections, and (possibly) his book. Mrs. 
 Derrick, favouring the atmosphere of the little wood fire, 
 which had burnt itself out to coals and ashes, sat at one 
 corner of the hearth, taking up the stiches round the heel 
 of her stocking ; which precarious operation engrossed her 
 completely. Mr. Linden however looked up, and took in 
 the whole of the little picture before him. Apparently the 
 picture was pleasant, for he smiled. 
 
 Faith s look was startled. 
 
 "I am late !" she said with a compunctious glance at the 
 clock. And as soon as it could be made the tea came in 
 "smoking. As Faith took her seat at the table she put 
 her question. 
 
 " When did you come in, Mr. Linden ?" 
 
 "About a quarter of an hour before you did." 
 
 "By which way?" 
 
 "Why! by the door. It is simpler than the window." 
 
 The next few seconds seemed to be employed by Faith 
 in buttering bread and eating it, but in reality they were 
 used for carrying on a somewhat hurried calculation of 
 minutes and distances which brought the colour in her 
 cheeks to a hue of pretty richness. 
 
 " Did I run over anybody in my way ?" asked Mr. Linden. 
 " What gives the question its interest ?" 
 
 " I had thought you were out," said Faith quietly. 
 
 " I know a shorter way to the store than you do," said 
 Mr. Linden with equal quietness. 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 73 
 
 "To the store I" said Faith, eye and lip quite putting 
 quietness out of the question. 
 
 "Yes, I found your footprints there the other day, and 
 I have been wanting to tell you ever since that it is not 
 anything like so far up to my room. Let me recommend 
 that way to you for the future." 
 
 Faith s colour was no matter of degrees now, for it 
 rushed over temples and cheek in a flood. And seemed 
 inclined to be a permanency. 
 
 "There you may take what you like," he went on, with 
 a smile that was both amused and encouraging, "and I 
 shall be none the wiser unless you tell me yourself. If 
 you do tell me, I shall be very glad. Now Miss Faith 
 what shall we do about Judge Harrison ?" 
 
 Faith hesitated, and struggled perhaps, for it did not 
 seem very easy to speak with that deep flush on her brow; 
 and then she said rather low, 
 
 "I am not ungrateful, Mr. Linden." 
 
 " Neither am I but this proposal of his gives me some 
 trouble. I think if he would have all the fun, without any 
 of the shewing oft , it would answer every good purpose 
 and avoid all the bad ones. And if you will intimate as 
 much to your mother, Miss Faith, and persuade her to 
 convey the information to Judge Harrison, it will perhaps 
 be the best way of reply. Of course as trustee he has 
 still the right of doing as he likes." 
 
 "Mother, do you hear?" said Faith, "or do you want 
 me to repeat it ?" 
 
 "No, child," said her mother abstractedly; "I didn t 
 hear, to be sure, how should I ? Faith what do you 
 suppose makes Cindy break the noses off all our milk 
 pitchers ?" 
 
 This was an irresistible question. Faith s own face came 
 back, and during the rest of supper-time she was like her 
 self, only with a shade more than was usual upon her brow 
 and manner. 
 
 The short September day had little twilight to lengthen 
 it out. The cool western horizon still outshone the setting 
 stars with its clear light, but in the east and overhead 
 others came out, silently, one by one. Mr. Linden, went 
 
 VOL. I. 7 
 
74 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 to take his evening walk, Faith to light the lamp h 
 the parlour, watched and gazed at by her mother th* 
 while. 
 
 "Child," said Mrs. Derrick, "what makes you stay up 
 stairs so ? I never thought of it till I went to call you to 
 see Reuben but seems to me you are up there a great 
 deal." 
 
 Faith smiled a little and also looked grave, as she was 
 putting on the shade of the lamp. 
 
 "Yes, mother" she said, "I am." 
 
 "What for, pretty child?" said her mother fondly. 
 
 Faith was pretty, in the look with which she answered 
 this appeal. Her smile dropped its gravity, and only love 
 came in to make the confession. 
 
 " Mother, I am trying to learn. I want to be wiser." 
 
 " Learn !" said Mrs. Derrick in utter astonishment, and 
 rousing out of her resting position. " Trying to learn, 
 child ?" 
 
 " Yes, mother what about it ? I don t know anything ; 
 and I want to know a great deal !" 
 
 " Why you know everything now !" said Mrs. Derrick. 
 11 What don t you know, Faith ? / should like to !" 
 
 Faith smiled. 
 
 " Mother, I don t krrow anything !" and then she added 
 more brightly, " I ve begun with arithmetic, for one thing." 
 
 "Arithmetic !" said Mrs. Derrick ; and she paused, and 
 leaned back in her chair, rocking gently to and fro, with a 
 shade of soberness stealing over her face. 
 
 "You never did have much chance," she said at length, 
 "because I couldn t give it to you then. My heart was 
 broke, Faith, and I couldn t bear to have you out of my 
 sight for a minute. But somehow I thought you knew 
 everything." And she sat still once more, looking at Faith 
 as if trying to reinstate herself in her old opinion. Nor 
 altogether without success ; for with a little smile coming 
 over her face, Mrs. Derrick added, 
 
 " You won t be any sweeter learn as much as you will, 
 child, you needn t think it ;" and the rockers would have 
 certainly come into play again if Cindy had not opened 
 the door and claimed attention. 
 
 "I s pose likely you don t want to go down to Widder 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 75 
 
 Stamp s ?" she said. " Cause she wants you to "come. I m 
 free to confess she s got the high-strikes wonderful." 
 
 " Mother," said Faith, giving her one or two kisses as 
 Mrs. Derrick rose to prove the contrary of Cindy s supposi 
 tion, " I shall be a great deal happier; and I am getting 
 along nicely." 
 
 Which sent Mrs. Derrick off in triumph. But when she 
 was gone, Faith did not take her basket of stockings, nor 
 yet her arithmetic ; but sat down by the table with her 
 head in her hands and sat very still. Still, until Mr. Lin 
 den came in, laid one paper on the table at her side, and 
 sat down to read another. Faith s darning-needle came 
 into play then, and worked quick and silently. Mr. Lin 
 den glanced towards it as he laid down his paper. 
 
 " I see you evaded my question last night," he said, 
 " there could not be such a constant supply, if there were 
 not also a constant demand." 
 
 "Mr. Linden," said Faith, her colour a little raised and 
 her voice changing somewhat, " I want to ask you some 
 thing if you are not busy about anything." 
 
 "I am not but you might ask just as freely if I were." 
 
 "I couldn t," said Faith. She drew her hand out of 
 her stocking and put her thimble on the table. 
 
 "Mr. Linden," she said without looking at him, "a 
 while ago, when you were speaking of faith and a cloudy 
 day, and I told you I wasn t like that, you said I must 
 read the Bible then, and do what that said. I have been 
 trying to do it." 
 
 Shading his eyes with his hand, he looked at her as if 
 waiting to hear more. 
 
 "And I don t understand it," she said. "I don t know 
 how to get on." 
 
 " Do you mean, with the Bible ? Is it that you do not 
 understand ?" 
 
 " I don t understand some things I don t know exactly 
 what I ought to do." 
 
 "In what respect? where is the difficulty? Some 
 things in the Bible you never will understand, perhaps, in 
 this world, and others you must learn by degrees." 
 
 " I don t understand exactly what makes a Christian 
 and I want to be one." 
 
IQ SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 It was spoken low, and timidly ; but Faith was in earnest 
 Mr. Linden sat silent a minute, without changing his posi 
 tion. 
 
 "A Christian is one, who trusting in Christ as his only 
 Saviour, thenceforth obeys him as his only King." 
 
 Faith hesitated and thought. " I don t understand," she 
 said folding her hands, "about the trusting." 
 
 " Suppose there was something you wanted done too 
 hard for your strength but not for mine, would you know 
 how to trust it in my hands ?" 
 
 She bowed her head and said, "Yes !" 
 
 " Suppose I consented to do it only upon condition that 
 for the rest of your life my will and pleasure should be your 
 only rule of action, would the great work still be yours 
 or mine ?" 
 
 "Why, yours," she said, still looking at him. 
 
 " Cannot you see Christ standing between God and 
 man, offering his own blood where justice demands ours, 
 and with his perfect righteousness covering our imperfect 
 obedience ? So that God may be just, and yet the justifier 
 of him that believeth in Jesus. Can you apply any words ? 
 Can you see that Christ only is mighty to save ? Are 
 you willing to trust yourself in his hands ?" 
 
 Faith dropped her eyes for a minute or two, but the lines 
 of her face were changing. 
 
 "I know what you mean now," she said slowly. "I 
 couldn t see it before." Then with a little smile she went 
 on "Yes, Mr. Linden, I am willing. But what must I 
 do?" 
 
 " Only believe " he answered. " Do what you say you 
 ai f e willing to do." 
 
 "But," said Faith, looking at him with a face which 
 certainly spoke her near the little child character which 
 Christians do bear, "there must be something else. I 
 must not be like what I have been. I want to know what 
 I ought to do." 
 
 "Christ s own words tell you better than I can, My 
 sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow 
 me that is the description of a Christian on earth. And 
 then it follows I give unto them eternal life, and they 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 77 
 
 shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of 
 my hand. " 
 
 There was silence; and then Faith said, 
 
 "But how am I to follow him ?" 
 
 "How did the people do to whom he said those words 
 when he was on earth ?" 
 
 "I don t know!" 
 
 " They arose, and left all, and followed him. " 
 
 "Well, Mr. Linden?" 
 
 "It is just such a following that we are called to now 
 only that it must be in heart and life instead of actual foot 
 steps. Just so must we rise up from doing our own will 
 and pleasure, fix our eyes upon Christ, and follow him !" 
 
 "But how are we to know how am / to know," said 
 Faith, "what /ought to do ?" 
 
 " Study Christ s summing up of the ten commandments, 
 does not that cover the whole ground ? And then do 
 every little duty as it comes to hand. If we are truly 
 ready to do God s will, he will send us work, or if not 
 
 They also serve, who only stand and wait. " 
 
 Faith looked an earnest, wistful, sorrowful look at him. 
 
 "But then," she said, "I don t do anything well how 
 can I know that I am right? You know what you said 
 of the two roads only one led to the shore. I keep think 
 ing of that ever since." 
 
 "A traveller in the right road," said Mr. Linden, "may 
 walk with very weak and unsteady pace, yet he knows 
 which way his face is set. Which way is yours?" 
 
 Faith s face was in her hands. But Mrs. Derrick s step 
 just then sounding at the front door, she sprang away 
 before it could reach the parlour. 
 
 7 
 
CHAPTER YIIL 
 
 HHHE decision of Mr. Linden on the school question was 
 J_ duly communicated to Judge Harrison ; and the time 
 fixed was Thursday, the fifth of October. The place 
 chosen, after much care, was the Judge s own house and 
 grounds adjoining, which were spacious enough, and af 
 forded good opportunity for setting tables and also for 
 spreading them. So all that was fixed ; and all Pattaquas- 
 set was a tip-toe ; and Mr. Linden submitted to what he 
 could not help, with as* good a grace as he might. And 
 September was sliding off into October with the gentlest, 
 sunniest, softliest grace. 
 
 With much the same sort of grace Faith Derrick walked 
 up and down in her mother s household ; from the dairy 
 where she made her butter, to Mr. Linden s room which it 
 was her care to keep in order; and where she might if she 
 chose amuse herself with Mr. Linden s books. If she did, 
 it was unknown to their owner ; he surely found every vol 
 ume lying where he left it. There was chance enough for 
 Faith, in his long absences from the house ; and the books 
 offered temptations. There were a good many of them, 
 stowed in old-fashioned corner and window cupboards ; 
 good editions, in good bindings, and an excellent very 
 choice selection of subjects and authors. There were books 
 in various languages of which Faith could make nothing 
 but sighs ; in her own mother tongue there were varieties of 
 learning and literature enough to distract her. All how 
 ever that the owner could know of other hands about his 
 books, was that there was no dust upon them. 
 
 Perhaps he had a mind to know more or that there 
 should be more to be known ; for about this time two re 
 markable things happened. One was, that Faith found a 
 little French book ensconced among the stockings in her 
 basket, and the very next morning as Mr. Linden was 
 setting off for school, he stopped at the threshold and 
 inquired 
 (78) 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 79 
 
 "Miss Faith whereabouts are you in Prescott?" 
 
 That same colour flushed in Faith s face ; it did not rise 
 to her temples this time, but glowed richly in her cheeks. 
 She looked down and up, and down ; words seemed con 
 founded in their utterance. 
 
 " You do not mean that you have finished it already ? J> 
 he said with an excellent look of astonishment. 
 
 " I have almost," said Faith. " Mr. Linden, how could 
 you tell? I don t know what makes me do so !" she said 
 putting both hands to her cheeks, "there s no shame in 
 it." 
 
 " I didn t suppose there was," he said smiling, and 
 closed the door. 
 
 Very oddly, in spite of morning duties, Faith s next 
 move was to go to her basket, pull out that little French book 
 and examine it all over inside and out. Not one word of 
 it could she read, not one sign of it did she know ; what 
 was the meaning of its place in lur basket? Faith pon 
 dered that question probably while her cheeks were coming 
 back to their usual tint ; then the book was slipped back 
 again and she hurried away to help her mother with the 
 dishes. 
 
 " You needn t come, child," said Mrs. Derrick, "what 
 do you think I ll make of such a handful of things as that ? 
 To be sure Cindy s cleaning up to-day, but I m pretty 
 smart, yet. Go off and study arithmetic if you want to. 
 Have you got through that yet ?" 
 
 "Almost through, mother," Faith answered smiling. 
 
 "Well why don t you go and finish ? r said her mother. 
 
 "Mayn t I finish these first?" said Faith, through whose 
 fingers and the towel the cups and saucers slipped with a 
 dexterity that was, to say the least of it, pretty. " Why 
 mother, you were not so keen after arithmetic the other 
 day." 
 
 "Keen after itl" said Mrs. Derrick, "la, child, I don t 
 pretend to be keen. But I never could bear to see a thing 
 half done, I d rather do it twice over." 
 
 There was something else running in Faith s mind ; for 
 after abstractedly setting down one after another several 
 saucers, polished from the hot water and huckaback, she 
 
80 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 dropped her towel and flung both arms round her mother s 
 neck. 
 
 " Mother ! there is one thing I want you to do I want 
 you to be a Christian !" 
 
 There was persuasion in the soft head that nestled against 
 hsr, if Faith s words lacked it. 
 
 To the words her mother gave no answer, but she re 
 turned the caress with interest; wrapping Faith in her 
 arms, and drawing her down to the next chair, as if liter 
 ally she could not stand that. 
 
 "Pretty child I" she said and more than one tear fell 
 upon Faith s bright hair, "you re the best child that ever 
 was ! and always were !" 
 
 "No, mother," said Faith kissing her. "But will 
 you ?" 
 
 "I don t know 1" said Mrs. Derrick, "that s what your 
 father used to say, Faith, and I used to think I d like to, 
 to please him, but somehow I never did." 
 
 "Never wished it for your own sake, dear mother ?" 
 
 "Yes sometimes when I saw him die " said Mrs. 
 Derrick. " Hush child don t say another word to me 
 now, for I can t bear it." And giving Faith an embrace 
 which took off all thought of roughness from her words, 
 Mrs. Derrick rose up and went about her dishes again. 
 
 And Faith tried to do as much ; but the dropping tears 
 were too fast for her towel ; her hand sought in vain to 
 forbid their coming; she laid down her work and went 
 away. 
 
 Truth however is always at one with itself, and so is right 
 feeling, and so is duty. Faith as well as her mother had 
 plenty of business on hand that morning ; and it was not 
 long before she was as hard at work in the kitchen as if 
 there were no other interests in the world. There was 
 bread to make. That was done. There was an elaborate 
 chicken pie to concoct for dinner, which Faith would not 
 leave to her mother to-day. There was a certain kind of 
 muffins which Mrs. Derrick suggested Mr. Linden would be 
 upt to like, and which they had never had since he was in 
 Pattaquasset. To hear was to obey, and Faith compounded 
 the muffins. Then fresh yeast must be made, and Faith 
 always did that Let it not be thought that Mrs. Derrick 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 81 
 
 was idle while thus indicating floury fields of exertion to 
 her daughter. Yery far from it. There was all the house 
 and all the rest of the dinner to see to ; .besides Cindy, who 
 was one woman s work. The butcher was to be met, and 
 farm questions settled with the farmer ; and Mrs. Derrick 
 was still deep in vegetables when Faith quitted the kitchen. 
 How much time she had left for study before dinner it 
 doesn t appear. 
 
 After dinner, this day, there was small study chance or 
 at least small chance to get books ; for it was Wednesday, 
 and Wednesday was in every Pattaquasset school a half 
 holiday. Indeed that arrangement of tjiings extended 
 beyond the schools ; and on this particular Wednesday, Mrs. 
 Derrick devoted the holiday time to a far-off neighbour 
 declaring that she "felt like a good long walk." And after 
 her departure the dreaminess of a warm fall afternoon set 
 tled down upon the house and its inhabitants. Faith sat 
 sewing by the parlour window, or reading stealthily ; for 
 Mr. Linden with his book sat in the porch not three feet 
 from her ; but it is not too much to say that neither made 
 great progress. Who could read or work or think vigi 
 lantly, in that hazy sunshine ? the very bees took a siesta 
 on the wing, and rocked to and fro in the soft air. 
 
 About the middle of the afternoon a small white-headed 
 boy was seen revolving down the main street of Pattaquas 
 set. I say revolving for the slight suggestion of a small 
 stone in the road or a spot of particular dustiness was 
 enough to make the boy break the monotony of his walk 
 with a somerset ; by which style of progress he at last ar 
 rived at Mrs. Derrick s door, entered the gate and came up 
 the steps. There he paused and gazed at Mr. Linden. 
 
 " What is your name ?" inquired that gentleman, with 
 the benevolent idea of setting the boy s thoughts in motion 
 in a straight line. 
 
 " Charles twelf " replied the boy promptly. 
 
 " Charles twelfth 1" said Mr. Linden. "Are there eleven 
 more of you ?" 
 
 The boy put his finger in his mouth but brought forth no 
 answer. 
 
 "Miss Faith," said Mr. Linden, "are you the planet 
 which has attracted this small star out of its usual orbit ?" 
 
82 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 Faith came to the door. 
 
 "Who are you, little fellow ?" said she, eyeing the dusty 
 white head. 
 
 "Who be you ?" said the boy. 
 
 " The centre of your solar system at present," said Mr. 
 Linden. " Is that the way satellites generally ask ques 
 tions ?" 
 
 " What a queer man I" said the boy looking at Mr. Lin 
 den. 
 
 " What a queer boy " said that gentleman gravely. 
 
 " What do you want ?" said Faith, biting her lips and 
 laughing at both of them. 
 
 The boy gazed at her, but he also gazed at the scraper ! 
 and the attraction of that was irresistible. Down went his 
 white head, and over went his dusty feet, and then Charles 
 twelfth was himself again. 
 
 "My ma s kep your ma to supper," he said. "And she 
 says you may come too, if you want ter and bring him. 
 We ve got lots o pies." And stimulated by this recollec 
 tion, the boy turned without delay and began his revolu 
 tions homeward. Faith ran down the two or three porch 
 steps and laid hold of the little invader. 
 
 " Here ! You Charles twelfth ! who are you, and where 
 does your ma live ?" 
 
 " She lives down to our house." 
 
 "Where s that?" 
 
 "Down the woody road " said the boy, "next after 
 you come to Capting Samp s blackberry field. There s 
 sunflowers in front." 
 
 "Then you are Mrs. Seacomb s boy? Very well," said 
 Faith, letting him go. "Mr. Linden, there is an invitation 
 for you." 
 
 " Is there a carriage road into Sweden ? or do we walk ?" 
 he replied 
 
 "Sweden?" said Faith, "it is in the woods, two 
 or three miles from here. A woman lives there the 
 widow of a man that used to sail with my father. My 
 father was captain of a ship, Mr. Linden. Mr. Seacornb 
 was one of his mates, and very fond of him ; and we go to 
 see Mrs. Seacomb once in a while. I don t think, peihaps, 
 you would like it. It s a pretty ride " 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 83 
 
 That is a kind of ride I do like." 
 
 "But I don t know whether you would like it all. If 
 you say so, I will have up the wagon." 
 
 "Thank you that I should not like. I prefer to ha^e 
 it up myself, Miss Faith if you will have up your bonnet." 
 
 Faith s face gave way at that, and the bonnet and the 
 wagon were up accordingly. 
 
 The way led first down the high road, bordered with gardens 
 and farms and the houses of the village if village it were 
 called, where the neighbours looked at each other s distant 
 windows across wide tracts of meadow, orchards and grain 
 fields. The road was reasonably dusty, in the warm 
 droughts of September; nevertheless the hedgerows that 
 grew thick in many places shewed gay tufts of autumn 
 flowering ; and the mellow light lay on every wayside object 
 and sober distance like the reflection from a butterfly s 
 wing. Except the light, all changed when they got into the 
 woody road. 
 
 It was woody indeed ! except where it was grassy ; and 
 woods and grass played hide and seek with each other. 
 The grass-grown road, its thicker grass borders where 
 bright fall flowers raised their proud little heads ; the old 
 fence, broken down in places, where bushes burst through 
 and half filled the gap ; bright hips on the wild rosebushes, 
 tufts of yellow fern leaves, brilliant handfuls of red and 
 yellow which here a maple and there a pepperidge held out 
 over the road ; the bushy, bosquey, look which the uncut 
 undergrowth gave the wood on either hand ; the gleams of 
 soft green light, the bands of shadow, the deeper thickets 
 where the eye looked twice and came back unsatisfied, 
 over all the blue sky, with forest leaves for a border. Such 
 was the woody road that afternoon. Flocks of little birds 
 of passage flitted and twittered about their night s lodging, 
 or came down to feast on wintergreen or cedar berries ; and 
 Mrs. Derrick s old horse walked softly on, as if he knew 
 no one was in a hurry. 
 
 " With what a glory comes and goes the year !" Mr. 
 Linden said. 
 
 - And stays all the while, don t it?" said Faith rather 
 timidly and after an instant s hesitation. 
 
 " Yes, in a sort though to my fancy the other seasons 
 
84 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 have rather beauty and splendour, while autumn keeps the 
 glory for itself." 
 
 "I think it is glorious all the year round," said Faith ; 
 "though to be sure," she added with a sudden check, "per 
 haps I don t use the word right." 
 
 "Yes, it is glorious, but I think glorious and 
 glory have drifted a little apart upon the tide of human 
 speech. Glory, always seems to my mind a warm, glowing, 
 effulgent thing, but ice-peaks may be glorious. The old 
 painters encircled the heads of their saints with a glory 
 and you could not imagine that a cold light." 
 
 Faith listened, with the eyes of one first seeing into the 
 world of wonder and beauty hidden from common vision. 
 She did not answer, till her thoughts came back to the 
 road they were travelling, and catching her breath a little 
 she said, 
 
 "This isn t a cold light." 
 
 "No, truly. And just so far as the saints on earth walk 
 in a cold light, so far, I think, their light is less glorious." 
 
 "I don t see how they can," said Faith timidly. 
 
 "They do sometimes, standing aloof like those ice- 
 peaks. You can* see the white garments, but no glory 
 transfigures them. Such a face as Stephen s, Miss Faith, 
 is worth a journey to see." 
 
 Faith thought so ; wondered how many such faces he 
 had seen. Her meditations plunged her too deep for 
 words. 
 
 "What are you musing about? if I may ask," Mr. 
 Linden said presently. 
 
 She coloured but answered, " I was thinking what one 
 must be, to have a face like Stephen s." 
 
 " That is the promise, you know from, glory to glory. 
 From grace to glory must come first. What one must 
 be 1 yes, that is it. But it is good to measure the promises 
 now and then." 
 
 Faith laid that last remark up in her heart, enshrining 
 it in gold, as it were. But she said nothing. 
 
 "How is it with you?" he said turning his eyes full upon 
 her, "you have not told me lately. Are the clouds all 
 gone ?" 
 
 Her look met his, wistful, and simple as her answer. 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 85 
 
 "I see the light through." 
 
 " Unto the perfect-day !" Mr. Linden said, his smile 
 slight as it was bringing a sort of illumination with it. 
 After a few minutes he turned to her again. 
 
 " Miss Faith, one whom Christ has called into his army 
 should wear his uniform." 
 
 "What, sir?" she said, the colour starting readily. 
 
 "With the private vows of allegiance, there should be 
 also a public profession." 
 
 "Yes," she said, "I suppose so. I am willing I am 
 ready." 
 
 Timid, modest, even shrinking as she was, more in view 
 of the subject than of her adviser, her face was as frank as 
 the day. His hand quitted the reins a moment, taking 
 hers and giving it a sort of right-hand- of-fellowship 
 clasp, glad and warm and earnest, as was his look. 
 
 "I am not going to ask you anymore questions," he 
 said, "you will tell me if there are any you wish an 
 swered." 
 
 Her " Thank you " was a little breathless. 
 
 For a while the old horse jogged on in his easy way, 
 through the woods and the fall flowers and the sunny glow; 
 and the eyes of the two travellers seemed to be busy there 
 with. Then Faith said with a little timid touch upon her 
 voice, 
 
 "Mr. Linden I suppose it was you that put a little 
 green book in my basket last night ?" 
 
 "Jumping at conclusions again !" he said. "What sort 
 of a little green book was it ?" 
 
 "I don t know ! I suppose you can tell me." 
 
 "Do you suppose I will ?" 
 
 "Why not? What did you expect me to do with it, 
 Mr. Linden ?" 
 
 "Find out what sort of a book it is." 
 
 "You know I can t read a word of it," said Faith 
 rather low. 
 
 " Look at that old house," said Mr. Linden. 
 
 They were passing a cleared field or two, one of which 
 seemed yet under cultivation and shewed corn stalks and 
 pumpkin vines, but the other was in that poverty-stricken 
 state described by the proverb as I once had. The house 
 
 VOL. 1. 8 
 
86 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 was a mere skeleton. Clapboards, indeed, there were 
 and shingles ; but doors and windows had long since been 
 removed by man or Time, and through the open spaces 
 you could see here a cupboard door, and there a stairway, 
 and there a bit of partition wall with its faded high-coloured 
 paper. No remnant of furniture no rag of old clothes or 
 calico ; but in the dooryard a few garden flowers still strug 
 gled to keep their place, among daisies, thistles and bur 
 docks. The little field was bordered with woodland, and 
 human voice or face there was none. The sunbeams which 
 shone so bright on the tinted trees seemed powerless here ; 
 the single warm ray that shot through one of the empty 
 window frames fell mournfully on the cold hearthstone. 
 
 "Yes," said Faith. " I don t know who ever lived there. 
 It has stood so a good while." 
 
 The road grew more solitary still after that, passing on 
 where the trees came close upon either hand, and arched 
 their branches overhead, casting a deep and lonely shadow. 
 The flowers dwindled, the briars and rank grass increased. 
 
 "As to Le Philosophe sous les toits, Miss Faith, "said 
 Mr. Linden, touching the horse with his whip, "there are 
 just two things to be said. In the first place with the 
 help of another book or two which are not beyond reach 
 you may make his acquaintance quite comfortably by your 
 self. In the second no, I shall not tell you the second, 
 that you may find out by yourself too. There is Charles 
 twelfth and all his subjects one might judge." 
 
 For on Captain Samp s blackberry hill albeit black 
 berries were bygone things a troop, a flock of children 
 were scattered up and down, picking flowers. Golden rod 
 and asters and moonshine, tilled the little uot-too-clean 
 hands, and briars and wild roses combed the unkempt 
 hair somewhat roughly. Whiteheaded youngsters all of 
 them, looking (but for small patterns of blue calico and 
 nankeen) not unlike a drove of little pigs. Next appeared 
 an imposing array of sunflowers, below which prince s 
 feather waved in crimson splendour, and the little brown 
 capital of Sweden stood revealed. Or I should say, par 
 tially ; for the house stood in the deepest corner of the 
 shade, just where the road took a sharp turn towards the 
 sunlight ; and Mr. Linden alighted and tied his horse to 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 81 
 
 a tree, with little fear that anything would happen to him 
 unless the darkness put him to sleep. 
 
 " Charles twelfth has the best of it just now, Miss Faith," 
 ne said as he opened the gate for her. "Why do people 
 build houses where they cannot see the sun !" 
 
 They were met at the door by Mrs. Seacomb. 
 
 Do tell !" she said "why if this aint you I But what 
 made you come so late ? and how slow your horse did come 
 when he was about it. I ve been watchin you this age. 
 Well Faith I declare you re as pretty as a posie 1 And 
 this is the teacher I s pose Guess likely you haint been down 
 this way afore, sir, it s a good ways, and the road s lone 
 some, but it s a fine place when you re here so retired and 
 shady." 
 
 All Mr. Linden s command of countenance only enabled 
 him to answer the last remark with a strong affirmative. 
 
 "Yes sir," said Mrs. Seacomb, "it is; and there s a 
 good many of the trees is evergreens, so the shade never 
 goes off. I do s pose, if I could keep the children more to 
 home they wouldn t get nigh so brown as they do ; but if 
 I was to run out in the lot and whip em home every half 
 hour they d be back again afore I could count one. Now 
 Genevievy she does stay round under the trees a good 
 deal, but then she s fond of flowers. She ll be real glad to 
 see you Faith, and so ll your mother" and Mrs. Seacomb 
 at last got her visiters into the parlour. 
 
 The parlour was as brown as the rest of the house. The 
 visiters had not time to remark more particularly; for their 
 attention was claimed by a tall girl of about Faith s age, 
 with a loosely built, strong jointed frame, in as marked 
 contrast as possible to the clean outline and soft angles of 
 the other. She shook hands very cordially with Faith, but 
 made a reverence to the teacher. 
 
 " Won t you take a chair, sir," she said, setting one for 
 the gentleman. "Aint it an age since we ve looked at you, 
 Faith ! Your mother s been here a long spell. Ma wax 
 proud to see her come it. You haint been here, seems to 
 me, ever befor.e 1" 
 
 " How do you do, Genevieve ?" 
 
 " I m respectable well. Can t do nothin uncommon, you 
 know, down in this eclusion. I guess it s as good to see 
 
88 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 company as blackberries. We don t get it though. I hope 
 you don t mind a lonely sitiwation, sir?" The last words 
 with deep gravity and a bending head. 
 
 "It agrees well with a contemplative mind," replied the 
 gentleman, resolving that the young lady should not talk 
 high english alone. 
 
 "It does!" said Genevieve admiringly, taking him all 
 in with her eyes. "There is always something to look at 
 to make you contemplate. Then you don t think it an 
 objection, sir, to live so far away from society as this ?" 
 
 "I have lived further away from society than this," said 
 Mr. Linden. " I have seen regions of country, Miss Sea- 
 comb, where you could not even hear of anybody but your 
 self." 
 
 " I declare ! And war n t it awful still, sir ?" 
 
 " It was beautiful, still," said Mr. Linden. 
 
 "1 reckon it was !" 
 
 At this juncture Charles twelfth made his appearance, 
 and Mr. Linden at once turned to him 
 
 " Well sir how are the Turks ?" 
 
 To which Charles twelfth, being taken much by surprise, 
 replied, 
 
 "They re pretty well." 
 
 "Genevievy," said her mother, "if you ll make your 
 self agreeable, I ll go hurry tea afore the rest of the chil 
 dren comes. They will all come to table, and there s so 
 many." And Mrs. Derrick as in duty bound, followed her 
 to help. 
 
 " I ll go tell em !" said Charles twelfth as Mrs. Seacomb 
 went out. 
 
 "No you will not" said Mr. Linden, "you will not 
 go out of the house again till I give you leave. Why 
 don t you come to Sunday school and learn to behave 
 yourself ?" 
 
 " What else ?" said Charles twelfth. 
 
 "What else!" said Mr. Linden, "that will take you 
 some time. Afterwards you will learn all the lessor. s your 
 teacher gives you." 
 
 "Who ll he be?" said Charles twelfth coming a little 
 nearer. " You ?" 
 
 "No indeed," said Mr. Linden, "I have quite enough 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 89 
 
 to do now. I dare say this lady will take you into her 
 class if you ask her politely." 
 
 It was worth while to see Faith s face now, for the little 
 stir and the flush and the sweet gravity that was in it. 
 Not so much as a glance went to Mr. Linden, but leaning 
 forward towards the young enemy of Peter the Great, she 
 said in her sweet tones, 
 
 " Will you come ?" 
 
 Charles twelfth looked up at her rather earnestly, though 
 his finger was in his mouth the while ; and then having 
 ended his scrutiny gave a grave little nod of assent, and 
 moved round and stood at her side. 
 
 " Look here," said Faith, " don t you want to shew me 
 how the sunflowers grow in your garden ?" 
 
 " They hain t mine " said Charles twelfth. " I ll shew 
 you my house if he ll let me go." 
 
 That difficulty being got over, Charles twelfth trotted out 
 of the front door, and on through the long grass, to a re 
 markable edifice of clam shells, broken earthenware, moss 
 and corn cobs, which was situated close by the fence. 
 Faith commented and asked questions, till she had made 
 herself slightly familiar to the young woodsman s mind ; 
 and then it was agreed that he should come Sunday morn 
 ing bright and early to Mrs. Derrick s and he and Faith 
 would go to Sunday school together. By the time this 
 arrangement was thoroughly entered into, the summons 
 came to tea. 
 
 " Now do just set down and make yourselves at home," 
 said Mrs. Seacomb, " and eat as if you were home too. 
 Faith," she added in a good sized whisper " I did like to 
 forgot all about it! and your mother could have telled 
 me, too, but you ll do just as well, does he always take 
 cold pork and potatoes to his supper ?" 
 
 Faith s eyes involuntarily opened ; then as the meaning 
 of this appeal broke upon her she answered with a very 
 decided "No, ma am." 
 
 " Cause we ve got some handy," Mrs. Seacomb said. 
 "Now Mr. Simpson, he staid with us a spell, and he 
 couldn t do without it if I had pound cake and plum cake 
 and mince pie for supper, it made no differ and if there 
 warn t but one cold potato in the house it made none 
 
 8* 
 
90 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 either ; he wanted that just the same. To be sure he was 
 easy suited. And I didn t know but all school teachers 
 was the same way. I never had much experience of em. 
 Genevievy -just lock the front door and then the children 
 can t get in, the back door is locked. I do take to peace 
 and quiet !" 
 
 " Is Charles twelfth much like his brothers and sisters, 
 ma am ?" said Mr. Linden. 
 
 " Well no " said Mrs. Seacomb, dealing out blackberry 
 jam, " he always was an uncommon child. The rest s all 
 real sponsible, but there s none of em alike but Americus 
 Yespucus. It s fresh, Faith the children picked the 
 blackberries in Captain Samp s lot. Charles twelfth does 
 act sometimes as if he was helped. I thought he took a 
 turn awhile ago, to behave like the rest but he s reacted." 
 And having emptied the dish of jam Mrs. Seacornb began 
 upon the cheese. 
 
 " Which is Americus ?" said Faith. "Is he older or 
 younger than Charles twelfth Mrs. Seacomb ?" 
 
 "Well he s older," said Mrs. Seacomb; "that s him," 
 she added, as a loud rattling of the back door was followed 
 in an incredibly short space of time by a similar rattling at 
 the front, after which came the clatter of various sticks 
 and clods at the window. 
 
 " I guess you won t care about seem him nearer," said 
 Mrs. Seacomb, stirring her tea composedly. " Only don t 
 nobody open the door I do love peace and quiet. They 
 won t break the window, cause they know they d catch it 
 if they did." 
 
 " Children is a plague, I do s pose," remarked Genevieve. 
 " Is your tea agreeable, sir ?" 
 
 Which question Mr. Linden waived by asking another, 
 and the meal proceeded with a peace and quietness which 
 suited no ideas but Mrs. Seacoinb s. At last tea was 
 over; the ladies put on their bonnets again, and the old 
 horse being roused from his meditations, the party set for 
 ward on their pleasant way home. 
 
 Doubly pleasant now, for the sun was just setting; the 
 air was fresher, and the glow of the sunset colours put a 
 new glory upon all the colours of earth. And light aad 
 shadow made witching work of the woody road as long as 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 91 
 
 the glow lasted. Then the colours faded, the shadows 
 spread ; grey gathered where orange and brown had been ; 
 that glory was gone ; and then it began to be shewn, little 
 by little, as the blue also changed for grey, that there is 
 "another glory of the stars." And then presently, above 
 the trees that shaded Mrs. Seacomb s retreat, the moon 
 rose full and bright and laid her strips of silver under the 
 horse s feet. 
 
 Were they all exhausted with their afternoon s work ? or 
 was this shifting scene of colour and glory enough to busy 
 their minds ? Mr. Linden found his way along the road 
 silently, and the two ladies, behind him seemed each to be 
 wrapped in her own thoughts; and moonlight and star 
 light favoured that, and so on they jogged between the 
 shadowy walls of trees tipped and shimmering with light, 
 and over those strips of silver on the road. Out of the 
 woods at last, on the broad, full-lit highway; past one 
 farm and house after another, lights twinkling at them 
 from the windows ; and then their own door with its moon 
 lit porch. 
 
 The old horse would stand, no fear; the reins were 
 thrown over his back, and the three went in together. As 
 Mrs. Derrick passed on first and the others were left be 
 hind in the doorway, Faith turned and held out her 
 hand. 
 
 "Thank you, Mr. Linden !" she said softly. 
 
 He took the hand, and inquired gravely, "whether she 
 was taking leave of him for the rest of his natural life ?" 
 
 Faith s mood had probably not been precisely a merry 
 one when she began ; but her low laugh rung through the 
 nail at that, and she ran in. 
 
CHAPTER IX. 
 
 MR. SIMLINS stood on his doorstep and surveyed such 
 portion of his fair inheritance as his eye could reach 
 from that point. Barns and outhouses already in good order, 
 Mr. Simlins favoured with a mental coat of paint ; fences 
 were put up and gate-posts renewed, likewise in imagina 
 tion. Imagination went further ; and passed from the stores 
 of yellow grain concealed by those yellow clapboards, to 
 the yellow stubble-fields whence they had come; so that 
 on the whole Mr. Simlins took rather a glowing view of 
 things, considering that it was not yet sunrise. The cloud 
 less October sky above his head suggested only that it 
 would be a good day for digging potatoes, the white frost 
 upon the ground made Mr. Simlins guess it was about time 
 to be lookin after chestnuts. The twitter of the robins 
 brought to mind the cherries they had stolen, the exquisite 
 careering of a hawk in the high blue ether, spoke mourn 
 fully of a slaughtered chicken : the rising stir of the morning 
 wind said plainly as a wind could (in its elegant language) 
 that if it was goin to blow at that rate, it would be plaguey 
 rough goin after round clams. With which reflection, Mr. 
 Simlins turned about and went in to his early breakfast of 
 pork and potatoes, only, as he was not a teacher, they 
 were hot and not cold. 
 
 Thus pleasantly engaged discussing his breakfast, Mr. 
 Simlins was informed by one of his help, that a boy wanted 
 to see him. Which was no uncommon occurrence, for all 
 the boys about Pattaquasset liked Mr. Simlins. 
 
 "Just as lieves see him as not," said Mr. Simlins "if he 
 don t want my breakfast. Come in, there, you 1" 
 
 And Dromy Tuck presented himself. 
 
 " Early bird catches the worm, " said Mr. Simlims. 
 "Don t want my breakfast, Dromy, do you?" 
 
 "Had mine afore I started," replied Dromy. "But the 
 thing s here. Mr. Linden says as how we wants your 
 nuts off o them trees over to Neanticut and he says if 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 93 
 
 you don t want era, why it ll fit, he says. And if you do, 
 why you may keep era that s all." 
 
 " What s Mr. Linden goin to do with the nuts, s pos n 
 he gets em ?" 
 
 "He aint agoin to get em," said Droiny "it s us ; 
 us and him. You see we did somethin to please him, and 
 so now he said as how he d like to do somethin to please 
 us, if he only kuowed what it was. And there wa n t a boy 
 of the hull on em as didn t say he d rather go after nuts 
 than any other livin thing whatsomedever." 
 
 "And now I s pose you re askin for them particular 
 nuts to please me. It s a round game we re on," said Mr. 
 Simlins. " How re you goin to get to Neanticut ? same 
 way Jack went up his bean ? won t pay." 
 
 " He didn t tell "said Dromy. "He don t say every 
 thing to oncet, commonly." 
 
 " When you goin ?" 
 
 " Don know, sir. Mr. Linden said as how we d better 
 go afore the nuts did. And Saturday aint fur off." 
 
 " Saturday well ! You tell Mr. Linden, if he ll send 
 Reuben Taylor here Saturday morning, he can take the big 
 wagon ; it ll hold the hull on ye, and I guess I ll do with 
 out the team ; and if he wants to go into the old house 
 and make a lire in case you want something to eat afore 
 you get home, there s not a soul in it and no wood nother 
 but you can pick it up; and I ll give Reuben the key. 
 Now don t you splice the two ends o that together by the 
 way. " 
 
 Great was the stir in a certain stratum of Pattaquasset 
 that day ! Many and startling were the demands for pies, 
 cheese, and gingerbread, to be answered on the ensuing 
 Saturday. Those good housewives who had no boys at 
 school or elsewhere, thought it must be real good fun to 
 help them get ready for such a frolic, those who had 
 boys wished they had none ! As to the rest, the disturb 
 ance spread a little (as disturbances are wont) "from its 
 proper sphere of action. Two boys even invaded Mrs. 
 Derrick s peaceful dwelling, and called down Faith from 
 conquering Peru. These were Reuben Taylor and Joe 
 Deacon ; for Joe with a slight variation of the popular 
 adage, considered that once a scholar, always a scholar. 
 
94 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 Reuben seemed inclined on his part to leave the present 
 business in Joe s hands, but a sharp nudge from that young 
 gentleman s elbow admonished him not only to speak but 
 to speak quickly. Reuben modestly preferred his modest 
 request, guiltless of any but the most innocent arrangement 
 of his words. 
 
 " We boys are all going over to Neanticut nutting, next 
 Saturday, Miss Faith," he said, "and we thought as Mr. 
 Linden was going, maybe you d like to go too and we d 
 all enjoy it a great deal more." 
 
 "There -aint room in the wagon," put in Joe "but I 
 s pose you kin fix that." 
 
 "Joe!" said Reuben flushing up. "There s plenty of 
 room, Miss Faith there isn t one of us that wouldn t find 
 it, somehow. I could walk easy enough, I know that." 
 
 Faith flushed up too on her part a little, unconsciously; 
 and asked who else was going. 
 
 "Sam aint" said Joe, as if that was all he cared 
 about. 
 
 " Only the boys, Miss Faith," said Reuben with another 
 glance at his comrade. " But it s a pretty place over there, 
 and so s the ride. There s room for Mrs. Derrick too if 
 she d like it," Reuben added, "I suppose we shall be gone 
 all day." 
 
 "It s very good of you to come and ask me, both of you," 
 said Faith, evidently in perplexity; "and I should like to 
 go dearly if I can, Reuben but I am afraid I can t. I am 
 glad if the wagon s big enough to hold you all without me. 
 You ll have a great time." 
 
 "You may say that I" said Joe while Reuben looked 
 down, disappointed. 
 
 "We didn t know whether you would," he said "but Mr. 
 Linden said you wouldn t be displeased at our asking. We 
 asked him first, Miss Faith or we shouldn t have made so 
 free. And you shall have some of the nuts, anyway !" 
 
 A littTe cheered with which view of the subject, Reuben 
 made his bow, and Joe Deacon whistled after him out of 
 the gate. 
 
 Faith looked after them, disappointed too. There was a 
 grave set of the lines of her mouth, and it was with rather 
 a thoughtful face that she looked down the road for a min- 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 95 
 
 nte. Then remembering the volume of Prescott in her hand, 
 which her finger still kept open, she went up stairs again and 
 set herself down to finish her treasure. Faith s reading- 
 place, it must be known, was no other than a deep window- 
 seat in Mr. Linden s room. That was a large, old-fashioned 
 room, as has been said, with brown wainscottings and cornei 
 and window cupboards ; and having on two sides a pleasant 
 exposure, the light generally made it a winsome place to 
 look at. Now, in this October weather, it came in mellow 
 and golden from a softened sun and changing foliage ; the 
 brown wood and white walls and dark old furniture and 
 rich bindings of books, all mingled in the sunlight to make 
 a rich sunny picture. 
 
 There were pictures outside too and pleasant ones. From 
 the south window, straight down the street, the houses and 
 trees and the brown spire of the Methodist church stretched 
 away roofs and $a*ble ends and the enormous tufty heads 
 of the elm trees that half hung over them. At the back 
 of these houses, the eye went uninterruptedly over meadows 
 and fields to the belt of woods which skirted at a little dis 
 tance the line of the shore from the Lighthouse to Barley 
 Point here and there a break through which a schooner 
 might be seen standing up or down the Sound ; elsewhere 
 only its topsails might be discerned above the woods. The 
 western window took in the break where Barley Point lay ; 
 and further on in the southwest a distant glimpse of the 
 Sound, with the little brown line of Monongatesak Point. 
 The lane leading to the shore ran off due west, with houses, 
 gardens, orchards, bordering it and spotting the country 
 generally. A fair country level and rich all the range 
 west and northwest was uninterrupted smooth fields; the 
 eye had full sweep to the wide horizon ; the dotting of trees, 
 barns and houses, only enriched it, giving the sweet air of 
 peaceful and happy occupation. 
 
 Faith s place was the deep low sill, or seat, of that west 
 ern window. There often Faith s book rested, while on the 
 floor before it the reader sat. This time the book was near 
 finished, and a few more leaves turned over changed the 
 near into quite . Faith stood then considering the books. 
 The name of Prescott on another volume had tempted her, 
 for she had taken it down and considered the title pagej 
 
96 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 before settling to it, Faith laid her hand on one of another 
 set not yet much examined; a set of particular outside 
 beauty. But what was the inside ? For Faith stood by 
 the cupboard door, not looking here and there, but leaf by 
 leaf walking into the middle of the book. Faith rested the 
 volume on the shelf arid turned over more leaves; and at 
 last dropped down by her window seat, laid the book there, 
 put her cheek on her hand as usual, a cheek already flushed, 
 and lost herself in the very beams of the afternoon sun. 
 
 It might have been a dream, it might have been a vision 
 (only that vision it was not) it might have been reality ; 
 wrapped up in her book, what should Faith know ? Yet 
 when some crisis was turned over with the leaf, and the real 
 world began to supplant the unreal, Faith started up and 
 looked round. Had she heard a step ? a rustling of paper 
 on the table ? The door was firmly shut, the shadowy cor 
 ner near by had lost the sunbeams, but w~as else unchanged ; 
 the table looked just as before unless Had there been a 
 letter lying there when she came in ? Faith never could tell. 
 
 The door opened now, however, and Mrs. Derrick en 
 tered peering in somewhat anxiously. 
 
 "Why here you are, pretty child !" she said, " I began to 
 think you were lost ! Mrs. Somers has been here, and so s 
 Miss Harrison, and they wanted to see you ever so much. 
 I don t think that s a good cheese we cut last night, Faith, 
 I guess I ll cut another." 
 
 Faith was an image of innocent guilt ; and without 
 daring to ask if it was tea-time, she ran down stairs. Her 
 mother followed and stood by, not with any thought of 
 overseeing but for the pleasure thereof. 
 
 "Well child," she said, "are you learning all the world 
 up? What s in the oven now?" 
 
 " Don t you think that is good ?" 
 
 The question had reference to the freshly cut cheese, of 
 which Faith presented her mother with a small morsel. 
 Mrs. Derrick tasted critically, but the first topic was the 
 most interesting. 
 
 " What s made your cheeks burn ?" she said laying her 
 hand softly against the rose-colour. " If you re going to 
 study yourself into a fever, Faith, fm not going to stand 
 by and see it." 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 97 
 
 " No fear, mother. I forgot myself. Is Mr. Linden come 
 : n ?" 
 
 " He must be he always is by this time. Miss Harrison 
 says the Doctor s got back, Faith." 
 
 Faith took up her cheese and walked in with it. The 
 tea-table stood alone. But the tea hour being come, and 
 Mr. Linden known to be surely there within five minutes 
 of the tea hour, the tea was made and not a minute too 
 soon. 
 
 Faith was not on this occasion talkative, nor anybody 
 else. The meal proceeded rather silently. Spoons spoke 
 in low tones, knives made themselves busy; and Cindy put 
 her head in at the door and withdrew it with the mental 
 ejaculation, 
 
 " My I if they baint settin there yet !" 
 
 At this point Mr. Linden spoke. "And so, Miss Faith, 
 you have no fancy for nuts to crack ?" 
 
 Faith flushed a little and hesitated. 
 
 " I didn t say so, Mr. Linden." 
 
 " Have you any dislike to Neanticut ?" 
 
 " Not the least," she said laughing. 
 
 " I dare not go further, and inquire as to the company. 
 Don t you know how to drive, Miss Faith ?" 
 
 "And what if I do ?" said Faith. 
 
 " Is there any insuperable objection to your driving Mrs. 
 Derrick over to Neanticut Saturday morning ? It would be 
 so comfortable to know there were people there and fires 
 in case it was a cold morning," said Mr. Linden demurely. 
 " I could send Reuben with you, and the key." 
 
 " that s good !" cried Faith clapping her hands. 
 " Mother, will you go ?" 
 
 " Why don t I always, just where you want me to, child ?" 
 said her mother. " I should like to go to Neanticut, be 
 sides. I haven t been there this long while. But I guess 
 you and I can open the house, Faith, without Reuben 
 Taylor." 
 
 "After all, Mr. Linden," said Faith, " there is a great 
 objection to my driving mother over there, because she li 
 drive me." 
 
 " There is a great objection to your opening the hou-a.- 
 for Reuben has the key or will have it ; and keys you 
 
 VOL. i. 9 
 
98 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 know, are matters of trust, and not transferable. I don t 
 know but Mr. Simlins would make an exception- in your 
 favour, but 1 shall riot ask him." 
 
 " I am glad to have Reuben along," said Faith. "And 
 I suppose we must take our dinner with us, Mr. Linden ?" 
 
 " I have no doubt there will be dinner enough from other 
 quarters," he answered, "but how much of it will be like 
 Mrs. Seacornb s tea I cannot say. I think it would be safe 
 to take a very little basket such as would suffice for two 
 ladies " 
 
 " with Reuben we can manage nicely," said Faith joy 
 ously. He looked at her pleased with her pleasure. 
 
 "Don t make any grand preparation for me," he said, 
 "you know I must eat in commons for the same reason that 
 I cannot offer to drive you over." 
 
 " Does that mean that you will have to take a piece out 
 of everybody s basket?" 
 
 "As near as possible !" 
 
 Faith shook her head, but made no further remark. 
 
 Early Saturday morning, before any other steps had 
 brushed the dew from the grassy roadside, Reuben Taylor 
 was on his way from the rocky coast point where he lived 
 to- the smooth well-ordered abode of Mr. Simlins. Receiv 
 ing from that gentleman the key of the old house at Nean- 
 ticut, and having harnessed the horses to the big wagon 
 under his special directions, Reuben drove down to the 
 village, put horses and wagon in safe keeping, and reported 
 himself at Mrs. Derrick s. All things there being in readi 
 ness, that small turnout was soon on its way ; leaving Mr. 
 Linden to look after his own much larger consignment. 
 And despite the presence of Reuben Mrs. Derrick chose to 
 drive; because, as she said, "when she had the reins in her 
 own hands, she knew which way the horse was going." 
 
 The road for awhile went on towards Mrs. Seacomb s, but 
 passing the turn into the woods kept on its uneven way to 
 the ferry. The natural hedges all glittering with dew 
 shewed little colour but in the leaves. The fair clethra and 
 the sweet clematis had ended their short reign and were 
 gone, and high-coloured sumachs flamed out in insurrection. 
 Now the country became more hilly, and where the eastern 
 portion of Pattaquasset lay close upon the Mong, the road 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 99 
 
 went down by a succession of steep pitches to its shore 
 Then the road ran on through a sort of half drained marsh 
 varied in its course by holes and logs and a little bridge, 
 a-nd then they were at the ferry. 
 
 Now the ferry between Pattaquasset and Neanticnt was 
 and is, as I trust it will always be propelled by wind power. 
 No plodding horses to distract one s eyes from the surround 
 ing peace, no puffing steam to break with its discord the 
 sweet rush of the water, but a large, flat-bottomed boat, 
 a white sail, and a Yankee steersman. The only evil attend 
 ant upon these advantages is, that the establishment cannot 
 be upon both sides at once and that the steersman, like 
 other mortals, must take his dinner. This time it happened 
 to be breakfast; for having been much interrupted and 
 called for at the hour when he should have taken that refresh 
 ment, long Tim declared "he would have it now, and no 
 mistake !" The little fact that two ladies were waiting for 
 him on the other side, did not in the least affect his appetite 
 or his deliberation. 
 
 " Faith," said her mother when they had waited about a 
 quarter of an hour, "if tother wagon should catch up we 
 shouldn t get there first !" 
 
 Faith laughed and said, "Well, mother!" 
 
 "Well, child," said her mother cheerfully, while Reuben 
 waved fresh signals to the obdurate ferryman, " I m sure I 
 ioii t mind, if you don t." 
 
 "He s coming out now!" said Reuben, "or his wife is 
 and that s just as good." 
 
 And so it appeared ; for a short vision of a red petticoat 
 and blue jacket on the other bank, was followed by the ferry 
 man himself, the white sail rose up above the little boat, 
 and she floated smoothly over. Then Mrs. Derrick drove 
 carefully across the boat bridge, and long Tim pushed off 
 into the stream. How pretty it was ! the winding river 
 above, with its woody banks, and villages, and spires ; and 
 its broader bends below, towards the Sound. They were 
 about midway in the stream when Reuben suddenly cried 
 out 
 
 "Look, Miss Faith!" 
 
 And there came the great wagon, at not the slowest 
 possible rate, over the long marsh road. 
 
100 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 The first sight of the ferryboat and her freight was the 
 signal for a simultaneous shout from the whole wagon load 
 which long Tim took for a summons to himself. 
 
 " Taint no sort o use hollerin like that," he said, with a 
 little turn of his steering oar ; " cause I aint a goin back 
 till I get somewheres to go back from nor then neither 
 mabbe. I kin count dollars whar they kint count cents, 
 neow." 
 
 And neow the little wagon was beyond pursuit, up 
 the hill from the ferry, on over the farm road, drove Mrs. 
 Derrick somewhat at the quickest ; until the old unten- 
 anted house rose just before them, and Reuben sprang down 
 to take the reins and help the ladies out 
 
 It was a pleasant old "farmhouse that, in spite of its de 
 serted condition. They went to the kitchen, bright with 
 windows looking out to grass fields and trees. Mrs. Der 
 rick stood at open door and window, recalling scenes and 
 people she remembered there, or watching for the big 
 wagon to make its appearance ; while Reuben arid Faith 
 went to the outhouses, and finally by dint of perseverance 
 found a supply of wood in an old rotten tumbled-down 
 fence. Mrs. Derrick proclaimed that the wagon was com 
 ing, as the foragers returned ; but there was a splendid 
 blaze going up chimney before the aforesaid conveyance 
 drew up at the door, and the whole first party turned out 
 to see it unload. 
 
 The wagon was unloaded in the twinkling of an eye ; 
 then came rummaging for baskets ; then so many boys and 
 so many baskets hopped and hummed round, like a little 
 bevy of wasps with nothing at least of the bee business- 
 character about them. 
 
 " Mr. Linden, be we going to stop here ?" 
 
 " Is here where the trees be, Mr. Linden ?" 
 
 " Mr. Linden, Joe Deacon aint behaving nohow !" 
 
 " Mr. Linden, will we leave our baskets and come back 
 to the house ? or will they be to go along ?" inquired a 
 more sober tongue. 
 
 While others were giving their opinion in little asides 
 that it was prime and fust-r.ate and arguing the com 
 parative promise of chestnut and hickory trees. And one 
 of the bigger boys of the party, not distinguished for his 
 
SAY AND SEAL. ., ;0; 
 
 general good qualities, sidling up to Reuben, accosted him 
 under breath with a sly, 
 
 " So you druv Mr. Linden s sweetheart. Aint you 
 spry 1" 
 
 If Reuben had been in that line, he would probably have 
 sent the offender head first down the bank, as it was, he 
 said quietly, 
 
 " I wouldn t let Mr. Linden hear me say that, Phil, if I 
 was you." 
 
 "Don t mean ter. Aint you great! But I say, Joe 
 Deacon says you did." 
 
 " Joe Deacon s made a mistake for once in his life," said 
 Reuben rather contemptuously " and it isn t the first, by 
 several." 
 
 " Reuben," said Mr. Linden approaching the group, 
 " you may all go and find where the best trees are, and then 
 come back and report to me. I put you in charge. Under 
 stand" he added, raising his voice a little, " Reuben Tay 
 lor is leader of the search whoever does not obey his 
 orders, does not obey mine." And in a minute the court 
 yard was clear. Then Mr. Linden turned and walked up 
 to the house. 
 
 " Now what are you ladies going to do with yourselves ?" 
 lie said. " Will you come out and sit under the trees and 
 look on taking the chance of being hit by a stray nut now 
 and then ?" 
 
 " We can t go wrong to-day," said Faith, with whom the 
 spirit of enjoyment was well at play. "When mother feels 
 in the mood of it we ll come. We can find you we know 
 where to look. Weren t you obliged to us for doing the 
 waiting at the ferry ?" 
 
 "And for looking so picturesque in the distance, it was 
 quite a thing to be grateful for. I think you will have no 
 difficulty in finding where we are there will be noise 
 enough to guide you. I hope you have not brought a book 
 along, Miss Faith." 
 
 " Why, Mr. Linden ?" 
 
 " The running brooks are good letter-press," he said 
 " and the grey stones, and that white oak in the meadow. 
 And is not that woodpecker a pretty illustration ?" 
 
 " I have looked at them often," said Faith. " I don t 
 
AND SEAL. 
 
 know- how to read them as you do. There isn t any brook 
 here, though, that I know of, but Kildeer river. You ll 
 like Neanticut, Mr. Linden. I m so glad you let us come. 
 I ll read everything that I can." 
 
 " I don t know how long everything ll last you, child 
 at the rate you ve gone on lately," said Mrs. Derrick who 
 stood in the doorway. 
 
 Faith smiled again, and shook her head a little at the 
 same time as her eye went from the woodpecker to the 
 green leaves above his head, then to the bright red of some 
 pepperidge trees further off, to the lush grass of the 
 meadow, and on to the soft brownish, reddish, golden hues 
 of distant woodland. Her eye came back as from a book 
 it would take long to read thoroughly. 
 
 " I am so glad it is such a day !" she repeated. 
 
 " I see my boys are coming back," Mr. Linden said, with 
 a smile which hardly belonged to them, " I must go and 
 get their report. Au revoir, Miss Faith." And he went 
 forward into the midst of the little swarm so manageable 
 in his hands, so sure to sting anybody else. 
 
 " Child," said Mrs. Derrick, looking over Faith s head 
 from her more elevated position of the door-sill (looking 
 at it too); " Child, why don t you get " and there, for 
 the first and last time in her life, Mrs. Derrick stopped 
 short in the middle of a sentence. 
 
 "What, mother?" 
 
 But Mrs. Derrick replied not. 
 
 " What do you want me to get, mother ?" 
 
 " I don t know as I want you to get anything, child 
 you ve got enough now for me. Not that he wouldn t like 
 it, either," said Mrs. Derrick musingly "because if he 
 wouldn t, / wouldn t give much for him. But I guess it s 
 just as well not." And Mrs Derrick stroked her hand 
 fondly over Faith s head, and told her that if she stood out 
 there without a bonnet she would get sunburnt. 
 
 " But mother !" said Faith at this enigmatical speech, 
 " what do you mean ? Who wouldn t like what ?" 
 
 " What does it signify, child ? since I didn t say it ?" 
 
 "But mother," persisted Faith gently, "what had I 
 better get that I haven t ?" 
 
 " I don t know as you had better get it, child and I 
 9* 
 
SAY AND SEAL. * 103 
 
 never said he wouldn t like it, I m sure," said Mrs. Derrick 
 with a little self-vindication. 
 
 " Who, mother?* 
 
 Why nobody," said Mrs. Derrick," who s talking of 
 anybody ?" 
 
 " Dear mother," said Faith, " don t you mean to tell me 
 what you mean ?" 
 
 "I guess it s just as well not," her mother repeated. 
 " The fact that he d like it don t prove anything." 
 
 Faith looked at her, coloured a little, laughed a little, 
 and gave up the point. 
 
 The morning passed on its pleasant way in quietness ; at 
 least with the old farmhouse and its two occupants. Mrs. 
 Derrick was not without her knitting, and having come 
 from the door sat comfortably click-clacking her needles 
 together and her thoughts too perhaps before the cheer 
 ful blaze of the fence sticks. -Faith had a book with her 
 a little one with which she sat in the kitchen doorway, 
 which looked towards the direction the nut party had 
 taken; and apparently divided her attention between that 
 volume and the one Mr. Linden had recommended. For 
 she looked down at the one and looked off at the other by 
 turns, in a sort of peaceful musing and note-taking, alto 
 gether suited to the October stillness and beauty. Now 
 and then she got up to replenish the fire. And then the 
 beauty and her musing got the better of the reading, and 
 Faith sat with her book in her hand, looking out into the 
 dream-provoking atmosphere. No sound came from the 
 far-off nut trees ; the crickets and grasshoppers and katy 
 dids alone broke the stillness of the unused farm. Only 
 they moved, and the wind-stirred leaves, and the slow- 
 creeping shadows. 
 
 When these last were but an hour s length from the tree 
 stems, Faith proposed an adjournment to the nut trees 
 before the party should come back to lunch. The fire was 
 mended, the pot of coffee put on to warm ; and they locked 
 the door and set out. 
 
 It was not hot that day, even under the meridian sun. 
 They crossed an orchard, and one or two farm fields, on the 
 skirts of which grew single trees of great beauty. White 
 oaks that had seen hundreds of years, yet stood in as fresh 
 
104 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 and hale green youth as the upstart of twenty ; sometimes 
 a hemlock or a white pine stretching its lithe branches far 
 and wide and generously allowed to do so in despite of 
 pasture and crops. Then came broken ground, and beyond 
 this a strip of fallow at the further border of which stood 
 a continuous wall of woodland, being in fact the crest of 
 the bank of the little river Faith had referred to. 
 
 And now, and truly for one or two fields before, the 
 shouts and cries of the nut-hunters rang through the air. 
 For just edging, and edging into, the border of trees last 
 spoken of, were the great chestnuts and hickories ; awd 
 underneath and among them many little dark spots were 
 flying about ; which spots, as Mrs. Derrick and Faith came 
 up, enlarged into the familiar outlines of boys caps, 
 jackets, and trowsers, and ran about on two legs apiece, 
 
CHAPTER X. 
 
 rpHE two ladies paused at a safe distance, there seemed 
 1 to be nothing but boys astir boys and nuts; and 
 these last not dropping from the tree, but thrown from hand 
 to hand (hand to head would be more correct) of the busy 
 throng. Some picking up, some throwing stones to bring 
 down, others at some flat stone shucking, others still filling 
 their baskets. And four boys out of five, cracking and 
 eating whatever else they were about. The grass, trodden 
 down by the many feet, lay in prostrate shadow at the foot 
 of the great tree ; and the shadows of other trees fell and 
 met in soft wavy outline. From the side of one old tree a 
 family of grey squirrels looked out, to see the besiegers lay 
 waste the surrounding country; in the top of another a 
 tall hickory, full clad with golden leaves, Mr. Linden sat 
 to view the same country himself; well knowing that he had 
 
 fiven the boys full occupation for at least fifteen minutes. 
 [e was not very visible from below, so thickly did the gold 
 leaves close him in ; but Faith heard one of the boys call 
 out, 
 
 "You Johnny Fax! if you throw stones in that tree, 
 you ll hit Mr. Linden." 
 
 " Trust Johnny Fax for not never throwin so high as he 
 is," said Joe Deacon. 
 
 " I don t want to " said Johnny Fax " I don t want to 
 fetch him down." 
 
 Whereupon there was a general shout, and "Guess you d 
 better not, Johnny !" " He might come, if you didn t just 
 hit him," vociferated from various quarters. 
 
 " My!" Mrs. Derrick said, surveying the golden hickory, 
 " how on earth did he ever get up ? And how do you s pose, 
 Faith, he ll ever get down !" 
 
 Faith s low laugh was her only answer ; but it would have 
 told, to anybody who could thoroughly have translated it, 
 Faith s mind on both points 
 
 Apparently he was in no haste to come down certainly 
 
 (106) 
 
106 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 meant to send the nuts first ; for a sudden shower of hickory 
 nuts and leaves swept away every boy from the tree near 
 which Faith and her mother stood, and drew them all into 
 its vortex. Drop, drop, the nuts came down, with their 
 sweet patter upon the grass; while the golden leaves fell 
 singly or in sprays, or floated off upon the calm air. 
 
 " Child," said Mrs. Derrick, "how pretty it is ! I haven t 
 seen such a sight since since a long while ago," she added 
 with a sobering face. 
 
 "I want to be there under the tree," said Faith looking 
 on enviously. "No mother and I haven t seen it before in 
 a long time, either. It s as pretty as it can be !" 
 
 "Run along then, child," said her mother, "only take 
 care of your eyes. Why shouldn t you ? I don t want to 
 pick up nuts myself, but I ll go down and pick you up." 
 
 Faith however kept away from the crowd under the hick 
 ory tree ; and went peering about under some others where 
 the ground was beaten and the branches had been, and soon 
 found enough spoil to be hammering away with a stone on 
 a rock like the rest. But she couldn t escape the boys so, 
 for little runners came to her constantly. One brought a 
 handful of nuts, another a better stone while a third told 
 her of lots under the other tree ; and Reuben Taylor was 
 ready to crack or climb as she chose to direct. 
 
 "If you ll come down the other side, Miss. Faith," said 
 Reuben, "down by the bank, you could see it all a great 
 deal better." 
 
 Faith seized two or three nuts and jumped up, and Reu 
 ben led the way through the leaf-strewn grass to the other 
 side of the mob. But mobs are uncertain things ! No 
 sooner was Faith seen approaching the hickory, though yet 
 full three feet from the utmost bound of its shadow, than 
 a sudden pause in the great business of the day was followed 
 by such a tumultuous shout of "Three cheers for Miss 
 Faith Derrick! the prettiest girl in Pattaquasset!" that 
 she was well nigh deafened. And promptly upon that, Joe 
 Deacon stepped up to Reuben and whispered, 
 
 "That 1 }], fetch him down!" 
 
 Faith did not hear the words she only heard Reuben s 
 indignant, 
 
 "Joe Deacon! behave yourself. What makes you 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 107 
 
 always leave your manners home ? that big basket of 
 yours would have held em all, easy." 
 
 " I didn t know but Sam might want em," replied the 
 unabashed Joe, dashing back into the midst of his com 
 pardons, while Reuben at last reached the pretty look-out 
 at the edge of the woods where Faith could see the whole 
 meadow and its scattered trees. And having placed her 
 there ran off again. Standing half hidden by the oaks and 
 chestnuts, she could see the whole group clustering about 
 the climber now, for he had come down from his high post. 
 
 "Boys," he said, "I am going back to the house to din 
 ner. Any boy who prefers nuts to dinner may stay and 
 pick them up." 
 
 A sudden recollection came over Faith that her fire was 
 probably well down and coffee not in a state presentable. 
 Taking a survey of the ground, and calculating that so 
 large a company would want a little time to get under 
 weigh, she slipped round to where her mother sat, and 
 giving her a word, set off fleetly and skilfully under cover 
 of some outstanding chestnuts across the fallow. If she 
 had known it, Faith need not have shunned to shew her 
 running, for prettier running could not be. She was soon 
 hidden in the further woodland. 
 
 The rest of the party took it more leisurely, so their 
 outrunner easily gained her point ; and having put the fire 
 in order stood at the door to watch the progress of the 
 coming invasion. It looked enough like that. For though 
 excellent order of march had been kept for most of the 
 way, the main body of the troops maintaining a proper 
 position in the rear of their captain who was quietly escort 
 ing Mrs. Derrick over the meadows, no sooner did the 
 whole band come in sight of the distant place of lunch 
 baskets, than it became manifest for the hundred thousandth 
 lime that liberty too long enjoyed leads to license. Scat 
 tering a little from the direct line of march, the better to 
 cover their purpose or evade any check thereto, as if by 
 concert, first one and then another set off on a run, 
 sprang the orchard fence, and by the time the mid- 
 orchard was reached all of Mr. Linden s force with the 
 exception of one or two of the very steadiest, were ahead 
 of him and straining in full run, if not in full cry, for the 
 
108 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 now near-at-hand farmhouse quarry. Beyond all call or 
 hindrance. Standing at the kitchen door, Faith watched 
 their coming ; but discerning beyond the runners the one 
 or two figures that did not indeed bring up the rear but 
 that covered it, and supposing that the invaders object was 
 to storm the wagon in which the lunch baskets were hid, 
 she stood her ground ; till she perceived that the foremost 
 of the band were making straight for the kitchen door, and 
 all the rest in their order. Faith gave back a little and 
 the whole horde poured in. The fire was in a brisk blaze ; 
 the table had nice white cups and naperies on it; the nose 
 of the coffee-pot was steaming. It looked altogether an 
 inviting place. Down went hats and caps on the floor, 
 from some of the party, and the whole of them with 
 flushed faces and open mouths took the survey. 
 
 "Ain t it jolly here 1" 
 
 11 1 wonder if he ll let us take our dinner in here. There s 
 lots o room." 
 
 " It s good shady." 
 
 "It s a long sight better under the trees." 
 
 " Coffee ! I m blessed !" said a fifth speaker bending 
 over the fireplace ; while a sixth began slyly to inspect 
 what lay under Faith s napkins on the table. 
 
 " Charley," said Mr. Linden s quiet voice from the door 
 way, " did Miss Derrick desire you to uncover her dishes ?" 
 
 The hand slipped from what it touched, as stealthily the 
 boy s eye went to the face of the speaker, in the one place 
 if not in the other to see what there might be. 
 
 "I will bear witness that you have carried the house," 
 Mr. Linden went on, " now I should like to see you carry 
 the wagon. It will be a more useful enterprise than this. 
 Only remember that one of the first duties of a surprise 
 party is to go forth softly." 
 
 " Where will we carry the wagon to, sir ?" inquired one 
 of the party. 
 
 "As far from the house as you can," said Mr. Linden, 
 with a little glance at Faith. " Come ! be off I great 
 enterprises are never finished till they are begun." 
 
 "I d like to begin dinner, anyhow," said one, catching up 
 h\s cap and leading off. 
 
 As quick and more quick than it had been filled, the 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 109 
 
 room was cleared ; and laughing Faith watched the busy 
 swarm as they poured towards their magazine. Then re 
 membered her own and came back to offer it. 
 
 "You may as well rest, Mr. Linden," said Faith as she 
 offered him a cup of coffee. "I m sure they are all com 
 fortable. Besides, you particularly desired a fire and some 
 body in the house, you know." 
 
 "Miss Faith," he said, (taking the cup however) "I m 
 afraid your notions of duty are very slack 1 What sort of 
 a captain would you make to a beleaguered city ? I shall 
 make you read the story of Catherine Douglass." 
 
 "Will you?" said Faith looking very pleased. "And 
 what is beleaguered, Mr. Linden? in the meantime." 
 
 " Beleaguered means, to be beset with a swarm of in 
 vaders who want to come in and ought to be kept out." 
 
 "I didn t know I ought to keep them out," said Faith 
 laughing, "or I d have done it." 
 
 Mr. Linden shook his head doubtfully. "I saw you give 
 way!" he said, "I doubt whether there was even a show 
 of resistance. Now Catherine Douglass But I must go. 
 No, don t tempt me with apple pie you have no idea of 
 the pies in that wagon. Perhaps if I get successfully 
 through them, I ll come back and dispose of yours. What 
 are you reading to-day? Le Philosophe ?" 
 
 A little soberness came over Faith s smile as she shook 
 her head and said no. 
 
 "I can t stay to ask a question upon that but I ll ask 
 you two by and by to pay for it." 
 
 And he went out to that little cluster of life that hung 
 about the great wagon, making himself at once the centre 
 of pleasure and interest and even fun, as Faith s eye and 
 ear now and then informed her. It was pretty, the way 
 they closed in about him wild and untutored as they were, 
 pretty to see him meet them so easily on their own 
 ground, yet always enticing them towards something better. 
 Mrs Derrick thought so too, for she stood in the doorway 
 and smiled very pleasantly. 
 
 "He s a real nice man, Faith," she said. "I don t won 
 der the boys like him. " 
 
 Faith did not wonder at it, but she did not answer, 
 though she too stood looking. 
 
 VOL. i. 10 
 
^0 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 The ladies had finished their lunch, and Mr. Linden had 
 perhaps not finished his, for he came in again to take 
 another cup of coffee while the boys were disposing of that 
 very ragged piece of time which the end of a boys feast 
 invariably is. So much peace and quietness he gave him 
 self, if he did not give himself a sandwich of which I am 
 not certain. 
 
 "Mr. Linden," said Faith, "I want to ask something 
 will you tell me if you don t like it?" 
 
 "Don t like to have you ask me, do you mean? I do like 
 it." 
 
 "Then," said Faith half laughing, "will you tell me it 
 you don t quite like what I mean ?" 
 
 "I ll see " Mr. Linden replied with a smile. "It s not 
 safe for teachers to commit themselves." 
 
 "But I must commit myself," said Faith. "I want to 
 go and pick up nuts with the boys under the trees may I ?" 
 
 She looked for her answer with ah eye that thought he 
 might possibly find an objection where she saw none. 
 
 He paused a little before he replied, 
 
 "I think you may if I could be among them and 
 answer for their good behaviour I should not need to think 
 about it; but you know a man loses power when he is too 
 far above the heads of his audience. Yet I think I may 
 trust them and you," he added with a little smile. "Espe 
 cially as the first tree touched this afternoon is yours." 
 
 "What does that mean?" said Faith, her doubt all gone. 
 
 "Do you think I shall so far forget my office as to let 
 them pick up nuts for nobody but themselves ? Therefore 
 the first tree this afternoon is for you or if you please for 
 your mother; the second for Mr. Simlins. If that will 
 take away your desire for the fun, why I cannot help it." 
 
 "I have no objection to pick up nuts for mother, noi 
 even for Mr. Simlins," said Faith smiling. "And I am not 
 afraid of the boys I know half of them, you know. 
 Thank you, Mr. Linden!" 
 
 "You might, if I could take you up into the tree-top. 
 There is fine reading on those upper shelves." 
 
 Her eye shewed instantly that she liked that higher fun 
 best not the tree-top, verily, but the reading, that she 
 could not get at. Yet for Faith there were charms plenty 
 
SAY AND SEAL. Ill 
 
 below the tree -tops, in both kinds; and she looked very 
 happy. 
 
 "Well" Mr. Linden said, "as the successful meeting of 
 one emergency always helps us in the next, and as it is 
 quite impossible to tell what you may meet under those nut 
 trees, let me give you a little abstract of Catherine 
 Douglass, before you read it and before I go. The said lady 
 wishing to keep the door against sundry lords and gentle 
 men who came with murderous intent against her sovereign ; 
 and finding no bar to aid her loyal endeavours, did boldly 
 thrust her own arm through the stanchions of the door. 
 To be sure the brave lady s arm was soon broken, but 
 after all, what did that signify ?" 
 
 And with a laughing gesture of farewell, he once more 
 left the house. With which cessation of murmuring voices, 
 Mrs. Derrick awoke from her after dinner nap in the rock 
 ing chair. Faith was standing in the middle of the floor, 
 smiling and looking in a puzzle. 
 
 "Mother, will you go over to the nutting again?" 
 
 "I m a great deal more likely to go to sleep again," said 
 Mrs. Derrick rubbing her eyes. "It s the sleepiest place I 
 ever saw in my life or else it s having nothing to do. I 
 don t doubt you re half asleep too, Faith, only you won t 
 own it." 
 
 The decision was, that Mrs. Derrick preferred to sit 
 quiet in the house ; she said she would maybe run down by 
 and by and see what they were at. So Faith took her sun 
 bonnet, kissed her mother; and went forth with light step 
 over the meadow and through the orchard. 
 
 The nutting party she found a little further on in the 
 same edge of woodland. It seemed that they had pitched 
 upon a great chestnut for her tree ; and Faith was half 
 concerned to see what a quantity of work they had given 
 themselves on her account. However, the proverb of many 
 hands was verified here ; the ground under the chestnut 
 tree was like a colony of ants, while in the capacious head 
 of the tree their captain, established quite at his ease, was 
 whipping off the burrs with a long pole. 
 
 Faith took a general view as she came up, and then fell 
 upon the chestnut burrs like the rest of them; and no boy 
 there worked more readily or joyously. There seemed 
 
112 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 little justification of Mr. Linden s doubts of the boys or 
 fears for her. Faith was everywhere among them, and 
 making Reuben s prophecy true, that they would all enjoy 
 themselves a great deal better for her being there ; throw 
 ing nuts into the baskets of the little boys and pleasant 
 words at the heads of the big ones, that hit softly and did 
 gentle execution ; giving sly handfuls to Reuben, and then 
 hammering out for some little fellow the burrs that her 
 hands were yet more unfit to deal with than his; and doing 
 it all with a will that the very spirit of enjoyment seemed 
 to have moved. She in any danger of rude treatment from 
 those boys ! Nothing further from the truth. And so her 
 happy face informed Mr. Linden, when he at last descended 
 to terra firma out of the stripped chestnut tree. 
 
 He did not say anything, but leaning up against the 
 great brown trunk of the chestnut took a pleased survey of 
 the whole then went to work with the rest. 
 
 "Boys!" he said "aren t there enough of you to open 
 these burrs as fast as Miss Derrick can pick out the nuts ? 
 You should never let a lady prick her fingers when you can 
 prick yours in her place." 
 
 There was a general shout and rush at this, which made 
 Faith give way before it. The burrs disappeared fast ; the 
 brown nuts gathered into an immense heap. That tree 
 was done. 
 
 "Hurrah! for Mr. Simlins!" shouted all the boys, 
 throwing up their caps into the air, then turning somer 
 sets, and wrestling, and rolling over by way of further 
 relief to their feelings. 
 
 "The chestnut beyond that red maple for him," said 
 Mr. Linden, flinging a little stone in the right direction; 
 at which with another shout the little tornado swept away. 
 
 "Will you follow, Miss Faith? or are you tired?" 
 
 "No, I m not tired yet. I must do something for Mr. 
 Simlins." 
 
 "Well don t handle those burrs "he said. "They re 
 worse than darning needles." 
 
 "Have you seen Kildeer river yet, Mr. Linden ?" 
 
 "I have had a bird s eye view." 
 
 Faith looked a little wistfully, but only said, 
 
 "We must look at it after the nutting is done 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 113 
 
 That s a bit of reading hereabout you ought not to pass 
 over." 
 
 "I mean to read everything I can, too," he said with a 
 smile as they reached the tree. 
 
 "Now Mr. Linden," said Joe Deacon, "this tree s a 
 whapper ! How long you suppose it ll take you to go up ? 
 
 "About as long as it would you to come down every 
 one knows how long that would be. Stand out of my way, 
 boys catch all the burrs on your own heads and don t let 
 one fall on Miss Derrick." And amidst the general laugh 
 Mr. Linden swung himself up into the branches in a way 
 that made his words good ; while Joe Deacon whistled and 
 danced Yankee Doodle 7 round the great trunk. 
 
 Half at least of Mr. Linden s directions the boys 
 obeyed; they caught all the burrs they well could, on 
 their own heads. Faith was too busy among them to 
 avoid catching some on her own bright hair whenever her 
 sunbonnet declined to stay on, which happened frequently. 
 The new object lent this tree a new interest of its own, and 
 boys being an untiring species of animals the sport went 
 on with no perceptible flagging. But when this tree too 
 was about half cleared, Faith withdrew a little from the 
 busy rush and bustle, left the chestnuts and chestnut burrs, 
 and sat down on the bank to rest and look. Her eye wan 
 dered to the further woodland, softest of all in hazy veils; 
 to the nearer brilliant vegetation; the open fallow; the 
 wood behind her, where the trees closed in upon eac\. 
 other ; oftenest of all, at the whapper of a tree in which 
 Mr. Linden still kept his place, and at the happy busy 
 sight and sound of all under that tree. 
 
 And so it happened, that when in time Mr. Linden 
 came down out of Mr. Simlins chestnut, besides the boys 
 he found nobody there but Mr. Simlins himself. 
 
 "Well!" said that gentleman after a cordial grasp of 
 the hand, " I reckon, in the matter of nuts you re going 
 to reduce me to penur ousness ! How you like Neanticut ?" 
 
 "It s a fine place," said Mr. Linden. "And for the 
 matter of nuts, you need not take the benefit of the bank 
 rupt act yet, Mr. Simlins." 
 
 "Over here to see a man on business," Mr. Simlins 
 went on in explanation, "and thought I d look at 
 
114 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 you by the way. Don t you want to take this farm of 
 me?" 
 
 "I might want to do it and yet not be able," was the 
 smiling reply ; while one of the smallest boys, pulling the 
 tail of the grey coat which Mr. Simlins wore on business, 
 and pointing to the heap of nuts, said succinctly, 
 
 "Them s yourn !" 
 
 "Mine !" said Mr. Simlins. "Well where s yourn ? What 
 have you done with Miss Faith Derrick?" 
 
 "Why we hain t done nothin to her," said the boy 
 "she s done a heap to us." 
 
 "What has she done to you, you green hickory?" 
 
 "Why she s run round, firstrate," said little Rob, "and 
 she s helped me shuck." 
 
 "So some o you s thanked her. Twan t you. Here, 
 you sir," said Mr. Simlins, addressing this time Joe Dea 
 con, "what have you been doing with Miss Faith Der 
 rick ?" 
 
 "I bain t Sam," was Joe s rather cool rejoinder, with a 
 slight relapsing into Yankee Doodle. 
 
 "Hollo!" said Mr. Simlins "I thought you d learned 
 all school could teach you, and give up to come ?" 
 
 " Only the last part is true, Mr. Simlins," said Mr. Lin 
 den, who while Joe spoke had been himself speaking to 
 one of the other boys. 
 
 Mr. Simlins grunted. "School ain t all nuts to him, " 
 he said with a grim smile. "Well which of you was it? 
 twas a fellow about as big as you here, you sir!" ad 
 dressing in a more assured tone another boy who was swag 
 gering near, "you! what have you been doing to Miss 
 Faith? It was you." 
 
 " Twan t me, notlier!" said the boy surlily; "nor I 
 hain t done nothin ! but minded my own business." 
 
 In a tone which implied that Mr. Simlins was not acting 
 on the same laudable principle. 
 
 "What has been done?" said Mr. Linden. And cer 
 tainly his tone implied that he was minding his own busi 
 ness. 
 
 " Well," said Mr. Simlins, " I don t know as they ve done 
 much of anything; but I guessed they d been givin her 
 some sass or vexiu her somehow; and as she e a kind o 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 115 
 
 favourite o mine it riled me. I was too fur to hear what 
 twas. " 
 
 "Where was she? 
 
 " She was round yonder not fur There had been some 
 sort of a scrimmage, I guess, between two of em, a little 
 one and this fellow; and she parted em. She had hold o 
 this one when I see em first you couldn t have done it 
 better," said Mr. Simlins with a sly cast of his eye; "you 
 can set her to be your vice when you want one. I was 
 comin up from the river, you see, and came up behind em, 
 and I couldn t hear what they said ; but when she let him 
 go, I see her give a kind o sheer look round this way, and 
 then she put up her hand to her cheek and cleared for home 
 like a gazetteer!" said Mr. Simlins, who had given this 
 information in an undertone. "Made straight tracks for 
 the house, I tell ye!" 
 
 "A little one and which one?" was the next inquiry. 
 
 Mr. Simlins went peering about among the crowd and 
 finally laid hold on the identical shoulder of little Johnny 
 Fax. 
 
 "Ain t it you?" said Mr. Simlins. "Ain t that red 
 basket yourn ?" 
 
 Johnny nodded. 
 
 "I knowed the basket," said Mr. Simlins returning. 
 " That s about all that makes the difference between one 
 boy and another ! what sort of a basket he carries. The 
 other fellow is the one I was speakin to first I can -swear 
 to him the big one." 
 
 Mr. Linden took out his watch. 
 
 "Thank you, Mr. Simlins," he said. "Boys it is half 
 past four, get your nuts and baskets and bring them up to 
 the house. Reuben Taylor do you see that it is done." 
 With which words Mr. Linden also made tracks for the 
 house and straight ones, but with not too much notice- 
 taking of the golden leaves under his feet. 
 
 The truth about Faith was this. While sitting on the 
 grass, taking the pleasure of the place and time, the peace 
 was at length broken by discordant sounds in her neighbour 
 hood ; sounds of harsh voices, and scuffling. Looking round 
 for the cause and meaning of all this, she found that the voices 
 came from behind a thicket of sumach and laurel at her 
 
116 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 back, and belonged to some of the boys. Faith went round 
 the thicket. There were a big boy and a little boy tugging 
 at a casket, both tugging; the little fellow holding to it 
 with all his might, while the big boy, almost getting it 
 from him with one hand, was laying the other very freely 
 about his ears and shoulders. Faith heard the little one 
 say, "I ll tell" 
 
 And the other, a boy whose name Faith had learned 
 only that morning, shouted in answer, 
 
 "You tell I You tell if you dare 1 You tell and I ll kill 
 you ! Leave hold !" 
 
 A round blow was given with the words, which told, but 
 the little boy still held on to his basket. 
 
 "For shame, Phil Davids! you a big boy I" said Faith. 
 
 There was a stay of proceedings while they looked at 
 her, both parties keeping fast hold however, and both 
 tongues at once combating for hearing and belief. The 
 little boy, Johnny Fax himself, said the nuts were his; 
 which the elder denied. 
 
 "Let him have his nuts, Phil," said Faith gently. "He 
 must have them they belong to him." 
 
 "He aint a goin ter, though," said Davids, "and you 
 can t do nothin, if you air Mr. Linden s sweetheart. You 
 air Joe Deacon says you be. Leave hold, you ! " 
 
 Thinking Faith quelled perhaps, Phil began the struggle 
 again fiercely, with grappling arid blows. But Faith laid 
 hold suddenly on the arm that was rising the second time, 
 and bade the boy sternly behave himself and let the basket 
 go. It was not immediately done. He had strength much 
 more than hers, but something withheld him from exerting 
 it. Nothing withheld his tongue. 
 
 "Aint you Mr. Linden s sweetheart?" he said insolentlv 
 "Joe Deacon says you be." 
 
 "No sir!" said Faith; "and you are a bad boy." 
 
 "Joe Deacon says you be!" 
 
 But Faith did not relax her hold, and spoke with a steady 
 voice and for that time at least with a steady eye of com 
 mand which was obeyed. 
 
 "Let him go ! Johnny, run off with your basket and be 
 quiet; that s a good boy. Davids, you ll be quiet the rest 
 of the day for your own sake." 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 117 
 
 The boys parted sullenly, Johnny to run off as she had 
 bidden him ; and Faith fumed from the green bank, the nut 
 trees, and the frolic, and laying one hand upon the cheek 
 that faced that way, as if to hide its burning from eyes too 
 far off to see it, she went into the house. 
 
 She put the brands together which had burnt out, and 
 built the fire up on the strictest principles, though no fire 
 was wanted at present ; the day had mellowed into warmth. 
 Perhaps Faith recollected that after she had got through, 
 for she left the fire to take care of itself and sat down 
 again on the doorstep looking towards the nut-tree field. 
 For a good while her cheek wore its troubled flush ; her 
 hand went up to it once or twice as if to cool it off, and 
 her brow bespoke her using other and more effectual 
 measures. , It cooled at last, into complete quietness and 
 sweetness; and Faith s face was just like itself when the 
 first of the party came back from the nut field. 
 
 That first one, as we have seen, was Mr. Linden. He 
 found both the ladies in the farmhouse kitchen; Mrs. Der 
 rick very comfortably at her knitting. Faith was doing 
 nothing; but she looked up, when she looked up, with just 
 her own face ; not certainly in the happy glow he had seen 
 under the nut tree, nor with the sparkle of busy pleasure it 
 had worn in the morning; but as it was every day at home. 
 
 Mr. Linden arranged the fire and then stood considering 
 it or something for a minute in silence ; until Mrs. Der 
 rick inquired "if he had found as much as he expected?" 
 but upon his replying somewhat dryly, "Rather more" the 
 conversation dropped again. 
 
 "You ought to be tired now, Mr. Linden," Faith said 
 gently. 
 
 " I am afraid you are." 
 
 "No," she said, "I am not at all." 
 
 "Well then why shouldn t we have our look at Kildeer 
 river? You said we must." 
 
 "O, if you like it!" said Faith, a bright little tinge of 
 pleasure coming into her cheek, and her sunbonnet was in 
 hand immediately. "But aren t you tired?" she added 
 doubtfully as they were passing out of the door. "You ve 
 been hard at work." 
 
 "You will have to pay for saying you are not, Miss 
 
118 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 Faith, I mean to make you run all the way down to the 
 bank." 
 
 And holding out his hand to her, Mr. Linden half made 
 his threat good; for though his own pace was not much 
 more than a quick walk, by means of skilful short cuts and 
 long steps, Faith had a gentle little run a good part of the 
 way. Not down through the crowd of boys and baskets, 
 but skirting the meadow passing from the shelter of 
 one great tree to another, till they reached the bank and 
 saw the blue waters of Kildeer river at their feet. There 
 she was permitted to sit down and rest. A little laughing 
 and a little flushed, her happy look was almost brought back 
 again. But she sat and gazed down at the pretty stream 
 and its picturesque banks without saying anything; letting 
 Mr. Linden take his own view of them. His own view 
 was a peculiar one to judge by his words. 
 
 "Miss Faith, I suppose you are not much acquainted 
 with law forms, yet you perhaps know that an important 
 witness in an important case, is sometimes put in prison 
 until his evidence is obtained.-" 
 
 Faith looked up at him in pure astonishment, the corners 
 of her mouth indicating that she expected another puzzle, 
 or rather was already engaged in one. The look made 
 his gravity give way a little. 
 
 "I thought you might like to know your position at 
 present," he said- 
 
 "I don t know it yet, Mr. Linden." 
 
 " It is that of the unfortunate prisoner to whom I 
 referred." 
 
 "A prisoner ! " said Faith looking up at him very much 
 amused. "Well, Mr. Linden?" 
 
 He looked amused too, yet with a difference. 
 
 "Well, Miss Faith You are a prisoner, for political 
 purposes. There is no practicable way for you to get 
 back to the house save through the witness-box." 
 
 "Where is the witness-box?" said Faith. 
 
 "Are you in a hurry to be in it?" 
 
 "No," said Faith with a very unshadowed smile, "I am 
 not in a hurry for anything." 
 
 "Then tell me what you have been reading to-day," he 
 said, throwing himself down on the grass beside her. 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 119 
 
 She looked at him, hesitated, then said with a lowered 
 tone, 
 
 "I have been reading what you told me to read and 
 my testament." 
 
 Mr. Linden lifted his hat a little, replaced it rather 
 more down over his brows than before, looking steadily 
 down at Kildeer river the while. 
 
 "Why did you look grave when I asked you if you had 
 brought Le Philosophe ?" 
 
 " I didn t know I did I" said Faith simply. "I had brought 
 only my testament." 
 
 "Only " Mr. Linden repeated. "Well, from only a 
 testament and only such a scene a skilful reader may get 
 much." Then turning and looking her full in the face, he 
 said, "Miss Faith what have those beys done to vex 
 you?" 
 
 A sudden, painful, startled flush answered him. She 
 did not look now; she said earnestly, 
 
 "Please Mr. Linden, don t speak of it!" 
 
 " I must know " was his only answer. 
 
 " No," she said gently but troubled, "you mustn t know, 
 and there is no need you should. There is no need," she 
 repeated eagerly. 
 
 "There is another true little witness I can call upon 
 but I would rather have your account." 
 
 "How did you know? how did you know anything 
 about it?" said Faith, facing round upon him in her 
 turn. 
 
 "Gentlemen of what Miss Danforth is pleased to call 
 my profession must know things occasionally," said Mr. 
 Linden. 
 
 " What do you think you know, Mr. Linden ?" she said a 
 little timidly. 
 
 His answer was gentle though resolute. 
 
 "I don t think 1 know anything. What I know, 1 know 
 what I do not, I will." 
 
 Faith s head half drooped for an instant, and the flush 
 which had faded came back painfully. Then she looked 
 at him again, and though the flush was there she spoke as 
 usual 
 
 "You won t try, Mr. Linden because I am going to ask 
 
120 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 you not. It is nothing you need take up it was nothing 
 but what perhaps I was foolish to mind. I don t mind it 
 now much " 
 
 But there was a grave falling oflf in the tone of that 
 much. She felt it herself, for she rallied and said with 
 her own quiet frank smile, 
 
 " I shall not mind it at all to-morrow." 
 
 Mr. Linden looked at her while she spoke, gravely and 
 intently enough; but then he looked away at the river 
 again, and probably read problems in its soft rippling 
 waters, for he spoke not. Overhead a hawk sailed noise 
 lessly to and fro, on spread wings, in the trees close at 
 hand a squirrel chattered and barked with his mouth full. 
 The afternoon light left Kildeer river step by step, and the 
 shadows crept after. 
 
 Now the one white speck of cloud reflected in that peace 
 ful stream was no break in its beauty, it marred nothing, 
 nay, even brought a little glow of its own to replace the 
 sunbeams. Yet at that speck did Mr. Linden take aim 
 sending his pebble so surely, so powerfully, that the mirror 
 itself was shattered to the remotest shore! Then he stood 
 up and announced that it was time to go. 
 
 Faith stood up, but stood still, and waited somewhat 
 anxiously upon the answer to her question. 
 
 "Then, Mr. Linden, you will not speak of it anymore?" 
 
 "The witness is discharged," he answered lightly, and 
 walking on. 
 
 She sprang after and placed herself directly in his way. 
 
 "Mr. Linden please give me your promise !" 
 
 He looked down at her with eyes that were a little 
 moved. 
 
 "Miss Faith," he said, "please give me yours!" 
 
 "For what?" said Faith. 
 
 "That you will trust me and not ask what I do." 
 
 "Yes," said Faith, "but You must trust me, Mr. 
 Linden," she said smiling at him, " and believe me that 
 this is nothing for you to take up mere nonsense; 
 nothing at all to-morrow, it is nothing to me now. I 
 want your word." 
 
 She wanted it very much, it was easy to see ; but beyond 
 that, her face did not belie her words. 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 121 
 
 "I don t suppose Mrs. Derrick ever called you naughty 
 child " said Mr. Linden, "but if ever she did she might 
 to-night. Look where the sun is and where I am, and 
 guess where those boys are ! Come " and it was not easy 
 to resist the hand that again took hold of hers, nor the 
 quick pace at which he went forward. 
 
 And for some fields length Faith yielded and went as 
 fast as he pleased. Then as he stopped to put up a bar- 
 place she said again, very gently but firmly too, standing 
 before him, 
 
 "Mr. Linden, I think I have Bright to ask this. I know 
 what I ask, but you do not." 
 
 "I never questioned your right, Miss Faith." 
 
 "Then you ll not deny it to me?" 
 
 " What is your idea of trust ?" said Mr. Linden, replacing 
 the last bar. 
 
 "That it is something I ought to have just now," said 
 Faith, smiling a little. 
 
 He stood leaning on the bars and looking at her a kind 
 look, that she might well trust. 
 
 "Child," he said, "you don t know what you are talking 
 about and I do. And if you will not trust me any 
 further than you can see me, you don t deserve to be called 
 Miss Faith any longer ! Now don t you think I have a 
 right to get home and attend to my duties?" 
 
 She yielded utterly at that, but with a set of her lip 
 which he had never seen before ; it was trembling. She was 
 turning to go on, when as if to make amends for that or 
 to ask forgiveness generally or to give assurance of the 
 trust he had claimed, she stretched out her hand to him 
 and went by his help again until the orchard was reached 
 and other eyes might be expected to be on the look-out for 
 them. 
 
 "Do you like to read letters written from other countries 
 by people you have never seen ?" Mr. Linden said when 
 they reached that point. 
 
 Faith s eyes opened slightly as was their way when sud 
 denly astonished, and a little colour started too, of surprise 
 or pleasure. 
 
 " I never did read any," she said, "I should like it," 
 
 "Well, Miss Faith, I think Mrs. Derrick and Reuben 
 
 VOL. T. 11 
 
122 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 can manage that brown horse especially as he has had no 
 oats to-day and I want yon to take possession of the 
 whole of the back seat, put yourself in a comfortable posi 
 tion, and spend the rest of the daylight in Italy with my sister. 
 When it gets dark you may go to sleep. And here is the 
 talismanic paper by whose help you must make the 
 journey. " 
 
 What a colour thanked him ! what a rosy flush of plea 
 sure and gratitude ! To say thank you Faith nearly 
 forgot. But it was said. 
 
 There was no more delay of any kind after that. 
 Wagons were ready, and baskets, and boys ; also Mrs. 
 Derrick ; and Faith was ready first of all. So the two 
 parties, now getting under weigh, went fairly homewards, 
 by an evening sky and a night full of stars. Only one 
 incident need be recorded. 
 
 The ferry was passed, and four of the six miles between 
 that and the central town of Pattaquasset, when Mr. Linden 
 suddenly checked his horses. Turning half round, and laying 
 a pretty imperative hand on the collar of Phil Davids, he 
 dropped him outside the wagon like a walnut from its 
 husk remarking that he had seen enough of him for one 
 day, and did not wish to hear of him again till next 
 morning 
 
CHAPTER XL 
 
 T ITTLE Charles twelfth did not come to meet his Sun 
 J.J day school teacher, as had been arranged, the Sunday 
 preceding the Neanticut expedition. Faith waited for him 
 in the morning waited and hoped, but was not greatly 
 surprised to find that she had waited in vain. Charles the 
 twelfth, whether or not he was to follow during life the 
 erratic and wilful course of his namesake, was that day at 
 least not to be led by her. So Faith went to church, medi 
 tating a sometime descent upon Mrs. Seacomb s shady 
 domain, there to meet and recapture the heart of her little 
 charge. For so he seemed to her now. But on her return 
 from the morning service, she found Charles the twelfth, 
 crest-fallen and repentant, in his turn waiting for her. 
 The matter was, his brother Americus Vespucius had shut 
 him up, so that he couldn t come ; and as soon as he was 
 set free Charles the twelfth had used his freedom and his 
 legs in making tracks, to use Mr. Simlins expression, 
 for Mrs. Derrick s abode; and on this occasion he had 
 made many fewer tracks than the afternoon of his pre 
 viously recorded invasion ; as being somewhat burdened in 
 spirit he had stopped for no somersets, and had been lured 
 aside by no tempting invitations of a dusty place or a mud- 
 puddle. 
 
 Faith heard his story gravely and sympathizingly ; com 
 forted him up ; encouraged him to hope that the discoverer 
 of America would not prove so adverse to his making dis 
 coveries another Sunday ; gave him a little talk and a good 
 dinner, and sent him home cheerful and determined. The 
 very mood for success ; accordingly the next morning aftei 
 the return from Neanticut, being Sunday, Charles the twelfth 
 presented himself at the house in brave good time ; and 
 Faith and her little charge, for the first time in their lives 
 both of them, went to Sunday school. The child very im 
 portant and expectant ; the teacher very gentle and very 
 grave indeed. 
 
 (123) 
 
124 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 Faith had made her arrangements the Sunday before ; 
 so she and Charles twelfth proceeded at once to the place 
 assigned her. At the opening services the king of Sweden 
 stared mightily. Faith looked at nothing. She had a 
 feeling that other children and other teachers were nearer 
 to her than she wished they were ; and she was a little un 
 certain how best to take hold of the odd little piece of 
 humanity intrusted to her care. However, when the read 
 ing and the singing were over Faith began a long low talk 
 to him about some Bible story, diverging as she went on to 
 an account of the other world, and the two ways that lead 
 to it, and the two sorts of people that travel them. And 
 becoming exceedingly interested herseK, she fastened the 
 eyes of Charles the twelfth in a way that shewed his 
 thoughts were cleaving to hers. Faith s own thoughts 
 were cleaving elsewhere. The things she said were simply 
 said ; her words were the plainest ; her illustrations just at 
 his hand ; but the voice in which they were given would 
 alone have won the ear of a child; and whatever other 
 impression her words made upon his mind, the fixed conclu 
 sion in which he was left at the ending was, that whatever 
 way she was travelling was the right one ! 
 
 It was a beautiful fair first of October ; still and sunny ; 
 but if it had not, it would probably have been a fair day to 
 Faith after that beginning of it. She looked as if it was, 
 in the church, and on the way home, and at the quiet din 
 ner table ; her face was a transcript of the day; still and 
 sunny. It seemed to be true, her promise that the annoy 
 ance of yesterday would be nothing to her to-day. There 
 was no shadow of it in sight. If there was a shadow any 
 where at the table, it was upon Mrs. Derrick, a half 
 
 jealous fear that her child would be less hers by becoming 
 a Christian a half uneasy feeling of the new state of things, 
 did cloud her heart a little, though almost unknown to her 
 self She would not have confessed to any such cloud and 
 
 practically it was not there : no straw of hindrance did she 
 put in Faith s way ; indeed she seemed rather fearful of 
 touching the matter in any wise. It was rather from curio 
 sity than anything else, that she said as they were both 
 getting ready for afternoon church, 
 
 "Well child, how did you like going to Sunday school?" 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 125 
 
 Faith s answer was subdued, but earnest. " I liked it 
 very much, mother." 
 
 "How many s in your class?" said Mrs. Derrick, tying 
 her bonnet. 
 
 "Only one yet but that was enough for me to begin 
 with. I hope I shall get some more soon." 
 
 "Only one!" said Mrs. Derrick "besides you, do you 
 mean, child ?" 
 
 "Mother!" said Faith. Then smiling she added, 
 "Yes, mother only one besides me. That one is little 
 Charley Seacomb and I am trying to teach him." 
 
 "Why I thought you were in Mr. Linden s class 1" said 
 Mrs. Derrick, facing round. 
 
 But Faith s face flushed, and what was very uncommon 
 with her, the tears came too. 
 
 "So I am, mother," she said; "but I am one that he 
 teaches at home. I have learned all I know from him," 
 she said, covering her eyes with both hands. 
 
 "Why child, hush I" said her mother softly "I didn t 
 mean to say anything, how should I know ? So you re 
 teaching Charley Seacomb, hey ? well I m sure he wants 
 it bad enough. I guess I d better go too, next Sabbath; 
 it was real lonesome with you all gone. And that makes 
 me think, child I wonder if you could go a little way for 
 me after meeting ?" 
 
 "Go to Sunday school, mother!" said Faith shewing 
 her bright wet eyes. "Will you teach some children, 
 mother?" 
 
 Written letters don t give the intonation of these words. 
 
 "I guess they could teach me, some of em," said her 
 mother. " But I thought maybe, Faith, you d take Sally 
 Loundes some medicine she sent word for it, and I don t 
 know as I can get so far to-day. Mr. Linden does have a 
 class, don t he?" 
 
 "I can go just as well as not, and like it very much, 
 mother yes he has a class of course a class of some 
 of the biggest boys a large class." 
 
 "I wonder what he does with himself after meeting," 
 said Mrs. Derrick. "Folks do say he goes strolling round, 
 but. I don t betieve it." 
 
 11* 
 
126 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "Mother ! Folks say everything, I believe. He knows 
 what he does." 
 
 "Maybe you wouldn t like to be seen out on Sabbath ?" 
 said Mrs. Derrick, with sudden thought. " Because if you 
 wouldn t, Faith, I ll go myself to Sally s can or no can." 
 
 "No, mother "she said brightly, "I would like to go. 
 If I know I am doing right, I don t mind about being seen. 
 I wish people had as good reason for telling tales about 
 me, as they have for some others." 
 
 " I guess your class 11 fill up, " said her mother, with 
 her fond, wistful look at the only thing she had in the 
 world. 
 
 It was the fairest, still, sweet afternoon, when after 
 church Faith got the medicine for Sally Loundes and set 
 out to take it to her. So fair and lovely, that Faith hardly 
 considered much the features of the road she travelled; in 
 that light any piece of ground was beautiful. The road 
 was very lonely after a little part of the village had been 
 gone through. It left the main street, then bid farewell to 
 a few scattering distant houses and approached what was 
 called Barley Point; a barren piece of ground from which 
 a beautiful view of the Sound and the ocean line, and per 
 haps porpoises, could be had. But at the foot of this field 
 the road turned, round the end of that belt of woods spoken 
 of; and getting on the other side of it ran back eastward 
 towards the Lighthouse point. Between the woods and 
 the sea, on this side, was a narrow down that the farmers 
 could make little of; and here the road, if desolate, had a 
 beauty of its own. On Faith s right was this strip of toll 
 ing downs, grown with nothing but short grass and low 
 blackberry vines ; and close at hand, just beyond its undu 
 lating line, the waves of the sea beating in. Very little 
 waves to-day, everything was so quiet. 
 
 At the Lighthouse point, a mile or more on, was a little 
 settlement of fishermen and others; but only one house 
 stood on the way, and that hardly disturbed the monotony 
 or the solitude ; it was so little, so brown, and looked so 
 of a piece with the barren country. That was Sally Louii- 
 des house. Faith met nobody till she got there. 
 
 When Faith came out of the house, the sun s place 
 warned her she would have no time to spare to get home 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 127 
 
 She set off with quicker pace, though nowise concerned 
 about it. There was no danger of anything in Pattaquas- 
 set. But she had gone only a little part of her wild home 
 ward way when she met Mr. Simlins. Xovv Mr. Simlins 
 was accustomed to take an afternoon Sunday stroll and 
 sometimes a long one ; so it was no matter of surprise to 
 meet him, nor even to meet him there, for Mr. Simlins was 
 as independent in his choice of a walk as in everything else. 
 But he was surprised. 
 
 "Hullo! my passenger pigeon," he exclaimed. "Why 
 are you here all alone, in this unfrequent place ?" 
 
 "It s a very nice place," said Faith. "And it s not dis 
 agreeable to be alone though I am willing to meet you, 
 Mr. Simlins." 
 
 "Haven t been quarrelling with anybody, have you?" 
 
 "No," said Faith, giving an amused look to this view of 
 the subject. "Do I look quarrelsome, Mr. Simlins?" 
 
 "I don t know how you look!" said the farmer. "I 
 aint anything of an exposition. You ll have to ask some 
 body else. There s some words too hard for me to spell 
 and pro-nounce. Where have you been ?" 
 
 "Just to carry Sally Loundes some medicine mother had 
 for her." 
 
 "Where are you goin now?" 
 
 "Home." 
 
 "Goin alone?" 
 
 "AVhy, yes. Why not?" 
 
 "Don know," said Mr. Simlins, "only I m going part 
 waj^ and I ll see nothin happens to you as long as / in in 
 your consort," 
 
 It was a wild place enough to make company pleas 
 ant. Dark clumps of forest-trees on one hand grew near 
 together, and the spaces between, though cleared, looked 
 hardly less wild; for vines and sumach and ferns had 
 taken possession. The sun s rays yet lay warm on the 
 rolling downs, the sere grass and the purplish blackberry 
 vines, and sparkled on the waves beyond ; but when Mr. 
 Simlins arid Faith struck into the woods for a short cut, 
 tne shadowy solitude closed them in on all sides. Softly 
 their steps moved over the fallen pine leaves, or rustled 
 through the shreds of autumn finery that lay beneath oak 
 
128 SAY AND SEAL - 
 
 and maple, and nothing else but birds and squirrels broke 
 the stillness till they were near the further edge of the wood. 
 There they heard a soft murmur of voices. 
 
 " Who lives here ?" said Mr. Simlins. 
 
 But Faith held her breath. 
 
 "There s mortality here, where I thought there was 
 nothing but animals and vegetation, "said Mr. Simlins step 
 ping softly and cautiously forward. "Let s see don t 
 make no noise more n the leaves 11 let you. I shouldn t 
 think anything would come to a meetin here but a wood- 
 chuck and they re skeered if they see a shadow." 
 
 On that side the trees ceased abruptly, and the open 
 sunshine of a little clearing replaced them ; and there were 
 the speakers. 
 
 Tallest among the group sat Mr. Linden, and around 
 him in various attitudes of rest or attention a dozen 
 boys basked in the sunshine. Most of them were a size 
 or two smaller than his morning class at the Sunday 
 school, though several of those were stretched on the 
 grass at the outskirts of the circle, as honorary members. 
 Little Johnny Fax, established in Mr. Linden s lap, di 
 vided his attention pretty evenly between the lesson and 
 the teacher; though indeed to his mind the separate in 
 terests did not clash. 
 
 The little glade was very green still, but sprinkled 
 with the autumn leaves which came floating down at 
 every breath; and the bordering trees stood some in 
 deep green hemlock and some in paler pine, and thrust 
 out here and there a glowing arm into the sunlight. *The 
 boys listening and looking, some playing the part of 
 young Nebuchadnezzars, some picking and breaking up the 
 asters and golden rod within their reach, giving little side 
 nods of assent to each other, or bending a more earnest 
 gaze on Mr. Linden; pushing back their caps or pulling 
 them down with a quick brush across the eyes; the hand 
 with which Johnny Fax stroked back from Mr. Linden s 
 forehead any stray lock of hair which the wind displaced, 
 or laid on his shoulder when there was nothing else to do ; 
 made altogether a picture the like of which Mr. Simlins 
 had not seen before nor even Faith. The sun might leave 
 the clearing and betake itself to the tree-tops, and thence 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 129 
 
 to the clouds, there was light there which came from a 
 higher source. 
 
 Not Faith s silent attention was more silent and motion 
 less than that of her companion ; he did not move or stir. 
 But her deep, deep, rapt gravity formed part of the subject 
 of his contemplations, for one or two keen sidelong glances 
 fell upon it. Else, his eyes were busy uninterruptedly with 
 the scene and took in the whole effect of it; hers hardly 
 wavered from one point. 
 
 A little stir among the boys roused both the lookers-on 
 from their muse; but they stood still again at the first 
 notes of a hymn as Mr. Linden s deep voice began, and 
 the young choir with its varied treble chimed in. 
 
 " I want to be an angel, 
 
 And with the angels stand, 
 A crown upon my forehead, 
 
 A harp within my hand ; 
 There, right before my Saviour, 
 
 So glorious and so bright, 
 I d wake the sweetest music, 
 
 And praise him day and night. 
 
 " I never should be weary, 
 
 Nor ever shed a tear, 
 Nor ever know a sorrow, 
 
 Nor ever feel a fear ; 
 But blessed, pure, and holy, 
 
 I d dwell in Jesus sight, 
 And with ten thousand thousand 
 Praise him both day and night. 
 
 
 "I know I m weak and sinful, 
 
 But Jesus will forgive, 
 For many little children, 
 
 Have gone to heaven to live. 
 Dear Saviour, when I languish, 
 
 And lay me down to die, 
 Oh send a shining angel 
 To bear me to the sky ! 
 
 " Oh there I ll be an angel, 
 
 -And with the angels stand 1 
 A crown upon my forehead, 
 A harp within my hand. 
 
130 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 And there before my Saviour, 
 
 So glorious and so bright, 
 I ll wake the sweetest music, 
 
 And praise him day arid night !" 
 
 The two listeners stood still while the hymn was singing, 
 still as the air; but Mr. Simliris got no more sight of 
 Faith s face. They stood still when the hymn was finished, 
 as if they lingered where the last vibrations had been. But 
 as a general stir among the hymn party proclaimed that 
 they would soon be on the move, the two who had watched 
 them, as if by consent, turned short about and silently 
 picked their way back through the darkening wood to the 
 nearest point of road they could reach. It was far .from 
 home, and even out of the wood the light was failing ; they 
 walked with quick steps. Mr. Simlins could get glances 
 now at Faith s face, but though it was quiet enough, he 
 seemed for some reason or other in a disagreeable state of 
 mind. It made itself manifest at length in a grunt of con 
 siderable power. 
 
 "Ugh! this is a complexious sort of a world to live 
 in !" was his not very clear remark. The contrast of the 
 tone of the next words was striking. 
 
 "Dear Mr. Simlins, there is something better." 
 
 "What do you call me dear for?" growled he. "You 
 never did before. " 
 
 "I don t know," said Faith. "Because I want you to 
 be as happy as I am. " 
 
 "Be you so happy?" said the farmer inquisitively. 
 
 Faith said yes. It was a calm and clear yes ; a confident 
 yes; one that felt its foundations strong and deep; yet 
 Faith s mother or dearest friend, if gifted with quick ap 
 prehensions, would hardly have been satisfied with it. Was 
 Mr. Simlins so gifted ? 
 
 "Not so happy you couldn t be happier?" he said in a 
 tone that assumed it. 
 
 "No," said Faith, looking at him with a sunshiny smile; 
 -"I want to be better, Mr. Simlins." 
 
 "Better!" growled Mr. Simlins. "You go hang your 
 self! I wish you was better. If you aint happy I wish 
 the Simlins may be an extant race !" 
 
 The extraordinary combination of wishes in this speech 
 
SAY AND, SEAL. 131 
 
 took away Faith s breath for an answer. She waited for 
 something more. 
 
 "What was that fellow doing there?" growled the 
 farmer after a while. 
 
 "I suppose he was teaching Sunday school," Faith said 
 after a little hesitation. 
 
 "Why, is one to be forever teaching Sunday school?" 
 said the farmer in a discontented tone. 
 
 "Why not?" said Faith, "as long as there are people 
 to be taught?" 
 
 "Don t you want to take hold and teach me now?" said 
 Mr. Simlins. 
 
 Faith did not know at all what to make of this question ; 
 and before she had found an answer that would do, she was 
 saved making any. For Mr. Linden, with even brisker 
 steps than theirs, came up behind them; and after a bright 
 "Good evening, Mr. Simlins," uttered a somewhat sur 
 prised "Miss Faith!" 
 
 "Yes," said Mr. Simlins, "here she is; and I m goin 
 along to see that nothing happens to her. She goes to 
 take care o somebody else, and I come after to take care 
 o her ; so we go. We all give each other a deal o trouble 
 in this world !" 
 
 "Am I expected to take care of you, Mr. Simlins, by 
 the same rule? I came after." 
 
 "Well! I don t know," said the farmer "I guess 
 there ll be nobody to take care of me. I m past taking 
 care of." 
 
 "What does that mean?" said Mr. Linden. 
 
 "How would you like the job?" said Mr. Simlins. 
 "Think it ud be easy?" 
 
 "Why I should like to know a little more about the job 
 before I express any opinion." 
 
 "I have an opinion," said Mr. Simlins, "that you don t 
 know much o farming. Guess it s correct, aint it?" 
 
 "What kind of farming?" inquired Mr. Linden again. 
 
 "I don t know more n one kind. Tillin the earth, to 
 bring out the produce of it, " 
 
 "I have seen something of another kind," said Mr. Lin 
 den; "it is this: Sow to yourselves in righteousness, 
 reap in mercy ; break up your fallow ground : for ft is time 
 
132 SAY X AND SEAL 
 
 to seek the Lord, till he return and rain righteousness upon 
 you. " 
 
 Mr. Simlins wasn t quick to answer that, and there was 
 silence for a minute or two, only broken by their footsteps. 
 
 " Well " he said slowly at length, " suppos n a piece 
 o ground bears as good a crop as it has soil for, hadn t 
 you ought to be contented with it ?" 
 
 "Yes," said Mr. Linden ; "but I never saw such a piece 
 of ground, yet." 
 
 Mr. Simlins paused. 
 
 " Do you believe some folks can be better than they air 
 already ?" he asked. 
 
 "I believe all folks can." 
 
 "You believe in cameras, then. How re you goin 7 to 
 work ?" 
 
 " To make people better ? set them to work for them 
 selves, if I can. " 
 
 "What sort o ploughs and harrows would you want em 
 to take hold of?" 
 
 "They ll find out, when they set to work in earnest to 
 make the ground yield the right sort of fruit," said Mr. 
 Linden. 
 
 "What do you call the right sort?" said the farmer, now 
 thoroughly engaged. "Aint as good as a man can do, the 
 right sort ?" 
 
 "Why yes," said Mr. Linden again, "but I tell you I 
 never saw that sort of fruit ripe and I m not sure that I 
 ever shall in this world. For the best fruit that the ground 
 can yield, includes not only the best seed and cultivation, 
 but the perfect keeping down of every weed, and the un 
 checked receiving of all sweet heavenly influences." 
 
 " That s a camera !" said Mr. Simlins something shortly. 
 "You can t have all that in this world." 
 
 " The fact that people cannot be perfect in this world, 
 does not hinder their being better than they are." 
 
 "Well, I say, how re you goin to work to make it, when 
 they re doin the best they can do, already ?" 
 
 "Who is?" 
 
 " I am inclined to be of the opinion you air," said Mr 
 Simlins slowly. "I won t say I be but I don t know how 
 to do n*o better." 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 133 
 
 " Thank you, Mr. Simlins " was the somewhat sorrowful 
 reply, "you may see what I do, but you do not see what 
 I know. "And for you, my friend pray to know ! there 
 can be no mistakes in the advice that comes from heaven." 
 
 There was a minute s silence, till they came to a turning. 
 
 "I d be glad to see you," said Mr. Simlins in a somewhat 
 lowered tone, "ary one of you down to my house, any 
 time. You can take care of her the rest of the way 
 Good night!" 
 
 He turned off abruptly down a road that led his way. 
 
 They had been walking with slackened steps during this 
 conversation, and the lingering memory of it still checked 
 the pace of the two now left together: 
 
 " Silence accompanied; for beast and bird. 
 They to their grassy couch, these to their nests," 
 
 had all retreated. And when Mr. Linden spoke, it was 
 not in his own words. 
 
 " I thank thee, uncreated Sun, 
 
 That thy bright beams on me have shined ! 
 I thank thee, who hast overthfown 
 
 My foes, and healed my wounded mind ! 
 I thank thee, whose enlivening voice 
 Bids my freed heart in thee rejoice! 
 
 " Thee will I love, my joy, my crown! 
 
 Thee will I love, my Lord, my God I 
 Thee will I love beneath thy frown 
 
 Or smile, thy sceptre or thy rod ! 
 What though my flesh and heart decay, 
 Thee shall I love in endless day P " 
 
 The silence of the evening fell again unbroken. Unless 
 a breath caught somewhat interruptedly so gentle a 
 break might be said to break it. Faith said nothing, 
 except by that caught breath. Mr. Linden s step was the 
 only one heard. Silently then he gave her his arm, and 
 they went on at a quicker pace. 
 
 After a while Faith broke the silence. She spoke in a 
 very quiet voice ; as if choosing her words ; and hesitated 
 a little sometimes as if timidity checked her. 
 
 " Mr. Linden, I want to ask you about something that 
 troubles me I don t know what is right. I know I know 
 very little I know I cannot say much or can t say it well 
 
 VOL. i. 12 
 
134 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 but I feel sometimes as if I must speak to everybody I 
 can reach, and tell them what I do know, and beg them to 
 be safe and happy. And then something tells me that if I 
 do so, people will think me crazy, or be offended, that it 
 is not my business and I can t do it well and that I had 
 better not try to do it at all. Is that something right or 
 wrong ?" 
 
 " Let him that heareth, say Come, " Mr. Linden replied. 
 " It is part of the sailing orders of every Christian to speak 
 every other vessel that he can, which does not mean that 
 he should go out of his own proper course to meet them, 
 nor that he should run them down when met." 
 
 "Nor, I suppose," said Faith, "that he should trouble 
 himself about his voice being very low or very hoarse. I 
 thought so. Thank you, Mr. Linden." 
 
 "The voice of true loving interest is generally sweet 
 and rarely gives offence," he said. "If people never spoke 
 of religious things but from the love of them, there would 
 be an end to cant and bad taste in such matters." 
 
 She said no more. 
 
 " How does Charles twelfth behave ?" said Mr. Linden 
 as they neared home. "Has he reacted again or does 
 he give you both hands full ?" 
 
 " He behaved nicely !" said Faith. "As to filling my 
 hands, I suppose they wouldn t hold a great deal to-day ; 
 but I hope to have them fuller before long." 
 
 "Then I may send you another scholar?" 
 
 "0 yes !" said Faith. " Have you one for me ?" 
 
 " Perhaps two, if circumstances make my hands too 
 full." 
 
 "Do I know them?" 
 
 "I am not sure how well, nor whether you know them 
 at all by name ; but you will like to teach them for different 
 reasons. At least I have." 
 
 " I don t know" said Faith. " If you have taught them, 
 Mr. Linden, they will be very sorry to come to me !" 
 
 " Then you may have the pleasure of making them 
 glad." 
 
 She laughed a little, but soberly ; and they reached their 
 OWD e;ate. 
 
 It was past the usual Sunday tea time; and soon the 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 135 
 
 little party were gathered at that pleasantest, quietest of 
 tea-tables that which is spread at the close of a happy 
 Sunday. It had been such to two at least of the family 
 sitting there, albeit Faith s brow wus unusually grave ; and 
 it had not been chappy to Mrs. Derrick. She entered, 
 by hope and sympathy, too earnestly and thoroughly into 
 everything that concerned Faith rested too much of her 
 everyday life upon her, to be unhappy when she smiled. 
 
 After tea, as he often did, Mr. Linden went out again ; 
 and the two were left alone. Mrs. Derrick occupied her- 
 vself with reading in the old family Bible, where she turned 
 over leaf after leaf; but Faith, on a low seat, sat looking 
 into the remains of the little fire which had been kindled 
 in the supper room. Looking at the glowing coals and 
 grey flickering ashes, with a very grave, meditative, thought 
 ful gaze. 
 
 "Mother "she said at length, turning her face towards 
 Mrs. Derrick s Bible. 
 
 " Well child ?" said her mother a little abstractedly. 
 
 " I wish, mother, you would ask Mr. Linden to read and 
 pray at night and let Cindy and Mr. Skip come in?" 
 
 " Why Faith !" said Mrs. Derrick, now fully roused, 
 " how you talk, child I Wish I d do this, and wish I d let 
 tother don t I let you and Mr. Linden do pretty much 
 what you ve a mind to ?" 
 
 It was incomprehensible to Faith that her mother s per 
 mission should have to do with any of Mr. Linden s actions; 
 but she merely repeated, 
 
 "I wish you d ask him, mother." 
 
 "I guess I will !" said Mrs. Derrick "when I do you ll 
 know it, and he too. Ask him yourself, pretty child," she 
 added, looking at Faith with a very unbent brow. 
 
 "But mother," said Faith with a little "tinge in her 
 cheeks, " it would be much better that you should ask 
 him. You are the person to do it." 
 
 "I should like to see you make that out," said Mrs. Der 
 rick. "I don t think I m such a person at all." 
 
 "Only because you are the head of the family, mother," 
 Faith said with a little fainter voice. 
 
 " Well, if I m the head of the family I ll do as I like, 
 for once," said Mrs. Derrick. " I d like to hear him, I m 
 
136 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 sure, child it would seem like old times, but I wouldn t 
 ask him, for a kingdom !" 
 
 Faith looked at her, half laughing and grave too 
 but gave up the point, seeing she must. 
 
 And while you re about it, Faith, you can just ask him 
 to make his boys behave. Sam Stoutenburgh did nothing 
 all meeting time but look at you. So I guess the sermon 
 didn t do him much good." 
 
 Faith went back to the contemplation of the fire. How 
 ever, she apparently had not made up her mind that she 
 was the person, or else was not ready to act upon it ; for 
 when Mr, Linden was heard opening the front door Faith 
 ran away, and came down no more that night. 
 
CHAPTER XII. 
 
 M TT occurs to me, Parson Somers," said that gentle 
 man s lady wife, as she salted and sugared his morn 
 ing bowl of porridge; "it occurs to me, that Pattaquasset 
 is getting stirred up with a long pole." 
 
 "Ah, my dear?" said Mr. Somers "Stirred up. 7 Well 
 what makes you think so ?" 
 
 "Why "said Mrs. Somers tasting the porridge "Jen 
 ny! fetch some more milk. How do you suppose Mr. 
 Somers is going to eat such thick stuff as that ? and when 
 do you suppose he is going to get his breakfast, at this 
 rate ? If you let your head run upon Jem Waters in this 
 style, Jenny, I shall forbid him the house. I always notice 
 that the day after he s been here Mr. Somers porridge is 
 too thick." 
 
 "Well, my dear," said the parson, "ha the porridge 
 will do very well. I thought you were speaking of Patta 
 quasset when you spoke of something being stirred up. " 
 
 "So I was," said the lady, while Jenny blushing beyond 
 her ordinary peonic hue, ran about in the greatest confu 
 sion, catching up first the water pitcher and then the mo 
 lasses cup. " Do very well? no, indeed it won t! but 
 men never know anything about housekeeping." 
 
 "Well, my dear, but about Pattaquasset? I know 
 something about Pattaquasset. Is there any trouble in the 
 village? It s a very peaceable place," continued Mr. 
 Somers, looking at his distant breakfast dish, "always 
 was ha I wish you d let me have my porridge. Is there 
 any trouble, my dear?" 
 
 "I can t tell, " said Mrs. Somers, adding critical drops 
 of milk, "see for yourself, Mr. Somers. If there isn t, 
 there may be. One set of things is at sixes, and another 
 at sevens. There that s better, though it s about as far 
 from perfection as I am." 
 
 "We re none of us perfect, and so ha my dear, we 
 can t blame the porridge," said Mr. Somers with slight 
 
 12* - 137) 
 
138 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 jocularity which pleased at least himself. "But Patta- 
 quasset is about as near the impossible state as most places, 
 that I know. What have you heard of, Mrs. Somers ? Yon 
 deal in rather a enigmatical construction, this morning." 
 
 "Who said I had heard anything?" said the lady, "I 
 only said, use your eyes, Mr. Somers, open your study 
 window and let the light in. Just see what a rumpus 
 we ve had about the school, to begin." 
 
 "Ha! my dear," said Mr. Somers, "if opening the win 
 dow of my study is going to let trouble come in, I d rather 
 -ha keep it shut! Judge Harrison thinks the teacher 
 is a very fine man and I ve no doubt he is! and the 
 Judge is going to give him a great celebration. I have no 
 doubt we shall all enjoy it. I think the disturbance that 
 has been made will not give Mr. Linden any more 
 trouble." 
 
 "Why who cares about his trouble?" said Mrs. Somers 
 rather briskly, " I dare say he s very good, Mr. Somers, 
 but I shan t fret over him. I m not sure but he s a little 
 too good for my liking I m not sure that it s quite natural. 
 Jenny! fetch some more biscuit ! how long do you sup 
 pose Mr. Somers and I can live upon one?" 
 
 Parson Somers eat porridge and studied the philosophy 
 of Mrs Somers statements. 
 
 "My dear," said he at length, "I am not sure that you 
 are correct in your view indeed it seems to me a rather 
 contradictory. I don t know what the stir is about; and I 
 don t think there is any occasion, my dear, for you a to 
 fret, about anything. Not about Mr. Linden, certainly. 
 The disaffection to the new school was a confined to 
 very few ! I don t think it has taken root in the public 
 mind generally. You will be better able to form a judg 
 ment on Thursday." 
 
 "Bless your heart ! Mr. Somers," said his wife, "what s 
 
 Thursday to do ? If you think I ve said all I could say 
 
 why there s no help for it. Now there s Sam Deacon 
 don t come to meeting half the time lately, and to match 
 that, Faith Derrick walks into Sunday school with one of 
 those Seacomb children tagging after her." 
 
 "Well," said Mr. Somers looking exceedingly mystified, 
 what s the harm in that? If Miss Faith chooses to do 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 139 
 
 it, it shews, I am sure, a a charitable disposition, praise 
 worthy !" 
 
 "Mr. Somers!" said the lady. "Is it possible you can 
 think for one moment that I mean what you mean ? If she 
 came to Society too, I should know what to make of it, but 
 when people work alongside of some folks, and not along 
 side of others, why it s as long as it s broad. Then Maria 
 Davids says she drove those boys over to Neanticut tother 
 day or helped .drive em. What do you think of that, 
 Mr. Somers?" 
 
 Mr. Somers looked as if his wife was too fast for him. 
 
 "My dear," said he howev-er, plucking up, "I think I 
 would trust Faith Derrick as soon as Maria Davids, or 
 any other young lady in Pattaquasset! If she did go to 
 Neanticut I presume it was all as it should be. Squire 
 Deacon never was a very remarkable for being a reli 
 gious man or anything like that; and you can t help folks 
 working alongside of each other they will do it," said Mr. 
 Somers relapsing into his jocular mood. "I am a man of 
 peace, my dear, and you should be a woman of peace." 
 
 "Why you don t suppose I believed what Maria Davids 
 said?" replied Mrs. Somers. "Her words are not worth 
 their weight in gold and she isn t a bit too good to be 
 jealous. But the thing is, if Faith didn t do that, what 
 did she do? Jenny 1 fetch in the tub of hot water, and be 
 spry !" 
 
 With Jenny and the hot water walked in a somewhat 
 rough-looking boy, who declared without much ceremony, 
 beyond doffing his cap, that " ma sent him to find out where 
 the sewin meetin was to be this week." 
 
 " Who are you ?" said Mrs. Somers, dipping a cup in the 
 hot water and wiping it with a spryness that was quite 
 imposing. "Is your name Bill Wright?" 
 
 "No taint," said the boy. "Guess again." 
 
 "You ll never pay anybody for much trouble that way," 
 said Mrs. Somers dipping in the corresponding saucer. 
 "Jenny did you ever hear of anybody s getting along in 
 a dish-tub without a mop ?" 
 
 "Who is it wants to know, sir?" said Mr. Somers po 
 litely. "Who is your father?" 
 
 "He s farmer Davids." 
 
140 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "Oh! and are you Phil?" 
 
 " Yes ! What be I goin to tell her?" This interroga 
 tory being sent in the direction of the dish-tub. 
 
 "Why you can tell her two things," said Mrs. Soraers, 
 eying Phil from head to foot. "In the first place, the So- 
 ciety ll meet down at Miss Bezac s ; and in the second, as 
 soon as your mother ll teach her children how to behave 
 themselves I shall be very glad to see them." 
 
 "The Society ll meet down to Miss Purcell s?" 
 
 "Miss Bezac s" said Mrs. Somers, preserving a cheer 
 ful and brisk equanimity in the midst of her sharp words that 
 was quite delightful. "Pay more attention to your lessons, 
 Phil Davids, and you ll be a better boy, if you look sharp." 
 
 "What lessons?" said the boy blackly. 
 
 "All you get at home and abroad. You go to school 
 I fancy," replied Mrs. Somers. 
 
 The boy glanced towards the clock and began to move 
 off, answering by actions rather than words. 
 
 "You were over at Neanticut, I suppose, Saturday," 
 said Mr. Somers affably. To which the answer was a 
 choked and unwilling yes. 7 
 
 Well who drove you over?" 
 
 He druv," said Phil. "I m going" 
 
 And the ladies weren t there ladies along?" 
 
 Yes They druv too." 
 
 Did you have a fine time?" said Mrs. Somers. 
 
 Yes! / did," said Phil very gloomily. 
 
 Why what did you do more than the rest?" 
 
 I didn t do nothing!" said Phil, blurting out, "and 
 he went and took all my nuts away. He s the devil !" 
 
 The boy looked at the minute as if he was a young one. 
 
 "Hush, hushl" said Mr. Somers. "You you oughtn t 
 to speak that way don t you know? it s not proper." 
 
 "I hope he boxed your ears first," said Mrs. Somers 
 "I m certain you deserved it. What made him take your 
 nuts away ?" 
 
 "He wanted em to make a present to you" said the 
 boy; and with another glance at the hands of the clock, he 
 darted out of the house and down the road towards the 
 schoolhouse, as if truly he had expected to meet there the 
 character he had mentioned. 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 141 
 
 "My dear " said Mr. Somers "do you think it is 
 quite a politic, to tell Mrs. Davids she don t bring up 
 her children right? Mrs. Davids is a very respectable 
 woman and so is Farmer Davids none more so." 
 
 "I don t know what you call respectable women " said 
 Mrs. Somers "I should be sorry to think he was. But I 
 just wish, Mr. Somers, that you would preach a sermon to 
 the people about cutting off their children s tongues if they 
 can t keep them in order. I declare ! I could hardly keep 
 hands off that boy." 
 
 And with this suggested and suggestive text, Mr. Somers 
 retired to his study. 
 
 It had been a busy day with more than Mr. Somers, 
 when towards the close of the afternoon Faith came out 
 upon the porch of her mother s house. She had not read 
 more than one delicious bit of her letter on the ride home 
 from Neanticut; the light failed too soon. After getting 
 home there was no more chance. Saturday night, that 
 Saturday, had a crowd of affairs. And Monday had been 
 a day full of business. Faith had got through with it all 
 at last; and now, as fresh as if the kitchen had been a 
 bygone institution though that was as true of Faith in the 
 kitchen as out of it she sat down in the afternoon glow 
 to read the letter. The porch was nice to match ; she took 
 a low seat on the step, and laying the letter in her lap 
 rested her elbow on the yellow floor of the porch to take it 
 at full ease. 
 
 It was not just such a letter as is most often found in 
 biographies, yet such as may be found out of print. 
 A bright medley of description and fancy mountains and 
 legends and scraps of song forming a mosaic of no set pat 
 tern. And well-read as the writer was in other respects, it 
 was plain that she was also learned in both the books Faith 
 had had at Neanticut. The quick flow of the letter was 
 only checked now and then by a little word-gesture of affec 
 tion, if that could be called a check, which gave to the 
 written pictures a better glow than lit up the originals. 
 
 It was something to see Faith read that letter or 
 would have been, if anybody had been there to look. She 
 leaned over it in a sort of breathless abstraction, catching 
 her breath a little sometimes in a way that told of the in- 
 
142 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 terest at work. The interest was not merely what would 
 have belonged to the letter for any reader, it was not 
 merely the interest that attached to the writer of it, nor to 
 the person for whom it was written ; it was not only the 
 interest deep and great which Faith felt in the subjects and 
 objects spoken of in the letter. All these wrought with 
 their full power; but all these were not enough to account 
 for the intent and intense feeling with which Faith bent 
 over that letter, with eyes that never wavered, and a cheek 
 in which the blood mounted to a bright flush. And when 
 it was done, even then she sat still leaning over the paper, 
 looking not at it but through it. 
 
 A little shower of fringed gentian and white Ladies 
 tresses came patting down upon the letter, hiding its deli 
 cate black marks with their own dainty faces. 
 
 "These are your means of transport back to Pattaquas- 
 set," said Mr. Linden. Faith looked up, and rose up. 
 
 " I had come back," she said, drawing one of those half 
 long breaths as she folded up and gave him the letter. " I 
 can t thank you, Mr. Linden." 
 
 " I thought you were not reading, or I should not have 
 ventured such an interruption. But I am in no hurry for 
 the letter, Miss Faith. How do you like Italy ?" 
 
 "I like it " said Faith doubtfully, " I don t know it. 
 Mr. Linden," she went on with some difficulty and flushing 
 yet more, "some time, will you tell me in what books I 
 can find out about those things ? those things the letter 
 speaks of." 
 
 " Those which concern Italy, do you mean ? I can ar 
 range an Italy shelf for you up stairs but I am afraid I 
 have not very much here to put on it." 
 
 "No indeed!" said Faith looking half startled, "I 
 didn t mean to give you trouble only some time, if you 
 would tell me what books perhaps " 
 
 "Perhaps what?" he said smiling, "perhaps I 
 wouldn t ?" 
 
 "No," she said, "I mean, perhaps you would; and per 
 haps I could get them and read them. I feel I don t know 
 anything." 
 
 That Faith felt it was very plain. She had that rare 
 Deauty a soft eye. I do not mean the grace of insipidity, 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 143 
 
 nor the quality of mere form and colour ; but the full lus 
 trous softness that speaks a character strong in the founda 
 tions of peace and sweetness. Many an eye can be soft by 
 turns and upon occasion ; it is rarely that you see one 
 where sweetness and strength have met together to make 
 that the abiding characteristic. The gentleness of such an 
 eye has always strength to back it. Weakness could never 
 be so steadfast; poverty could not be so rich. And Faith s 
 eye shewed both its qualities now. 
 
 Mr. Linden merely repeated, "I will arrange it for you 
 and you can take the books in what order you like. Per 
 haps I can send you another journey when they are ex 
 hausted," he added, turning the letter softly about, as if 
 the touch were pleasant to him. She stood looking at it. 
 
 " I don t know how to thank you for letting me read 
 that," she said. "It would be foolish in me to tell you how 
 beautiful I thought it." 
 
 " She is " her brother said, with a tender, half smiling 
 half grave expression. And for a minute or two he was 
 silent then spoke abruptly. 
 
 "Miss Faith, what have you done with your Philosophe ? 
 You know, though the rooms in the great Temple of Know- 
 lodge be so many that no one can possibly explore them all, 
 yet the more keys we have in hand the better. For some 
 locks yield best to an English key, some to a French ; and 
 it is often pleasant to take a look where one cannot go in 
 and dwell." 
 
 She flushed a good deal, with eyes downcast as she stood 
 before him; then answered, with that odd little change of 
 her voice which told of some mental check. 
 
 "I haven t done anything with it, Mr. Linden. 
 
 "That requires explanation." 
 
 "It isn t so hard as one of your puzzles," she said smil 
 ing. "I mean to do something with it, Mr. Linden, if I 
 can ; and I thought I would try the other day ; but I found 
 I didn t know enough to begin to learn that yet." 
 
 "What other key are you forging?" 
 
 " What other key ?" said Faith. 
 
 "I mean," he answered with a tone that shewed a little 
 fear of going too far, "what do you want to learn before 
 that?" 
 
144 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "I don t know," said Faith humbly. "I suppose, Eng 
 lish. It was a grammar of yours, Mr. Linden, a French 
 grammar, that I was looking at ; and I found I couldn t 
 understand what it was about, anywhere. So I thought I 
 must learn something else first." 
 
 "Never was philosopher so put in a corner!" said Mr. 
 Linden. "Suppose you take up him and the dictionary 
 and let me be the grammar do you think you could under 
 stand what I was about ?" 
 
 The blood leapt to her cheek; part of her answer Faith 
 had no need to put in words, even if he had not seen her 
 eyes, which he did. The words were not in any hurry to 
 come. 
 
 " When you have been teaching all day already " she 
 said in a tone between regretful and self-reproving. " It 
 wouldn t be right." 
 
 "Mayn t I occasionally do wrong? just for variety s 
 sake !" 
 
 "You may and I don t doubt you would. I was think 
 ing of my own part." 
 
 "I am glad you don t say you have no doubt I do," said 
 Mr. Linden. "I suppose you mean that I would if suffi 
 cient temptation came up, which of course it never has." 
 
 Faith looked an instant, and then her gravity broke up. 
 "Ah", but yon know what I mean," she said. 
 
 "You will have to furnish me with a dictionary next," 
 he said smiling. "Look at my watch Miss Faith, how 
 can you have tea so late, when I have been teaching all 
 day ? it isn t right, and cuts off one s time for philoso 
 phizing besides." 
 
 Faith ran into the house, to tell the truth, with a very 
 pleased face ; and tea was on the table inless time than 
 Cindy could ever understand. But during tea-time Faith 
 looked, furtively, to see if any signs were to be found that 
 little Johnny Fax had been made to yield up his testimony. 
 Whether he had or no, she could see none; which how 
 ever, as she justly concluded with herself, proved nothing. 
 
 The new grammar was far easier understood than the 
 old. Although Mr. Linden unfolded his newspaper, and 
 informed Faith that he intended to read uninterruptedly 
 so that she need feel no scruple about interrupting him 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 145 
 
 yet he probably had the power of reading two things at 
 once ; for his assistance was generally given before it was 
 asked. His explanations too, whether Faith knew it or 
 not, covered more ground than the French exigency abso 
 lutely required, he was not picking this lock for her, but 
 giving her the grammar key. 
 
 But Faith knew it and felt it; and tasted the help thus 
 given, with an appreciation which only it needed to do all 
 its work ; the keen delight of one seeking knowledge, who 
 has never been helped and who has for the first time the 
 right kind of help. . Indeed, with the selfishness incident 
 to human nature, she forgot all about Mr. Linden s inten 
 tion to read uninterruptedly, and took without scruple or 
 question, all the time he bestowed upon her. And it was 
 not till some minutes after she had closed her books, that 
 her low, grateful " You are very good, Mr. Linden 1" reached 
 his ear. 
 
 Now the fact was, that Faith had been much observed 
 that afternoon, her reading-dream on the cteps had been 
 so pretty a thing to see, that when Squire Deacon had seen 
 it once he came back to see it again ; and what number of 
 views he would have taken cannot be told, had he not been 
 surprised by Mr. Linden. Naturally the Squire withdrew, 
 naturally his enlarged mind became contracted as he thought 
 of the cause thereof; and not unnaturally he walked down 
 that way after tea, still further to use his eyes. The house 
 was in a tantalizing state. For though the light curtain 
 was down, it revealed not only the bright glow of the lamp, 
 but one or two shadowy heads ; and the window being open 
 (for the evening was warm) low voices, that he loved and 
 that he did not love, came to his ear. Once a puff of 
 wind floated the curtain in more tantalizing than ever! 
 Squire Deacon could see Mr. Linden bending aside to look 
 at something, but what the Squire could not see; for there 
 came the edge of the curtain. In a warm state of mind he 
 turned his face homewards, proclaiming to himself that he 
 didn t care what they did ! the result of which was, that 
 in ten minutes more he was knocking at Mrs. Derrick s 
 door, and being promptly admitted by Cindy entered the 
 Yarlour just as Faith had shut up her book and uttered her 
 soft word of thanks. 
 
 VOL. z. * 13 
 
146 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 It was something of a transition ! But after a moment s 
 shadow of surprise on her face, Faith came forward and 
 gave the Squire her hand. She would have let him then 
 explain his own errand ; but as he did not seem very ready 
 to do that, or to say anything, Faith stepped into the 
 breach. 
 
 " How is Cecilia, Mr. Deacon ? I have not seen her in 
 a long time." 
 
 " She s firstrate," said the Squire, colouring up; for Mr. 
 Linden s "how do you do again, Squire Deacon ?" not only 
 implied that they had lately met, but that the occasion was 
 not forgotten. 
 
 " It s a sort of suffocating evening," added the Squire, 
 wiping his forehead. " I don t recollect so warm an October 
 for a year or two. Cilly s been out of town, Miss Faith, 
 and since she come back she s been complainin of you." 
 
 Faith was near saying that she hoped the warm weather 
 would last till Thursday; but she remembered that would 
 not do, and changed her ground. 
 
 "I am sorry anybody should complain of me. Is that 
 because I didn t go to see her when she was away ?" 
 
 "I m sure the rest of us could have stood it, if you had 
 come when she was gone, Miss Faith," said the Squire 
 gallantly. " Seems to me we haven t seen you down to our 
 house for an age of Sundays." 
 
 "I will try to come of a week day," said Faith. "I 
 think you never saw me there Sunday, Mr. Deacon." 
 
 " I suppose an age of Sundays must be seven times as 
 long as any other age," said Mr. Linden. "Isn t that the 
 origin of the phrase, Squire Deacon ?" 
 
 "Very like," said the Squire who didn t care to be 
 interrupted. "I don t know much about originals, when 
 a man has a position to fill, sir, he can t study knick-knacks. 
 What a handsome book, Miss Faith ! such a becoming 
 colour." 
 
 "Don t you like the inside of books too, Mr. Deacon?" 
 said Faith. 
 
 "I daresay I should that one," said the Squire, "the 
 outside s like a picture or a view, as some people call it. 
 Looks just like a grain field in spring. What s the name 
 of it, Miss Faith ?" 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 147 
 
 Half prudently, half wickedly, Faith without answering 
 took the book from the table and put it in Mr. Deacon s 
 hand. 
 
 The Squire s face looked like anything but a grain field 
 in spring then it was more like a stubble in November ; 
 for opening the book midway and finding no help there, he 
 turned to the title page and found the only English words 
 in the book, in very legible black ink. 
 
 "So !" he said "it s his n, is it !" 
 
 "Yes, it is mine," said Mr. Linden, "almost any man 
 may have so much of a library as that." 
 
 The Squire glanced suspiciously at Faith, as if he still 
 believed she had something to do with it ; but he did not 
 dare press the matter. 
 
 " Miss Faith," he said, calling up a smile that was meant 
 to do retrospective work, "have you heard tell of the queer 
 things they ve found down to Mattabeeset ?" 
 
 "What things, Mr. Deacon?" 
 
 " Some sort o bird s been makin tracks down there," 
 said the Squire leaning back in his chair, with the look of 
 one who has now got the game in his own hands; " makin 
 tracks criss-cross round ; and they do say the size on era 
 might have come out of the ark, for wonder." 
 
 "How large are they, Mr. Deacon? and what sort of 
 bird is it?" 
 
 "Well if I was a descendant of Noah, I s pose I could 
 tell you," said the Squire with increased satisfaction, 
 "I m sorry I can t, as it is. But if you re curious, Miss 
 Faith (and ladies always is in my experience) I ll drive you 
 down there any day or any time of day. I want to see eio 
 myself, that s a fact, and so does Cilly. Now Miss Faith, 
 name the day!" 
 
 The shortest possible smile on Mr. Linden s face at this 
 sudden and earnest request, did not help Faith to an 
 answer; but the Squire was happily forgetful for the 
 moment that there were more than two people in the 
 room, and leaning towards Faith he repeated, 
 
 " The sooner the quicker, always, in such cases 1 because 
 folks can never tell what may happen." 
 
 "No," said Faith, "they cannot especially about wea 
 ther; and I have got some particular work to attend to at 
 
148 SAY aND SEAL. 
 
 home, Mr. Deacon, before the weather changes. I wish j ou 
 and Cecilia would go down and bring us a report. I should 
 like that. But for the present Mr. Skip and I- have some 
 thing to do." 
 
 "It s good you want Mr. Skip, for I don t," said the 
 Squire, stiffening a little. "Is that one of the new- 
 fashioned ways of saying you won t go, Miss Faith?" 
 
 "What s your objection to Mr. Skip?" said Faith plea 
 santly. "I am glad nobody else wants him, for we do." 
 
 "Well, I say I m glad you ve got him," said the Squire, 
 relenting under the power of Faith s voice. "But what 
 ails you Miss Faith, to go tackin round J : ke one o them 
 schooners against the wind? Aint it a straight question 
 as to whether you ll take an excursion to Mattabeeset?" 
 
 "Very straight," said Faith smiling and speaking gently. 
 "And I thought I gave a straight answer." 
 
 "Blessed if I can see which road it took!" said Squire 
 Deacon, "save and except it didn t seem to be the right 
 one. No s about as ugly a road as a man can foller. 
 Guess I spoke too late, after all," said the Squire medita 
 tively. "How s your furr n news, Mr. Linden? Get it 
 regular?" 
 
 " Yes " said Mr. Linden, "making due allowance for 
 the irregularity of the steamers." 
 
 Faith looked up in no little astonishment, and took the 
 eye as well as the ear effect of this question and answer ; 
 then said quietly, 
 
 "Have you any business in the post-office, Mr. Dea 
 con ?" 
 
 "Not a great deal, Miss Faith," said the Squire, with a 
 blandness on one side of his face which but poorly set off 
 the other. " I go. down for the paper once a week, and 
 lection times maybe oftener, but I don t do much in the 
 letter line. Correspondence never was my powder maga 
 zine. I shouldn t know where to put two or three ferni- 
 nine letters a week if I got em. " 
 
 If he had got what somebody wanted to give him at 
 that moment 1 Squire Deacon little knew what risk he 
 ran, nor how much nearer he was to a powder magazine 
 than he ever had been in his life. 
 
 "A sure sign that nobody will ever trouble you in that 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 140 
 
 way," Faith said somewhat severely But the Squire was 
 obtuse. 
 
 "Well I guess likely," he said, "and it s just as good 
 they don t. I shouldn t care about living so fur from any 
 body I was much tied up in or tied up to, neither. I 
 can t guess, for one, how you make out to be contented 
 here, Mr. Linden." 
 
 " How do you know that I do, sir?" 
 
 There was a little pause at that it was a puzzling 
 question to answer; not to speak of a slight warning 
 which the Squire received from his instinct. But the 
 pause was pleasantly ended. 
 
 "Faith I" said a gentle voice in the passage "open the 
 door, child I ve got both hands full." 
 
 Which call Mr. Linden appropriated to himself, and not 
 only opened the door but brought in the great dish of 
 smoking chestnuts. Faith ran away to get plates for the 
 party, with one of which in defiance of etiquette she served 
 first Mr. Linden ; then handed another to the Squire. 
 
 " I hope they are boiled right, Mr. Linden. Have you 
 seen any chestnuts yet this year, Mr. Deacon ?" 
 
 "I ve seen some but they warn t good for nothing," 
 said the Squire rather sourly. " Thank you, Miss Faith, 
 for your plate, but I guess I ll go." 
 
 "Why stay and eat some chestnuts, Squire Deacon!" 
 said Mrs. Derrick. " Those are Neanticut chestnuts 
 firstrate too." 
 
 "I don t like Neanticut chestnuts "said Squire Deacon 
 rising "never did, they re sure to be wormy. Good 
 night, Miss Faith good night, Mr. Linden. Mrs. Der 
 rick, this room s hot enough to roast eggs." 
 
 "Why the windows are open!" said Mrs. Derrick 
 "and we might have had the curtains drawn back, too, but 
 I always feel as if some one was looking in." 
 
 Which remark did not delay the Squire s departure, and 
 Mrs. Derrick followed him to the door, talking all the way. 
 
 During which little passage Faith s behaviour again 
 transcended all rules. For she stood before the dish of 
 chestnuts, fingering one or two, with a somewhat unsteady 
 motion of the corners of her mouth; and then put both 
 
 13* 
 
150 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 her hands to her face and laughed, her low but very merri 
 ment-speaking laugh. 
 
 "Miss Faith," Mr. Linden said, "I think Job was an ex 
 traordinary man ! and the chestnuts are not so bad as 
 they are reported, after all." 
 
 Faith became grave, and endeavoured to make trial of the 
 chestnuts, without making any answer. 
 
 "Child," said Mrs. Derrick returning, "I don t think the 
 Squire felt just comfortable I wonder if he s well ?" 
 
 Which remark brought down the house. 
 
 "By the way " said Mr. Linden looking up, "did you 
 lose a bow of ribband from your sunbonnet, the other day at 
 Neanticut ?" 
 
 Faith owned to having lost it somewhere. 
 
 "I found it somewhere "said Mr. Linden with a rather 
 peculiar look, as he took out the bow of ribband. 
 
 "Where did you find it, Mr. Linden?" 
 
 "I found it here in Pattaquasset." 
 
 "Where?" 
 
 But he shook his head at the question. 
 
 "I think I will not tell you you may lose it again " 
 
 And all Faith s efforts could get no more from him. 
 
CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 E Thursday of the great school celebration arrived ; 
 JL and according to Faith s unexpressed wish, the 
 weather had continued warm. It was the very luxury of 
 October. A day for all the senses to disport themselves 
 and revel in luxurious beauty. But the mind of Patta- 
 quasset was upon the evening s revel, and upon the beauty 
 of white cambric and blue ribbands. The mind of Faiti 
 Derrick was on somewhat else. 
 
 "Mother," she said, "do you know there must be a fire 
 up in Mr. Linden s room as soon as the weather gets cold?" 
 
 "Of course, child." 
 
 "Well there is nothing in the world up there to put 
 wood in." 
 
 "It used to lie on the floor " said Mrs. Derrick, as if 
 the past might possibly help the future. "That does make 
 a muss." 
 
 "It s not going to lie on the floor now," said Faith. "I 
 am going to get Mr. Skip to make me a box, a large box, 
 with a top and I will cover it with some carpet or dark 
 stutf, if you ll give me some, mother. It must be dark, oe- 
 cause the wood of the room is. I am going to stuff the 
 top for a seat, and it will look very nice." 
 
 "Anything does that you take hold of," said her mother. 
 Yes, child, I ll give you all I ve got, you can look for 
 yourself and take what you like best." 
 
 The immediate work of the day was to clear ship in 
 other words, to do all the day s work in the former part 
 thereof, so as to leave time for the unwonted business of 
 the afternoon. Mrs. Derrick even proposed that Faith 
 should get dressed. But Faith said there was time enough 
 after dinner; and that meal was gone through with as 
 usual. 
 
 With this slight variation in the table talk. Mr. Linden 
 suggested to Faith the propriety of philosophizing a little, 
 
 (151) 
 
152 SAY AND SEAL - 
 
 as a preparative for the dissipation of the evening; and de 
 clared that for the purpose, he would promise to bring hig 
 toilette within as narrow bounds as she did hers. 
 
 Faith s face gave answer, in the sort of sparkling of eye 
 and colour which generally met such a proposition, and 
 which to-day was particularly bright with the pleasure of 
 surprise. 
 
 "But," she said warningly, "I can dress in very few 
 minutes !" 
 
 So she did, and yet and yet, she was dressed from head 
 to foot and to the very point of the little white ruffle round 
 her throat. Hair, bright as her hair .was, and in the last 
 degree of nice condition and arrangement, the same perfect 
 presentation of hands and feet and white ruffles as afore 
 said ; that was the most of Faith s dressing ; the rest was 
 a plain white cambric frock, which had its only setting off 
 in her face and figure. The one touch of colour which it 
 wanted, Faith found when she went down stairs; for upon 
 the basket where Le Philosophe commonly reposed, lay a 
 dainty breast-knot of autumn tints, fringed gentian with 
 its delicate blue, and oak leaves of the deepest red, and a 
 late rose or two. 
 
 It is a pity there was nobody to see Faith s face ; for its 
 tints copied the roses. Surprise and doubt and pleasure 
 made a pretty confusion. She held in her hand the dainty 
 bouquet and looked at it, as if the red leaves could have 
 told her what other hand they were in last; which was 
 what Faith wanted to know. 
 
 A step on the porch a slight knock at the front door, 
 naturally drew her thoughts and feet thither, but whatever 
 Faith expected she did not expect to see Sam Stoutenburgh. 
 One might almost go further and say he did not expect to 
 see her, for he gazed at her as if she had been an appari 
 tion only that his face was red instead of white. 
 
 " How do you do, Sam," said Faith, coming back a little 
 to everyday life. " Do you want to see Mr. Linden ?" 
 
 "0 no, Miss Faith!" said Sam as if it were the last 
 thing in the world he wanted to see. 
 
 "Well Sam what then ?" 
 
 But Sam was slow to say what then or indeed to say 
 anything ; and what would have been his success is to this 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 153 
 
 day unknown, for at that moment Mr. Linden came down 
 stairs. 
 
 "Do you want me, Sam?" he said, approaching the 
 front door. 
 
 "No, sir," said Sam (playing both parts of an unwilling 
 witness) "I I thought you were out, Mr. Linden." 
 
 "0 "Mr. Linden said. "I beg your pardon!" And 
 he not only went into the parlour but shut the door after 
 him. 
 
 To no purpose ! With him went the remnant of Sam 
 Stoutenburgh s courage, if he had had any to begin with, 
 and after one more glance at Faith he fairly turned his 
 back and fled without striking his colours. Faith went 
 back to the parlour. 
 
 "What is the matter with the boy?" she said, "I couldn t 
 get anything out of him, Mr. Linden." 
 
 A somewhat peculiar smile came with the words, 
 
 " Couldn t you ?" 
 
 Faith noticed it, but her thought was elsewhere. She 
 came back to the table, took up the flowers, and said a 
 little timidly, 
 
 "Do you know who put these here, Mr. Linden?" 
 
 The look changed. "I think I do," he said. 
 
 Her look did not change, except to a softened reflection 
 of the one with which she had first viewed them. She 
 viewed them still, bending over them doubtfully; then 
 glancing up at him she shook her head and said, 
 
 " You are dressed before me, after all, Mr. Linden !" 
 
 And ran away. She was back again in three minutes, 
 with the flowers upon her breast ; and if there had been but 
 one adornment in the world that would have fitted her just 
 then, the giver of the flowers had found it. Faith had 
 altered nothing, she had only put them in the right place ; 
 and the effect was curious in its beauty. That effect of her 
 flowers was probably the only one unknown to Faith her 
 self, though it was with a face blushing with pleasure that 
 she came in and sat gravely down to be a philosopher. 
 
 She gave her teacher little trouble, and promised to give 
 him less. She had excellent capacity, that was plain; with 
 f he eager desire for learning which makes the most of it ; 
 both the power and the will were there to appropriate and 
 
154 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 use every word of Mr. Linden s somewhat lawless bat 
 curiously skilful manner of instructing her. And the sim 
 plicity of her attention was perfect. She did not forget 
 her flowers, probably, during this particular page of philo 
 sophizing, for a little tinge on her cheek never ceased to 
 speak of pleasure all through the time ; but that was the 
 sole sign of distraction, if distraction there were. Less 
 grave, but more intent, than Mr. Linden himself, the in 
 formation that Mr. Skip had driven the little wagon round 
 before the door, came to her ears all too soon. 
 
 The drive to the Judge s was not very long; it might 
 have been three quarters of a mile; so even at the old 
 horse s rate of travelling they were soon there. 
 
 Judge Harrison s house was large and old-fashioned, yet 
 had much more style about it. than any other house in Pat- 
 taquasset pretended to ; and the same was true of its arrange 
 ments and furniture. It was comfortable and ample; so 
 was everything in it; with besides that touch of ease and 
 fitness and adaptation which shews always or generally 
 that people have lived where there is a freedom from fixed 
 standards. It was so here ; for Judge Harrison s family 
 during the life-time of his wife had always spent their 
 winters and often part of their summers away from Patta- 
 quasset in one of the great cities, New York generally 
 or at some watering-place. There was also however an 
 amount of good sense and kind temper in the family which 
 made no difference, of intention, between them and the rest 
 of Pattaquasset when they were there ; so that they were 
 extremely popular. 
 
 Mr. Skip and old Crab were in very good time ; there 
 were not more than half assembled of all the good com 
 pany asked and expected this afternoon. These were all 
 over, in the house and out of the house ; observing and 
 speculating. The house was surrounded with pleasant 
 grounds, spreading on two sides in open smooth lawns of 
 considerable extent, and behind the house and the lawns 
 stretching back in a half open shrubbery. On one of the 
 lawns long tables already shewed their note of preparation ; 
 on the other there was a somewhat ominous array of 
 benches and chairs ; and among them all, round and about 
 everything, scattered the people. 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 155 
 
 Mrs. Derrick and Faith went upstairs to the unrobing 
 room, where the latter was immediately taken into consul 
 tation by Miss Harrison on some matters which promised 
 to keep them both busy for some time. Mr. Linden mean 
 while received a very cordial welcome from Judge Harrison, 
 who was cordiality itself. 
 
 " Well, Mr. Linden ! we ve got a good day I Good for 
 the boys and good for us. We ve ventured to depart a 
 little from your instructions ! but I hope in such a way 
 as not to compromise you. My son and daughter have 
 managed it. I ll introduce him to you" said the old gen 
 tleman looking about, "but he s somewhere just now." 
 
 "I should like to know first, Judge Harrison, what my 
 instructions were," said Mr. Linden, as his eyes likewise 
 made search for the missing doctor. 
 
 "O," said the Judge, "all right! I understood your 
 feelings exactly. I used that word because the right one 
 didn t come. I have to do that often. .I ve heard of the 
 1 pen of a ready writer I m sure I d rather have the tongue 
 of a ready speaker; but it don t matter for me now. My 
 friends take me as they find me, and so will you, I have 
 little fear. Julius ! Here s my son, Dr. Harrison, Mr 
 Linden." 
 
 Dr. Harrison must have a word of introduction to the 
 reader, though he was one of those who need very little in 
 actual life. He was a handsome man, young but not very 
 young, and came up at his father s call and honoured the 
 introduction to his father s guest, with that easy grace and 
 address which besides being more or less born with a man, 
 tell that much attrition with the world has been at work 
 to take away all his outward roughnesses of nature. He 
 was handsomely dressed too, though not at all in a way to 
 challenge observation. His coat would have startled no 
 body in Pattaquasset, though it might have told another 
 that its wearer had probably seen France, had probably seen 
 England, and had in short lived much in that kind of so 
 ciety which recognizes the fact of many kinds of coats in 
 the world. His greeting of Mr. Linden was both simple 
 and graceful. 
 
 "1 am very happy to see you," he said as he shook 
 hands. " I should certainly have come to see you before,. 
 
156 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 but I am more a stranger in Pattaquasset than anybody. I 
 have hardly been at home since I returned; business has 
 drawn me to other quarters and I am only fortunate 
 enough to be in time for this occasion. It s a good time 
 for me," said he looking round, "I can renew my old ac 
 quaintance with everybody at once I think all Pattaquas 
 set is here." 
 
 "Not grown out of your remembrance, has it?" said Mr. 
 Linden. "How long have you been away?" 
 
 "Well it s had time to grow out of everything ! espe 
 cially out of my memory. I have not been here for five 
 years and then only for a few days and before that at 
 College ; so I may say I have hardly been here since my 
 boyhood. I don t know anybody but the old ones. I shall 
 apply to you, if you will allow me," said he, drawing him 
 self and Mr. Linden a little more apart from the centre of 
 reception. "Who, for instance, is that very well-dressed 
 young lady just entering the hall? good-looking too." 
 
 The doctor s face was very quiet so were his words ; 
 but his eye was upon Miss Cecilia Deacon, who in a low- 
 necked blue silk, with an amber necklace and jet bracelets, 
 was paying her respects to the Judge and his daughter. 
 With equal quietness Mr. Linden made answer. 
 
 "By the way," said the doctor suddenly, "I believe we 
 owe this pleasant occasion very pleasant I think it is 
 going to be to you." 
 
 "Accidentally and innocently, I assure you." 
 
 "Yes of course," said Dr. Harrison, with the air of 
 one who needed no information as to Mr. Linden s view of 
 the subject, nor explanation as to its grounds. "But," 
 said he speaking somewhat low, "my father has the in 
 terests of the school and indeed of all Pattaquasset 
 truly at heart, and my sister has entered into all his feel 
 ings. I am a kind of alien. I hope not to be so. But, 
 as I was saying, my father and sister putting their heads 
 together, have thought it would have a good effect upon 
 the boys and upon certain interests of the community 
 through them and their parents too, to give some little ho 
 nours to the best students among them or to the cleverest 
 boys which, as you and I know, are not precisely synony 
 mous terms. Would you think well of such an expedient ? 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 15 Y 
 
 My father is very anxious to do nothing which shall not 
 quite meet your judgment and wish in the matter." 
 
 "I shall leave it in Judge Harrison s hands," said Mr. 
 Linden after a moment s silence: " I should be very sorry 
 to gainsay his wishes in any respect. And some of the 
 boys deserve any honours that can be given them." 
 
 "Do they?" said the doctor. "Can you indicate them 
 to me ?" 
 
 "No," said Mr. Linden smiling. "I shall leave you to 
 find out." 
 
 " Leave me" said the other. " How did you know what 
 office they had charged upon me ? Well I am making as 
 long a speech as if I were a member of Congress. By the 
 way, Mr. Linden, can you imagine what could induce a 
 man to be that particular member of the body politic ? it 
 occupies the place of the feet, I think ; such members do 
 little but run to and fro though I remember I just seemed 
 to give them the place of the tongue unjustly. They 
 don t do the real talk of the world." 
 
 "The real talk?" said Mr. Linden. "Indeed I think 
 they do their share." 
 
 " Of talk ?" said the doctor with an acute look at his 
 neighbour. "Well as I was saying my sister has pro 
 vided I believe some red and blue, or red and something, 
 favours of ribband to be given to the boys who shall 
 merit them. Now to find out that, which you won t tell 
 me, I am to do, under your pleasure, some more talking 
 to them in public to see in short how well they can talk 
 to me. Do you like that ?" 
 
 "Better than they will, perhaps as merit is sometimes 
 modest." 
 
 " I assure you I would happily yield the duty into your 
 hands who would do it so much better but I suppose 
 you would say as somebody else Let my friend tell my 
 tale. Who is that ?" said the doctor slowly and softly, 
 " like the riding pole of a fence as little to spare and as 
 rigid isn t he ? and as long ! Don t I remember him ?" 
 
 "You ought that is Mr. Simlins." 
 
 "Yes" said the doctor musingly "I remember him! 
 1 incurred his displeasure once, in some boyish way, and if 
 I recollect he is a man that pays his debts. And that 
 
 VOL. I. 14 
 
158 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 unfortunate next looks like the perspective of a 
 woman." 
 
 But this lady Mr. Linden did not know. She was little, 
 in form and feature, and had besides a certain pinched-in 
 look of diminutiveness that seemed to belong to mind as 
 well as body, temper, and life and had procured her the 
 doctor s peculiar term of description. 
 
 " The next thing is," said Dr. Harrison, as his eye slowly 
 roved over the assembled and assembling people " who is 
 to give the favours ? My sister of course does not wish to 
 be forward in the business and / don t and you don t. 
 / say, the prettiest girl here." 
 
 " I think the hands that prepared the favours should dis 
 pense them," said Mr. Linden. 
 
 "But she won t do it and ladies have sometimes the 
 power of saying no they re generally persuadable ! Who s 
 that ?" said the doctor with a change of tone, touching Mr. 
 Linden s arm, " the one in white with a red bouquet de 
 corsage she s charming ! She s the one !" 
 
 "That is Miss Derrick." 
 
 " She ll do," said the doctor softly to his companion, as 
 Faith paused for a quick greeting of the Judge and then 
 passed on out of sight; "she s charming Do you sup 
 pose she knew what she was about when she put those red 
 leaves and roses together? I didn t know there was that 
 kind of thing in Pattaquasset." 
 
 "Yes, they look very well," said Mr. Linden coolly. 
 
 " Julius !" said Mrs. Somers, laying hold of the elbow of 
 the suggestive coat, " what do you mean by keeping Mr. 
 Linden and yourself back here. That s the way with you 
 young men stand off and gaze at a safe distance, and 
 then make believe you re fire proof." 
 
 "Don t make believe anything, aunt Ellen," said the 
 young man lightly. " Prove me. You can take me up to the 
 cannon s mouth or any other ! and see if- 1 am afraid of it." 
 
 " I shall prove you before I take you anywhere," said 
 Mrs. Somers. " You needn t talk to me in that style. 
 But it s a little hard upon the boys to keep Mr. Linden 
 here out of sight, half of them don t know whether 
 they re on their head or their heels till they see him, J can 
 tell from their faces." 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 159 
 
 "Mr. Linden," said the doctor with a gesture of invita 
 tion to his companion, "shall we go? Does it depend 
 upon your face which of the positions mentioned is to be 
 assumed ?" 
 
 The two gentlemen accordingly threaded their way to 
 the scene of action ; passing, among others, Squire Deacon 
 and Mr. Simlins whom Mr. Linden greeted together. Mr. 
 Simlins answer was a mighty grasp of the hand. Squire 
 Deacon s deserved little attention, and got it. 
 
 The party were now on the lawn, at one side of which 
 the boys had clustered and were standing in expectation. 
 
 "I think, Mr. Linden," said the doctor, if you will ex 
 plain to the boys what is to become of them in the next 
 hour, I will go and see about the fair distributor of the 
 favours and then I suppose we shall be ready." 
 
 It was well Dr. Harrison chose such a messenger, no 
 one else could have brought quietness out of those few dis 
 mayed minutes when the boys first learned what was to 
 become of them ; and the Judge would have felt remorseful 
 about his secret, had he seen the swift wings on which 
 Pleasure took her departure from the little group. It took 
 all Mr. Linden s skill, not to enforce submission, but to 
 bring pleasure back; perhaps nothing less than his half 
 laughing half serious face and words, could have kept some 
 of the boys from running away altogether. And while 
 some tried to beg off, and some made manful efforts not to 
 feel afraid, others made desperate efforts to remember; and 
 some of the little ones could be reassured by nothing but 
 the actual holding of Mr. Linden s hand in theirs. So 
 they stood, grouped in and out the trees at the further 
 edge of the lawn, till their teacher disengaged himself and 
 came back to the house, leaving the parting directions to 
 say what they knew, and not try to say what they knew 
 not. 
 
 Meanwhile Dr. Harrison had found his sister, and after 
 a little consulting the two had pressed their father into the 
 service; and then the three sought Faith. She was dis 
 covered at last on the other lawn, by one of the tables, 
 Miss Harrison having clismayfully recollected that she had 
 asked Faith to help her dress them, and then had left her 
 all alone to do it. But Faith was not all alone ; for Mr 
 
160 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 Simlins stood there like a good-natured ogre, watching her 
 handling and disposing of the green leaves and late flowers 
 with which she was surrounded, and now and then giving a 
 most extraordinary suggestion as to the same. 
 
 "Faith," said Miss Harrison after she had introduced her 
 brother, " I want you to give these favours to the boys. 
 Somebody must do it, and I can t and you must !" 
 
 "You see, my dear," said Judge Harrison, "Sophy and 
 Julius want their fete to go off as prettily as possible ; and 
 so they want you to do this for them because you re the 
 prettiest girl here." 
 
 "Then I can t do it, sir," said Faith. She blushed very 
 prettily, to be sure, but she spoke very quietly. 
 
 "Faith 1 you will do it for me?" said Miss Harrison. 
 
 "I can t, Sophy." 
 
 "Nobody would do it so well as you half 1" 
 
 "But I can t do it at all." And Faith went on leafing 
 ner dishes. 
 
 "I dare put in no petition of my own," said the doctor 
 then; "but I will venture to ask on the part of Mr. Lin 
 den, that you will do him and the school such a service." 
 
 Faith s dark eyes opened slightly. " Did he ask you, 
 sir ?" 
 
 "I cannot answer that," said the doctor, a little taken 
 aback. " I have presumed on what I am sure are his 
 wishes." 
 
 He did not know what to make of her smile, nor of the 
 simplicity with which Faith answered, in spite of her vary 
 ing colour, 
 
 "You have been mistaken, sir." 
 
 The doctor gave it up and said he was very sorry. 
 
 "Then who shall doit?" said Miss Harrison. "Miss 
 Essie de Staff?" 
 
 " She ll do," said the Judge. And the doctor, raising 
 his eyebrows a little, and dropping his concern, offered his 
 arm to Faith to go to the scene of action. So it happened 
 that as Mr. Linden entered the hall from one side door, he 
 met the whole party coming in from the other, the doctor 
 carrying the basket of blue and red favours which he had 
 taken to present to Faith. But he stood still to let them 
 pass, taking the full effect of the favours, the doctor, the 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 16i 
 
 red leaves arid their white-robed wearer ; and then followed 
 in his turn. 
 
 All the inhabitants of the house and grounds were now 
 fast gathering on the other lawn. Miss Sophy and her 
 father separated different ways, the former taking the 
 basket to commit it to Miss de Staff; and the doctor being 
 obliged to go to his place in the performance, left his charge 
 where he might. But nobody minded his neighbour now ; 
 Faith did not; the boys were drawn up in a large semi 
 circle, and the doctor taking his place in front of them, all 
 in full view of the assembled townsmen of Pattaquasset, 
 proceeded to his duty of examiner. 
 
 He did it well. He was evidently, to those who could 
 see it, thoroughly at home himself in all the subjects upon 
 which he touched and made the boys touch ; so thoroughly, 
 that he knew skilfully where to touch, and what to expect 
 of them. He shewed himself a generous examiner too; 
 he keenly enough caught the weak and strong points in the 
 various minds he was dealing with, and gracefully enough 
 brought the good to light, and only shewed the other so 
 much as was needful for his purposes. He did not catch, 
 nor entrap, nor press hardly ; the boys had fair play but 
 they had favour too. 
 
 The boys, on their part, were not slow to discover his 
 good qualities ; and it was certainly a comfort to them to 
 know that they were acquitted or condemned on right 
 grounds. Beyond that, there were curious traits of charac 
 ter brought to light, for those who had eyes to read 
 them. 
 
 The two head boys Reuben Taylor and Sam Stouten- 
 burgh, though but little apart in their scholarship were 
 widely different in the manifestation thereof. Sam Stouten- 
 burgh s rather off-hand, dashing replies, generally hit the 
 mark ; but the steady, quiet clearheadedness of Reuben not 
 only placed him in advance, but gave indications which no 
 one could read who had not the key to his character. He 
 coloured sometimes, but it was from modesty ; while part 
 of Sam Stoutenburgh s blushes came from his curls. Little 
 Johnny Fax, by dint of fixing his eyes upon Mr. Linden s 
 far-off form (he had been petitioned to stand in sight) went 
 bravely through his short part of the performance; and 
 
 14* 
 
162 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 proved, that he knew what he knew, if he didn t know 
 much ; and of the rest there need nothing be said. 
 
 Among the lookers-on there were also indications. To 
 those who did not know him, Mr. Linden s face looked as 
 unmoved as the pillar against which he leaned, yet the 
 varying play of light and shade upon the one was well re 
 peated in the other. Squire Stoutenburgh nodded and 
 smiled, to himself and his neighbours, and made little aside 
 observations "Tliat told, sir!" "Always was a good 
 boy! studious." "Yes Reuben Taylor does well very 
 well, considering who his father is." 
 
 That father the while, stood alone even beyond the out 
 skirts of the gay party. With Miss Cilly s blue dress he 
 had nothing in common as little with Faith s spotless 
 white. Dark, weatherbeaten, dressed for his boat and the 
 clam banks, he stood there on the green turf as if in a 
 trance. Unable to follow one question or answer, his eager 
 eye caught every word of Reuben s voice; his intent gaze 
 read first the assurance that it would be right, then the as 
 surance that it was. The whole world might have swept 
 by him in a pageant and he would scarcely have turned 
 to look ! 
 
 There was one other listener perhaps, whose interest was 
 as rapt as h ? s; that was Faith. But her interest was of 
 more manifold character. There was the natural feeling 
 for and with the boys; and there was sympathy for their 
 instructor And concern for his honour, which latter grew pre 
 sently to be a very gratified concern. Then also Dr. Har 
 rison s examination was a matter of curious novelty ; and 
 back of all that, lay in Faith s mind a deep, searching, 
 pressing interest in the subject matters of it. What of all 
 that, she knew, how little, and how much the boys; 
 how vastly much Dr. Harrison ; what far-reaching fields of 
 knowledge there were in some people s minds. Where was 
 Faith s mind going? Yet she was almost as outwardly 
 quiet as Mr. Linden himself. All her shew of feeling was 
 in the intent eye, the grave face, and a little deepening 
 and deepening tinge in her cheeks. 
 
 The questioning and answering was over the boys were 
 all in their ranks there was a little hush and stir of ex 
 pectancy, and Dr. Harrison gave his hand to a very bright 
 

 SAY AND SEAL. 163 
 
 dy with a basket and led her to a position by his side, 
 filling the eye of the whole assembly. Faith looked over 
 to her with a tiny giving way of the lips which meant a 
 great self-gratulation that she was not in the lady s place. 
 There she stood, very much at home apparently, Miss 
 Essie de Staff, as fifty mouths said at once. She was rather 
 a little lady, not very young, nor old ; dressed in a gay- 
 coloured plaid silk, with a jaunty little black apron with 
 pockets, black hair in curls behind her ears, and a glitter 
 of jewelry. It was not false jewelry, nor ill put on, and 
 this was Miss Essie de Staff. She belonged to the second 
 great family of Pattaquasset ; she too had been abroad and 
 had seen life like the Harrisons ; but somehow she had seen 
 it in a different way ; and while the de Staffs had the shew, 
 the Harrisons always had the reality of precedence in the 
 town. 
 
 And Dr. Harrison, raising slightly again his voice, which 
 was a melodious one, said, 
 
 " The ladies of Pattaquasset intend to honour with a 
 blue ribband the five elder boys who have spoken best ; and 
 with a favour of red ribband the five little boys who have 
 done the same on their part. Miss Essie de Staff will do 
 
 us the honour to bestow them. Reuben Taylor, will you 
 
 come forward here, if you please." 
 
 The favours made a little stir among the group; and 
 Reuben, who had been too much absorbed in the examina 
 tion for its own sake to think much of the question of pre 
 cedence, came forward at first with hesitation then steadily 
 and firmly. 
 
 Miss Essie stepped a little forward to meet him, gave 
 her basket to Doctor Harrison, and taking a blue favour 
 from it she smilingly attached the same securely to the left 
 breast of Reuben s coat. 
 
 "Don t leave your place," said the doctor to him in a 
 low tone; "I mean," he added smiling, "go back to it 
 and stay there. Sam Stoutenburgh 1" 
 
 The doctor spoke like a man a little amused at himself 
 for the part he was playing, but he did it well, nevertheless. 
 And Reuben, who would fain have put himself and his blue 
 ribband out of sight behind the rest, went back to his 
 place, while Sam stepped briskly forward and received the 
 
164 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 decoration in turn. Yery different his air from Reuben s, 
 very different Reuben s grave and grateful bend of the head 
 from the way in which Sam s hand covered at once his heart 
 and the blue ribband. The four boys next in degree tc 
 Reuben were severally invested with their blue stars. 
 
 "Johnny Fax!" said Dr. Harrison. "Miss Essie, you 
 are laying us under nameless obligations. Johnny, come 
 and get your ribband." 
 
 Johnny came looking first at Dr. Harrison and then at 
 Miss Essie, as if a little uncertain what they were going to 
 do with him; but apparently the fluttering red favour 
 pleased his fancy, for he smiled a little, and then looked 
 quite away over Miss Essie s shoulder as she bent towards 
 him. For which neglect of the lady s face his youth and 
 inexperience must account. But when the favour was on, 
 Johnny s eyes came back, and he said simply, 
 
 "Thank you, ma am. Shall I keep it always ?" 
 
 " By all means 1" said Miss Essie. " Never part with it." 
 
 The five little fellows were made splendid ; and then 
 there was a pause. Miss Essie stepped back and was lost. 
 Doctor Harrison made a sign with his hand, and two ser 
 vants came on the lawn bringing between them a table 
 covered with a red cloth. It was set down before Dr. 
 Harrison and his sister came beside him. 
 
 "My dear friends," said the doctor raising his voice 
 again, and giving his sister at the same time the benefit of 
 a slight play of face which others were not so situated they 
 could see, "You have all done yourselves and somebody 
 else, a great deal of credit. I hope you will thank him; . 
 as we wish to shew our pleasure to you. It was not to be 
 expected that everybody would be first this time though 
 on the next occasion I have no doubt that will prove to be 
 the case ; but as we could not of course in consequence 
 give stars to all, we will do the best we can. Reuben 
 Taylor " 
 
 Again Reuben came forward ; the doctor had pulled off 
 the red cloth, and a tempting pile of books, large and 
 small, and nicely bound, rose up to view upon the table. 
 And Miss Harrison as Reuben came near, chose out one 
 of the best and handed it to him, saying softly, "You 
 have done very well." 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 165 
 
 Now Miss Sophy Harrison was, as everyone knew and 
 b id, thoroughly good and kind, like her father. She 
 .ad chosen the books. And the one she had given Reuben 
 ,.as a very nice copy of the Pilgrim s Progress. She 
 wight have felt herself repaid by the one earnest look his 
 t>yes gave her, then he bowed silently and retired. 
 
 The list would be too long to go through. Every one 
 was pleased this time; the Harrisons had done the thing 
 well; and it may only be noted in passing that Johnny 
 iax s delight and red ribband were crowned and finished 
 oil with an excellent Robinson Crusoe. Then broke up 
 and melted off the assembled throng, like I want a simile, 
 like the scattering of a vapoury cloud in the sky. .It 
 was everywhere and nowhere directly that which before 
 had been a distinct mass. 
 
 "Faith," said Miss Cecilia, almost before this process 
 or dispersion commenced, "where did you get such a 
 pietty nosegay this time of year ?" 
 
 " They grew " said Faitli smiling. 
 
 "Did they come out of your own garden." 
 
 "We don t keep oak trees in our garden." 
 
 "I declare I it s elegant. Faith, give me just one of 
 those red leaves, won t you? I want it." 
 
 "No indeed!" said Faith, starting back and shielding 
 the oak leaves with her hand, as that of Miss Deacon ap 
 proached them. "What are you thinking of?" 
 
 "Thinking of!" said Cecilia colouring. "So, Faith, I 
 hear you ve set up for a school teacher ?" 
 
 "I ve one little scholar," said Faith quietly. "That isn t 
 much setting up, Cecilia." 
 
 "One scholar 1" said Cecilia contemptuously. "Didn t 
 you go over with all the boys to Neanticut the other day?" 
 
 "Yes," said Faith laughing, "indeed I did; but I assure 
 you I didn t go to teach school." 
 
 " Miss Derrick," said Dr. Harrison, offering his arm to 
 Faith, "my sister begs the favour of your assistance in 
 stantly and urgently you know I presume for what?" 
 
 "Yes, I know, Dr. Harrison," said Faith smiling, "I 
 left it unfinished" 
 
 And the two walked away together. 
 
 " Seems to me, Mr. Simlins," said Squire Deacon, watch- 
 
1 66 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 ing Faith and her convoy with a certain saturnine satisfac 
 tion ; "I say it seems to me, tlfat the Judge aint making 
 the thing right side upwards. The boys get all the prizes 
 without Dr. Harrison thinks he has, and the teacher 
 don t seem to be much count. Now what a handsomer 
 thing it would have been to make the boys get him some 
 thing with their own hard cash, a pleasure boat " added 
 the Squire, "or a Bible or anything of that sort. I 
 thought all this philustration was to set him up." 
 
 Mr. Simlins gave a kind of grunt. 
 
 "It haint pulled him down much," he said, "as I see. 
 And I suppose Judge Harrison thinks that drivin wedges 
 under a church steeple is a surrogate work without he 
 saw it was topplin ." 
 
 Without getting any too clear a notion of the meaning 
 of these words it took a lively imagination to follow Mr. 
 Simlins in some of his flights, the Squire yet perceived 
 enough to stay his own words a little ; and he passed away 
 the tedium of the next few minutes by peering round the 
 corner of the house and getting far-off glimpses of Faith. 
 
 "She looks most like a spectral illusion," he said ad 
 miringly. "The tablecloths aint bleached a bit whiter n 
 her dress." 
 
 "She aint no more like a spectre than I m like a ghost," 
 said Mr. Simlins. "Washin and ironin 11 make a white 
 frock for any woman." 
 
 Then stalking up to Mr. Linden accosted him grimly, 
 after his fashion. " Well Mr. Linden what d you think 
 of that farm at Neanticut? don t you want to take it of 
 me?" 
 
 " There are too many fences between me and it," was 
 the smiling reply. 
 
 "It s good land," Mr. Simlins went on; "you can t do 
 better than settle down there. I d like to have you for a 
 tenant give you the land easy." 
 
 "Let me pay you in nuts?" said Mr. Linden. 
 
 But then came up other farmers and heads of families to 
 ylaim Mr. Linden s attention; men whose boys were at the 
 school ; and who now in various states of gratification, but 
 all gratified, came one after another to grasp his hand and 
 thank him for the good he had done and was doing them. 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 167 
 
 "You re the first man, sir," said one, a broad-shouldered, 
 tall, strong man, with a stern reserved face, "you re the 
 first man that has been able to make that boy of mine 
 Phil attend to anything, or go to school regular. He 
 talks hard sometimes, but you do what you like with him, 
 Mr. Linden ! I give you my leave. He s smart, and he 
 aint a bad boy, at heart; but he s wild, and he has his own 
 way and it aint always a good one. His mother never had 
 any government of him," said the father, looking towards 
 the identical person whom Dr. Harrison had characterized 
 as the perspective of a woman, and who .certainly had 
 the air of one whose mind what she had was shut up 
 and shut off into the further extremities of possibility. 
 
 Then came up Judge Harrison. 
 
 "Well, Mr. Linden, I hope you have been gratified. 1 
 have. I declare I have ! very much. You are doing a 
 great thing for us here, sir; and I don t doubt it is a gra 
 tification to you to know it. I haven t made up my mind 
 what we shall do to thank you we ve been thanking the 
 boys, but that s, you know, that s a political expedient. 
 My heart s in the other thing." 
 
 " Squire Deacon was givin me about the same perspec 
 tive of the case," said Mr. Simlins, "only he thought he 
 warnt the one to do the thaukin ." 
 
 Mr. Linden s face, through all these various gratulations, 
 had been a study. One part of his nature answered, eye 
 to eye and hand to hand, the thanks and pleasure so 
 variously expressed. But back of that lay something else, 
 a something which gave even his smile a tinge, it was 
 the face of one who 
 
 "Patiently, and still expectant, 
 Looked out through the wooden bars." 
 
 Sometimes grave, at others a queer sense of his own posi 
 tion seemed to touch him ; and his manner might then re 
 mind one of a swift-winged bird who walking about on 
 the grass for business purposes, is complimented by a com 
 pany of crickets on his superior powers of locomotion. 
 And it was with almost a start that he answered Judge 
 Harrison 
 
1C8 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "Thank me, sir ? I don t think I deserve any thanks." 
 
 "I am sure we owe them," said the Judge, "but that s 
 another view of the case, I know. Well it s a good kind 
 of debt to owe and to pay ! " 
 
 And he was lost again among some other of his guests. 
 In the gradual shifting and melting away of groups, it 
 happened that Mr. Linden found himself for a moment 
 alone, when the doctor again approached him. 
 
 "Did I do your office well?" he said gently, and half 
 putting his arm through Mr. Linden s as if to lead him to 
 the house. 
 
 The answer was laughingly given 
 
 " What poet would not mourn to see 
 His brother write as well as he? " 
 
 "Well," said the doctor, answering the tone, "did I hit 
 your boys ? the right ones ?" 
 
 " My boys in point of scholarship ? yes, almost as care 
 fully as I should." 
 
 "I am glad you were satisfied," said the doctor; "and 
 I m glad it s over ! What sort of a life do you lead here 
 in Pattaquasset? I don t know it. How can one get 
 along here ?" 
 
 He spoke in a careless sort of confidential manner, as 
 perfectly aware that his companion was able to answer him. 
 They were very slowly sauntering up to the house. 
 
 " One can get along here in various ways " said Mr. 
 Linden, " as in other places. One can (if one can) sub 
 side to the general level, or one can (with the like qualifi 
 cation) rise above it. The paths through Pattaquasset 
 are in no wise peculiar, yet by no means alike." 
 
 "No," said the doctor, with another side look at him 
 "I suppose as much. I see you re a philosopher. Do you 
 carry a spirit-level about with you ?" 
 
 " Define " said Mr. Linden, with a smile which cer 
 tainly belonged to the last philosopher he had been in 
 company with. 
 
 "I see you do, "said the doctor. "What s your opinion 
 of philosophy ? that it adds to the happiness of the world 
 ji general ?" 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 169 
 
 "You ask broad questions, Dr. Harrison considering 
 the many kinds of philosophy, and the unphilosophical state 
 of the world in general. " 
 
 The doctor laughed a little. " I don t know," said he, 
 " I sometimes think the terms have changed sides, and that 
 the world in general has really the best of it. But do 
 you know what particular path in Pattaquasset we are 
 treading at this minute ?" 
 
 "A path where philosophy and happiness are supposed 
 to part company, I imagine," said Mr. Linden. 
 
 "Pre-cisely " said the doctor. "By the way, if any 
 thing in my father s house or library can be of the least con 
 venience to you while you are travelling the somewhat un 
 furnished ways of Pattaquasset, I hope you will use both 
 as your own. Yes, I am taking you to the supper table 
 or indeed they are plural to-night Sophy, I have brought 
 Mr. Linden to you, and I leave you to do what you will 
 with him!" 
 
 VOL. I. 16 
 
CHAPTER XIY. 
 
 WITH a slight congee the doctor left thorn and went 
 back again ; and then came the full rush of all 
 the guests, small and great. Miss Harrison claimed Mr. 
 Linden s assistance to marshal and arrange the boys at 
 their table one being given specially to them ; and then 
 established him as well as circumstances permitted at 
 another between Miss Cecilia Deacon and Miss Essie de 
 Staff. Miss Harrison herself did not sit d<>wn The 
 guests were many, the servants far too few ; ana Miss Har 
 rison and her brother with one or two helpers, of whom 
 Faith was one, went round from table to table ; attending 
 to everybody s wants. The supply of all eatables and 
 drinkables was ample and perfect enough ; but without the 
 quick and skilful eyes and hands of these educated waiters, 
 the company could not have been entirely put in possession 
 of them. So Faith s red oak leaves did after all adorn the 
 entertainment, and publicly, though most unconsciously on 
 her part. 
 
 "Reuben," she whispered at his shoulder, "there are no 
 roast clams here shall I give you some jelly ? I see yon 
 have got substantiate. " 
 
 "No thank you, Miss Faith," said Reuben adding with 
 some hesitation, "I believe it s ungrateful in me, but I 
 don t want to eat." 
 
 "Are you eating your book all the while ? I am so glad, 
 Reuben ! Where is your father ?" 
 
 "I think he s home, Miss Faith he must be by this 
 time." 
 
 " Home ! I m sorry. I ve been looking for him. Sam 
 what can I get you ? coffee ?" 
 
 "Miss Faith !" said Sam standing up in his place, " I d 
 rather have one of those leaves you ve been wearing all 
 day than all the coffee that ever was burnt!" 
 
 " Leaves ! you foolish boy," said Faith, her own colour 
 in an instant emulating them, and as before her band went 
 
 (170) 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 171 
 
 up to shield them. " I can t give you one of these, Sam 
 I ll bring you some coffee." 
 
 Away she ran, coming back presently with a cup and a 
 piece of jelly cake, bestowing a fellow piece upon Reuben, 
 
 "You can get plenty of oak leaves anywhere, Sam," she 
 said laughing a little. 
 
 "But you haven t worn em, Miss Faith and I can t 
 keep this !" said Sam surveying the cake with a very serio 
 comic face. 
 
 " Well, who wants to ?" said Joe Deacon. " Hand us 
 over the other cake, that s got nothing between. If you re 
 settin up to get round anybody, Sam Stoutenburgh, you ll 
 find there s two or three in a bunch I tell you." Which 
 remark Faith was happily too far off to hear. 
 
 "Faith," said Mrs. Somers, leaning back and stopping 
 her as she passed;" do you know why I let Sophy keep 
 you running about so ?" 
 
 "I like to do it, Mrs. Somers." 
 
 "Well that s not the reason. You ought to sit up at 
 the head of the table for your skill in arranging flowers. 
 I didn t know it was in you, child." 
 
 And Mrs. Somers bent closer to Faith to take the 
 breath of the roses, but softly for she loved flowers herself. 
 
 Faith bore it jealously, for she was afraid of another in 
 vading hand ; and blushing at the praise she could not dis 
 claim ran away as soon as she was free. But as the tide 
 of supper-time began to ebb, the doctor arrested Faith in 
 her running about and saying that his sister had had no 
 supper yet and wanted company, led her to the place his 
 aunt had spoken of, a clear space at one end of the table, 
 where the doctor also discovered he had taken no supper. 
 The rest of the party sat at ease, or began to scatter again 
 about the grounds. A new attraction was appearing there, 
 in the shape of Chinese lanterns, which the servants and 
 others were attaching in great numbers to the trees and 
 shrubbery. The sun went down, the shades of evening 
 were fast gathering. At last Miss Harrison rose. 
 
 "When the lamps are lit, Miss Derrick, "said the doctor 
 as they followed her example, "there is a particular effect 
 which I will have the pleasure of shewing you if you will 
 allow me." 
 
172 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 " Dv. Harrison, how do you do !" said a voice that 
 sounded like perhaps as much like the bark of a red 
 squirrel as anything ; and a little figure, with everything 
 faded but her ribbands, and everything full but her cheeks, 
 looked up with a pair of good, kind, honest eyes into the 
 doctor s face. "It makes a body feel young or old I 
 don t know which, to see you again," she said. " Though 
 indeed I know just how old you are, without looking into 
 the Bible. Not but that s a good place to look, for various 
 things. And there s a great variety of things there, if a 
 body had time to read em all, which I haven t. I used to 
 read like a scribe when I was young till mv eyes got bad; 
 but a body can t do much without eyes, especially when 
 they have to sew all the time, as I do. 1 always did think 
 it was one indemnification for being a man, that a body 
 wouldn t have to sew. Nor do much of anything else for 
 man works from sun to sun, but a woman s work is never 
 done. And I always think the work after sundown comes 
 hardest it does to me, because my eyes are so bad. Well, 
 Miss Cilly ! don t your dress fit !" It may be proper to 
 mention that this last sentence was a little undertone. 
 
 "You have given me, Miss Bezac," said the doctor, 
 " what I have wanted all my life until now an indemnifi 
 cation for being a man !" 
 
 " Is that the way they talk over in France ?" said Miss 
 Bezac "well, it don t make a body want to go there, 
 there s that about it. And there always is something about 
 everything. And I ve something to say to you, Faith, so 
 don t you run away. You ve done running enough for one 
 day, besides." 
 
 Faith was in no danger of running away. For while 
 Miss Bezac was running off her sentences, a little low voice 
 at Faith s side said "Ma am !" by way of modestly draw 
 ing her attention to Johnny Fax and his red ribband. 
 
 Faith stooped down to be nearer the level of the red 
 ribband. 
 
 " You did bravely, Johnny. And you got a book too. 
 I guess Mr. Linden was pleased with you to-night," she 
 added softly. 
 
 " he s always pleased with me," said Johnny simply. 
 "But I wasn t brave, ma am, 1 was frightened." Then 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 173 
 
 in a lower tone, as if he were telling a great secret, Johnny 
 added, 
 
 " I m coming to you next Sunday if it s cold weather " 
 and looked up in her face to see the effect of this mysteri 
 ous announcement. 
 
 " You, Johnny !" said Faith, with a flash of remembrance 
 of the time" she had last seen him, which made her almost 
 sorrowful. " Well, dear we ll do the best we can," she 
 added in a tone which was sweet at least as tenderness 
 could make it. The child looked at her a little wistfully. 
 
 "Mr. Linden says he don t think I m big enough to keep 
 warm out of doors any more," he said with childish inex- 
 plicftness. 
 
 " I don t think you are," said Faith. " Well, Johnny 
 you come to me next Sunday, and we ll try!" And she 
 gave him, what Sam Stoutenburgh would probably have 
 mortgaged his life for, a soft touch of her lips upon his 
 cheek. And Sam Stoutenburgh was not far off. 
 
 " Miss Faith !" he said as she rose to her former posi 
 tion, " stand out of the way, Johnny, there s a good 
 boy! mayn t I see you home to-night? Please don t 
 refuse me everything !" 
 
 " There isn t room in the wagon, Sam," said Faith. 
 
 " are you going to ride ?" said Sam. "But I may go 
 with you to the wagon ?" 
 
 " Yes if you like," said Faith looking a little puzzled 
 and amused. " I suppose you may." 
 
 "Are there any more to come ?" said Miss Bezac, whose 
 patience had outlasted that of Dr. Harrison, " because if 
 there are, I d rather wait I don t like to be stopped when 
 once I begin. And if I was you, Faith (how pretty you 
 look !) I d keep still and not let my head be turned ; the 
 old direction s the best ; and after all directions are more 
 than dresses. For what s the odds between an embroidered 
 vest and a plain one ? Not that it s much to embroider it 
 I used to fiddle faddle many a one, till I lost my eyes ; and 
 I ll teach you to do it in a minute, if you like." With 
 which kind and lucid proposal, Miss Bezac put her hand 
 softly on Faith s waist and smoothed out an imaginary 
 wrinkle in the white dress. 
 
 "Dear Miss Bezac," said Faith, not losing her amused 
 15* 
 
114 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 look, "I don t want to embroider waistcoats. What are 
 you talking of?" 
 
 "I know " said Miss Bezac, "and I suppose that s 
 enough. If folks don t know what you mean they can t 
 say anything against it. But you don t know what you 
 want, child, any more than I did. And do you know, 
 sometimes I wish I d never found out? But whenever you 
 do know, you can come to me ; and I ll fix you off so you 
 won t know yourself. It s a pleasant way to lose a body s 
 identity, I can tell you. Now give me a kiss and I ll go, 
 for I live tother side of creation where you never come ; 
 and why you don t come, and bring him, I don t see but 
 I ve seen him, in spite of you. Here he comes, too" - said 
 Miss Bezac, "so I ll be off." 
 
 There was such a variety of confusions in this speech 
 that Faith was hopeless of setting them right. She stood 
 looking at the speaker, and did not try. However, every 
 body was accustomed to Miss Bezac s confusions. 
 
 "Are you pledged to stand still on this particular spot ?" 
 Mr. Linden said at her side. 
 
 "No indeed," said Faith with ready smile, "but people 
 have been talking to me " 
 
 "Yes, and there is no telling how many I shall interfere 
 with if I take you away now." 
 
 "I don t care " said Faith. "Only Dr. Harrison said 
 he wanted to shew me something when the lamps were 
 lit." 
 
 "When they are lighting ? or when they are lit ?" 
 
 "When they are lit, he said." 
 
 "Well they are not lit yet," said Mri Linden, "and 
 before they are I want you to get a view of people and 
 things in twilight perspective. For which purpose, Miss 
 Faith, I must take you to the extreme verge of society and 
 the lawn if you will let me." 
 
 "I would like to go anywhere you please, Mr. Linden." 
 And Faith s face gave modest token that she would like it 
 very much. 
 
 He gave her his arm, and then by skilful navigation 
 kept clear of the groups most likely to interrupt their pro 
 gress ; passing rather towards the boy quarter, making Sam 
 Stoutenburgh sigh and Joe Deacon whistle, with the most 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 175 
 
 frigid disregard of their feelings. The shrubbery at the 
 foot of the lawn was in more than twilight now, and its 
 deeper shadow was good to look out from ; giving full 
 effect to the dying light on earth and sky. The faint rose- 
 coloured clouds hung over a kaleidoscope of dresses, which 
 was ever shifting and making new combinations, passing 
 into black spots in the shadow of the trees, or forming 
 a broad spread of patchwork on the open lawn. The 
 twilight perspective was far more witching than the sun 
 light full view. 
 
 "How pretty that is !" said Faith delightedly. "Thank 
 you, Mr. Linden. I don t believe Dr. Harrison will shew 
 me any effect so good as this. How pretty and odd it is I" 
 
 11 Don t you know," he said, "that you never should thank 
 me for doing pleasant things ?" 
 
 "Why, Mr. Linden ?" she said in a tone a little checked. 
 
 "Why? because I like to do them." 
 
 "Well, "she said laughing slightly, "that makes me want 
 to thank you more." 
 
 "It don t make me deserve the thanks, however. Do 
 you perceive the distant blue of Miss Cecilia s dress ? 
 does it make you think of the blue ether over your 
 head ?" 
 
 "Not the least!" said Faith much amused. "What 
 makes you ask me that, Mr. Linden ?" 
 
 " I should like to hear why it does not?" 
 
 "The two things are so very, very far apart," Faith said, 
 after a moment s consideration. " I don t see what could 
 make me think of them together. The only thing is that 
 both are blue, but I should have to think to remember 
 that," 
 
 "You haven t answered me yet," he said smiling. " Why 
 are they far apart? your blue gentians there, are as far 
 below the sky in number of miles yet from them to the 
 sky the transition is easy." 
 
 "Yes " said Faith looking down at her blue gentian. 
 " Why is it, Mr. Linden ? But this is God s work too," she 
 added softly. 
 
 "I suppose that is the deep root of the matter. The 
 ruined harp of man s nature yet answers to a breath from 
 heaven as to nc other touch. Then blue has been so long 
 
176 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 the emblem of truth, that separated from truth one can 
 scarce, as you say, realize what colour it is. " 
 
 "Then Mr. Linden," said Faith after a moment s silence, 
 with the tone and the look of quick pleasure, "is this 
 what you mean by reading things?" 
 
 "Yes " he said with a smile, 
 
 " To rightly spell 
 
 Of every star that heaven doth shew, 
 And every herb that sips the dew. " 
 
 "But how far can you read?" said Faith. "And I 
 aever thought of such reading till till a little while ago I 
 How far can you read, Mr. Linden ?" 
 
 " I don t know " he said, "because I don t know how 
 far I cannot read I Yet if the invisible things of God 
 may be known by the things which are seen, there is at 
 least room for ample study. To some people, Miss Faith, 
 the world is always (with the change of one adjective) an 
 incomprehensible little green book; while others read a few 
 pages now, and look forward to knowing the whole here 
 after." 
 
 There was a pause, a little longer than usual. 
 
 "And you say I must not thank you ?" Faith said 
 very low. 
 
 "I say I think you have no cause." 
 
 She was silent. 
 
 " Has the day been pleasant ?" Mr. Linden asked, as 
 they walked up and down. 
 
 " Yes, very pleasant. I liked what you didn t like, Mr. 
 Linden all that examination business. And I was very 
 glad for Reuben and little Johnny." 
 
 " How do you know I didn t like it ?" 
 
 "I don t know I thought you didn t," she said looking 
 at him. 
 
 " You don t like to say why ?" 
 
 " Yes ! I thought you didn t like it, Mr. Linden, when 
 Judge Harrison first proposed it. You wished he would 
 give us the pleasure without the shewing off." 
 
 " Well, did you also know," he said with a peculiar 
 little smile, "that one of my best scholars was not ex 
 amined ?" 
 
SAY AND SEAL. It7 
 
 K"o who do you mean ?" she said earnestly. 
 
 He laughed, and answered, 
 
 " One who would perhaps prefer a private examina 
 tion at home and to whom I have thought of pro 
 posing it." 
 
 "An examination ?" said Faith, wondering and with 
 considerable heightening of colour, either at the proposal 
 or at the rank among scholars assigned her. 
 
 "You need not be frightened," Mr. Linden said gravely 
 "if anybody should be, it is I, at my own boldness. I 
 am a little afraid to go on now though it is something I 
 have long wanted to say to you." 
 
 " What is it, Mr Linden ?" she said timidly. 
 
 " I have thought " he paused a moment, and then went 
 quietly on. " You have given me reason to think, that 
 there are other desirable things besides French of which 
 you have no knowledge. I have wished very much to ask 
 you what they are, and that you would let me so far as I 
 can supply the deficiency." It was said with simple 
 frankness, yet with a manner that fully recognized the 
 delicate ground he was on. 
 
 The rush of blood to Faith s face he could see by the 
 lamplight, but she hesitated for an answer, and hesitated, 
 and her head was bent with the weight of some feeling. 
 
 " I should be too glad, Mr. Linden !" she said at last, 
 very low, but with unmistakeable emphasis. 
 
 "Then if you will let me see to-morrow what you are 
 doing with that other little book, I will see what compan 
 ions it should have." And warned by the kindling lamps 
 on every side, he led the way a little more into the open 
 lawn, that Faith might at least be found if sought. That 
 allowed him to see too, the look he had raised in her face ; 
 the little smile on the lips, the flush of colour, the stir of 
 deep pleasure that kept her from speaking. Yet when 
 tiiey had taken a few steps on the broad lawn and other 
 people would soon be nearing them, she suddenly said, 
 softly, 
 
 "What other book do you mean, Mr. Linden ?" 
 
 "I don t know how many there may be, Miss Faith, but 
 1 meant one which I tried to get at the store one day, and 
 found that the last copy had passed into your hands." 
 
178 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "The arithmetic!" said Faith. "That was how you 
 knew it. There is Dr. Harrison looking for me !" she 
 added, in a tone which gentle as it was would have turned 
 that gentleman to the right about if he had heard it 
 which he did not and if he had not been indifferent on 
 the point of all such tones, which he was. 
 
 "Stars shine by their own light 1" said the doctor as he 
 came up. " I have no need to ask, Where is Miss Derrick ? 
 Your Quercus rubra there is brilliant at any distance, with 
 a red gleam. You have Mars on your breast, and Hes 
 perus in your eye ! It is heaven on earth !" 
 
 Faith could not choose but laugh at the mixture of gal 
 lantry and fun and flattery in the doctor s manner, though 
 his meaning was, to her, doubtful. Other answer she made 
 none. 
 
 "And so," said Mr. Linden, " you make the stars shine 
 by their own light, and Miss Derrick by the light of the 
 stars !" 
 
 "Advances constantly making in the sciences!" said the 
 doctor with a wave of his hand. " I dare say you are a 
 better astronomer than I am ; I haven t kept up with the 
 latest discoveries. But Mr. Linden, may I interfere with 
 your heaven for a moment, and persuade these stars to 
 shine, for that length of time, upon less favoured regions ? 
 With another revolution of the earth they will rise upon 
 you again." 
 
 "I shall not persuade the stars for you," said Mr. Linden. 
 
 " I will endeavour so far," said the doctor turning to 
 Faith. "I had the honour to offer to shew Miss Derrick the 
 peculiar effect of Chinese lanterns in Pattaquasset may I 
 hope that she will allow me to fulfil my promise ?" 
 
 He took possession of Faith, and with a graceful "Au 
 revoir !" to Mr. Linden, led her away. 
 
 The effect of the lanterns was very pretty, and to her 
 eyes very curious. So were the lanterns themselves, be 
 fore one and another of which Faith stopped and looked 
 with charmed eyes, and the doctor nothing loth gave her 
 charming details. 
 
 "After all, it is only child s play," he said as he turned 
 away. "Why should we want Pattaquasset to look like 
 China?" 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 179 
 
 "For one night?" said Faith. 
 
 " Well, for one night," said the doctor. " But you haven t 
 got little feet on, have you ?" said he looking down at the 
 edge of Faith s white dress in mock alarm; "I shouldn t 
 like the transformation to go too far." 
 
 Faith laughed. 
 
 "Reassure me," said the doctor. "Nothing can be more 
 unlike the Mongol type than the pure Circassian I have 
 before me, yet let me see the slipper. I want to be sure 
 that all is right." 
 
 He persisted, and to stop the absurdity of the thing, 
 Faith shewed him, not indeed her slipper, but the most 
 un- Chinese, un-French, neat little shoe thick enough for 
 walking, in which she had come to Judge Harrison s 
 party. 
 
 "Alarmingly near!" said the doctor peering at it "but 
 the proportions are perfect. It is not Chinese. Thank you. 
 I have seen so many odd things in my life, Miss Derrick, 
 and people, that I never know what to expect; and any 
 thing right from head to foot, is a marvel." 
 
 They moved on again and sauntered round and round in 
 the paths of the shrubbery, Faith hardly knew whither. In 
 truth the doctor s conversation was amusing enough to 
 leave her little care. Very few indeed were the words he 
 drew from her; but with all their simplicity and modesty, 
 he seemed to be convinced that there was something behind 
 them worth pleasing ; at least he laid himself out to please. 
 He easily found that what she knew of life and the world 
 was very little, and that she was very ready to take any 
 glimpses he would give her into the vast unknown regions 
 so well known to him. Always in his manner carelessly 
 graceful, Faith never dreamed of the real care with which 
 he brought up subjects, and discussed them, that he thought 
 would interest her. He told of distant countries and 
 scenes he detailed at length foreign experiences he de 
 scribed people he gave her pictures of manners and cus 
 toms, all new to her ears, strange and delightful ; and so 
 easily yet so masterly given, that she took it all in an easy 
 full flow of pleasure. So it happened that Faith did not 
 very well know how they turned and wound in and out 
 
180 SAY AND SEAL 
 
 through the walks ; she was in Switzerland and at Paris 
 and at Rome, all the while. 
 
 She came back pretty suddenly to Pattaquasset. As 
 they paused to watch the glitter of one of the lamps on the 
 shining leaves of a holly tree, several of the boys, seeking 
 their own pleasure, came sauntering by. The last of these 
 had time to observe her, and swaggering close up under 
 her face said, loud enough to be heard, 
 
 "You aint, neither ! I know you aint. Reuben Taylor 
 says you aint." 
 
 The lamplight did not serve to reveal Faith s changes 
 of face and colour, neither did Dr. Harrison wait to observe 
 them. 
 
 "What do you mean, sir?" he said, catching hold of the 
 boy s arm. " Why do you speak so to a lady ? what isn t 
 she?" 
 
 " Somebody s sweetheart," said the boy resolutely. " She 
 aint. Reuben Taylor says she aint." 
 
 "Foit ll never be, my fine fellow," said the doctor letting 
 him go, "if you don t learn more discretion. I must tell 
 Mr. Linden his boys want a trifle of something besides 
 Algebra. That don t give all the relative values of 
 things." 
 
 "Pray do not! don t speak of it, Dr. Harrison I" said 
 Faith. 
 
 He tried to see her face, but he could not. 
 
 " Hardly worth while," he said lightly. " Boys will be 
 boys which is an odd way of excusing them. for not being 
 civilized things. However if you excuse him, I will." 
 
 Faith said nothing. She was trying to get over the sud 
 den jar of those words. They had not told her anything 
 she did not believe she thought no other; but they gave 
 her nevertheless a keen stir of pain a revival of the pain 
 she had quieted at Neanticut; and somehow this was worse 
 than that. Could Reuben Taylor talk about her so? 
 could Reuben Taylor have any authority for doing it? 
 But that question would not stand answering. Faith s red 
 oak leaves were a little JBgis to her then, a tangible pre 
 cious representative of all the answer that question would 
 not wait for. No sting of pain could enter that way. But 
 the pain was bad enough ; and under the favouring shadow? 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 181 
 
 light of the lamps she strove and strove to quiet it ; while 
 the doctor went on talking. 
 
 Indeed," said he going on with the subject of Phil s 
 speech, " I am obliged to him for his information which 
 was of course incorrect. But I am very glad to hear it 
 nevertheless. Other people s sweethearts, you know, are 
 tabooed sacred ground not to be approached without 
 danger to all concerned. But now if you will allow me, 
 I think I shall claim you for mine." 
 
 Whatever look the words may have, they did not sound 
 rude. They were said with a careless half-amused, half 
 gentle manner, which might leave his hearer in doubt 
 whether the chief purpose of them were not to fall plea 
 santly on her ear and drive away any disagreeable re 
 mainders of Phil s insolence. But Faith scarce heard him. 
 She was struggling with that unbidden pain, and trying 
 with all the simplicity and truth of her nature and with the 
 stronger help she had learned to seek, to fight it down. 
 She had never thought such an utterly vain thought as 
 that suggested in Phil s words ; in her humility and mo 
 desty she chid herself that it should have come into her 
 head even when other people s words had forced it there. 
 Her humility was very humble now. And in it she quietly 
 took up with the good she had, of which her roses were 
 even then breathing sweet reminders in her face ; putting 
 from her all thought of good that did not belong to her 
 and she could not deserve. 
 
 The uncertain light favoured her well, or Dr. Harrison 
 would have seen too much of her face-play. They had 
 been going on and on, and the doctor had been as usual 
 talking, and she had managed now and then to seem to 
 give an answer she never remembered to what ; and her 
 part in the conversation all along had been so modestly 
 small that the doctor hardly knew when or whether she had 
 ceased to comprehend him. But they emerged at last upon 
 f ,ho lawn, where Faith was taken possession of and marched 
 off by the old Judge, nothing loth. 
 
 The doctor casting about for another fish to throw his 
 line at, spied Reuben Taylor, standing alone, and eying 
 as Mr. Linden and Faith had done the gay scene about 
 the house, now gay with the many-coloured lamps. 
 
 VOL. I. 16 
 
182 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "Well, my man, said the doctor easily aceoting him as 
 he stood there, "you did very well this afternoon, flow 
 long have you been at the school?" 
 
 Reuben made answer with his usual respectful courtesy. 
 
 "Are you a friend of Miss Derrick s?" 
 
 "I think Miss Derrick is my friend, sir," said Reuben 
 with a little flush. 
 
 "Is she?" said the doctor. "Well don t you think that 
 comes to the same thing ?" 
 
 "No sir." 
 
 " No ? What s the difference ? I m not examining you 
 now I am asking for information." 
 
 "I think you must know, sir," said Reuben, respectfully 
 but firmly, after a glance at his questioner. 
 
 "Do you?" said the doctor laughing slightly. "Well, 
 if you are not her friend, it don t signify. I was going to 
 remark to you, if you were, that ladies don t generally care 
 to have their private affairs talked about, and however 
 much you may know, it is not always worth while to tell 
 it." 
 
 "I neither know nor have said anything, Dr. Harrison," 
 said Reuben, drawing himself up a little, and looking full 
 in the doctor s face. 
 
 " You re Reuben Taylor, aren t you ?" 
 
 " Yes sir I m not anybody else though." 
 
 " No," said the doctor carelessly. " Well, it isn t neces 
 sary you should be, for present purposes. I heard you 
 quoted as authority just now, on something which touched 
 that lady s affairs, whose friend you say you are not and 
 I think, your friend though she may be, she was not par 
 ticularly gratified with your interference." 
 
 "Miss Faith knew it was a wrong quotation," said Reu 
 ben quietly. 
 . " You are sure of that ?" 
 
 " Quite sure, sir if it was anything about her which 3 
 ought not to have said." 
 
 "Don t know that it was," said the doctor; "it s well 
 enough sometimes to set people right when they are 
 wrong what I say is, that ladies don t always thank one 
 for it." 
 
 Reuben flushed a little. 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 183 
 
 "You don t know me, Dr. Harrison," he said " I can t 
 expect you to take my word ; but I have nothing to add to it." 
 
 "And I have nothing to add to mine,? said the doctor 
 lightly. " I heard you quoted that s all ; 1 supposed you 
 would know what for." 
 
 " Who did you hear, sir ?" 
 
 "Don t know, really," said the doctor "only he was a 
 rude fellow if you can tell one "by such a description among 
 your mates, it was he." 
 
 And the doctor strolled away. 
 
 Reuben on his part seemed to recognize the description, 
 for taking a sort of intuitive bee-line through people and 
 trees, he suddenly brought up with the question, 
 
 "Phil Davids, what have you been saying about me?" 
 
 " I s pose you think folks have nothing to do but talk 
 about you now. You re a long way out !" was the care 
 less answer. 
 
 "What did you say I said ?" said Reuben. 
 
 " I never heard you say anything, as I know, that was 
 worth tellin over. When I do, I ll let somebody know it. 
 I tell you." 
 
 "I suppose that means that you won t answer my ques 
 tion," said Reuben. "What I want to know is, not what 
 I said, but what you say I said." 
 
 "About what?" 
 
 "About Miss Faith Derrick." 
 
 "I don t say you said nothing about her I never heard 
 you "call her name, as I know." 
 
 " Like enough," said Reuben, with a sort of resolute 
 patience; "but what did you say I said thfct had to do with 
 her in any way?" 
 
 "Who do you think you air?" said Phil. 
 
 "I tell you what, Phil Davids," said Sam Stoutenburgh, 
 who had heard the last question or two, " if you don t keep 
 your tongue off Miss Derrick, I ll pitch you up into a pine 
 tree so far that you ll see stars before you come down or 
 I m not Stoutenburgh nor stout, neither!" and Sam who 
 was a little of a young giant backed Phil up against the 
 tree that was nearest in a sort of preparatory way that was 
 rather breathless. Phil however was as tough as shoe 
 leather. 
 
184 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "Suppos n you keep eyes off her, then," said he strug 
 gling. "It s a poor rule that don t work both ways." 
 
 "What have you been about?" said Sam, "come, own 
 up for once -just to try how it feels." 
 
 "What have you?" said Phil. "I aint up to half as 
 many shines as you, Sam Stoutenburgh." 
 
 "I should think riot!" said Sam disdainfully. 
 
 " let him alone, Sam !" said Reuben "what s the use ?" 
 
 "Little enough use "said Sam, "or matter either, 
 everybody knows Phil Davids. Pity he wouldn t make his 
 own acquaintance!" And releasing his prisoner Sam 
 turned disdainfully and Reuben sorrowfully towards the 
 house. But Reuben did not go very near. A wistful look 
 or two towards the lighted front and the clustering guests, 
 and he paused, leaving Sam to go on alone. 
 
 Sam s bashfulness was happily not of the uncompromising 
 kind, therefore he not only found Faith, but she found him 
 ready to claim her promise the very moment she was 
 ready to go. 
 
 "But I don t know whether the wagon is here, Sam," 
 said Faith. Other wagons were come, and driving off, and 
 a little procession of colours was setting forth on foot, up 
 and down the street from Judge Harrison s. The hall was 
 full of people, getting hoods on and taking leave. 
 
 "Well, Miss Faith," said Sam, "we can walk to where 
 it ought to be, and if it isn t there maybe you ll let me go 
 further." 
 
 "But I can t go without seeing my mother, Sam, and I 
 don t know where she is." 
 
 "Sam Stoutenburgh!" said Mr. Linden s voice, while 
 the speaker laid both hands on the boy s shoulders, "what 
 are you about ?" 
 
 "Miss Faith said I might go as far as the wagon with 
 her, sir," said Sam looking down. 
 
 "The wagon is not here," said Mr. Linden, "M*:. Skip 
 is probably asleep " 
 
 " Then I may see you home, Miss Faith ?" was the joyous 
 comment. 
 
 "Sam Stoutenburgh!" said Mr. Linden again, prevent 
 ing Faith s reply, and giving Sam a gentle shake. "Isn t 
 one favour a day enough for you ?" he added presently. 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 185 
 
 "No sir!" said Sara boldly. 
 
 "I suppose I must give way before a blue ribband, "said 
 Mr. Linden smiling, yet as if he was much inclined to lift 
 Sam out of the way. "Miss Faith, the matter is in your 
 hands." 
 
 But Faith did not smile, and looked, or was it his fancy ? 
 ever so little careworn. 
 
 "What matter, Mr. Linden?" she said simply 
 
 " Whether you will take charge of this boy as far as his 
 father s gate. I will try and take care of you, after that." 
 
 " Will that do, Sam ?" said Faith pleasantly, as she 
 threw her scarf over her head. 
 
 "I m glad to go any distance with you, Miss Faith," 
 said Sam, but half content or a quarter ! for that was the 
 distance assigned him. 
 
 " Well behave yourself then," said Mr. Linden, removing 
 his hands. A parting injunction. Sam s dignity would 
 have dispensed with. 
 
 16* 
 
CHAPTER XY. 
 
 evening was very still. A little too cool for insect 
 _L voices, a little too late in the season for night birds, 
 the soft dropping of the yellow leaves scarce stirred those 
 already fallen. Few sounds came from the houses ; for all 
 Pattaquasset had been out, and that portion which had got 
 home was tired and thinking of bed, while the few strag 
 glers yet abroad were far from the late scene of action, on 
 their lonely homeward roads. Squire Deacon, with Joe 
 for a thorn in his side, was opening his own door for Miss 
 Cecilia, and Miss Bethia Bezac, at the other side of crea 
 tion, mused over the possibility of again (without eyes) 
 embroidering waistcoats. Thus when the clock struck 
 eight, the earth seemed asleep and the stars at watch over it. 
 
 At about that point of time, Sam Stoutenburgh and his 
 fair companion were near the parting gate ; and Sam, not 
 supposing himself within range of other eyes, had bent 
 down over Faith s glove in a very demonstrative manner; 
 and she would certainly have received an unwonted proof 
 of his devotion, if Mr. Linden who had in truth been all 
 the time not very far off had not just then been very near. 
 
 "Take care, Sam " he said, "you are exceeding direc 
 tions." A remark which sent Sam through the gate with 
 more haste than coolness, while Mr. Linden stepped for 
 ward into his place. 
 
 "Your mother rode home with Mrs. Somers, Miss Faith, 
 and this little shawl was requested to walk home with you," 
 he said, wrapping it round her; for which he received a 
 quiet little "Thank you." He put her hand on his arm, 
 and once past the gate walked very slowly; moderating his 
 steps to hers, and taking the most leisurely pace; perhaps 
 to give her the full sedative effect of the night. Those 
 faint breaths of air, that soft hush of everything, that clear 
 starry sky, so high, so still, there was balm in them all. 
 
 And for a while Mr. Linden let them do their work 
 alone, then he spoke. 
 (186) 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 187 
 
 " One of my scholars is very tired to night. I m afraid I 
 have done wrong in letting her walk home." 
 
 "0 no!" said Faith with a little start, "I like to walk 
 verv much, Mr. Linden; it s very pleasant. And I am 
 not tired," she added in a soft quiet voice. 
 
 "What is the difference between being tired, and being 
 in want of rest?" 
 
 She looked at him again, and her words did not come at 
 once. 
 
 "I suppose the difference is, that in one case you can 
 get what you want and in the other, you have to wait for 
 it." 
 
 "Till when?" 
 
 She laughed, somewhat uneasily, and asked him what he 
 meant. 
 
 "I hardly know how to make my question plainer, Miss 
 Faith. I suppose I am of an impatient disposition, but 
 the idea of waiting an indefinite time for rest is not plea 
 sant to me." 
 
 " But can you always get it as soon as you would like to 
 have it?" Faith asked with a kind of timid doubt, as not 
 knowing but his power might extend so far. 
 
 "Why not ? seeing rest is like some sweet wind, which 
 cannot blow its soft gale till there is a clear space for it, 
 why should it linger when the space is clear ? why not 
 rest when we are weary ?" 
 
 "But can you always get the clear space for it?" Faith 
 asked, looking at him wonderingly. 
 
 He smiled. 
 
 " I am talking of what may be done, Miss Faith not of 
 what I do. But I wish you would let me try my powers 
 for you to-night. How comes there to be a demand ? 
 how comes there not to be a supply?" 
 
 " Of rest ?" said Faith. " Oh there is 1 At least," she 
 added reluctantly, "there will be. There is now, Mr. 
 Linden." 
 
 "Equal to the demand ?" 
 
 " Why do you ask me ?" she said, a little troubled. 
 
 " I believe I have a bad habit of asking questions," said Mr 
 Linden and his tone was apologetic in its very gentleness, 
 " It is partly my fault and partly Pet s." 
 
188 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 " Partly whose ? Mr. Linden," said Faith. " I don t 
 think it ? s a bad habit. Whose fault, did you say ?" 
 
 "Pet s my sister s, into whose company I hope to 
 send you soon again." 
 
 " Oh I mustn t thank you !" Faith said, beginning and 
 stopping herself somewhat comically. 
 
 " I don t know whether you will thank me for taking 
 you past your own gate, which I was about to do," said 
 Mr. Linden. "And I don t know whether the social and 
 astronomical days ought to agree but Hesperus set some 
 time ago." 
 
 "I don t understand, Mr. Linden " said Faith pausing. 
 
 " You must not expect to understand all astronomical 
 things till you have studied astronomy," he said with a 
 smile. " The practical application of my words is to sleep 
 
 " That knits up the ravelled sleeve of care; 
 Worn labour s bath; balm of hurt minds. " 
 
 With which soporific potion he bade her goodnight; 
 and Faith went to her room marvelling what could have 
 put into Mr. Linden s head just those particular words ; and 
 whether he had a quality of vision that could see through 
 flesh and blood ; and a little in doubt whether or not in the 
 circumstances to find the words or the surmise balmy. 
 But if she wanted rest that night, or seemed to have 
 wanted it, she had found it the next day, for she was all 
 like herself. To speak with her own scrupulosity, there 
 was perhaps just a shade of quieter gravity on her face and 
 touching her smile, than there had been the day before 
 And that shade she kept. 
 
 It is a notable fact, that when Pleasure with her wand 
 has roused into lively motion the waters of some mortaf 
 lake, she straightway departs ; taking with her the sparkles, 
 the dancing foam, and leaving the disturbed waves to de 
 posit at their leisure the sediment which she has stirred up. 
 Withered leaves flung upon the bank, a spot here and there 
 of discoloured froth, these are what remain. Thus in the 
 quiet nooks and corners of Pattaquasset were trophies not 
 too bright of the celebration. Thus did Pattaquasset 
 people behold some of the hidden evil in their neighbours, 
 and likewise in themselves. The boys indeed maintained 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 189 
 
 their serenity and kept Pleasure with them ; but in other 
 quarters there were some heartburnings most of all at 
 Squire Deacon s. Relieved at first by the idea of a new 
 rival then by some intuitive belief thrown off that ground 
 of comfort ; the Squire was much in the condition of the 
 man who wanted to commit an assault upon every small 
 boy he met for boys were to him representatives. But 
 deprived by law of this manly way of expressing his feel 
 ings, the Squire sought some other. For the boys, they 
 laughed at him and at pretty much everything else ; and 
 having as I said managed to keep Pleasure with them, the 
 faces that greeted Mr. Linden on Friday morning were 
 unusually bright. 
 
 Yet there were one or two exceptions. Sam Stouten- 
 burgh was a little shamefaced in broad daylight a little 
 afraid of being laughed at ; and Reuben Taylor, the head 
 of the blue ribbands, was under a very unwonted cloud. 
 It even seemed as if the day (no thanks to Pleasure) had 
 done some work for Mr. Linden : perhaps he was consider 
 ing how long he should be within reach of such ceremonies; 
 or (perhaps) how soon he could be willing to put himself 
 out of reach. And when he came home in the afternoon, 
 it was with the slow, meditative step which reminded Faith 
 of his first week in Pattaquasset. 
 
 "You are tired now, Mr. Linden," she said with a smile, 
 but the burden of her remark in her eyes, as she met him 
 in the porch. 
 
 " Boys are an extraordinary commodity to deal with !" 
 he said looking at her, but answering the smile too. " I 
 think you are bewitching all mine by degrees. Why can 
 not you confine your conjurations to the black cats of the 
 neighbourhood ? like some of the real, respectable Puri 
 tan witches ?" 
 
 Faith blushed very much at the beginning of this speech, 
 and laughed at the last. 
 
 " What have I done, Mr. Linden ? there are no black 
 cats in the neighbourhood." 
 
 " Is that it ?" said Mr. Linden " I shall have to import 
 a few. You give me a great deal of trouble, Miss Faith." 
 
 " I, Mr. Linden ? 1 am very sorry I What have I done ?" 
 
 "I don t knowl or at least but partially. There is 
 
190 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 Sam Stoutenburgh, making as much ado over his lessons as 
 if his wits had forsaken him which perhaps they have. 
 There is Reuben Taylor I don t know what is the matter 
 with Reuben," he said, his tone changing, "but his last 
 words to me were a very earnest entreaty that I would per 
 suade you to see him for five minutes ; and when I wanted to 
 know why he did not prefer his own request, all I could get 
 was that he was not sure you would let him. Which gave 
 me very little clue to the sorrowful face he has worn al] 
 day." 
 
 Once more, and this time with the keen tinge of pain, 
 the blood rushed in a flood to Faith s cheek and brow; and 
 for a second she put her hands to her face as if she would 
 hide it. But she put them down and looked up frankly to 
 Mr. Linden. 
 
 "lam sure Reuben Taylor has done no wrong!" she 
 said. "You may tell him so, Mr. Linden." 
 
 "Wrong!" he said "to you?"- and the tone was one 
 Faith did not know. Then with a manner that was like 
 enough to the flinging of the little stone into Kildeer river, 
 he added, "Yes, I will tell him. Miss Faith, I shall be 
 down again directly, and then will you let me see that 
 book?" And he passed on upstairs. 
 
 The book was on the table in the parlour when he came 
 down, but Faith met him standing. With a little timid 
 anxiousness, she said, 
 
 "I have done wrong now. Mr. Linden, I said I was sure 
 Reuben had not done any, and you will not speak to him 
 as if he had ? Please don t speak to him at all I will see 
 him myself." 
 
 The answering smile broke through some little cloud of 
 feeling, in spite of him. 
 
 "You need not fear," he said, "I know Reuben Tay 
 lor. But you have got something else to think of just now." 
 Then placing a chair for her at the table, Mr. Linden took 
 up the little book and began his work of examination. And 
 perhaps it is not too much to say that even Dr. Harrison 
 might have learned somewhat from the way it was carried 
 on. A skilful and kind way of finding out what she did 
 not know, from what she did ; initiation and examining so 
 carried on together that Faith found herself knowing where 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 191 
 
 she thought she was ignorant, more still, perhaps, a kind 
 of separate decision what she ought to learn, and how ; 
 which saved her the trouble of acknowledging and confess 
 ing ; and all as gently done as if he had been dealing with 
 some delicate winged creature, whose downy plumage 
 would come off with a touch, such was the threatened 
 examination. She might flutter a little under his hand, 
 but the soft wings were unhurt. 
 
 " Tell me first, Miss Faith," he said turning over the 
 leaves, "what you have been doing here by yourself." 
 
 " 1 have been all through it," she said ; fluttering sure 
 enough, yet as much with pleasure as with timidity ; not 
 at all with fear. 
 
 "Will you work these out for me " and he gave her 
 half a dozen different tests on a bit of paper. 
 
 She coloured, and he could see her hand tremble ; but 
 she was not long doing them, and she did them well, and 
 gave them back without a word and without raising her 
 
 " Well," said Mr. Linden, smiling a little as he looked at 
 the paper, "if it takes half an hour to hear Charles twelfth 
 his lesson, and Johnny gives you but one quarter the 
 trouble, and Rob Waters about twice as much as Johnny, 
 how much time will you spend upon them all?" 
 
 "It will be about an hour wanting an eighth," she 
 gaid without raising her eyes, but with a bit of a smile 
 too. 
 
 " I hear you and Johnny have arranged preliminaries, 
 Miss Faith." 
 
 "Yes," said Faith looking up brightly, "he came to 
 shew me his ribband and to tell me last night. But I was 
 almost sorry, Mr. Linden, that you should send him away 
 from you." 
 
 " For Johnny s sake, or my own ?" 
 
 "For his sake certainly." 
 
 "You need not speak so assuredly there were two 
 parlies to the question besides you. But I have him 
 still, you know, in a way. What has been in hand since 
 this little book was finished?" 
 
 " Nothing except the Philosophe, and " 
 
 Well ? isn t that blank to be filled up ?" 
 
192 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "And Shakspeare," said Faith casting down her eyes. 
 
 " I cannot let yon confine yourself to the study of human 
 nature," said Mr. Linden, "that will never do. Charles 
 twelfth and Shakspeare want ground to stand upon. Did 
 you ever read anything of Physical Geography ?" 
 
 She shook her head. " I don t know what that is, Mr. 
 Linden." 
 
 " Then I will have the pleasure of introducing you. 
 Ordinary geography is but a shell without it. And if we 
 accidentally go deeper down than the stratum of geography, 
 I will try and bring you back safe. But Miss Faith, you 
 have not done with this book yet the subject-matter of it. 
 I want you to carry that further." 
 
 "Well," she said smiling, "I like it. I am ready. 
 What comes next, Mr. Linden ?" 
 
 " Did you pay any attention to the algebra part of the 
 examination yesterday ?" 
 
 " Yes, I believe so. I paid attention to it all I didn t 
 understand what some of it was about, but I believe I know 
 what you mean." 
 
 " How should you like to work with letters and signs 
 instead of figures? By the way, Miss Faith, your sevens 
 are too much like your nines, and if you drew a check for 
 $500 with that five, you might find yourself paying out 
 $800." 
 
 She coloured again, but bowed her head in assent, quite 
 ignoring in her interest in the subject the extravagance of 
 the supposition by which he illustrated it. 
 
 "You shall not say that again, Mr. Linden." 
 
 "Don t pledge yourself for me," he said smiling, "I am 
 a lawless kind of person, as perhaps you have found out. 
 But if I were to spend one minute well on the first day of 
 the year, and each succeeding day add to my well-spent 
 minutes so many more as the year was days old how much 
 of December would be well spent ?" 
 
 But Faith could not tell. 
 
 "You see what is before you " Mr. Linden said: "you 
 must work that out, Miss Faith, in more ways than one. 
 Well tell me this Which is nearest to us now, my sister 
 Pet or the Khan of Tartary, supposing her iu Rome and 
 him in his own dominions?" 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 193 
 
 Faith coloured again, a good deal, and with some sorrow 
 
 "I am glad you asked me," she said; "I want you 
 should know it, but I don t know anything about that, 
 Mr. Linden. I know a little, of course," she said correct 
 ing herself, "but I couldn t answer you." 
 
 "But why can t you understand," he said looking at her, 
 "that I am just some old, torn, dog-eared book of ques 
 tions that you are looking into for the first time ? I don t 
 like to be made to feel like a bran new schoolbook." 
 
 Faith looked at him, and probably the words "old, torn, 
 and dog-eared" made a peculiar contrast, for her eye 
 flashed and in spite of everything she laughed, her musical 
 little laugh. 
 
 "That sounds reasonable," said Mr. Linden. "I like to 
 be laughed at. But Miss Faith just suppose for a mo 
 ment that there were tears in your eyes, what could keep 
 them from falling?" 
 
 Faith s eyes opened and she took a little time to consider 
 this proposition. 
 
 " If I were very determined, I think I could do it," she 
 said. 
 
 " Suppose they got so far as the tip ends of your eye 
 lashes ?" he said, with a little play of the lips. 
 
 " They must come down, I am afraid," said Faith look 
 ing and wondering. 
 
 "But why?" 
 
 "Because my determination couldn t reach them there, I 
 suppose," she said in unmitigated wonder. "There would 
 be nothing to keep them up." 
 
 "Unphilosophic!" he said gravely, "I shall have to 
 teach you both why your tears fall, and why they don t." 
 
 She smiled, as very willing to be taught, but with a face 
 that looked as if it had had few to experiment upon either 
 way. 
 
 "I will try and not tire you out," Mr. Linden said, "but 
 different things go on pleasantly together. Some I should 
 like to have you study for me when I am away, some 
 directly with me. And " 
 
 " And what, sir?" she said with the gentle intonation of 
 one to whose ear every word is pleasant. 
 
 " How much time have you in the course of ths day that 
 
 VOL. I. 17 
 
194 SAY AND vSEAL. 
 
 can and ought to be spent upon all these matters without 
 disturbing Shakspeare and his companions ?" 
 
 " I will make time, Mr. Linden, if I don t find it. I 
 have a good deal. You won t tire me." 
 
 " You must not make time out of strength. Will you 
 write me a French exercise every day, among other things? 
 Yes Cindy," he said "I understand," apparently quite 
 aware that Faith did not. 
 
 "I will try," said Faith, with a colour again that was not 
 of French growth. 
 
 "Well baint you comin ?" said Cindy, who stood still as 
 if she liked the prospect before her. 
 
 "Yes, but I can find my own way," said Mr. Linden; at 
 which gentle hint Cindy vanished. And Faith sprang 
 up. 
 
 "Teaching all day," she said, "and no tea either!" . 
 And she was about to run off, then paused to say, 
 
 "That is all, Mr. Linden? do you want to say any 
 thing more ?" 
 
 " It was not tea, Miss Faith, Reuben is at the door. 
 Will you see him ? Shall I bring him here or will you go 
 there ?" 
 
 "I will go there," said Faith hurriedly. But Mr. Lin 
 den followed her. 
 
 "Reuben," he said, "Miss Faith will hear you and I am 
 ready to answer for your word with my own;" then he 
 went back into the sitting room and closed the door. 
 
 But those words seemed to touch at least one sore spot 
 in the boy s heart he had to struggle with himself a mo 
 ment before he could speak. Then it was low and humbly. 
 
 "Miss Faith I don t know just what Phil has said 
 about me, I can t find out. But whatever it is there isn t 
 one word of it true. I never said one word about you, 
 Miss Faith, that I wouldn t say to you, just the same !" 
 And Reuben looked as if he would have confronted the 
 whole world on that point. 
 
 " I am quite sure of it, Reuben," Faith said very gently. . 
 "I didn t need you to come and tell me so." 
 
 He looked up at her with both gladness and thanks in 
 his eyes. 
 
 "I shouldn t have troubled you with my trouble at all, 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 195 
 
 Miss Faith only he said you were displeased with me * 
 and I was afraid it might be true." 
 
 "Who said I was displeased with you ?" 
 
 An involuntary glance of Reuben s eye towards the 
 closed door, seemed to say he did not want his words to go 
 far. 
 
 "Dr. Harrison, Miss Faith. At least I thought he said 
 so." 
 
 "Did he speak to you?" 
 
 " Yes ma am and just pushed my word out of the way 
 when I gave it, said it might be well enough to tell 
 people but he didn t think you liked it. And so I got 
 vexed. I m so used to Mr. Linden," Reuben said as if 
 in excuse. . 
 
 "Are you satisfied now, Reuben?" said Faith, giving 
 him a good look of her eyes. 
 
 A little qualified his look was perhaps because he had 
 been too much troubled to have the traces go off at once; 
 but there was no want of satisfaction in his, 
 
 "O yes, Miss Faith I can t tell you how thankful I am 
 to you ! Goodnight, ma am." 
 
 Faith went back to the parlour. And then Mr. Linden, 
 taking from his pocket a piece of broad dark blue ribband, 
 and laying it lightly round Faith s shoulders, told her 
 gravely, "that she was entitled to wear that for the rest of 
 the evening." 
 
 Faith matched the blue with red, and stood eying the 
 ribband which she had caught as it was falling from her 
 shoulders, seeming for a minute as if she had as much -as 
 she could bear. Rallying, she looked up at Mr. Linden 
 to get a little more light as to what he expected of her, or 
 what he meant. But unless she could read a decided 
 opinion that the two favours looked better together than 
 separate, his face gave her no information. Then smiling 
 he said, 
 
 "I don t mean that you must wear it merely that you 
 have the right." 
 
 Faith gave another glance at his face, and then without 
 more ado tied the blue ribband round her waist, where as 
 she still wore the white dress of yesterday, it shewed to 
 
196 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 very good advantage. She said nothing more ; only as she 
 was quitting the room now in earnest to get tea, gave him 
 an odd, pleasant, half grateful, half grave little smile. Too 
 many things however had been at work to admit of her 
 coming down into quietness immediately. The red left her 
 no more than the blue for the rest of that evening. 
 
CHAPTER XYI. 
 
 SATURDAY was but a half holiday to Mrs. Derrick s 
 little family unless indeed they called their work 
 play, which some of them did. It was spent thus. 
 
 By Mrs. Derrick, in the kitchen, in the bed-rooms, all 
 over the house generally with intervals at the oven door. 
 
 By Mr. Linden in the sitting-room, where Faith came 
 from time to time as she got a chance, to begin some things 
 with him and learn how to begin others by herself. The 
 morning glided by very fast on such smooth wheels of 
 action, and dinner came with the first Natural Philosophy 
 lesson yet unfinished. It was finished afterwards however, 
 and then Mr. Linden prepared himself to go forth on some 
 expedition, of which he only said that it was a long one. 
 
 "I am going to petition to have tea half an hour later 
 than usual to-night, Miss Faith," he said. 
 
 "Just half an hour later, Mr. Linden ?" she said smiling. 
 "You shall have it when you like." 
 
 "I hope to be home by that time if not don t wait for 
 me. You will find all the materials for your French exer 
 cise on my table." 
 
 Which intimation quickened Faith s steps about the little 
 she had beforehand to do, and also quickened a trifle the 
 beating of her heart. It was not quiet timidity and plea 
 sure were throbbing together, and throbbing fast, when she 
 turned her back upon the rest of the house and went to 
 Mr. Linden s room. She would have a good uninterrupted 
 time this afternoon, at any rate. And the materials were 
 there, as he had said, all the materials ; from books, open 
 and shut, to the delicate white paper, and a pen which 
 might be the very one Johnny Fax thought could write of 
 itself. Faith stood and looked at them, and then sat down 
 to work, if ever such a determination was taken by human 
 mind. 
 
 She had been a good while absorbed in her business 
 17* (197) 
 
198 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 when a knock came to the front door, which Faith did not 
 hear. Cindy however had ears to spare, and presently in 
 formed Mrs. Derrick that a gentleman wished to see her. 
 And in the sitting-room Mrs. Derrick found Dr. Harrison. 
 
 "You haven t forgotten to remember me, I hope, Mrs. 
 Derrick," he said as he took her hand. He looked very 
 handsome, and very pleasant, as he stood there before hex, 
 and his winning ease of manner was enough to propitiate 
 people of harder temper than the one he was just now 
 dealing with. 
 
 "No indeed!" said Mrs. Derrick; "I remember a great 
 many things about you," (as in truth she did.) "But I 
 daresay you ve changed a good deal since then. You ve 
 been gone a great while, Dr. Harrison." 
 
 "Do you hope I have changed? or are you afraid I 
 have?" * 
 
 "Why I don t think I said I did either," said Mrs. Der 
 rick smiling, for she felt as if Dr. Harrison was an old ac 
 quaintance. "And I suppose it makes more difference to 
 you than to me, anyway." Which words were not blunt 
 in their intention, but according to the good lady s habit 
 were a somewhat unconscious rendering of her thoughts. 
 "How s Miss Sophy, after her holiday? I always think 
 play s the hardest work that s done." 
 
 " I am very sorry you found it so !" said the doctor. 
 
 "You needn t be " said Mrs. Derrick, rocking compla 
 cently and making her knitting needles play in a style that 
 certainly might be called work, " I ve got over it now. 
 To be sure I was tired to death, but I like to be, once in a 
 while." 
 
 The doctor laughed, as if, in a way, he had found his 
 match. 
 
 "And how is Miss Derrick?" he asked. "If she was 
 tired too, it was my fault." 
 
 " I guess that 11 never be one of your faults, Dr. Harri 
 son," said Mrs. Derrick, "it would take any amount of 
 folks to tire her out. She s just like a bird always. 
 she s well, of course, or I shouldn t be sitting here." 
 
 "And so like a bird that she lives in a region above 
 mortal view, and only descends now and then ?" 
 
 "Yes, she does stay upstairs a good deal," said Mrs. 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 199 
 
 Derrick, knitting away. "Whenever she s got nothing to 
 do down here. She s been down all the morning." 
 
 " I can t shoot flying at this kind of game," said the doc 
 tor; "I ll endeavour to come when the bird is perched, 
 next time. But in the meanwhile, Miss Derrick seemed 
 pleased the other night with these Chinese illuminations 
 and Sophy took it into her head to make me the bearer of 
 one, that has never yet illuminated anything, hoping that it 
 will do that office for her heart with Miss Derrick. The 
 heart will bear inspection, I believe, with or without the 
 help of the lantern." 
 
 And the doctor laid a little parcel on the table. Mrs. 
 Derrick looked at the parcel, and at the doctor, and knit a 
 round or two. 
 
 "I m sure she ll be very much obliged to Miss Harrison," 
 she said. "But I know I shan t remember all the message. 
 I suppose that won t matter." 
 
 "Not the least," said the doctor. "The lantern is ex 
 pected to throw light upon some things. May I venture 
 to give Mrs. Derrick another word to remember, which 
 must depend upon her kindness alone for its presentation 
 and delivery?" 
 
 Mrs. Derrick stopped knitting and looked all atten 
 tion. 
 
 "It isn t much to remember," said the doctor laughing 
 gently. "Sophy wishes very much to have Miss Derrick 
 go with her to-morrow afternoon. She is going to drive 
 to Deep River, and wished me to do my best to procure 
 Miss Derrick s goodwill, and yours, for this pleasure of her 
 company. Shall I hope that her wish is granted?" 
 
 Now Mrs. Derrick, though not quick like some other 
 people, had yet her own womanly instincts ; and that more 
 than one of them was at work now, was plain enough. 
 But either they confused or thwarted each other, for laying 
 down her work she said, 
 
 "I know she won t go but I ll, let her come and give 
 her own answer;" and left the room. For another of 
 he.- woman s wits made her never send Cindy *o call Faith 
 from her studies. Therefore she went up, and softly open 
 ing the door of the study room, walked in and shut it after 
 her. 
 
200 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "Pretty child," she said, stroking Faith s hair, "are you 
 Tery busy ?" 
 
 "Very, mother 1" said Faith looking up with a burning 
 cheek and happy face, and pen pausing in her hand. 
 " What then ?" 
 
 "Wasn t it the queerest thing what I said that day at 
 Neanticut !" said Mrs. Derrick, quite forgetting Dr. Harri 
 son in the picture before her. 
 
 "What, dear mother?" 
 
 "Why when I asked why you didn t get Mr. Linden to 
 help you. How you do write, child 1" which remark was 
 meant admiringly. 
 
 "Mother!" said Faith. "But it can be done" she 
 added with quiet resolution. 
 
 "I m sure it never could by me, in that style," said Mrs. 
 Derrick, "my fingers always think they are ironing or 
 making piecrust. But child, here s Dr. Harrison come 
 for nobody knows what, except that Sophy took it into her 
 head to send her heart by him as near as I can make out. 
 And he wants you to go to Deep River to-morrow. I said 
 you wouldn t and then I thought maybe you d better 
 speak yourself. But if you don t like to, you sha n t. I 
 can deal with him." 
 
 "I don t want to see Dr. Harrison, mother! To-mor 
 row?" said Faith. "Yes I will see him." 
 
 She rose up, laid her pen delicately out of her fingers, 
 went down stairs and into the sitting-room, where she con 
 fronted the doctor. 
 
 Faith was dressed as she had been at the party, with the 
 single exception of the blue ribband instead of the red oak 
 leaves; and the excitement of what she had been about was 
 stirring both cheek and eye. Perhaps some other stir was 
 there too, for the flush was a little deeper than it had been 
 upstairs, but she met the doctor very quietly. He thought 
 to himself the lanterns had lent nothing with their illumi 
 nation the other night. 
 
 "No, sir," she said as he offered her a chair, "I have 
 something to do ; but mother said " 
 
 "Will the bird perch for no longer than this?" said the 
 doctor, turning with humourous appeal to Mrs. Derrick who 
 had followed her. 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 201 
 
 "My birds do pretty much as they like, Dr. Harrison, - 
 said Mrs. Derrick "They always did, even when I had 
 em in cages." 
 
 "Then this bird is free now?" 
 
 "I guess you d better talk to her " said Mrs. Derrick, 
 taking her seat and her knitting again. 
 
 "Miss Derrick!" said the doctor obeying this direction 
 with an obeisance, "you are free to command, and I can 
 but obey. Will you go with Sophy to-morrow to Deep 
 River? I am not altogether uninterested, as I hope to 
 have the honour of driving you; but she sends her most, 
 earnest wish." 
 
 "To-morrow is Sunday, Dr. Harrison." 
 
 * Well isn t Sunday a good day ?" 
 
 "It isn t mine/ said Faith gently. 
 
 "Not yours?" said the doctor. "You have promised it 
 away, and we are so unfortunate ?" 
 
 Her colour rose a little, but it was with an eye as steady 
 as it was soft that she answered him. 
 
 " The day belongs to God, Dr. Harrison and I have 
 promised it, and myself, away to him." 
 
 The doctor looked astonished for a minute. And he 
 gazed at her. 
 
 "But, my dear Miss Derrick, do you think there is any 
 thing contrary to the offices of religion in taking a pleasant 
 drive, in a pleasant country, in pleasant weather? that is 
 all." 
 
 Faith smiled a little, gravely ; it was very sweet and very 
 grave. 
 
 "There are all the other days for that," she said. "God 
 has given us his work to be done on his day, Dr. Harrison ; 
 and there is so much of it to do that I never find the day 
 long enough." 
 
 "You are right!" he said "You are quite right. You 
 are a great deal better than I am. I ana sorry I a sked 
 you, and yet I am glad. Then Miss Derrick, will you 
 forgive me ? and will you some other day shew that you 
 forgive me and be so good as to go with us?" 
 
 But Faith s interest in the subject was gone. 
 
 "I am very busy, sir," she said. "I have work to do 
 that I do not wish to put off." 
 
202 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "Cannot you go with us at all? We will wait and make 
 it any day?" 
 
 "Do not wait," said Faith. I could go, but I could not 
 go with pleasure, Dr. Harrison. I have not the time to 
 spare, for that, nor for more now. Please excuse me." 
 
 And she went. 
 
 "Mrs. Derrick," said the doctor musingly, "this is a 
 winged creature, I believe but it is not a bird I" 
 
 At which Mrs. Derrick looked at him with a mingled 
 satisfaction that he had got his answer, and curiosity to 
 know what he thought of it. For the further she felt her 
 self from her child s high stand, the more presuming did 
 she think it in any one to try to bring her down from it. 
 
 "If. I thought, as I came here, that I walked on a higher 
 level than the generality of mankind, as perhaps in the 
 vanity of my heart I did, I feel well put down on the 
 ground now," pursued the doctor. "But Mrs Derrick, 
 when may I hope to see this winged thing of yours 
 again?" 
 
 It must be confessed that Mrs. Derrick did not admire 
 this speech, a winged thing, as she justly thought, was a 
 somewhat indefinite term, and might mean a flying grass 
 hopper as well as a canary bird. Therefore it was with 
 some quickness that she replied, 
 
 "What sort of a winged thing are you talking of, doc 
 tor?" 
 
 "Nothing worse than a heavenly one, madam. But 
 angel or cherub are such worn-out terms that I avoided 
 them." 
 
 He was standing yet where Faith left him, looking down 
 gravely, speaking half lightly, to her mother. 
 
 "I don t know who ll see her when she s an angel," said 
 Mrs. Derrick, with a little flush coming over her eyes. 
 "But she wouldn t thank you for calling her one now," she 
 added presently, with her usual placid manner. "Won t 
 you sit down again, doctor?" 
 
 " May I ask," said he eying her, somewhat intent upon 
 the answer, " why she wouldn t thank me for calling her 
 one now? by which I understand that it would incur hei 
 displeasure." 
 
 "Why why should she?" said Mrs. Derrick, who 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 203 
 
 having dropped a stitch was picking it up with intentness 
 equal to the doctor s. 
 
 "True I" said the doctor in his usual manner. "Angels 
 don t thank mortals for looking at them. But Mrs. Der 
 rick, when may such a poor mortal as I, stand a chance of 
 seeing this particular one again ?" 
 
 Mrs. Derrick laid down her work. 
 
 "Well you have changed!" she said, "there s no doubt 
 of that ! I don t recollect that you used to care so much 
 about seeing her when you were here before. If I don t 
 forget, you set your dog on her cat. And as to when you ll 
 see her again, I m sure I can t tell, doctor. She s a busy 
 child, and folks out of the house have to do without seeing 
 her till she finds time to see them." Whereat Mrs Der 
 rick smiled upon Dr. Harrison with the happy conscious 
 ness that she was one of the folks in the house. 
 
 The doctor stood smiling at her, with a half humourous, 
 quite pleasant expression of face. 
 
 "Set my dog on her cat!" he exclaimed "That is why 
 she would be angry with me for calling her a cherub ! 
 
 " Tantae ne animis celestibus irae ! " 
 
 The doctor sat down. 
 
 "What shall I do ! he said. "Advise me, Mrs. Derrick." 
 
 "I know what I should have done if I d got hold of 
 you," said Mrs. Derrick. "I thought I never would speak 
 to you again but you see I ve got over it." 
 
 "I m not sure of it," said the doctor meditatively. 
 " Folks out of the house well! It strikes me I ve been 
 in to little purpose this afternoon." He rose again. 
 "Where is Mr ; Linden? is he out, or in, this fine day?" 
 
 "He s out this afternoon," said Mrs. Derrick. "I was 
 thinking to ask you if you wanted to see him, and then I 
 knew it was no use." 
 
 "Yes, I should like to see him," said the doctor; "but 
 as he is a mortal like myself, I suppose I can find him 
 another time by the use of proper precautions." 
 
 And Dr. Harrison took his departure. 
 
 Mrs. Derrick on her part went upstairs again, and open 
 ing the door merely peeped in this time. 
 
 "Whatsit, mother?" 
 
204 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "Are you busy yet, child ?" 
 
 "Not quite through." 
 
 "I thought," said Mrs. Derrick stepping softly into the 
 room, "that we d go down to the shore this afternoon, and 
 maybe dig some clams. I don t know but it s too late for 
 that we might ride down and see. You re tired, pretty 
 child and other people won t like that a bit more than I 
 do." 
 
 "I d like to go, mother I m almost done, and I m 
 not tired," Faith said with happy eyes. " There is time, I 
 guess, for Mr. Linden don t want tea as early as usual. I ll 
 come soon." 
 
 Mrs. Derrick withdrew softly, and again Faith was en 
 tirely lost in her business But she had nearly done now; 
 the work was presently finished, the books put up in order, 
 and the papers, with the exercise on top ; and Faith stood 
 a moment looking down at it. Not satisfied, but too 
 humble to have any false shame, too resolute to doubt of 
 being satisfied and of satisfying somebody else, by and by. 
 And the intellectual part of her exercise she thought, and 
 with modest reason, would satisfy him now. Then she 
 went down to her mother, quite ready for the beach or for 
 anything else. 
 
 It was one of those very warm October days which un 
 learned people call Indian summer, the foreground land 
 scape yellow with stubble fields and sered forest, the dis 
 tance blue with haze. So soft and still, that the faint 
 murmur of the wheels as they rolled along the sandy road 
 sounded as if at a distance, and the twittering birds alone 
 set off the silence. Now and then came a farm wagon 
 loaded with glowing corn, then the field where the bereaved 
 pumpkins lay among the bundles of cornstalks. Sports 
 men passed with their guns, schoolboys with their nut-bags, 
 and many were the greetings Faith received ; for since the 
 day at Neanticut every boy thought he had a right to take 
 off his hat to her. From the midst of his cornfield, Mr. 
 Simlins gave them a wave of his hand, from the midst of 
 its blue waters the Sound sent a fresh welcome. 
 
 "I declare, child," said Mrs. Derrick, as they neared the 
 shore, "it s real pleasant !" 
 
 " The tide s out, mother," said Faith, who had the spirit 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 205 
 
 ot action upon her to-day " we can get some clams now, 
 if we re quick. 
 
 " I don t know but you re learning to be spry, among 
 other things," said her mother looking at her. " I thought 
 you were as spry as you could be, before. What haven t 
 you done to-day, child !" 
 
 Faith laughed a little, and then jumping out of the wagon 
 and helping her mother down, was certainly spry in get 
 ting ready for the clam-digging. Her white dress had 
 been changed for a common one and that was carefully 
 pinned up, and a great kitchen apron was put on to cover 
 all but the edges of skirts as white as the white dress, and 
 with shoes and stockings off, basket and hoe in hand, she 
 stood ready almost before her mother had accomplished fas 
 tening up old Crab to her satisfaction. Mrs. Derrick on 
 her part prepared herself as carefully for work (though not 
 quite so evidently for play) and the two went down to the 
 flats. The tide was far out, even the usual strips of water 
 were narrow and far apart. Wherever they could, the little 
 shell-fish scrambled about and fought their miniature bat 
 tles in one-inch water ; but at the edge of the tall shore- 
 grass there was no water at all, unless in the mud, and the 
 shell-fish waited, by hundreds, for the tide. Here was the 
 scene of action for the two ladies. Walking daintily over 
 the warm mud with their bare feet, which however white 
 and twinkling at first were soon obliged to yield to circum 
 stances ; disturbing the little shell-fish who in turn dis 
 turbed them, by very titillating little attacks upon the 
 aforesaid feet, Mrs. Derrick and Faith marched up to the 
 edge of the grass and there sought for clam holes. The 
 war went on after this fashion. A clam hole being found, 
 the hoe was struck far down into the mud to unearth the 
 inhabitant ; which the clam resenting, spit up into the in 
 truder s face. But the intruder proof against such small 
 tire repeated the strokes, and the clam was soon brought 
 to light and tumbled ignominiously into the basket, to be 
 followed every second or two by another of his companions ; 
 *br the clam holes were many. The basket was soon full, 
 but not before the cool ripple of the tide had passed the 
 muscle rocks and was fast coming in-shore. 
 
 " Well I do think play s hard work 1" said Mrs. Derrick, 
 
 VOL. i. 18 
 
206 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 bringing herself once more to an erect position " I told 
 Dr. Harrison so this morning. How you and Mr. Linden 
 stand it, Faith, I don t know." 
 
 " What, mother ?" said Faith, making a descent upon 
 another promising clam shell. But Mrs. Derrick always 
 preferred to go on with her remarks. 
 
 " It s good he s doing it, for his own sake, I guess," she 
 said, " he s done nothing but work ever since he came to 
 Pattaquasset " 
 
 " Doing what, mother ?" said Faith. "What are you 
 talking of?" 
 
 "Why I m talking of you, child!" said her mother, 
 "you and Mr. Linden. One of you played all the morning 
 and the other s going to play all the afternoon. But I 
 think you ve done enough, Faith it won t do to get sick 
 so long as we ve nobody but Dr. Harrison to depend on. 
 I don t believe he s much of a doctor." 
 
 " Played all the morning ?" said Faith taking up her 
 basket, " it was better than play to me. I wish I could 
 do something for him, mother !" 
 
 Very gravely, and even a little sorrowfully, the last words 
 were said. 
 
 " Why yes," said Mrs. Derrick stoutly. "Never tell me 
 it s anything but play to teach you, child he didn t look 
 as if it was, neither. I thought he got his pay as he went 
 along." 
 
 Faith knew he had looked so ; but that was not Faith 
 it was Mr. Linden, in her account. 
 
 " Dr. Harrison ought to be a good doctor, mother," she 
 remarked, leaving the subject. "He has had chance 
 enough." 
 
 "La, child," said Mrs. Derrick, untying her apron, 
 "chance don t prove anything. A man may have just as 
 good a chance to kill as he has to cure. By which I don t 
 mean that he has, for I don t know." 
 
 " The tide is coming in, mother. We came just in the 
 very point of the time. How pretty it is ! " said Faith ; 
 standing in the blue mud, with her bare feet, and with the 
 basket of clams in her hand, but standing still to look off 
 at the flats and the dark water and the hazy opposite 
 shore, all with the sunny stillness and the soft enveloping 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 207 
 
 haze of October lying lovingly upon them. Faith thought 
 of the glory again, and watched to see how water and 
 shore and flats and sky were all touched with it. One or two 
 sails on the Sound could not get on ; they lay still in the 
 haze like everything else ; and the glory was on them too. 
 She thought so. It seemed to touch everything. And 
 another glory touched everything, the glory of truth Faith 
 had only for a little while come to know. She recognized 
 it; there was light from heaven in more senses than one; 
 the glow of joy and hope unknown a while before; the 
 softening veil of mind-peace over whatever might be harsh 
 or sharp in actual reality. She did not run out all the 
 parallel, but she felt it, and stood looking with full eyes. 
 Not full of tears, but of everything pleasant beside. 
 
 Then came the drive home, with the air darkening every 
 minute, but notwithstanding this,. Mrs. Derrick stopped by 
 the way. 
 
 "Faith," she said, "hold the reins, child I won t be a 
 second, but I ve got something to see to in here;" and 
 Faith was once more left to her meditations. 
 
 Not for long ; for as she sat gazing out over old Crab s 
 ears, she was ware of some one standing by the wagon : 
 it was Squire Deacon. 
 
 "I shall commence to think I m a lucky man, after all!" 
 said the Squire. "I was coming down to see you, Miss 
 Faith, and couldn t just resolve my mind to it, neither. 
 I wanted to pay a parting visit." 
 
 "Were you? are you going away, Squire Deacon?" 
 
 "Why yes," said the Squire, looking down at his gun 
 for he had been shooting, "I ve had considerable thoughts 
 of taking a turn down to York. Cilly says she don t think 
 it s worth my while but I guess she don t know much 
 more n her own concerns. Pattaquasset s a good deal 
 come round this season," he added, without specifying 
 which way. 
 
 "Do you mean that you intend to forsake Pattaquasset 
 entirely?" said Faith, noticing the comfortable supply of 
 ducks in the Squire s bag. 
 
 "Well I can t just say I m not free to certify," said the 
 Squire. " I said I thought it was worth my while to go, 
 and so I do. I should like to know from your lips, Miss 
 
208 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 Faith, whether you ll make it worth my while to come 
 back." 
 
 Faith was very glad it was so dark. 
 
 "I don t see how I can touch the question either way, 
 sir," she said gently and with not a little difficulty. .- 
 "Wherever you are, I hope you ll be very happy, and very 
 good, Squire Deacon." 
 
 " I should like something a little better grown than that, 
 ma am," said the Squire, striking his gun on the ground. 
 "I can t just tell whether that s wheat or oats. It s likely 
 my meaning s plain enough." 
 
 Faith was dumb for a minute. 
 
 "I believe I understood you, sir," she said in a low voice. 
 "I meant to answer you." 
 
 "Well what s to hinder your doing it, then?" said Squire 
 Deacon. 
 
 " I thought I had done it," said Faith. " I have nothing 
 to do with the question of your coming or going anywhere, 
 sir, and can t have, except to wish you well, which I do 
 heartily." 
 
 "That s your ultimate, is it, Miss Faith ?" 
 
 "No, sir," said Faith, conquering the beating of her 
 heart. "Squire Deacon, I want to see you in heaven." 
 
 And she stretched out to him her little hand frankly 
 over the side of the wagon. 
 
 Squire Deacon took it for a moment then dropped it 
 as if it had burnt his fingers. And then with a voice in 
 which whether sorrow or anger prevailed Faith could not 
 tell, he said 
 
 "Well I don t blame you, never did and never shall. 
 Cunning s been too much for me this time." And he took 
 up his gun and strode off, just as Mrs. Derrick opened the 
 house door and came out to take her place in the wagon 
 again. 
 
 "Dear mother!" said Faith, "why didn t you come 
 sooner!" 
 
 "Why I couldn t, child I" said Mrs. Derrick. "That 
 woman always will tell one every pain and ache she s had 
 since the year one. What s the matter? why didn t you 
 tie Crab and come in, if you were lonesome." 
 
 Faith was silent. 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 209 
 
 "What s the matter?" repeated her mother, "have 
 you been getting sick after all I said to you?" . 
 
 " Squire Deacon has been here talking to me," said Faith 
 in a low tone. 
 
 "Well then you had company, I m sure. What did he 
 talk about? Come, Crab ! get on, sir!" 
 
 "He says he is going away from Pattaquasset, and he 
 lays it to me, mother," she said after some hesitancy again. 
 
 "What does he lay it to you, for?" said Mrs. Derrick. 
 "I don t believe he s going away, to begin with." 
 
 "He wanted me to say something to bring him back 
 again," said Faith lower yet. 
 
 "0 is that all!" said Mrs. Derrick composedly. "I 
 knew that gun was loaded, long ago. Well what s the 
 harm if he did ? it s not dangerous." 
 
 "I m sorry," said Faith. "But mother, do make Crab 
 get on ! it s time." 
 
 "It s not late," said Mrs. Derrick. "And don t you fret 
 about Sam Deacon, child, he always was a little goose 
 till he got to be a big one ; but you needn t thiqfe he ll ever 
 shoot himself for love of you, he loves himself better than 
 that." 
 
 And at this point, Crab roused by the thought of his 
 own supper set off at a good round trot which soon brought 
 them home. There was nobody there however, not even 
 Cindy; so the need of haste did not seem to have been 
 urgent. Faith soon had the kitchen fire in order, and her 
 clams in the pot, and was for the next half hour thoroughly 
 busy with them. Then she made herself ready for tea, and 
 the mother and daughter sat together by the lamp, the one 
 with her knitting the other with her book. But the extra 
 half hour was already past. 
 
 "Faith," said Mrs. Derrick at last, "why wouldn t Mr. 
 Linden do the other thing you asked him to ?" 
 
 Faith looked up suddenly from her book, as if not under 
 standing the question ; then her head and her voice drooped 
 together. 
 
 "I haven t asked him yet, mother." 
 
 "I didn t know but he d some objection," said Mrs. Der 
 rick. "Well I wish he d come I want my supper. I m 
 as tired as tired can be, paddling round there in the mud 
 18* 
 
210 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 How did you like your lantern, child?" she said as the 
 clock struck half past seven 
 
 Faith raised her head and listened first to the clock and 
 for any sound that might be stirring near the house ; then 
 answered 
 
 "I haven t looked at it, mother." 
 
 "What do you think of having supper?" 
 
 "Before Mr. Linden comes, mother? well, if you like 
 it, I ll get you yours the clams are ready." 
 
 " I don t care," said her mother, "I m more sleepy than 
 hungry. I ll just lie down here on the sofa, Faith, and you 
 can wake me up when you hear him." And disregarding 
 the cooked clams in the kitchen, Mrs. Derrick went to 
 sleep and dug them all over again. 
 
 The clock ticked on, softly, steadily, from the half hour 
 to the hour, and from the hour to the half. Out of doors 
 there was nothing stirring, unless the owl stirred between 
 his unmusical notes, or Mr. Skip s dog did something but 
 howl. Hardly a wagon passed, hardly a breath mo red the 
 leaves. fcdy, on her part, was lost in the fascination of 
 some neighbouring kitchen. 
 
 And Faith at first had been lost in her study. But the 
 sounding of eight o clock struck on more than the air, and 
 she found, though she tried, she could not shut herself up 
 in her book anymore. Mrs. Derrick slept profoundly; her 
 breathing only made the house seem more still. Faith 
 went to the window to look, and then for freer breath and 
 vision went to the door. It was not moonlight ; only the 
 light of the stars was abroad, and that still further softened 
 by the haze or a mistiness of the air which made it thicker 
 still. Faith could see little, and could hear nothing, though 
 eyes and ears tried well to penetrate the still darkness of 
 the road, up and down. It was too chill to stay at the 
 porch, now with this mist in the air ; and reluctantly she 
 came back to the sitting-room, her mother sleeping on the 
 sofa, her open study book under the lamp, the Chinese lan 
 tern in its packing paper. Faith had no wish to open it 
 now. There was no reason to fear anything, that she 
 knew; neither was she afraid; but neither could she rest. 
 Half past eight struck. She went to the window again, 
 and very gravely sat down by it. 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 211 
 
 She had sat there but few minutes when there came a 
 rash of steps into the porch, and Cindy burst into the little 
 sitting-room, almost too out of breath to speak. , 
 
 Here s a proclamation!" she said "Mr. Linden s beeu 
 shot at dreadful, and Jem Waters is down to fetch Dr. 
 Harrison. I m free to confess they say he aiut dead 
 yet." 
 
 With which pleasing announcement, Cindy rushed off 
 again, out of the room and out of the house, being seized 
 with a sudden fear that Jem Waters would forestall her in 
 spreading the news. The noise had awaked Mrs. Derrick, 
 and she sat looking at Faith as if she was first in her 
 thoughts. Faith stood before her with a colourless face, 
 but perfectly quiet, though at first she looked at her 
 mother without speaking. 
 
 "Come here, pretty child," said her mother, "and sit 
 down by me." 
 
 "Mother," said Faith, but she would not have known 
 her own voice, "something has happened." 
 
 But the way Mrs. Derrick s arms came round her, said 
 that she too had heard. 
 
 "Where can he be, mother?" said Faith gently disen 
 gaging herself. 
 
 "I don t know, child." 
 
 Faith was already at the door. 
 
 "Faith!" her mother said, following her with a quick 
 step," stop, child!" 
 
 Faith put back a hand as if to stop her she was list 
 ening. 
 
 There was not a sound. Faith went down the steps and 
 stood at the gate. Not a sound still ; and her mother said 
 softly, "Faith, you must not go out." 
 
 She put one hand on her mother s arm, and clasping it 
 stood without stirring; her other hand on the gate. In 
 mingled sorrow and fear her mother stood, not knowing 
 well what to do or what to say, in that emergency where 
 woman can only endure where she is powerless but to 
 sailer. Faith stood without moving head or hand. 
 
 And so they remained, they knew not how long, until 
 Cindy once more presented herself and told her story more 
 at length. 
 
212 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "You see I was down to Mis Somerses, and so was Dr. 
 Harrison ; and Jem Waters come there for him. And Jem 
 he makes, up to Mis Somerses Jenny, and to-night he 
 wouldn t hardly speak to her wouldn t no how tell what 
 he come for. So then Jenny got mad and she went and 
 listened ; and she said Jem wanted to catch up Dr. Harri 
 son and run off with him and the doctor he wanted his 
 horse. I don know how they settled it but I m free to 
 confess I m sleepy " and Cindy once more disappeared, 
 and the stillness settled down over all. 
 
CHAPTER XYII. 
 
 ON that eventful evening, Mr. Simlins had a husking bee 
 and in his barn were met a fair representation of the 
 Pattaquasset men and boys especially boys. And with 
 busy hands and tongues the work went on, Mr. Simlins 
 himself among the busiest. But in the midst of work and 
 merriment though the fair stillness of the night was un 
 heeded, the sudden interruption which came brought every 
 one to his feet; it was a loud shriek from the house, a 
 woman s shriek. 
 
 "Hold on!" said Mr. Simlins "you all go ahead and 
 I ll go quiet the distractions. I suppose Mrs. Hummins 
 has seen another rat in the dairy. No thank ee I like 
 to kill my own rats myself and then I know they air 
 killed." 
 
 So letting nobody follow him, Mr. Simlins left the barn 
 and went over to the house. In the kitchen he found the 
 full array of female servants, of his own house and the 
 neighbours , one of whom hiding her face was rocking back 
 and forth with the most incoherent exclamations ; while all 
 the rest, standing by in various attitudes, seemed to have 
 got an extra pair of eyes apiece for the express purpose of 
 looking on. 
 
 "Well !" said Mr. Simlins "where is it ? I ve got my 
 stick ready. Hain t bit anybody, has he ? Or has some 
 body got my silver spoons ? What s to pay ?" 
 
 Now silver spoons there were none in Mr. Simlins econo 
 my, and this was a proverbial expression well known in the 
 household. 
 
 " O Mr. Simlins ! Mr. Simlins 1" cried the hysterical one, 
 with a shudder, "there s a murdered man at the front door 1 
 and 1 did shut it, but he might come round this way!" 
 
 "You be hanged! and shut up!" was Mr. Simlins re 
 mark in answer to this statement; and flinging down his 
 Btick on the kitchen floor with a rattle, he strode to the 
 
 (213) 
 
214 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 front door and opened it, having had the precaution to take 
 a candle with him. 
 
 There was certainly a figure there, not standing, but sit 
 ting on the bench in an attitude that spoke of faintness; 
 and of all the men in Pattaquasset, Mr. Simlins was per 
 haps most surprised to see that it was Mr. Linden. A 
 white handkerchief ineffectually bound round his arm, but 
 served to shew why he had tried to secure it there. 
 
 Mr. Simlins surveyed it all with his candle in about three 
 seconds, and then said hoarsely, "What s this? Can you 
 upeak to me ?" 
 
 But the power for that was gone, though a little parting 
 of the lips spoke the intent. Mr. Simlins set down his 
 candle and went back to the kitchen. 
 
 " Get some brandy, you fools !" said he. " Here s a friend 
 o mine got faint for want of his supper been too long 
 out shootin . Fetch a glass of water here too ! Jenny 
 Lowndes, you go tell Jem Waters that ere plaguey black 
 heifer has got out of the yard. You send him to me, and 
 if you spile the frolic with your story I ll have nothing 
 more to do with you, I give you my word !" 
 
 Mr. Simlins was obeyed. He himself went back with the 
 water and the brandy, which he tenderly applied to Mr. 
 Linden s forehead and lips, and seeing the handkerchief s 
 ineffectual disposition had taken it off and bound it on tight 
 by the time Jem Waters, one of his farm hands, had 
 reached the porch. The two then taking the sufferer in 
 their arms carried him into the house and into Mr. Simlins 
 room, which was on the first floor, where they laid him on 
 the bed. Jem Waters was then despatched for Dr. Harri 
 son, with orders to hold his tongue and not say what he was 
 sent for. And Jem Waters, the swiftest runner in Patta 
 quasset, set off and ran every step of the way, till the doc 
 tor was found. 
 
 The cold applications, the resting posture, seemed to do 
 their work, and Mr. Simlins was rewarded with a smile from 
 both eyes and lips. He did not speak again however till 
 he had seen a spoonful of brandy enter the lips ; then with 
 a grave concern that did not seem like Mr. Simlins, he said, 
 in a subdued tone, 
 
 " How do you find yourself? Can you speak now ?" 
 
SAY AND SEAL. .215 
 
 "Not much " Mr. Linden answered with some effort. 
 "I find myself in very kind hands." 
 
 "Are you hurt anywhere else ?" 
 
 " Somewhat the shot scattered, I think." 
 
 There was a smothered execration, and then it was a 
 very kind hand that renewed the touch of cold watei to his 
 forehead, though a big, brown and rough one. 
 
 "I ve sent for the doctor and now I ll get you a nurse. 
 You keep quiet, till you can do something else." 
 
 Mr. Simlins gently went forth ; and in a minute after was 
 in the midst of his husking party in the barn. 
 
 "Reuben Taylor!" said the farmer " You don t mind 
 takin a run, do you ? Wouldn t you just as lieves heip me 
 catch that black heifer afore she gets to Pequot?" 
 
 Reuben started up, and signified his ability to catch any 
 thing whatever. He was not alone ; for half a dozen others 
 volunteered to be equally ready. 
 
 "You keep where you be !" said the farmer with a wave 
 of his hand to the half dozen. "I don t let everybody 
 chase that ere heifer you ve got to catch her by the head 
 and not by the foot, I tell you! Reuben, you come along." 
 
 And getting him well outside of the barn and half way 
 towards the house, Mr. Simlins said in a very low growl 
 indeed, 
 
 "Mr. Linden s here he s been hurt, somehow, in his 
 arm and he s kind o faint ; I want you to stay by him till 
 the doctor comes, and then let me know. If I don t keep 
 in the barn they ll raise Plute or they ll come in and I d 
 as lieves they d do one as tother." 
 
 By this time Mr. Simlins had reached the door of his 
 room, and ushered Reuben in. He heard and long re 
 membered the smothered cry which seemed to come no 
 further than Reuben s lips as he stepped within the door; 
 but after that the boy might have been made of iron, for 
 his strength and steadiness. He walked up to the bedside 
 and knelt down by it, with a look which again Mr. Simlins 
 could not soon forget; but his face was quite calm, except 
 in the first moment when Mr. Linden looked at him. The 
 farmer was a man of iron too, yet his voice was low and 
 changed from its usual wont when he spoke. 
 
 "It s only loss of blood, I guess," he said. "He ll get 
 
216 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 along. You give him brandy, and water, Reuben, if he 
 wants it; and call me when Dr. Harrison comes. Can I 
 do anything else ?" The last words were gently, even ten 
 derly, addressed to the sufferer. 
 
 "No " Mr. Linden said, with that same pleasant look 
 of the eyes. "I think there is not much the matter ex 
 cept what you said." 
 
 Mr. Simlins stalked off and was rather more grim than 
 usual in the barn. The buskers had returned to their mer 
 riment, and the slight sound of wheels in the road from 
 time to time of course attracted no attention. After one 
 of these signals, however, Jem Waters appeared at the 
 front door. 
 
 " Mr. Simlins there s a gentleman wants to see yer. I ll 
 takeyer place." 
 
 "Very few strides did Mr. Simlins make between the barn 
 and the house, and slight was his stay of greeting to Dr. 
 Harrison. 
 
 " He s in here " said he leading the way. 
 
 Reuben was just as Mr. Simlins had left him, it seemed 
 as if he had not once taken his eyes from the calm face 
 before him. For very calm it was reposeful ; with not a 
 line disturbed except where a slight contraction of the 
 brow told of some physical discomfort. But he was not 
 asleep, for he looked at them the moment they entered; 
 and Reuben rose then, and stood leaning against the bedpost. 
 
 "I m sorry to see you so," said the doctor. "What s the 
 matter ? and where ?" 
 
 A little smile, a glance towards the bandaged arm, 
 seemed to say there was nothing very bad, bul that what 
 there was it would be easier for him to have the doctor find 
 out for himself. 
 
 Nor further did the doctor ask, but proceeded to work. 
 And it appeared soon that Dr. Harrison at play, and Dr. 
 Harrison at work, were two people yet the same! The 
 doctor did not indeed play at his work ; yet the work was 
 done with the same skilful ease that he brought to his play; 
 an ignorant eye could see as much ; and Mr. Simlins jeal 
 ously looking on, felt very soon at ease as to the doctor s 
 part in the scene before him. Dr. Harrison knew his busi 
 ness, and knew it well. 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 217 
 
 Mr. Linden s coat was removed, in the course of which 
 operation a keen glance of the doctor s eye over at Reuben 
 shewed that he recognized him ; hut then he attended to 
 nothing but his patient. He found that a number of duck 
 shot had been lodged in Mr. Linden s side and arm, the 
 latter of which was somewhat lacerated, and this was the 
 principal wound. The others were slight, the shot having 
 taken a slanting direction and so rather grazed than pene 
 trated. Dr. Harrison with care and skill went on to extract 
 the shot and dress the wounds, which he did after the happy 
 and simple regimen of modern discoveries; and ordered 
 certain restoratives which he judged his patient needed. 
 He did not speak except on business till he had seen 
 these doing their work and Mr. Linden able to reply to 
 him. And then his first words were to the farmer ; who, 
 not asking a question, had stood by as silent and watchful 
 as Reuben himself; nearly as grave. 
 
 "There s nothing the matter with him, Mr. Simlins," he 
 said. "He ll be able to shoot you in a day or two if he 
 has a mind. What have you been doing to him ?" 
 
 "Me! I ve been actin the part of the good Syrian to 
 him," growled Mr. Simlins; "only I always thought 
 before, the oil and wine went on the outside instead of 
 the inside." 
 
 " I dare say," said the doctor lightly, probably not 
 understanding the allusion. And then he seated himself 
 on the side of the bed, looking down at his patient very 
 much in his usual manner. 
 
 "You ll have made yourself the hero of Pattaquasset, 
 Linden," he said. "There won t another fellow stand a 
 chance to be looked at for a month to come from here to 
 Quilipeak. You ought .to be indicted for breach of the 
 public peace." 
 
 "Don t try it " said Mr. Linden. "I should doubtless 
 prevail with the jury too." 
 
 "Ha? "said the doctor with another glance over at 
 Reuben. "Now how did this come about?" 
 
 "Quite suddenly as I was walking home." 
 
 "Where were you?" 
 
 "About a mile from here, in the open road." 
 
 "Who was fool enough to be shooting ducks in the open 
 
 VOL. I. 19 
 
218 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 road and mistake you for a specimen ? You are not at all 
 the sort of man I should ever think of making game of." 
 
 "I tried hard to find out who it was/ said Mr. Linden, 
 "but he was a better runner than I, or else my strength 
 gave out." 
 
 "Why how did the thing happen?" said the doctor. 
 "Run ! you don t suppose the fellow meant to hit you ?" 
 
 "He meant to run " said Mr. Linden. 
 
 The doctor looked at Mr. Simlins, with a serio-comical 
 expression. 
 
 "Worse and worse !" said he. "It is a full-grown, regu 
 lar built adventure; and this is a hero from head to foot." 
 
 "Which way did the fellow run ?" said Mr. Simlins, with 
 a growl that was ominous. 
 
 " Straight ahead till he got into the woods," said Mr. 
 Linden, smiling at his host. "But he probably turned 
 there, Mr. Simlins." 
 
 "I ll have him !" said Mr. Simlins " I ll foller his tracks, 
 if they lead me to the two poles of the axletree ! You tell 
 me where you see him, and I ll set runners on, that won t 
 give out neither." 
 
 " They d be as likely to run against each other as any 
 way, in this mist to-night," said the doctor. "You d 
 better leave all that till the morning. I ll see you again 
 to-morrow," said he holding out his hand to Mr. Linden. 
 " I suppose they don t know what is become of you at 
 Mrs. Derrick s I will stop there as I go home and make 
 myself as famous as I can. Though the first bearer of 
 unwelcome news does not recommend himself to favour, 
 yet if they have heard anything, on the whole they will 
 thank me. I ll take my risk." 
 
 "I am a little inclined to ride tfown with you," said Mr. 
 Linden. 
 
 "Folly!" said the doctor. "Mr. Simlins is acting a 
 good part by you, he says,- which I presume is true, 
 though I did not understand his terms; but I have no 
 doubt he ll prove himself good for a day or two s board 
 and lodging. I wish I had had the pleasure of finding 
 you at my own door, instead of his having it!" 
 
 "The question is whether I shall be good for a day or 
 two I have no doubt of Mr. Simlins." 
 
SAT AND SEAL. 219 
 
 "Does that mean you are going to disobey me? You 
 grudge me that little bit of famousness ?" 
 
 " I shall hear the orders before I disobey " 
 
 The doctor looked at him a minute. "Linden," said 
 he, you re alarmingly well ! but you must remain in quar 
 ters for another night or two. It would be dangerous to 
 let you go. I can t allow it. Good night ! " 
 
 Either the stimulus of the doctor s presence had been 
 strong, or the effort to appear well had been fatiguing; 
 and Dr. Harrison would have pronounced another verdict 
 had he seen his patient ten minutes later. When Mr. Sim- 
 lins came back into the room, Mr. Linden looked pale and 
 exhausted. He roused himself however, at once. 
 
 "Mr. Sirnlins," he said, "will you drive me into Patta- 
 quasset to-night." 
 
 "You aint a goin to do that?" said the farmer. 
 
 " That was my intention. Why not?" 
 
 "You aint fit for it, no ways I Can t you stop here one 
 night and be peaceable ?" 
 
 "Yes, both," said his guest smiling. "But if I do not 
 go, I must send," he added after a minute s silence, during 
 which perhaps some feeling of weakness came in aid of the 
 doctor s orders. "And I do not think it would hurt me 
 to go." 
 
 " Send !" said Mr. Simlins " there s lots to send. Here s 
 Reuben, and Sam Stoutenburgh the boys aint gone yet 
 and here s me. Who do you want to send to ?" 
 
 " I want to send for two or three things out of my room. 
 Reuben can go and Sam may sit here with me, if you 
 will sleep any better for it, Mr. Simlins. That is what you 
 must do," he said with a look of warm interest and kindness. 
 
 " Sleep 1" growled Mr. Simlins. " It s about all I m 
 good for!" (Which was not at all Mr. Simlius abstract 
 judgment concerning himself but purely comparative, on 
 the present occasion.) "Well you tell Reuben what you 
 want him to do, and he can take the brown mare Jem 11 
 have her ready and I ll send Sam to you; and after I get 
 rid of all creation, I ll come myself. You d think all crea 
 tion was just made, and the chips about 1" 
 
 After which setting forth of the state of his affairs Mr 
 Simlins went forth. 
 
220 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 " I guess, sir," said Jem Waters when he had done his 
 task with the mare, " I guess I d as good sleep in the front 
 porch to-night. Cause if there ll be one here, there ll be 
 forty." 
 
 "What ll the forty do?" 
 
 "Knock the house down, sir, if there s nobody there to 
 stop em. Bless you, sir, all Pattaquasset 11 come to hear 
 how Mr. Linden is, afore day. There won t one on -em 
 wait two minutes after he hears the tale. It s all about 
 by this time I made one gal mad by not tellin her, and I 
 guess likely she s made it UD for herself and other folks 
 by now." 
 
CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 DR. HARRISON did not find anybody at Mrs. Der 
 rick s gate. The two, mother and daughter, had 
 stood there, even after Cindy had come in with her report; 
 unconscious, or unregardful, of the chill thick mist which en 
 veloped everything and fell with steady heavy fall upon the 
 bright hair of one and the smooth cap of the other. They 
 had not spoken to each other all that while, unless an 
 unfinished word or two of Mrs. Derrick s reached ears that 
 did not heed them. It was Faith herself who first moved, 
 perhaps reminded by the increasing dullness that her 
 mother was feeling it too. She took her hand from the 
 gate, and passing the other round Mrs. Derrick, led her 
 into the house, and into the sitting-room and to a chair ; 
 and then went for wood and kindling and built up a fire. 
 She went to the kitchen next. That fire was out too, and 
 that fire also Faith rebuilt, and coaxed till a blaze was going 
 up round the cold tea kettle. Cindy sat with her head on 
 her arms on the kitchen table, fast asleep. Faith did not 
 wake her. In half an hour she brought into the sitting- 
 room a tray with tea made, and clams warmed, and all 
 things that should accompany the one teacup and saucer, 
 and mutely set it before her mother. She did not then ask 
 her to eat, except by this pantomime; and she herself im 
 mediately went again to stand in the porch. But again 
 her mother followed. 
 
 "Child," she said, "you mustn t stand here. You ll be 
 sick next. You must come right in and drink some hot 
 tea." 
 
 Faith s quick answer was to put her hand upon her mo 
 ther s lips. Her mother went on, softly and steadily, in 
 spite of that slight obstruction. Yet not in spite of it, for 
 her voice was very low. 
 
 "I know who d say you ought to " and she paused a 
 little, as if to let her words have their full effect. Then 
 
 19* 
 
222 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 with a carious sort of instinct she herself hardly perceived, 
 Mrs. Derrick added, 
 
 "Dr. Harrison ll be sure to come and you mustn t be 
 standing here then." 
 
 For the first time Faith s head drooped, and she turned, 
 but it was to pass her mother and go upstairs ; laying her 
 hand for an instant as she went, with a kind of caressing 
 touch, on her mother s arm ; then she was gone. 
 
 Mrs. Derrick stood where Faith left her, the still mist 
 be-fore her out of doors, the still house behind her. And 
 there she stood until her ear caught the distant smooth 
 roll of wheels. Softly it came, nearing her every minute, 
 till Mrs. Somers little wagon stopped at the gate, and Dr. 
 Harrison jumped down and came towards her. Another 
 had seen him, for Mrs. Derrick knew that a light step had 
 come swiftly down stairs, but whither it went she knew not 
 Th doctor spoke cheerily. 
 
 " Nasty thick evening ! My dear Mrs. Derrick, do you 
 stand at the door to shew your hospitality in welcoming 
 your friends, all night ?" 
 
 " It is late," said Mrs. Derrick. The doctor s words were 
 too slippery for her to get hold of; she waited for him to 
 speak again. 
 
 "If it is late, my dear madam, why are you here? I 
 don t want you to see me ever for anything but pleasure. 
 Is it so late I mustn t come in ?" 
 
 Mrs. Derrick stepped back into the hall then stopped 
 and turned. 
 
 "I was there to watch, Dr. Harrison. What have you 
 got to tell me? One story has come already." 
 
 "Has it! Then I can tell you but half a one. I was 
 thinking to make my fortune. Mr. Linden is spending the 
 night at a friend s house, my dear Mrs. Derrick that is all. 
 He is as well as you are though perhaps just at this 
 minute not quite so strong as I am. But I am afraid he 
 can boast more than that in another few days." 
 
 That Mrs. Derrick felt at once relieved, doubtful, unsat 
 isfied, was clear. But the relief slight as it was brought 
 back her hospitality; she led the way into the parlour. 
 
 "What has been the matter?" she said. "What is the 
 matter?" 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 223 
 
 "I don t know," said the doctor. "He fell in with some 
 body carrying a gun which was very likely to happen, 
 seeing I have met a great many myself; but I never fell out 
 with any of them yet perhaps my time will come. This 
 fellow however, let off his gun in the wrong place and some 
 of the shot hit Mr. Linden in the arm, and before he could 
 get to Mr. Simlins, where I found him, he was a little faint. 
 So I commanded him to stay where he was till morning. 
 That s all. He s perfectly well, I give you my word. I 
 came now on purpose to relieve you from anxiety. He 
 wanted to come down with me, but I wouldn t let him." 
 
 " Why didn t you let him ?" said Mrs. Derrick. 
 
 "Well, I came near letting him," said the doctor, "for 
 I didn t know at one time that I could help it. It wouldn t 
 have hurt him seriously. But he ll see you with more 
 pleasure to-morrow." 
 
 "I can t think how you made out to hinder him at all !" 
 said Mrs. Derrick, looking a little puzzled. "But I m much 
 obliged to you, doctor, for coming." 
 
 " Is he such a difficult person to deal with ?" said the doc 
 tor, glancing at the different doors of the room. 
 
 " I never tried," said Mrs. Derrick with very simple 
 truth. 
 
 "I must try, some time," said the doctor abstractedly: 
 "I like to deal with difficult people. But I remember you 
 remarked it was late ! " And he started up and was 
 about to take his leave ; when his purpose met with an in 
 terruption. For the swift trot of a horse upon the road 
 came to as quick a pause at Mrs. Derrick s gate, and Reu 
 ben Taylor came up the steps and in at the open front don* 
 before Dr. Harrison had finished his compliments. 
 
 "I see!" said the doctor, "you don t keep open doors 
 for nothing, Mrs. Derrick. Here s another. You re not 
 riding after me, my friend, are you? You don t let the 
 grass grow !" 
 
 "No sir, "said Reuben. "Good evening, Mrs. Derrick 
 may I go up to Mr. Linden s room ?" 
 
 "How is he now, Reuben?" said Mrs. Derrick. "0 yes, 
 you can go up, of course. 
 
 " Thank you, ma am he said he was more comfortable 
 when I came away." And with an almost imperceptible 
 
224 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 glance round the room he was in, Reuben turned and 
 bounded lightly up the staircase. But all was dark there 
 and in Mr. Linden s room. Reuben could not execute his 
 commission so ; and was turning to come down stairs again, 
 when he encountered in the dim entry-way a white figure. 
 
 " How is Mr. Linden, Reuben ?" said a voice which he 
 knew, though it was in a very low key. 
 
 "Miss Faith! "Reuben said with a little start "0 1 am 
 so glad to find you!" Then repeated gravely his former 
 answer-*-" He said he was more comfortable when I came 
 away, ma am." 
 
 "Is he much hurt?" 
 
 Reuben hesitated. 
 
 "I don t rightly know, Miss Faith," he said, so low that 
 she could scarce catch the words. "He says he s not and 
 Dr. Harrison says not, I suppose I m easy frightened." 
 
 "What makes you frightened, then?" she said quickly. 
 
 "I was frightened " Reuben said, drawing a long 
 breath, and with a sort of awe-stricken voice, as if the 
 fright was upon him yet; "and it takes a while to get 
 over it. Maybe that s all. He wrote that, Miss Faith " 
 and Reuben laid a tiny folded paper in her hand. "And 
 may I have a light, ma am, to get some things from his 
 room ?" He spoke eagerly now, as if he grudged the mo 
 ments. 
 
 Faith directed him to the kitchen, and when Reuben 
 came up, followed him into the room and stood waiting 
 while he sought what he wanted. Then suddenly remem 
 bered that her paper might contain a request for something 
 else, and bent over the candle to read it. It contained 
 more than one. 
 
 " Miss Faith," it said, " if any of my scholars are anxious 
 about me, tell them, from me, that there is no cause. Bid 
 them take rest without waiting for it. I am sorry that 
 exercise must wait ! but I shall hope to see two on Mon 
 day. J.E. L." 
 
 Faith s head was bent a long while over the candle. 
 
 "Have you got what you wanted, Reuben?" she asked at 
 last. 
 
 Reuben had heard her voice often, but he had never heard 
 it like that nor any one else. What had passed through 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 225 
 
 it, clearing it so ? it was like the chiming of silver bells. 
 He came at her word, bag in hand ; and with the freedom 
 a mutual sorrow gives, held out his other hand to her. 
 Then ran quick and softly down the stairs. 
 
 "Hollo, sirl" said the doctor, as Reuben passed the 
 open doorway. "A word with you." Reuben paused, then 
 came back a step. 
 
 " So you are Mr. Linden s friend, are you ?" said the doc 
 tor in a careless manner. 
 
 "Did you want anything of me, sir?" Reuben said. 
 
 "Why yes I commonly want an answer to a question." 
 
 "I don t just know what you mean by a friend, Dr. 
 Harrison," said Reuben respectfully. "I might answer 
 wrong." 
 
 "So rather than do that You like to be on the safe 
 side. Suppose you ask Mr. Linden to teach you defini 
 tions, among other things? And look here keep him 
 quiet and don t let anybody talk him out of his sleep to 
 night. That s all." And the doctor followed Reuben im 
 mediately. 
 
 With a feeling of satisfaction certainly, Mrs. Derrick at 
 last locked and bolted the front door, shutting out the 
 driving mist and all that might hide within it; and then 
 went to look after the only treasure the house contained. 
 She wasn t far to seek, for as the locking and bolting 
 sounded through the house, Faith came down and went 
 with her mother into the sitting-room. 
 
 "Have you had nothing to eat yet, mother!" she ex 
 claimed as her eye fell on the orderly tea-tray. 
 
 " No child nor sha n t want it, till I see you have some 
 thing. 
 
 Faith smiled a little, came and put her arms round her 
 and kissed her; and then set about the whole work of get 
 ting tea over again. It was with a very pale face yet ; only 
 the silver ring of her voice told the change of the mental 
 atmosphere. Her mother looked at her but was perhaps 
 afraid to ask any questions to disturb the quiet. 
 
 " Reuben s a good boy !" she said, feeling that remark to 
 be perfectly safe. 
 
 " I m glad he s there," Faith answered gravely. " I heard 
 all Dr. Harrison said, mother." 
 
226 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "Yes child," said her mother as if she knew that before, 
 "I thought you d see Reuben too." 
 
 Reuben said the same, mother. And Mr. Linden him 
 self sent word there was no cause to be anxious." 
 
 Faith did not say he had written that word to her. Per 
 haps her own consciousness might have made her shy of the 
 subject or perhaps what she judged to be people s false 
 reports had left a sore spot in her heart and she was afraid 
 of touching that. But she did not speak of the little note 
 which had come to her. She was preparing her mother s 
 tea with all speed, while Mrs. Derrick on her part peeped 
 into the sugar-bowl to see if it wanted filling, and began to 
 cut the bread. 
 
 "I m glad to hear it, child," she said. "Dr. Harrison s 
 too smart for me I can t get a bit of good out of him. 
 My, Faith ! I suppose Mr. Linden can manage him, but if 
 I had that man buzzing round me, I shouldn t know 
 whether I was sick or well. When is he coming back, 
 child?" 
 
 "I don t know, mother." Then with the invincible in 
 stinct of truth, she added, "He wants my work to be ready 
 for him Monday." 
 
 "Reuben s got a great deal of gumption!" said Mrs. 
 Derrick, her heart quite expanding with the pleasure of 
 hearing *Faith talk once more. "Now half the boys in 
 town would have blurted that right out to me and Dr. 
 Harrison together, -and I wouldn t trust him for not ask 
 ing questions. But I m sure I m glad, child it seems as 
 if he d been gone a month. Do you think he ll come to 
 morrow ? Maybe he meant you should send your work 
 down to him." 
 
 "I sha n t do that," said Faith, as she gave her mother 
 at last a cup of tea that was to be drunk. But she had 
 poured out none for herself. She sat before the tea-tray, 
 still and pale. Her mother looked at her. 
 
 "You must take some, child." 
 
 " I don t want it, mother." And she brought everything 
 that was on the table round her mother s plate. 
 
 " You must " Mrs Derrick repeated. " I sha n t, if you 
 don t, or else I ll get you a glass of wine. Why child," 
 she said, with a half sober, half smiling look, which Faitb 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 22f 
 
 for once did not read, "he s better. You ought to eat 
 and be thankful." 
 
 "I am thankful," Faith said, her head sinking for a 
 
 moment. , 
 
 Mrs Derrick deliberately got up, went to the pantry, ai 
 fetching thence a tiny cup and plate set them before Faith. 
 
 "Eat pretty child!" she said. "You know I m right. 
 If you don t look out, Mr. Linden ll be worse scared when 
 he comes home than he s been to-day, I guess." 
 
 Faith gave her a look, both grateful and appealing, and 
 very innocent of belief in her statement; and did honour 
 the little cup so far as to fill it with tea which she swallowed. 
 But the plate she left clean. 
 
 "I can t to-night, mother," she said m answer to Mn 
 Derrick s look. " I ll eat breakfast " 
 
CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 TT cannot be said that sleep came to Faith s eyes unbid 
 den, yet once come, sleep rested there sweetly, even 
 beyond her usual time; and the first disturbing sound, in 
 that misty Sunday morning, was the stopping of a wagon 
 at the front door. But if Faith ran to the window with 
 any special expectations, they were disappointed, there 
 was nothing at the door but Crab, his companion the little 
 wagon, and Mrs. Derrick composedly getting out of the 
 same. Which was at least surprising enough. The good 
 lady s next appearance was a very noiseless one in Faith s 
 room. 
 
 "Dear mother ! where have you been ?" 
 
 " Why I ve been trying to get ahead of Dr. Harrison," 
 said her mother sitting down ; "and I did it too. I should 
 have been home before if I hadn t been afraid of meeting 
 him so I had to take across road." Mrs. Derrick seemed 
 tired. 
 
 "You needn t look at me so, child," she said, taking off 
 her bonnet. "It s enough to see one pale face in a morn 
 ing. I did see him, Faith, though I didn t speak to him. " 
 
 "How did he look, mother?" 
 
 "I don t suppose he really looked bad considering," 
 said Mrs. Derrick, with the tired look on her own face; 
 "but I am not used to seeing him pulled down. It sort of 
 upset me to see him lie there and those two boys keeping 
 watch of him. I declare, Faith ! I wouldn t like to be the 
 one to touch him with them sitting by!" 
 
 "But how is he, mother? who did you see ?" 
 
 "I didn t see anybody but them Mr. Simlins wasn t up. 
 They said he seemed better, dear and that if I d seen him 
 last night I d think he had quite a colour now: so I sup 
 pose he is better. Only I haven t got the heart of a kitten 
 sometimes " and a little motion of the lips warned Faith 
 that if her mother was sparing of details it was because 
 she could scarce give them. 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 229 
 
 " But isn t he as well as the doctor said ? He would look 
 pale, you know" 
 
 "I shouldn t have known from what the doctor said, that 
 he d anything more than a scratch on the tip end of his 
 little finger!" said Mrs. Derrick, "so I believe I didn t ex 
 pect even to see him look pale. And all the while, the 
 doctor was staring at the pantry doors I didn t know but 
 he d get up and open em and look in." 
 
 "You said two boys were there? who beside Reuben 
 Taylor?" 
 
 " Sam Stoutenburgh was tother side," said Mrs. Der 
 rick, "and wanted to know how you were. I d a great 
 mind to tell him it was none of his business. I suppose he 
 thinks his heart is as large as he is, and can hold every 
 thing at once." 
 
 A shadow of something seemed to cross Faith at the 
 mention of Sam s name. She turned away and began 
 dressing herself. 
 
 "Don t stir again, mother," she said. "I ll come down 
 and see about breakfast." 
 
 "It ll rest me to go with you, child, I told Reuben I d 
 come again and stay if Mr. Linden would let me, and Reu 
 ben will send me word. So I want to see you in the mean 
 time. But I don t think they ll send." 
 
 The breakfast was a quiet meal, though Faith but poorly 
 performed her promise of eating. How Faith spent the 
 hour after breakfast her mother could but guess; then she 
 came out with her bonnet on and kissed her before setting 
 off to Sunday school. The thick mist yet filled the air, 
 growing yellow now with the struggling sunbeams. She 
 walked quick and met nobody. 
 
 Till she came to her place, and there she found not 
 Charles twelfth alone, but the two other little additions to 
 her charge that had been promised her. For though it was 
 by no means cold weather the warm sunny days linger 
 ing yet and this Sunday promising to be a good specimen, 
 it happened that Johnny and his companion had received 
 a special injunction to come, as Faith found out, and were 
 there accordingly. 
 
 And if Johnny regretted his old place in another class, 
 
 VOL. i. 20 
 
230 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 it was not for the reason his new teacher had feared 
 Faith s face was very pale, that of itself touched the chil 
 dren; and her words this day came in a tone that won 
 all the recesses of their hearts. She had forgot about 
 other teachers or children being in her neighbourhood ; on 
 those three her stores of love and tenderness poured them 
 selves out. She told them with warm lips, of Christ and 
 his love and his leading, of the safety and joy of his sheep, 
 of her wish that her little charge should be lambs in that 
 flock, and what sort of lambs they must be. Faith spoke 
 to her children very much as if she had been a child her 
 self. They knew instinctively, with very sure knowledge, 
 that she belonged to the fold of which she was joyously 
 telling them. 
 
 The children, on their part, met her variously. Johnny 
 with his clear childish eyes, the flower-like unfolding of 
 his little heart to that warm sunshine gave her more help 
 than trouble, she understood the liking to teach him for 
 her own sake. If his thoughts sometimes wandered a little 
 from her words, the downcast look, the slight quiver of his 
 childish lips, told Faith where they had gone ; and she 
 could forgive him. But though at such times Robbie Wa 
 ters always remembered to look grave too, yet he displaced 
 Faith s gravity once by whispering to her (in the midst of 
 her earnest admonitions to Charles twelfth) that she knew 
 she was pretty ; and was in general in an easy, docile state 
 of mind, and much interested and amazed at the deport 
 ment of his little neighbour, Charles twelfth. When Faith 
 came out of the school, she saw that all the seats of Mr. 
 Linden s class were vacant; and with that little reminding 
 touch, went to her own place in the church. 
 
 It was between nine and ten o clock, while Faith was yet 
 lost in her little charge, while Mrs. Derrick at home was 
 thinking of her, and Mr. Simlins was taking his late break 
 fast, that Dr. Harrison s curricle reached the farmer s gate. 
 All was quiet without the house, but when Jenny Lowndcs 
 adrnittel the doctor into the hall, the array of hats and 
 caps upon the table might have startled a less professional 
 man ; might have even suggested the idea that Mr. Simlins 
 was giving a breakfast party. 
 
 " Let me see Mr. Linden," said the doctor. 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 231 
 
 Jenny hesitated then her fear of Dr. Harrison over 
 coming her scruples, she walked softly to the door and 
 opened it. But if the doctor wanted to see his patient, he 
 was obliged to wait a little; for the group of boys some 
 standing, some kneeling around the bed, hid everything 
 else. The room was very still, very earnest; even Dr. 
 Harrison could feel that; the sound of words, very low- 
 spoken, was all he could hear. The closing door made 
 itself heard, however, several boys turned round, and at 
 once stepped aside; and the doctor saw his patient, not 
 dressed but lying as he had left him the night before. Mr. 
 Linden smiled and saying some words to his class held 
 out his hand towards the doctor ; but this was fastened 
 upon at once by so many, that the doctor again had to wait 
 his turn ; and it was not until everyone else had touched 
 that hand, some even with their lips, that he was left alone 
 with his patient. 
 
 " What are you doing?" said he, in a sort of grave tone 
 which did not however mean gravity. " Holding a levee ? 
 and do you receive your courtiers at different hours accord 
 ing to their ages? in that case. I have come at the wrong 
 time." 
 
 "No, you shall have the time all to yourself." 
 
 " I see I have it ! Are the juvenile members* of society 
 in Pattaquasset accustomed to pay their respects to you at 
 this hour in the morning?" 
 
 " Not always. Once a week we meet to talk over plea 
 sant things." 
 
 "Have I interrupted the pleasant things now?" 
 
 "No, I could not talk very long this morning. The 
 boys were just going." 
 
 "I wish I had come a little sooner," said Dr. Harrison. 
 "I m not a boy, to be sure, but I don t know that they are 
 privileged to monopolize all pleasant things. If they are, 
 I am against monopolies. However, if you can t talk, you 
 mustn t talk. How do you do ?" 
 
 "I do well if a man can be doing well when he s doing 
 nothing. I will talk as long as you please about pleasant 
 things." 
 
 The doctor however diverged to the state of his patient s 
 health, nor would talk of anything else till his investigations 
 
232 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 on that point were made. The result of them seemed t( 
 be satisfactory. 
 
 "Now Linden," he said, in atone that indicated they 
 were free to ask and answer, "who was that fellow.last 
 night? have you any idea?" 
 
 "It is difficult to identify a man when you are only 
 within gunshot of him and after sundown," said Mr. Lin 
 den smiling. 
 
 "Difficult yes, it may be, but you gathered some 
 thing ?" 
 
 " I gathered a run. " 
 
 "That is," said the doctor looking at him, "you have an 
 opinion on the subject and are not willing to risk it?" 
 
 "No," said Mr. Linden, " I have had risk enough for one 
 night." 
 
 "You are mistaken, Linden. A hint might be quite 
 enough to bring out the certainty. My father is very eager 
 about the matter, and is only waiting for you to empower 
 him to act." 
 
 "I shall give you no hint," said Mr. Linden. " I might 
 be willing to risk my own opinion, but not another man s 
 character." 
 
 The doctor looked at him keenly and curiously. 
 
 " What possible motive I" he said. " For it is evident 
 that the shot was fired of intent, and evident that you your 
 self think so. It is unheard-of!" 
 
 " Were you bred to the bar, that you sum up evidence 
 before it is given ?" said Mr. Linden, with a good-humoured 
 raising of his brows at the doctor. 
 
 "But the man ran !" 
 
 " So did I he could hardly think I was much hurt." 
 
 "I don t want to have such a fellow abroad in Patta 
 quasset," said the doctor. "But suppose we go back tu 
 the pleasant things. You must start the subject, Linden. 
 Kousseau says a man can best describe the sweets of liberty 
 from the inside of a prison so, I suppose, you being shot 
 at and laid on your back, can have no lack of theme." 
 
 Mr. Linden smiled the smile of a most unfettered spirit. 
 
 "Liberty I" he said. "Yes, I have realized since I have 
 lain here, that 
 
 " My soul is free, as ambient air/-^- 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 233 
 
 "My sense of liberty comes from the possession not the 
 want." 
 
 "Prospective possession," said the doctor. "Unless 
 indeed," he went on with a humourous play of the lips 
 "you mean that my orders to you to lie still, merely gave 
 zest to your triumphant knowledge that you could get up 
 if you had a mind. A riotous degree of self-will that I 
 believe I do not possess. Was that what good Mrs. Der 
 rick meant when she said she wondered how I had hindered 
 you?" 
 
 "No," said Mr. Linden smiling "she meant that she 
 did not think you had." 
 
 "She didn t mean a thing of the kind ! She spoke in 
 pure wonder, and made me begin to wonder in my turn." 
 
 Which wonder Mr. Linden did not inquire into. 
 
 "I am very sorry I wasn t a boy this morning !" said Dr. 
 Harrison, after standing and looking down at him a little. 
 
 "Can t you sit down and say why?" 
 
 "I should have heard so much! which now I am not 
 to hear. For if I had been a boy, I should certainly not 
 have been missing at your levee." 
 
 "0 you deceive yourself, if you were a boy nothing 
 short of my authority would bring you, in the first place." 
 
 " I have not the slightest doubt the power would have 
 been fouud equal to the resistance," said the doctor bowing. 
 
 "Neither have I." 
 
 "Well ! " said the doctor laughing a little peculiarly, 
 "in that case I should have been here. Now I have a fancy 
 to know what you call pleasant things, Linden. You 
 speak with a mouth full as if there were plenty of them." 
 
 "Yes, there are plenty," Mr. Linden said, moving a little 
 and resting his face on his hand as if he felt tired ; "but we 
 were talking of only two this morning, heaven, and the 
 way thither." 
 
 Dr. Harrison looked at him steadily. 
 
 " You are tired," he said gently. " You shall not talk 
 any more to me now, and I shall forbid your holding any 
 more levees to-day. After which," he added, the humour 
 ous expression coming back, " I shall expect to hear a pro 
 clamation going through Pattaquasset, that, like the knights 
 of old, you are ready for all comers I Well I ll come and 
 
 20* 
 
234 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 Bee you to-morrow ; and as long as you ll let me, as a friend ; 
 for the pleasure of talking. You can have it all your own 
 way, with a few more days strength. Will you have a 
 levee to-morrow at the same hour ?" 
 
 A little play of the lips came with the answer 
 
 "Will that suit you? I ll send you word." Then look 
 ing up at the doctor with a different expression, he added, 
 "What do you think of my pleasant things ?" 
 
 "Hardly in my line " said the doctor with a careless 
 ness which was somewhat dubious in its character. "It is 
 very well for those who find the subject pleasant I confess 
 I have never studied it much." 
 
 " Then you have but half learned your profession." But 
 the words were so spoken that they could not give offence. 
 
 Neither did the doctor seem disposed to take offence. 
 
 "I ll ask you what you mean by that to-morrow," he said 
 very pleasantly. "I thought I had learned my profession. 
 Have you learned yours ?" The last words were with a 
 keen eye to the answer. 
 
 "Some people dignify my present business with that 
 name," Mr. Linden said. 
 
 " Well, you shall discourse to me more at length to-mor 
 row," said the doctor. " Shall I come later ?" 
 
 "I don t expect to be in school to-morrow, so you may 
 name your own time," Mr. Linden said with a pleasant 
 look. " But remember, a physician who has no skill to 
 feel the pulse of the mind, no remedies that can reach its 
 fever or its chills, is but half a physician. If / had never 
 studied the subject, one word about heaven and the way 
 thither would be worth more to me than all the science of 
 medicine ever discovered 1 It is now " he said in a low 
 tone, as the flush passed away. And then holding out his 
 hand to Dr. Harrison, Mr. Linden added, " I fully appre 
 ciate your skill and kindness you need not doubt it." 
 
 The hand was taken, and grasped, cordially but in si 
 lence. 
 
 Whether the doctor went straight from Mr. Simlins 
 house to church where he was not a very constant attend 
 ant it does not appear. What is certain about the mat 
 ter, is, that he was outside of the church door after service 
 just at the time that Faith Derrick found herself there, and 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 235 
 
 that he assumed a place at her side and walked with her 
 towards her mother s house instead of taking the other 
 direction towards his own. Faith was alone, Mrs. Derrick 
 having chosen to stay at home in case she should be sent 
 for. The mist had cleared off completely, and the sunny 
 warm air invited to lingering in it. Faith would not have 
 lingered, but the doctor walked slowly, and she could not 
 leave him. 
 
 " I have been wanting to see you, ever since my inoppor 
 tune proposal yesterday," said he in a low tone, "to make 
 my peace with you. " 
 
 "It is made, sir," said Faith, giving him a smile. 
 
 "How do you do to-day?" 
 
 "Very well !" she told him. 
 
 The doctor listened to the sound of her voice, and thought 
 with himself that as regarded the moral part of her nature 
 the words were certainly true. 
 
 "Let me have the pleasure of relieving you of that," 
 he said, taking Faith s little Bible gently away from her. 
 "I am going your way. Miss Derrick you spoke yester 
 day of particular work to be done on Sunday. Have you 
 any objection to tell me what you meant by it ? I confess 
 to you, your words are somewhat dark to me. That is my 
 fault, of course. Will you give me light ?" It was a gentle, 
 grave, quiet tone of questioning. 
 
 "Others might do it far better, sir," said Faith. 
 
 "I would far rather hear it from you I" 
 
 The colour came a little into Faith s cheeks, but her 
 words were given with great simplicity. 
 
 "The other days are taken up very much with the work 
 of this world. Sunday is meant more particularly for the 
 work that belongs to the other world." 
 
 "And what is that? if you do not object to tell me. I 
 confess, as I tell you, I am ignorant." 
 
 She forgot herself now, and looked steadily at him. 
 
 " To learn to know God with whom we have so much 
 to do, here and there ; to learn to know his will and to do 
 it, and to bring others to do it too, if we can. And if we 
 know and love him already, to enjoy it and take the good 
 of it," she added a little lower, and with a softening 
 of expression. 
 
236 SAY ANI) SEAL - 
 
 Dr. Harrison read her look fixedly, till she turned it 
 away from him. 
 
 "And are these what you call pleasant things ?" said he 
 somewhat curiously. 
 
 But Faith s answer rang out from her heart. 
 
 "Oh yes!" 
 
 She stopped there, but evidently not for want of what to 
 say. 
 
 "You are a happy thing," said the doctor, but not in a 
 way to make his words other than graceful. " I wish you 
 would make me as good as you are." 
 
 She looked at him, and answered very much as if she had 
 been speaking to a child. 
 
 " God will make you much better, Dr. Harrison, if you 
 ask him." 
 
 He was silent a minute after that, without looking at 
 her. When he spoke again, it was with a change of tone. 
 
 "You are of a different world from that in which I live ; 
 and the flowers that are sweet to you, belong, I am afraid, 
 to a Flora that I have no knowledge of. What, for instance, 
 would you call pleasant things to talk about if you were 
 choosing a subject of conversation ?" 
 
 Faith looked a little surprised. 
 
 "A great many things are pleasant to me," she said 
 smiling. 
 
 "I am sure of that I But indulge me what would you 
 name as supremely such, to talk about ?" 
 
 "If they are talked about right," said Faith gently, "I 
 don t know anything so pleasant as those things I was 
 speaking of what God will have us do in this world, and 
 what he will do for us in the next." 
 
 " Heaven and the way thither " said Dr. Harrison to 
 himself. 
 
 "What, sir?" said Faith. 
 
 " I should like to have you answer me that ; but I am 
 sorry, I see Mrs. Derrick s house not far beyond us. I saw 
 our friend Mr. Linden this morning." 
 
 "Is he better?" said Faith simply. 
 
 " He s doing very well. I told him he d be a terribly 
 famous man after this. And it s begun. I found near al] 
 the boys in Pattaquasset assembled there this morning " 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 237 
 
 " His Bible class " said Faith, with a feeling which did 
 not however come inco her face or voice, and Dr. Harrison 
 watched both. 
 
 "Here is your Bible," he said as they stopped at the 
 little gate. " Do you always look so pale on Sundays ?" 
 he added with a look and tone of half professional half 
 friendly freedom. 
 
 "Not always," Faith said; but there came at the same 
 time a little tinge into the cheeks, that Dr. Harrison 
 wished away. 
 
 "May I come and earn your forgiveness for yesterday & 
 stupidity ?" 
 
 " Certainly !" Faith said, " but there needs no forgive 
 ness from me, Dr. Harrison." 
 
 He left her with a graceful, reverential obeisance ; and 
 Faith went in. 
 
CHAPTER XX. 
 
 DR. HARRISON had but little left Mr. Linden that 
 morning, when Mr. Simlins came in. He had hardly 
 seen his guest yet that day, except, like Mrs. Derrick, when 
 he was asleep. For having watched himself the greater 
 part of the night, for the pure pleasure of it, Mr. Sim 
 lins late rest - had brought him almost to the hour when 
 the boys came to what the doctor called Mr. Linden s 
 levee. 
 
 "Well how do you find yourself?" said the farmer, stand 
 ing at the foot of the bed and looking at its occupant with 
 a kind of grim satisfaction. 
 
 "I find myself tired, sir and at the same time intending 
 to get up. Mr. Simlins, are you going down to church 
 this afternoon ?" 
 
 "Well, no," said the farmer. "I think it s as good 
 church as I can do, to look arter you. " 
 
 "You can have both," said Mr. Linden smiling, "I 
 should go with you." 
 
 "You aint fit," said the farmer regretfully. 
 
 "Fit enough I ll come back and stay with you another 
 day, when I am well, if you ll let me." 
 
 "Will you ?" said the farmer. "I ll bottle that ere pro 
 mise and cork it up ; and if it aint good when I pull the 
 cork then I ll never play Syrian again, for no one. But 
 s pose I aint goin to church ?" 
 
 "Then I shall have to take Reuben." 
 
 "You sha n t take no one but me," growled Mr. Simlins. 
 " I d rather see you out of my house than not if I can t 
 see you in it." 
 
 The bells were ringing out for the early afternoon ser 
 vice when they set forth ; not ringing against each other, 
 as which should give the loudest call for its own particular 
 church, but with alternate strokes speaking the same thing 
 the one stepping in when the other was out of broath. 
 (238) 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 239 
 
 The warm sunshine rested upon all "the evil and the 
 good," and spoke its own message though not so noisily. 
 Along the road Mr. Simlins little covered wagon (chosen 
 for various reasons) went at an easy pace ; with one to 
 drive, and one to bear the motion as best he might; and a 
 third who would almost have agreed to be a pillow or a 
 cushion for the rest of his life, if he could have been one 
 for that day. What there were of that sort in the wagon, 
 or indeed in the house, were to Reuben s eyes far too thin 
 and ineffectual. A little excitement, a very earnest desire 
 to get home once more, did partially supply the need ; and 
 by the time the houses were empty and the churches full, 
 the wagon stopped at Mrs. Derrick s gate. 
 
 "I guess nobody s home," said Mr. Simlins as he with 
 great tenderness helped Mr. Linden to alight "but any 
 way, here s the house all standin . Reuben, you go ahead 
 and see if we can get in." 
 
 But before Reuben touched the door, Mrs. Derrick had 
 opened it from the inside, and stood there her usually 
 quiet manner quite subdued into silence. Not into inaction 
 however, for her woman s hands soon made their superior 
 powers known, and Mr. Simlins could only wonder why 
 this and that had not occurred to him before. Quick and 
 still and thoughtful, she had done half a dozen little things 
 to make Mr. Linden comfortable before he had been in the 
 house as many minutes, and assured the two others very 
 confidently that "he shouldn t faint again, if he wanted to 
 ever so much !" 
 
 "AVell, I was sorry to let him go," said Mr. Simlins, 
 "and now I m glad of it. It takes a woman ! Where s 
 somebody else ?" 
 
 "There s nobody else in the house," said Mrs. Derrick. 
 "Faith s gone to meeting, and Cindy too, for all I know." 
 
 "I ll send Dr. Harrison word in the morning where / 
 am," said Mr. Linden, which Mr. Simlins rightly under 
 stood to mean that the fact need not be published to-night. 
 He took gentle leave of this lost guest and went to 
 church; excusing himself for it afterwards by saying he 
 felt lonely. 
 
 If Faith had seen him there, she might have jumped at 
 conclusions again; but she did not; and after the service 
 
240 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 walked Lome, slowly again, though nobody was with her. 
 A little wearied by this time with the night and the day s 
 work, wearied in body and mind perhaps, she paced home 
 wards along the broad street or road, on which the yellow 
 leaves of the trees were floating lazily down, and which was 
 all filled from sky and wayside with golden light. It 
 brought to mind her walk of last Sunday afternoon and 
 evening ; the hymn, and those other lines Mr. Linden had 
 repeated and which had run in her head fifty times since. 
 And Faith s step grew rather slower and less lightsome as 
 she neared home, and when she got home she went straight 
 up to her room without turning to the right or the left. 
 Her mother was just then in the kitchen and heard her not, 
 and shielded by her bonnet Faith saw not even that Mr. 
 Linden s door stood open ; but when she came out again a 
 while after, the full stream of sunlight that came thence 
 into the passage drew her eyes that way. And Faith did 
 not wonder then that her mother had been startled, and 
 unprepared by the doctor s words for the sight of what 
 she now saw. The chintz-covered couch was drawn be 
 fore the window, in the full radiance of the sunlight, and 
 Mr. Linden lay there looking out ; but the sunlight found 
 no glow in his face, unless one as etherial as itself. The 
 habitual sweet pure look was there a look that reminded 
 Faith of the one Johnny had worn in the morning ; but 
 the face was perfectly colourless. The bandaged arm was 
 supported only by a sling, upon the other hand his cheek 
 rested wearily. Faith looked, hesitated, then stepped lightly 
 into the room and stood before him ; with a face not indeed 
 quite so pale as his own, but that only the sunlight hin 
 dered his seeing was utterly without its usual colour. She 
 found nothing to say, apparently: for she did not speak, 
 only held out her hand. He had turned at the first sound 
 of her step and watched her at first smiling, then grave 
 as she came near ; and taking her hand as silently as it 
 was given, Mr. Linden looked up at her face, perhaps to 
 see whether his instructions had been obeyed. 
 
 "I have had men s hands about me so long," he said, 
 "that yours feels like " he did not specify what, but held 
 it a minute as if he were trying to find out. " Miss Faith, 
 you want to be rocked to sleep." 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 241 
 
 Could he see that her lips trembled ? He could feel how 
 her hand did ; but her look was as frank as ever. 
 
 "Are you less well to-day ?" she said at last, in a voice 
 that was little above a whisper, and stopped short of his 
 name. . 
 
 "Less well than yesterday at this time not less well 
 than this morning. A little more tired, perhaps." He 
 spoke very quietly, answering her words and letting his 
 hand and eye do the rest. " Has Mrs. Derrick a cradle in 
 the house that would hold you ?" 
 
 Perhaps Faith hardly heard the question, for she 
 did not acknowledge it by so much as a smile. She 
 wished to ask the further question, whether the assur 
 ance of last night was still true; but his appearance 
 had driven such fear to her heart that she dared not 
 ask it. She stood quite still a minute, but when she 
 spoke her words were in the utmost clear sweetness of a 
 woman s voice. 
 
 " Can I do something for you, Mr. Linden ?" 
 
 "You are doing something forme now it is so pleasant 
 to see you. But Miss Faith, I shall have to reclaim some 
 of your scholars; you have been teaching too much to 
 day." 
 
 "No " she said, "I have had no chance." 
 
 "No chance to teach too much? And why?" 
 
 "Why," she said, "I had only the usual hour this 
 morning. I could do no more." 
 
 "You look as if you had been teaching all day or 
 taught, which is but another branch. What did my boys 
 say to you ?" 
 
 "I think they thought they were saying to you, Mr 
 Linden, they behaVed so well." 
 
 He smiled. 
 
 "I don t believe even your conjuring powers could bring 
 about such a hallucination, Miss Faith. What a day it 
 has been I Look at that sunlight and think of the city 
 that hath no need of the sun !" 
 
 She looked where he bade her, but the contrast was a 
 little too strong just then with the earth thtft had so much 
 need of it! Only the extreme gravity of her face how- 
 
 VOL. I. 21 
 
242 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 ever indicated anything of the struggle going on. Her 
 eye did not move, nor eyelid. 
 
 "That is the only rest we must wait for, " Mr. Linden 
 3aid. "That remaineth." 
 
 Faith answered nothing. But after a little while the 
 shadow of that sunlight passed away from her face, and she 
 turned to the couch again and asked with her former gentle 
 expression, 
 
 " Will you have tea up here, Mr. Linden ?" 
 
 "I m afraid I must," he said, looking up at her with eyes 
 that rather questioned than answered. 
 
 " Does mother know what you would like to have ?" 
 
 "Miss Faith I wish you would tell me just what is 
 troubling you." 
 
 The question flushed her a little, and for a moment her 
 face was a quick play of light and shade; then she said, 
 
 "It troubled me not to see you looking better." 
 
 He took the force of her words, though he answered 
 lightly. 
 
 "I suppose I do look rather frightful ! But Miss Faith, 
 I hope to get over that in a few days you must try and 
 brace up your nerves, because if you cannot bear the sight 
 of me I shall have to deny myself the sight of you." 
 
 "Don t do that," she said, the light coming into her eye 
 and voice as if by an actual sunbeam. "Then it is true, 
 what you wrote me last night, Mr. Linden?" 
 
 "Well !" he said "I am not much in the habit of main 
 taining my own words, however, in this case I am willing 
 to admit them true. If it will be any relief to your mind, 
 Miss Faith, I will promise to remain in seclusion until you 
 say I am fit to be seen down stairs." 
 
 The answer to that was only a rosy little smile, like the 
 sunlight promise of fair weather on the last clouds that 
 float over the horizon. But perhaps his words had brought 
 her mind back to the question of supper for she asked 
 again, 
 
 " What are you to have for tea to-night, Mr. Linden?" 
 
 "May I take a great liberty?" he said with a look as 
 grave as before. 
 
 "I don t know how you can," she said and with eyes 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 243 
 
 somewhat surprised, that said in their own way it was im 
 possible. 
 
 A little smile which she scarce saw came first, and 
 then her hand was brought to his lips. But it was done 
 too gravely and gently to startle even her. 
 
 "Now you must go and rest," Mr. Linden said. "I 
 want nothing for tea that shall cost one extra step." 
 
 Faith went about as silently and demurely as a cat that 
 has had her ears boxed and been sent out of the dairy. 
 Only in this case she went to her dairy ; from whence in due 
 time she emerged with cream and butter and made her ap 
 pearance in the kitchen. 
 
 "Well child! 11 said Mrs. Derrick. "When did you get 
 home? and what did you do with yourself? I ve looked 
 and looked for you till I was tired, and if you d staid five 
 minutes more I should have run all over town after you." 
 
 "Why mother !" said Faith, "I was in my own room for 
 a good while. I got home in usual time." 
 
 "Well!" said her mother, "I hope next time you ll say 
 as much that s all. Do you know we ve got company, 
 Faith ?" 
 
 " Who, mother ? I ve seen Mr. Linden." 
 
 "I meant him," said Mrs. Derrick. "I m sure the 
 house seems as if it had twice as many in it since he came." 
 
 " He ought to have tea, now, mother. Isn t Cindy home 
 yet?" 
 
 " No, but that s no matter I ll take it up in two minutes. 
 Where s the teapot " 
 
 " I think, mother," said Faith as she was adding the last 
 touches to the tray which was to go up stairs, "I must 
 have put Mr. Linden in mind of his sister, *br somebody, 
 this afternoon. I am afraid he misses them now." 
 
 "What do you mean by somebody?" said Mrs. Derrick. 
 
 "Some of his own family, I mean. I thought so." 
 
 " I don t believe you ever put anybody in mind of any 
 body else," said Mrs. Derrick confidently. "What made 
 you think so, child ?" 
 
 "Something made me think so," said Faith rather ab 
 stractly. "Now mother it is ready, and I ll take it up 
 stairs if you ll take it then." 
 
 "I guess I m up to as much as taking it all the way, 
 
244 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 said her mother, lifting the tray. " I ll be down presently, 
 dear, you must want your tea." And up stairs she 
 went. 
 
 Reuben came to stay all night, so the ladies had only to 
 take their own much needed sleep, in peace ; and a note 
 of information was left at Dr. Harrison s door next morn 
 ing, some time before that gentleman was awake. 
 
CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 M T KNOW what I have to do to-day," said Faith the 
 
 J. next morning. "Mr. Skip has got the box made, 
 mother, and now I want the stuff to cover it." 
 
 "Well that s ready in my pantry, child." 
 
 Whereupon Reuben offered his services ; but all that was 
 given him to do was to carry up Mr. Linden s breakfast. 
 This was hardly well over when Dr. Harrison came. He 
 was shewn into the sitting-room, just as Faith with her 
 arms full of brown moreen came into it also from the 
 pantry. The doctor was not going to lose a shake of the 
 hand, and waited for the brown moreen to be deposited on 
 the floor accordingly. 
 
 "You are looking more like yourself to-day," he said. 
 
 "I will call mother," said Faith. Which she did, leavin^ 
 the doctor in company with the brown moreen. 
 
 "Mrs. Derrick," said he, speaking by no means without 
 a purpose, " I have cause of complaint against you ! What 
 have you done to allure my patient down here against 
 orders?" 
 
 "He s better here," said Mrs. Derrick with a cool dispos 
 ing of the subject. "What did you want to keep him up 
 there for, doctor?" 
 
 "Only acted upon a vigorous principle of Mr. Linden s 
 nature, madam. If I had ordered him to come, he would 
 have stayed. May I see him ?" 
 
 And Mrs. Derrick preceded the doctor up stairs, opened 
 the door of the room and shut it after him. Mr. Linden 
 was on the couch, but it was wheeled round by the side of 
 the fire now, for the morning was cool. A little heap of 
 unopened letters and post despatches lay before him, but 
 the white paper in his hand seemed not to have come from 
 
 21* (2-15) 
 
246 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 the heap. As the doctor entered, this was folded up and 
 transferred to the disabled hand for safe keeping. 
 
 Mr. Linden had that quality (much more common among 
 women than among men) of looking well in undress; but 
 let no one suppose that I mean the combination of care 
 lessness and disorder which generally goes by that name, 
 and which shews (most of all) undress of the mind. I 
 mean simply that style of dress which Sam Weller might 
 call Ease afore Ceremony; in it delicate particularity, 
 Mr. Linden s undress might have graced a ball-room ; and, 
 as I have said, the dark brown wrapper with its wide sleeves 
 was becoming. Dr. Harrison might easily see that his pa 
 tient was not only different from most of the neighbour 
 hood, but also from most people that he had seen anywhere ; 
 and that peculiar reposeful look was strongly indicative of 
 power. 
 
 "Good morning!" said the doctor. "Do you expect 
 me to behave well this morning ?" 
 
 " Why no -" said Mr. Linden. " My experience hitherto 
 has not led me to expect anything of the sort." 
 
 The doctor stood before the fire, looking down at him, 
 smiling almost, yet with a keen eye, as at a man whose 
 measure he hr,d not yet succeeded in taking. 
 
 " What dii you come down here for, without my leave ? 
 And how do you do?" For you see, I mean to behave 
 well." 
 
 "I cair.e down because I wanted to be at home," said 
 Mr. Linden. "And I did not ask leave, because I meant 
 to come whether or no. You see what a respect I have for 
 your orders." 
 
 "Yes," said the doctor, "that is a very ancient sort of 
 respect. How do you do, Linden ?" 
 
 "I suppose, well, as to feeling, I should not care to go 
 through the Olympic games, even in imagination ; and the 
 various sensations in my left arm make me occasionally wish 
 they were in my right." 
 
 The doctor proceeded to an examination of the arm. It 
 was found not to be taking the road to healing so readily 
 as had been hoped. 
 
 "I am afraid it may be a somewhat tedious affair," said 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 241 
 
 Dr. Harrison, as he renewed the bandages in the way they 
 ought to be. "I wish I had hold of that fellow 1 This 
 may take a little time to come to a harmonious disposition, 
 Linden, and give you a little annoyance. And at the same 
 time, it s what you deserve !" said he, retaking his disen 
 gaged manner as he finished what he had to do. "I almost 
 wish I could threaten you with a fever, or something 
 serious; but I see you are as sound as that axletree our 
 friend spoke of the other day. There il is ! You have 
 learned to do evil with impunity. For I confess this has 
 nothing to do with the exercise of your lawless disposition 
 yesterday. Why didn t you let me bring you, if you wanted 
 to come ? That old fellow can t have anything drawn by 
 horses, that goes easier than a harrow !" 
 
 "Let you bring me!" said Mr. Linden. "Would you 
 have done it against your own orders ?" 
 
 "Under your authority! which is equal to anything, you 
 know." 
 
 "Well," said Mr. Linden, "will you take a seat under 
 my authority, and then take the benefit of my fire ? What 
 is going on in the outer world ?" 
 
 "I haven t any idea!" said the doctor. " Pattaquasset 
 seems to me to be, socially, at one extreme pole of the 
 axletree before-mentioned, and while I am here I feel no 
 revolution of the great mass heaving beyond. It takes 
 away one s breath, does Pattaquasset." 
 
 "You are making it akin to the music of the spheres, " 
 said Mr. Linden. 
 
 "Is that what you find in Pattaquasset?" said the doctor. 
 "Your ears must be pleasantly constituted or more agree 
 ably saluted than those of other mortals. The only music 
 I know of here is Miss Derrick s voice. Does she feed 
 upon roses, like the Persian bulbul?" 
 
 "I should suppose not unless roses impart their colour 
 in that way," said Mr. Linden, softly turning the folded 
 paper from side to side. 
 
 "This is a nice place," said the doctor surveying the 
 room "and you look very comfortable. I should like to 
 take your invitation and sit down but I mustn t. Won t 
 you try and put a good opinion of me into the head of Mrs 
 Derrick?" 
 
248 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "What an extraordinary request!" said Mr. Linden, 
 laughing a little. "Pray what am I to understand by it? 
 And why mustn t you sit down ? here is something to re 
 joice your heart with a few of the aforesaid upheavings of 
 Society;" and he handed the doctor an unopened foreign 
 newspaper. 
 
 "Absolutely irresistible !" said the doctor, and he broke 
 the cover, took a chair and sat down before the fire ; where 
 for awhile to all appearance he also made himself comfort 
 able ; and certainly turned and returned and ran over the 
 paper in an artistic manner. 
 
 "After all," said he, "it s a bore! this alternation of 
 knocking each other down which the nations of the earth 
 practise, and the societies, and the men ! It s a pugil 
 istic world we live in, Linden. It s a bore to keep up with 
 them, for one must know who s atop both in Europe 
 and in PattaquasSet where you are just now the king of 
 men s mouths And all the while it don t a pin signify, 
 except to the one who is atop; I beg your pardon !" 
 
 "How long must I, being atop, lie here? All this 
 week ?" 
 
 "What will you do if I say more than that?" 
 
 "Why I ll listen respectfully. Do you know I like to 
 see you sitting there? Here is another paper for you." 
 
 The doctor looked at him with an odd, frankly inquisitive 
 smile ; but he only took the paper to play with it. 
 
 "I wonder if I may ask a roundabout favour from 
 you ?" 
 
 "You may ask anything " said Mr. Linden. "I 
 would rather have it in a straight- forward form." 
 
 "Can t," said the doctor, "because it is crooked. I sup 
 pose at this hour every lady in Pattaquasset expects that 
 her friends will not call her away from her affairs ; and I 
 stupidly forgot to deliver my message when I had a mo 
 ment s chance this morning. Now as it is possible you may 
 see this if she cannot be called the silver-footed Thetis, 
 she is certainly the silver-tongued you would know how 
 to address her?" 
 
 "Thetis! probably, when I see her." 
 
 "I may presume you will know her when you see her, 
 and that brings me to my point. I have got some good 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 249 
 
 microscopic preparations which I am to have the pleasure 
 of exhibiting to-night to some friends of my sister. Now 
 it would greatly add to her pleasure and mine, if this mor 
 tal Polyhymnia will consent to be of the number and this 
 is what I was going to ask you, if you please, to communi 
 cate to her or to her mother, in whose good graces, as I told 
 you," said the doctor with a funny smile, " I don t think I 
 have the honour to stand high. Sophy would have written 
 this morning, but I gave her no chance. I will call for 
 Miss Derrick this evening if she will allow me." 
 
 Mr. Linden took out his pencil and made a note of the 
 facts. 
 
 "First," he said, I am to communicate, then you are to 
 call, after that to exhibit. Do you call that crooked ? why 
 it s as straight as the road from here to your house." 
 
 Dr. Harrison looked and for a minute did not anything 
 else. 
 
 "For your arm, Linden," he said then getting up from 
 his chair, and a smile of doubtful comicality moving his lip 
 a little " we shall know better about it in two or three 
 weeks ; but certainly I think you must be content to stay 
 at home for double those that s undoubted." 
 
 Mr. Linden gave the doctor a quick glance, but the 
 omile which followed was undoubted in another way. 
 
 "When two opposing forces meet at right angles, doc 
 tor," he said, "you know what happens to the object. 
 Not contented inertia." 
 
 " Contented ! no, very likely, not when it is this object. 
 But you will find a third force will establish the inertia." 
 
 "What is your third force?" 
 
 "The necessity of the case," said the doctor seriously. 
 
 But to that Mr. Linden made no reply. The conversa 
 tion had been kept up not only against weakness but 
 against pain, and he lay very still and colourless for a long 
 time after the doctor closed the door. 
 
 Meanwhile Faith, busy at her brown moreen, made her 
 mother s job of mending seem like embroidery ; but by de 
 grees Mrs. Derrick s face became thoughtful, and she said, 
 rather emphatically, 
 
 "Child, have you been up to see Mr. Linden to-day?" 
 
 Faith s hammer dropped, and her hands too. 
 
250 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "No, mother," she said, looking at her. 
 
 "Why child!" Mrs. Derrick began, then <she stopped 
 and began again. "I guess he d rather see you than 
 that box, child, if the doctor hasn t talked him to 
 death." 
 
 "Mother, do you think he would like to have me come 
 up and see him ?" 
 
 "Like it ?" said Mrs. Derrick, her mind almost refusing 
 to consider such an absurd question. "I m sure he likes 
 to see you when he s well, Faith. Didn t he like it last 
 night?" 
 
 Faith looked a little bit grave, then she hastily pushed 
 her brown moreen and box into a somewhat more orderly 
 state of disorganization, and went up stairs, with a quick 
 light step that was not heard before her tap at Mr. 
 Linden s door. And then receiving permission she went 
 in, a little rosy this time at venturing into the charmed 
 region when its occupant was there; and came with her 
 step a little lighter, a little slower, up to the side of the 
 couch and held out her hand ; saying her soft " How do 
 you do, Mr. Linden?" 
 
 He was lying just as the doctor had left him, with the 
 unopened letters, and the white paper which Faith felt 
 instinctively was her own exercise. But eye and hand 
 were ready for her. 
 
 "Courageous Miss Faith!" he said with a smile. "And 
 so, She s gentle and not fearful ?" 
 
 She smiled, with an eye that took wistful note of him. 
 
 " How do you feel to-day, Mr. Linden ?" 
 
 "Not very well and not worse. Miss Faith, do you 
 know that we have a great deal to do this week ? You 
 may lock up your stocking basket." 
 
 "Please let me do something for you, Mr. Linden?" she 
 said earnestly. 
 
 "That s just what I m talking about. Do you think, 
 Miss Faith, that if you brought that low chair here, and 
 set the door wide open so that you could run out if you 
 got frightened at my grim appearance, you would be mill 
 ing to philosophize a little ?" 
 
 "Not to-day, Mr. Linden," said Faith. "Don t speak 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 251 
 
 BO 1 I haven t any stocking basket in the way. Can t I 
 do something that would do you some good ?" 
 
 "It would do me a great deal of good to get up and set 
 that chair for you, but that is something I must ask you to 
 do for me. I see you want coaxing" he added, looking 
 at her. " Well if you will do half a dozen things for me 
 this morning, you shall have the reward of a letter and two 
 messages." 
 
 Faith looked down doubtful, doubtful, whether to do 
 what would please herself, and him, would be just right to 
 day ; but the pleading of the affirmative side of the ques 
 tion was too strong. She gave up considering the pru 
 dential side of the measure, thinking that perhaps Mr. 
 Linden knew his own feelings best; and once decided, let 
 pleasure have its full flow. With hardly a shade upon the 
 glad readiness of her movements, she placed the chair and 
 brought the book, and sat docile down, though keeping a 
 jealous watch for any sign of pain or weariness that should 
 warn her to stop. And from one thing to another he led 
 her on, talking less than usual, perhaps, himself, but giving 
 her none the less good a lesson. And the signs she sought 
 for could not be found. Weary he was not, mentally, and 
 physical nature knew its place. Last of all, the little exer 
 cise was opened and commented upon and praised and 
 she praised through it, though very delicately. 
 
 "Have I tired you ?" he said, as the town clock struck 
 an hour past the mid-day. 
 
 "Oh no ! And you, Mr. Linden ?" 
 
 In what a different tone the two parts of her speech were 
 spoken. 
 
 "I have not hurt myself," he said smiling. "Perhaps 
 by and by, this afternoon, you will let me see you again. 
 Dr. Harrison threatens to keep me at home for two or 
 three weeks, and I want to make the most of them,, I may 
 not have such a time of leisure again." And then Mr. 
 Linden gave the doctor s message a message, very strictly, 
 and as near as possible in the doctor s own words, receiving 
 as little tinge as it well could from the medium through 
 which it passed. 
 
 "The other message," he said, giving her a letter, "you 
 will find there." 
 
252 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "A message ?" said Faith doubtfully and flushing with 
 pleasure "isn t this one of your sister s letters ?" 
 
 "Yes. Mayn t she send you a message ?" 
 
 A very modest and very happy smile and deepening 
 blush answered that ; and she ran away with a sudden com 
 punctious remembrance of Mr. Linden s dinner. 
 
 After dinner Faith had something to do in the kitchen, 
 and something to do in other parts of the house, and then 
 she would have read the letter before all things else ; but 
 then came in a string of company one after the other, 
 everybody wanting the news and much more than could be 
 given. So it was a succession of flourishing expectations 
 cut down and blasted ; and both Faith and her mother 
 grew tired of the exercise of cutting down and blasting, 
 and Faith remembered with dismay that the afternoon was 
 wearing and Mr. Linden had wished to see her again. She 
 seized her chance and escaped at last, between the adieu of 
 one lady and the accost of another who was even then 
 coming up from the gate, and knocked at Mr. Linden s 
 door again just as Mrs. Derrick was taking her minister s 
 wife into the parlour. Her first move this time on coming 
 in, was to brush up the hearth and put the fire in proper 
 order for burning well ; then she faced round before the 
 couch and stood in a sort of pleasant expectation, as wait 
 ing for orders. 
 
 "You are a bright little visiter!" Mr. Linden said, hold 
 ing out his hand to her. "You float in as softly and alight 
 as gently as one of these crimson leaves through my win 
 dow. Did anybody ever tell you the real reason why 
 women are like angels ?" 
 
 "I didn t know they were," said Faith laughing, 
 aud with something more of approximation to a crimson 
 leaf. 
 
 " They are all ministering spirits ," he said looking at 
 her. "But you must be content with that, Miss Faith, and 
 not make your visits angelic in any other sense. What do 
 you suppose I have been considering this afternoon? 
 while you have been spoiling the last Pattaquasset story 
 by confessing that I am alive ?" 
 
 " Did you hear them coming in?" said Faith. "] didn t 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 253 
 
 know when they were going to let me get away. What 
 have you been considering, Mr. Linden?" 
 
 "The wide-spread presence and work of beauty. You 
 see what a shock you gave my nervous system yesterday. 
 Will you please to sit down, Miss Faith ?" 
 
 Faith sat down, clearly in a puzzle ; from which she ex 
 pected to be somehow fetched out. 
 
 "What do you suppose is beauty s work in the world? 
 I don t mean any particular Beauty." 
 
 Faith looked at the crimson leaves on the floor for the 
 window was open though the fire was burning ; then at the 
 fair sky outside, seen beyond and through some other crim 
 son leaves yet hanging on the large maple there, then 
 coming back to the face before her, she smiled and said, 
 
 "I don t know except to make people happy, Mr. 
 Linden." 
 
 "That is one part of its use, certainly. But take the 
 thousands of wilderness flowers, and the thousands of deep 
 sea shells ; look at the carvings on the scale of a fish, which 
 no human eye can see without a glass, or those other ex 
 quisite patterns traced upon the roots and stems of some 
 of the fossil pines, which were hid in the solid rock before 
 there was a human eye to see. What is their use ?" 
 
 To the wilderness and to the deep sea, Faith s thought 
 and almost her eye went, and she took some time to con 
 sider the subject. 
 
 "I suppose " she said thoughtfully "I don t know, 
 Mr. Linden. 
 
 "Did you ever consider those words which close the 
 account of the Creation God saw everything that he had 
 made, and behold, it was very good ." 
 
 " That is what I was going to say I" she said modestly 
 but with brightening colour, "that perhaps he made all 
 those things, those you spoke of, for himself?" 
 
 "For himself to satisfy the perfectness of his own cha 
 racter. And think how different the divine and the human 
 standards of perfection ! Not the outward fair coloui and 
 proportion merely, not the perfect fitness and adaptation, 
 not the most utilitarian employment of every grain of dust, 
 BO that nothing is lost, not even the grandest scale of 
 working, is enough ; but the dust on the moth s wing must 
 
 VOL. i 22 
 
254 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 be plumage, and the white chalk cliffs must be made of 
 minute shells, each one of which shines like spun silver or 
 is figured like cut glass. Not more steadily do astrono 
 mers discover new worlds, than the microscope reveals 
 some new perfection of detail and finish in our own. 7 
 
 Faith listened, during this speech, like one literally see 
 ing into space, as far as an embodied spirit can, for the 
 first time. Then with a smile, a little sorrowful, she 
 brought up with, 
 
 " I don t know anything of all that, Mr. Linden ! Do 
 you mean that chalk is really made of little shells ?" 
 
 "Yes, really and blue mould is like a miniature forest. 
 You will know about it" he said with a smile. "But do 
 you see how this touches the standard of moral perfection ? 
 how it explains that other word, Be ye also perfect ." 
 
 Faith had not seen before, but she did now; for in her 
 face the answer flashed most eloquently. She was silent. 
 
 " That is the sort of perfection we are promised," Mr. 
 Linden went on presently, "that is the sort of perfection 
 we shall see. Now, both glass and eye are imperfect, 
 specked, and flawed, and short-sighted ; and can but faintly 
 discern the balancings of the clouds, the wondrous works 
 of him that is perfect in knowledge. But then I 
 
 When sin no more obstructs our sight, 
 
 When sorrow pains our hearts no more, 
 How shall we view the Prince of Light, 
 
 And all his works of grace explore ! 
 What heights and depths of love divine 
 Will then through endless ages shine! " 
 
 The words moved her probably, for she sat with her 
 face turned a little away so that its play or its gravity were 
 scarce so well revealed. Not very long however. The 
 silence lasted time enough to let her thoughts come back 
 to the subject never very far from them. 
 "You are tired, Mr. Linden." 
 "By what chain of reasoning, Miss Faith ?" 
 J know by the sound of your voice. And you eat 
 nothing to-day. Do you like cocoa, Mr. Linden ?" she 
 added eagerly. 
 
 He smiled a little and answered yes. 
 "Then I shall bring you somel" 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 255 
 
 Faith stayed for no answer to that remark, but ran off. 
 Half an hour good had passed away, but very few minutes 
 more, when her soft tap was heard at the door again and 
 herself entered, accompanied with the cup of cocoa and a 
 plate of dainty tiny strips of toast. 
 
 "Aunt Dilly left some here," she said as she presented 
 the cup, "and she says it is good; and she shewed me 
 how to make it. Aunt Dilly has lived all her life with a 
 brother who has lived a great part of his life with a French 
 wife so Aunt Dilly has learned some of her ways and 
 this is one of them." 
 
 But Mr. Linden looked as if he thought the way be 
 longed emphatically to somebody else. 
 
 "And so I am under the rule of the blue ribbands still ! 
 he said as he raised himself up to do honour to the cup of 
 cocoa. " Miss Faith, do you know you are subjecting your 
 self to the penalty of extra lessons ?" 
 
 "How, Mr. Linden?" 
 
 "Don t you know that is one of the punishments for bad 
 conduct ? It s a great act of insubordination to bring one 
 cocoa without leave." 
 
 She laughed, and then paid her attentions to the fire 
 again ; after which she stood by the hearth to see the cocoa 
 disposed of, till she came to take the cup. 
 
 "Are you in pain, much, Mr. Linden?" she asked as 
 she did this. 
 
 "Not mental "he said with a smile; "and the physical 
 can be borne Miss Faith, that cocoa was certainly better 
 than I ever had from the hands of anybody s French wife. 
 You must have improved upon the receipt." 
 
 "When Dr. Harrison comes for me this evening, shall 
 he come up and see you again ?" 
 
 "If he wishes there is no need else." 
 
 " How did it happen, Mr. Linden ?" she said with a very 
 serious face. 
 
 "On this wise, Miss Faith. I, walking home at a rather 
 quick pace, was suddenly brought to as the sailors say, 
 by this shot in my arm. But as for the moment it affected 
 the mind more than the body, I turned and gave chase, 
 wishing to "enquire who had thus favoured me, and why 
 But the mind alone can only carry one a certain distance, 
 
256 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 and before I had caught my man I found myself in such 
 danger of fainting that I turned about again, and made the 
 best of my way to the house of Mr. Simlins. The rest 
 you know." 
 
 "What did the man run for?" 
 
 " There is no thread in my nature that just answers that 
 question," said Mr. Linden. "I suppose he ran because 
 he was frightened." 
 
 "But what should have frightened him?" 
 
 "The idea of my displeasure probably," said Mr. Linden 
 smiling. " Have you forgotten my character for cruelty, 
 Miss Faith?" 
 
 "But" said Faith. "Why should he think he had dis 
 pleased you ? He wasn t near you, was he ?" 
 
 "Why I am hot supposed to be one of those amiable 
 people who like to be shot," said Mr. Linden in the same 
 tone. 
 
 " But how near was he, Mr. Linden ?" 
 
 " Within gunshot range, of course the precise distance is 
 not easily measured at such a moment." 
 
 "But if he was not near," said Faith, "how could he 
 think that his shot had touched you ? He couldn t see it 
 and your running wouldn t seem like a man seriously 
 injured ?" 
 
 "He might think I disapproved of discharging a gun at 
 random, in the public road." 
 
 " You don t suppose it could have been done on purpose, 
 Mr. Linden !" she said in a changed awe-stricken tone. 
 
 " I have no right to assume anything of the kind there 
 are all sorts of so-called accidents. But Miss Faith I if 
 you look so frightened I shall begin to think you are an 
 accomplice 1 What do you know about it?" he added 
 smiling. 
 
 "Nothing " she said rather sadly, "except a little look 
 of something, I don t know what, in your face when you 
 said that, Mr. Linden." 
 
 " You must not look grave nor think twice about the 
 matter in any way," he said with a sort of kind gravity 
 that met hers. " Is there light enough for you to read 
 that first chapter of Physical Geography, and talk to me 
 about it? it is your turn to talk now." 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 251 
 
 "Do you mean, aloud? or to myself, Mr. Linden?" she 
 asked a little timidly, 
 
 "I mean, to me." 
 
 Faith did not object, though her colour rose very visibly. 
 She placed herself to catch the fading light, and read on, 
 talking where it was absolutely necessary, but sparing and 
 placing her questions so as to call forth as few words as 
 possible in reply. And becoming engaged in the interest 
 of the matter she almost forgot her timidity ; not quite, 
 for every now and then something made it rise to the sur 
 face. The daylight was fading fast, sunlight had already 
 gone, and the wood fire began to throw its red gleams un 
 checked ; flashing fitfully into the corners of the room and 
 playing hide and seek with the shadows. A little rising 
 of the wind and light flutter of the leaves against the glass, 
 only made the warm room more cheerful. Faith made the 
 fire burn brightly, and finished the chapter by that, with the 
 glow of the flickering flame dancing all over her and her 
 book in the corner where she sat. But pages of pleasure 
 as well as of prettiness, all those pages were. 
 
 "Thank you, Miss Faith," Mr. Linden said as she closed 
 the book. "I only wish I could give you a walk now in 
 this bright evening air; but I must wait for that." 
 
 A little tap at the door came at this point to take its 
 place in the conversation. It was Mrs. Derrick. 
 
 "Child," said the good lady, "here s Dr. Harrison down 
 stairs." And stepping into the room, Mrs. Derrick walked 
 softly up to the couch, and not only made enquiries but felt 
 of Mr. Linden s hand to see if he had any fever. Faith 
 waited, standing a little behind the couch head. 
 
 "I m not quite sure " she said, "your hand s a little 
 warm, sir but then it s apt to be towards night, and 
 maybe mine s a little cool. If you could only go to sleep, 
 it would do you so much good 1" 
 
 And Mr. Linden laughingly promised to try, but would 
 not guarantee the success thereof. 
 
 Faith went down stairs, a little afraid that she had been 
 doing harm instead of good, and at thr same time not see 
 ing very well how she could have helped it. She found 
 Dr. Harrison in the sitting-room, and gave her quiet rea 
 sons for not going out with him. The doctor declared "he 
 22* 
 
258 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 should be in despair but that he had hope !" and having 
 made Faith confess that she would like to see his micro 
 scope, gently suggested the claims of the next two even 
 ings; saying that he must be in Quilipeak for a day or two 
 soon himself, and therefore was not impatient without reason. 
 Faith did not know how to get off, and gave the doctor to 
 understand that she might be disengaged the next night. 
 Having which comfort he went up to see Mr. Linden. 
 Then followed Mr. Linden s tea, with cresses and grapes 
 which Dr. Harrison had brought himself. 
 
 " Mother," said Faith, when the two ladies were seated 
 at their own tea-table, "did Dr. Harrison dress Mr. Lin 
 den s arm again to-night?" 
 
 "Yes child and I guess it was good he did. I think 
 Mr. Linden was almost asleep when I went up." 
 
 "Do you know how to do it, mother? if it was wanted 
 when the doctor is not here ?" 
 
 "I don t know " said Mrs. Derrick thoughtfully, "no, 
 child, I don t know how at least not so I d like to try. 
 Do you, Faith ?" 
 
 "No, mother but could you learn?" 
 
 "Why I suppose I could, child," said her mother, as 
 if she disliked to admit even so much. "But I d about as 
 lieve have my own arm shot off I m so dreadfully afraid 
 of hurting people, Faith and I always was afraid of him. 
 Why can t the doctor do it ? he can come six times a day 
 if he s wanted I guess he don t do much else." 
 
 Faith said no more on the subject, but hurried through 
 her tea and sat down by the lamp in the sitting-room to 
 read her letter. A minute or two she sat thinking, deeply, 
 with her cheek on her hand ; then dismissing everything 
 else she opened the precious paper at last. 
 
 It was another Italy letter, but took her a very different 
 journey from the last. A little graver perhaps than that, 
 a little more longing in the wish to use eyesight instead of 
 pen and ink ; and as if absence was telling more and more 
 upon the writer. Yet all this was rather in the tone than 
 the wording that was kept in hand. But it was midway 
 in some bright description, that the message to Faith broke 
 forth. 
 
 "Tell Miss Faith," she said, "that I would rather have 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 259 
 
 *een her roasting clams down at the shore, than anything 
 I have seen since I heard of it, which is none the less 
 true, that I should have wanted to stand both sides of the 
 window at once. And tell her if you can (though I don t 
 believe even you can, John Endy) how much I love her for 
 taking such care of one of my precious things. I feel as 
 if all my love was very powerless just now I However 
 you remember that comforting old ballad 
 
 Where there is no space 
 
 For the glow-worm to lye ; 
 Where there is no space 
 
 For receipt of a fly ; 
 Where the midge dares not venture, 
 
 Lest herself fast she lay ; 
 If love come he will enter, 
 
 And soon find out his way ! 
 
 " So, Miss Faith, you may expect to see me appear some 
 time in the shape of a midge ! Endecott will tell you I am 
 not much better than that now." 
 
 So far Faith got in reading the letter, and it was a long 
 while before she got any further; that message to herself 
 she went over again and again. It was incomprehensible, it 
 was like one of Mr. Linden s own puzzles for that. It was 
 so strange, and at the same time it was such a beautiful 
 thing, that Mr. Linden s sister should have heard of her 
 and in such fashion as to make her wish to send a message ! 
 Faith s head stooped lower and lower over the paper, from 
 her mother and the lamp. It was such a beautiful message 
 too the gracious and graceful wording of it Faith felt in 
 every syllable ; and the lines of the old ballad were some of 
 the prettiest she had ever seen. But that Faith should 
 have love sent her from Italy and from that person in 
 Italy of all others! that Mr. Linden s sister should wish 
 to see her and threaten to do it in the shape of a midge I 
 and what ever could Mr. Linden have told her to excite 
 the wish ? And what of this lady s precious things had 
 Faith taken care of? such care of! Mother !" Faith 
 began once by, way of taking counsel, but thought better 
 of it, and went on pondering by herself. One thing was 
 undoubted this message in this letter was a matter of 
 
260 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 great pleasure and honour ! as Faith felt it in the bottom 
 of her heart; but in the midst of it all, she hardly knew 
 whence, came a little, little twinge of something like pain. 
 She felt it yes, she felt it, even in the midst of the mes 
 sage ; but if Faith herself could not trace it out, of course 
 it can be expected of nobody else. 
 
CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 PHIL DAVIDS, taking his morning walk through the 
 pleasant roads of Pattaquasset, engaged in his out- 
 of-school amusements of hunting cats and frightening chil 
 dren, was suddenly arrested in the midst of an alarming 
 face ( got up for the benefit of Robbie Waters) by the ap 
 proach of Sam Stoutenburgh. In general this young gen 
 tleman let Phil alone, severely, but on the present occa 
 sion he stopped and laid hold of his shoulder. 
 
 " Phil Davids ! I ve a warrant against you." 
 
 "Hands off, Sam! and let a man alone, will you! What 
 do you mean by that?" said Phil gruffly. 
 
 "Yes I ll let him alone when I find him, if he s like 
 you," said Sam with great coolness and some little con 
 tempt. "But if you re tired of your own face, Phil, why 
 don t you make up a handsome one, while you re about it? 
 Keep out of his way, Robbie! can t you?" 
 
 " Guess you don t know what folks says o yourn ! Do 
 you ?" said Phil, wriggling his shoulder from under Sam s 
 hand, "/do!" 
 
 "I guess I know as much as is good for me, "replied the 
 undaunted Sam. "But that s none of your business just 
 now. Mr. Linden wants to see you, Phil and it aint often 
 anybody does that, so you d better make the most of the 
 chance." With which pleasing sentiment, Sam released 
 Phil, and taking a sharp run after Robbie Waters enticed 
 him into a long confidential conversation about his new 
 Sunday school teacher. In the midst of which Phil s voice 
 came again. 
 
 " Twon t hurt you Sam jest listen once. They say, 
 Sam Stoutenburgh would have been a Lady apple, if he 
 hadn t grown to be such a Swar, and all the while he thinks 
 he s a Seek-no-further. That s what folks says. How d ye 
 like it?" 
 
 "Firstrate I" said Sam "glad I missed the Lady apples, 
 
 (261) 
 
262 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 anyhow, and as for tother, never thought myself one yet 
 don t like em well enough. When you get through pay 
 ing me compliments, Phil Davids, you d better go and see 
 Mr. Linden." 
 
 " Guess I will 1" said Phil swaggering off, "when I want 
 to see him; and that aint to-day, by a long jump." 
 
 "He said you were to come "Sam called after him. 
 "If I wasn t a Stoutenburgh sweeting, Phil Davids, I d 
 teach you to talk of him so ! If I only was ! " Sam added 
 sotto voce, "wouldn t I pack myself up in a basket! Rob 
 bie, what sort of flowers did Miss Faith have in her bonnet ?" 
 At which interesting point the two turned a corner out of 
 Phil s sight. 
 
 But Phil pursued his way ; decently regardless of threats 
 or invitations, and having a wholesome opinion of his own 
 that in holiday time Mr. Linden had nothing to say to him. 
 In no possible time had he anything to say to Mr. Linden 
 that he could help. So it happened, that coming in soon 
 after Mr. Linden had dismissed his breakfast, Faith found 
 Mr. Linden alone. She brought to his side a basket of very 
 fine-looking pears. 
 
 " Mr. Davids has sent you these, Mr. Linden." 
 
 "-He is very kind," said Mr. Linden. "That is more 
 than I asked for. He hasn t sent Phil in the basket too, 
 has he? as the easiest way of getting him here." 
 
 Faith rather startled, and passing over that asked Mr. 
 Linden how he did. Which point, having learned all he 
 wanted upon the other, Mr. Linden was also ready for. 
 Faith then leaving the basket by the couch side, went 
 to the fire and hearth, and put them more thoroughly 
 to rights than Cindy s delicacy of touch, or of eye, had 
 enabled her to do; and going on round the room, care 
 fully performed the same service for everything in it gener 
 ally. This work however was suddenly stopped in the 
 midst, and coming to the head of the couch, rather behind 
 Mr. Linden, Faith spoke in a low and ill-assured tone. 
 
 "Mr. Linden will you let me be by this morning when 
 Dr. Harrison dresses your arm ?" 
 
 There was a moment s silence, and then raising himself 
 up and turning a little so as to see her, Mr. Linden an 
 swered, gravely though smiling, 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 263 
 
 "No, Miss Faitl I" 
 
 She coloured very much and drew back. 
 
 "I asked " she said presently, speaking with a good 
 deal of difficulty, "because he spoke of being away and 
 then there would be no one to do it and mother is 
 afraid" 
 
 And there Faith stopped, more abashed than anybody 
 had ever seen her in her life before. He held out his hand, 
 and took hers, and held it fast. 
 
 "I know " he said, "you need not tell me. When is 
 the doctor going away ?" 
 
 "I don t know," she said almost under breath "he said 
 perhaps or I thought I understood him to mean in a few- 
 days." 
 
 " Miss Faith 1" and the tone was half expostulating, 
 half scolding, half caressing. " Come here and sit down by 
 me," he said, gently drawing her round to the low chair at 
 his side, "I want to talk to you. Do you need to be told 
 why I said no ?" 
 
 She sat down, but sunk her head a little and put up her 
 other hand to shield the side of her face which was next 
 him. The answer did not come at once when it did, it 
 was a low spoken "no." Her hand was held closer, but 
 except that and the moved change of his voice, Mr. Lin 
 den took no notice of her fear. 
 
 " I would not let Pet do it " he said gently, " if I could 
 help it. My child, do you know what a disagreeable busi 
 ness it is? I could trust you for not fainting at the time, 
 but I should ill like to hear of your fainting afterwards. 
 And then if you chanced to hurt me which the doctor 
 often does you would be unhappy for the rest of the day, 
 which the doctor by no means is. That is all, I would 
 a great deal rather have your hands about me than his, but 
 a thing that would give you pain would give me very 
 doubtful relief. I had rather go with niy arm undressed." 
 
 He had gone on talking partly to give her time to re 
 cover ; but the silent look that was bent upon that shielded 
 face was a little anxious. 
 
 She dropped the hand that shielded it presently, and 
 shewed it flushed and wistful, yet with a tiny bit of smile 
 beginning to work at the corners of the mouth. 
 
264 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "Then Mr. Linden," she said almost in the same tone 
 and without turning her face, "if you have no other ob 
 jection please let me come !" 
 
 "But that one is strong enough. You may send Cin 
 derella up to take a lesson." 
 
 " You said that was all ?" she repeated. 
 
 " That is the only real objection I would not raise even 
 that in a case of greater need. But I suppose unskilful 
 hands could hardly do me much mischief now. So if you 
 will send Cinderella," he added with a smile, " she may en 
 large her world of ideas a little." 
 
 "Mr. Linden," said Faith looking at him now fear 
 lessly "I am going to come myself." 
 
 "You are !" he said, looking at her and then his eyes 
 went from her to the fire, and back again to her face. 
 " Then if you faint away, Miss Faith, and I jump up to 
 take care of you (which I shall certainly do) 1 may faint 
 myself at which stage of the proceedings Dr. Harrison 
 will have his hands full." 
 
 "I shall not faint before nor after," she said, shaking 
 her head. 
 
 " I should not like to count too much upon your unfeel 
 ing disposition," said Mr. Linden, in whose face different 
 currents of thought seemed to meet and mingle. "And 
 then you see, my senses may be guilty of as great a breach 
 of politeness as the warder in a German story I was read 
 ing yesterday." 
 
 " What was that ?" 
 
 "It fell out," said Mr. Linden, " that a lady of surpassing 
 beauty arrived at a certain castle ; and next day, the lord 
 of the castle brought before her his warder, bound in chains 
 for a great breach of politeness ; he having failed to give 
 his lord notice of the lady s approach ! The warder thus 
 defended himself: he had indeed seen the lady, but his 
 dazzled eyes mistook her for another sun ! So," added Mr. 
 Linden smiling, "if my eyes should mistake you for a sun 
 beam or a maple leaf, I might forget myself, and not keep 
 my patience so perfectly as I ought under the hands of such 
 a chirurgeon." 
 
 "What is going to try your patience, Mr. Linden ? I ?" 
 said Faith, now indubitably in a puzzle. 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 265 
 
 "Do you really want to do this for me ?" he said in a 
 different tone, looking at her with that same grave, kind 
 look which she had seen before. 
 
 "I think I can and I should like to do it, Mr. Linden, 
 if you are perfectly willing," Faith answered. 
 
 "I am willing, since you wish it, and now you must get 
 the doctor s leave or rather I must get it for you ; but in 
 the mean time, Miss Faith, we may go on with some of our 
 studies, if you are at leisure." 
 
 Faith went to get the books, but returned without them 
 and with a disturbed face. 
 
 "Mr. Linden, one of the boys wishes to see you." 
 
 "I suppose it never was heard that a boy came at the 
 right time," said Mr. Linden. "Well Miss Faith I believe 
 I must see him will you write another exercise for me ? 
 Here is your pen and paper I will try not to be hindered 
 long." 
 
 Faith mutely took the pen and paper, and went out with 
 a divided mind, for the boy whom she let in, Cindy being 
 nowhere visible, was Phil Davids. Phil had thought better 
 of his determination, and wisely judging that if Mr. Liu- 
 den wanted to see him he probably would accomplish the 
 measure some time, concluded the shortest way was to see 
 him as smoothly as possible. So in he walked and made 
 his bow, grumly civil, but civil. 
 
 Mr. Linden s opening remark, after he had given the 
 boy his hand (which even he liked to touch) was at least 
 peculiar. 
 
 "Phil do you know what a smart boy you are ?" 
 
 And the answer was a strictly true, though blundering, 
 "No, sir." 
 
 "I don t know how smart you could be, myself," said Mr. 
 Linden, "but I know you are very smart now. You always 
 make me think of the man who found a bag of jewels lying 
 in the road and didn t know what they were." 
 
 It occurred to Phil s mind that not to know jewels when 
 they were seen was a doubtful proof of smartness; so he 
 answered with a somewhat surly, " How, sir?" 
 
 "This man," Mr. Linden went on, "instead of having his 
 jewels set in gold, to wear or to sell, went round the town 
 
 VOL. i. 23 
 
266 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 flinging them at his neighbour s windows or his leigh- 
 bour s cats, as you do, Phil, with your very bright powers 
 of head and tongue. Why don t you make a man of your 
 self and use those powers for something worth while ?" 
 
 "You never see me doin it, sirl" said Phil, answering 
 the most interesting part of Mr. Linden s address. 
 
 "Don t I ?" said Mr. Linden, "I see and hear a good 
 many things. But nobody can get on in the world after 
 such a prickly fashion, why even a porcupine smooths 
 himself down before he tries to go ahead. If you were to 
 be a lawyer Phil, you d fight your clients instead of helping 
 them fight, and if you were a farmer, you d be like the 
 man who burnt up three stacks of his hay because the fourth 
 got wet." 
 
 Phil reddened, though he couldn t help smiling, and was 
 evidently getting angry. 
 
 "That ere farmer was a big fool!" he said. 
 
 "Yes, we are agreed upon that point," said Mr. Linden, 
 "I daresay he would have said so himself next day. 
 Well Phil this was not what I wanted to talk to you 
 about to-day much as I like to see smart boys make the 
 most of themselves. I- want to know exactly what it was 
 that you heard Ileuben Taylor say about Miss Derrick" 
 
 Phil s eyes opened unmistakeably. 
 
 "I never heerd him say nothing about her!" he said 
 boldly. 
 
 " Then why did you say you did ?" said Mr. Linden, 
 with the cool face of one who knows his ground. 
 
 " I didn t!" said Phil. "I m blessed if I did." 
 
 "No you are not "said Mr. Linden gravely, "people 
 are never blessed who do not speak truth. Arid you have 
 shut both doors by which such a blessing might have come 
 in this case, Phil." 
 
 "Who said I ever said so, sir?" Phil asked confidently. 
 
 "You told Dr. Harrison, for one," said Mr. Linden. 
 
 " I never spoke a word to Dr. Harrison " Phil began 
 and checked himself. " I never said anything but the 
 truth, sir!" 
 
 "What truth did you say to him?" said Mr. Linden. 
 "I wish you would do the same for me. The roughest 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 267 
 
 truth, Phil, is pleasanter to ray ears than the smoothesi 
 falsehood." 
 
 "I said nothin but what was truth, sir," said Phil, per 
 plexedly, as if he felt caught in a snare. " I didn t think 
 you meant thai." 
 
 " That is precisely what I meant." 
 
 " Twarn t nothing but the truth, sir." 
 
 "Well " said Mr. Linden," I never was afraid of the 
 truth yet, and I don t mean to begin now. You didn t say 
 I had cut your ears off, did you Phil ?" 
 
 "I didn t say nothiu about you, sir, good or indifferent." 
 
 "That s something," said Mr. Linden with unmoved 
 gravity. " What else did you say ?" 
 
 " It was down to Neanticut, sir," said Phil "I told Reu 
 ben Taylor as how he d druv her down, Joe Deacon said 
 he had ; and Reuben said Joe had made a mistake. That s 
 the hull of it, sir." 
 
 "Who is her?" said Mr. Linden. 
 
 "She Miss Faith Derrick, sir." 
 
 Phil was getting very uncomfortably red in the face. 
 
 " Well why did you tell Miss Derrick that Reuben didn t 
 drive her down ? would not bhe have been likely to know." 
 
 " I didn t, sir." 
 
 " I thought not. What did you tell her ?" 
 
 " She knows what I told her !" said Phil, looking ab 
 stractedly at the corner of the couch on which Mr. Linden 
 lay. "I don t know as I can recollect. But that s what 
 Reuben said, sir. " 
 
 "Well tell me as near as you can recollect " said Mr. 
 Linden. "And also just the words you used to Reuben." 
 
 Phil took time to reflect. 
 
 " I don t want ter," he said. 
 
 " No, I see you don t but I want to hear them," said 
 Mr. Linden very quietly. "But tell me the truth this 
 time, Phil." 
 
 " Folks has a right to speak," said Phil, stating a broad 
 proposition, " but they hain t a right to tell all they say !" 
 
 "Well ?" said Mr. Linden, waiving that. 
 
 " Twarn t nothiu !" said Phil "and it ll Just make 
 folks mad and I durstn t " 
 
 " Dare not repeat what you have dared to say f how is 
 
268 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 that, Phil? But ray forgiveness always meets confession 
 half way, as you know," said Mr. Linden. 
 
 "Well," said Phil, "I jest told Reuben he d druv her 
 down, and Reuben said Joe was mistaken. It was Joe 
 said it first," 
 
 "And what did you say before Dr. Harrison ?" 
 
 " I said what Reuben said," said Phil feeling poorly. 
 
 "And what was that ?" Mr. Linden was as untireable 
 as a minority juror. 
 
 " I said Reuben said she warn t what Joe said," Phil 
 got out at last in a lowered tone. 
 
 "And what was that?" 
 
 "Well " said Phil desperately "Joe said she was " 
 
 Mr. Linden waited. So did Phil. 
 
 " This is the house that Jack built," Mr. Linden re 
 marked. " What did Joe say she was ?" 
 
 The answer came in articulation pretty well smoth-ered up. 
 
 "Joe said she was Mr. Linden s sweetheart." 
 
 "0!" said Mr. Linden, with a tone Phil felt to the 
 tips of his ears, "that was it! I really did not know, 
 Phil, that you and Joe took an interest in such matters. 
 Have you had much experience ?" 
 
 Phil shuffled and looked exceedingly embarrassed, but 
 words found none. He had exhausted his stock, of more 
 than words. 
 
 "Well!" said Mr. Linden, "you will find, Phil, that it 
 is generally safe to study arithmetic before you begin alge 
 bra. "There s a little mistake here. Reuben did not 
 drive anybody down to Neautieut Mrs. Derrick drove the 
 whole way. That explains his words. As for yours, 
 
 Phil 1 wish," said Mr. Linden, looking at him gravely, 
 
 but gently too, "I wish I knew something you would like 
 very much to have. Can you tell me ?" 
 
 If ever in his life Phil Davids mentally stared, (physi 
 cally, too) he did it now. Something he would like very 
 much to have ? What could Mr. Linden want to know 
 that for ? In his confusion Phil didn t know himself. To 
 take in Mr. Linden, all over, was all he was competent to. 
 
 "Well?" said his teacher with a smile it was rather a 
 faint one, for he was tired, but very pleasant still. " What 
 is there, Phil? I am in earnest." 
 
SAY /ND SEAL. 269 
 
 "I m sorry I said it, anyhow!" burst at last from the 
 boy s reluctant lips. That seer ed to be his ultimatum. 
 He could see that his words gave pleasure, though they 
 were not directly answered. 
 
 "I must send you away now," Mr. Linden said, taking 
 his hand again. "I am not strong enough to talk any 
 more. But Phil if you will learn to speak the truth so 
 that at the end of six months you can truly say, I hate 
 every false way I will give you then what you like, you 
 shall choose yo .ir own reward. I would give anything I 
 have in the worm if I could make you fear to displease 
 God by telling a falsehood, as much as you fear to displease 
 me by owning it !" 
 
 It was as much as Phil could do, to take his teacher s 
 hand, and that was done more humbly than certainly any 
 previous action of his life. Speak he could not; but so 
 far as Mr. Linden s influence and authority were concerned 
 that boy was conquered. Whatever he became in after 
 times, and whatever his mates found him still, and they 
 were not open-mouthed in praise, for his teacher that boy 
 was a different boy. 
 
 On his way out of the house he chanced to pass Faith, 
 and did so without a sign of recognition, giving her about 
 as wide a berth as if she had been a ghost. At the door 
 he met Dr. Harrison coming in; but the doctor perhaps 
 did not recognise him. Once clear, Phil ran for it. And 
 at the stair-foot the doctor found Faith. 
 
 "Dr. Harrison," she said with grave simpleness, "if you 
 will allow me, I should like to see you dress Mr. Linden s 
 arm. If you go to Quilipeak there will be nobody to do 
 it, and I think I can learn. Mother is afraid, and it 
 would be very disagreeable to her." 
 
 "And not to you ?" said the doctor. 
 
 " Not so disagreeable. I think I can do it," she answered, 
 meeting his look steadily. 
 
 "You must not!" said he. "You were not made for 
 such things. Could do it! I don t doubt you could do 
 anything. But if I go, I will send Dr. Limbre in my place. 
 There is no need for you to do disagreeable work. Now 
 it s pleasant to me !" 
 
 "Dr. Limbre I shouldn t like to have come into the 
 
2fO SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 bouse," said Faith. "And you know he can t leave his 
 own house now he is sick. I will go up with you, if you 
 please." 
 
 Dr. Harrison could but follow her, as she tripped up the 
 stairs before him; but there is no reasonable doubt he 
 would have sent her on some other errand if he could. 
 Faith tapped at the door, and they entered the room 
 together. 
 
 "How do you do?" said Dr. Harrison rather gravely, 
 approaching the couch. 
 
 Now the fact was, that those two previous interviews 
 had been both long and exciting; and the consequent pros 
 tration was greater than usual ; so though Mr. Linden did 
 take down the hand which covered his eyes, and did meet 
 the doctor s look with his accustomed pleasantness, his 
 words were few. Indeed he had rather the air of one 
 whose mind has chosen a good opportunity to ride ram 
 pant over the prostrate flesh and blood, and who has about 
 given up all attempts to hold the bridle. Whether Dr. 
 Harrison perceived as much, or whether there might be 
 some other reason, his words were also few. He addressed 
 himself seriously to work. 
 
 "Will you permit me to introduce an apprentice?" he 
 said, in a more commonplace way than was usual for him, 
 as he was removing Mr. Linden s wrapper from the arm. 
 Faith had come quietly up to the head of the couch and 
 was standing there. 
 
 "Is not that the doctor s prerogative?" 
 
 "Hum "said the doctor doubtfully; but he did not 
 explain himself further. 
 
 Faith had come close to the head of the couch, but stood 
 a little back, so that Mr. Linden could not see whether she 
 looked like fainting or not. There were no signs of that, 
 for the lessening of colour in her cheeks, which was de 
 cided, kept company with a very clear and intent eye. 
 One little caught breath he might hear, when the wounded 
 arm was first laid bare; but not another. The doctor 
 heard it too, for he looked up, but Faith was gravely and 
 quietly busy with what she had come there to see; giving 
 it precisely the same simplicity of attention that she brought 
 to her physical geography or her French exercise; and 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 2Y1 
 
 that was entire. She did not shrink ; she rather pressed 
 forward and bent near, to acquaint herself perfectly with 
 what was done; and once or twice asked a question as to the 
 reason or the use of something. Dr. Harrison glanced up 
 at her the first time it might have been with incipient im 
 patience or irony, but if either, it disappeared. He 
 answered her questions straightforward and sensibly, giving 
 her, and with admirable precision, exactly the information 
 she desired, and even more than absolutely that. For 
 everything else, the work went on in silence. When the 
 doctor however was standing at the table a moment, pre 
 paring his lint or something else, and Faith had followed 
 him there and stood watching; he said to her over the 
 table in a sotto voc-e aside but with a sharp glance 
 
 "Was the information true, that" we received the other 
 night ? under the lanterns ?" 
 
 "What a singular question!" said Mr. Linden from his 
 couch. 
 
 "Ponrquoi?" said the doctor as simply as if the original 
 words had been addressed to Mr. Linden himself. "Well, 
 it may be a singular question, for it was singular informa 
 tion. Was it well-founded, Miss Derrick ?" 
 
 "No at a venture," said Mr. Linden, with just the sort 
 of air with which a sick person puts in his word and as 
 sumes superior knowledge. 
 
 The doctor looked at one and at the other; Mr. Linden s 
 face told him nothing, any more than his words ; Faith, by 
 this time, was covered with confusion. That at least it 
 might be visible to only one person, she moved back to her 
 former place. 
 
 "Were you behind us?" said the doctor; "or were you 
 French enough to come by invisibly ?" 
 
 "Is that the last new method ?" said Mr. Linden. "You 
 have been in Paris since I was." 
 
 Never got so far as that though, I am sorry to say," 
 said the doctor coming back to the couch. " But after all, 
 that was very vague information it didn t tell one much 
 only I have a personal interest in the subject. But I am 
 glad you spoke the man that can tell the dream should be 
 able to give the interpretation. What did it mean, Lin 
 den ?" 
 
272 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "Behold a man of an enquiring turn of mind !" said Mr. 
 Linden with the same half listless half amused air. " He 
 asks for truth, and when that tarries demands interpreta 
 tion. " 
 
 "I don t know what sort of a man I behold !" said the 
 doctor, moving his eyes with a double expression for an 
 instant from Mr. Linden s arm to his face. 
 
 "I should think you were a German student in pursuit of 
 the Idea !" said Mr. Linden taking a quiet survey of the 
 doctor s face. " Have you completed the circle, or is there 
 still hope the Idea may seize you ?" 
 
 "The idea seized me a good while ago," said the doctor, 
 with a most comical mock confessional look. 
 
 "Well then," said Mr. Linden in a sort of confidential 
 tone, "what is your opinion upon the great German ques 
 tion whether it is better to be One and Somewhat, or to 
 be Nought and All ? 
 
 "You see," said the doctor, standing back and suspend 
 ing operations, "everybody can t be One and Some 
 what !" 
 
 "Then you choose the comprehensive side " said Mr. 
 Linden. " That is without doubt the most difficult, the 
 One and Somewhat is called egotistical, but to be Nought 
 and All ! one must be what do you suppose ?" 
 
 "A philanthropist, I should suppose !" the doctor an 
 swered, with a change of expression not agreeable. And 
 returning to his work, for awhile he behaved unusually like 
 other people ; not hurrying his work, but doing it with a 
 grave steady attention to that and nothing else answering 
 Faith, and saying no more. Perhaps however he thought 
 silence might be carried too far ; or else had an unsatisfied 
 mood upon him ; for as he was finishing what he had to do, 
 he looked up again to Faith and remarked, 
 
 "What do you think of this for our quiet town, Miss 
 Derrick ? Has Mr. Linden any enemies in Pattaquasset 
 that you know ?" 
 
 It was merciless in the doctor ; for through all this time 
 she had been in a state of confusion as he knew that 
 made speech undesirable, though she had spoken. And she 
 didn t answer him now, except by a quickly withdrawn 
 glance. 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 27-3 
 
 "Who do you suppose loves him well enough," pursued 
 the doctor, "to send a charge of duck shot into him like 
 that?" 
 
 A sudden little cry of pain, driven back before it was 
 well begun, was heard and but just heard, from Faith. The 
 doctor looked up. 
 
 "I was afraid this Are you faint?" he said gently. 
 
 "No sir, " she answered; and she stood still as before, 
 though the overspread colour which had held its ground for 
 a good while past, had given way now arid fluttered pain 
 fully. Bat the doctor s words brought Mr. Linden, for the 
 first time since his accident to a perfectly erect position 
 on the couch with a total disregard of where his arm 
 went, or what became of its bandages. 
 
 "What are you about!" 
 
 "I declare, I don t know !" said Dr. Harrison, standing 
 back. " I thought I was just disposing of you comfortably 
 for the day but I am open to conviction I" 
 
 The left hand let go its grasp of the couch taken so 
 suddenly, and for which the wounded arm took swift ven 
 geance; and Mr. Linden laid himself down on the cushions 
 again, the colour leaving his cheeks as fast as it had come. 
 
 "What s the matter, Linden?" said the doctor with 
 rather a kind look of concern. "You have hurt yourself." 
 
 Faith left the room. 
 
 "I fear I have disarranged some of your work." 
 
 The doctor examined and set to rights. 
 
 "I ll see how you do this evening. What ailed you to 
 pitch into me like that, Linden ?" 
 
 "I think the pitching in came upon me," he answered 
 pleasantly. 
 
 " It seems so, indeed. I hope you won t try this kind of 
 thing again. I am sure you won t to-day." 
 
 And so the doctor went. A quarter of an hour or a 
 little more had gone by, when the light knock came at Mr. 
 Linden s door that he had certainly learned to know by 
 this time ; and Faith came in, bearing a cup of cocoa. 
 The troubled look had not entirely left her face, nor the 
 changeful colour ; but she was not thinking of herself. 
 
 "I knew you were tired, Mr. Linden Would you like 
 this or some grapes or wine better?" 
 
274 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 The most prominent idea in Mr. Linden s mind just then, 
 was that he had already had what he did not like ; but thai 
 had no place in the look which answered her, as he raised 
 himself a little (and but a little) to take the cup from her 
 hand. 
 
 "Pet would thank you better than I can now, Miss 
 Faith." 
 
 She stood looking down at him, with a little sorrowing 
 touch about the lines of her mouth. 
 
 "Do you know how much better two cups of cocoa are 
 than one ?" said Mr. Linden. 
 
 "I don t know how you can have two at once, Mr. Lin 
 den." 
 
 "Then I will bestow one upon you and wait while you 
 get it." 
 
 "I am well " she said, looking amused through her 
 gravity, and shaking her head. "And besides, I couldn t 
 take it, Mr. Linden. " And to put an end to that subject, 
 Faith had recourse to the never failing wood fire; and from 
 thence went round the room finishing what she had failed 
 to do in the morning; coming back at the point of time to 
 take Mr. Linden s cup. He looked at her a little as he 
 gave it back. 
 
 " You are too tired to go over all those lessons to-day 
 which do you like best? will you bring it ?" 
 
 "I am not tired at all," she said with some flitting 
 colour, "but yo u are, Mr. Linden. "Won t you rest 
 sleep till after dinner and then, if you like, let me come ?" 
 
 "I will let you come then and stay now," he said 
 smiling. 
 
 "Let me stay and be silent then or do something that 
 will not tire you. Please, Mr. Linden I" 
 
 "Your line of action lies all within that last bound," he 
 said gently. "But you may read French if you will or 
 write it and let me look over you, or another geographical 
 chapter. Neither need make me talk much." 
 
 The hint about looking over her writing startled Faith 
 amazingly, but perhaps for that very reason she took it as 
 the delicate expression of a wish. That would be a trial, 
 but then too it would call for the least exertion on the part 
 of her teacher. Faith was brave, if she was fearful, and 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 2T5 
 
 too really humble to have false shame ; and after an instant s 
 doubt and hesitation, she said, though she felt it to her 
 fingers ends, 
 
 " My exercise is all ready it only wants to be copied 
 but how could you look over me, Mr. Linden ?" 
 
 " Could you do such an inconvenient thing as to use that 
 small atlas for a table ? and bring it here by me I am not 
 quite fit to sit up just now." 
 
 Faith said no more words, but went for her exercise and 
 sat down to write it, as desired, under an observing and 
 she knew a critical eye. It was well her business engrossed 
 her very completely; for she was in an extremely puzzled 
 and disturbed state of mind. Dr. Harrison s words about 
 the occasion of Mr. Linden s accident, carelessly run on, 
 had at last unwittingly given her the clue her own innocent 
 spirit might have waited long for; and grief and pain 
 would have almost overcome her, but for a conflicting feel 
 ing of another kind raised by the preceding colloquy between 
 the two gentlemen. Faith was in a state of profound un 
 certainty, whether Mr. Linden s words had meant anything 
 or nothing. They were spoken so that they might have 
 meant nothing but then Phil Davids had just been with 
 him what for? and whatever Mr. Linden s words might 
 have meant, Faith s knowledge of him made her instinc 
 tively know, through all the talk, that they had been spoken 
 for the sake of warding off something disagreeable from 
 her not for himself. She tried as far as she could to dis 
 miss the question from her thoughts she could not decide 
 it and to go on her modest way just as if it had not been 
 raised ; and she did ; but for all that her face was a study 
 as she sat there writing. For amid all her abstraction in 
 her work, the thought of the possibility that Mr. Linden 
 might have known what he was talking about, would send 
 a tingling flush up into her cheeks; and sometimes again 
 the thoughts of pain that had been at work would bring 
 upon her lip almost one of those sorrowful curves which 
 are so lovely and so pure on the lip of a little child- and 
 rarely seen except there. All this was only by the way ; 
 it did not hinder the most careful attention to what she was 
 about nor the steadiest working of her quite unsteady fin- 
 
276 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 gers, which she knew were very likely to move not accord 
 ing to rule. 
 
 For a little while she was suffered to go on without in 
 terruption, other than an occasional word about the French 
 part of her exercise; but presently Mr. Linden s hand 
 began to come now and then with a modifying touch upon 
 her pen and fingers. At first this was done with a gentle 
 "forgive me 1" or, "if you please, Miss Faith," after that 
 without words, though the manner always expressed them ; 
 and once or twice, towards the very end of the lesson, he 
 told her that such a letter was too German or too sophis 
 ticated ; and shewed her a more Saxon way. Which ad 
 monitions he helped her, as well as he could, to bear, by a 
 quietness which was really as kind, as it seemed oblivious of 
 all that had disturbed or could disturb her. And the words 
 of praise and encouragement were spoken with their usual 
 pleasure-taking and pleasure-giving effect. All this after 
 a time effectually distracted Faith from all other thoughts 
 whatever. When it was done, she sat a moment looking 
 down at the paper, then looked up and gave him a very 
 frank and humble "Thank you, Mr. Linden !" from face and 
 lips both. % 
 
 If Faith liked approbation that clover-honey to a 
 woman s taste, so far beyond the sickly sweets of flattery 
 and admiration she might have been satisfied with the 
 grave look of Mr. Linden s eyes at her then. 
 
 "You are a brave little child!" he said. "1 wish I 
 could do something to give you a great deal of pleasure !" 
 
 "Pleasure!" said Faith, and what was very rare with 
 her, not only her face flushed but her eyes, so that she 
 turned them away, "why it is all pleasure to me, Mr. 
 Linden!" Such pleasure as I never had before/ she 
 was near saying, but she did not say. 
 
 "Well I must not let you tire yourself," he said with a 
 smile, " for that would not be pleasant to me. Have you 
 been out to-day ?" 
 
 " No," said Faith, thinking of her brown moreen. 
 
 "Nor yesterday that will not do, Miss Faith. I am 
 afraid I must give you up to the open air for a good part 
 of this afternoon." 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 277 
 
 "What shall I do there ?" said Faith smiling. 
 
 " Let the wind take you a walk T wish I could be of the 
 party. But the wind is good company, Miss Faith, and 
 talks better than many people, and the walk you want." 
 
 "So I want to finish my wood-box," said Faith, looking 
 at the corner of the fireplace. "And I should think you 
 would be tired of seeing the wood lie there, Mr. Linden. I 
 am. I have got to go out this evening too " she said 
 with a little hesitation, "to see that microscope." 
 
 Mr. Linden was silent a moment. 
 
 11 The microscope does make some difference," he said, 
 "as for the wood-box, Miss Faith, I don t think I can per 
 mit it to have any voice in the matter, you may leave it 
 for me to finish. But if you are going up there this even 
 ing there are two or three things I should like to talk to 
 you about first." 
 
 "Then shall I come by and by ?" she said. "I must do 
 something else before dinner." 
 
 VOL. i. 24 
 
CHAPTER XXIII. 
 
 ~VT7"ELL child !" said Mrs. Derrick as they took their 
 T T seats at the dinner-table, "what have you been 
 about all day ? I ve just spent the morning looking over 
 those apples, so I ve had no chance to look you up. How s 
 Mr. Linden ? does the doctor think he s getting better ?" 
 
 "He is, I hope, mother; the doctor didn t say anything 
 about it." And a little shudder ran over Faith s shoulders, 
 which she was glad her mother could make nothing of if 
 she saw. "I have been as busy as you have, mother so I 
 couldn t look you up nor my wood-box either." 
 
 " Learning all the world!" said her mother smiling, 
 though there was a little touch of regretfulness not quite 
 kept down. "I think I d rather sit and look at you, child, 
 than eat my dinner. What are you going to do this after 
 noon?" 
 
 " I ve got a little ironing to do after dinner, mother, and 
 something to make for tea and Mr. Linden wants to see 
 me for something. I ll get ready for Judge Harrison s, 
 and then after I am through up stairs I ll come down and 
 see to you and my box together. I wish you were going 
 with me, mother." 
 
 And Faith leaned her head on her hand. 
 
 "Don t you want to go, pretty child?" said Mrs. Der 
 rick fondly. 
 
 "No, mother but I couldn t help it. I found I should 
 have to go sooner or later." 
 
 "I d go with you in a minute," said her mother, "if it 
 wasn t for Mr. Linden. I don t care a pin whether they 
 want me or not, Faith, if you do. And I dare say some 
 of the boys will be here" Mrs. Derrick looked perplexed, 
 as at the feeling of some unknown possibility. " Shall I, 
 pretty child ?" she said with an anxious face, " what are 
 you thinking of, child ?" 
 
 Faith came behind her and put both arms round her aud 
 kissed first one side of her face and then the other 
 (278) 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 279 
 
 "Mother!" she said with those silvery tones, "I don t 
 want anything ! I suppose I shall like to see the micro 
 scope but I d rather stay at home and learn my lessons. 
 Don t look sc /" Which with another kiss upon her lips, 
 finished off Mrs. Derrick s anxiety. 
 
 The ironing and the something for tea Faith despatched 
 with extra diligence and speed, and then dressed herself 
 for the evening. It was not much extra dressing ; only a 
 dark stuff dress a little finer than ordinary ; the white ruffle 
 round the neck and wrists was the same. And then, giving 
 a few minutes to the seeking of some added help to quiet 
 ness, for Faith s mind had been strangely disturbed, she 
 went again to Mr. Linden s room. A gentle vision she 
 was, if ever one was seen, when she entered it. 
 
 "You say I mustn t thank you, Mr. Linden," she said 
 giving him back his sister s letter; "but will you thank 
 her for me ?" 
 
 "I don t think she deserves many thanks," he said with 
 a smile, "but I will tell her." 
 
 The course of study that afternoon was peculiar, and 
 eminently a talk. Mr. Linden called for none of the usual 
 books at first, but began by giving Faith a very particular 
 account of the whole process of circulation ; thence diverg 
 ing right and left, in the most erratic manner as it seemed 
 to her, passing from the bright crystal points in chy mis- 
 try to the blue mould on a piece of bread, and then ex 
 plaining to her the peculiar mechanism of a fly s eye. Two 
 or three times he sent her to the cupboard for some book 
 to shew her an illustration of the subject, but if there was 
 any connecting link that she could see between one and 
 another, it was simply the wonderful minute perfection of 
 the world. And she needed none for the different things 
 were touched upon so clearly and yet with such a happy 
 absence of needless details, that they stood forth in full re 
 lief, and set off each other. The daylight was already fail 
 ing, and the red firelight was playing hide and seek with 
 the shadows in Mr. Linden s room, before he gave her a 
 chance to think what time it was. When she saw it, Faith 
 started up. 
 
 "I told mother I would come and see her before I 
 went!" she said, drawing a long breath like a person iu 
 
280 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 an atmosphere he can t get enough of. Then with a little 
 change of tone, after standing a minute looking at the fire, 
 she went on. "All /can do, is to drive the nails into that 
 wood-box but I ll do it before to-morrow." She held out 
 her hand as she spoke. 
 
 " No you must not," Mr. Linden said, as he took the 
 hand. "To-night you will be out, and you must not give 
 me a late breakfast, Miss Faith! therefore yon must go to 
 bed as soon as you come home, and leave the box to me." 
 
 Faith ran away and did not go to her hammering just 
 then. She brought a low bench to her mother s feet, sat 
 down there ; and taking Mrs. Derrick s hands from whatr 
 ever they were about, wrapped both arms round herself, 
 laying her head on her mother s lap. 
 
 "Mother," she said caressingly, U I couldn t come down 
 before. I was so busy and so interested, I didn t in the 
 least know what time it was ; and I hadn t a chance to 
 think." 
 
 "I m sure I m glad, pretty child," said her mother, bend 
 ing down to kiss her. "I think sometimes you think too 
 much. But you look just like a baby, for all that. I m 
 sure I shall always love Mr. Linden for pleasing you so 
 much," said Mrs. Derrick stroking Faith s hair, "even 
 though he does please himself too." 
 
 Faith secured that hand again and held them both 
 wrapped round her; but further words for a moment spoke 
 not. 
 
 "I shall come home as early as I can," she said; "mo 
 ther, time enough to do everything for breakfast." 
 
 "You sha n t do a thing, child," said her mother. "You 
 may come home as early as you like, but I m going to keep 
 you out of the works. I feel so grand when you re up 
 stairs studying you can t think 1 You wouldn t know me, 
 Faith." 
 
 Faith laughed, the laugh that was music to Mrs. Der 
 rick s ears, and indeed would have been to any, and held 
 the hands closer. 
 
 " I feel a little grand too," she said, " sometimes in 
 a way " 
 
 This did not seem to be one of the times, or else feeling 
 grand had a soporific effect; for Faith s eyelids presently 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 281 
 
 drooped, and when Dr. Harrison came to the house and 
 for some time before, she was fast asleep on her mother s 
 lap. 
 
 "Psyche !" exclaimed Dr. Harrison as he discerned by 
 the firelight the state of the case. Mrs. Derrick gave him 
 a little reproving glance for speaking so loud, but other 
 reply made none, save a low-spoken polite offer of a 
 chair. 
 
 " Thank you I am going up to see Mr. Linden. Miss 
 Derrick was so good as to promise she would go with me to 
 see my sister this evening. In these circumstances," said 
 Dr. Harrison in his softest voice "do you think it would 
 be presumption to wake her up ?" 
 
 "Well go up, then," said Mrs. Derrick, "and I ll wake 
 her up before you come down." 
 
 Which arrangement took effect; and in a very few 
 minutes thereafter, Dr. Harrison s horse making much 
 better speed than old Crab could do now, Faith was de 
 posited safely at Judge Harrison s door. There she was 
 received with open arms and great exultation by Miss So 
 phy and with great cordiality and pleasure by the Judge ; 
 and with a certain more wncertain amount of both by Mrs. 
 Somers, whom Faith found there, the only addition to the 
 family party ; while the doctor stood complacently on the 
 rug, in silence surveying everybody, like a man who has 
 gained his point. 
 
 "Well Julius," said Mrs. Somers, "how s Mr. Linden 
 to-night? did you see him ?" 
 
 "Yes ma am I saw him." 
 
 "Well how is he?" repeated Mrs. Somers. 
 
 "He is very happily situated," said the doctor. "I 
 should like to be in his place." 
 
 "What do you go there twice a day for ? Do you think 
 him worse ? You began with going once," said Mrs. So 
 mers. 
 
 "Always begin gently," said Dr. Harrison. "You get 
 on faster." 
 
 " How soon do you expect to take up your abode there 
 altogether, at that rate ?" 
 
 "At what rate, aunt Ellen ? You are too fast for me." 
 
 "Nonsense 1" said Mrs. Somers, "do you suppose I want 
 24* 
 
282 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 to be told what you go there for? what I do want to 
 know, is whether he s like to get well, and how soon." 
 
 " He will be conquering Pattaquasset in a few weeks," 
 said the doctor. 
 
 "I wonder whether he ll conquer Phil Davids," said 
 Mrs. Somers. "I should like to see that done. Julius, 
 did you ever find out anything about the man that fired the 
 shot?" 
 
 "Really, aunt Ellen, I am not a detective" said the 
 doctor carelessly, looking at Faith, who kept as quiet as a 
 dormouse. " If it had been my business I suppose I should 
 have found out." 
 
 "I think I heard you opine that Mr. Linden knew" 
 said Mrs. Somers. "And I think somebody ought to find 
 out unless you want the thing done over again. Don t 
 you think so, Judge Harrison ?" 
 
 "Well my dear," said the Judge,"! understand Mr. Lin 
 den to have been actuated by a very benevolent motive I 
 understand his feelings. He wouldn t run the risk of ac 
 cusing a man unjustly I can t blame him. It s right, I 
 think, though it s provoking. What do you think, Miss 
 Faith ?" 
 
 Faith lifted her eyes, but perhaps the doctor saw in her 
 changing cheek some token of the pain he had stirred in 
 the morning. He prevented her reply. 
 
 "Ladies don t think about these things, my dear sir! 
 Aunt Ellen is so sharp she gets ahead of her sex. Let me 
 have the honour of suggesting a pleasanter subject of medi 
 tation. I have seen to-night, aunt Ellen, the most exqui 
 site and valuable jewelry I have ever seen in my life! 7 
 
 "Here in Pattaquasset!" said his sister. 
 
 "In Pattaquasset or perhaps in the world." 
 
 "Don t excite yourself, Sophy," said Mrs. Somers, 
 "let s hear what they were, first." 
 
 Faith, like everybody else, looked for the doctor s answer, 
 though she hardly knew what she was looking at. 
 
 "A lady, aunt Ellen," the doctor went on, glancing at 
 her, " had made a necklace of her mother s arms, and a 
 cross, more precious than diamonds, of her mother s hands; 
 and clasping this cross to her breast, adorned with this 
 most exquisite and rare adornment, haa gone to sleep!" 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 283 
 
 "And for once," said Mrs. Somers," you preferred the 
 wearer to the jewels and went into a trance! I can 
 imagine you !" 
 
 " J ? not 1 1" said the doctor "I went up stairs. But 
 you have no idea of the effect." 
 
 Faith had been experiencing some of the scattering fire 
 of society, which hits no one knows where and no one 
 knows when. First the name of Phil Davids had ploughed 
 up the ground at her right; then the question about the 
 man who had fired the shot had ploughed up the ground 
 at her left; and shaken first by one and then by the other 
 she had welcomed the doctor s change of subject and now 
 was smiling as pleased as anybody. 
 
 "I didn t suppose the trance was a long one," said Mrs. 
 Somers, with a little raising of her eyebrows. "Faith, my 
 dear, what have you done to that little Seacomb child ? I 
 can t get over my astonishment at his transformation." 
 
 " I am afraid there isn t much transformation yet," Faith 
 said. " He listens very quietly and behaves well in school 
 but I don t know how he is at home." 
 
 "You are not a school teacher toot" said the doctor. 
 
 "It isn t a bad trade," said Faith, though her cheeks 
 bad answered for her another way. 
 
 "Not a bad trade certainly but one may have too 
 many trades. Aunt Ellen- I had the honour do you be 
 lieve it? of giving Miss Derrick lessons this morning." 
 
 "I think she was very good to permit it," said Mrs. 
 Somers composedly. 
 
 "She was very good " said the doctor demurely. "I 
 am afraid that is her character generally !" 
 
 He was called off by his father, and Miss Harrison seized 
 Faith and planted her between herself -and Mrs. Somers 
 on the sofa. 
 
 Don t mind his nonsense, Faith! Julius never can 
 talk like anybody else. Why haven t you been here this 
 age ?" 
 
 "I ve been busy, Sophy." 
 
 "Why wouldn t you go to ride with us? Julius wouldn t 
 go after what you said. Why wouldn t you ?" 
 
 "It was Sunday, Sophy." 
 
 "Well what if it was?" 
 
284 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "Sunday isn t my day I can t use it for my own 
 work." 
 
 "But taking a little ride isn t work?" 
 
 Faith hesitated. 
 
 "Isn t it work to the horses, Sophy? And if it is only 
 pleasure Sunday has its own pleasures, dear Sophy, I 
 can t have both." 
 
 "Why can t you?" 
 
 "Because, if I take these, God will not give me those," 
 Faith said very gravely. 
 
 "But Faith!" said Miss Harrison looking disturbed, 
 "you didn t use to be so religious?" 
 
 Faith s face flushed a little and was touchingly humble 
 as she said, "No I didn t." 
 
 "What s changed you so?" 
 
 "It isn t a bad change, dear Sophy!" 
 
 "I don t believe anything s bad about you," said Miss 
 Harrison kissing her, "but don t change too far, dear; 
 don t forget your old friends." 
 
 "I want them to change too," said Faith looking at her 
 winningly. 
 
 "That s right Faith, stand by your colours!" said Mrs. 
 Somers, with a tone and manner that came quite from 
 the other side of her character. " Sophy your mothei 
 wouldn t know her child, to hear you ask such ques 
 tions. " 
 
 Miss Harrison looked troubled, and left the room. Dr. 
 Harrison immediately took her place, and almost as imme 
 diately tea came in. 
 
 That is to say, tea and chocolate were handed round, 
 together with a sufficient abundance and variety of deli 
 cate substantials -to suit the air and the style of a country 
 town. Judge Harrison s was the only house in Pattaquas- 
 set where tea was served in this way, except perhaps the 
 De Staff s; though there was this difference to be observed, 
 the De Staffs never had tea carried round unless when 
 they had company ; at the Harrisons it was never carried 
 round unless they were alone. 
 
 Dr. Harrison attended politely to his aunt, but he was 
 eyes and hands for Faith ; finding at the same time vry 
 agreeable occupation for her ears. If people could be 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 285 
 
 content with being agreeable ! But in the midst of cold 
 tongue and chocolate the doctor broke out again. 
 
 "After all," said he, "what about that piece of curious 
 information, Miss Derrick ? You know I was balked this 
 morning and led a Will o the wisp chase after the Idea ! 
 Is Mr. Linden in the habit of spoiling people s fan in that 
 manner?" 
 
 Faith said simply she did not know. She did not, but 
 in private she thought it likely enough. 
 
 "Well, about the question," said the doctor helping her 
 to something at the same time, " what was the truth of it, 
 Miss Derrick ? You see I am interested. Was our little 
 informant correct ?" 
 
 Now Faith had no mind, even in the dark, or about any 
 thing, to set her yes against JMr. Linden s no. Besides, 
 she knew that the doctor had heard no names, and what 
 ever might be the extent of Mr. Linden s knowledge, he 
 knew nothing. And she was very willing to take the shelter 
 of the shield which had been thrown round her. The 
 deep, deep dye of her cheeks she could not help ; bat she 
 answered with tolerable quietness, behind that shield, 
 
 "I hoped you had got enough of the subject this 
 morning." 
 
 The doctor had enough of it now ! He changed his 
 ground with all speed, and for the rest of the evening Dr. 
 Harrison shewed himself at his best. 
 
 So soon as the removal of tea things gave him a clear 
 field, he brought out his microscope; and from that in 
 stant Faith almost forgot and forgave him everything. 
 She forgot everything present the Judge, Sophy, and 
 Mrs. Somers; and came to the table so soon as the bright 
 brass of the little machine caught her eye. The machine 
 alone was a wonder and beauty ; it seemed to Faith like 
 an elegant little brass gun mounted on the most compli 
 cate and exquisite of gun carriages with its multiplica 
 tion of wheels and screws and pins, by which its adjustment 
 might be regulated to a hair; with its beautiful workman 
 ship and high finish, and its most marvellous and admirable 
 purpose and adaptation. Dr. Harrison had never ad 
 justed his microscope with more satisfaction, perhaps, than 
 with those childish womanly eyes looking on ; and neither 
 
286 Ar AND SEAL. 
 
 he nor many other people ever performed better the subse 
 quent office of exhibiting it. He troubled Faith now with 
 nothing; his very manner was changed; and with kind 
 ness and sense most delicate, most thoughtful, mos-t grace 
 ful always, gave her all he could give her. 
 
 He was a trifle surprised to find that the amount of that 
 was not more. There was no lack indeed ; he could talk 
 and she could listen indefinitely and did; nevertheless 
 he found some of his channels of communication stopped 
 off. At the first thing he shewed her, Faith looked for an 
 instant and then withdrawing her eye from the microscope 
 and facing him with cheeks absolutely paled with excite 
 ment and feeling, exclaimed rapturously, 
 
 " Oh ! are those the chalk shells ? ; 
 
 The doctor hadn t counted upon her knowing anything 
 of chalk shells 
 
 "Aunt Ellen " said he, as he looked to shift or adjust 
 something "do you think Miss Derrick has ever lived 
 upon anything worse than roses ?" 
 
 "Upon something stronger, I fancy," said Mrs. Somers, 
 a little surprised in her turn, but well pleased too, for Faith 
 had come nearer her heart that evening than ever before, 
 and the voyage of discovery was pleasant. 
 
 "I should certainly think I was in Persia!" said the 
 doctor, "only the bulbul knows nothing of scientific dis 
 coveries, I fancy." 
 
 But Faith was in no danger of hearing, or caring, if she 
 had understood; she had gone back to the chalk shells, 
 and back still further, from them, into the world of those 
 perfections which God had made for himself. A new 
 world, now for the first time actually seen by her, and for 
 a moment she almost lost her standing in this. Mrs. 
 Somers watched her, smiling and curious. 
 
 She drew back presently with a long breath, to give the 
 other ladies a chance ; but Miss Harrison had looked all 
 she cared to look, and Mrs. Somers was not new to the 
 thing. They took a view occasionally, one for form, the 
 other for real interest; but for the most part Faith found 
 the exhibition was for her and she and the doctor might 
 have it all their own way. A long way they made of it; 
 for the doctor found a good deal of talking to do, and Faith 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 287 
 
 was most ready to hear. He talked well and gave her a 
 great deal of what she liked, with a renewal every now and 
 then of his first surprise ; for in the midst of some elaborate 
 explanation he was launching into for her benefit, most in 
 nocently and simply Faith would bring him up with a 
 gentle Yes, I know, not spoken with the faintest arro 
 gance of knowledge, but merely to prevent him going into 
 needless detail ; and herself too rapt in the delight of the 
 subject that occupied her to have any heed of the effect of 
 her words. 
 
 "I have kept the best for the last," said the doctor, when 
 this exhibition had lasted a much longer time than Faith 
 was aware of; "I thought you would like to see the cir 
 culation ; and I have sent all over town for a frog found 
 one at last, by great happiness." 
 
 "AH over town!" said Mrs. Somers, "do try out of 
 town next time, and save yourself trouble." 
 
 "Have you got to kill the frog, Julius?" said Miss Har 
 rison with a disturbed face. 
 
 "I hope not!" said the doctor gravely. "That would 
 rather interfere with our purposes than otherwise, Sophy. 
 Aunt Ellen, I never learned the real extent of town yet 
 when I was a boy it seemed to me to have no limits; 
 and now it seems to me to have no centre. Tell James to 
 bring in that frog, Sophy." 
 
 Miss Harrison retreated from the frog; but the doctor 
 assured Faith that he was in very tolerable circumstances, 
 shut up in a little bag; arid that he was only going to be 
 requested to exhibit a small portion of the skin of his toe, 
 and to hold himself still for that purpose; which benevo 
 lent action the doctor would help him to perform by put 
 ting him in a slight degree of confinement. The holding 
 still was however apparently beyond the frog s benevolent 
 powers, and it was some little time before the doctor could 
 persuade him to it. Then Faith saw what she had never 
 seen nor fully imagined before. 
 
 "0 Sophy! Mrs. Somers!" she exclaimed, "look 
 at this!" 
 
 She stood back with a face of delighted wonder Misa 
 Harrison looked an instant. 
 
288 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "It is curious " she said. "What are those little 
 things, Julius ?" 
 
 "You have heard of the circulating medium, " said the 
 doctor. "That is it." 
 
 Faith evidently had never heard of the medium referred 
 to. Turning to her, the doctor began a clear full account 
 of the philosophy of what she saw going on in the frog s 
 foot. But there she met him again. 
 
 "Yes, I know, Dr. Harrison," she said with the simple 
 tone of perfect intelligence. The doctor bit his lip, while 
 Faith stooped over the microscope and read, and read, 
 what was to be seen there. 
 
 "Faith," whispered Sophy, "it s cruel of me but I am 
 afraid your mother will be anxious, and Julius will never 
 let you know " 
 
 "What time is it?" said Faith starting up. 
 
 "About half an hour after eight " said the doctor. 
 
 "After ten, Faith." 
 
 Not another look did Faith give, but for her bonnet, and 
 went home as fast as the doctor would walk with her. 
 
 Whether Mrs. Derrick was anxious or no, she did not 
 say, but glad she certainly was to see Faith back. 
 
 "Well child," she said, undoing the wrappers from 
 Faith s head and neck, "I hope you ve had a grand time?" 
 
 "Yes mother, very only I didn t mean to stay so late. 
 I meant to be home in good time. I have seen everything, 
 mother !" 
 
 "Everything!" said her mother, "I guess at that rate 
 I might say I d been everywhere." 
 
 "Where have you been, mother? anywhere?" 
 
 "I ve been out to tea!" said her mother, with the 
 manner of one who has a remarkable secret on hand. 
 
 " You have I Where, mother ?" 
 
 "Guess" said Mrs. Derrick smiling at her. "I went up 
 stairs to tea, Faith ! what do you think of that ? What ll 
 you expect to hear of my doing next?" 
 
 " Oh mother !" said Faith laughing," I am glad ! That 
 was the best thing you could have done." 
 
 " It wasn t my doing, though," said Mrs. Derrick. " But 
 when I went up with Mr. Linden s tea, he asked me if you 
 had gone, and I said yes, and he said since there was no- 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 289 
 
 body better worth seeing down stairs he wished I d come 
 and drink tea with him. So I went, child, and it was real 
 pleasant too. And I don t know how it was, but I staid 
 there all the evening, only I wouldn t let him talk to me, 
 and he just went to sleep as if I hadn t been there. I think 
 he was very tired, Faith. So then I felt very comfortable," 
 added Mrs. Derrick smiling, " and I sat there and watched 
 him till Reuben came a little while ago." 
 
 "Was he tired!" said Faith, the light in her face 
 changing. "He had been talking to me all the afternoon I 
 Mother, half the pleasure I had to-night he gave me, for 
 he was all the afternoon preparing me for it." She stood 
 looking at the fire reproachfully. 
 
 "Why child, "said her mother, "I suppose his arm pains 
 him a good deal and that tires one, you know. He didn t 
 talk to you a bit more than he wanted to, I ll warrant. 
 Why he even talked to me all tea-time 1" said Mrs. Derrick, 
 as if she felt quite proud in consequence. 
 
 "Well mother, we must go to bed now, tor I must be up 
 very early to finish that box." 
 
 VOL. i. 26 
 
CHAPTER XXIV. 
 
 VERY early it was, when Faith s hammer was at work 
 again on the brown moreen, and short interruption 
 did she give herself from anything that could be spared, 
 till the box was done. It suited her well when it was done. 
 The cover was stuffed, old-fashioned brown binding was 
 lapped over the edges and seams, and fastened off with rows 
 of brass-headed nails; which made it altogether an odd, 
 handsome, antiquated-looking piece of furniture. With 
 this, when her morning work was done and her exercise 
 prepared, Faith went up to Mr. Linden s room; to see 
 it brought in and placed properly. 
 
 "I shall have to put a stop to this state of things!" he 
 said, "that blue ribband will work me mischief yet. Miss 
 Faith, how can you take advantage of my disabled condi 
 tion ?" 
 
 "Are you better this morning, Mr. Linden ?" 
 
 "The time has not quite corne yet for me to be much 
 better. But Miss Faith, if I had known that you would 
 wake yourself up early this morning, what do you think I 
 should have done?" 
 
 "I can t think, Mr. Linden," she said looking merry. 
 
 "I should have invited you and Mrs Derrick up here to 
 breakfast ! which I only did not do, because I could not 
 take the extra trouble upon myself, and because I knew 
 you ought to sleep, till this time. 
 
 Faith shook her head a little, perhaps sorry to have 
 missed the breakfast; then went off and brushed away the 
 dust and chips left round the wood-box. Then came and 
 sat down. 
 
 "I saw almost everything, last night, Mr. Linden!" 
 
 "Well before you go off to last night will you come to 
 morrow morning ? Now what did you see ?" 
 (290) 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 291 
 
 The bright smile and flush and sparkle answered the in 
 vitation ; and perhaps Faith thought no other answer was 
 needed; for she gave no other. 
 
 "I know now," she said after an instant, "what you were 
 doing all yesterday afternoon, Mr. Linden!" 
 
 "I know what you were, Miss Faith." 
 
 She smiled innocently and went on, 
 
 "All that just fitted me, as you meant it should, to take 
 the good of the evening and I had a great deal," she 
 said gravely. I saw almost everything you spoke of and 
 other things I saw the chalk shells, Mr. Linden! and 
 the circulation in a frog s foot; and different prepared 
 pieces of skin; and the moth s plumage! and the silver 
 scale-armour of the Lepisma, as Dr. Harrison called it; and 
 more." 
 
 "And with very great delight as I knew you would. I 
 am very glad !" 
 
 "Yes," said Faith "I know a little better now how to 
 understand some things you said the other day. I am very 
 glad I went only for one thing. " 
 
 "What was that?" 
 
 "Dr. Harrison asked such a strange thing of me as we 
 were walking home at least it seems to me strange. " 
 
 "May my judgment be brought to bear upon it?" Mr. 
 Linden said after a moment s silence. 
 
 "Yes indeed," said Faith; "that was what I was going 
 to ask. He wants me to go with him to see a woman, who 
 is dying, he says, and miserable, and he wants me to talk 
 to her. He says he does not know how." And half mo 
 destly, half timidly, she added, "Is not that going out of 
 my way ?" 
 
 A quick, peculiar smile on Mr. Linden s face, was suc 
 ceeded by a very deep gravity, once or twice the lips 
 parted, impulsively then took their former firm set; and 
 shading his eyes with his hand he looked into the fire in 
 profound silence. 
 
 Very soberly, but in as absolute repose of face, Faith 
 now and then looked at him, and meanwhile waited for his 
 thoughts to come to an end. 
 
 "Dr. Harrison said," she remarked after a little while, 
 
292 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "that you once told Mm he had but half learned his pro 
 fession." 
 
 "What did you say, Miss Faith? I mean, not to that, 
 but to the question ?" 
 
 "I didn t know what to say! 1 didn t want to go at all 
 I don t know whether that was wrong or right; but at 
 last I said I would go. Do you think I was right, Mr 
 Linden ?" 
 
 "Did you promise to go with him?" 
 
 "I didn t know any other way to go," said Faith. "I 
 don t know where the woman lives, arid he said I couldn t 
 find it ; and old Crab has a lame foot. Dr. Harrison asked 
 me to go with him. I don t think I should have minded 
 going alone." 
 
 " Neither should I mind having you," said Mr. Linden, 
 with a look more doubtful and anxious than Faith had 
 often seen him wear, though it was not bent upon her. 
 
 "Do you think I said wrong then, Mr. Linden? I did 
 not like to go but I thought perhaps I ought." 
 
 " I don t think you did wrong," was the somewhat defi 
 nite answer. " I wish I had been alongside of you when 
 the request was made " 
 
 A wish which he had not been the first to know. Faith 
 was silent. 
 
 "You made a fair promise ?" he said "and feel bound 
 by it ?" 
 
 "I said I would go," she said looking at him with her 
 fair, grave face. " If you thought it was wrong, or that I 
 was putting myself out of my way, I would not, Mr. Lin 
 den. He asked if he might come for me at two o clock, 
 and I said yes." 
 
 " Miss Faith you must not make such a promise again ?" 
 
 She looked at him enqiringly, very soberly, and then 
 her eyes went to the fire and mused there. Mr. Linden 
 was looking at her then, though with eyes still shielded. 
 Once indeed the hand came with a soft touch upon her 
 hair, drawing it back where it had fallen a little ; but the 
 motion was quickly checked. She started, looked round 
 with a liftle frank smile and colour, and instantly went back 
 to her musing. 
 
S .V AJ" SEAL. 293 
 
 "I m afraid I must let >oa go " Mr. Linden said pre 
 sently, smiling a little too, as if \t were no use to he grave 
 any longer. "I m afraid I have ao right to hinder yon. 
 If I had, I would. Some other time I will tell you part of 
 the wherefore, but the less I say to you before you go, the 
 better. About that, " he added in his usual manner, " I 
 think we might write another exercise." 
 
 She started up, but paused. 
 
 . Mr. Linden," she said timidly, "Dr. Harrison said he 
 would not be here this morning. Would you like to have 
 me first it would be only pleasure to me, if you are not 
 afraid, do what he does for you ?" 
 
 He answered at first rather quick, as if he knew what 
 sort of pleasure it was. 
 
 "O no! I can wait, it cannot signify very much." 
 And then with as quick a recognition of the real pleasure 
 it would be, after all, Mr. Linden compounded matters. 
 
 "I am afraid. Miss Faith! I am naturally timid." 
 
 "What does that mean?" said she coming before him 
 and looking with an inquisitive smile. "I don t know, 
 Mr. Linden!" 
 
 "Do you expect me to explain such a humiliating con 
 fession ?" 
 
 " Xo, certainly. I thought, perhaps, you wouldn t keep 
 to it, after all." 
 
 "I am a little afraid for you. What do you suppose I 
 shall do this afternoon while you are gone?" 
 
 "I don t know " she said, looking a little wistfully. 
 
 "I shall lie here and study that wood-box. You see I 
 carry out my principles, Miss Faith I have not thanked 
 you for it." 
 
 " I don t think you ll study it very long," said Faith, 
 "there isn t much in it." 
 
 "Somebody has said," replied Mr. Linden, "that in 
 every subject there is inexhaustible meaning, the eye sees 
 in it what the eye brings means of seeing. You must not 
 limit my power of eyesight." 
 
 "If you wouldn t limit my power of something else?" 
 she said with gentle persistency. 
 
 He looked up at her. 
 
 "I will not, Miss Faith then will you please perform 
 25* 
 
294 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 your kind office at once ? It will be a great comfort to 
 me, and I shall be the better able to do something for you 
 afterwards." And the manner almost made Faith feel as 
 if the proposition had come from her at first. 
 
 She went about it, not this first time without some trem 
 bling of heart, but with also a spirit that rose above and 
 quite kept down that. She knew exactly and intelligently 
 what was to be done ; it was only the hands that were un 
 wonted, and therefore she feared unskilful. But there are 
 things that some women have by nature, and a skilful hand 
 is one of them; and it was Faith s. Her womanly love 
 and care were enough for all the rest; she made no 
 mistakes, nor delays; and her soft fingers inflicted no 
 pain that it was in the power of fingers to spare. A 
 little longer than the doctor she was perhaps about 
 it ; not much, and not more awkward ; and that is saying 
 enough. 
 
 So soon as that was done, Faith went for her exercise, 
 and sat down as yesterday to write it. 
 
 He too went on with the exercise; but watching her, 
 lest relief might be wanted in another quarter. There 
 was nothing of that, though. Quiet and very great satis 
 faction, was the result of the matter in Faith s mind; at 
 least it was all she permitted to be seen ; and now she gave 
 herself happily to the connexion of her nouns and adjec 
 tives, and to watching against the german or sophisti 
 cated letters in her handwriting. The exercise indeed was 
 fast taking a very compound character ; so much so, that 
 Faith might well begin to suspect there had been a two 
 fold reason for proposing it. But Mr. Linden had a pecu 
 liar way of teaching especially of teaching her; and made 
 her almost forget in the pleasure of learning, the fact that 
 she had need to learn. And as for his memory on the sub 
 ject, or his perception of how it might touch her, they 
 were out of sight : she might have been a little child there 
 at his side, for the grave simplicity and frankness of his in 
 structions. And so exercise and reading arid philosophy 
 followed on in a quiet train, arid the surface of the earth 
 revealed new wonders, and the little French book was 
 closed at the end of a pretty chapter. 
 
 "Whenever I get about my duties again, Miss Faith," 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 295 
 
 Mi. Linden said, "I shall make one very stringent rule for 
 our future intercourse. 1 
 
 " What s that, Mr. Linden ?" she said, with the face of 
 quick deep pleasure she always wore when about any of 
 her studies with him. 
 
 "From the time when I come home to dinner till I go 
 off again, I will neither speak nor be spoken to, Miss Faith, 
 except in French. That is, you may speak but I shall 
 not answer." 
 
 Faith started a little, looked puzzled, and looked terri 
 fied, as much as she ever did; but rather closed with 
 looking as if it was impossible. 
 
 "I should make the rule at once," said Mr. Linden smil 
 ing, "but I foresee that you would absent yourself entirely. 
 Now when I am down stairs you will have to see me 
 whether you want to or not." 
 
 "But I don t know one word!" said Faith breathlessly. 
 "I am afraid I shall not say, or hear, much, Mr. Linden." 
 
 "O you shall hear a great deal I will take that upon 
 myself." 
 
 Faith shook her head, gave the fire a final mending, and 
 ran off; for it was again an hour past the mid-day. Mr. 
 Linden s dinner came up, and was hardly removed before 
 Dr. Harrison followed. 
 
 "Well, Linden!" he said coming jauntily, in, "I hope 
 you haven t missed me this morning." 
 
 "Not in the least." 
 
 "I am glad of that. How do you do? I will try and 
 put you in condition not to miss me this evening though 
 it is benevolent!" added the doctor, pulling off his left 
 glove. "It is a great secret to make oneself missed!" 
 
 "It is a secret your gloves will hardly find out, by my 
 fire," said Mr. Linden. "How well you look, doctor! 
 not a bit like Nought and All." 
 
 "No," said the doctor, "I believe I disclaimed that 
 particular sphere of existence yesterday. One had need 
 be One and Somewhat in this wind if one will keep a 
 place in a wagon, or elsewhere I But fire mustn t tempt 
 me, Linden. I ll see to you and be off, and decide what 
 I ll be afterwards." 
 
 "You may be off without preamble." 
 
296 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "Do you mean to dismiss me?" exclaimed the doctor 
 raising his eyebrows. "Have I said that you must accept 
 my poor services ?" 
 
 "Why no 1" said Mr. Linden, "doubly no ! I am most 
 happy to see you, doctor." 
 
 "The happiness will be mutual when I have the felicity 
 of understanding you," said the doctor, settling himself in 
 an attitude. Mr. Linden surveyed him from head to foot. 
 
 "I perceive indeed that you are One and Somewhat!" 
 he said, "you still need the four azure chains/ Do you 
 need explanations too ?" 
 
 "If you ll be so good !" said the doctor. "Or ha! you 
 don t mean that, do you ?" 
 
 " My arm has been dressed," said Mr. Linden quietly. 
 
 "Never trust a woman 1" said the doctor wheeling round. 
 "I thought she had got enough of that yesterday. Did 
 she do it well ?" 
 
 "Excellently well." 
 
 "Your face says so as well as your tongue," said the 
 doctor, with an odd manner of despair. "I have lost 
 not my occupation, for I never had any ! but I have lost 
 my power over you ; and she has got it ! I don t know 
 how to whistle, or I suppose I could take comfort in that." 
 
 Mr. Linden did not whistle, nor laugh, nor speak, all 
 that could be-said of him was that he lay there very quiet, 
 with his eyes open, looking remarkably well. 
 
 "Let a woman alone for doing what she has a mind to I" 
 the doctor went on, in his usual manner now, putting on his 
 gloves. "I tell you what, Linden they re the hardest 
 creatures to manage there are ; boys are nothing to them I 
 Well, good morning !" 
 
 "Good morning," said Mr. Linden. "I hope you will 
 be able to manage the wind." 
 
 The Dr. Harrison who had been up stairs was not at all 
 the Dr. Harrison that met Faith in the hall and escorted 
 her to the carriage. Grave, gentle, graceful, but especially 
 grave, for some reason or other, he was; and not the less 
 for that agreeable, she thought. Faith was in a sober 
 mood herself; for she was about an undertaking she did 
 not much like ; and which Mr. Linden had liked even less. 
 JPaith pondered, as they drove swiftly along, what the par- 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 297 
 
 ticular objections had been which he had not chosen to tell 
 her; and now and then thought a little uneasily of the 
 coming interview with the doctor s patient, with Dr. Har 
 rison himself for auditor and spectator. She did not like 
 it; but she had honestly done what she thought ri;rht, and 
 Mr. Linden had said she was not wrong. And she was 
 bound on the expedition, which she could not get rid of; 
 so though these considerations did float over and over her 
 mind they did not shake what was nevertheless a very happy 
 peacefulness. Faith was glad the doctor was pretty well 
 engaged with his horses; and let her own musings run 
 upon the pleasant things of the morning, and of yesterday, 
 with glances at the delightful new world of work and 
 knowledge into which she had entered, or was entering; and 
 happy resting down on the foundation for all joy sO lately 
 known to her. Whirled along on smooth going wheels, in 
 that bright brisk day, little interrupted with talk, these 
 thoughts and meditations took fair little flying passages 
 through her head ; chasing and succeeding each other, put 
 in and put out by the lights and shadows, the hills and 
 fields, sky and trees and wind-clouds, as the case might be, 
 and mixing up with them all. 
 
 Dr. Harrison had come for her this time in an easy 
 pleasant-going curricle, drawn by beautiful animals, and 
 who felt beautifully in that gay wind. They looked so, 
 certainly, every motion from ears to tail telling of life and 
 the enjoyment of it. 
 
 "You are not afraid of anything, I know," said Dr. 
 Harrison, one time when he had been obliged to hold them 
 in with a good deal of decision; "or I would have 
 brought the old family trotter for you." 
 
 "What makes you think so, Dr. Harrison?" 
 
 "I have had proof of it," said he looking at her. Faith 
 shook her head a little, and could have told him several 
 things ; but did not. 
 
 " You are not afraid of these fellows ?" 
 
 She said no. 
 
 "There is no pleasure in handling what gives you no 
 trouble ; don t you think so ?" 
 
 Faith sought for illustrations of the subject in her own 
 experience ; did not find them. 
 
298 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "Now look at those fellows," the doctor went on. "They 
 are fit to fly out of their skins; but a little bit of steel in 
 their mouths and a good rein and a strong hand at the 
 end of it and they are mine, and not their own," said he, 
 giving them a powerful check at the same time which 
 brought them on their haunches; "and they know it. 
 Now isn t there some pleasure in this ?" 
 
 "It is rather a man s pleasure," said Faith; "isn t it ?" 
 
 "Do you think so?" said the doctor. "Ah, you know 
 better. Do you mean to say," he added softly, "that a 
 woman doesn t know the pleasure of power?" 
 
 "I don t think /do," said Faith meeting his eyes with a 
 smile. He smiled too, a different smile from what was 
 usual with him. 
 
 The drive was long much longer than Faith had counted 
 upon, although they went so fast. "Down by the river" 
 the doctor had said ; but it appeared not yet what part of 
 the river he was aiming for. Still it was beautiful; the 
 broken country, open and free, with the cloud shadows and 
 the brilliant sunlight driving across it, and grey Sharp rocks 
 everywhere breaking it, and tufts and reaches of brown or 
 sear woodland diversifying it, was not easy to weary of. 
 Nor did Faith weary. The doctor s words had sent her 
 off on a long journey of thought, while she travelled over 
 all that open, sunlight and shadow, country. Starting 
 from the words, "Behold we put bits in the horses mouths, 
 that they may obey us" ; she had gone on to moral gov 
 ernment and suasion ; the means and the forces of both, 
 not failing to illustrate largely here from personal experi 
 ence ; and on and up to the one great arid strong hand 
 that holds the reins of all, and makes even sunlight and 
 shade, rock and hill, do his work and his bidding. 
 
 But now in all that broad picture of life and life work, 
 appeared a little dark spot ; which, small as it was, formed 
 for the moment the vanishing point, where every line of 
 beauty and sunlight met and ended. For with that strange 
 recognizing of unknown things, Faith saw before her the 
 house where the dying woman lay, and knew it for that, 
 before the doctor spoke. A plain, brown, unpainted house ; 
 straight and square, with no break of piazza or window 
 blinds; tapestried on the front with frost-bitten gourd 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 299 
 
 vines, the yellow and green fruit yet unscathed. The usual 
 little gate and dooryard common to such country houses; 
 the usual remains of autumn flowers therein; the usual 
 want of trees. Yet by the universal law of indemnification, 
 the house was more picturesque than painting and archi 
 tecture could have made it. Neighbours it had none, for 
 contrast; but a low woody point of land stretched off 
 behind it, reaching out even into the Mong. And the 
 Mong itself with its cool sharp glitter in the stirring 
 wind, and the swash of its blue waves at the very foot of 
 the little paling about the house ; its white-sailed craft, its 
 white- winged sea gulls; 
 
 " Our lives are rivers, gliding free 
 To that unfathomed, boundless sea, 
 
 The silent grave ! 
 
 Thither all earthly pomp and boast 
 Roll, to be swallowed up and lost 
 In one dark wave. 
 
 " Thither the mighty torrents stray, 
 Thither the brook pursues its way, 
 
 And tinkling rill. 
 There all are equal. Side by side 
 The poor man and the son of pride 
 Lie calm and still." 
 
 Of the two that now entered that little dooryard, one 
 felt all this and one did not. The one who had" felt "the 
 power of an endless life," perceived the narrow bounds of 
 this, to the one who had nothing beyond, its domain was 
 vast. And as is often the case, the man went first and the 
 angel followed. 
 
 The doctor stepped up to the bedside and made some 
 general enquiries. But it did not appear that there was 
 much he could do for her. 
 
 "Mrs. Ousters," said he presently, "you know I pro 
 mised I would bring, if I could, a lady to see you. Here 
 she is Miss Derrick." 
 
 Faith came to the side of the bed. Little her quiet face 
 phewed how she was trembling. In her soft sweet way she 
 asked the sick woman how she did. And Mrs. Ousters 
 turned her head a little, and gazed up into the blooming 
 
300 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 face with strange, eager, feverish eyes eyes that thirsted, 
 but with no bodily thirst. Then she closed them again 
 and turned her face away, but said nothing. 
 
 "Have you been sick long?" asked Faith. 
 
 She did not answer, then ; though as if the tones of 
 Faith s voice were making their way, there came presently 
 a slight quiver of the face, and a bright drop or two that 
 the closed eyelids could not quite keep back. But she was 
 at that point of time where the fear of man has lost its 
 power, where the doctor loses his supremacy and visiters 
 their interest: where men and things are pushed like sha 
 dows into the background, and the mind can see no object 
 save "the great white throne." This was what the silence 
 expressed, it was not dislike, nor churlishness ; but those 
 surface questions failed to reach her where she stood. 
 The next gentle and tender "What is the matter?" .-was 
 so spoken that it found her even there. Her eyes came back 
 to Faith s face with the sort of look they had given before. 
 And then she spoke. 
 
 "Where would you be going if you were lying where I 
 be?" 
 
 Faith heeded not the doctor then, nor anything else in 
 the world. She waited an instant; she had drawn herself 
 up on hearing the question ; then leaning forward again 
 she said slowly, tenderly, 
 
 " I should be going to be happy with my divine Re 
 deemer. Are not you ?" 
 
 "What makes you think you would ?" 
 
 "Because I have his word for it," said Faith. "He 
 says that whoever believes in him shall not perish, and that 
 every one that loves him shall be with him where he is ; I 
 believe in him and love him with my whole heart; and I 
 know he is true. He will not cast me away." Slowly, 
 clearly, the words were spoken ; so that they might every 
 one enter and be received by the ears that heard. 
 
 The woman looked at her, scanned her, examined her, 
 looked down towards the foot of the bed at the doctor- 
 then back at Faith. 
 
 "Do you believe all that?" she said. 
 
 "I know it!" said Faith, with a tiny bit of joy-speaking 
 gmile. 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 301 
 
 Again that intent look. 
 
 "Well he don t," she said with a motion towards the 
 doctor. "Which of ye am I to believe?" 
 
 "Don t believe either of us!" said Faith quickly, her 
 look rather brightening than otherwise, though the play 
 of her lips took a complicate character. "Believe God! 
 Don t you know his words?" 
 
 "I s pose I do some of em. I can t believe anything 
 with him down there lookin at me !" she said impetuously. 
 "He said he didn t believe and I keep thinkin of that." 
 
 "Will you believe him, rather than God? rather than 
 the Lord Jesus, who came and gave his very life for us, to 
 bring us to heaven. Do you think he would tell us any 
 thing but truth after that? His words are, " He that 
 believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. " 
 
 " Well I m most dead " said the woman in a sort of 
 cold, hopeless tone. 
 
 "Let Jesus make you live!" said Faith, in a voice as 
 warm and loving. 
 
 "The doctor said he couldn t," she answered in the same 
 tone as before. "He believes that, anyhow." 
 
 Faith answered, 
 
 " My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they 
 follow me. And I give unto them eternal life ; and they 
 shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out 
 of my hand. " 
 
 That same little quiver passed over the face, but it 
 changed into an irrepressible shudder. 
 
 " Sit down here on the bed," she said, looking up at 
 Faith, "and put your face so I can t see his n and then 
 you may talk." 
 
 And with that fair head for a screen, as if it really 
 warded off some evil influence, Mrs. Ousters lay and lis 
 tened quietly for a while ; but then her hands were clasped 
 over her face, and she broke into a low sobbing fit as if 
 mind and body were pouring out their griefs together. 
 Not loud, not hysterical ; but weary, subdued, overpower 
 ing; until the utter exhaustion brought sleep. 
 
 Faith got off the bed then, looked at her, looked at the 
 doctor, and then by an irrepressible feeling, sunk on her 
 knees. Leave her, go out of the house with him, she could 
 
 VOL. I. 2U 
 
302 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 not, until she had put the cause of them all into the 
 hand she knew her friend and wished theirs. A few 
 moments motionless hiding of her face, during which, as 
 indeed during the whole conversation, Dr. Harrison was 
 nearly motionless too, and used his eyes silently; and 
 Faith rose from her knees. She gave another look at 
 the poor weary face that lay there, and then led the 
 way out of the house. The doctor followed Tier, having 
 perhaps got more than enough of the result of his ride. 
 But as he was unfastening his horses, or rather after he 
 had done it and was waiting to hand her in, Faith addressed 
 him. 
 
 "Dr. Harrison, on whose errand do you go telling that 
 woman that God s word is not true?" 
 
 She spoke gently, yet as the doctor faced her he saw 
 that her soft eye could be steady as an eagle s. He did 
 not answer. 
 
 "Not for God s service," she went on answering herself, 
 "nor for yours. See to it!" 
 
 She turned and let him put her into the carriage and 
 they set off again. But the drive homewards promised to 
 be as silent as the drive out had been. The doctor was 
 grave after another fashion now, with a further-down grav 
 ity, and scarce looked at anything but his horses ; except 
 when a glance or a hand came to see if Faith was well 
 wrapped up from the wind, or to make her so. And either 
 action was done not with his accustomed grace merely, but 
 with even a more delicate tender care of her than ordinary. 
 Faith was in little danger of cold for some time. Grief 
 and loving sorrow were stirred and stirring too deeply 
 for thought or feeling of anything else; only that be 
 neath and with them her heart was singing, singing, in 
 notes that seemed to reach her from the very harps of 
 heaven, 
 
 "I thank Thee, uncreated Sun, 
 That thy bright beams on me have shined!" 
 
 As they went on, however, and mile after mile was passed 
 over again, and the afternoon waned, the wind clouds 
 
SA\ AND SEAL. 303 
 
 seemed thicker and the wind more keen ; Faith felt it and 
 began to think of home The horses felt it too, and per 
 haps also thought of home, for they travelled well. 
 
 "What are you meditating, Miss Derrick?" the doctor 
 said at length, almost the first word he had spoken. 
 
 "I was thinking, just at that minute, sir, of the use of 
 beauty in the world." 
 
 "The use of beauty!" said the doctor, looking at her; 
 he would have been astonished, if the uppermost feeling 
 had not been of relief. "What is its use? To make the 
 world civilized and habitable, isn t it?" 
 
 "No " said Faith, "I should think it was meant to 
 make us good. Look at the horses, Dr. Harrison I" 
 
 The carriage had turned an angle of the road, which 
 brought the wind pretty strongly in their faces. The 
 horses seemed to take it as doubtful fun, or else to be in 
 clined to make too much fun of it. They were all alive 
 with spirit, rather excited than allayed by their miles of 
 quick travelling. The doctor tried to quiet them by rein 
 and voice both. 
 
 " They get a little too much oats for the work they do," 
 said he. "I must take them out oftener. Take care of 
 this wind, Miss Derrick; I haven t a hand to help you. 
 What s that ? " 
 
 That was a bunch of weeds thrown into the road just 
 before the horses heads, from over the fence ; and was just 
 enough to give them the start which they were ready for. 
 They set off instantly at full run. The road was good and 
 clear ; the carriage was light ; the wind was inspiriting, 
 the oats suggestive of mischief. The doctor s boasted rein 
 and hand with all the aid of steel bits, were powerless to 
 stop them. In vain he coaxed and called to them ; their 
 speed increased every minute ; they had made up their 
 minds to be frightened, and plunged along accordingly. 
 The doctor spoke once or twice to Faith, encouraging or 
 advising her; she did not speak nor stir. 
 
 They -were just Hearing the brow of a hill, when an un 
 lucky boy in the road, thinking to stay their progress, 
 stepped before them and waved his hat over his head. 
 Faith heard an execration from the doctor, then his shout 
 
304 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 to her, "Don t stir, Miss Derrick I" and then she hardly 
 knew anything else. The horses plunged madly down the 
 hill, leaped carriage and all across a fence at the bottom 
 of it, where the road turned, overthrew themselves and 
 landed the doctor and Faith on different sides of the car 
 riage, in a meadow. 
 
 The doctor picked himself up again, entirely unhurt, and 
 going round to Faith lifted her head from the ground. 
 But she was stunned by the fall, and for a few minutes 
 remained senseless. 
 
 In these circumstances, no house being near, the doctor 
 naturally shouted to a cap or hat which he saw passing 
 along the road. Which cap also it happened belonged to 
 Sam Stoutenburgh, who was on an errand into the country 
 for his father. 
 
 If ever Dr. Harrison was unceremoniously put aside, it 
 was then. Sam had come rather leisurely at first then 
 with a sort of flying bound which cleared the fence like a 
 thistle down, he bore down upon the doctor, and taking up 
 Faith as easily as if she had been a kitten, absolutely ran 
 with her to a spring which welled up through the long 
 meadow grass a few yards off. There the doctor found 
 him applying the cold water with both gentleness and skill, 
 for Sam Stoutenburgh had a mother, and her fingers had 
 been so employed about his own head many a time. 
 
 "You re a handy fellow!" said the doctor with a mix 
 ture of expressions, as he joined his efforts to Sam s. 
 "That will do it!" 
 
 For Faith opened her eyes. The firstword was "Mother !" 
 then she sat up and looked round, and then covered her 
 face. 
 
 "Are you hurt?" said Dr. Harrison after an instant. 
 
 "No sir, I think not I believe not." 
 
 "Can you stand up?" 
 
 With the help of his hand she could do it easily. She 
 stood silent, supported by him, looking on the prostrate 
 horses and shattered curricle; then turned her grave eyes 
 on the doctor. 
 
 "Don t stand too long, Miss Faith!" said Sam earnestly, 
 with trembling lips too, for the manhood in him had not 
 got very far. "Are you sure you re not hurt ?" 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 305 
 
 "Sam!" said Faith giving her hand to him. "I didn t 
 know it was you who was helping me." 
 
 "I only wish I d been here for you to fall upon!" said 
 Sam, with a queer mingling of grief and pleasure. " Seems 
 as if folks couldn t always be in just the right place." 
 
 "I am not hurt," she said with a little shudder. 
 
 "Now, how are you going to do to get home ?" said the 
 doctor looking much concerned. "Shall 1 " 
 
 " I will walk home," she said interrupting him. 
 
 " You are not able ! We are three miles, at least, from 
 Mrs. Derrick s house. You could not bear it." 
 
 "I can walk three miles," she said with a faint, fair 
 smile. " I will go home with Sam, and you can take care 
 of the horses." 
 
 "That would be a tolerably backhanded arrangement!" 
 said the doctor. "Young man, will you bring these horses 
 into town for me after I get them on their legs to Judge 
 Harrison s, or anywhere? I must take care of this lady 
 and see her safe." 
 
 "Yes I ll bring em into town," said Sam, "but Miss 
 Faith s to be seen to first if they don t get on their legs 
 all night! That ll be a work of time, I take it. Miss 
 Faith could you walk just a little way ? there s a house 
 there, and maybe a wagon." 
 
 "You don t understand me," said the doctor. "I asked 
 if you would do me the favour to bring my horses into 
 town. / will take care of the lady." 
 
 Sam considered a minute not the doctor but things. 
 
 "Miss Faith," he said, "I can run faster than you can 
 walk, beyond all calculation. If you ll keep warm here, 
 I ll run till I find a wagon for if you don t ride and tell the 
 story some one else will, and then there s two people will 
 be worse hurt than you are. You d get home quickest so." 
 Faith was about to speak but the doctor prevented her. 
 
 "Then you refuse to take care of my horses?" he said. 
 "I told you I would take care of the lady." 
 
 "Bother the horses!" said Sam impatiently, "who s to 
 think about horses with Miss Faith here frightened to 
 death ? I m ready to drive em all over creation, when I 
 get ready, Dr. Harrison !" 
 
 Faith in her turn interposed. 
 26* 
 
306 SAY ASD SEAL. 
 
 "I would rather walk than wait, Dr. Harrison. If Sara 
 knows some house near by, I would rather walk so far with 
 him than wait for him to go and come again. We could 
 send some one to help you then. Sam, you ll help Dr. 
 Harrison get the horses up." 
 
 So much Sam was willing to do, and the doctor with such 
 grace as he might, accepted ; that is, with no grace at all. 
 The horses with some trouble and difficulty were raised to 
 their feet, and found whole. The carriage was broken too 
 much to be even drawn into town. Faith then set out with 
 her escort. 
 
 " How far is your house, Sam ?" 
 
 But Sam shook his head at that the nearest one of any 
 s.ortwas a poor sort of a place, where they sometimes had 
 a wagon standing and sometimes didn t. "But we can try, 
 Miss Faith," he said in conclusion. Sam s arm was a strong 
 one, and certainly if he could have induced his companion 
 to lean her whole weight on it his satisfaction would have 
 increased in proportion ; as it was he gave her good help. 
 And thus they had walked on, in the fading afternoon light, 
 more than what to Faith was "just a little way," when the 
 first house came in sight. 
 
 Fortunately the wagon was at home ; and before it stood 
 an old horse that one of the men said " he should like to 
 see run !" but for once such deficiency was the best recom 
 mendation. Another man set off on foot to find arid help 
 Dr. Harrison, and the owner of the slow horse gave the 
 reins to Sam. The wagon was not on springs, and the 
 buffalo skin was old, and the horse was slow 1 beyond a 
 question ; but still it was easier than walking, and even 
 quicker. Sam Stoutenburgh did his best to make Faith 
 comfortable levying upon various articles for that purpose, 
 and drove along with a pleasure which after all can never 
 be unmixed in this world 1 Even Sam felt that, for his 
 long-drawn "Oh Miss Faith 1" said much, and carried 
 Faith s thoughts (she hardly knew why) to more than one 
 person at home. 
 
 " Sam," said Faith, " I don t want to say anything about 
 this to-night." 
 
 " Well, ma am I won t say a word, if I can help it. Do 
 you mean to anybody, Miss Faith ?" 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 307 
 
 " Not to anybody. I mean, not to any one at home w 
 
 " 1 won t if I can help it," Sam repeated. "But it s my 
 night to stay with Mr. Linden." 
 
 Is it ?_lWell what if it is ?" 
 
 " I don t know " said Sam dubiously, " he has a funny 
 way of reading people s faces." 
 
 " But what is going to be in yours, Sam ?" 
 
 " I don t know that, neither," said Sam. "But the fact 
 is, Miss Faith, he always does find out things and if it s 
 anything he s got to do with you may just as good tell him 
 at once as to fuss round." 
 
 A pretty significant piece of information ! Upon which 
 Faith mused. 
 
 It was not so late when thej reached Mrs. Derrick s door, 
 that the good lady s anxiety had got fairly under way. At 
 that moment indeed, she had quitted the front of the house, 
 and gone to hurry Cindy and the teakettle ; so that Faith 
 was in the house and her escort dismissed, before Mrs. 
 Derrick appeared. 
 
 " Why pretty child !" she said "here you are 1 I was 
 very near getting worried. . And I went up and asked Mr. 
 Linden what time it was, lest the clock should nt be right ; 
 but he seemed to think it wasn t worth while to fret about 
 you yet. You re tired to death !" she added, looking at 
 Faith. "You re as pale as anything, child !" 
 
 "Yes mother I m very tired." 
 
 And very glad to get home, she would have said, but her 
 lips failed it. 
 
 "Well do sit down, child," said her mother, "and I ll 
 take your things up stairs. Tea s all ready that ll do you 
 good, and then you shall go right to bed." 
 
 But that did not seem what Faith was ready to do ; instead 
 of that, she preferred to sit down by her mother, and wrap 
 her arms round her again and lay her head in her mother s 
 lap. Even then she did not sleep, though she was by no 
 means inclined to talk and answered Mrs. Derrick s fond or 
 anxious words with very few in return, low and quiet, or 
 with quiet caresses. And when her mother was silent, to 
 let her sleep, Faith was silent too. 
 
 They had sat so motionless for awhile, when Faith changed 
 
308 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 her posture. She got up, sat down on a chair by her 
 mother s side, laid her head in her neck and wrapped arms 
 round her in turn. 
 
 " Mother " she said most caressingly," when will you 
 begin to follow Christ with me? I want that, I want 
 that!" 
 
CHAPTER XXY. 
 
 WHILE Dr. Harrison was sleeping off the effects of his 
 exertions, mental and physical, of the preceding 
 day ; and his horses in their stable realized that the reap 
 ing of wild oats has its own fatigues; Mrs. Derrick was 
 stirring about with even unwonted activity, preparing for 
 that unwonted breakfast up stairs. An anxious look or 
 two at Faith s sleeping face had assured her mother that 
 the fatigue there had been nothing very serious ; and Mrs. 
 Derrick went down with a glad heart to her preparations. 
 There Faith joined her after awhile, and as breakfast time 
 approached, Mrs. Derrick suggested that Faith should go 
 up and see that the table was all right, and receive the 
 breakfast which she herself would send up. Cindy was 
 already there, passing back and forth, and the door stood 
 open to facilitate her operations. 
 
 If Faith had felt curious as to the success of Sam Stout- 
 enburgh s efforts at concealment, her curiosity was at once 
 relieved. The room as she saw it through the half-open 
 door was bright with firelight and sunshine; the spoons 
 and cups on the little table shone cheerily in the glow; and 
 all things were in their accustomed pretty order and dis 
 order. But the couch was empty, and Mr. Linden stood 
 by the mantelpiece, leaning one arm there, his face bent 
 down and covered with his hand. 
 
 Faith had no need to knock the door being open and 
 Cindy in full possession; but as her light step came near 
 the tire he turned suddenly and held out his hand to her 
 without a word. Then gently pushing her back to the 
 corner of the couch, Mr. Linden bade her "sit down and be 
 quiet " and he himself took a chair at her side. She 
 could hardly tell how he looked the face was so different 
 from any she had ever seen him wear. 
 
 For a minute she obeyed orders ; then she said, though 
 with an eye that avoided meeting his, 
 
 " I mustn t be quiet, Mr. Linden I must see to the 
 breakfast table." 
 
 (309) 
 
3iO SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 If his first motion was to hinder that, he thought better 
 of it, and suffered her to go and give her finishing touches ; 
 watching her all the time, as she felt, but without speaking; 
 and when Cindy shut the door and tramped down stairs, the 
 room was very still. Only the light crackling of the hickory 
 sticks in the chimney, and those soft movements about the 
 table. If ever such movements were made with pleasure 
 if ever a face of very deep peacefulness hovered over the 
 placing and displacing of knives and forks, plates and salt 
 cellars, it was then. Yet it was not a very abstracted 
 face, nor looked as if the outitiard quiet might be absolutely 
 immovable. The last touch put to the table, Faith glanced 
 at the hickory sticks on the fire; but they wanted nothing; 
 and then her look came round to Mr. Linden, and the smile 
 which could no longer be kept back, came too ; a smile of 
 touching acknowledgment. 
 
 " Miss Faith, will you come and sit down?" 
 
 She came, silently. 
 
 One deep breath she did hear, as Mr. Linden arranged 
 the cushions and with gentle force made her lean against 
 them, but either he did not feel himself able to touch di 
 rectly what they were both thinking of or else thought 
 her not able to bear it. His tone was very quiet, the rest 
 of his hand upon her hair hardly longer than it had been 
 yesterday, as he said, 
 
 "What will my scholar be fit for to-day? anything but 
 sleep ?" 
 
 For a moment it was a little more than she could bear, 
 and. her face for that moment was entirely grave; then she 
 smiled up at him and answered in a tone lighter than his 
 had been, 
 
 "Fit for anything and more fit than ever, Mr. Linden. 
 I only rest here because you put me here." 
 
 The next remark diverged a little , and was given with 
 darkening eyes. 
 
 "How DARED he take you with those young horses !" 
 
 "He thought he could do just what he pleased with 
 them " said Faith, shaking her head a little. 
 
 "And with you " was in Mr. Linden s mind, but it 
 
 came not forth. "Where is your mother? does she 
 
 ?i, 
 " 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 311 
 
 " Mother s coming," said Faith raising herself from the 
 cushions, "as soon as she sends up the breakfast. She 
 doesn t know yet. I told Sam not to tell you, Mr. Linden. - 
 
 " How do you do to-day?" 
 
 She answered him with a bright fair glance and in a 
 tone as sweet as happiness could make it, 
 
 "Very well!" 
 
 Mr. Linden s eyes went from her to the opening door 
 nnd the entering dishes. 
 
 "Sara was not in fault, Miss Faith, I heard you come 
 home " 
 
 In the train of the dishes came Mrs. Derrick, and looked 
 with a little amaze at Mr. Linden off the couch and Faith 
 upon it But if the first didn t hurt him, she knew the 
 second wouldn t hurt Faith, with whose appearance her 
 mother was not yet quite satisfied. And when they were 
 all at the table, Mrs. Derrick might wonder at those words 
 of very earnest thanksgiving that they were all brought 
 together again, but they needed no explanation to any one 
 else. In all her life Faith had never known just such a 
 breakfast. That sweet sense of being safe of being 
 shielded, of breathing an atmosphere where no evil, 
 mental, moral, or physical, could reach her, how precious 
 it was ! after those hours of fear and sorrow. If her two 
 companions had visibly joined hands around her, she could 
 not have felt the real fact more strongly. And another 
 hand was nearer and more, precious still to her apprehen 
 sion ; even the one that made theirs strong and had brought 
 her within them. Faith s face was a fair picture, for all 
 this was there. But Faith s words were few. 
 
 How many Mr. Linden s would have been, of choice, 
 cannot be known ; for Mrs. Derrick s mind was so intent 
 upon the last night s expedition, so eager to know how the 
 poorVoman was, and what she said, and where she lived; 
 and how Faith enjoyed the drive, and what made her get 
 so tired, that he had full occupation in warding oil the 
 questions and turning them another way. In compliance 
 with her wishes he had taken his usual place on the couch, 
 and there made himself useful both with word and hand; 
 ihe particular use of breakfast to him, was nut so apparent. 
 
 It was over not a bit too soon; for Cindy had not 
 
312 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 finished the work of removing it before she brought up word 
 that the doctor was come and wanted to see Mis Derrick. 
 Faith judged the enquiry was meant for herself and ran 
 down stairs accordingly. The doctor was satisfied that she 
 was none the worse of her ride with him, but had brought 
 a very serious face to the examination. 
 
 "Have you forgiven me, Miss Derrick?" 
 
 "I have nothing to forgive, sir!" Faith told him with a 
 look that gave sweet assurance of it. " I am not hurt. I 
 am very glad I went." 
 
 "May I say," said the doctor, and he looked as if he was 
 uneasy till he had said it, "that you misjudged me yester 
 day from that woman s words. I did not choose to inter 
 rupt her and the severity of your remarks to me," he said 
 with a little smile which did not want feeling, "took from 
 me at the moment the power to justify myself. But Miss 
 Derrick, I have not done what you seemed to suppose 
 and fairly enough, for she gave you to understand it. I 
 never set myself to overthrow her belief in anything. I 
 have hardly held any conversation with her, except what 
 related to her physical condition ; if I have said anything 
 it has been a word intended to quiet her. I saw her mind 
 was very much disturbed." 
 
 Faith had looked very grave, with eyes cast down, during 
 the hearing of this speech. She raised them then, at the 
 end, and said with great gentleness, 
 
 " There is but one way to give quiet that will stand, Dr. 
 Harrison." 
 
 "I am sure you are right," he said looking at her with 
 an unwonted face, nearer to reverence than Dr. Harrison 
 was often known to give to anything "I hope you will 
 go and see that poor creature again and undo any mischief 
 my careless words may have done." 
 
 "Won t you undo them yourself, Dr. Harrison?" 
 
 "I will endorse yours, so well as I can 1" he said. "But 
 won t you see her again ?" 
 
 "If I can, I will try to go." 
 
 " May I see Mr. Linden ?" was the next question in a 
 .ighter tone; and receiving permission the doctor moved 
 himself up stairs. He entered Mr. Linden s room with a 
 quiet, composed air, very different from the jaunty manner 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 313 
 
 of yesterday ; and applied himself with business quiet to 
 Mr. Linden s state and wants. And the reception he met 
 was not one to set him a talking. It was not tinged with 
 the various feelings which the thought of him had 
 stirred in Mr. Linden s mind that night and morning, if 
 they lived still it was in the background. The grasp of 
 his hand was firmer than usual, the tone more earnest, 
 which said, "I am very glad to see you!" and yet the 
 doctor felt that in them both there was more and also less 
 than mere personal feeling. 
 
 He had nearly finished the arrangements of Mr. Linden s 
 arm when he remarked, "Did you hear the result of our 
 expedition yesterday ?" 
 
 A grave yes, answered him. 
 
 "You see," said the doctor, "I couldn t manage the 
 wind!" 
 
 But to that there was no reply. 
 
 "It was just that," said the doctor. "Those horses had 
 been taking whiskey, I believe, instead ot oats; and the 
 wind just made them mad. They ran for pure love of run 
 ning ! till a little villain threw up his hat at them and 
 then indeed it was which could catch the clouds first." 
 
 If the doctor wanted help in his account, he got none. 
 He drew back and took a survey. 
 
 " What s the matter, Linden ? you look more severe at 
 me this morning than Miss Derrick does ; and I am sure 
 she has the most reason." 
 
 "I have a prudent fit come over me once in a while," 
 said Mr. Linden goodhumouredly, but with a little restless 
 change of position. "I m afraid if I talk much upon this 
 subject I shall get out of patience and I couldn t lay all 
 the blame of that upon you." 
 
 "What blame do you pretend to lay upon me, as it 
 is? r said the doctor not illhumouredly. 
 
 "There ll be no pretence about it when I lay it on," 
 said Mr. Linden. 
 
 " Enact Macdufif and lay on 1" said the doctor smiling. 
 
 "Let it suffice you that I could if I would." 
 
 "The shadows of strokes suffice me!" said the doctor. 
 "Am I a man of straw? Do you take me for Sir Andrew 
 Aguecheck? horribly valiant after his fashion. What 
 
 VOL. i. 27 
 
314 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 have I done, man ?" He stood, carelessly handsome ana 
 handsomely careless, before the couch, looking down upon 
 Mr. Linden as if resolved to have something out of him. 
 
 A part of the description applied well to the face he wag 
 looking at yet after a different fashion ; and anything less 
 careless than the look Mr. Linden bent upon him, could not 
 be imagined. It was a look wherein again different feelings 
 held each other in check, the grave reproof, the sorrowful 
 perception, the quick indignation Dr. Harrison might 
 detect them all; and yet more, the wistful desire that he 
 were a different man. This it was that answered. 
 
 "What have you done, doctor? you have very nearly 
 given yourself full proof of those true things which you 
 profess to disbelieve." 
 
 " How do you know that I disbelieve anything ?" said the 
 doctor, with a darkening yet an acute look; "much more 
 that I profess to disbelieve ?" 
 
 " How do I know whether a ship carries a red or a blue 
 light at her masthead ?" 
 
 "You don t, if she carries no light at all ; and I do not 
 remember that I ever professed myself in your hearing on 
 either side of the things I suppose you mean." 
 
 " What do you say of a ship that carries no light at all ?" 
 
 " Must a ship always hang out her signals, man ?" 
 
 "Ay " said Mr. Linden, " else she may run down the 
 weaker craft, or be run down by the stronger. " 
 
 " Suppose she don t know, in good truth, what light 
 belongs to her ?" 
 
 " It is safe to find out." 
 
 " Who has told you, Linden, that I believed or disbelieved 
 anything ?" 
 
 "Yourself." 
 
 " May I ask, if any other testimony has aided your judg 
 ment, or come in aid of it?" 
 
 " No," said Mr. Linden, looking at him with a grave, 
 considering eye. " I am not much in the habit of discuss 
 ing such points with third parties." 
 
 The doctor bit his lip ; and then smiled. 
 
 " You re a good fellow, Linden. But you see, I can 
 afford to say that now. I have you at advantage. As long 
 as you lie there, and I am your attending physician wlucb 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 315 
 
 latter I assure you I look upon as a piece of my good for 
 tune you can t, knock me down, if you feel disposed. I 
 am safe, and can afford to be generous. As to the lights," 
 said the doctor taking up his hat, " I agree to what you 
 say and that s more of a concession than I ever made on 
 the subject before. But in the atmosphere I have lived in, 
 I do assure you I have not been able to tell the blue lights 
 from the red !" 
 
 " I believe you," said Mr. Linden, " nor was it alto 
 gether the fault of the atmosphere. Even where the colour 
 is right, the glass is sometimes dim. What then ?" 
 
 "What then ? why the inference is plain. If one can 
 not be distinguished from the other, one is as good as the 
 other I" 
 
 "And both shine with a steady clear light upon the 
 heavenward way ?" 
 
 " There s no question of shining," said the doctor half 
 scornfully, half impatiently. " If they shew colour at all, 
 it is on a way that is murky enough, heaven knows !" 
 
 "Then what have they to do with the question?" said 
 Mr. Linden, "you are applying rules of action which you 
 would laugh at in any other case. Does the multitude of 
 quacks disgust you with the science of medicine ? does the 
 dim burning of a dozen poor candles hinder your lighting 
 a good one ? You have nothing to do with other people s 
 lights, let your own shine !" 
 
 Dr. Harrison stood looking at his adviser a minute, with 
 a smile that was both pleased and acute. 
 
 "Linden " said he, "it strikes me that you are out of 
 your vocation." 
 
 "When I heard that account last night," Mr. Linden 
 went on and he paused, as if the recollection were pain 
 ful, " the second thing I thought of was your own words, 
 that heaven is not in your line. " 
 
 " Well ? " said the doctor swinging his hat and begin 
 ning to pace up and down the room, and speaking as if at 
 once confessing and justifying the charge laid to him, . 
 " Now and then, I believe, a bodily angel comes down to 
 the earth and leaves her wings behind her but that s not 
 humanity, Linden !" 
 
 "True servant of God, is as fair a name as angel," said 
 
316 SAX AND SEAL. 
 
 Mr. Linden ; " and that is what humanity may be a,nd often 
 is. Though crowns are wanting, and bright pinions 
 folded. " 
 
 " I don t know " said the doctor. " I shouldn t have 
 wondered any minute yesterday to see the pinions unfold 
 before me." Which remark was received in silence. 
 
 " If such an angel were to take hold of me," the doctor 
 went on meditatively, " I believe she might make me and 
 carry me whither she would. But I wonder if I shall be 
 forbid the house now !" He stopped and looked at Mr. 
 Linden with a face of comic enquiry. 
 
 "You may come and see me," said Mr. Linden, with 
 comforting assurance. 
 
 "Do you think I may ?" said the doctor. He sat down 
 and threw his hat on the floor. " What shall I do with 
 Mrs. Derrick ? She will want to send me off in a balloon, 
 on some air journey that will never land me on earth ! or 
 find some other vanishing medium most prompt and irrevo 
 cable all as a penalty for my having ventured to leap a 
 fence in company with her daughter !" 
 
 But the prudent fit had perhaps come back upon Mr. 
 Linden, for except a sudden illumination of eye and face, 
 the doctor s speech called forth no opinion. 
 
 " The best driver on earth can t be a centaur, man ! 
 Horses in these days will have heads of their own." But 
 then the doctor rose up and came gracefully and gravely 
 again to take his friend and patient s hand. 
 
 "I agree to all you say !" said he, looking down with a 
 goodhumoured wilful expression to Mr. Linden s face ; 
 "and I know no other man to whom I would own as much, 
 after such words and such silence as you have bestowed on 
 me. Good-bye. But really, remember, a man is not an 
 swerable for all his horses or all his wits may do." 
 
 The doctor went ; and then there was an interval of some 
 length. Faith had found several things to do in her down 
 stairs department, which she would not leave to her mother ; 
 especially after the shock Mrs. Derrick s mind and heart 
 had received from the communication of what had happened 
 the day before. So it was a little later than usual when 
 the light tap was heard at Mr. Linden s door and Faith and 
 a cup of cocoa came in. She set the cup down, and then 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 317 
 
 went out again for a dish of grapes and pears Judge 
 Harrison s and Farmer David s sending which she brought 
 to the table. 
 
 " I didn t know which you would like best, Mr. Linden ; 
 so I brought both." 
 
 " I should like to be waiting on you," he said, " Miss 
 Faith, you ought not to be waiting on me. I shall bestir 
 myself and come down stairs." 
 
 There was expression in the kind of happy silence that 
 answered him, as she offered the cocoa. 
 
 "I don t know where to begin to talk to you this morn 
 ing," said Mr. -Linden, "everything demands the first 
 place. Miss Faith, when you feel that you can, will you 
 tell me all about yesterday ? I wish I could give you this 
 couch again, but I suppose in prudence I ought to lie still." 
 
 She saw him served with what he would have ; then sat 
 down, and a shadow of sweet gravity came over her. 
 
 " The ride out was all very pleasant. There wasn t much 
 talk, and I could just enjoy everything. It s a long way, 
 Mr. Linden," she said glancing at him she spoke generally 
 with her eyes bent somewhere else; "it must be ten or 
 twelve miles, for we went very fast ; and it was beautiful, 
 with the wind and the driving clouds and shadows. So I 
 enjoyed all that part, and I wasn t afraid of the horses, or 
 not much afraid though they went very fast and I saw 
 they felt very gay. I liked the going fast and I thought 
 the doctor could manage them." She paused. 
 
 "Are you sure you want to talk of this now ?" Mr. Lin 
 den said. "You know we have other things to do this 
 can wait till you choose." 
 
 " I like to tell it," she said with another quick glance and 
 a quick breath, "but the visit comes next and I don t 
 know how to tell you of that. Mr. Linden, I wish you 
 could see that woman ! And if you can t soon, I must, 
 somehow." 
 
 " If I can t or if I can, I will find you the somehow, 
 if you want to go. And if you will let me," he added 
 " Is she really dying ?" 
 
 " She says so " Faith said low. And was silent a bit. 
 
 " Then we set out to come home, and all went very well 
 till we were half way on the road; but then the horses 
 
 27* 
 
318 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 seemed to grow more frisky than ever I think the wind 
 excited them ; and Dr. Harrison had his hands full, I could 
 see, to hold them in, especially after we turned Lamprey s 
 corner and the wind was in their faces. I think it was 
 something suddenly flung over the fence, that started them 
 off to run and then they ran faster and faster, and reins 
 and bits were of no use at all." 
 
 Faith was excited herself, and spoke slowly and low and 
 with hindered breath. 
 
 " I saw they were getting more and more furious, and 
 there were a few minutes, Mr. Linden, when I thought I 
 should maybe never see home again. And then I thanked 
 you in my heart." 
 
 "Me ?" he said with quick emphasis, and looking at her. 
 
 Faith did not look at him, but after a pause went on very 
 quietly. 
 
 " I mean, on earth I thanked you. The end of it was, 
 they took a new fright at something, I believe, just at the 
 top of a hill ; and after that it was all a whirl. I hardly 
 knew anything till I found myself lying on the ground in 
 the meadow. The horses had jumped the carriage and all 
 clean over the fence. The fence was just below the foot 
 of the hill ; the road took a turn there. Sam told you the 
 rest didn t he, Mr. Linden ?" 
 
 He said "yes, "and not another word, but lay there still 
 with those closely shielded eyes ; and lips unbent from their 
 usual repose, with grave humbleness and grief and joy. 
 The silence lasted till Faith spoke again. And that was 
 some little space of time. A shade graver and lower her 
 tone was when she spoke. 
 
 " I shall never forget after this, that it is part of a 
 Christian s sailing-orders to speak every vessel he meets. 
 - I think I shall never forget it again." 
 
 Mr. Linden did look then at the little craft that had begun 
 her voyage so undauntedly under the Christian colours, 
 though what he thought of her he said not ; apparently his 
 own words were not yet ready, though he spoke. 
 
 " Be strong and of a good courage ; be not afraid, neither 
 be thou dismayed : for the Lord thy God is with thee 
 whithersoever thou goest. " 
 
 Faith spoke no more. She sat in the absolutest quiet, 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 319 
 
 of face and figure both ; looking into the fire that played 
 in the chimney, with a fixedness that perhaps told in the 
 beginning of some doubtfulness of self command. But 
 the happy look of the face was in nowise changed. 
 
 A knock at the door was the first interruption, a knock 
 so low down that the latch seemed quite too high to match 
 it ; but by some exercise of skill this was lifted, and Johnny 
 Fax presented himself. He looked very wide awake, and 
 smiling, and demure, as was his wont, though to-day the 
 smiles were in the ascendant ; owing perhaps to the weest 
 of all wee baskets which he held in his hand. Coming close 
 up to Mr. Linden, and giving him the privileged caress, 
 Johnny stood there within his arm -and smiled benignly 
 upon Faith, as if he considered her quite part and parcel 
 of the same concern. Who smiled back upon him, and 
 enquired " where he had come from ?" 
 
 Johnny said "From home, ma am," and looked down at 
 his tiny basket as if it were a weight on his mind that he 
 did not know how to get rid of. 
 
 "Johnny," said Mr. Linden, "what have you got in that 
 basket ?" 
 
 "You couldn t gness!" said Johnny with a very bright 
 face. 
 
 "I couldn t guess !" said Mr. Linden. "Don t you sup 
 pose I can do anything ?" 
 
 " Yes " said Johnny shaking his head, "but you can t 
 do that." 
 
 "Then I shall not try," said Mr. Linden, "and you ll 
 have to tell me." 
 
 Johnny put his face close down by Mr. Linden, and 
 whispered, but not so low that Faith could not hear 
 
 " It s two white eggs that my black hen laid for you, 
 sir!" 
 
 "Well I never should have guessed that!" said Mr. 
 Linden smiling. "I didn t suppose there was a hen in 
 the world that cared so much for me. I don t believe 
 she would if she was not your hen, Johnny." Which last 
 sentence Johnny understood just well enough to feel de 
 lighted ; and stood with a glad little face while his teacher 
 opened the basket, and taking up first one egg and thec 
 the other, commented upon their size and whiteness. 
 
320 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "As soon as I can get out I shall come and see that hen," 
 said Mr. Linden, drawing the child closer and giving him 
 another kiss which Johnny thought was worth a whole 
 basket of eggs; "so you must tell her to have her feathers 
 in good order. Now what have you to say to Miss 
 Faith?" 
 
 " she talks to me," said Johnny. 
 
 "Does she?" said Mr. Linden, "is that the division 
 of labour ? What does she talk about, Johnny ? let me 
 see how well you remember." It was said with a little 
 acknowledging look that he was asking that to which 
 somebody would demur but also with a wilful assumption 
 that somebody would- come to no harm. So though Faith 
 flushed and started, she sat back in her seat again without 
 making any word interposition. Johnny stood and thought 
 for he was a real little literalist. 
 
 " She talked about heaven " he said slowly, "and how 
 to get there, and said she was going and we must too. 
 That s what she said Sunday. And at Judgfc Harrison s 
 she said she was glad I d got a red ribband and down to 
 Neanticut she told me to run away." 
 
 "I m sure that was a gentle way of -dismissing you, "said 
 Mr. Linden, stroking the child s forehead. "Well Johnny 
 are you trying to follow her in that way to heaven she 
 told you of?" 
 
 The "yes" was given without hesitation, and came with 
 strangely sweet effect from those childish lips. Then after 
 a minute Johnny added, as if he feared some misunder 
 standing, 
 
 "It s the same way you told me, sir." 
 
 "Yes, I trust you will see me there too," Mr. Linden 
 said, with a rather moved look at the little face before 
 him. 
 
 What made Faith, at those last words of Johnny s, jump 
 up and spring to the fire ? And after a most elaborate 
 handling of the sticks of wood, she did not come back to 
 her seat, but stood still with her back turned to the couch 
 and the little witness who was testifying there. He was 
 not called upon for any more evidence, however. Mr. Lin 
 den talked or let him talk about various important 
 things in Johnny s daily life and experience^ and gave a 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 321 
 
 promise that he himself would be at school as soon as the 
 doctor gave his permission. 
 
 Mrs. Derrick s soft knock and entrance came now, she 
 herself looking in good truth as if a "tear-storm" had 
 passed over her. But she brightened up a little at the 
 sight of Faith. 
 
 "Pretty child!" she said, coming up to her, "and so 
 you re here ? I couldn t rest any longer without seeing 
 just where you were." 
 
 Faith put one hand on her shoulder as she stood, and 
 then clasped the other upon that. 
 
 " Pretty child !" her mother repeated, in a tone that 
 spoke more of pain than pleasure and Faith could feel 
 the shudder that passed over her then. But she controlled 
 herself. "Do you know it s dinner time, Faith? How is 
 Mr. Linden?" 
 
 "There he is," said Faith smiling. "I don t know, 
 mother." 
 
 "He don t look to me as if he had ever been asleep," 
 said Mrs. Derrick, but whether that shewed want of 
 sleep, or the reverse, was, as Mr. Linden remarked, quite 
 doubtful. 
 
 Mrs. Derrick looked at him, met his smile then her 
 whole heart answered to something it said. 
 
 "Oh Mr. Linden! think of her being in such danger!" 
 and there was a minute of deep silence. 
 
 "Nay!" he answered softly and the face was beautiful 
 in its changing expression, "think of her being so safe !" 
 
 Mrs. Derrick could bear neither word nor look after that. 
 The two ladies went down together, leaving Johnny to 
 dine with his teacher. 
 
CHAPTER XXVI. 
 
 THE dinner up stairs was a very quiet and uninter 
 rupted one. The dinner down stairs was destined 
 not to be so. 
 
 The first break was the entrance of Cindy with a bunch 
 of flowers which the doctor had sent to Miss Derrick, 
 with the desire to know how she was. Faith received the 
 flowers with a dubious face and put them in water on the 
 dinner-table, where they looked splendid. Mrs. Derrick 
 could hardly see their splendour. 
 
 "He needn t think to come round me that way," she 
 said. " Child ! I wouldn t let you go off with him again 
 for twenty kingdoms !" 
 
 "Not with those horses, mother." 
 
 "Nor with any others. I sha n t ever want to have you 
 go with anybody again, Faith." 
 
 " What s goin on here ?" said a growling voice which 
 they knew, before Mr. Simlins entered the door of the 
 dining room. "That gal o yourn wants me to stay politely 
 in the parlour yonder but I ain t polite and I come to 
 see you, not your doors and windows nor the pretty paper 
 on your walls. What are you all about, Mrs. Derrick ? I 
 hear the very spirit of turbidness has got into this house !" 
 
 "There s not much spirit in me to-day," said Mrs. Der 
 rick, "nor spirits neither. I ve lost what little I had 
 Anybody could knock me down with a straw. Sit down, 
 Mr. Simlins, and take some dinner." 
 
 " I m afeard, if it s done so easy, I might occasionally do 
 it with one o them posies," said Mr. Simlins standing and 
 surveying the bouquet as if he didn t know what to make 
 of it. "Do you eat the grass of the field at your noon- 
 spell ?" 
 
 "You may ask Faith," said Mrs. Derrick; "she put em 
 there." 
 
 " Sit down, Mr. Simlins," said Faith. 
 (322) 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 323 
 
 "I ain t goin to sit down ! I ve eat my dinner. I ve 
 just come in, Mrs. Derrick, to see if you re all overturned, 
 or if there s anything left straight yet." 
 
 "It s all straight," said Faith smiling up at him. "Sit 
 down, Mr. Simlius." 
 
 "What s the truth of it, Mrs. Derrick? This child ain t 
 all straight, is she?" 
 
 It followed that, bit by bit, Mr. Simlins got out the 
 story of the accident, for neither Faith nor Mrs. Derrick 
 was forward to speak about it. He then enquired, with an 
 unsatisfied grunt, why Faith was "postin round with 
 Dr. Harrison ?" Whereat Mrs. Derrick felt justly indig 
 nant. 
 
 "Why she ain t! Mr. Simlins. She went down there 
 on business, and there was nobody else at hand to take her 
 just then." 
 
 "What do you call bein at hand?" said Mr. Simlins. 
 "I ve got two hands, and more n two horses that won t 
 run away neither. It s only my cows do that ! Where s 
 Mr. Linden?" 
 
 "0 he s up stairs " said Mrs. Derrick. "He s not 
 been down yet. Faith, don t you think he s some stronger 
 to-day?" 
 
 "And so," said Mr. Simlins turning to her again re 
 proachfully, "while he s lyin up there and can t stir, you 
 go drivin over the country with tother one I" 
 
 But that brought out Faith s roupd low laugh, so incon- 
 trovertibly merry and musical that it changed Mr. Simlins 
 face on the instant. It came to an end almost as soon, but 
 short as it was it was better than the warble of any nightin 
 gale ; inasmuch as the music of a good sound human heart 
 is worth all the birds in creation. 
 
 "When s Mr. Linden going to be down stairs, where a 
 body can get sight of him ?" 
 
 " The doctor says he mustn t go out for a long time yet," 
 said Mrs. Derrick. "When are you going to find the man 
 that shot him ? that s what / want to know." 
 
 "When I get a composition from the only witness," Mr 
 Simlins answered. "And as the witness ain t particular 
 about testifying, I m afeard it ll be a spell o time yet. It ll 
 come out. / should think the fellow d ha made tracks, 
 
324 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 fust thing ; but I aint heerd of any one s bein* missin from 
 town, except " 
 
 Mr. Simlins suddenly started, stopped, and gazed at 
 Faith with a most extraordinary expression. 
 
 "Did you look at my flowers, Mr. Simlins ?" said Faith 
 quite quietly, though without meeting his eye. 
 
 "I ve seen nosegays afore," growled Mr. Simlins in a 
 very uninterested manner. "I don t see as this is no more 
 nor less than a nosegay. Do you s pose I might go up and 
 see somebody up stairs for two minutes, without creating 
 any confusion ?" 
 
 Mr. Simlins went up and shortly afterwards went away. 
 But if Faith anticipated a good long lesson that afternoon, 
 to make up for the morning and afternoon in which she 
 had had none albeit the morning had been better than 
 lessons she was to be disappointed. Hardly was the din 
 ner over, and the muffins mixed which she was determined 
 should make amends for Mr. Linden s poor breakfast, when 
 Miss Harrison came; full of sorrow, and sympathy, and 
 hope. 
 
 "Faith don t look a bit the worse, ma am," she said to 
 Mrs. Derrick. 
 
 "She couldn t look anyway but just so," her mother 
 said with a fond glance. 
 
 " Why she could look pale, but I don t see that she does 
 even that; unless, perhaps, just such a tingy paleness as 
 is rather becoming than otherwise. Dear Mrs. Derrick, I 
 hope you have forgiven Julius ?" 
 
 It was a sorrowful smile that met her words, and eyes 
 that grew dim and looked away. 
 
 "I suppose I could forgive the whole world since he 
 didn t do any more harm," Mrs. Derrick said with her 
 wonted gentleness. "But I wouldn t see her go with him 
 again, Miss Sophy if that s what you call forgiveness." 
 
 "Why not? Dear Mrs. Derrick !" 
 
 "Why not?" said the good lady " why Faith s used 
 to being taken care of, Miss Sophy and I m used to see 
 ing it." 
 
 "My dear Mrs. Derrick-!" Miss Harrison exclaimed out 
 of breath, "do you think she was not taken care of? 
 Julius knows his horses, and he is a capital hand with 
 
SAT AND SEAL. 325 
 
 them ; he says himself he thinks he should have brought 
 them to, if that little wretch of a boy hadn t thrown op his 
 nat before their eyes. No horses would stand that, you 
 know. And the best man in the world, and the best driver, 
 can t be certain of his horses, Mrs. Derrick. Not take 
 care of her ! " 
 
 " I don t mean to say that he didn t mean to/ 7 said Mrs 
 Derrick quietly, " bat I don t think he knows how. You 
 needn t look so, Miss Sophy I m not saying a word 
 r your brother. But Faith s only part of the world 
 to him and she s the whole of it to me. He should have 
 taken horses he was sure of/ said Mrs. Derrick with a 
 little flush on her cheek. 
 
 "I don t know," said Miss Harrison softly, and looking 
 at Faith, "I don t know just what part of the world 
 she is to him bnt I think, and am very sure, he would 
 have thrown himself oat rather than her. Can anybody 
 do more? Can any man do more, Mrs. Derrick?" she 
 said smiling. " I know you are her mother ; and though 
 I am not her mother, I think of her just as you do." 
 
 "I can t say what any man can do," said Mrs. Derrick 
 pleasantly, "I havent tried many. And you can t tell 
 how I feel, Miss Sophy it isn t cross, if it sounds so. 
 How long has Dr. Harrison had those horses?" 
 
 Vv hy, not very long," said Miss Harrison, "he hasnt 
 been home long himself. But he s a good judge of horses, * 
 she said, a little less sure of her ground than in the former 
 part of the conversation. Perhaps she was not sorry to 
 have it interrupted. 
 
 "My dear Mrs. Derrick!" said Mr. Somers entering, 
 " I have come to congratulate you ! Miss Harrison, I see, 
 is before me in this pleasant a office. Miss Faith ! I 
 am glad to see you looking so well after your overthrow." 
 M r. Somers went round shaking hands as he spoke. " Mrs. 
 Somers will be here presently to join me she stopped a 
 few minutes by the way. Mrs. Somers always has more 
 business on hand than I can a keep up with. Mrs. 
 Derrick, I have rejoiced with you, indeed, ma am." 
 
 Somers had managed to keep up with her business 
 and him too, for she came in before Mr. Somers had wel! 
 taken the measure of bis chair. She walked up to Faith 
 
 VOL. i 28 
 
326 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 and kissed her, with a sort of glad energy, gave her a com 
 prehensive glance from head to foot, and then turned to 
 Mrs. Derrick with, 
 
 : : "There s nothing amiss with Jier, after all. Sophy, 
 what excuses have you brought in your bag ? it seems to 
 be full." 
 
 " I wish you d make some for Julius, aunt Ellen I can 
 see Mrs. Derrick has only half forgiven him." 
 
 "Has she got so far as that?" said Mrs. Somers. 
 
 "I don t know. Faith, you might come and say some 
 thing you know if it isn t true; and Mrs. Derrick will 
 hear you." 
 
 Faith was busy giving Mrs. Somers a chair, and cer 
 tainly looked as if she had nobody to forgive anything in 
 the wide world. 
 
 "What do you want me to say, Sophy?" 
 
 "Why, that Julius wasn t to blame." 
 
 "I find it is still a disputed point, whether a man has a 
 right to break his own neck," said Mrs. Somers. "I think 
 he hasn t, myself, but most people don t agree with me. 
 Mr. Somers thinks people may run away alone or together, 
 just as they ve a mind. I don t know whether it s the fees 
 or the freedom that takes his fancy." 
 
 . I suppose, my dear," said Mr. Somers, "a man may 
 lawfully set out to take a ride without intending, to break 
 his own neck, or anybody else s; and find it done at the 
 end, without blame to himself. I never was, I hope, a 
 promoter of ha! flighty marriages to which you seem 
 to allude." 
 
 "If he finds it done at the end, it isn t done very 
 thoroughly," said Mrs. Somers. "But Pattaquasset s grow 
 ing up into a novel last week furnished with a hero, and 
 this week with a heroine, the course of things can t run 
 smooth now. So we may all look out for breakers of 
 horses, I hope, among other things." 
 
 "Oh aunt Ellen!" was Miss Harrison s not gratified 
 comment on this speech. 
 
 " I hope Mrs. Somers don t mean that we are to look 
 out for breakers of hearts, among the other things," said 
 Mr. Somers. 
 
 "Look out for them? to be sure !" said Miss Harrison; 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 327 
 
 "always and everywhere. What would the world be with 
 out them ?" 
 
 "The world would not be heart-broken," said Mrs. 
 homers. "Faith which of you came to first ? who picked 
 you up?" 
 
 "I don t know, Mrs. Somers. Sam Stoutenburgh was 
 passing just at the time and Dr. Harrison called him I 
 don t know who picked me up." / 
 
 "Sam Stoutenburgh!" said Mrs. Somers, "well, he s 
 made, if nobody else is ! He ll bless Julius for the rest of 
 his life for giving him snch a chance. Do you know how 
 that boy watches you, Faith? I mean to speak to Mr. 
 Linden about it the very first time I see him." 
 
 Something in this speech called forth Faith s colour. 
 She had spoken Sam s name herself with the simplest un 
 changing face ; but now the flushes came and came abund 
 antly. 
 
 "I don t know what good that would do, Mrs. Somers." 
 
 "Nor I till I try," said the lady smiling at her. "But 
 if the mere suggestion is so powerful, what may not the 
 reality do ? I ll say one thing for Mr. Linden he makes 
 all those boys come into church and get seated before the 
 service begins which nobody else ever did yet; if they 
 ever tried. I was curious to see how it would be last Sun 
 day when he wasn t there but they were more punctual 
 than ever. It s quite a comfort if there s anything I do 
 hate to see, it s a troop of men and boys outside the door 
 when they ought to be in. What are you afraid he ll say 
 to Sam, Faith ?" 
 
 Faith s eyes were looking down. The question brought 
 them up, and then her smile was as frank as her blushes 
 had been. "I am not afraid he ll say anything, Mrs. 
 Somers." 
 
 "I don t know why he should, my dear," said Mr. Somers. 
 " We all like to use our eyes you can t very well blame a 
 boy." 
 
 "O Mr. Somers!" said his wife with that air which a 
 woman puts on when she says she believes, what she 
 wouldn t for the world say iy she believed, "of course you 
 think that ! Don t I know how you broke your heart after 
 a green veil when you were in college ? I don t think it i 
 
328 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 been right whole since. Now I have some feeling for Sam 
 or his future wife." 
 
 "Well Mrs. Derrick, what shall I tell Julius?" said Miss 
 Harrison as she rose to go. 
 
 "Tell him?" said Mrs. Derrick enquiringly. "He 
 wouldn t care to hear anything about me, if you did tell 
 him, Miss Sophy." 
 
 " Well ! he ll have to come and talk to you himself," 
 said Miss Harrison. "Faith, stand up for the right." 
 
 Faith went to the door with her and returned ushering 
 in a new-comer, even the wife of Farmer Davids. 
 
 " Husband wanted me to come and see how Mr. Linden 
 was," she said in meek explanation of her appearance. "He 
 would have come hisself, but he was forced to be in the 
 field, and he said he wisht I d come myself. How is he, 
 ma am?" 
 
 "I hope he s better," said Mrs. Derrick, giving her new 
 visiter a kind reception and a seat. "He don t get strong 
 very fast. How are you all at home, Mrs. Davids?" 
 
 "We re considerable comfortable, ma am," said Mrs. 
 Davids taking the chair in an unobtrusive spirit. "I am 
 happy to have the occasion to make your acquaintance 
 better. Husband would have come hisself, only he couldn t. 
 Mr. Linden don t get strong ?" 
 
 "Not very fast," said Mrs. Derrick. "I don t know just 
 when the doctor 11 let him go to school again, I suppose 
 you re anxious about Phil, Mrs. Davids. But all the boys 
 have to be out, now." 
 
 "Yes ma am, we re anxious and husband is anxious 
 about Mr. Linden, and he sent me to know. But there is 
 such a change in Phil, ma am," she said turning to Mrs. 
 Somers, "such a change, you wouldn t believe! he never 
 would go to school before not regular not for nobody 
 not for his father, nor for me ; and it was mor n my life 
 was worth. My husband, he said it was my fault; but I 
 don t know how twas ! And now sir, he don t want a 
 word spoke to him ! he s off before it s time in the morning 
 and he learns too, for I catch him at it ; and my hus 
 band don t think anything in the world is too good for Mr. 
 Linden ; nor of course, I s pose, I don t. But however he s 
 managed or overcome it, to make Phil draw in harness, 1 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 329 
 
 don t know, and husband says he don t. And ma am, was 
 those pears good ? or what does Mr. Linden like ? If it s 
 on the farm he ll get it." 
 
 It would have taken more conversational skill than Mrs. 
 Derrick possessed, to give a summary answer to all this ; 
 but her simplicity answered as well, after all. 
 
 "I guess he ll like what you ve been saying better than 
 anything, Mrs. Davids; I ll tell him." 
 
 "Do," said Mrs. Davids. "I wisht you would. Hus 
 band would have said it completer. He thinks ma am," 
 (turning to Mrs. Somers again) "that Mr. Linden is a won 
 derful man ! And I m of the opinion he s handsome." 
 
 Faith had been sitting, quiet and demure, for some time 
 past, hearing what was going on ; but this last sentence 
 drove her to the right about like lightning. She found 
 something to do in another part of the room. 
 
 "Did you ever hear anybody say he wasn t?" said Mrs. 
 Somers. "Mr. Somers, it s time we were going. Ah 
 there s Squire Stoutenburgh ! Faith come here !" 
 
 And Squire Stoutenburgh, appearing in the doorway 
 like the worthy father of his stout son, bowed to the com 
 pany. 
 
 "Well Mrs. Derrick "he said, "good day Mr. Somers 
 and Mrs. Somers! I beg pardon Well Miss Faith! 
 I m glad it is well, I m sure. My dear, how do you do?" 
 
 "Why very well, sir!" said Faith. 
 
 "Why so it is!" said Squire Stoutenburgh taking hold 
 of both her hands and looking at her. "Sam said you 
 were as pale as a ghost when he carried you down to the 
 spring but Sam don t always see straight when he s ex 
 cited. You needn t be frightened if I kiss you, my dear 
 you know I always do, and always have since you were a 
 year old," said the. Squire as he took his wonted privilege. 
 
 Faith gravely submitted, not letting the Squire however 
 get any further than her cheek ; which ought to have con 
 tented him. 
 
 " Sam was very good to me yesterday, sir," she answered. 
 
 " I think, Squire," said Mr. Somers, " your son was a . 
 in luck, as we say. A fortunate chance ! What most 
 people would have thought no a disagreeable office." 
 
 " Sam s a good boy " said his father, "a very good 
 28* 
 
330 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 boy always was. He does crow a little over Dr. Harrison, 
 I must say. But what shall we do with the doctor, Mr. 
 Somers ? what does he deserve for running away with our 
 Pattaquasset roses and turning them into meadow lilies ? 
 Yes, yes, Miss Faith you may look as pink as you please 
 now it won t help the matter. What shall we do with 
 him, sir ? My dear," said Squire Stoutenburgh seating 
 Faith by his side and dropping his voice, "you re growing 
 wonderfully like your father !" 
 
 A changed, sweet glance of Faith s eyes answered him. 
 
 "Yes I" the Squire repeated meditatively and looking 
 at her. "Ah he was a fine man ! 1 used to think he 
 couldn t be better but I s pose he is now. My dear, you 
 needn t wonder when I tell you that I thought more of your 
 mother last night than I did of you. But you don t remem 
 ber all about that. Well I shall go home and tell Mrs. 
 Stoutenburgh that you re as pretty as a posie, and then she 
 won t care what else is the matter," he said, getting up 
 again. " Mrs. Somers, I see the parson durstn t say a word 
 about Dr. Harrison before you." 
 
 " I I declare I don t think Dr. Harrison is very much 
 to be blamed, Squire," said the parson thus called upon. 
 "And Mrs. Somers is so well able to speak for herself I 
 have no doubt, Squire Stouteuburgh, if it wasn t for Mrs. 
 Somers, I dare say I might like to do as much as the doctor 
 did, myself !" 
 
 " Bless my life !" said Squire Stoutenburgh, " I can t stay 
 to be a party to confidences of that sort ! I must go 1 " 
 and he departed, laughing and followed by the two others. 
 
 But even as they went, Faith, who with her mother had 
 accompanied them to the door, was electrified somewhat 
 doubtfully at the vision of Miss Deacon just within the 
 gate. Miss Cecilia came forward, also with some doubt 
 upon her spirit, to judge by her air. But Faith s greeting 
 of her was so pleasant and kind, though she could not pre 
 vent its being grave, that the young lady evidently took 
 heart. Being reassured, she sat and talked at leisure, and 
 at length, using her eyes as well as her tongue ; thus making 
 herself mistress of all the truth she could get at, and of 
 some more. She was thorough in her investigations as to 
 all the drama of the last seven days, and all and each of the 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 331 
 
 nctors therein; and at the close of her visit declared that 
 " Sam had been a great fool to go away, and that she had 
 told him so before "; and departed at last with her head full 
 of Dr Harrison. 
 
 But detentions were not over. Miss Bezac came before 
 Miss Deacon was quit of the parlour; and before Miss 
 Bezac had been two minutes there, other members of the 
 Pattaquasset community came pouring in. Everybody 
 must see Faith, hear particulars, discuss realities and possi 
 bilities of the accident, and know how Mr. Linden was 
 getting along. The hours of the afternoon waned away; 
 but people came as people went; and it was not till long 
 shadows and slant sunbeams began to give note of supper 
 time, that the influx lessened and the friends gathered in 
 Mrs. Derrick s parlour began to drop away without others 
 stepping in to take their place. 
 
 "Faith," said her mother when they were at last alone, 
 "I can t bear this any longer! I shall go crazy if I hear 
 that story one other time to-night!" And she put her 
 arms round Faith, and leaned her head wearily on her 
 shoulder. " I ll sit up to tea," she went on presently, " and 
 then if the rest of the town comes, you ll have to see em 
 for I can t!" 
 
 Faith gently put her into a chair and holding her in her 
 arms stooped over her. " Mother" the words were as soft 
 as the kisses which came between, "you mustn t mind it 
 so much. Sit up to tea ! Why I have made some of the 
 best muffins that ever were seen." 
 
 "Child!" said her mother in a low voice, "I felt this 
 morning as if I had been as near death as you had !" and 
 if the words needed any emphasis, they had it in the way 
 Mrs. Derrick leaned her head against Faith and was silent. 
 But not for long. She got up, and kissing Faith two or 
 three times, said, " My pretty child !" in a tone that indeed 
 told of possible heartbreak; and then half holding her, 
 half held by her, drew her on into the tea-room. 
 
CHAPTER XXVII. 
 
 IT so happened that the first griddleful of muffins did not 
 do credit to their raising (or to their bringing up, 
 elegant reader !) therefore Mr. Linden s teatray waited for 
 the second. Of course the other tea waited too. Mrs. 
 Derrick walked out into the kitchen to see what was the 
 matter with the griddle ; Faith discovered that one spoon 
 on the tray looked dull, and went to the spoonbasket to 
 change it. Thus occupied, and giving little reprehensive 
 glances at the spoons generally, and mental admonitions to 
 Cindy, with the open closet door half screening her from 
 the rest of the room, she was startled not by the opening 
 of another door, but by these words, 
 
 "Miss Faith, shall I carry this tray upstairs?" 
 
 To this day it is uncertain what sort of a spoon Faith 
 brought back ! or indeed whether she brought any at all. 
 There was one flash of gladness in her cheek and her eye, 
 with the exclamation, "Mr. Linden!" then she came from 
 the closet just her old little self. 
 
 "Are you well enough to be down stairs, sir ?" 
 
 " In whose estimation, ma am ?" 
 
 "Because if you are, Mr. Linden," she said with a face 
 of laughing pleasure, "won t you please come into the 
 other room ?" 
 
 "I think not," he said, laughing a little too, if the ex 
 ertion of coming down had made him pale, the pleasure 
 partly concealed it. " I will take a chair here, if you please. 
 Ami alone, of all Pattaquasset, to be forbidden to pay my 
 respects to you to-night? Miss Faith, how do you do ?" 
 
 " I am very well. But Mr. Linden, if you will please 
 come into the other room, there is an easy chair there. 
 Please do ! this room is cold, for the fire got down while we 
 were seeing people." 
 
 She led the way as she spoke, without waiting for another 
 denial ; pushed the table and a great chair of state, or of 
 ease, in the sitting-room, into closer neighbourhood; and 
 (332) 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 333 
 
 renewed the brilliancy of the fire. Then lit up the lamp 
 and cleared books away from the table ; all done with quick 
 alacrity. 
 
 " That will do almost as well as the couch, won t it ? 
 she said; and then repeated in gentler tones her question, 
 "Are you well enough to be down, Mr. Linden ?" 
 
 " I don t know, Miss Faith ! I am well enough to want 
 to be down. How can you let the charms of society divert 
 your mind from your books for a whole afternoon? Have 
 you been so studious for the last few days only because you 
 had nothing else to do ?" 
 
 She laughed at the question, and went off, leaving Mr. 
 Linden in a region of comfort. More comfort came soon 
 in the shape of the teatray, borne by Cindy; then Mrs. 
 Derrick; and lastly Faith herself appeared bearing a plate 
 of the muffins, perfect this time, and delicate as they had 
 need to be for a delicate appetite. Mr. Linden was pres 
 ently served with one of these and a cup of smoking tea; 
 and Faith thought, and her look half said it, that being 
 down stairs would do him no harm. Certainly the surprise 
 and pleasure of such company to tea did Mrs. Derrick good, 
 whoever else missed it; though it is presumable no one 
 did. The pleasant signing of the wind round the house 
 and iu the chimney (it sighed alone for that evening) the 
 sparkling of the fire, the singing of the maple or hickory 
 sticks, the comfortable atmosphere of tea and muffins dif 
 fused, like the firelight, all through the room ; gave as fair 
 an assemblage of creature comforts as need be wished ; and 
 the atmosphere of talk was as bright, and savoury, and glow 
 ing too, in its way; though the way was quiet. Mr. Linden 
 amused himself (and Faith) by giving her little lessons in 
 the way she would have to talk in those French " noonspells" 
 she had in prospect : making Mrs. Derrick laugh with the 
 queer sounding words and sentences, and keeping Faith 
 interested to that point, that if he had not attended to her 
 tea as well, she would scarce have got any. 
 
 " I shall not be hard upon you at first," he said smiling, 
 " when I see you sitting in silent despair because you want 
 something at my end of the table, I will help you out with 
 a qne voulez-vous, mademoiselle? and perhaps with a 
 vouiez-vous ? this or that. But after a week or two, Miss 
 
334 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 Faith, if you go without any dinner, it will not move me in 
 the least." 
 
 Faith looked as if she would gladly forego her dinner to 
 escape the French asking for it, and yet not quite so neither. 
 But this ordeal was more terrible to her by far than all the 
 rest ; she could face them, indeed they had ceased to be 
 anything but pleasure or pleasure with a spice that en 
 hanced it ; but at this she trembled. To the above speech 
 or threat, she simply answered, 
 
 "I shall be so glad to see you come home to tea, Mr. 
 Linden I" 
 
 "And so glad to see me go away from dinner !" 
 
 "I didn t say that." 
 
 "You will " said Mr. Linden, "I can imagine you 
 falling back in your chair and exclaiming, Ah, quand 
 voulez-vous partir, monsieur ! which of course will make 
 it extremely difficult for me to remain a moment longer." 
 
 "I don t think you can imagine me doing it," said Faith 
 laughing. "I can t imagine. myself." 
 
 " That proves nothing. Only don t ever say to me, 
 Monsieur ! partez a 1 instant ! because " 
 
 "Because what, Mr. Linden?" said Faith seriously. 
 
 "Because we might disagree upon that point," he said 
 with rather a demure arch of his eyebrows. Faith s full 
 silver rang out, softly. 
 
 " You see !" she said. " It s beginning already. I don t 
 know in the least what you are talking about !" 
 
 "No you do not," was the laughing reply. "But Miss 
 Faith, if I am kept at home long enough, and society keeps 
 at home too, instead of coming between us and our 
 exercises, those conversations will seem less terrible by the 
 time they begin. I should certainly get you a pocket dic 
 tionary, but I prefer to be that myself. How far can you 
 ride on horseback at once ?" 
 
 " On horseback ?" said Faith, much as if those words had 
 been also French, or an algebraical puzzle. 
 
 "That was what I said." 
 
 " I know that was what you said I didn t know what 
 you meant, Mr. Linden. I have never been really on horse 
 back but a few times in my life then I rode a few miles 
 I don t know exactly how many." 
 
AND SEAL. 335 
 
 "I wonder people don t do it more" said Mrs. Derrick. 
 
 When I was a girl that was the common way of getting 
 , l out; and nobody ever got thrown, neither." 
 
 "Wouldn t that be the pleasantest way of getting to 
 Mattabeeset?" said Mr. Linden. 
 
 An illumination answered him first; then "Oh, yes I" 
 
 "I want you to see what is to be seen over there," he 
 said, "shall we go some day, if I get well enough before 
 cold weather?" 
 
 Faith s quiet words of agreeing to this proposal were 
 declared to be a sham by her eyes, cheeks, lips and brow, 
 every one of which was giving testimony after a different 
 fashion. 
 
 At this moment the door opened. It happened tha ; 
 Dr. Harrison had encountered Cindy at the hall door 
 where she was either loitering to catch snatches of indooi 
 conversation, or waiting to entrap Jem Waters. But there 
 she was, and being asked for Mr. Linden replied that he 
 was down stairs, and without more ceremony ushered the 
 doctor in ; and entering the whole view lay before him in 
 its freshness. Mrs. Derrick, complacent and comfortable, 
 sat behind the no-longer-wanted tea-tray, listening and 
 playing with a spoon. Faith s face, though considering 
 her unfinished muffin, was brilliant with rosy pleasure; 
 while the fire which she had for some time forgotten to 
 mend, lay in a state of powerful inaction, a mass of living 
 coals and smoking brands. In the glow of that stood the 
 easy chair, and therein Mr. Linden, although with the air 
 and attitude of one wanting both rest and strength, was 
 considering with rather unbent lips no less a subject than 
 One and Somewhat! further the doctor s eyes could 
 not read. The precise direction of those other eyes, was 
 shaded. The doctor came up and stood beside them. 
 
 "Did I order you to stay up stairs?" he said in soft, 
 measured syllables, without having spoken to anybody else. 
 
 "Good evening, doctor!" said Mr. Linden offering his 
 hand. "As I meet you half way, please excuse me for 
 keeping my seat." 
 
 From that hand, the doctor passed to Faith s; which 
 was taken and held, just enough to say all he wished *-o 
 * say; which, be it remarked in passing, was a good deal 
 
336 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "May I approach Mrs. Derrick?" said he then, turning 
 round to Mr. Linden, with a cool, funny, careless, yet good- 
 humoured, doubt upon his face. 
 
 "What is the present state of your nerves?" 
 
 "Depending upon your answer, of course! which the 
 ordinary rules of society forbid me to wait for. Madam ! . 
 are you in sufficient charity with me to give me a cup of 
 tea?" 
 
 "Yes, doctor if the tea s good enough, "said Mrs. Der 
 rick with her usual quietness. "And if it isn t I ll have 
 some more." So saying she got up and went towards the 
 kitchen to call Cindy. The doctor skilfully intercepted this 
 movement, placing himself in her way. 
 
 "May I ask, where you are going ?" he said with a sort 
 of gentle kindliness he did not always put on. 
 
 " Why to get some tea that s fit to give you, doctor. I 
 don t think this is." 
 
 " Will you give me something else ?" 
 
 "I ll give you that first," said Mrs. Derrick "I ll see 
 about the rest." And passing out into the kitchen she 
 gave her orders about the teapot, and a quiet little injunc 
 tion to Faith to go in and sit down. 
 
 "Mother, you re tired," said Faith. "Let me see about 
 the tea !" 
 
 "I guess I will !" said Mrs. Derrick. "I m not going to 
 have the house stand up on one end just because Dr. Har 
 rison wants his tea. You go off, pretty child, if you stay 
 here he ll think you re baking muffins for him, and I don t 
 choose he should." 
 
 "Why I would do it, mother," said Faith. She went 
 off, however, into the other room and sat down gravely, 
 quite the other side of the fireplace from the tea-table. 
 Dr. Harrison was standing on the rug with his back to 
 the fire, and followed her with his eye. 
 
 "How do you do ?" he said in a softened voice, stepping 
 a step nearer to her. She looked up and gave him a 
 frank and kind "very well!" 
 
 Was it altogether professional, the way in which he took 
 up her hand and held it an instant ? 
 
 "Cool, and quiet," he said. "It s all right. I didn t 
 frighten you out of your wits yesterday ?" 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 337 
 
 The "no, sir," was in a different tone. 
 
 "Do you suppose," he said, "that your mother will ever 
 bear the sight of me again ?" 
 
 "Why I hope so, sir," said Faith smiling. 
 
 "I don t know 1" he said. "I wonder if I have been so 
 much more wicked than I knew of? I don t think I have. 
 I couldn t have punished myself any more." 
 
 Mrs. Derrick came in, followed by teapot and muffins, 
 and having with her usual politeness requested, the doctor 
 to take a seat at the table, she proceeded to pour him out 
 a cup of tea, nor even stinted him in sugar. 
 
 "If I stay at home according to your orders," said Mr. 
 Linden, "I shall have all the trustees after me." 
 
 "You aren t just the person they ought to be after," 
 said the doctor. "Mrs. Derrick, I don t know why we 
 never have any tiling at our house so good as this." The 
 doctor was discussing a buttered muffin with satisfaction 
 that was evidently unfeigned. 
 
 Mrs. Derrick knew why but she wouldn t tell him, 
 though exulting in her own knowledge. A low knock at 
 the parlour door announced Reuben Taylor. 
 
 "I beg your pardon, Mrs. Derrick " he said, "but I 
 went" 
 
 "I am here, Reuben," said Mr. Linden. 
 
 The boy stayed not for more compliments then, but pass 
 ing the ladies and the doctor with a collective bow, and 
 "good evening, Miss Faith," went round with a quick step 
 and a glad face to Mr. Linden. And kneeling down by 
 him, with one hand on his shoulder, gave him the post 
 despatches, and asked and answered questions not very 
 loud but very earnestly. That was a phasis of Reuben 
 Dr. Harrison had not seen before. He took good and 
 broad note of it, though nothing interrupted the doctor s 
 muffin or muffins, for they were plural. Neither did he 
 interrupt anything that was going on. 
 
 "Are you better, sir? are you really well enough to be 
 down stairs?" Dr. Harrison would hardly have knowr 
 the voice. And the answering tone was of the gentlest 
 and kindest, though the words failed to reach the doctor s 
 ears. Some directions, or commissions, apparently, Mr. 
 Linden gave for a few minutes, and then Reuben rose to 
 
 VOL. i. 29 
 
338 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 his feet with a long breath that spoke a mind very much 
 relieved. He paused for a moment on his way out, oppo 
 site Faith, as if he wanted a word in that quarter; but 
 perhaps the doctor s presence forbade, for all the congratu 
 lation that Reuben gave her was in his face and bow. 
 That did not satisfy Faith if it did him. She jumped up 
 anfl gave him her hand, almost affectionately. 
 
 "You see I am safe and well, Reuben." 
 
 "I am so thankful, Miss Faith!" And the words said 
 not half. 
 
 The doctor had finished his muffins and was standing 
 before the fire again. "Have you found out yet, my man," 
 he said in a somewhat amused voice, "whose friend you 
 are?" 
 
 The words jarred and the colour .on Reuben s face was 
 of a different tint from that which had answered Faith. 
 It was with his usual reserved manner, though nothing 
 could be more civil, that he said, " No sir no more than I 
 knew before." But the respect was from Reuben as a boy 
 to Dr. Harrison as a man. Faith s eye glanced from one 
 to the other, and then she said, "What .do you mean, Dr. 
 Harrison ?" 
 
 "Only a play of words," said the doctor lightly. "This 
 young fellow is very cautious of making professions as I 
 have found." 
 
 "He has no need, sir," said Faith. She quitted as she 
 spoke, the boy s hand which she had held until then, and 
 came back to . her seat. The words were spoken quietly 
 enough and with as gentle a face, and yet with somewhat 
 in the manner of both that met and fully answered all the 
 bearing of the doctor s. 
 
 "You need not wait, Reuben," said his teacher "I shall 
 see you again by and by." 
 
 " Who is that ?" said the doctor as Reuben went out. 
 
 "One of my body-guard," said Mr. Linden, with lips 
 not yet at rest from their amused look. 
 
 "Are you waited upon by a Fehm-gericht ? or may the 
 members be known by the uninitiated?" 
 
 "I beg pardon !" said Mr. Linden, "but as you seemed 
 to know him, and as you really did know his name a week 
 ago That is Reuben Taylor, Dr. Harrison." 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 339 
 
 " So do I beg pardon 1 His name I do know, of course 
 as I have had occasion; but the essence of my enquiry 
 remains in its integrity. Him I do not know. Where 
 and to whom does he belong?" 
 
 " lie is one of those of whom we spoke this morning," 
 said Mr. Linden. "True servant of God is his title to 
 Him does Reuben belong. His home here is a little hut on 
 the outskirts of Pattaquasset, his father a poor fisherman." 
 
 There was a minute s silence, all round. 
 
 "May I ask for a little enlightening, Miss Derrick?" 
 said the doctor. "What do you mean, if you will be so 
 good as to let me know, by a person who does not need 
 to make professions." 
 
 Faith hesitated. 
 
 " Will you please say first, Dr. Harrison, just what you 
 mean by professions? " she said somewhat timidly. 
 
 "I shall shelter myself under your meaning," said he 
 looking at her. "Fact is, I am not good at definitions I 
 don t half the time know what I m saying myself." 
 
 Faith cast an involuntary glance for help towards Mr. 
 Linden; but getting none she came back to the doctor 
 and the question, blushing a good deal. 
 
 "I think," she said, "professions are telling people what 
 you wish them to believe of you." 
 
 The doctor looked comical, also threw a glance in the 
 direction of Mr. Linden, but put his next question seriously. 
 
 " Why do you say this Reuben Taylor does not need to 
 make professions? according to this definition." 
 
 "Because those who know him know what he is, with 
 out them." 
 
 "But do you mean that there is no use in making pro 
 fessions ? How are you to know what a man is ?" 
 
 "Unless he tells you?" said Faith smiling. 
 
 The doctor stood, half smiling; evidently revolving more 
 thoughts than of one kind. With a face from which every 
 shadow was banished he suddenly took a seat by Mrs. Der 
 rick. 
 
 "Do you know," he said with gentle pleasantness of 
 manner and expression, "how much better man I should 
 be if I should come here and get only one definition a day 
 from your little daughter ?" 
 
 
340 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "What one has she given you now?" said Mrs. Derrick, 
 whose mind evidently stood in abeyance upon this speech. 
 
 "One you didn t hear, uia am. It was a definition of 
 me, to myself. It isn t the first," said the doctor gravely. 
 "Mrs. Derrick, are you friends with me ?" 
 
 "As much as I ever was," said Mrs. Derrick, smilingly. 
 "I always thought you wanted putting in order." 
 
 "How did you know that?" 
 
 "Why, because you were out of order," said Mrs. Der 
 rick, knitting away. The doctor uttered the lowest of 
 whistles and looked down at his boot. 
 
 " It s because of that unlucky dog !" he muttered. " Lin 
 den " (glancing up from under his eyebrows) "when I 
 was a boy, I set my dog on Miss Faith s cat." 
 
 "Felt yourself called upon to uphold natural antipa 
 thies" 
 
 "Miss Faith, have you a cat now?" said the doctor 
 looking over to her. 
 
 "No, sir." 
 
 "And I have no dog I", said the doctor. "I have only 
 horses. If I could manage to do without animals alto 
 gether, Mrs. Derrick, have you forgiven me ?" This last 
 was in a changed tone. 
 
 "I don t want to talk about it, doctor," said Mrs. Der 
 rick very soberly. 
 
 "About forgiving me?" he said as soberly. 
 
 "Arid I don t mean to." 
 
 "Nor I," said the doctor quietly; but you are going to 
 inflict more punishment on me than I deserve." 
 
 "What am I going to do ?" said Mrs. Derrick. "If 
 you know, I don t." 
 
 "Refuse to give me your hand, perhaps." 
 
 "I never did that to anybody, yet," she said pleasantly. 
 
 " Then you must let me do as we do in another country." 
 
 He bent his face to her hand as he spoke, and kissed it. 
 There was no mockery in the action. Done by some peo 
 ple it would have been ridiculous. By Dr. Harrison, in 
 the circumstances, it was in the highest degree graceful. 
 It spoke sympathy, penitence, respect, manly confession, 
 and submission, too simply not to be what it certainly was 
 in some measure, a true expression of feeling. Mrs. Der- 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 341 
 
 rick on her part looked amused, her old recollections of 
 the boy constantly tinged her impressions of the man ; and 
 perhaps not without reason. 
 
 "You re as like yourself as ever you can be, doctor!" 
 she said, smiling at him. "How you used to try to get 
 round me !" 
 
 "I don t remember!" said the doctor. "I am sure I 
 never succeeded, Mrs. Derrick ?" 
 
 "I m afraid you did, sometimes," she said, shaking her 
 head. He smiled a little, and turned the other way. 
 
 "Linden, I ve been considering the German question." 
 
 "Will it please you to state the result?" 
 
 "This!" said the doctor. "I have come to the conclu 
 sion, that in order to be One and Somewhat, it is neces 
 sary to begin by being Nought and All Thus ranging 
 myself -in security on both sides of a great abyss of meta 
 physics. What do you think ? Unphilosophical?" 
 
 "Unsafe " said Mr. Linden. "And impossible." 
 
 " Humph ?" said the doctor. " Nothing is impossible 
 in metaphysics because you may be on both sides of an 
 abyss, and in the bottom of it! at once and without 
 knowing where you are. The angel that rode Milton s 
 sunbeam, you know, was no time at all going from heaven 
 to earth; and I suppose he went the other way as quick." 
 
 "I don t see the abyss in that case," said Mr. Linden 
 "but 
 
 Uriel to his charge 
 
 Returned on that bright beam 
 
 so probably he did." 
 
 "Yes" said the doctor. "And my meaning skipped the 
 abyss, also on a sunbeam. It referred to the unsubstan 
 tial means of travelling in use among metaphysicians." 
 
 "And among angels." 
 
 "That reminds me," said the doctor. And quitting his 
 stand on the rug, which he had taken again, he went over 
 to Faith and sat down by her. 
 
 "Is the Nightingale flourishing on her rose-bush to 
 day ?" 
 
 "What, sir?" said Faith, her eyes opening at him a 
 little. 
 
 "I beg pardon!" said the doctor. "I have been living 
 29* 
 
342 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 in a part of the world, Miss Derrick, where it is the fash 
 ion to call things not by their right names. I have got a 
 foolish habit of it. Do you feel quite recovered ?" 
 
 "Quite. I m a little tired to-night, perhaps." 
 
 "I see you are, and I ll not detain you. Mrs. Ousters 
 wants to see you again." He had dropped all banter, and 
 was speaking to her quietly, respectfully, kindly, as he 
 should speak ; in a lowered tone, but not so low as to be 
 unheard by others than her. 
 
 "I will try to see her again soon I will try to go very 
 soon," she answered. 
 
 " Would you be afraid to go with my father s old stand- 
 bys ? they are safe 1" 
 
 " I cannot do that, Dr. Harrison but I will try to see 
 her soon." 
 
 "Can you go without riding ?" 
 
 "No," she said smiling; "but I must find some other 
 way." 
 
 "I won t press that point," said the doctor. "I can t 
 blame you. I must bear that. But I want for my own 
 sake to have the honour of a little talk with you I want 
 to explain to you one or two things. Shall you be at lei 
 sure to-morrow afternoon ?" 
 
 " I am hardly at leisure any time, Dr. Harrison. I do 
 not suppose I shall be particularly busy then." 
 
 " Then will you take that time for a walk ?" 
 
 Faith hesitated. "I have very little time, sir." 
 
 "But you take time to go out?" 
 
 "Not much." 
 
 " I will not ask much. A little will do ; and so much 
 you owe to skyey influences. You will not refuse me 
 that?" 
 
 "I will go, Dr. Harrison," Faith answered after an in 
 stant a little soberly. He rose up then; proposed to 
 attend upon Mr. Linden, and they went up stairs to 
 gether. 
 

 CHAPTER XXVIII. 
 
 T^AITH was half ready to wish the next day might be 
 _T rainy; but it rose fair and bright. She must go to 
 walk, probably ; and visiters might come. The only thing 
 to be done was to despatch her ordinary duties as quick as 
 possible, prepare her French exercise, and go to her teacher 
 early. Which she did. 
 
 She came in with a face as bright as the day, although a 
 little less ready to look in everybody s eyes. There were 
 enough things ready for her. Lessons were pressed rather 
 more steadily than usual, perhaps because they had been 
 neglected a little for the last two days or hindered ; and 
 it was not till one book and another had done its work, till 
 the exercise was copied and various figure puzzles disposed 
 of, that Mr. Linden told her he thought a talking exercise 
 ought to come next, if she had one ready he should like 
 to have the benefit of it. 
 
 "You are tired, Mr. Linden!" said Faith quickly. 
 
 "You may begin by giving me the grounds of that con 
 clusion." 
 
 "I don t know," she said half laughing, "I don t see it; 
 but that don t make me know. I was afraid you were tired 
 with this work." 
 
 "Very unsafe, Miss Faith, to build up such a superstruc 
 ture upon grounds that you neither see nor know. I was 
 immediately beginning to question the style of my own ex 
 planations this morning." 
 
 "Why, sir?" 
 
 "If I seem tired, said explanations may have seemed 
 tiresome " 
 
 She looked silently, with a smile, as if questioning the 
 possibility of his thinking so ; and her answer did not go 
 to that point. 
 
 "You didn t seem tired, Mr. Linden I had no reason 
 for thinking so, I suppose. I was only afraid. I was 
 going to ask you what Dr. Harrison meant last night by 
 
 (343) 
 
344 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 the angel riding upon a sunbeam ? I saw you knew what 
 he meant." 
 
 Mr. Linden got up and went for a book then came 
 back to his couch again. 
 
 "Precisely what Dr. Harrison meant, Miss Faith, I 
 should not like to say. What he referred to, was a part 
 of Paradise Lost, where the angels set to guard the earth 
 have a messenger. 
 
 " Thither came Uriel, gliding through the even 
 On a sunbeam, swift as a shooting star. " 
 
 "Who is Uriel? an angel?" 
 "Yes. He is called, 
 
 " The archangel Uriel, one of the seven 
 
 Who in God s presence, nearest to his throne, 
 
 Stand ready at his command, and are his eyes. 
 
 That run through all the heavens, or down to the earth, 
 
 Bear his swift errands over moist and dry, 
 
 O er sea and land. " 
 
 Faith listened, evidently with a pleased ear. 
 
 "But I suppose the angel could come as well without 
 the sunbeam as with it?" 
 
 "I suppose so !" he said smiling. "In my belief, angels 
 go where the sunbeams do not. But Milton chose to name 
 Uriel as the special regent of the sun, and so passing to and 
 fro on its rays." 
 
 "What do you mean by regent/ Mr. Linden?" 
 
 "A regent is one appointed to rule in place of the king." 
 
 "But that don t seem to me true, Mr. Linden," said 
 Faith after a little meditation. 
 
 "What, and why?" 
 . Faith blushed at finding herself in for it, but went on. 
 
 "I don t suppose the sun wants anybody to rule it or to 
 take care of it, under its Maker ?" 
 
 "Yet it may please him to have guardian spirits there as 
 well as here, about that we know not. In the Revela 
 tion, you know, an angel is spoken of as standing in the 
 sun, -and from that Milton took his idea. Part of the de 
 scription is very beautiful, at least ; 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 345 
 
 * So spake the false dissembler unperceived ; 
 For neither man nor angel can discern 
 Hypocrisy, the only evil that -walks 
 Invisible, except to God alone, 
 By his permissive will, through heaven and earth. 
 And oft though wisdom wake, suspicion sleeps 
 At wisdom s gate, and to simplicity 
 Resigns her charge, while goodness thinks no ill, 
 Where no ill seems: which now for once beguiled 
 Uriel, though regent of the sun, and held 
 The sharpest sighted spirit of all in heaven. " 
 
 "Who is the person spoken of in the first line, Mr. 
 Linden ?" 
 
 " Satan applying to Uriel for guidance to the new created 
 earth and its inhabitants, on the same plea that Herod 
 presented to the wise men." 
 
 "But that s a story?" said Faith. 
 
 "Yes. The Bible only tells the work done by him after 
 he got here. " 
 
 " Mr. Linden, will you read that over onc6 more for me." 
 
 She listened with a face of absorbed intentness while it 
 was read ; then looked away from the book with an uncon 
 scious, but very audible sigh. 
 
 "Well?" Mr. Linden said, smiling as he looked at her. 
 
 "I like it very much 1" was Faith s answer. 
 
 " Is that what made you sigh ?" 
 
 "Sigh !" she said starting a little and colouring. "No, 
 I didn t mean to sigh." 
 
 "The fact is more than the intention. Whence came 
 that?" 
 
 " It was only Please don t ask me, Mr. Linden. I can t 
 tell you." 
 
 He made no answer to that, but turning over the leaves 
 read to her here and there without much comment, then 
 asked her if she was tired of hearing about angels. 
 
 "I think I should never be tired I" said Faith. "But 
 you must be, Mr. Linden. Please," she said putting her 
 hand gently on the book, "don t read for me any more. 
 Is all the book like that?" 
 
 " Not quite all I have given you some bits that I par 
 ticularly like, but there is much more. You need not be 
 uneasy about my being tired," he said smiling; "if I were, 
 
346 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 by your own shewing I can have rest. However, Miss 
 Faith lessons being the order of the day will you read 
 French to me ?" 
 
 In her reading, Faith came to the description of the 
 philosopher s perplexity in finding that the birds would not 
 pick up the crumbs he threw to them on the roof as usual. 
 He concluded the feathered things were not more reason 
 able than mankind, and had taken fright for nothing. 
 
 "J allais fermer ma fenetre sur cette reflection, quand 
 j ape^ois tout a coup, dans 1 espace lumineux qui s etend 
 a droite, 1 ombre de deux oreilles qui se dressent, puis une 
 griffe qui s avance, puis la tete d un chat tigre qui se montre 
 a 1 angle de la gouttiere. Le drole e tait la en ambuscade, 
 espe rant que les aniettes lui ameneraient du gibier. 
 
 "Et moi qui accusais la couardise de mes hotesl J etais 
 sur qu aucun danger ne les mena9ait ! je croyais avoir bien 
 regarde partout ! je n avais oublie que le coin derriere moi ! 
 
 " Dans la vie comme sur les toits, que de malheurs arrivent 
 pour avoir oufrlie un seul coin 1" 
 
 Faith closed the book then, very much amused with the 
 philosopher s "chat tigre ." 
 
 "But often one can t see round the corner," she re 
 marked. 
 
 A little gesture of lips and brow, half asserted that if 
 one could not, one could : but Mr. Linden only said, 
 
 " Most true ! Miss Faith. Nevertheless, the knowledge 
 that there are corners is not to be despised." 
 
 "I don t know. I shouldn t like to live always in fear 
 of seeing the shadow of a cat s ears come in." 
 
 " Have you quite outgrown the love of cats ?" said Mr. 
 Linden smiling. 
 
 "No, but I was talking of the fear of corners," she said 
 with an answering smile. "I don t think I want to re 
 member the corners, Mr. Linden." 
 
 " I don t think I want you should. Philosophers and birds, 
 you know, go through the world on different principles." 
 
 She laughed a little at that, gave the hearth a parting 
 brush, and went off to dinner. 
 
 Business claimed its place after dinner, business of a 
 less pleasant kind, quite up to the time when Faith must 
 put on her bonnet to walk with Dr. Harrison. 
 
SAY AND SEAL 347 
 
 Faith had no great mind to the walk, but she couldn t 
 help finding it pleasant. The open air was very sweet and 
 bracing; the exercise was inspiriting, and the threatened 
 talk went well with both. There was nothing whatever 
 formidable about it; the words and thoughts seemed to 
 play, like the sunlight, on anything that came in their way. 
 Dr. Harrison knew how to make a walk or a talk pleasant, 
 even to Faith, it seemed. Whatever she had at any time 
 seen in him that she did not like, was out of sight; plea 
 sant, gentle, intelligent, grave, he was constantly supplying 
 ear and mind with words and things that were worth the 
 having. Probably he had discovered her eager thirst for 
 knowledge ; for he furnished her daintily with bits of many 
 a kind, from his own stores which were large. She did 
 not know there was any design in this; she knew only that 
 the steps were taken very easily in that walk. So pleasant 
 it was that Faith was in no haste to turn, in no mood to 
 quicken her pace. But something else was on her mind, 
 and must come out. 
 
 "Dr. Harrison," she said when they were in a quiet 
 part of the way, with nobody near, " may I speak to you 
 about something ? that perhaps you won t like ?" 
 
 "You can speak of nothing I should not like to hear," 
 he said with gentle assurance. 
 
 " Dr. Harrison " said Faith, speaking as if the recollec 
 tion touched her, "when you and I were thrown out in 
 that meadow the other day and came so near losing our 
 lives if the almost had been quite, if we had both been 
 killed, I should have been safe and well, I believe. How 
 would it have been with you ? ; 
 
 Dr. Harrison looked at her. 
 
 "If I had gone in your company," he said, "I think it 
 would hardly have been ill with me." 
 
 "Do you know so little as that?" she said, in such a 
 tone of sorrow and pity as might have suited one of the 
 ministering spirits she had been likened to. 
 
 "I don t think I am as good as you are, "the doctor said 
 with a face not unmoved. 
 
 "Good !" said Faith. "What do you mean by goodness, 
 Dr. Harrison ?" 
 
 "I shall have the worst of it if I try to go into defini 
 
350 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 Soraers said good evening and walked on. Faith thought 
 that was the end, as they were near her own door. But 
 Dr. Harrison followed her in; and entering the sitting- 
 room, Faith found that her meetings were not over. There 
 was no less a person than Mrs. Stoutenburgh, and there 
 also, regaling her eyes and ears, were Mrs. Derrick and 
 Mr. Linden. 
 
 Mrs. Stoutenburgh was a fair, pretty, curly-haired woman, 
 a good deal younger than the Squire, intensely devoted to 
 her own family, and very partial to Mr. Linden whom she 
 had taken under her wing (figuratively) from his first coming 
 to Pattaquasset. The first sound Faith heard as she 
 opened the door was Mrs. Stoutenburgh s merry laugh at 
 some remark of his then the lady jumped up and came 
 towards her. 
 
 " My dear Faith, how do you do ? Dr. Harrison I half 
 said I would never speak to you again ! Faith, how can 
 you trust yourself with him for one minute ?" 
 
 " Mrs. Stoutenburgh," said the doctor, "I half thought 
 I would shoot myself!" 
 
 "I guess that s as near as you ll come to it, on purpose," 
 said Mrs. Stoutenburgh. " You needn t think I shall forget 
 it whenever I want Faith to come and see me I shall tell 
 Mr. Linden to bring her. He s safe or supposed to be," 
 she added laughingly. 
 
 "I hope that s as near to it as I shall ever come on pur 
 pose, or otherwise, Mrs. Stoutenburgh!" said the doctor. 
 "I think you should judge me safer than Mr. Linden, as 
 appearances go." 
 
 "Squire Deacon used to tell very hard stories of him 
 when he first came," said the lady "and I have heard a 
 report or two since. I do love to talk to him about it 1 
 he always looks so grave, I think he likes it." 
 
 The laugh was mutual, whether the delight was or no. 
 
 "Who is Squire Deacon ?" said the doctor. "I should 
 like to make his acquaintance." 
 
 Faith took off her bonnet, and then pulled off her gloves, 
 deliberately, and bestowed them on the table. 
 
 "O he s a Pattaquasseter," said Mrs. Stoutenburgh 
 haven t you seen his sister ? She admires you more than 
 I think she need," she added mischievously. "But the 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 351 
 
 Squire s been away for awhile, he just got home this after 
 noon." 
 
 Faith had recourse to the fire. The doctor came round, 
 took the tongs from her and did the work ; after which he 
 took a somewhat succinct leave of the assembly. 
 
 "By the way, Linden," he said pausing by his chair a 
 moment, I expect to be in Quilipeak for a few days J 
 am very sorry, but I must. You won t want me, I think. 
 Limbre can do all that is necessary. I shall see you Mon 
 day or Tuesday again." 
 
 "Doctor !" said Mrs. Stoutenburgh "I want you to take 
 me home. Mr. Stoutenburgh always makes such a fuss if 
 I m out after dark and don t bring anybody home to tea, 
 that I never dare do it." 
 
 "Will you trust yourself with me, Mrs. Stoutenburgh?" 
 said the doctor standing in comical doubt. 
 
 " Just wait a minute," said Mrs. Stoutenburgh, as she 
 went round with her pretty, free, womanly manner, and laid 
 her hand on Mr. Linden s forehead and hands, just as if he 
 had been one of her own boys. "I tell you what I don t 
 think you cure him up half fast enough among you. If I 
 had him up at my house I d take better care of him." 
 
 " No, Mrs. Stoutenburgh, even you could not do that," he 
 said looking up at her. She stood still a moment. 
 
 "You shouldn t look at me so," she said, "I shall go 
 home and feel real bad for all the nonsense I ve been talking. 
 You know," she added, with the mischievous look coming 
 back, " I never did believe one word of it except " and 
 the sentence was finished softly. " Now I m ready, doctor 
 Faith, I had a message for you, but Mr. Linden will tell 
 you. Good-bye. . No, doctor I m not going to trust 
 myself with you, you re going to trust yourself with 
 me." 
 
 Dr. Harrison was for once quiet, and went off without a 
 repartee. 
 
 Other eyes looked with a different anxiety at Mr. Linden 
 then, and another voice, more grave as well as more timid, 
 asked, at his side, "Are you not so well to-night, Mr. Lin 
 den ?" 
 
 He smiled, and gave her his hand by way of answer, 
 before he spoke. 
 
350 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 Soraers said good evening and walked on. Faith thonght 
 that was the end, as they were near her own door. But 
 Dr. Harrison followed her in; and entering the sitting- 
 room, Faith found that her meetings were not over. There 
 was no less a person than Mrs. Stoutenburgh, and there 
 also, regaling her eyes and ears, were Mrs. Derrick and 
 Mr. Linden. 
 
 Mrs. Stoutenburgh was a fair, pretty, curly-haired woman, 
 a good deal younger than the Squire, intensely devoted to 
 her own family, and very partial to Mr. Linden whom she 
 had taken under her wing (figuratively) from his first coming 
 to Pattaquasset. The first sound Faith heard as she 
 opened the door was Mrs. Stoutenburgh s merry laugh at 
 some remark of his then the lady jumped up and came 
 towards her. 
 
 " My dear Faith, how do you do ? Dr. Harrison I half 
 said I would never speak to you again ! Faith, how can 
 you trust yourself with him for one minute ?" 
 
 " Mrs. Stoutenburgh," said the doctor, "I half thought 
 I would shoot myself!" 
 
 "I guess that s as near as you ll come to it, on purpose," 
 said Mrs. Stoutenburgh. " You needn t think I shall forget 
 it whenever I want Faith to come and see me I shall tell 
 Mr. Linden to bring her. He s safe or supposed to be," 
 she added laughingly. 
 
 "I hope that s as near to it as I shall ever come on pur 
 pose, or otherwise, Mrs. Stoutenburgh!" said the doctor. 
 "I think you should judge me safer than Mr. Linden, as 
 appearances go." 
 
 "Squire Deacon used to tell very hard stories of him 
 when he first came," said the lady "and I have heard a 
 report or two since. I do love to talk to him about it I 
 he always looks so grave, I think he likes it." 
 
 The laugh was mutual, whether the delight was or no. 
 
 "Who is Squire Deacon ?" said the doctor. "I should 
 like to make his acquaintance." 
 
 Faith took off her bonnet, and then pulled off her gloves, 
 deliberately, and bestowed them on the table. 
 
 "0 he s a Pattaquasseter," said Mrs. Stoutenburgh 
 1 haven t you seen his sister ? She admires you more than 
 I think she need," she added mischievously. "But the 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 351 
 
 Squire s been away for awhile, he just got home this after 
 noon." 
 
 Faith had recourse to the fire. The doctor came round, 
 took the tongs from her and did the work ; after which he 
 took a somewhat succinct leave of the assembly. 
 
 "By the way, Linden," he said pausing by his chair a 
 moment, I expect to be in Quilipeak for a few days .1 
 am very sorry, but I must. You won t want me, I think. 
 Limbre can do all that is necessary. I shall see you Mon 
 day or Tuesday again." 
 
 " Doctor !" said Mrs. Stoutenburgh " I want you to take 
 me home. Mr. Stoutenburgh always makes such a fuss if 
 I m out after dark and don t bring anybody home to tea, 
 that I never dare do it." 
 
 " Will you trust yourself with me, Mrs. Stoutenburgh ?" 
 said the doctor standing in comical doubt. 
 
 " Just wait a minute," said Mrs. Stoutenburgh, as she 
 went round with her pretty, free, womanly manner, and laid 
 her hand on Mr. Linden s forehead and hands, just as if he 
 had been one of her own boys. "I tell you what I don t 
 think you cure him up half fast enough among you. If I 
 had him up at my house I d take better care of him." 
 
 " No, Mrs. Stoutenburgh, even you could not do that," he 
 said looking up at her. She stood still a moment. 
 
 "You shouldn t look at me so," she said, "I shall go 
 home and feel real bad for all the nonsense I ve been talking. 
 You know," she added, with the mischievous look. coming 
 back, " I never did believe one word of it except " and 
 the sentence was finished softly. " Now I m ready, doctor 
 Faith, I had a message for you, but Mr. Linden will tell 
 you. Good-bye. . No, doctor I m not going to trust 
 myself with you, you re going to trust yourself with 
 me." 
 
 Dr. Harrison was for once quiet, and went off without a 
 repartee. 
 
 Other eyes looked with a different anxiety at Mr. Linden 
 then, and another voice, more grave as well as more timid, 
 asked, at his side, "Are you not so well to-night, Mr. Lin 
 den ?" 
 
 lie smiled, and gave her his hand by way of answer, 
 before he spoke. 
 
352 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 " I think I am, Miss Faith you know Mrs. Stoutenburgh 
 has not seen me before since I was quite well." 
 
 She brought both hands to test the feeling of his, for an 
 instant, without speaking. 
 
 "Mr. Linden, I heard what Dr. Harrison said Don t 
 you think I can do instead of Dr. Limbre ?" 
 
 "Yes, Miss Faith; if you will be so good," he answered 
 without hesitation and with the simplest tone and manner. 
 Her brow lightened immediately ; and happy and quiet as 
 usual, and that was very happy, she began to make her 
 preparations for tea, clearing the table and rolling it to its 
 last night s position. In which last operation she had as 
 sistance. Then she went off for her tea and the lamp 
 and the fire-light shone again presently on the pleasant 
 scene of last night 
 
 "Don t you want to hear your message, Miss Faith ?" 
 Mr. Linden said. 
 
 " Yes, but I wasn t in a hurry, Mr. Linden. I supposed 
 it would come." 
 
 "It is in three parts. The first is nothing new; being 
 merely that the birthday" of the young heir of the house of 
 Stoutenburgh occurs on the 29th of November. Whether 
 the second part is new, I being a stranger cannot tell ; 
 but the day is to be graced with various suitable festivities." 
 
 " It s all new to me," said Faith laughing. 
 
 "Of the novelty of the third part you also must judge," 
 said Mr. Linden with a smile. "The aforesaid young heir 
 will consider the festivities entirely incomplete without your 
 presence nay, will perhaps refuse to have his birthday 
 come at all, and wish that these happy returns had never 
 had a beginning." 
 
 Faith s laugh came with its full merry roll now, and she 
 withal coloured a little. 
 
 "What must I do then, Mr. Linden?" 
 
 " I generally incline to the merciful side, Miss Faith I 
 believe I should advise you to go. Then I, not having 
 such power in my hands, may not appreciate its fascinations." 
 
 " Such power ? As what, Mr. Linden ?" 
 
 I ought in conscience to tell you " he went on without 
 answering her, " it has been on my mind ever since, that 
 the other night " and the look was grave for a minute 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 353 
 
 "the trophy of a broken rosebud was picked up where you 
 fell. And I had not the heart to reclaim it, Miss Faith/ 
 Mr. Linden said, with a submissive air of confession 
 
 She looked at him with the prettiest look in the world, 
 of -grave, only half conscious enquiry; and then the lost 
 rosebud was more than replaced in her cheeks. 
 
 "That is the state of the case," Mr. Linden said, as 
 gravely as if both rosebuds had been out of sight and mind, 
 "but your mother refuses to go. And it seems that I also 
 am wanted on the 29th ; so if you please, Miss Faith, I 
 will try to see that you make the journey both ways in 
 safety." 
 
 "1 should like to go," said Faith quietly. "They are 
 pleasant people." 
 
 The tea things were withdrawn, and Cindy was no more 
 needed there, and Mrs. Derrick also had gone into the 
 other part of the house to attend to some business. Faith 
 stood before the fire looking meditatively into it. 
 
 "I wish," she said slowly and soberly, "Dr. Harrison 
 would please to talk to you instead of to me, Mr. Linden I" 
 
 "Talk to me?" Mr. Linden repeated, looking at her. 
 "About professions?" 
 
 "No indeed !" said Faith, first astonished and then smil 
 ing, "I mean very different things. About religion, and 
 what he thinks of it?" 
 
 Rather soberly the words were received, and soberly 
 answered, not at once. 
 
 "Do not let him say much to you on that last point, 
 Miss Faith." 
 
 "How can I help it, Mr. Linden?" she said instantly. 
 
 "Forbid him, if need be. If he asks for information, 
 and you choose to give it, that is one thing, you are not 
 obliged to hear all the skeptical views and arguments with 
 which he is furnished. Your statement of the truth has 
 nothing to do with the grounds of his unbelief." 
 
 "But " 
 
 Faith got no further. She stood thinking of that after 
 noon s talk, and of the certain possible hindrances to her 
 foJ owiug such advice. 
 
 "1 am talking a little in the dark, you know," Mr. Lin 
 den said, "I am only fupposing what he may say and 
 
 30* 
 
354 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 ask you to say ; and I do not think much of such conver 
 sation between any parties. Press home the truth and 
 like David s pebble it may do its work; but in a fencing 
 match David might have found it harder to maintain his 
 ground. And his overthrow would not have touched the 
 truth of his cause, nor perhaps his own faith yet the 
 Philistine would have triumphed." 
 
 "Thank you, Mr. Linden," she said with a, grateful 
 smile. " That is just the truth. But, do you think Dr. 
 Harrison is exactly a Philistine ?" 
 
 "Not in all respects," he said smiling. "What do you 
 mean by a Philistine ?" 
 
 "I thought you put him in the place of that Philistine," 
 she said. 
 
 "Yes, for the illustration. But I do not know him to 
 be strictly a champion of unbelief, although he avows him 
 self on that side. His conversations with me have left me 
 uncertain how far he would go." 
 
 Faith was silent and looked thoughtful. 
 
 "Have I touched any of your difficulties? May I hear 
 any more ?" 
 
 "No " she said. "I believe you have said all you can 
 say. And it is good for me." 
 
 "I have not said all I could say, but it is not easy for me 
 to talk to you about it at all. You see, Miss Faith," said 
 Mr. Linden smiling, "there cannot be such an anomaly in 
 nature as a philosophical bird so what am I to do?" 
 
 Faith smiled a little and thought that as long as he gave 
 her the benefit of his philosophy, it did not much matter. 
 Which recondite view of the subject she did not put into 
 words. 
 
 The days began to roll on smoothly once more, subsid 
 ing into their old uneventful flow. The flow of talk indeed 
 had not quite subsided; but as nothing came to throw any 
 light on the point of the unknown sportsman who chose 
 his sport so strangely, curiosity took a modified, condensed 
 form; and the whole matter was stowed away in people s 
 minds as the one Pattaquasset mystery. Happy Patta- 
 quasset 1 
 
 Even Mr. Linden s protracted confinement to the house 
 made little difference to most, ttfe had been so little seen 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 355 
 
 when he was able to be out : only the boys had had his 
 daylight hours; and where he had spent those times of 
 twilight and evening when he was not at home, no one 
 knew but the poor unknown class who mourned his absence 
 as they had blessed his presence, in secret. The boys were 
 not silent, but they had the indemnification of going to 
 see him, and of watching or sleeping in his room at 
 night, according to their various dispositions. There 
 came all his scholars on Sunday, met by Faith on her 
 contrary way; there came the whole school by turns, and 
 at all hours. Indeed when once the embargo upon visiters 
 was taken off, the supply was great I and without careful 
 measures on the part of Mr. Linden, French exercises 
 would have been put aside with a witness. But he made 
 two or three rules, and carried them out. In the first 
 place he would see nobody before dinner, except the doc 
 tor; nor anybody after tea, save the same privileged indi 
 vidual. In the second place, when he was able to be out 
 of his room without too much fatigue, the lessons were 
 carried on down stairs, in the dining-room generally, as 
 being more private. There could both parties come and 
 go without observation ; and often when Mrs. Derrick was 
 entertaining a roomful, a sudden fall of the thin partition 
 would have revealed the very people they were discussing, 
 deep in some pretty point of information. Pretty those 
 lessons were ! Faith s steps, arithmetical, geographical, 
 or what other, were swift, steady, and sure; herself 
 indefatigable, her teacher no less. If Mr. Linden had 
 not quite come to be in her eyes "an old school book," she 
 was yet enough accustomed to his teaching and animad 
 versions to merge the binding in the book; and as to him, 
 she might have been one of his school boys, for the straight 
 forward way in which he opened paths of knowledge and 
 led her through. The leading was more careful of her 
 strength, more respectful of her timidity, was more 
 strictly leading than pushing, that was all. Of course 
 in two weeks, or even in four, the best of teachers and 
 scholars could make but a beginning; but that was well 
 made, and the work went steadily on from thence despite 
 "teaching all day," despite the various other calls for time 
 and strength. 
 
356 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 And Faith was as docile and obedient as Johnny Fax 
 himself, and as far as those qualities went, very much in 
 the same way. If the denial of Phil s information and 
 Mr. Linden s manner the day after her overturn, had raised 
 a doubt as to the real abstractness of his regard for her, 
 Faith s modesty and simplicity put the thought well into 
 the background. She did not care to look at it or bring 
 it up; in the full, happy, peaceful hours she was enjoying 
 she had enough, for the present; and so Faith went on 
 very much after her old fashion. A little quieter, per 
 haps, when not called out of it ; a little shyer of even inno 
 cently putting herself forward; but in speech or action, 
 speaking^and acting with her wonted free simplicity. 
 
 The only breaks in these weeks were one or two visits 
 to Mrs. Ousters, and the doctor s comings and goings. 
 He could not be shut out. 
 
 The Monday evening after the doctor s absence at Quili- 
 peak, the little party were as usual in the sitting-room; 
 and a pretty chapter of Physical Geography was in pro 
 cess of reading and talk, when the doctor s quick wheels 
 at the door announced not only his return but his arrival. 
 And Mr. Linden announced to his scholar, that it was 
 needful now to return to the surface of the earth and 
 attend to the flow of conversation and to put the book 
 in his pocket. 
 
 "Are you glad to see me back?" said the doctor as he 
 took the hand of his patient. He looked rather glad 
 himself. 
 
 "If I say yes, that will be to confess that I have reason. 
 You perceive my dilemma," Mr. Linden said, but with a 
 smile that was certainly as kind and trustworthy as anv 
 the doctor had seen since he went away. 
 
 "Do you mean that you have no reason to be glad?" 
 said Dr. Harrison slowly, eying the smile and giving it, 
 to judge by his own, a trustful regard. 
 
 " Certainly not ! It s a comfort to have somebody at 
 hand who is ready to fight me at any moment," said Mr. 
 Linden. 
 
 " What have you been doing since I went away ?" 
 
 " Reading, writing, and considering the world generally." 
 
 "From this Pattaquasset centre !" 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 35Y 
 
 " Why not? if lines meet and make it one." 
 
 "How do you get the ends of the lines in your hands!" 
 said the doctor. " A centre, I feel it to be but very like 
 the centre of the earth socially and politically. You see, 
 I have just emerged to the surface, and come down again. 
 Who has taken care of you?" 
 
 "I feel quite equal to the task of taking care of myself, 
 thank you, doctor." 
 
 "You don t mean to say, man, you have dressed your 
 arm yourself?" 
 
 "What do you suppose my powers are equal to?" 
 
 "That is a matter," said the doctor, "upon which I stand 
 in doubt which gives me an uncomfortable, troublesome 
 sort of feeling when I am in your presence. It must be 
 superstition. I suppose I shall get the better of it or of 
 you ! in time. Meanwhile, who has dressed your arm for 
 you?" 
 
 The answer was given very quietly, very simply, not 
 very loud. "The lady whom you had the honour of in 
 structing in the art, Dr. Harrison." 
 
 "Did you do it well?" said Dr. Harrison somewhat 
 comically, wheeling round before Faith. 
 
 She was a contrast; as her face looked up at him, rather 
 pleased, and her soft voice answered, "I think I did, sir." 
 
 " I don t doubt you did ! And I don t doubt you would 
 do anything. Are you preparing to be another Portia? 
 And am I to be Bellario ?" 
 
 " I don t know what you mean, Dr. Harrison." 
 
 "Do -you know the story of Portia? in the Merchant 
 of Venice?" 
 
 "I never read it." 
 
 "She was a dangerous character," said the doctor. 
 "Portia, Miss Derrick, wishing to save not the life but 
 the character and happiness of a But what a way this 
 is to tell you the story 1 Is there a Shakspeare here ?" 
 
 "We haven t it," said Faith quietly. 
 
 "I ll bring the play the next time I come, if you will 
 allow me," he said sitting down by her; "and indoctrin 
 ate you in something more interesting than my first lesson. 
 How shall 1 thank you for doing my work for me?" 
 
 "It became my work." 
 
358 SAY AND 
 
 "I am in your debt nevertheless more than you can 
 know without being one of my profession. I have some 
 thing that I wish to submit to your inspection, and to take 
 your advice upon, too. It will be fit to be seen, I hope, 
 by the day after to-morrow. If I could I would bring it 
 here but as that is not possible Will you go to see it ?" 
 
 " Where is it ?" 
 
 " Not far ; but it will cost you the taking of a few steps." 
 
 Faith declared she had hardly time to go to see any 
 thing ; but was obliged finally to yield to persuasion, and 
 Thursday was the day fixed. The thing, whatever it was, 
 however, was not ready when tb* day came, and the exhi 
 bition was put off indefinitely. 
 
CHAPTER XXIX. 
 
 nnHOSE weeks, like others, came to an end. And then Mr. 
 _ Linden gave notice to all and sundry of his scholars, 
 that his time of seclusion was at an end only giving way 
 to advice so far, as to a.ccept the daily use of Squire Stout- 
 enburgh s close carriage, until his health should be in a more 
 assured state. Monday morning he was to take up his old 
 routine of school duties ; though none too fit for it, in the 
 estimation of some people, the doctor said it was a month 
 too soon. And no one could- look at him and forget the 
 last month s work, a little exertion made the work very 
 apparent; and as they sat at breakfast Monday morning, 
 Mrs. Derrick made up her own mind privately that Dr. 
 Harrison should have found some means to keep him in the 
 house and from work yet longer. But the result of her 
 meditations was not put in words ; the effect betrayed itself 
 in the extra care bestowed upon cups of coffee the only 
 thing within her reach. 
 
 It was a cold morning, true November, with its driving 
 grey wind clouds, through which the cool sunbeams strag 
 gled fitfully; with crees shorn of their golden honours, and 
 brown branches waving and twisting in the wind, and only 
 mere specks of blue here and there overhead. The gulls 
 sailed to and fro above the Mong as if they rejoiced in the 
 fierce gusts of northern wind ; the vessels shortened sail, or 
 ran under bare poles. The wind shook the village windows, 
 and poured dry leaves in every porch, and swept up the 
 world generally not much to the comfort of the same. In 
 Mrs. Derrick s little eating- room indeed, it was warm enough, 
 and the floor swept after another fashion ; yet even there 
 did the wind rush in, whenever the kitchen door opened, 
 after Cindy and the hot cakes. 
 
 " Mr. Linden," said Faith after her eye had gone explor- 
 ingly to the .window, the wind and the clouds, "I wish 
 you would give the boys only half a day to day 1" 
 
 (359) 
 
3GO SAY AM) SEAL. 
 
 "I fancy you could have your wish seconded thirty 
 times," he said smiling. " No not thirty times, but perhaps 
 twenty." 
 
 "I don t think those wishes would be worth minding; 
 but I think mine is, Mr. Linden. I mean the reason of it." 
 
 " I think yours is if 1 could mind it. What is the reason, 
 Miss Faith ?" 
 
 " I am afraid you are not quite fit for a whole day s work. 
 In school," she added smiling. 
 
 " You don t know what you are asking ! if I stay at 
 home I shall talk nothing but French the whole afternoon." 
 
 "Well," said Faith laughingly, "I should only be still. 
 I could bear that." 
 
 "I couldn t and you wouldn t. But you need not be 
 uneasy, Miss Faith I must not be at home." 
 
 She looked grave, but said no more. 
 
 The wind was not more busy out of doors that day, than 
 the people within. Diligent and quick hands moved about 
 in dairy and kitchen ; and a quick and diligent spirit as 
 earnestly (for in Faith s mind it was all one work; that 
 was on the way to this) dealt with problems and idioms 
 in the study room that Faith liked best and where she was 
 most secure. But long enough before dinner she was help 
 ing Mrs. Derrick in the kitchen again. 
 
 " Mother," she said, "you can t think how I dread to see 
 Mr. Linden come home to-day ! He won t speak one word 
 of English to me." 
 
 "I guess he would, if you wouldn t speak one word of 
 French to him," said Mrs. Derrick sagaciously. "What 
 are you afraid of, child?" 
 
 "I am afraid just of that," said Faith sighing. "Of 
 having to speak those French words." 
 
 "Why you ve been reading them to him, I m sure," said 
 her mother. "I didn t know anybody was afraid of him 
 but me, Faith. But if you don t like it, why don t you tell 
 him so ?" 
 
 Faith however negatived that proposition with a dubious 
 shake of the head; which meant, probably, that neither 
 Mr. Linden nor herself would be satisfied with such a mode 
 of procedure ; and confined her present attentions to the 
 dinner preparations. In which and other matters she be- 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 361 
 
 came so engaged that she forgot her fears ; and going into 
 the dining room some time after with a dish in her hands 
 and finding Mr. Linden there, Faith asked him earnestly 
 and with great simplicity, "how he felt after his morning s 
 work." Then remembering, or reminded by something in 
 his face, she started away like a deer before any answer 
 could be given; and only came back demurely with her 
 mother, to receive his grave reverence and "Me voici, 
 mademoiselle !" given just as if he had not seen her before. 
 The half grave half laughing flash of Faith s eye spoke as 
 much of amusement as of fear ; yet afraid she certainly was, 
 for she did not so much as speak English to her mother. 
 The language of the eye was all she ventured; nor that 
 boldly. It had to come, however, fear or no fear, the 
 English might be dispensed with but not the French. She 
 could not but try to understand the remarks or bits of in 
 formation which were given her sometimes gravely some 
 times laughing; and if Mr. Linden was evidently waiting 
 for an answer what could she do but try that too 1 He 
 was an admirable dictionary, very quick at seeing and sup 
 plying her want of a word, and giving his corrections of her 
 phraseology and pronunciation so gently and by the way, 
 that fear partly lost itself in interest. His own speech was 
 singularly smooth and perfect; and whenever Faith found 
 herself getting frightened, she was sure to be assailed with 
 such a volley of swift flowing syllables, that she could do 
 nothing but laugh, after which Mr. Linden would come 
 back to the slower utterance which she could better under 
 stand. After all, Faith s words that first time were few, 
 and it may safely be asserted that she did not in the least 
 know what she was eating, and made no sort of a dinner. 
 Of that last fact her instructor was well aware, but as his 
 first "Mais mademoiselle, mangez 1" received but little at 
 tention, he postponed that point till just as he was going 
 uwuy, and then made a rather stringent request to the same 
 effect. 
 
 So the afternoon passed on, and blew itself out, and the 
 sun went to bed and night began to light her candles. 
 Faith, standing at the window (it was too cold to be out) 
 saw the red gleam fading from earth and sky, and the cold 
 bright stars coming one by one into view. Then the boys 
 
 VOL. I. 81 
 
362 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 began to pass by, some together and some alone ; walking 
 or running home, or playing ball by the way. Mr. Linden s 
 carriage was a little behind them all, but he came at last, 
 and gave her a bow and a smile from the gate though she 
 thought herself standing too far back to be seen. 
 
 "Now Mr. Linden," said Faith when he came in, "I am 
 so glad to speak to you again 1 How do you do ?" The 
 question was not lightly given. 
 
 "Miss Faith, did you finish your dinner?" 
 
 "No " said Faith hesitating, "but I am going to have 
 some tea by and by. Aren t you well tired, Mr. Linden ?" 
 
 "Pretty well Why didn t you?" 
 
 "I wanted to be doing something else," said Faith, 
 giving the easy chair a little push into place, and then 
 brightening up the fire. " I shall have tea in here to-night, 
 Mr. Linden. But we must wait a little while for it, for 
 Cindy is out. You won t be sorry to rest first." 
 
 She was summarily, though very respectfully put in the 
 easy chair herself. 
 
 " By what rule of right and wrong did you do anything 
 else first? Do you know, Miss Faith, I did not finish mine 
 either I wanted another piece of bread, and could not 
 get it!" 
 
 "Why not, Mr. Linden? I am sure there was bread on 
 the table. But I am glad if you are hungry, for I have got 
 something that you like. Now please rest !" she said spring 
 ing up and beginning to arrange the table. 
 
 "I am sure I asked you for it politely," he said with a 
 smile, as he yielded to her "please rest." " What have you 
 been about all day ?" 
 
 "I have been learning my lessons and trying how well 
 I could get on by myself." 
 
 "Get on by yourself ?" he said rather slowly and inquir 
 ingly. "In what?" 
 
 "In the books in my studies, Mr. Linden." 
 
 "Are you tired of my help, Miss Faith ?" 
 
 She gave all her eyes to the answer, both in their sweet 
 ness and their gravity. "Do you think I could let you 
 spend all your time upon me, Mr. Linden, when your 
 whole day is given to such work ? I ll come to you for 
 help whenever I can t get on without it," she said with a 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 363 
 
 smile, not exactly an enjoying one, "but I know I can do 
 a good deal by myself." 
 
 His eyes were given to the answer too, a little intently, 
 but the smile that followed was different 
 
 "I think you will let me do what I shall do, Miss Faith." 
 
 "I suppose that!" said Faith with a bright gleam in her 
 eyes. She went out to see if Cindy had come back ; but 
 returned immediately, sat down and looked gravely into the 
 fire. 
 
 "What is the use of startling people in that way?" Mr. 
 Linden said, looking at her. "I didn t know but you were 
 goina: to send me to take up my abode at Mrs. Seacomb s !" 
 
 "Startling, Mr. Linden!" said Faith opening her eyes 
 at him. "I said it because I thought it was right. I 
 didn t think it was pleasant." 
 
 "Well," said he, "we were agreed upon that point. 
 Now Miss Faith, as my time is precious, and I cannot well 
 give any of it to people who have enough of their own 
 would it disturb you if I were to read aloud a little here 
 for my own amusement ?" 
 
 She changed her place to come nearer, without saying 
 anything, but with a face of quiet delight only half revealed. 
 
 " What do you think of the relative and respective charms 
 of Mirth and Melancholy, Miss Faith ? I mean their 
 charms to inward perception, not outward sight." 
 
 "The pleasure of them?" said Faith. 
 
 "Yes pleasure and satisfaction." 
 
 " I never thought there was any pleasure in Melancholy," 
 said Faith smiling at the idea, but smiling inquiringly too. 
 
 In answer, Mr. Linden opened his book and gave her 
 the Allegro and Penseroso, gave them with not only a 
 full appreciation, but with a delicate change and suiting 
 of voice and manner and look, even that made them 
 witching. 
 
 And if ever a hearer was bewitched, that was Faith. 
 She lent her ear to the music, her eye to the eye, her thought 
 to the thought, in utter forgetfulness of all else. At first 
 she listened quietly, sitting where she was, looking some 
 times at the fire, sometimes at the reader; but then she 
 abandoned herself to full enjoyment, left her chair for a low 
 seat near Mr. Linden, almost at his feet ; and with upraised 
 
364 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 face and inter-t eye and varying play of lip, devoured it all. 
 Sometimes the poetry certainly got beyond the bounds of 
 her stock of knowledge ; but that mattered not ; for when 
 ever the reading failed, the reader filled up all the gap and 
 Faith listened to him. Precisely what it was to have just 
 such a hearer, was best known to the reader himself; but 
 he closed the book silently. Faith s comment was pecu 
 liar. 
 
 It wasn t made at first. Her look had come round slowly 
 to the fire and slowly subsided. After sitting a minute so, 
 she made her remark. 
 
 "But Mr. Linden, none of that seemed much like Melan 
 choly to me ?" 
 
 "That may be called the ideal of Melancholy," he said 
 smiling. 
 
 "What is an ideal ? But oh," said Faith starting up, 
 "it is time to have tea ! What is an ideal, Mr. Linden ?" 
 
 It was impossible not to laugh a little but equally im 
 possible to take that laugh amiss. 
 
 " The particular mental standard of perfection by which 
 every person measures other people and things ; and as that 
 is generally more perfect than reality, the ideal is supposed 
 to exist only in the idea." 
 
 She stood pondering the answer, with a somewhat hum 
 bled brow. 
 
 " I think I know," she said shaking her head a little, - 
 "but I shall have to ask what exactly you mean by a 
 standard, Mr. Linden. By and by I must see to Cindy 
 now." 
 
 And she ran off. Cindy presently brought in the tray; 
 and Faith followed, arranging and setting in order every 
 thing. The tea did not immediately follow, perhaps the 
 fire had got low, or Mrs. Derrick was not ready, for Faith 
 did not seem expectant. She stood on the rug before the 
 fire, looking into it very soberly and consideratively. There 
 was a little abstraction in her figure and air. Suddenly 
 she faced round where she stood. 
 
 "Do you feel very tired indeed to-night, Mr. Linden ?" 
 
 "Not very now," he said smiling. "I have been rest 
 ing. I was a little more tired than usual when I came 
 home." 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 365 
 
 Slowly and deliberately she came round behind his chair 
 and stood leaning upon the back of it. 
 
 "Mr. Linden I want to ask you something." 
 
 The tone was low and peculiar. It was a very common 
 thing for her to be more or less moved by a little timidity; 
 but now plainly Faith was afraid. It changed her voice, 
 beyond the slight sweet touch that timidity often gave it. 
 
 "You know I like to have you, Miss Faith." 
 
 "I wanted to ask if you would like, or if you wouldn t 
 dislike if you would have any objection, to read and pray 
 at night here, with us, and let Cindy and Mr. Skip 
 corne in ?" 
 
 "I will, certainly," Mr. Linden said: "how could I have 
 any objection ? Miss Faith will you please to come round 
 here and sit down ? Why are you so much afraid of me ?" 
 She did not leave her position. 
 
 "I didn t know whether you would like it, "she said in a 
 rery low voice. "I asked mother to ask you, but she 
 wouldn t, though she said she would like to have you do 
 it. I wanted it particularly for mother s sake." The last 
 words were said little above a whisper. 
 
 "I don t see where the fear came from, yet." 
 
 She was quite still, quite motionless, behind his chair. 
 He turned a little, so as to see her face, and laid his hand 
 upon hers. 
 
 "Will you come round here and tell me, Miss Faith? I 
 shall not let you stand up all the evening." 
 
 She was looking, when he saw her, with the least bit of 
 a smile upon a mouth all unbent, and eyes that were full ; 
 a very happy, stirred face. It quieted down as soon as he 
 turned ; except the smile which played rather more. 
 
 "Tell you what, Mr. Linden?" she said not leaving her 
 place. 
 
 "What have I done to make myself such an ogre?" 
 
 "What is an ogre, Mr. Linden?" 
 
 "A ferocious sort of anomaly that everybody is afraid 
 of." 
 
 "I don t know what you ve done, Mr. Linden," she said 
 naif laugh Ag. "I am not enough afraid to hurt any 
 thing." 
 
 31* 
 
366 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "Enough to hurt me I don t care about any other 
 thing." 
 
 A grave glance of her eye was regretful enough. 
 
 "But it s true, Mr. Linden ! I was a little afraid to ask 
 what I wasn t sure you would like that was all." 
 
 "Well," he said with a reassuring smile, as he got up 
 and took hold of both her hands and brought her out of 
 position, "I am not much hurt yet but I desire that the 
 fear may not increase. And therefore, Miss Faith, I want 
 to have you sit here in the firelight, so that I can keep 
 watch of it." 
 
 She smiled, as if it were beyond his ken now, but her 
 words went to another point. 
 
 "What time would you like, Mr. Linden?" 
 , "Whatever suits you." 
 
 She was silent for a minute or two, with a very happy 
 face, till the door opened. Then she sprang up and re 
 ceived and placed the tea and things which Cindy had 
 brought in. There was a dainty supply to-night, perhaps 
 in consideration of Mr. Linden s first day of out-door work, 
 and in delicate sympathy and reward thereof. And Faith, 
 in her happiest mood though as quiet as a mouse, was an 
 excellent ministering spirit of the tea-table ; to-night par 
 ticularly, for every sense and affection seemed to be on the 
 alert. 
 
 "How do you find all the boys, after their month out of 
 school, Mr. Linden ?" she said, when waffles and cups of 
 tea were fairly under weigh. 
 
 " Very glad to see me very much afraid I should tire 
 myself; and some a little afraid they might share the 
 fatigue. So things correct each other 1 if they had not 
 shewed the last fear, I might have felt the first." 
 
 "How did that work?" said Faith laughing a little. 
 
 "It worked " said Mr. Linden. "Is that intelligible, 
 Miss Faith ?" 
 
 Her smile and shake of the head said that it was. 
 
 "Is Joe Deacon staying home yet?" said Mrs. Derrick. 
 
 "No, he began school again to-day." 
 
 "I wonder whether the Squire is going off again," said 
 Mrs. Derrick, "or whether he s going to stay home." 
 
 "I have heard nothing of his going away." 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 367 
 
 "You were going to tell me what exactly a standard 
 is, Mr. Linden? At least!" said Faith correcting her 
 self, "I was going to ask you." 
 
 "There is a very intimate connexion between the two 
 things," said Mr. Linden smiling. "A standard, in this 
 sense, is simply some fixed rule of the ought to be, by which 
 the is must be tried. Standard coin is that made according 
 to the precise government regulation, and is the lusi of all 
 other in the realm, as to size, weight, and alloy. So of 
 standard weights and measures. For some things we have 
 the Bible standard, for most, each person has his own." 
 
 "Then Mr. Linden," said Faith, "I think my ideal of 
 Melancholy is something disagreeable." 
 
 "I don t believe you have any!" said he laughing. 
 "You mean your idea, Miss Faith." 
 
 "Do I?" said Faith. "But perhaps you have such a 
 thing, Mr. Linden; isn t it disagreeable ?" 
 . "Not at all and besides I haven t any. But the ideal 
 of Melancholy is about as much like the reality, as a pic 
 ture of the Tragic Muse is like the fifth act of a tragedy." 
 
 That Faith did not know the meaning of tragedy, was a 
 fact which she wisely and self-denyingly kept to herself, 
 and for the present turned her attention to supplying her 
 mother with a fresh waffle. And so with various bits of 
 talk, tea came to an end, and Mrs. Derrick was called out 
 to discuss some important matter with Mr. Skip. 
 
 Mother," said Faith finding her opportunity, "I asked 
 Mr. Linden, and he will do that." A little shadow came 
 over Mrs. Derrick s face. 
 
 "Well, child?" she said gently. 
 
 "Mother I have asked him, Will you speak to Mr. 
 Skip and Cindy ?" 
 
 "I can t child " said her mother, with the same tone 
 and look. I ll go in myself, but I can t try to do any 
 more." 
 
 "Dear mother " said Faith, "I wish you would!" 
 
 Her mother turned and kissed her, but the difficulty was 
 clearly not one to be overcome. The whole subject seemed 
 to bring up some painful association. 
 
 " He ll call them in himself, if you ask him, child." 
 
 "Would it be right to ask him, mother?" 
 
368 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "Why yes!" said Mrs. Derrick "I don t see why not 
 One of you must." 
 
 With this thought Faith went back to the sitting-room. 
 Clearly there was some strong feeling against her being 
 the one, for after a little sober silent waiting, she spoke. 
 
 "Mr. Linden would you rather I should ask Cindy 
 and Mr. Skip to come in? or will you?" 
 
 He knew, better than she did, how well the question 
 shewed her own wish, and how simple a matter it was to 
 him. 
 
 "I will, Miss Faith, if you please. Is this the hour you 
 have fixed upon ?" 
 
 "I think so," she said, "if you like it; because by and 
 by they will be sleepy." And Mr. Linden at once pro 
 ceeded to the kitchen. 
 
 A busy murmur of tongues, and bright firelight glancing 
 from keyhole and crevice, guided him through the narrow 
 passage which, sooth to say, he had never trod before, to 
 the door of the kitchen; the latch of which yielded on 
 slight persuasion, and Mr. Linden walked in. Supper was 
 over there, too, and the dishes were washed and put away, 
 and Cindy with dishcloth in hand was rubbing down the 
 kitchen table. In one corner of the hearth sat Mr. Skip 
 on a half bushel measure, a full corn basket beside him, an 
 empty one in front, his hands busy with the shelling pro 
 cess; this hard work being diversified and enlivened with 
 the continual additions he made to a cob house on the 
 hearth. But, cob in hand, Mr. Skip paused when Mr. 
 Linden came in, and looked up at this unusual apparition 
 from under an extraordinary hat which drooped on all 
 sides of his face, as if .like its wearer it had long given up 
 all idea of keeping up appearances. The face itself was 
 strong, shrewd, apt. And so Mr. Skip looked at Mr. Lin 
 den. Cindy on her part, did nothing but wring the dish 
 cloth and shake it out again, entirely oblivious of the greet 
 ing with which Mr. Linden favoured both parties; and 
 she listened to the words he said about the corn, as if 
 they had been Greek double distilled. Those words were 
 few. 
 
 "Mr. Skip," he said then, "I think that so long as God 
 keeps us here together every day, we ought to thank him 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 369 
 
 for it together every night. I want you and Cindy to 
 come into the parlour and let us begin to do it now." 
 
 "Hey?" said Mr. Skip, between want of understanding 
 and want of belief in the testimony of his ears. Mr. Linden 
 repeated his words, with a composed distinctness that could 
 leave no manner of doubt. 
 
 "Well!" said Mr. Skip. "What do you want us for 
 to do ?" 
 
 "Come into the parlour." 
 
 "I s pose we ll be to come," said Mr. Skip, dropping 
 his cob and getting up and straightening himself. "Will 
 you have us in now ?" 
 
 "Yes," Mr. Linden answered, and led the way. 
 
 "Go along, Cindy!" said Mr. Skip in undertone. 
 "S pose it don t take fur to see into this." 
 
 Cindy obeyed, but without seeing fur into anything 
 even the parlour, though she tried for it. There was not 
 very much to see. Mrs. Derrick (with a little shadow of 
 recollective sorrow) had placed the old Bible by the lamp, 
 and now sat leaning her head on her hand and did not look 
 up as they came in. Faith s face was one of grave joy ; 
 but the gravity was so quiet that the joy was beyond the 
 ken of so dull a vision as Cindy s. She sat with clasped 
 hands on a low seat beyond the fire. And Cindy at last 
 fixed her attention upon Mr. Linden, with only an occa 
 sional roll of her eyes towards Mr. Skip. 
 
 It was a long time since such a service had been in tha 
 house, a time at first swept by a storm of sorrow, the*; 
 calmed and quieted into a stillness which had grown more 
 and more bright, year by year. Whatever sunshine those 
 years had seen, came from Faith; but that other faith, 
 which should make even her more precious, had been un 
 known. And the words of the reading and prayer to-night, 
 were to Mrs. Derrick like the renewing of things so long 
 past, that she could scarce bear it; and different as Mr. 
 Linden was from any one she had ever known, that Chris 
 tian family likeness almost, to her feeling, transformed him. 
 
 It was a very simple matter to him, truly, why not? 
 Why should it ever be anything else ? or why, when the 
 fear of God is on the tongue should the fear of man be in 
 the heart? Yet it was even more the love of God than 
 
370 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 the fear, that his hearers perceived that night. Simple in 
 word and tone and manner, it was the simplicity of a feel 
 ing so full and strong that it needed no capillary tubes of 
 speech to carry it upward. The prayer ended, and the 
 retreating steps on their way along the kitchen passage, 
 Mrs. Derrick came up to Faith, and putting her arms 
 round her kissed first one cheek and then the other then 
 turned and left the room. And Faith sat still, with that 
 joy filling her heart so full that her head bent with the 
 weight of it. 
 
 One other comment she was destined to hear that night. 
 
 "I must say, Miss Faith," said Cindy, "I like these new 
 notions firstrate I I always did say my prayers afore 1 
 went to bed, and I m free to confess this saves a deal of 
 trouble." 
 
CHAPTER XXX. 
 
 quiet of that very peaceful evening was foi a short 
 JL time interrupted by a call from Dr. Harrison. The 
 doctor came, he said, to see how Mr. Linden felt after his 
 day s work; and to tell Faith that his exhibition was in 
 readiness for her and only waited a sunny day and her pre 
 sence. It was agreed that if the sun did not fail of shew 
 ing himself the next afternoon, Faith should not. 
 
 Tuesday was fair, and the afternoon came on brilliant 
 with sunbeams. But the doctor s steps did not reach Mrs. 
 Derrick s door by some minutes so soon as he had pur 
 posed they should. 
 
 Passing down the main street of Pattaquasset, Dr. Har 
 rison descried before him the well known figure of Squire 
 Stoutenburgh, and the less familiar outlines of Squire Dea 
 con. And the doctor s near approach procured him the fa 
 vour of an introduction to the latter gentleman, either be 
 cause the Squire desired it, or because the other Squire was 
 tired of his companion and wanted to be off which he 
 was, as soon as the introduction was over. For in Mr. 
 Stoutenburgh s eyes the buttonhole of Dr. Harrison s soft 
 coat was no more precious (to say the least) than that of 
 his own grey Rough and Ready. 
 
 " Squire Deacon is anxious about the state of Mr. Lin 
 den s health, doctor," he said, "I refer him to you." 
 
 The doctor made a slight inclination, graceful as all his 
 inclinations were, but also slight; intimating that he would 
 have the honour of satisfying Mr. Deacon s inquiries but 
 desired nothing more of him. 
 
 "How s he getting along?" said Squire Deacon feel 
 ing the social duty thus imposed upon him. 
 
 "There is hope that he will be restored to his pristine 
 state of strength in the course of a few weeks, sir." 
 
 "A few weeks!" said Squire Deacon. "Why he s in 
 school again, ain t he?" 
 
 (371) 
 
312 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "He has gone in a carriage," said the doctor, who for 
 some unaccountable reason had taken a fit of perversity, 
 "I understand he was in school yesterday." 
 
 "Did you know him afore he come here, doctor?" 
 
 "I had not that honour, sir, till I came here myself." 
 
 "Well I never saw anybody as did," said Squire Dea 
 con. "I s pose he comes from somewhere." 
 
 "I doubt it," said Dr. Harrison with the slightest possi 
 ble elevation of his eyebrows for an instant. Squire Dea 
 con, however, was not just the fool Dr. Harrison took him 
 for ; of which fact a little gleam in his eyes gave notice. 
 
 " Taint extraordinary you don t like him, doctor," he 
 said carelessly. "Mr. Linden s a fine man, but most any 
 pair o wheels is one too many in some roads." 
 
 "I never followed a wheelbarrow, sir," said the doctor. 
 "I suppose, from your allusion, you have. May I be hon 
 oured with your further commands?" 
 
 "Wheelbarrows have only one wheel, mostly," said 
 Squire Deacon composedly. 
 
 " You know better than I, sir. Might I enquire why 
 you are anxious about the state of Mr. Linden s health?" 
 
 "Don t know as I said I was anxious " said Squire 
 Deacon. "When a man s lived in a place as long as he 
 has, it s nothing wonderful if folks ask whether he s going 
 to hold on. All the women in my house think he s dead 
 and buried, now." 
 
 "Ah 1 He s a favourite in that line, is he ?" 
 
 "Other lines just as much for all I know," said the 
 Squire. " Can t say I ever just went in for all Mr. Sim- 
 lins says nor all Parson Somers says, neither, can t help 
 that, doctor, if he is one o your folks." 
 
 "What have you against him?" 
 
 "I don t say nothing against him," said Squire Deacon, 
 "except he s a fine man. Maybe you think that is." 
 
 "Is there anything further you would like to say on any 
 subject, sir?" 
 
 "Not much, I guess, if that s the time o day," said 
 Squire Deacon looking at him with a queer little bit of a 
 smile. " Taint useful to get stirred up that way, doctor, 
 just because a man wishes you a good journey. But I can 
 just as easy wish you another overturn I s pose you re 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 373 
 
 pretty sure to get one or t other out o the horses. It s 
 all one to me and I dare say it is to everybody else." 
 
 "What is your name, sir?" said the doctor standing and 
 looking at him in a sort of mazed consideration. 
 
 "My name s Sam Deacon," said the Squire with his 
 peculiar sort of sullen composure. "Your father and I ve 
 always been friends, anyhow." 
 
 "Then Mr. Deacon will you have the goodness to under 
 stand that I am not an agent for the transaction of Mr. 
 Linden s affairs ; but as I am a friend of his, I will inform 
 him that you are interested in the subject. That is all, 
 sir ?" 
 
 " I ll go bail for the first part of that !" said Squire Dea 
 con. "But it s your affairs I m talkin of not his n. And 
 I s pose I ve as good a right as all the rest of Pattaquas- 
 set and give no offence, neither. I was goin to make 
 you my compliments, doctor that s all; and if you don t 
 think you ll ever want em, why there s no harm done and 
 enough said. All I want to know is, what do you get so 
 stirred up for?" 
 
 "Is that all?" said the doctor, as if he had a mind to 
 know the whole before giving an answer. 
 
 "All what?" said SSquire Deacon. 
 
 "All that you wish to communicate?" 
 
 "I -haven t communicated anything yet," said the Squire. 
 "I guess you knew all that before." 
 
 " Well;" said the doctor, half laughing, though his ex 
 pression had changed more than once during the last five 
 minutes, "then my answer is easy. In the first place, 
 Mr. Deacon, I have no affairs therefore it is impossible 
 to talk about them. In the second place, when I am in 
 want of your compliments I will send you mine. In the 
 third place, I declare I am at a loss how to answer you; 
 for the only thing I ever get stirred up for, is my break 
 fast 1 Good afternoon ! " 
 
 Staying no more civilities, the doctor made the best of 
 his way to Mrs. Derrick s. Faith was ready for him, and 
 more gently with her he set out on the road back again. 
 It was not a time of day to meet people one familiar face 
 however they did meet, Squire Deacon. His eye did 
 
 VOL. 1. o2 
 
3f4 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 not eek Faith s face, but rested on the doctor with full 
 effect. 
 
 Arrived at the Judge s house, the doctor led her to the 
 library, and there unlocked the door of a little cabinet 
 room. On a table in the window, standing in the full sun 
 shine, was the object of their visit. It was simply a fine 
 little Aquarium. More delightfully new to Faith s eyes 
 nothing could be ; as the same eyes shewed. While they 
 explored the wonders of the box, the doctor at his ease 
 proceeded to unfold to her the various meanings of them. 
 He enlarged upon the habits and characters of the several 
 inmates of the Aquarium ; he explained to her the phi 
 losophy of keeping the balance of vegetable and animal 
 life and thereby preserving both; he told which creature 
 lived upon which other; what office they severally, some 
 of them, performed for the small section of Ocean in which 
 they lived and its vitrified shores ; and then taking up the 
 subject of Sea anemones, the doctor told stories, of natu 
 ral truth, that with these living specimens before her en 
 tranced Faith out of all knowledge of place or time. Dr. 
 Harrison asked no more. He gave her what she liked, 
 and with admirable tact abstained from putting himself 
 forward; any further than a quick eye, excellent speech, 
 and full and accurate mind must make themselves known, 
 and most gentle and graceful attention make itself felt. 
 
 "Do you suppose," said he, when Faith was absorbedly 
 watching the Anemones feed, "that Mrs. Derrick would 
 give this thing house-room ?" 
 
 Faith looked, but half comprehending. 
 
 "I am not always here," said the doctor carelessly, as 
 he was supplying another bit of flesh to the voracious 
 flower, ." and I should like to have it somewhere that it 
 would be taken care of. If I left it to Sophy for a week, 
 I should expect to find on rny return that the vegetables 
 and fishes had eaten up each other. Don t you admire 
 that crab ?" 
 
 " Yery much," said Faith. "This little fish is just like 
 some of the shells down on the shore." 
 
 "He came from the shore somewhere," said the doctor, 
 "little monster! The ocean world isn t much better than 
 the world of earth, apparently, Miss Derrick." 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "Do you think the earth- world is like that?" said Faith. 
 
 "Don t you?" 
 
 "I don t know what it is like." 
 
 "If you will permit me to say so, I hope you never will 
 any further than as you choose to make this a miniature of 
 that. And things in miniature are much less," said the 
 doctor abstractedly, looking at the Anemone. "Would 
 you like to have this little ocean box in your house for 
 awhile, Miss Faith ? it could just as well as not. Indeed 
 it would be rather a benefit to me." 
 
 "O I should like it!" said Faith. "But I should be 
 afraid of its getting broken, Dr. Harrison." 
 
 "I am not afraid," said he. "It would be in less danger 
 there than here. As I told you, Sophy neither knows nor 
 cares anything about such things ; and she would either 
 kill them with kindness or forget them altogether most 
 likely do both alternately. But with you they would be 
 safe, for the simple reason that you love them." 
 
 The sunbeams had left the window before Faith was at 
 all aware of the passing away of the afternoon. And then, 
 for once to her joy, Miss Harrison could not be found. 
 They set out to walk home, and had got half way when a 
 little rush of footsteps came up behind them, and Reuben 
 and Sam passed by, arm in arm ; or rather half by then 
 paused and said good evening. 
 
 "O have you seen Mr. Linden to-night, Dr. Harrison?" 
 said Sam. 
 
 "Good evening, sir!" said the doctor. "Have I the 
 honour of knowing you?" 
 
 "I should think you might," said Sam, in a tone not at 
 all displeased "but it don t signify much. Have you seen 
 him to-night, doctor?" 
 
 "/should think I might, too," said Dr. Harrison looking 
 coolly over the young giant. "Allow me to observe, 
 that to-night is not come yet." 
 
 "Did you ever I" said Sam in an aside to Reuben, who 
 had stood perfectly still without speaking. "Well any time 
 since he got home then, sir ?" 
 
 "No, sir." 
 
 "Have you, Miss Faith?" said Reuben. 
 
376 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "No, Reuben I am just going home. What s the 
 matter ?" 
 
 Why he fainted in school that s all," said Sam, "he 
 said there was nothing the matter. Only we were going 
 down to see how he got home, and I thought maybe the 
 doctor might tell us first." And not staying for more words 
 the two boys walked on a few steps, then set off and soon 
 *an themselves out of sight. 
 
 The other two quickened their walk, the doctor moder 
 ating his steps however to suit the strength of his com 
 panion. But she soon took the lead, and Mrs. Derrick s 
 house was reached in as short a space of time as the ground 
 might be travelled without a speed which Faith did not dare 
 assume. 
 
 There was nothing alarming in the little parlour. Mrs. 
 Derrick sat knitting; Mr. Linden had been reading, but 
 now was talking half laughing, half chiding with the 
 two boys who stood before him. Reuben stood silent, 
 smiling a little ; Sam s energy was at work. 
 
 Faith came in quietly, with a face to which all her quick 
 walk had not brought back the colour. She said noth 
 ing. But the doctor s tongue was free. 
 
 " Why what s this, Linden ?" 
 
 "This is Linden " said that gentleman coolly. "No 
 boys go off, I think I can live without seeing either of 
 you again till to-morrow. What s the matter, Dr. Harri 
 son?" 
 
 "Just and precisely what I was asking," said the doctor ; 
 while Faith glided to her mother and sitting down by her 
 whispered enquiry. But Mrs. Derrick knew nothing had 
 heard nothing, apparently. 
 
 " It s for you to state the case " said Mr. Linden. " You 
 speak as if you had a warrant of arrest in your pocket." 
 
 " Why I" said the doctor, standing and looking down upon 
 him, "here s a wind that has blown from nowhere! Do 
 you want me to lodge information against yourself?" 
 
 "/don t wish to lodge any." 
 
 "Linden," said the doctor changing his tone to one of 
 serious kindly interest, while Faith s eyes from her more 
 distant seat waited for the answer, "what is the matter? 
 What made you faint to-day ?" 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 377 
 
 "What nonsense have those boys been talking?" said 
 Mr. Linden but his look carried the charge a little beyond 
 the range of his words. " I was faint for awhile not quite 
 in a deadly swownd, however." 
 
 "That young scapegrace said and declared you had 
 fainted." 
 
 "They are so used to their own red cheeks, they think 
 red is the only colour, " said Mr. Linden. "However, I 
 believe he spoke true but it was nothing worth speaking 
 of, after all." 
 
 "What was the cause?" 
 
 " I presumed a little upon the successful way in which I 
 got through yesterday tried to do a little too much to-day, 
 had one or two things to try me and so. Which of my 
 boys do you honour with that title of scapegrace ?" 
 
 "You musn t do so again," said the doctor seriously. 
 
 " There was no malice prepense to-day," said Mr. Linden. 
 "What have you been about all the afternoon? I expect 
 to hear that you have sailed up the Great Pyramid in a 
 canal boat, or coasted Japan in a Chinese lantern." 
 
 "Nearly right," said the doctor. "We have been enact 
 ing the part of the wise men of Gotham I can t imagine 
 where 1 ever heard of them 1 who went to sea in a tub." 
 
 "Went to see what? " said Mr. Linden laughing. 
 
 "Went to Se vast a pool I" said the doctor with 
 perfect gravity. "I hope you re better 1" 
 
 "Don t Hook well?" 
 
 "If I were to take the votes on that subject," said the 
 doctor, "I presume the verdict would be unanimous. But 
 looks are proverbially unsatisfactory ! Do you know what 
 damage you have done me by your exploit this afternoon ?" 
 
 "I should be very glad to hear." 
 
 " Why you have brought me into discredit and disfavour 
 with half Pattaquasset, man, because I have let you go out 
 too soon don t you see ? Mrs. Derrick has already laid 
 it to her account against me which is getting to be a score 
 I shall never dare to foot up. " 
 
 Faith had left the room for a minute, and coming back 
 again began to make ready the table for tea. Dr. Harrison s 
 eyes followed her. She was not looking as she had looked 
 tit his anemones ; quiet, sweet, and grave, she went round 
 
 32* 
 
378 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 gathering up the books, and arranging the cups and plates. 
 "But the doctor, though asked, would not stay. He went 
 off and the tea was brought in. 
 
 "Miss Faith," said Mr. Linden, "if you are half as ready 
 for that exercise as I am, we shall get on superbly to-night. r 
 
 She almost started. 
 
 "You, Mr. Linden ! Oh you re not fit for it !" 
 
 " Not fit for it I Miss Faith, how can you say that to 
 me?" 
 
 "Let it be so to-night, Mr, Linden!" 
 
 "I shall do nothing of the kind, Miss Faith, by your 
 leave. You know I can rest here most comfortably, and 
 make you work after the same fashion, I hope. I am a 
 little afraid," he said looking at her, "that you are working 
 too much." 
 
 " Why, Mr. Linden ? How could I ?" 
 
 "By not keeping your studies well balanced with fresh 
 air." 
 
 "0 no!" she said smiling. "The work is a great deal 
 better than the fresh air. Besides, I have been out to-day." 
 
 " You might as well say that bread is a great deal better 
 than water. Yes, you have been out to-day, that is one 
 good thing. And I shall try to throw somewhat into that 
 scale myself, if I live. But I want all the books to-night, 
 Miss Faith and to-morrow, you know, is a half holiday, 
 but you need not expect to have one." 
 
 Faith s tea went on after that in a manifestly different 
 manner. Expeditiously the table was cleared after tea! 
 And if ever Faith wrought with eager care to do perfec 
 tions and save her teacher every word and thought that 
 could be spared, she did it then. So the exercise was 
 written, with most earnest guarding against anything ger- 
 man or sophisticated in her letters. Indeed Faith s 
 handwriting, by dint of taking pains, was fast growing into 
 stiff correctness not without a certain beauty, of promise 
 at least, but stiff still. And with all her other lessons, of 
 thought or memory ; what earnest quick effort could do was 
 done that night, and done upon the back of a sound prep 
 aration. 
 
 Mr. Linden however did not spare himself words, riot 
 much, and care not at all : watching and guiding his pretty 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 scholar with equal gravity, gentleness, and attention ; rarely 
 diverging from the business view of the subject, unless 
 Faith grew timid or frightened, in which case he indulged 
 himself with making her laugh, and so brought her back to 
 business again. What views Mrs. Derrick took of the two, 
 thus engaged, it would be hard to say ; save that they were 
 wondrous pleasant ones a little puzzled, a little thoughtful, 
 loving and pleased to the last degree. How much she 
 studied those two faces ! not Faith herself bestowed more 
 care upon what she was about. But Faith came to con 
 clusions Mrs. Derrick never did ; wanting help from the 
 very person who cleared the path of learning for her daughter. 
 His face its gravity, its changes she could not read ; but 
 she liked the study. 
 
 The doctor s plan about the Aquarium was excessively 
 distasteful to Mrs. Derrick. She read the meaning and 
 grounds of it, which Faith entirely failed to read; but then 
 to give them to her was hardly an advisable thing. So 
 the Aquarium carne, after a few days ; and Faith having 
 found that Mr. Linden could give her some help, if neces 
 sary, in the care of it, relieved her mind of all concern about 
 the responsibility and took the full good of the trust. In 
 a sunny window it was placed, and many a happy minute 
 between the times of other things Faith stood or sat there 
 to watch the unfolding and shrinking Anemones, and the 
 restless, eager, wild lives of the other and more distinctly 
 animal inhabitants of this little section of Ocean. The 
 only uncomfortable thing about it was that other people 
 sometimes saw it and heard how it came there ; and other 
 people, Faith knew, drew very ridiculous inferences from 
 nothing. And though ridiculous they were disagreeable. 
 But however, she knew best how it came there and how 
 simple a matter it was; and it was never the way of her 
 simplicity to trouble itself overmuch about ridiculous things. 
 
 Another person, it may be remarked, knew how it got 
 there; and he found it pleasant to come and see it some 
 times. This was generally in the afternoon, now, when Mr. 
 Lindwn was not at home and Faith was not occupied in 
 household duties. Pleasant talks were held over the Aqua 
 rium; for there was never an end of things that might be 
 told of old and new discoveries connected with what was 
 
380 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 in it. The conversations diverged often to other matters, 
 religious or scientific as the case might be ; and were clever, 
 bright, interesting, or amusing accordingly and invariably. 
 
 And so the time wore on towards the 29th. But in the 
 fourth week of Mr. Linden s return to school duties, Faith 
 began to have a new lesson or rather she had it once and 
 practised upon it many times. That once was at the end 
 of a Wednesday afternoon, in exquisite Indian summer 
 weather; when other subjects being dismissed for the time, 
 Mr. Linden gave his scholar an interesting and precis? 
 account of the process of respiration ; passing thence to t!*e 
 obvious benefits of fresh air, and finally requesting her to 
 put on her things and come out and take them. After which, 
 it may be observed, Faith was never heard to say that studies 
 were " a great deal better than fresh air," often as the walk 
 was repeated. 
 
 The other lessons made beautiful headway. Even the 
 French talks at dinner. That was harder to Faith than 
 any other trial to which she had been put. She shrank 
 from it with great shrinking. But the desire to please her 
 teacher overcame even fear. Rather than not do that, 
 Faith ventured, right or wrong ; arid once fairly launched, 
 of course, with his good help and her own endeavours, soon 
 got into smoother sailing. 
 
 Mr. Linden and the doctor now met not often ; the doctor 
 making his visits, as has been said, during school time. They 
 met oftenest where the doctor went seldomest, in those 
 rooms where Dr. Harrison did sometimes let his profession 
 call him, where Mr. Linden was drawn by somewhat beyond 
 profession. Sometimes this intercourse was only of the 
 eye, sometimes they walked home together; the curious 
 friendship between them deepening, as it seemed, from all 
 sources. 
 
 Come home when Mr. Linden would, his room looked as 
 if somebody had just stepped out of it. The fire was always 
 in its best beauty; the hearth guiltless of ashes ; the tem 
 perature genial whatever the weather out of doors might 
 be ; the books, the papers, the table, in their wonted order 
 or disorder, as fresh as if dust never fell. But the fairy of 
 the place was always out of sight. 
 
CHAPTER XXXI. 
 
 f "PHE 29th of November came on Wednesday, which per- 
 J mitted Mrs. Stoutenburgh to have her dinner at an 
 earlier hour than would else have been possible. To thia 
 dinner the two older guests were invited the boys were 
 only to come to supper; and four o clock was the time. 
 
 Till near three, studies and reading were in full force, 
 but then other duties claimed attention. 
 
 "If I could only sit next you at dinner, Miss Faith," Mr. 
 Linden said as he shut up the books, " we could talk French 
 all the time ! but there is no hope of that. And Miss 
 Faith " he said as she turned to go upstairs, "do you 
 know that all the things on my table are not in their proper 
 place ?" 
 
 Very much wondering, Faith was for a moment at a 
 loss. 
 
 "What is wrong, Mr. Linden?" 
 
 "I would not .give it so harsh a name, Miss Faith only 
 I thought perhaps you would go in there before I come up 
 and see that all is left just as usual, if you would be so 
 good." 
 
 Faith went up, querying with herself whether Cindy 
 could perhaps have been in there and committed some dire 
 damage or what it could be. 
 
 What could it! if ever a room was scrupulously in 
 order, that was ; and the table it had not been stirred, 
 nor a book upon it, since Faith s arranging hands had been 
 there. Even writing implements were not laid about, as 
 they often were, the table was just as usual. Unless 
 
 Yes, in front of the books stood a glass of water, and 
 therein one dark velvet rose, truly of a Cramoisi supe- 
 rieure, failing to support itself upon its own green leaves, 
 laid its face half coquettishly and half wearily upon dark 
 sprigs of heliotrope and myrtle. Thence it looked at Faith. 
 And Faith looked at it, with a curious smile of recognition, 
 and yet of doubt, whether that could possibly be what he 
 meant. But she was to see that all things were left just as 
 
 381) 
 
382 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 usual ; it did not admit of a serious question. So lifting 
 the glass and the rose, Faith and it went off together. 
 
 Faith s best dress, of course put on for this occasion, was 
 a black silk. She had thought that a little extravagant at 
 the time it was got; but Mrs. Derrick would have it. It 
 was made with the most absolute plainness, high in the 
 neck, where the invariable little white ruffle graced the 
 white throat; but the sleeves were short, and similar white 
 ruffles softened the dividing line between them and the well 
 rounded fair arms. Her hair was as usual, her feet were 
 as usual, only the shoes were of fresh neatness ; but when 
 Faith had with eyes that saw only them, not herself, fast 
 ened the rose and myrtle on the bosom of her dress, a little 
 figure stood there that in its soft angles and exquisite pro 
 priety of attire would have been noted in any circle of splen 
 dour, and might have satisfied the most fastidious lover ot 
 elegance. Wrapped up and hooded Faith went down 
 stairs, and Mr. Linden put her in the Stoutenburgh car 
 riage, which rolled off to the mansion of the same name 
 in a very short space of time. 
 
 In solitary grandeur Faith was ushered into Mrs. Stout- 
 enburgh s bedroom, where first the fire kept her company, 
 and then Mrs. Stoutenburgh herself came in from another 
 door and both unwrapped her and wrapt her up ! But 
 when all that could be done was done, Mrs. Stoutenburgh 
 ran off again, and told F&ith, laughing, that she hadn t 
 seen her yet and was all ready for her in the parlour. 
 Faith being left to herself stepped out into the passage, 
 where Mr. Linden was standing with folded arms before a 
 window that looked out upon the closing November clay. 
 Faith came softly up beside him. 
 
 "I ve seen Mrs. Stouteuburgh," she said, "but she says 
 she hasn t seen me. Are your flowers right now, Mr. 
 Linden ?" 
 
 "Miss Faith ! why do you wear velvet shoes?" he said 
 turning full upon her. "You have not been down stairs?" 
 
 "No, certainly. I saw Mrs. Stoutenburgh up here." 
 
 " Then shall I have the pleasure of taking you down ? 
 I see nothing that is not right," he added smiling. 
 
 It was rather an odd new thing to Faith, to be taken 
 down, or in, anywhere. The form of having a gentleman s 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 383 
 
 arm was something rather startling. But she did not shew 
 it. Down stairs they went, into the glowing parlour, 
 where Faith was met and greeted by Mrs. Stoutenburgh de 
 nouveau. 
 
 "Ah Miss Faith!" said the Squire as he gave her his 
 salutation, " how extravagant you are to add roses to roses 
 in that style ! Don t you know it s a waste of material ?" 
 
 "No, sir. I shall use it all up." 
 
 " 1 should like to see you after you get through !" said 
 Mr. Stouteuburgh laughing. "Ask Mr. Linden if it s not 
 waste." 
 
 Mr. Linden however entirely declined to assent to any 
 such proposition, nay, even hinted that if any one was to 
 be charged with wasting roses just then, it was the Squire 
 himself. 
 
 "Yes, I think so too!" said Mrs. Stoutenburgh, "but 
 how funnily you always see through things and turn them 
 about !" 
 
 "Hoses are not very opaque things to see through," he 
 answered smiling, while Mrs. Stoutenburgh rescued Faith 
 and putting her arm round her drew her off towards the 
 sofa. Where Faith was glad to get at a distance from the 
 rose-consumers. She felt rather nervous. 
 
 "Where is Sam?" she asked. "This is his day, isn t 
 it?" 
 
 "He was here a minute ago, "said his mother, "I guess 
 he ran off when he heard you coming. He takes fits of 
 being bashful once in a while, they don t last long. Your 
 mother wasn t afraid to let you come with our horses, was 
 she ?" 
 
 "No ma am," Faith said, "not at all. I3ut she hasn t 
 got back her old trust in horses and carriages generally. 
 I wish she had." 
 
 "I don t "said Mrs. Stoutenburgh, "they re not to 
 be trusted generally, child. Has your horse got well yet?" 
 
 "Not well. Mr. Skip says he s better, but we can t use 
 him." 
 
 " Well I wanted to talk to you about that Mr. Stouten- 
 burgh s been at me to do it this month. You know we ve 
 always got more horses on hand than we can use and 
 there s one of em that would just suit you. Won t you 
 
384 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 let him stand in your stable this winter ? and give Crab a 
 chance." 
 
 " O no, Mrs. Stoutenburgh ! thank you I" said Faith. 
 " I dare say Crab will get better it won t be necessary ; 
 and you know we don t ride much in winter. You re very 
 kind to think of it." 
 
 "There you are as usual!" said Mrs. Stoutenburgh. 
 "I m always afraid to ask you anything, you keep such 
 magnifying glasses. But now Faith, listen to reason. Not 
 ride in winter! why it s the very time for riding, if there s 
 snow; and you could drive Jerry, or your mother could, 
 just as well as Crab he s as quiet as he can be. At the 
 same time," said Mrs. Stoutenburgh with a little dance in 
 her eyes, "if anybody else drives him, he can go a little 
 faster." 
 
 "I ll tell mother how good you are, Mrs. Stoutenburgh. 
 It isn t my business to give answers for her. But did you 
 ever see me drive ?" 
 
 "Not horses," said Mrs. Stoutenburgh laughing. 
 
 "Not anything else, I am sure? I used to want to go 
 after the cows, but mother never would let me." 
 
 But whatever Mrs. Stoutenburgh meant she did not 
 explain, for dinner was announced, and the Squire came 
 up to take possession of Faith again ; receiving his wife s 
 little whispered "I ve done it!" with all her own satisfac 
 tion. 
 
 In the dining-room Sam was at last visible, but the bash 
 ful fit had not gone off, and Faith s black silk was even 
 more distracting than her white muslin. Her greeting of 
 him was simple enough to have been reassuring. 
 
 "I hope you will be as happy a great many times as you 
 are to-day, Sam," she said as she shook hands with him. 
 "On the 29th of November, I mean." 
 
 Perhaps Sam thought that doubtful perhaps impos 
 sible, perhaps undesirable. At all events his words were 
 few; and though he was permitted the post of honour at 
 Faith s side, he did not do much for her entertainment at 
 first. 
 
 The dinner itself, service and style and all included, was 
 sufficiently like the Squire and his wife. Handsome and 
 substantial, free, bountiful, and with a sort of laughing air 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 385 
 
 of good cheer about it which more ceremony would have 
 covered up. There was no lack of talk, either, all the 
 company having the ability therefor, and then, at least, the 
 inclination. But if Mr. Linden now and then called Sam 
 out of his. abstraction, so did the Squire attack Faith; 
 giving her a little sword play to parry as best she might. 
 
 "Miss Faith," he said, "do you know to what a point 
 you are, day by day, winding up the curiosity of this town 
 of Pattaquasset ?" 
 
 "I, sir I" said Faith, apparently, by her eye and air, 
 occupying the place of the centre of motion to all this 
 curiosity; the point of absolute rest. 
 
 "My dear," said the Squire, "they say two things about 
 you ! The first is that you never go out ! Now don t 
 trouble yourself to contradict that, but just tell me the 
 reason. We re all friends here, you know." 
 
 "Why I go out very often indeed, Mr. Stoutenburgh!" 
 said Faith. 
 
 "Didn t I tell you not to contradict me? Ah Miss 
 Faith ! young ladies never will take advice 1 Well the 
 first thing is, as I said, that you never go out. The second," 
 said the Squire laughing, "is that you do 1" 
 
 "Well sir," said Faith merrily, "they can t both be 
 true and there isn t anything very bad about either of 
 them. Nor very curious, either, I think." 
 
 "What I should like to know," said Mr. Linden, "is, 
 who keeps watch at the gate?" 
 
 "Squire Deacon does, for one," said Sam promptly. "I 
 see him there often enough." 
 
 "When you come to relieve the guard?" said Mr. Lin 
 den smiling. And the laugh was turned for the moment, 
 rather to Sam s confusion. 
 
 "So that s what the Squire s come back for, is it?" said 
 Mr. Stoutenburgh. "I thought somebody was to blame 
 for his going away." 
 
 "Nobody was much to blame," said Mrs. Stoutenburgh. 
 
 "I had a long talk with Sam the other day Sam Dea 
 con, I mean," said the Squire, "and he was keen to get 
 acquainted with Dr. Harrison. And as the doctor came 
 along just then, I gave him a chance. I guess the doctor 
 olessed me for it ! I did him. By the way, Miss Faith, 
 
 VOL. i. 33 
 
386 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 I s pose you ve got acquainted with the doctor by this 
 time ?" 
 
 "Yes sir very well " Faith said quietly, though she 
 felt the ground uneasy and unsafe. 
 
 "Well what sort of a chap is he? up to anything be 
 sides running away with all he can lay his hands on ?" 
 
 "Don t you know him, Mr. Stoutenburgh ?" 
 
 "Can t say I do, Miss Faith, it rather strikes me he s 
 not anxious I should." 
 
 "How can he be anxious, sir, when you are not?" said 
 Mr. Linden. " Isn t that expecting too much ?" 
 
 The Squire laughed. 
 
 "I don t expect too much of him," he said, "and don t 
 you expect too little. After all, I d as soon take a boy s 
 mind as a man s and he aint popular among the boys. I 
 thought he would be, after that exhibition but he aint." 
 
 Which remark Mr. Linden knew to be true, though he 
 did not say so. 
 
 "Well, Mr. Stoutenburgh! if yoa don t like him why do 
 you talk about him ?" said his wife. " Faith you can play 
 blind man s buff, I m sure ?" 
 
 "Wait a bit, wait a bit," said the Squire "I m not 
 ready to be blinded yet, if she is. You ladies are always 
 in such a hurry ! Now Mr. Linden and I want to have 
 our ideas cleared up. What sort of a man is the doctor, 
 Miss Faith ? You say you know him very well, do you 
 like him very much ? " 
 
 This shot brought Faith to a stand and obliged her, to 
 be sure, to shew her colours, which she did bravely. 
 Nevertheless she faced the Squire and answered steadily. 
 
 " I like him a good deal, Mr. Stoutenburgh in some 
 respects very much." 
 
 " Hum " said the Squire, as he cut a persuasive piece 
 of duck and put it on her plate. "Well wouldn t you like 
 to tell rne, my dear, what you mean by some respects ? . 
 That s Mrs. Stoutenburgh s word, and I never could find 
 out yet." 
 
 " I suppose it means different things hi different cases," 
 said Faith smiling. 
 
 "Did you ever?" said the Squire, taking a general sur 
 vey of the table, which began with Faith and ended with 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 387 
 
 Mr. Liudeu, "Aint that half of creation up to anything ? 
 [ tell you what, Miss Faith, if I d been in that meadow 
 tother day, I d have made Mazeppa of the doctor in no 
 time, Sam hasn t learnt to put his history in practice yet. 
 And besides," said the Squire, with a peculiarly slow, inno 
 cent enunciation, "he never likes to do anything that would 
 displease Mr. Linden !" 
 
 "Mr. Stoutenburgh!" said his wife, though she was 
 laughing merrily herself, " Can t you be quiet ? Faith, 
 why don t you answer me ?" 
 
 "What, Mrs. Stoutenburgh?" Faith turned towards 
 her a face from which, gentle as it was, the smile had dis 
 appeared. 
 
 " You play blind man s buff, don t you, dear ?" 
 
 " When I can," said Faith. 
 
 " The real question, Miss Faith," said Mr. Linden, whose 
 grave unmoved look unmoved unless by a little fear that 
 she might be annoyed would have been some help to her 
 during her cross-examination if she had seen it, "the real 
 question is, whether you are willing to play to-night. " 
 
 "I am as willing as can be," said Faith. 
 
 "I don t know whether they ll want to play it," said 
 Mrs. Stoutenburgh, "but they may; and Sam s never con 
 tent unless I m in the fun, whatever it is." 
 
 "Of course Miss Faith will play," said the Squire, 
 "she never refuses to please anybody." 
 
 "Mr. Linden said he would," said Sam. 
 
 "But how shall you and I manage, Faith?" said Mrs. 
 Stoutenburgh. " They d tell us in a minute by our dresses 
 as there are only two of us." 
 
 Faith pondered this difficulty with an amused face. 
 
 " Sam must lend us some of his jackets or coats, Mrs. 
 Stoutenburgh. Our heads are the worst, or mine is 
 you and Sam might be mistaken for each other." 
 
 " But there d be no use in Miss Faith s disguising her 
 self," said Sam naively, because she s so sweet." 
 
 " You wouldn t have her disguise that, would you, Sam ?" 
 said Mr. Linden laughing. 
 
 "What a boy!" said his mother, "and what a reflec 
 tion upon me !" 
 
 "Why 1 meant her flowers I" said Sam, "you needn t 
 
388 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 all langh so. I don t mean either that I didn t mean " 
 but what more he meant Sam left unsaid, which did not 
 much stay the laughter. 
 
 "I will appoint two or three boys to play the part of 
 the pigeon in hawking," said Mr. Linden, "Miss Faith 
 might get tired of being caught, if not of running away." 
 
 " How do you know that, Mr. Linden ?" she said a little 
 archly. 
 
 "Truly," he answered, "I know it not but most things 
 are possible, even in blind man s buff. And all boys are 
 not provided with silk gloves. Bat you shall not complain 
 of not being caught I promise you that." 
 
 "Again !" she said with another soft flash of her eye, 
 though now she coloured. "Don t you understand, Mr. 
 Linden, that I don t intend to let anybody catch me ? if 
 I can help it." 
 
 " Miss Faith, I have the most entire confidence in your 
 intentions!" 
 
 Faith kept her energies for action, and said no more. 
 And in a very harmonious temper the whole party left the 
 dinner table and went back to tne fire-lit parlour. All but 
 Sam, who went to be ready for his particular guests in 
 another room. 
 
 His place was presently supplied by a new-comer. There 
 was a step in the hall then the parlour door opened, and 
 a little lady with a shawl round her shoulders, came in. 
 
 " Good evening !" she said in a very cheery voice. " Why 
 I didn t expect to find so many of you ! Is it a party, 
 Mrs. Stoutenburgh, and shall I go away ? or will you let 
 me come in, now I ve got here ?" 
 
 "Come in, come in, Miss Essie, and make it a party," 
 said the Squire; while Mrs. Stoutenburgh took off the 
 shawl and answered, 
 
 "Go away? why of course not! It s only Sam s birth 
 day you re not afraid of boys, I guess." 
 
 "I m not afraid of anything," said Miss Essie, and her 
 bright black eyes said it too. " Isn t that Mr. Linden ? yes, 
 I thought so. And Faith Derrick ! my ! child, how you re 
 dressed. What sort of a party have you got, Mrs. S. ?" 
 
 " Why, boys I" said Mrs. Stoutenburgh, while Mr. Lin 
 den said, 
 
 33* 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 389 
 
 "Good evening, Miss Essie you know I am one of 
 them." 
 
 "Are you? I don t know much about you, except by 
 hearsay, you know. I am glad you are here to-night. 1 
 shall study you, Mr. Linden." 
 
 Mr. Linden bowed his acknowledgments. 
 
 " Will you want my help, Miss Essie ?" 
 
 She laughed. "Come!" said she "don t get on too 
 fast ! I am beginning to like you already. What are the 
 boys doing, Mrs. Stoutenburgh ? Sam s birthday, did you 
 say ?" 
 
 "Yes, it s Sam s birthday, I don t suppose they re 
 doing much yet except coming," said Mrs. Stoutenburgh. 
 "What they will do, no mortal can say." 
 
 "And you ll let them do anything! It must be a nice 
 thing to be a boy, with such a mother as Mrs. Stouten 
 burgh, Mr. Linden." 
 
 His "yes" came readily enough, but was unaccom 
 panied with any other word whatever. Mrs. Stouten- 
 burgh s "Do hush!" was sufficiently energetic though 
 very low. 
 
 "How old is Sam ?" was the instant question, as if the 
 whisper had referred to him. 
 
 "0 Sam can t get beyond fourteen till he s twenty," said 
 Mrs. Stoutenburgh laughing. "I suppose by that time I 
 sha n t care how old he is." 
 
 "I know who thinks he s a handsome fellow 1" said Miss 
 Essie shaking her head, "and that s not you, Mrs. S. / 
 know he s a smart one, for I pinned a blue ribband to his 
 coat once. I wonder if he loves me properly for it. 
 Faith Derrick, how come you to be here, child ?" 
 
 " Why because Mrs. Stoutenburgh asked me," said Faith, 
 answering this sudden address with some surprise. 
 
 "Wrong!" said Miss Essie. "There s some mistake 
 about it. I ve just come from hearing you talked of." 
 
 "Whom did you hear, Miss Essie?" said the Squire. 
 "Come give up your authority." 
 
 "I was at Judge Harrison s," said Miss Essie, after a 
 considerative look of her black eyes at the Squire; "and 
 that s all I am going to tell you, Mr. Stoutenburgh 1 Mr. 
 
 33* 
 
S90 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 .Linden, what do you think of the propriety of people s 
 talking about people ?" 
 
 "I think well of the propriety, when it exists." 
 
 " Well what do you think of its existence ? Honestly, 
 now. I want to get at your opinion." 
 
 "I think its existence is rather limited and precarious, 
 Miss Essie," said Mr. Linden smiling. " It is one of those 
 things that may be said to have a delicate constitution." 
 
 " Well," said Miss Essie again, smiling too, both with lips 
 and eyes, " how could people get along in such a place as 
 Pattaquasset, for instance, without it ? People must talk. 
 And it is so pleasant to know that Mrs. Stoutenburgh s 
 son Sam is fifteen years old and had a party on his birth 
 day ; and that Mr. Linden and Miss Derrick were there 
 and eat roast turkey; and to know that Miss Essie de 
 Staff went to New York to get a new carpet for her best 
 room and what the new style is; and that Miss Faith 
 Derrick was run away with and brought home again, and 
 went through adventures. How could we do without talk 
 ing of these things ? Now perhaps you will say it s im 
 moral; but I m in favour of a possible morality; and I 
 say, how could Pattaquasset get along without all this ?" 
 
 "Pattaquasset could get along without some of the 
 things, to start with," said the Squire. "I don t know 
 what you call pleasant, Miss Essie, but I never was so 
 angry in my life since some rascal told me Mrs. Stouten- 
 burgh was going to marry somebody else," he added laughing. 
 
 "But I say," said Miss Essie, "how could Pattaquasset 
 get along without talking of these things ? and I ask Mr. 
 Linden. I want to know his opinion." 
 
 "I will not say that it could," said Mr. Linden. "Miss 
 Essie, you know Pattaquasset better than I do." 
 
 "Well do you think there is any harm in talking of 
 them ?" 
 
 "What do you think of the modern definition of a young 
 lawyer, Miss Essie a man who is where he has no busi 
 ness to be, because he has no business where he ought 
 to be ? " 
 
 Miss Essie laughed, and laughed. 
 
 " Don t Sam get along fast with his reading and writing. 
 Mr. Stoutenburgh ?" 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 391 
 
 "Always did " said the Squire ; " and with everything 
 else too. What are you talking about ? I lost that. I d 
 gone off to that rascal " 
 
 Miss Essie s laugh rang out again and her eyes dar.ced. 
 
 "That rascal I Now for shame, Mr. Stoutenburgh ! 
 You know better. I wonder if you never had young 
 horses yourself, and took Mrs. Stoutenburgh to ride, too. 
 Now I like him very much. Mr. Linden, you know Dr. 
 Harrison, don t you?" 
 
 "I should a little." 
 
 "Well aren t you a judge of character? Do you think 
 he deserves to be called a rascal ?" 
 
 But Squire Stoutenburgh prevented the answer. "I 
 wish you d just stop and let me catch up with you, Miss 
 Essie," he said. "Now before we go any further, whoever 
 said he was a rascal? /didn t." 
 
 "Did you mean somebody else, Mr. Stoutenburgh?" 
 
 "That s the way you talk over pleasant things!" said 
 the Squire. "If I hadn t hallooed after you, Miss Essie, 
 I should have had a challenge from the doctor before morn 
 ingor a shot, that s getting to be the fashion." 
 
 " Do you think Dr. Harrison is that kind of man ?" said 
 Miss Essie. "Mr. Linden, what kind of man do you 
 think he is? You can tell better than the Squire, and I 
 want to know." 
 
 " Miss Essie ! he is my friend and I am his, you can 
 not expect me to give you Dr. Harrison s components 
 each with its Latin label on ! " 
 
 "Not at all ! but in general, how would you characterize 
 him, if asked what sort of a man he was !" 
 
 "I should perhaps decline." 
 
 Miss Essie had no chance to push her question, for Sam 
 came with a demand for Mr. Linden himself, which was at 
 once obeyed. 
 
 A little while passed, and then Mr. Linden came back 
 again ; and walked composedly round to the back of 
 Faith s chair. "Mrs. Stoutenburgh," he said, "will you 
 let me take this lady away for five minutes? Miss Faith, 
 will you come ?" 
 
 Nothing loth, if the truth must be told, Faith rose up 
 
392 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 to follow his leading; which was out of the parlour and 
 through the hall. 
 
 "Miss Faith," he said as he shut the door, "have you 
 been conjugating the verb s ennuyer ?" 
 
 "No," she said. "I was amused to hear you and Miss 
 Essie talk." 
 
 " What singular ideas people have on the question of 
 pleasant things !" said Mr. Linden. " Come in here, Miss 
 Faith" and he opened the door of a mingled library, 
 study room, and office, "I want to give you (before we 
 go any further) the whole quotation which I did not dare 
 to give Miss Essie, though it would not have been meant 
 for her, if I had." And he took down one of the books, 
 and read 
 
 "Her eye, it seems a chemic test, 
 
 And drops upon you like an acid ; 
 It bites you with unconscious zest, 
 
 So clear and bright, so coldly placid ; 
 It holds you quietly aloof, 
 
 It holds, and yet it does not win you; 
 It merely puts you to the proof 
 
 And sorts what qualities are in you, &c. 
 
 There you are classified: she s gone 
 
 Far, far away into herself; 
 Each with its Latin label on, 
 Your poor components, one by one, 
 
 Are laid upon their proper shelf 
 In her compact and ordered mind, &c. 
 
 brain exact, that in thy scales 
 
 Canst weigh the sun and never err, 
 For once thy patient science fails, 
 
 One problem still defies thy art ; 
 Thou never canst compute for her 
 The distance and diameter 
 
 Of any simple human heart. 
 
 That s comforting doctrine isn t it ?" he said smiling as 
 
 he put up the book. 
 
 "How good that is!" said Faith, as much in the spirit 
 
 of enjoyment as of criticism. But it isn t jast Miss Essie. 
 
 It s more like " She stopped. 
 
 " Well who ? No, it is not Miss Essie." 
 
 "I was going to say, Mrs. Somers but it is not Mrs, 
 
 Somers, either. She is more kind than that." 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 393 
 
 "Yes, I think so though she keeps her kindness under 
 lock and key, like her sweetmeats. Miss Faith, shall 1 
 give you a loophole view of those boys before you ven 
 ture yourself among them ?" 
 
 She said yes, with a bright face that shewed her primed 
 for any enjoyment, or anything else perhaps, he might pro 
 pose. He knew the house, apparently, and led her out of 
 one door and in at another, giving her little undertone 
 remarks by the way. 
 
 "I know you and I agree in some of our notions about 
 pleasant things," he said, "or I should not presume that 
 you would find this one. To some people, you know, 
 boys are mere receivers for Latin and Greek to me they 
 are separate little pieces of humanity. I study them quite as 
 much as they do their lessons. Now you shall see them 
 off their guard. This room is dark but I know the way." 
 
 He took her hand as he spoke, and led her through the 
 darkness to a spot of shaded light at the further end of 
 the room, whence too came laughter and voices ; then drew 
 back the curtain from a sash door and let her look in. 
 
 It was pleasant, as he said, the room was glowing with 
 light, the boys in a knot about the fire ; some sitting, some 
 standing, one or two couchant upon the rug. Sam was 
 the spokesman just then the rest listening, interrupting, 
 applauding; the flashing firelight shewing such different 
 faces ! such varied indications ! they looked like a little 
 Congress of representatives. 
 
 "What are they doing, Mr. Linden? Sam is having a 
 good time ! and all the rest of them for that matter." 
 
 "I am not quite sure what they are doing, Miss Faith, 
 Sara looks as if he might be recounting some of his own 
 exploits for the twentieth time." 
 
 "But Reuben, who never would recount one of his, is 
 five times as much of a man." 
 
 "Yes, I wonder what Miss Essie would say of the two, 
 respectively. She means to study me to-night, you know," 
 he said smiling "and I mean she shall I There corner 
 Mrs. Stoutenburgh now I shall take you in." 
 
 Not by the sash door, but round again by another way 
 they came upon the little company. Mrs. Stoutenburgh 
 had been in before, and her reappearance had not made 
 
394 SAY AND 
 
 much change in the order of things; but wher. Faith came 
 in every boy rose to his feet, and the admiring looks were 
 only bounded by the number of eyes. They fell back right 
 and left as she came on towards the fire; and once seated 
 there in an easy chair, those who knew her came up to pay 
 their respects those who did not stood still and paid them 
 at a distance, whispering and touching each other with, 
 
 "My ! aiut she handsome I" 
 
 All of which amused at least two of the lookers-on. 
 One or two of the boys Mr. Linden brought up and pre 
 sented. Faith however was presently out of her chair of 
 state and wound in and out among them, speaking to 
 those whom she knew or remembered at Neanticut. She 
 was in a little gale of good-fellowship by the time Mr. 
 Linden with Miss Essie returned to the room. 
 
 "Well!" said Miss Essie. "Now what s the first order 
 of things ? Mr. Linden, these are all your boys, I sup 
 pose ?" 
 
 "These are all and not all, Miss Essie." 
 
 "Yes. Do they always do what you tell them ?" 
 
 "They are extraordinary boys !" said Mr. Linden. "Not 
 one of them has a will of his own." 
 
 "Oh!" said Miss Essie. "What has become of their 
 wills ? Have you stolen them ? Now I am going to put 
 that to the proof. Sam Stoutenburgh you are not twenty 
 years old yet, your mother says; have you a will of your own?" 
 
 "Mother says I have," replied Sam. 
 
 "Ah! you see !" said Miss Essie. "You sir, I know 
 you but I don t remember you, -your teacher says you 
 haven t a will of your own now is it true ? I want to 
 know." 
 
 "A will of my own, ma am ?" Reuben repeated, looking 
 doubtfully from Miss Essie to Mr. Linden. "Against whose, 
 if you please?" 
 
 "Well " said Miss Essie, a little surprised, and laugh 
 ing "upon honour, will you tell the truth?" 
 
 "I ll try, ma am." 
 
 "Against Mr. Linden s. Now upon honour! I ll go 
 bail for you." 
 
 The bail was not needed. Reuben s quiet "No, ma am, 
 and don t want to have," was very forcible. 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 395 
 
 "I declare !" said Miss Essie turning to Mr. Linden, 
 11 you re a wonderful man! For of course Sam s word is 
 his mother s word, and that s nothing in the circumstances. 
 I wish I had been so happy as to be a boy and go to 
 school to you, Mr. Linden ! All my life my trouble has 
 been a will of my own ; and I never found anybody that 
 could deprive me of it." 
 
 "Nor yourself ready to give it up ?" 
 
 " Of course ! but I never could, you know. It was 
 stronger than I." 
 
 "I ll tell you what," said Mrs. Stoutenburgh, coming 
 up, "if you two people want to talk any more, you ve got 
 to stand out of the way, Faith and I are going to have a 
 game with these boys." 
 
 "What sort of game?" 
 
 "Why blind man s buff," said Mrs. Stoutenburgh. "Sam 
 go to my room and fetch that plaid ribband that lies on 
 the bed." 
 
 "Now I ll tell you," said Miss Essie, "you must play 
 this game as they do it up at Suckiaug. Any game wants 
 a stake, you know, Mr. Stoutenburgh, to make it thoroughly 
 interesting. You must play it this way. Everybody that 
 is caught and found, must answer any question the person 
 catching chooses to ask. And if he refuses to answer, he 
 must answer some other question and give a reason for it. 
 That ll make em fly round !" 
 
 In the midst of a little general bustle that ensued, Faith 
 was startled at finding that her rose and myrtle were gone. 
 The next -instant a hand presented them unceremoniously 
 under her face, and an abrupt voice announced, "Here s 
 your flowers I" It was even Phil Davids who had done it. 
 Faith seized her flowers, and then sprang after Phil and 
 thanked him very gratefully ; rightly hailing this civility as 
 an omen for good. The flowers were next bestowed care 
 fully in a glass of water, to be in safety till the play should 
 be over. 
 
 Now began the fun of robing and disrobing. The ladies 
 pinned up their silk skirts into order and quiet compass, and 
 pulled on over their arms and shoulders whatever boys 
 gear would fit. Faith was jaunty in a little cloth jacket 
 whicl covered her arms ; Miss Essie wrapped about her 
 
596 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 a plaid travelling shawl of the Squire s. Mrs. Stouten- 
 burgh deferred her disguising till she should need it, being 
 in the first place to be the catcher, not the caught. Mr. 
 Linden on his part chose to rely on his own resources for 
 safety, but two or three of the boys tied on shawls and 
 scarfs soon discarded in the melee. 
 
 If Sam s intent was to have a steady game of running, 
 never to produce results unless fatigue and laughter he 
 had well chosen the first catcher. Mrs. Stoutenburgh s 
 powers of entanglement lay not in that line, though she 
 ran about with the most utter good will and merriment. 
 But how the boys jumped over her arms ! or dived under 
 them ! How Sam caught her round the waist, and even 
 kissed her, regardless of danger ! She might have been 
 playing till this time, if Mr. Linden had not interposed 
 and gallantly suffered himself to be caught. 
 
 "We ll have to step round now, I tell you!" said one of 
 the boys, "this ll be another guess sort of a run 1" 
 
 "Look out for yourself now, Miss Faith!" said Reuben 
 both which things were profoundly true and necessary. 
 And Faith soon found out that she was the quarry and that 
 pigeons were of no avail. Whether Mr. Linden had heard 
 her steps about his sick room till he had learned them by 
 heart, whether the theory of spirits touching held good 
 in this case, he gave her a swift little run round the room, 
 and shut her up gracefully in the corner. Then with the 
 simplicity which characterized most of his proceedings, 
 disregarding jacket and cap, he took hold of her hand and 
 inquired, 
 
 "Miss Faith do you consider yourself disguised?" 
 
 The soft laugh which it was impossible to keep back, 
 answered to his ear, as the flush which overspread Faith s 
 face answered to eyes of the rest of the company. 
 
 "That will do to begin with," he said as he took off the 
 plaid ribband, while Mrs. Stoutenburgh laughed and 
 clapped her hands after her own lively fashion. 
 
 "But Miss Faith!" said Sam "don t tie up your head, 
 please ! if you shut your eyes it will do just as well." 
 
 "You can t see her eyes if they re shut, you foolish boy," 
 Baid Mr. Linden, "go off and attend to your own affairs. 
 Miss Faith, shall I tie this on or do you wish for a deputy?" 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 397 
 
 There is a great deal of character that comes out in a 
 play ! Miss Essie might have had excellent opportunity 
 for prosecuting her studies, if she had not been busy on 
 her own score. For Faith did not play like Mrs. Stouten- 
 burgh. She- played like herself with a gentleness that 
 never overstepped delicate bounds; but her foot was light 
 and true, and her movements fearless and free as those of the 
 very boys. It was a pretty game that she played. It would 
 have been a short one, but that it was so hard to identify 
 her captives. One boy after another Faith caught, to the 
 feeling they were all alike ! At last her hand seized an 
 other prize, and her voice exclaimed, Mr. Stoutenburghl 
 
 There was a sharp change about now between the older 
 and the younger people. Faith did her best not to be 
 caught again. But after half a dozen changes between 
 Mr. Linden and the boys, he again had the pleasure of in 
 vesting her with the plaid ribband. 
 
 " May I give her the question ?" whispered Miss Essie 
 at Mr. Linden s ear. 
 
 "No indeed!" said Mr. Linden.. "Miss Faith, what is 
 the difference between a bird and a philosopher?" 
 
 Somewhat to the surprise as well as amusement of the 
 company, the answer to this was the heartiest, merriest bit 
 of a laugh ; then she said, 
 
 "One looks round the corner, Mr. Linden!" 
 
 "Well you won t see round the corner now," he said 
 softly and laughing as he tied on the ribband. "Miss 
 Faith ! do you mean to say I did ?" 
 
 She said no, and ran away. But Faith was not in 
 luck this time, for she caught Miss Essie. And Miss Essie 
 in a few minutes got the chance she wanted at Faith. She 
 wouldn t have had it, for Faith ran too well and vanished too 
 skilfully ; but a little knot of the boys getting into a knot 
 just in her way and at the wrong time, Faith fell a prey. 
 
 " Now," said her captor unbinding her ribband, " what do 
 you think I am going to ask you?" 
 
 Faith was very doubtful on the subject, and waited in 
 silence. 
 
 "Only a matter of taste," said Miss Essie. "Who do 
 you think" (speaking slowly) " is the handsomest maa 
 in Pattaquasset?" 
 
 VOL. i. 34 
 
398 
 
 The colour mounted in Faith s cheeks too distinctly to 
 leave any room for the doubt that no other answer was at 
 hand. She avoided Miss Essie s black eyes. 
 
 " Come !" said that lady. 
 
 "I can t tell you," said Faith, amid the laughter of 
 some of the company, which was enormous. 
 
 "You can t!" said Miss Essie. "Now you are at my 
 mercy. You have got to tell me something else and give 
 your reason. What do you think is the best profession a 
 man can follow ?" 
 
 "Any one is good that is used right," said Faith, look 
 ing down and speaking with difficulty, " but I suppose the 
 best is a minister s." 
 
 "Why?" said Miss Essie, disappointed. 
 
 "Because the business of that profession is to lead men 
 to heaven; that of others is only to fit them for earth." 
 
 "My dear, you re a fine girl!" said the Squire willing 
 Faith should say anything that cut out Dr. Harrison. 
 " Miss Essie, what do you mean by asking her such a string 
 of questions? how can she tell who s the handsomest 
 man? She wouldn t like to hurt Mr. Linden s feelings by 
 saying me, nor to make us both mad by saying anybody 
 else if there was anybody else to speak "of." 
 
 "You hush, Mr. Stoutenburgh !" said Miss Essie. "Don t 
 you know how to ask questions? Now Faith Derrick 
 run off with yourself. " Faith obeyed with a trifle less than 
 her usual spirit; but the game presently called it back 
 again. Darting about, like some gentle-hearted hawk, 
 among those flying pigeons, she had seized one boy and an 
 other with her usual bad success in the matter of identify 
 ing, when the boys suddenly cleared away a little anxious 
 perhaps that Mr. Linden should be caught again ; for of 
 all the players he gave them- the most fun. And so effec 
 tually did they clear the way so ineffectual!} did he pro 
 tect himself! that the next grasp of Faith s hand was upon 
 his arm. And her voice gravely announced that she knew 
 it. 
 
 "Now Faith!" said Mrs. Stoutenburgh, "do puzzle him 
 if you can give him a hard question." 
 
 "She does not want to ask me any questions," said Mr. 
 Linden as he untied the ribband. "You forget, Mrs 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 399 
 
 Stoutenburgh, how many she can ask every day. Now 
 with Miss Essie the case is quite different." 
 
 Yery quiet and pleasant was the look bent on Faith, 
 very cool and undisturbed the manner. " Miss Faith, are 
 you tired ? I must be philosophical enough to inform you 
 that there is a shadow of puss-in-the-comer 1" 
 
 And a very plain expression of gratitude was in her 
 eyes and smile as she answered, "No, I m not tired, Mr. 
 Linden but I would as lieve look on as play." 
 
 That seemed to be the general grown-up mind; but 
 before the looking on had lasted long, everybody was called 
 into another room to supper. There the boys were left 
 somewhat to themselves at one end of the table, and the 
 half dozen others stood or sat in the warm fireplace corner 
 at the other. Mr. Linden indeed, and Squire Stoutenburgh, 
 were both boys very often; but their returns to the ladies 
 were frequent and prolonged. Faith was enthroned in a 
 great chair, and there petted by Mrs. Stoutenburgh, while 
 everybody brought her things by turns a privilege highly 
 prized by some of the boys. Neither could Miss Essie 
 complain of want of attention, while Mrs. Stoutenburgh 
 and Mr. Linden took laughing care of each other between 
 whiles. 
 
 " Miss Essie," he said as he brought her a cup of coffee, 
 "where are you in the pursuit of knowledge ?" 
 
 Miss Essie laughed; yet not a triumphant laugh, nor 
 even a satisfied one ; it might be considered doubtful. 
 
 "I think," she said, "you are one of a sort I don t much 
 understand, Mr. Linden perhaps because I don t know 
 them much. Aren t you one of what I may call the good 
 sort?" 
 
 Faith s laugh, which was indeed very low but unavoid 
 able, was the first testimony. 
 
 " I hope you may " said Mr. Linden, " the words sound 
 pleasant. I am not quite sure what they mean." 
 
 "Ah ! There you are again !" said Miss Essie. "As diffi 
 cult to catch at other things as at blind man s buff. Well 
 I ll be frank with you, for I don t mean to offend you. I 
 mean, the sort of people who are called rigidly righteous 
 people who think it incumbent on them to be better than 
 their neighbours." 
 
400 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 " no " said Mr. Linden, " I quite disclaim that. I 
 only think it incumbent on me to be better than mvself." 
 
 "Yes, but -you are one of the people I mean aren t 
 you?" 
 
 " Not according to that term, Miss Essie. May I ask 
 what you mean by the other?" 
 
 "Rigidly righteous?" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "Why I told you people that pretend to be better than 
 people in general. People in general, you know, get on 
 without pretending much to be good at all: and of course 
 it s disagreeable to be brought short up at every turn with 
 you ought not, and you ought; and whether it is said 
 or acted don t make much difference. Now here s this 
 child, a little while ago, thought she mustn t say anything 
 was good but a minister. 
 
 "Do you mean Christians?" said Mr. Linden. 
 
 "Well " said Miss Essie, "I hope we re all Christians 
 - aren t we ? We re not heathens." 
 
 "I mean the followers of Christ. Is that what you 
 meant ? I do wear the badge of that Legion of Honour. " 
 
 Miss Essie looked fidgeted. Faith was letting her ice 
 cream melt while she listened. Mrs. Stoutenburgh in the 
 midst of supper-table attentions gave an anxious eye and 
 ear to the conference, which she would not interrupt. 
 
 "Well now tell me what you mean by that?" said Miss 
 Essie, feeling herself in some confusion, of terms at least. 
 
 " Can I find plainer words ? You know what was meant 
 by a follower in the old feudal times ?" 
 
 "No I don t," said Miss Essie beginning to sip her coffee 
 again. "Tell me!" 
 
 "A follower was one who binding himself to the service 
 his lord required of him, thenceforth paid it in peace or 
 in war, to the end of his life. And the terms of agree 
 ment were two-fold, fidelity on the one side, protection 
 on the other. They follow me, says Christ, and I give 
 unto them eternal life ." 
 
 "Yes, but," said Miss Essie, "do you think it is required 
 that we should put ourselves so much out of the way to be 
 good ? I think people were meant to enjoy themselves." 
 
 "/ eiijoy myself " said Mr. Linden smiling a little 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 401 
 
 "What think you makes the lark fly circling up into the 
 very sunbeams, singing as lie goes ? is it duty ? is it to 
 rise above the robins and sparrows?" 
 
 "I don t understand you!" said Miss Essie respectfully. 
 
 "That is just the inner life of many a Christian, hia 
 very heart-cry is, 
 
 Nearer, my God, to thee ; 
 
 Nearer to thee! 
 E en though it be a cross, 
 That raiseth me! " 
 
 "Well, you think nobody can be safe that don t live just 
 so ?" persisted Miss Essie. 
 
 " In whom such a life is not at least begun ? How can 
 it be, Miss Essie ? Safe ? without the blessing of God ?" 
 
 "Well there we differ," said the lady. "That s what I 
 mean by being rigidly righteous. I think every one must 
 judge for himself." 
 
 A little more erect Mr. Linden stood, drawing himself 
 up slightly it was his wont sometimes under a touch of 
 excitement, and spoke with his deep emphasis these words 
 
 " This is life eternal, to know thee, the only true God, 
 and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent. Miss Essie, where 
 is your permit for free judgment against the Bible ?" 
 
 "I didn t mean 7ia,"said Miss Essie, lowering her crest. 
 "But I mean that everybody can t be good after your strict 
 way." 
 
 " I am not standing up for myself, you know," said he 
 pleasantly, "nor denying that you have described me right; 
 but what a follower of Christ ought to be, is no more rigid 
 than sunlight or than the wings of angels. Yet both 
 sun and angels always do his commandment who made 
 them both." 
 
 " Oh people can t be sunlight nor angels neither, in this 
 world. You re Utopian! That s what I said." 
 
 "They can be burning and shining lights, " said Mr. 
 Linden. "Miss Essie, will you gainsay the Bible? Why 
 can they not?" 
 
 "They can be but I suppose they aren t obliged to be; 
 or what is to become of us all?" said Miss Essie, half 
 seriously half defiantly. 
 
 34* 
 
i02 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "That will depend upon whom we follow," he answered 
 gravely. 
 
 "Well now, Mr. Linden, how many people in the world 
 ere followers in the way you have described them? and 
 are all the rest going to destruction ? Take the people in 
 this room now, for instance, boys and all here s twenty of 
 us perhaps. How many do you suppose are here of your 
 way of following ? You re one who s another? Stand 
 off there, and see whom you can get to join you !" 
 
 " Stand off and say with Moses who is on the Lord s 
 side? there would be several, Miss Essie." 
 
 "Well count up," said Miss Essie. "I suppose they 
 have no objection to shew themselves. You are one who s 
 another ?" 
 
 "I am another," said Faith, rising and setting down her 
 ice cream. 
 
 "You!" said Miss Essie turning the black eyes upon 
 her, you look like it, child!" 
 
 "You must put the rigid out of your head," Mr. Lin 
 den said, with a smile which changed as he spoke. 
 
 "Well who else?" said Miss Essie, for some reason or 
 other in an impatient temper. "Tell them your definition, 
 will you, and ask who ll stand by y^pu. Mrs. Stouten- 
 burgh ! make them all stop and attend." 
 
 "If I ask them you may think they come to please me." 
 
 " No, no, you know how to say it. Mr. Stoutenburgh ! 
 boys ! listen. I want to know how many there are here 
 of a particular kind of people Mr. Linden will tell you 
 what kind." 
 
 He spoke then as Faith had once or twice heard him 
 speak, sending his voice through the room almost without 
 raising it. 
 
 "Miss Essie de Staff wishes to know how many there are 
 here of a particular kind of people those that have sworn 
 unto the Lord, and wHl not go back. Whoever is of that 
 number will please come over to this side." 
 
 There was a little astonished pause. Mr. and Mrs. 
 Stoutenburgh, just then at the further end of the room, had 
 moved at Miss Essie s summons, but stopped short at the 
 first sound of Mr. Linden s voice, and looked iu. a sort of 
 maze, he clearly was not jesting, that was all they could 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 403 
 
 make out. That too the boys saw: but for a minute they 
 stood like statues, then Reuben stepped from the group 
 and walked quietly, deliberately, over to where Mr. Linden 
 stood; the covenant-signing in his face glowing with the 
 Free Church addition until death! 
 
 One and another followed him one after another, 
 Faith was surprised to see how many : ranging themselves 
 about Mr. Linden. But something in it all touched him 
 stirred him, something perhaps personal to himself and 
 them ; for after the first three or four had come he looked 
 no more, r^ his eyes fell, and the firmly compressed lips 
 could not quite conceal their trembling. He stood as 
 statue-like as the boys had done. 
 
 In the interest of a moment and a scene that she never 
 forgot, it was a simple thing that Faith lost thought of her 
 own standing. Perhaps Miss Essie shared her oblivion of 
 self for that minute ; her look of uneasy curiosity changed 
 to a sobriety that was almost awe. Perhaps self-recollec 
 tion came back; for after eying the dumb show with uncom 
 monly blank black eyes, both they and she suddenly started 
 into action. 
 
 "That will do," she said with voice and gesture, "you 
 may go back scatter ! and be boys again. Mr. Linden, 
 what I complain of is, that you say you are on the Lord s 
 side and that everybody else is not !" 
 
 His thoughts came back slowly, as from some far- distant 
 region, he even turned to Faith and wheeled up a chair 
 for her before he answered. 
 
 "No, Miss Essie those last words I believe I never said. 
 But the Lord knoweth them that are his let each one 
 have answering knowledge for himself." 
 
 Miss Essie s look was not comfortable. She abandoned 
 the point in hand, and swallowed her cold coffee. 
 
 "Whata?*e you talking about ?" said Mrs. Stoutenbnrgh 
 coming up to them. " What sort of a game was that, Miss 
 Essie?" 
 
 "Nothing," said Miss Essie. "I said I would study 
 Mr. Linden and I have. I ve found out two things about 
 him." 
 
 "I wonder if he s been studying too!" said Mrs. Stout- 
 enburgh. "What are the two things? Miss Essie, your 
 
404 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 coffee s just as cold as Faith s ice is warm ! that comes of 
 talking when you ought to be eating. Mr. Linden -just help 
 Mr. Stoutenburgh with that little table, please and I ll 
 have the coffee-pot here and be comfortable." 
 
 "And I shall tell Miss Essie a story about fishes," said 
 Mr. Linden as he obeyed. 
 
 Mrs. Stoutenburgh sat down behind her coffee-pot, while 
 the gentlemen went back and forth between the two tables, 
 bringing cups and cake and what else was needed for this 
 German cotillion, as Mr. Linden called it. During which 
 interlude Miss Essie, after taking an observant view of 
 Faith, gave her a significant private admonition, that 
 somebody would not like her being there. Faith in vain 
 endeavoured to get some light on this dark information ; 
 Miss Essie was startling but enigmatical, and suddenly 
 turned from her and asked Mr. Linden "what was the 
 story he had promised ?" 
 
 " Not much of a story, though I called it one. It has 
 to do with the way different races of fishes wear their 
 bones. " 
 
 "Well?" said Miss Essie, using her eyes; while Faith 
 forgot her flushed cheeks and used hers. 
 
 "You are perhaps aware, "he said smiling, "that even 
 fishes have their inflexible points ; in other words, a region 
 of bone somewhere" 
 
 Miss Essie bowed her head, mentally ejaculating, "You 
 have!" 
 
 "And all the fossil tribes, as well as those which now 
 exist, are divided into two great classes, those which 
 wear their bones on the outside, and those which wear 
 them within. The first have a perfect plate armour 
 jointed and fitted and carved, piece by piece ; but the inner 
 framework is merely cartilaginous. The others, while they 
 shew nothing but pliant flesh, have an internal structure 
 of bone which can outlast ages." 
 
 "Curious!" said Miss Essie, eying him all the while 
 carefully. "Then I suppose we are all fishes !" 
 
 " I wag thinking apropos to our talk awhile ago of 
 the intangible, unseen nature of a Christian s strength. 
 The moment his defence is worn on the outside, that mo 
 ment there is a failure of strength within. His real armour 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 405 
 
 of proof is nothing more rigid, Miss Essie, than the 
 girdle of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, and for 
 a helmet the hope of salvation. " 
 
 "Very good armour," said Miss Essie; "but can t he 
 wear it without being unlike other people ?" 
 
 "Carche?" 
 
 "Look here," said Squire Stoutenbnrgh, "what have 
 you been about? If you ve been studying anatomy, Mr 
 Linden, I ll go learn dancing !" 
 
 And the conversation diverged. 
 
CHAPTER XXXII. 
 
 FAITH pondered probably Miss Essie s enigmatical 
 words; but she said nothing on the subject even to 
 her mother. Other people s words and looks had produced 
 their share of disturbance at the time; disturbance that 
 Faith did not like to recollect. And she would not recol 
 lect it, practically. It left no trace on her face or behaviour. 
 The simplicity of both, unchanged in a whit, testified for 
 her that her modesty would not take such hints from other 
 people s testimony, and that there was no folly in her to 
 be set fluttering at the suggestion. 
 
 The next Wednesday morning was one of great promise, 
 fair and soft and quiet, with November s sunshine soften 
 ing November s brown dress. 
 
 " I think, Miss Faith," Mr. Linden said before he went 
 off after breakfast, " that you should take a short run 01 
 two, before you try that long one to Mattabeeset." 
 
 "A run, Mr. Linden ? Didn t I have one last night ?" 
 
 " Truly yes, but I mean on horseback. Will you take 
 such a one to-day ?" 
 
 "Yes!" said Faith, looking different things, especially 
 pleasure, " but Mr. Linden, I don t know where I am to 
 get a horse. Crab can t go now." 
 
 "Well, as I am to play the part of page, and run by 
 your side," said Mr. Linden, "I am rather glad he can t! 
 no disrespect to his other good qualities. When will you 
 be ready, Miss Faith?" 
 
 The hour fixed upon had need to be early, for the days 
 were short; so though books had a little time after dinner, 
 it was but a little. Then the horses came; and Mr. Lin 
 den took Faith in charge, with words from her mother that 
 might have been very useful if they had been needed, 
 which in his case they hardly were. A fact which his re 
 ply, or the manner of it, seemed to impress upon Mrs. Der 
 rick s mind, for she saw them ride off with nothing but 
 pleasure. 
 
 Other people saw them with a variety of emotions All 
 (406) 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 407 
 
 the boys they met (except Sam) looked unqualified delight, 
 from her window Mrs. Stoutenburgh gave them a gay 
 wave of her hand ; Miss Bezac on the sidewalk absolutely 
 turned to look again. They rode leisurely up the grassy 
 road, hardly beyond a walk at first, and it was not till the 
 houses grew few and the road more open, that Faith had 
 her promised run : which was but an easy trot, after all. 
 
 "You must begin very gently, Miss Faith," said her 
 companion as they walked their horses up a little hill. 
 "Look how those topsails mark the water line!" 
 
 " Yes don t you like to see the white sails peeping over 
 the trees? I always do. But Mr Linden, I don t get 
 tired easily you needn t be afraid. I can go just as fast 
 as you like." She looked enough in the mood. 
 
 " You know I am interested in the matter, if I should 
 come home to-morrow and find you gone to sleep at mid 
 day I should lose my French lesSon ! Now you may 
 have another run." 
 
 This run was rather a long one, yet came to an unex 
 pected end, for turning a woody point in the road the two 
 riders saw a wagon before them, so directly in their way, 
 that the run changed to a walk even before they perceived 
 that the wagon was in distress. Some bit of harness, some 
 pin, had given way, and the driver had dismounted to re 
 pair damages. But moody, or intent upon his work, 
 Faith s horse was close upon him before he looked up 
 then she saw it was Squire Deacon. He looked down 
 again as suddenly, with only a slight motion of his hand 
 to his hat. 
 
 Faith s first impulse would have been to rush on ; but 
 she checked that. Her next would have been to wait and 
 leave somebody else to speak first; but she overcame that 
 too. So it was her very clear gentle voice that asked, 
 
 "Are you in trouble here, Mr. Deacon ?" 
 
 Th=; Squire had no time to give his answer, and scarce 
 a moment wherein to concoct it, for Mr. Linden had dis- 
 mou.ited and now came between Faith s horse and the 
 wat>-ju, with, "What is the matter, Squire Deacon? can 
 I help you?" 
 
 The Squire looked up theA, full, with a face that dark 
 ened as he looked. 
 
408 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "It s you, is it?" he said slowly. "I thought it was 
 Dr. Harrison !" 
 
 " Can I help you ?" Mr. Linden repeated and the tone 
 was a little peremptory. 
 
 Sullenly and slowly the Squire told the damage the 
 broken harness, the lost lynch-pin ; and let Mr. Linden 
 take the first out of his hands, and do what he chose with 
 it; looking on the while then by degrees taking hold 
 himself and working with him as with any other man, but 
 throwing off jealously the kindness of his helper s words 
 or manner. It was a grave kindness, certainly, but it did 
 not belie the name. Faith sat looking on. After awhile 
 her voice broke the silence. 
 
 "Did you say a lynch-pin was wanting, Mr. Deacon?" 
 
 "There s one gone." 
 
 "I should like to be doing something to help. Will you 
 lend me your knife, Mr. Deacon? and I ll try." But that 
 brought a hand on her bridle. 
 
 " I cannot trust your horse out of my sight, Miss Faith, . 
 I will get what is wanting. " 
 
 " There s no use in anyone s doing anything," said Squire 
 Deacon, by way of a settler ; and the harness work went on 
 in silence. 
 
 Faith waited a little. 
 
 "I am not the least afraid," she said then, leaning over 
 her horse s neck but speaking no name. " There s a place 
 only a little way back where I think I can get a lynch-pin, 
 if anybody will lend me a knife. Please let me go and be 
 doing something I I want to go." 
 
 "This cord," said Mr. Linden, taking one up from the 
 bottom of the wagon "is it wanted for any special purpose, 
 Squire Deacon?" 
 
 "I guess if you ask Joe Tie could tell you," said the Squire 
 with a glance that way. " Twas good for something, but 
 he s tied it in forty knots -just to see if I d be fool enough 
 to pick em out." 
 
 "It would be very useful about this harness," said Mr. 
 Linden, "will you try and get rid of the knots?" and 
 he handed Faith the cord, with a smile which said she must 
 make that do instead of the lynch-pin. 
 
 Which Faith did not particularly like, for she had a strong 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 409 
 
 hankering for the ride back to the bushes. She dropped 
 the bridle upon her horse s neck, and began to exercise her 
 patience and skill upon the knots. 
 
 "I wish I had a knife I" she said as she did so, and I d 
 shew you that I am not afraid." And a little colour rose 
 in her face, which rather grew. 
 
 "That s easy," said Squire Deacon, looking suddenly up 
 and extending his hand. "Here s one as ll cut through 
 most things." Mr. Linden s head was bent over the har 
 ness, ^neither eye nor hand stirred from his work. 
 
 "Thank you, Mr. Deacon," said Faith, feeling the blood 
 rise to her brow, - lt but I won t go for it now. I ll do this 
 first." In her confusion Faith did not see another person 
 that joined the group, till he was standing at her horse s 
 side. 
 
 "What sort of a bee are you gettin up here on the 
 high-way?" said Mr. Simlins in his good-humoured growl 
 (and he had a variety.) "What air you doin on horse 
 back?" 
 
 " There s harness to be mended here, Mr. Simlins and 
 I m making rope for it." 
 
 "You go long!" said he. "Who are you makin rope 
 for ? Give that to me ?" But Faith held fast. 
 
 "No, Mr. Simlins, you can t have it I am bound to get 
 out these knots. There is work doing round here, that 
 perhaps you can help." 
 
 Mr. Simlius stooped under her horse s head and went 
 round to the other side, and then for the first time he got a 
 full view. 
 
 "That s the way you perform actions!" he said; seeming 
 too profoundly struck to be at all wordy. " Say and Seal 
 I guess you be ! What s the matter with you, Squire ?" 
 
 "If anything is, I haint heard of it," said Mr. Deacon, 
 with the knife lying heavy against his ribs. "Mr. Linden s 
 turned harness-maker that s the last news." 
 
 "0 are you there, Mr. Simlius?" said the new mechanic, 
 looking up from his work. 
 
 "Can t be more unlikely than you," said the farmer, be 
 ginning on his part to finger the broken harness. How 
 you come to be here passes all my imagery. That ll do 
 smartly. Where did you learn all trades? I don t see, 
 
 VOL. i. 35 
 
410 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 Squire Deacon, but he s as good at mendin as you be at 
 marrin . What do you think ?" 
 
 "I don t see as one man has much to do with another/ 
 said Mr. Deacon lucidly. 
 
 "Yes, that will do," said Mr. Linden. "Now Miss 
 Faith give me that cord if you please, and you shall go 
 after the lynch-pin." 
 
 "No," she said pleasantly, "it ll be done in a minute 
 I want to finish it." 
 
 " When did you get back from York, Squire?" said Mr. 
 Simlins " and what took you away ? I haint heerd yet. 
 I never believed you were gone for good though folks 
 said it." 
 
 " Taint generally worth while to believe what folks says," 
 replied the Squire. "I ve been back three weeks, I guess. 
 Shouldn t wonder if I. went again though." 
 
 "Shouldn t wonder if you did," said Mr. Simlins. "I 
 would if I was you if I wanted to. Mr. Linden, it was a 
 providential thing, that you should come along at this idio- 
 matical moment. There aint another man in Pattaquasset 
 would ha done this so good as you." 
 
 "There is another line of business open to me then," 
 said Mr. Linden, who had begun upon the other end of the 
 piece of cord with opposition fingers. 
 
 " What aint open to you ?" said Mr. Simlins. " Do you 
 know of anything? Give us that cord will you?" 
 
 "Yes, you may have it now the knots are all out," said 
 Mr. Linden, as he put the disentangled cord in the hands 
 of Mr. Simlins and himself in the saddle. " Now Miss 
 Faith, you shall have a lesson in lynch-pins s il vous 
 plait." 
 
 "You do beat all!" said Squire Deacon looking up from 
 under his hat, and with a voice that kept his eyes com 
 pany. 
 
 Faith looked very pretty as she turned her horse in obe 
 dience to the intimation given her, with a somewhat demure 
 smile and blush upon her face. Mr. Simlins looked, as well 
 as the Squire, with a different expression. 
 
 "Well, I guess you re about right!" was his answering 
 remark. "I do believe he can get the whip band of most 
 things. He s a Say and Seal man, he says." To which, 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 411 
 
 however, the Squire deigned no response. Stooping over 
 his harness, fingering and fitting, he was silent a little ; then 
 spoke in a careless, half inquiring half assenting sort of 
 way. 
 
 " What wonders me is, why he don t marry that girl out 
 of hand. I reckon she d follow him down that road as easy 
 as she does down others. What s he waiting for ?" 
 
 "I guess he haint pitched upon a likely place to settle 
 yet," said Mr. Simlins, in a manner equally careless and 
 devoid of reliable information. Squire Deacon gave a little 
 inarticulate reply. 
 
 "He d better hurry up " he said, "Dr. Harrison s 
 giving chase." 
 
 " Is he ?" said Mr. Simlins. " He ll be where the dog was 
 when he chased the wolf if he s spry. I shouldn t won 
 der." 
 
 "0 you think he s a wolf, do you?" said Mr. Deacon. 
 "Well the doctor s chance aint much the worse of that." 
 
 "Don t look very carnivorous," said Mr. Simlins, "but I 
 aint sure. I wouldn t be so quick in my presumptions, 
 Squire. You ll shoot the wrong game one of these days 
 if you haint already." 
 
 "Think so?" said the Squire. "Well, I aint after the 
 game they are, any way, so it don t matter to me which of 
 em gets her. Most folks say it s like to be the doctor, . 
 she seems tryin em both by turns." 
 
 The riders, on their part, had a short run back on the 
 road they had come, to where there was a hedge and thicket 
 and trees together; and Faith s horse being led close up to 
 the side of the hedge, and she herself provided with a knife, 
 she was free to cut as many lynch-pins as she chose. But 
 at this point Faith handed back the knife. "I can t do it 
 half so well," she said. "I would rather you did it, Mr. 
 Linden." 
 
 "You would rather not do it?" he said looking at her. 
 "Is 7?o bread pleasant but that eaten in secret ?" 
 
 Faith coloured very much. " I didn t care about doing 
 it, Mr. Linden, except to be useful, and for the enterprise 
 of going off for it by myself. And I didn t care about 
 that, more than two minutes." 
 
 "You know I had a charge about you before we came 
 
412 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 out," he said, taking the knife and bending down towards 
 the hedge to use it. "But for that or a like one in my 
 own mind you should have had your enterprise. There 
 I think that may serve the purpose." 
 
 The lynch-pin being delivered, the riders left the distressed 
 wagon behind ; and again the free road stretched before 
 them; the soft air and light filled all the way and even the! 
 brown tree stems with pleasantness. The horses felt they 
 had had a rest and pricked up their ears to be in motion 
 again, and the minds of the riders perhaps felt a stir of the 
 like kind. 
 
 "Miss Faith," said Mr. Linden, "a German writer says, 
 that one should every day read a fine poem, look upon an. 
 excellent picture, hear a little good music, and, if possible, 
 speak a few sensible words. " 
 
 "Why do you tell that to me, Mr. Linden ?" 
 
 "I consider it my duty to keep you well informed as to 
 yours." 
 
 "But then !" said Faith, who by dint of trotting had got 
 into as merry a mood as her gentleness often wore, "I hope 
 you will also think it your duty, Mr. Linden, to tell me 
 how I can perform mine. Will you ?" 
 
 "Of course! please speak a few sensible words to me 
 at once." 
 
 "You begin with the easiest thing!" said Faith. 
 
 " Yes, I am generally considerate. But as it is part of 
 my duty to hear a little good music, I am willing you should 
 sing first." 
 
 Music he had, though not exactly of the specified sort ; 
 for Faitli s laugh rolled along the road, like the chafing of 
 silver pebbles in a brook. 
 
 "Now for the next part," said Mr. Linden smiling 
 
 " I think I have done too much already," said Faith 
 growing grave. "Besides," she added, the corners of her 
 mouth all alive again, "I don t remember what the next 
 part is, Mr. Linden." 
 
 "Why the sensible words! what are the most sensible 
 you can think of on a sudden, Miss Faith ?" 
 
 "I don t know that I could think of anything very sen 
 sible on a sudden, Mr. Linden. Is it my duty to do it on 
 sudden ? " 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 413 
 
 "It might be Miss Faith. Indeed I think it is now!" 
 
 "What would you like them to be about, Mr. Linden? 
 and I ll try." 
 
 " Nay, you may choose : sense is of universal applica- 
 tion." 
 
 "If I should say what was uppermost," said Faith, "it 
 would be, How very pleasant what we are doing now, is!" 
 
 "Which part?" 
 
 "Both parts ! Every part ! One makes the other more 
 pleasant." And Faith s happy face looked so. 
 
 " Very sensible words 5" said Mr. Linden smiling. "I 
 agree to them perfectly, which is, you know, in every mind, 
 the great test of sense. The picture, Miss Faith, we have 
 before us." 
 
 "Yes, isn t it lovely to-day, Mr. Linden? and hasn t it 
 been lovely ever since we set out? Except that broken 
 harness and I don t think that has hurt anything, either." 
 
 "No, I am not sure that even the harness was much the 
 worse. And it has been very lovely. As for the poem, 
 Miss Faith, you cannot be trusted with that and must re 
 sign yourself to hearing it read. What shall it be ?" 
 
 "I don t know," said Faith. "I know hardly any poe 
 try, Mr. Linden, except what I have heard you read. 
 Will you read some, perhaps, this evening ?" 
 
 "Yes every evening, if you like, if we are to follow 
 Goethe s rule. Just before tea is a good time, don t you 
 think so ?" 
 
 "Yes indeed!" said Faith, whose colour rose from pure 
 pleasure, as her thought went back to L Allegro and II Pen- 
 seroso. "I don t think there is any time pleasanter for it. 
 But they re all pleasant I ve dropped my whip, Mr. 
 Linden !" 
 
 % I will get it for you," he said checking his horse, "if 
 you will promise not to run away ! I am afraid of your 
 enterprising spirit, Miss Faith." 
 
 But her look at him was a little touched and deprecat 
 ing. They turned their horses together and went back a 
 few steps. There was no trouble in finding the whip, for 
 just where it had been dropped, a boy stood holding it on 
 high for Faith s acceptance The boy was Phil Davids. 
 
 "Thank you, Phil !" said Faith, surprised and grateful. 
 35* 
 
414 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "I see it go out of your hand," said Phil. 
 
 "Yes," said. Mr. Linden whose smile and word of 
 thanks had accompanied Faith s, "Phil has singularly 
 quick eyes. They have done me good service before." 
 
 As they turned again, Farmer Davids stood at their 
 horses heads. They were just at the farmer s door, and 
 he so entreated them to come in and rest, that there was 
 no refusing his hospitality. It was large, and various 
 Pumpkin pies and cider, and much pouring forth of grati 
 tude and admiration for Mr. Linden s success with Phil. 
 
 "What have you done to that fellow?" his father re 
 marked admiringly to Mr. Linden. "You never see such 
 an alteration in a boy. He used oncet to talk hard 
 words agin you, sir; you won t mind hearing it now; but 
 he s come all about, and lately there s nothing to Phil s 
 mind can equal up to Mr. Linden. He don t say much 
 about it, sir, but it s evident. And he s been at me and 
 his mother this fortnight or two, to give him something to 
 make a present to you the boys do, he says; and he 
 wants the best thing on the farm should go, and so do I, 
 sir, if we knowed oncet what would be most favourable. It 
 would be a kindness, sir, as I should be grateful for, if 
 you d say what would do you most service or be most plea 
 sure of anything that is on the farm; fruit or vegetables 
 or dairy. We re plain folks, sir; I say what I mean. 
 Take some pie, Mr. Linden ! some cider, sir ?" 
 
 Answering these various questions and demands as best 
 he might, Mr. Linden contrived to convince Mr. Davids 
 that Phil himself was the thing "on the farm "that he 
 cared most about; and his goodwill, better than any spe 
 cial manifestation thereof; giving at the same time full and 
 grateful thanks for the other things that had come to him 
 when he was ill. 
 
 "Yes," said Mr. Davids, smiling one of his grim and 
 rare smiles, "all that don t help our difficulty, you see. 
 Well, Phil and I ll have to put our heads together. But 
 there s one person can send nothing that will tell half his 
 good feelings of gratefulness to you, and that s me." 
 And a very unwonted softening of the stern man s eye and 
 brow shewed that he spoke a gentle truth. 
 
 Kind words answered him, words of personal kindness 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 415 
 
 and interest, and deep pleasure too ; but Mr. Davids knew 
 it was a pleasure, an interest, a kindness, that had each 
 (like Samuel Rutherford s hope) " a face looking straight 
 out unto that day !" 
 
 Truly, "a city that is set on an hill, cannot be hid !" 
 
 And the farmer felt it, and his manner softened, and his 
 interest grew more wistful and intent with every minute 
 they stayed. 
 
 Faith was on horseback and Mr. Linden about to fol 
 low, when Farmer Davids arrested him with a low remark 
 and question. 
 
 " She s a fine-faced girl looks as her father needn t ha 
 been ashamed of her. Looks good like he did. Is she 
 going to marry the son of Judge Harrison, sir?" 
 
 "Dr. Harrison has told me nothing of the kind." 
 
 "I heerd it" said the farmer. "I didn t know nothing, 
 how it might be. Good day, sir ! I hope you ll come 
 again." And they trotted off at last, with again the 
 renewed feeling of liberty and pleasure of^motion. But 
 the sun had descended perceptibly nearer to the horizon 
 than he was when they dismounted. However there was 
 nothing to do but to ride, for the proposed route was a cir 
 cuit and they were passed the first half of the way already. 
 
 "That was good, Mr. Linden," said Faith. 
 
 Which part of it this time?" 
 
 "I don t mean the pumpkin pie and the cider," she said 
 smiling. 
 
 "Do you feel rested?" 
 
 " Oh yes ! Rested and tired too. At least, quite ready 
 to move on again." 
 
 " Yes, so am I. But do you know Goethe left out one 
 very important item in his daily directions ?" 
 
 "What was that?" 
 
 " One should, if possible, every day give some one else 
 a little pleasure." 
 
 "Yes!" said Faith. "And it s so true, and so easy. 
 How much you gave there just now, Mr. Linden !" 
 
 "It was rather of their taking than my giving. But 
 Miss Faith, 
 
 How necessary is it now a-days, 
 
 That each body live uprightly in all manner ways? " 
 
416 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "Yes, Mr. Linden! What are you thinking of?" 
 "Just that " he said smiling. "A thought of the 
 darkness makes one want to trim the lights. Did you ever 
 notice, Miss Faith, that many things which were written 
 in a mere worldly sense, will bear a very sweet Christian 
 application ? Take this for instance : 
 
 Thus would I double my life s fading space, 
 For he who runs it well, runs twice his race. 
 
 And in this true delight, 
 These unbought sports, that happy state, 
 I would not fear nor wish my fate, 
 
 But boldly say each night, 
 To-morrow let my sun his beams display, 
 Or in clouds hide them ; I have lived to-day. " 
 
 She listened with a bright face at first ; then as the quo 
 tation was ended her face flushed, she turned her eyes away, 
 and a grave look of sorrow crept over her lips. But in a 
 little while she looked again. 
 
 " How many books do you carry about in your head, 
 Mr. Linden?" 
 
 "If I should tell you, Miss Faith, then you would 
 know and then I could never delude you any more ! Now 
 we must quicken our pace, or we shall scarce get our poem 
 before tea." 
 
 For awhile the trotting was pretty brisk, then they 
 drew bridle again and went gently on, but now towards 
 the setting sun, whose bright rays were caught and held 
 by the white sails that gleamed here and there in the dis 
 tance. Now they met lines of cattle, driven by some bare 
 footed boy or sunbonneted girl, and ploughmen trudged 
 along the road behind their teams. Thicker curls of smoke 
 from wayside "chimneys spoke of supper, and where a house 
 stood in the shadow of some bit of forest, lights were 
 already gleaming from the windows. 
 
 " How many things by season seasoned are 
 To their right praise, and true perfection!" 
 
 Which bit of excellent eulogy might also have been true 
 of Quapaw creek and the bridge over it, which they 
 reached in seasonable time. Quapaw creek was here a 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 417 
 
 little bit of a river, and the bridge over it was an insigni 
 ficant little bridge no count, in Squire Deacon s lan 
 guage. Bat now, of all times in the year, the little bridge 
 was already full of more than it could hold, literally, for 
 it couldn t hold what was upon it. A heavy farm-wagon 
 loaded with some sort of produce had got fairly upon the 
 bridge some hour or two before and then broken through ; 
 men and teams had for the present deserted it, and there 
 was the way pretty effectually blocked up. What was to 
 be done? They were not more now than a mile or two 
 from home, but to go back and round by the nearest way 
 would be several miles. The water was not very broad, 
 nor generally deep ; but the banks and the bed of the 
 stream were uneven and strewn with rocks and stones, 
 small and great. It was fordable, certainly ; a good rider 
 might cross well enough ; but a good rider would scarce 
 choose to trust an unskilful one there. What was to be 
 done? 
 
 "We shall have to go back, Mr. Linden," said Faith; 
 "and you mustn t mind my riding fast now, or mother will 
 be uneasy." 
 
 Mr. Linden took the case into consideration. 
 
 "Will you mind riding before me, Miss Faith?" 
 
 "What, sir?" she said, not understanding. 
 
 "Will you let me take you across ?" 
 
 "How can you, Mr. Linden?" she said, looking a little 
 startled, and flushing. 
 
 "Yery easily on ray horse. Stay where you are a 
 minute, and let me try the ford " And not waiting for an 
 answer to that, he rode down the bank and into the stream. 
 It was easy enough, for a man who knew what to do with 
 his horse s mouth ; not easy, nor perhaps safe for another. 
 The footing needed to be chosen by the hand of the rider; 
 so chosen it was good. Mr. Linden rode to the other side 
 and came back. 
 
 "Will you try, Miss Faith?" 
 
 "Yes," she said, putting her horse in motion, "I am 
 not afraid. I will follow you. It will be better than 
 going round." But his horse did not stir. 
 
 "I shall not follow you, Miss Faith, and yet if you 
 cross it must be before me. No other way is safe for you." 
 
418 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "Well, we can go round, can t we?" said Faith. 
 
 "Yes," he said, as the sun dropped down behind the 
 low horizon, and the cool shade fell on everything but the 
 tree tops. " You know it is about six times as far. Are 
 you afraid of my horse ?" 
 
 "No, not when you hold him. I will do just what you 
 please, Mr. Linden," she said, though her colour mounted. 
 
 "Then do not be afraid of me," he said, dropping his 
 own bridle and gently disengaging the hand from hers. 
 "Please take your foot out of the stirrup, Miss Faith " 
 and the transfer was made in a moment : she was lifted 
 across the little space between the two horses, and seated 
 in front of Mr. Linden, and held fast. 
 
 "Are you afraid?" he repeated, looking gravely down 
 at her. 
 
 "No sir. Not a bit, Mr. Linden," she said, throwing a 
 little more warmth into her words, for the first had been 
 spoken somewhat under breath. So leaving the one horse 
 fastened to a tree-branch, the other set forward with his 
 unwonted burden, which indeed at first he did not much 
 approve; pricking his ears, and sideling about, with some 
 doubtfulness of intent. But being after all a sensible horse, 
 and apprehending the voice and rein suggestions which 
 were made to him, he began to pick his way slowly and 
 carefully among the stones on the bank, and then through 
 the stones in the river; setting down his feet with great 
 judgment and precaution, and paying no heed to the rush 
 ing and splashing of the little stream, except by his ears 
 which certainly worked, for once. And so the dangerous 
 "pass" was soon behind them, and Mr. Linden dismounted 
 and lifted Faith down, and seated her on a grey stone on 
 the bank, while he went back for her horse. Which cross 
 ing, it may be observed, was accomplished much quicker 
 than the last. The twilight was falling fast, and the little 
 river, and the two horses as they forded its . swift current, 
 looked shadowy enough; set off by the white foam on 
 both. The evening wind began its fitful stir, and swept 
 the dry leaves past Faith s feet, and shook the cedar 
 boughs above her head ; and so she sat there, and watched 
 the crossing. 
 
 "I have had the best picture to-day, Mr. Linden," she 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 419 
 
 said, when she was placed in the saddle again. "You 
 ought to have seen the river, and you and the two horses 
 coming over it, in this light, as I did. You don t know 
 how pretty it was. Now you ll let ine ride fast, won t 
 you? for mother will be looking for us." 
 
 "As fast as you please but after all, you have not seen 
 my picture," he said smiling. 
 
 Faith profited by the permission given and put her horse 
 to a pace that proved she was very much in earnest to pre 
 vent that looking for them on Mrs. Derrick s part. She 
 got out of the trot into a canter or her horse did and 
 then away they flew; too fast to see or be hindered by any 
 more friends or foes ; till they drew bridle at home. 
 
 It was too late to have the reading before tea. So to 
 have tea as speedily as possible was the next object. And 
 then they adjourned to the fire-lit sitting-room, where 
 Faith lighted the lamp in uncertainty whether reading or 
 studies was to be the next move. Mr. Linden, however, 
 went for his book a little old volume, of which Faith had 
 never taken notice; and began, without doubt, the prettiest 
 description of a garden that ever was written ; 
 
 " How vainly men themselves amaze, 
 To win the palm, the oak, or bays:" etc. 
 
 The reader paused a moment, to tell more particularly 
 what these leafy honours were, and then went on. 
 
 "Fair Quiet, have I found thee here, 
 And Innocence, thy sister dear? 
 Mistaken long, I sought you then 
 In busy companies of men. 
 Your sacred plants, if here below, 
 Only among the plants will grow- 
 Society is all but rude 
 To this delicious solitude." 
 
 At which words precisely, the spirit of contrariety 
 opened the door and ushered in Dr. Harrison. All he saw, 
 was Mr. Linden with a book, in one easy-chair ; Mrs. Der 
 rick with her knitting in another ; and a little further off, 
 Faith, sitting on her low cushion and apparently doing 
 
420 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 nothing. Probably for that reason the doctor made up 
 to her first. He sat down beside her, and enquired in a 
 low tone how the fishes were ? Faith answered that they 
 were well; only one of them had been eaten up by the 
 others. 
 
 " You are a little tired and are feeling remarkably well 
 to-night," the doctor went on. "What have you been 
 doing?" 
 
 "I have been trying to do my duty," Faith said colour 
 ing and laughing. 
 
 " Don t you always do that?" said Dr. Harrison looking 
 at her enquiringly. 
 
 "But I didn t know what it was till to-day." 
 
 "You are doing what is very uncommon with you," said 
 the doctor; "fighting me with my own weapons." His 
 smile was pleasant though acute ; but Faith coloured ex 
 ceedingly. 
 
 "I can t tell you exactly what duty I mean," she said, 
 "but Mr. Linden can." 
 
 " Do you take your notions of duty from him ?" 
 
 "To-day," said Faith with a smile, sweet and with 
 spirit enough too. 
 
 "I maintain that duties are facts, not notions," said Mr. 
 Linden. 
 
 " Hum " said the doctor turning, " Now you are too 
 quick for me. May one not have a notion of a fact?" 
 
 "One may. What are your notions about society and 
 solitude?" 
 
 "Of duty in those regards?" 
 
 "Not at all, your notions of those facts." 
 
 "Confused " said the doctor, "Incomprehensible 
 Melancholy and Distracting !" 
 
 He had got up and assumed the position he seemed to 
 like, a standing-place on the rug, from whence he could 
 look down on everybody. 
 
 "What do you say to this? 
 
 Two paradises were in one, 
 To live in Paradise alone. 
 
 I suppose that meets your notions. " 
 
 "No," said the doctor, "not unless Eve were the para 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 421 
 
 dise. And even then, I shouldn t want her any more to 
 myself than to. let all the world come and see that she was 
 mine." 
 
 "It is a grave question," said Mr. Linden, "whether 
 paradise becomes smaller by being divided. In other words, 
 whether after sharing it with Eve, Adam still retained the 
 whole of it for himself!" 
 
 "Just the other way 1" said the doctor, "it was doubled 
 or trebled. For in the first place he had Eve ; she was 
 a second paradise; then all her enjoyment of paradise 
 was his enjoyment; that was a third; and in short I 
 should think the multiplication might go on ad infinitum 
 like compound interest or any other series of happiness 
 impossible to calculate." 
 
 " Simple interest isn t a bad thing," said Mr. Linden. 
 
 " Yes," said the doctor with an answering flash of his 
 eye, "but it never contented anybody yet that could get it 
 compound that ever I heard of. Does Miss Derrick un 
 derstand arithmetic ?" 
 
 "Miss Derrick," said Mr. Linden, "how many angels 
 can stand on the point of a (darning) needle without jost 
 ling each other ?" 
 
 "Don t be deluded into thinking that is arithmetic, "said 
 the doctor. "Some of them would get their feet hurt. 
 What duty has Mr. Linden been persuading you to do 
 to-day?" 
 
 "Mr. Linden can tell," said Faith. 
 
 Which appeal Mr. Linden answered by deliberately 
 finishing his poem aloud, for the benefit of the company. 
 
 " What -wondrous life is this I lead ! 
 Ripe apples drop about my head ; 
 The luscious clusters of the vine 
 Upon my mouth do crush their wine. 
 The nectarine, the curious peach, 
 Into my hands themselves do reach. 
 Stumbling on melons, as I pass, 
 Ensnared with flowers, I fall on grass. 
 
 4 Here, at the fountain s sliding foot, 
 Or at some fruit-tree s mossy root, 
 Casting the body s vest aside, 
 My soul into the boughs does glide: 
 VOL. . 36 
 
422 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 There, like a bird, it sits and sings, 
 Then whets and claps its silver wings ; 
 And. till prepared for longer flight, 
 Waves in its plumes the various light. " etc. 
 
 The doctor listened, faithfully and enjoyingly ; but his 
 finishing comment was, 
 
 "What a pity it is November!" 
 
 "No," said Faith "I think I enjoyed it better than I 
 should in July." 
 
 " Rousseau s doctrine," said the doctor. " Or do you 
 mean that you like the description better than the reality ?" 
 
 " It was the reality I enjoyed," said Faith. 
 
 What have you got there, Linden?" 
 
 : Various old poets, bound up together." 
 
 ; What was that you read ?" 
 
 Andrew Marvell s Garden. " 
 
 It s a famous good thing ! though 1 confess my soul 
 never glided into the boughs of any tree when my body 
 didn t go along. Apropos Do you like to be on the back 
 of a good horse ?" 
 
 "Why yes," said Mr. Linden, "when circumstances place 
 me there." 
 
 " Will you let me be a circumstance to do it ? I have 
 an animal of that description with almost the facility of 
 motion possessed by Andrew Marvell s soul. Will you try 
 him ?" 
 
 " Can he run ?" said Mr. Linden with comic demureness. 
 
 "Fleetly. Whether away with you depends, you know, 
 on what I have no knowledge of; but I should think not." 
 
 "I should like to know beforehand " said Mr. Linden 
 in the same tone. "However Is it to be on simple or 
 compound interest, doctor ?" 
 
 "I never take simple interest," said Dr. Harrison. "I 
 want all I can get." 
 
 "Well if I take your horse, what will you ride alongside 
 of me ?" 
 
 "That is easily arranged," said the doctor smiling. 
 "This fellow is a new-comer, comparatively, and a pet of 
 mine. I want to know what you think of him When is 
 your next time of leisure ?" 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 423 
 
 "My daylight leisure is pretty limited now. Part of 
 Saturday I could take." 
 
 "Then you ll hold yourself engaged to me for Saturday 
 morning, and I ll hold myself engaged to give you some 
 thing- pleasant to do with it. The roads hereabout are 
 good for nothing but riding you can have the pleasure 
 of motion, there isn t much to take your thoughts away 
 from it." 
 
 "Except emotion?" 
 
 "If you re another Marvell of a man, and can send your 
 soul into the boughs as you pass; as good as stumbling 
 on melons," said the doctor. " Unless your horse stumbles !" 
 
 "I see his character is coming out by degrees," said Mr. 
 Linden smiling. 
 
 "He s as sure-footed as you are I Here comes emotion 
 in the shape of my aunt Ellen. Isn t Mr. Linden a 
 careful man ?" he asked whimsically in a low voice, return 
 ing to his place by Faith. The question touched Faith s 
 feeling of the ludicrous, and she only laughed at the doctor. 
 Which he liked very well. 
 
 Mrs. Somers errand was to invite the younger portion 
 of the company to spend Christmas evening with her. 
 And having succeeded in her mission, she made the doctor 
 take her home. 
 
CHAPTER XXXIII. 
 
 rPHE week thereafter passed with the usual quiet business 
 _L of those days. Friday evening, however, when the 
 lamp was lit, instead of opening her books at once, Faith 
 took the doctor s station on the rug. 
 
 " Dr. Harrison has been here this afternoon, Mr. Linden ; 
 and asked me to go with you and him in the ride to-morrow." 
 
 "Well, Miss Faith?" 
 
 "I was afraid at first that it might hinder the good of 
 your ride, if I went ; but Dr. Harrison said no ; and he put 
 it so that at last I said I would. But I am afraid of it still." 
 
 "How did he put it?" 
 
 " I don t know," said Faith half laughing ; "in a way 
 that left me no excuse ; as if he thought it would be more 
 pleasure both to you and to him, to have me along." 
 
 "Miss Faith, if you go, you must give me leave to keep 
 very near you. I trust my own care better than Dr. Har 
 rison s. You will understand why I do it?" Faith did not 
 understand very well. 
 
 "I supposed of course, Mr. Linden, you would be very 
 near ! I knew mother would not let me go to ride with 
 Dr. Harrison, but with you I thought she would not be 
 afraid." 
 
 He looked at her a little doubtfully as if he wanted to 
 say something; but whatever it might be, it was not what 
 he did say, a quiet 
 
 "I will try and take care of you. Miss Faith." Which 
 words were afterwards enlarged upon. 
 
 "Miss Faith, may I trust that you will not fall behind 
 my fleet horse to-morrow?" 
 
 "Do you mean, if he goes very fast?" said Faith, with 
 questioning eyes. 
 
 "His speed shall not put you to any inconvenience. 
 Indeed it may chance that he will be obliged to go slower 
 than you like, in which case, Miss Faith, I hope jour 
 liking will change." 
 (424) 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 425 
 
 The doctor came the next day in a gay mood. 
 
 "I told you," said he, "I shouldn t be content with 
 simple interest I wanted compound. I hope you approve 
 of my addition to our plan ?" 
 
 "So far so good," Mr. Linden said smiling. 
 
 They went out, and Mr. Linden s first move was towards 
 the horse with the side saddle ; not with the intention of 
 mounting him, however : but a more particular, thorough, 
 systematic examination of every buckle and strap of his 
 harness, that particular horse had never had. Then Mr. 
 Linden turned and held out his hand to Faith. 
 
 She gave him hers with a facile readiness that quite pre 
 cluded interposition, and testified either that she had ex 
 pected it or had not expected it; most probably the latter. 
 Dr. Harrison bit his lips, but that was a second s emotion; 
 his next step was to dismiss the groom who stood at the 
 horse s head and take that office on himself. 
 
 "You are more careful than is absolutely necessary in 
 this case," said he smiling. "This horse, Miss Faith, is 
 the mate, I presume, of the one Job used to take his exer 
 cise upon. I chose him for you, thinking of Mrs. Derrick. 
 Give Stranger to Mr. Linden !" The last words being 
 a direction to the groom. 
 
 A very different creature was Stranger ! If it had been 
 the purpose of Dr. Harrison to give his friend so much to 
 do with his own particular affairs that he would have no 
 leisure to bestow on those of other people, he had chosen 
 the horse at least well. A very fine and beautiful animal, 
 he deserved all the praise given him for facility of motion ; 
 no feet could disdain the ground more daintily ; no carriage 
 be more absolutely springy and soft. But the mischief and 
 spirit of both the runaways combined would not match his 
 case. Pie did not indeed appear to be vicious, any further 
 than a most vehement desire to please himself and that in 
 all manner of eccentric ways, totally irrelevant to the pur 
 pose of getting ahead on the road or serving the will of his 
 rider, might be called vice. It rather seemed the spirit of 
 power in full play. However it were, there was no lack of 
 either motion or emotion during the first haJf mile of the 
 way; for Stranger s manner of getting over so much of 
 
 36* 
 
426 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 the ground was continually either calling Faith s blood into 
 her cheeks, or driving it out from them. 
 
 They were well matched, however, the horse and the 
 rider, and the spirit of power in equal exercise. Neither 
 did Mr. Linden seem averse to the play though Stranger 
 presently found that what play he indulged in, was clearly 
 matter of concession ; his name, as regarded his rider, soon 
 lost its point. On the whole, the performance came as near 
 the Centaurship declared impossible by Dr. Harrison, as 
 most things have in modern times ; but so far as the doctor 
 had any stake depending upon Stranger s antics, so far he 
 lost. Mr. Linden had never seemed more absolutely at 
 leisure to attend to other people s affairs, and had rarely, it 
 may be said, attended to them more thoroughly, than during 
 that springy half mile. An occasional Pas seul round 
 the minuet of his companions, rather heightened the effect. 
 On another score, too, perhaps the doctor lost; for what 
 ever efforts he made, or she made, it was simply impossible 
 for Faith to attend to anything else whatever with any show 
 of consecutiveness, but the said horse and his rider. An 
 attention sufficiently accounted for in the first place by the 
 startled changes of colour in her face ; latterly the colour 
 rose and became steady, and a little varying play of smile 
 on lip and eye during the third quarter of a mile attested 
 the fact that other "emotions" had displaced that of fear. 
 Clearly the doctor had lost upon Stranger. 
 
 "How do you like him ?" he said at last speaking across 
 Faith who was not "good " for conversation. 
 
 "Very much." 
 
 " I see you do and he likes you, which is, to be sure, a 
 correlative position. As I see he don t fill your hands, may 
 I impose upon you the care of my sister? We are an un 
 even number you are aware, and as I thought it desirable 
 not to look odd, I gave her permission to go with us." 
 
 Dr. Harrison did not see if Faith did the tiniest bit 
 of a glance that sought her face while he was speaking ; 
 but nothing could be easier than the terms in which Mr. 
 Linden declared himself ready to take charge of any 
 number of ladies,-- it was only equalled by Stranger s bound 
 the next minute. 
 
 How dismayed one of the party was at this addition of 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 427 
 
 Miss Harrison s company, nobody guessed. They turned in 
 at Judge Harrison s gate, and found Miss Sophy all ready for 
 them. But to Faith, the play was suddenly taken out of 
 "the play." She and Dr. Harrison set forward to be sure, 
 over a pleasant road, in delicious weather; the doctor was in 
 one of his balmiest moods ; and though quietly, she was very 
 well mounted. It was pleasant, or would have been pleas 
 ant; but all the while, what was Stranger doing behind her 
 that she could not see ! Then in answering some kindly, 
 graceful remark of the doctor s, Faith chid herself for un 
 gratefulness, and roused herself to give and take what good 
 was in her power. 
 
 The ride was pleasant after that ! The air in all its calm 
 sweetness was well tasted; the barren landscape, never 
 barren to Faith s eyes, was enjoyed at every step. Her 
 horse went agreeably, and the talk between her and Dr. 
 Harrison grew interesting and enlivening. 
 
 Meanwhile Mr. Linden s horse and his companion were 
 at the antipodes of each other. Thoroughly good and 
 estimable as Miss Harrison was, she never left the beaten 
 track, and Stranger never kept in it. Between these two 
 opposites Mr. Linden amused himself as best he might. 
 To do him justice he tried his best to amuse his companion. 
 
 Several miles of way had been passed over, when in a 
 broad grassy reach of the road, the two riders ahead fell 
 back upon the rest of the party; Faith taking Miss Harri 
 son s side, while the doctor drew up by Mr. Linden. 
 
 "How does it go?" he said good humouredly. 
 
 "What is the impersonal in this case?" said Mr. I>inden, 
 while Stranger snorted and bounded, and by every means 
 in his power requested the doctor to keep at a distance. 
 
 "A conglomerate, for which I found no better term. You, 
 Stranger, and my sister, and the world generally." 
 
 " Stranger is in a sufficiently ardent mood, for his share 
 he gives me a fine view of the country," said Mr. Linden, 
 as the creature brought himself to a tolerably erect position, 
 and seemed to like it so well as to be in no hurry to come 
 down ; and when he did, took the precaution to take his 
 hind feet off the ground before the fore feet touched. " Miss 
 Faith how does this agree with your ideal of Melan 
 choly?" 
 
428 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 Faith forgot to answer, or thought answers impertinent. 
 
 "That horse frightens me out of my wits," said Miss 
 Harrison. "I have been jumping out of the saddle half 
 the time, since I came out. Sometimes he ll go very quietly 
 as nice as anybody and then he ll play such a caper as he 
 did then. That was just because Julius came up alongside 
 of him. He had been going beautifully this last mile. I 
 wish he d have nothing to do with such a creature !" 
 
 " I suppose he s very pleasant to ride," said Faith eying 
 the creature. 
 
 Perhaps Stranger with his full, wild eyes, took note of 
 this look of partial favour, for he backed a little from the 
 doctor, and came dancing round by Faith, and there danced 
 along at her side for a few minutes ; evidently in an excited 
 state of mind. His rider meanwhile, gave Faith a quiet 
 word of admonition about keeping so loose a rein, and asked, 
 in the same half undertone, if she felt tired ? 
 
 "0 no !" Faith said with a look of thanks and pleasure. 
 
 "That piece of care I must trust in your hands don t 
 forget that I do so trust it. How would you like to cross 
 Quapaw creek on this piece of quicksilver?" 
 
 " I don t think you d like to have me !" Faith said very 
 decidedly. "I never saw anything so beautiful, quite, Mr. 
 Linden that I recollect at this minute," she added smiling. 
 
 " I want to dance with you to-day more than I ever did 
 before," he answered, smiling too. "Miss Faith, if you 
 have not yet said the few sensible words, or if you have 
 any left, won t you please say them to me ?" 
 
 " That question comes like a constable upon all my sense," 
 said Faith laughing, "and it feels as I suppose a man does 
 when he is clapped on the shoulder." 
 
 "But then the man cannot run away, you know." 
 
 "Nor my sense don t," said Faith, "that I know of, . 
 but it feels as if it hadn t possession of itself, Mr. Linden." 
 
 "Well see if it is equal to this demand What would be 
 the consequences if y^a and I were to start off and scour 
 the country on our own hook, as people say?" 
 
 "I think our hook would draw two people after us," 
 said Faith, looking very much amused and a little afraid of 
 being overheard. 
 
 "That is a melancholy fact ! And my self-indulgence 
 

 SAY AND SEAL. 429 
 
 needs to be kept iii check. Miss Faith," he said dropping 
 his voice still more, " Stranger regrets very much that he 
 must now go through that figure of the cotillion called 
 Ladies change !" And with a low and laughing bow, Mr. 
 Linden reined back his horse and returned to his former 
 place with all the soberness that circumstances allowed. 
 
 There was no soberness whatever in the face with which 
 Faith recommenced her tete-a-tete with Miss Harrison. 
 The doctor was perfectly in order. 
 
 "I have been thinking," he said, "since my question of 
 how the world went with you. what a very insignificant 
 thing, as to extent, the world of any one person is." 
 
 " Compared with the universe," said Mr. Linden. 
 
 "What sort of a world have you got into?" said Dr. 
 Harrison somewhat impatiently. " No the actual extent 
 of your and my consciousness of that field of action and 
 perception which we magnificently call our world ! What 
 a mighty limited field it is !" 
 
 "I think you describe it correctly," said Mr. Linden: 
 "it is both mighty and limited. A little space railed off 
 for every man and yet larger than that man can ever fill." 
 
 "It seems to me too insignificant to be worth filling." 
 
 "There is a little outlet on every side that makes it im 
 possible to fill ?" 
 
 "What do you mean ?" 
 
 " I mean, that while our action at every step touches other 
 people, and their consequent action moves on with like effect, 
 the limits of our power in this world can never be known." 
 
 "Will you think me impertinent if I ask once more what 
 you mean ? or rather, ask you to enlarge a little ?" 
 
 " If a man plants the first clover seed or thistle-down 
 in some great continent," said Mr. Linden, "from whose 
 little field is it, that in a hundred years the whole land 
 bears thistles or clover ?" 
 
 "It won t," said the doctor, "if a hundred other things 
 are sown at the same time. And so it seems to me in life 
 that one action is counteracted by another, universally, 
 and nothing makes anything 1 of any avail." 
 
 " If nothing is of any avail, things don t counteract each 
 other. You are proving my position." 
 
 The doctor smiled, not unpleasantly. 
 
430 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "I see," ne said, "you can maintain any position you 
 choose to take, on the ground or in the air ! I must give 
 way to you on this ground." And Dr. Harrison reined 
 back his horse and came into Faith s neighbourhood. 
 
 " Miss Derrick, the road is getting too contracted for such 
 a procession will you draw bridle ?" 
 
 " I don t want to ride behind, Dr. Harrison," said Faith 
 looking laughingly back at him. " I ll go on in front." 
 Which she did, so briskly that the doctor had to bestir 
 himself to come up with her. 
 
 " I didn t know," he said, and he spoke somewhat in 
 earnest, " I didn t know that you cared anything about 
 eminence or preeminence." 
 
 " Didn t you, Dr. Harrison ?" 
 
 "Do you ?" 
 
 " I don t know " said Faith gravely. "Eminence ? 
 yes, I should care very much for that, in some things. Not 
 for preeminence, I think. There s Mr. Simlins] and I 
 must speak to him." Faith s horse which had been on an 
 easy canter, came to a stand; and so must the doctor. Mr. 
 Siinlins too was on horseback. 
 
 ".Mr. Simlins," said Faith after giving him her If^nd, 
 "will you have half a day s leisure Monday or Tuesday?" 
 
 "Leisure?" said the farmer with his best growl. " n i, I 
 sha n t have it if you take it." 
 
 " Do you think I may take it?" 
 
 "I don t suppose there s anybody that can hinder yt u," 
 said Mr. Simlins "without excepting my own identity. / 
 can t. Do you want to go up yonder again ?" 
 
 The doctor interposed to make offers of his father s 
 horses, carriage, and servants; but Faith quietly negatived 
 them all. 
 
 " How did you get home the other night ?" said the farmer. 
 "Did you get over the river?" Then shifting his ground 
 as Miss Harrison and Stranger came up into the group, he 
 changed his question. 
 
 "I say Mr. Linden ! I heerd Quapaw creek was choked 
 up the other night-r-how did you get home ?" 
 
 "The same way I expect to now," said Mr. Linden. 
 "How did you, Mr. Simlins." 
 
 "The harness was all right," said Mr. Simlins "if any- 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 431 
 
 cliing else was in a disorganized state, twas somebody s 
 fault besides yourn. That lynch-pin made trouble though; 
 it didn t fit more places than one. Did you get across 
 Quapaw creek on your horses ?" 
 
 "Do you suppose I crossed on foot?" said Mr. Linden 
 .smiling. "Do you take me for a witch, Mr. Simlins ?" 
 
 "I haven t just made up my mind about that," said the 
 farmer. " I ve a temptation to think you air. What s 
 that you re on ?" 
 
 Only a broomstick in disguise, Mr. Simlins. As he 
 Delongs to Dr. Harrison, I am willing to own so much." 
 
 "He s as well-shaped a broomstick as ever I see," said 
 the farmer consideratively. "I shouldn t mind puttin him 
 in harness. Well good-day 1 I m glad this girl didn t 
 have to go all round again the other night I was afeard 
 she had. I ll take you over creation," he sung out after 
 her as they parted company, "and I ll be along Monday." 
 
 " Quapaw creek ?" said Dr. Harrison, as the interrupted 
 procession took up its line of march again, " I think I 
 remember that. What was the matter?" 
 
 "The bridge was broken, with a loaded wagon upon it," 
 Faith explained. 
 
 "And you crossed by fording ?" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "Isn t it rather a difficult ford? If I remember right, 
 the bed of the stream is uneven and rough; doesn t it 
 require some guiding of the horses?" 
 
 "I believe so yes. It isn t safe for an ignorant rider." 
 
 "I didn t give you credit," said he looking at her, "for 
 being such a horsewoman. That is quite a feat for a lady." 
 
 Faith coloured high. But she was not going a second 
 time to fight the doctor with his own weapons. A very 
 little she hesitated, then she said boldly, though not in very 
 bold tones it must be confessed, 
 
 "I am not a horsewoman Mr. Linden carried me over." 
 
 The doctor looked very moody fur a few minutes; then 
 his brow brightened. Faith s straightforward truth had 
 served her as well as the most exquisite piece of involutiou. 
 The doctor could not very well see the face with which her 
 words were spoken and had to make up his mind upon 
 them alone. 
 
432 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "It is so !" was his settled conclusion. "She has only a 
 child s friendly liking for him nothing more or she never, 
 simple as she is, would have said that to me with that 
 frankness!" 
 
 Moodiness returned to the doctor s brow no more. He 
 left Quapaw creek in the distance and talked of all manner 
 of pleasant things. And so, with no second break of the 
 order of march, they went on and went home. 
 
 "Mr. Linden," said Faith when she was lighting the lamp 
 for study in the evening, "you ll never ask anything of me 
 so hard to do as that was to-day." 
 
 "Hard ?" he replied. " Why ?" 
 
 " To keep in front, where I could not see you and that 
 horse." 
 
 "Miss Faith ! I am very sorry 1 But you know I had 
 you in charge I felt bound to keep you in sight." 
 
 "I know," she said; and sat down to her work. 
 
CHAPTER XXXIY. 
 
 THERE was no more riding after that the weather 
 grew too cold, and Mattabeeset was put off till 
 spring; but with walks and talks and reading aloud, 
 Goethe s maxim was well carried out. For there is music 
 that needs no composer but Peace, and fireside groups that 
 are not bad pictures in stormy weather. And so December 
 began to check off its sliort days with busy fingers. 
 
 There came a sudden interruption to all this, except De 
 cember s part of it, For a letter arrived from Miss Delia 
 Danforth, at Pequot, begging that Faith would come and 
 spend a little time with her. Miss Delia was very unwell, 
 and suffering and alone, with the exception of her brother s 
 French wife ; and she wrote with longing desire to see 
 Faith. Mr. Danforth had been some years dead, and 
 the widow and the sister who had lived so long together 
 with him, since his death had kept their old household life, 
 in a very quiet way, without him. But now Miss Danforth 
 longed for some of her own kindred, or had a special liking 
 or desire for Faith s company, for she prayed her to come. 
 And it was not a call that Faith herself a moment doubted 
 about answering. Mrs. Derrick s willingness lingered, for 
 various natural reasons; but that too followed. It was 
 clear that Faith ought not to refuse. 
 
 The day before she was to go, Mrs. Derrick made her 
 self unusually busy and tired, so as to spare Faith s study- 
 time; and thus it fell out, that when night came and 
 prayers were over, JVIrs. Derrick went straight to bed; 
 partly from fatigue, partly to be ready for an early start 
 next day ; for she was to drive Faith over to Pequot. No 
 such need or inducements sent Faith to bed; and the two 
 students planned a longer evening of work than common, 
 to anticipate lost time. But when the hours were about 
 half spent, Cindy came to the door and called out, "Miss 
 Faith!" Faith left her book and went to the door, which 
 she held open 
 
 VOL. i. 37 (433) 
 
434 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "There was a boy come to-night," said Cindy, "from 
 that old starvation creatur down .by Barley point, and he 
 says she s more in a box than ever. Haint a crumb of 
 bread for breakfast nor supper neither, for that." 
 
 "Is the boy here now?" 
 
 "Why sakes no I" said Cindy. " He come while you was 
 to supper. I s pose I might ha telled ye before, but then 
 again I was busy bakin cakes and I m free to confess I 
 forgot. And prayers always does turn everything out of 
 ray head. I can t guess how I thought of it now. Mr. 
 Skip s away to-night, too," said Cindy in conclusion. 
 Faith shut the door behind her. 
 
 "It s too far for you to go alone. Can you find some 
 body to go with you, Cindy ? I ll put ap a basket of things 
 for her." 
 
 "Aint a soul in sight " said Cindy. "I d as lieves go 
 the hull way alone as to snoop round, hunting folks." 
 
 "Then Cindy, if you ll get ready I ll go with you. She 
 must have something." 
 
 Cindy looked at her. " Guess you better get fixed first, 
 Miss Faith. Taint hardly worth my while, I reckon. Who 
 shouldn t we have after us !" 
 
 "Just have your shawl and bonnet ready, Cindy, will 
 you ?" said Faith gravely, " and I ll be ready in a very few 
 minutes." 
 
 She went with business speed to pantry and cellar, and 
 soon had a sizeable basket properly filled. Leaving that in 
 Cindy s charge, Faith went back to the sitting-room, and 
 came and stood by the table, and said quietly, " I can t do 
 any more to-night, Mr. Linden. J must be busy in another 
 way. I am going out for a little while." 
 
 "May I ask not from curiosity with whom?" he said 
 looking up at her. 
 
 "With Cindy to attend to some business she didn t 
 tell me of in proper time." Faith had laid her books 
 together and. was going otf. Mr. Linden rose from the 
 table. 
 
 "With me, if you please, Miss Faith. I will not intrude 
 upon your business." 
 
 "It s no business to be intruded upon!" she said with 
 her simple look into his face. "But Cindy and I can do 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 435 
 
 it. Please do not let me take you away ! I am not afraid 
 much." 
 
 "Miss Faith, you want a great many lessons yet! and 
 I do not deserve this. Don t you know that in Mrs. Derrick ^ 
 absence I am guardian of her house and of you ? I will 
 go with you, or without you -just as you choose," he added 
 smiling. "If you would rather study than walk, you shall. 
 Is the business too intricate for me to manage ?" 
 
 It s only to carry some things to an old woman who is 
 in great want of them. They can t wait till to-morrow. If 
 you will go, Mr. Linden, I ll be ready in a minute. I d 
 like to go." 
 
 She ran to get ready, and Mr. Linden went to the 
 kitchen and took the basket from Cindy, and then waited 
 at the front door till Faith came, and they went out into 
 the moonlight together. A very bright moonlight, and 
 dark shadows dark and still; only one of them seemed 
 to move ; but that one made Faith glad of her change of 
 companions. Perhaps it made the same suggestion to 
 Mr: Linden, for his first words looked that way. 
 
 " Miss Faith, you did not do quite right, to-night. Don t 
 you know " with a gentle half smiling tone "you must 
 not let anything make you do wrong ?" 
 
 Her look and tone were both very confiding, and touched 
 with timidity. 
 
 "Did I, Mr. Linden ? I didn t mean it." 
 
 I know that but you must remember for another 
 time." And he went off to other subjects, giving her talk 
 and information that were perhaps better than books. The 
 walk was good, too ; the air bracing, and the village sights 
 arid sounds in a subsiding glimmer and murmur. The 
 evening out of doors was worth as much as the evening 
 within doors could have been. Faith thought so. The way 
 was down the road that led to Barley point, branching off 
 from that. The distance to the poor cottage seemed short 
 enough, but if it had seemed long Faith would have felt 
 herself well paid so much was the supply needed, so joy 
 fully was it received. The basket was left there for Mr. 
 Skip to bring home another time, and at a rather late hour 
 in the evening the return walk began. 
 
 The night was sharp and frosty, and still, now, with a 
 
436 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 depth of silence. The moon, high and full, beamed down 
 in silver splendour, and the face of the earth was all white 
 or black. The cold, clear light, the sharp shadows angling 
 and defining everything, the absolute stillness how well 
 they chimed ! and chime they did, albeit noiselessly. In 
 that bracing air the very steps of the two homeward bound 
 people seemed to spring more light and elastic, and gave 
 little sound. They went on together with a quick even 
 step, the very walking was pleasant. For a while they 
 talked busily too, then Thought came in and claimed her 
 place, and words ceased. 
 
 They had left the turn to the belt of woods, and were 
 now passing one or two empty fields where low hedges made 
 a black line of demarcation, and the moonlight seemed even 
 whiter than before. Faith was on the side next the road, 
 and both a little way out, for the walking was smoother 
 and dryer. 
 
 How it was done Faith could not tell the next two 
 seconds seemed full of separate things which she remem 
 bered afterwards but her hand was disengaged from Mr. 
 Linden s arm, and he was standing before her and she be 
 hind him, almost before she had fairly seen a little flash of 
 red light from the hedge before them. A sharp report a 
 powdery taint on the sweet air, came then to give their 
 evidence to what? 
 
 That second past, Mr. Linden turned, but still stand 
 ing so as to shield her, and laid both hands on her shoul 
 ders. 
 
 "Are you hurt?" he said, in a voice lowered by feeling, 
 not intent. 
 
 One bewildered instant she stood mute perhaps with no 
 breath for words; the next minute, with a motion too un 
 expected and sudden to be hindered, lifting both hands she 
 threw his off, bounded to one side to be clear of him, and 
 sprang like a gazelle towards the spot where the red flash 
 had caught her eye. But she was caught and stopped 
 before she reached it, and held still that same shield 
 between her and the hedge. 
 
 " Did it touch you ?" Mr. Linden repeated. 
 
 "No Let me ! let me 1" she said eagerly endeavouring 
 to free herself. 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 437 
 
 He was silent a moment a deep drawn breath the only- 
 reply ; but he did not loose his hold. 
 
 " Aly dear child," he said, "you could find nothing for 
 what would you go?" the tone was very gentle, even 
 moved. "You must walk on before me as quick as you 
 can. Will you promise to do it? I will keep you in 
 sight." 
 
 "Before you? no. What are you going to do? Are 
 you touched ?" Her voice changed as she went on. 
 
 " 1 am not hurt and mean to do nothing to-night but 
 follow you home. But give me your promise, Miss Faith, 
 you must not stand here." 
 
 " Why in front ? will they be behind us ?" 
 
 ! I must have you in sight and I will not have you 
 near me." And letting go his hold he said, almost impera 
 tively, 
 
 " 1 will trust you. Walk on before me I Miss Faith, you 
 must not delay a moment." 
 
 U I will go with you," she said low, and clinging to his 
 arm; " Your safety is in being near me. I will not delay. 
 Come. l r 
 
 But the hand was taken off again, and held in both his 
 while he spoke. 
 
 " 1 will not have you anywhere near me 1 If you do not 
 walk on far in front, I shall, and keep watch of you as 
 best 1 can." And he let go her hand, and stepped back 
 with a quick pace that soon put some distance between 
 them. She stood still a moment, looking, and then sprang 
 back till she reached him ; speaking with a low vehemence 
 that did not seem like Faith. 
 
 "1 will not do it, Mr. Linden I will not I I will notl 
 Come, come I don t stay here !"- 
 
 Whatever Mr. Linden felt at that appeal and he was 
 not a man to feel it lightly his words lost none of their 
 firmness. 
 
 " I shall not stir until you are ten yards in front of me ! 
 unless I leave you as far behind." 
 
 She planted herself for an instant before him and looked 
 in his face, with eyes of quiet but most eloquent beseech 
 ing. 
 
 "No" he repeated, "you mu?t go on and fear nothing. 
 37* 
 
438 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 Child there is no restraint to the Lord, to save by manj 
 or by few. 7 
 
 She did not answer, even by the little shake of the head 
 which sometimes with her stood in place of words. She 
 turned, went swiftly forward, with a straight, even, unslack- 
 ening pace, which did not falter nor stop for a long, long 
 piece of the way ; how long it was by the mind s measure 
 ment it would be hard to tell. It was one breathless sense 
 of pain and fear; of which moonlight and shadows and 
 the points of the way all made part and were woven in 
 together. Her ears were tingling for that sound; her eyes 
 only measured unconsciously the distances and told off the 
 waymarks. Down the little pitch of the road where that 
 to Barley point forked off; then by a space of clear fences 
 where hedgerows were not, and a barn or two rose up in 
 the moonlight; through gates where the post shadows 
 were black and deep, by the skirting bushes that now and 
 then gathered about the rails. She walked as fast as she 
 could and keep her strength. That was unconsciously 
 measured too. It had seemed to her, in her agony of 
 pleading before the commencing of this strange walk, that 
 it was impossible she should do it. She was doing it now, 
 under a force of will that she had not been able to with 
 stand ; and her mind was subdued and strained beyond the 
 power of thinking. Her very walking seemed to her me 
 chanical ; intensely alive as her senses were all the time. 
 There was a transient relief at coming into the neighbour 
 hood of a house, and a drear feeling of desolation and in 
 creased danger as she left it behind her; but her pace 
 neither faltered nor flagged. She looked round sometimes, 
 but never paused for that. Before the more thickly settled 
 part of the village was reached her step grew a little 
 slower, probably from the sheer necessity of failing strength ; 
 but steady it was, at whatever rate of travel. When at 
 last they turned the sandy corner into the broad street or 
 main way of the village, where houses and gardens often 
 broke the range of hedgeway or fence, and lights spoke 
 to lights in the neighbouring windows, Faith stopped and 
 stood leaning against the fence. In another moment she 
 was drawn away from that to a better support. 
 
 "Are you faint?" Mr. Linden said. 
 
SAY AND 3EAL. 439 
 
 Her no was faint, but the answer was true for all the 
 rest of her. 
 
 He drew her hand within his arm, and went on silently ; 
 but how glad he was to see her home, Faith might guess 
 from the way she was half carried up the steps and into 
 the hall, and the door shut and locked behind her. After 
 the same fashion she was taken into the sitting-room and 
 placed in the easy chair, and her wrappers unfastened and 
 taken off with very gentle and quick hands. She offered 
 almost as little help as hindrance, and her head sank imme 
 diately. 
 
 He stood by her, and repeated his question about faint- 
 ness. 
 
 "0 no, sir I m not faint. It s nothing," Faith said, 
 but as if her very voice was exhausted. And crossing her 
 arms upon the table, close to which the easy chair stood, 
 she laid her head down upon them. Her mother might 
 well say she had a baby face. It looked so theu. 
 
 Mr. Linden s next move was to get a glass of wine, and 
 with gentle force and persuasion to make her swallow it ; 
 that done, he stood leaning upon the back of her chair, 
 silently, but with a very, very grave face. 
 
 She kept her position, scarcely stirring, for some length 
 of time, except that after a while she hid her face in her 
 hands. And sitting so, at last she spoke, in a troubled 
 tone. 
 
 "What can be done, Mr. Linden? to put a stop to 
 this." 
 
 "I will try what can be done," he answered, though not 
 as if that point were uppermost in his mind. "I think I 
 can find a way. I wish nothing gave me more uneasiness 
 than that ?" 
 
 "Do you think there is any way that you can do it, 
 thoroughly ?" 
 
 " Yes, I think so,-" he repeated. " There are ways of 
 doing most things. I shall try. Do not you think about 
 it, Miss Faith, I have something now to make me glad 
 you are going to Pequot. Before, I could only remember 
 how much I should miss my scholar." 
 
 " Why are you glad now, Mr. Linden ?" Faith s voice 
 was iu as subdued a state of mind as her face. 
 
440 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 " Change of air will be good for you till this air.is in 
 a better state." 
 
 She made no answer. In a few minutes she rose up, 
 gathered her wrappers into one hand, and turning to Mr 
 Linden held out the other to him ; with a very child s look, 
 which however was rather doubtful about meeting his. His 
 look had lost none of its grave concern. 
 
 "Are you better?" he said. "Will you promise to go 
 right to sleep, and leave all troublesome matters where 
 alone they can be taken care of?" 
 
 The faintest kind of a smile flitted across her face. " I 
 don t know" she said doubtfully, "I don t know what I 
 can do, Mr. Linden." 
 
 "I have told you." 
 
 " I ll try the last part," she said with a somewhat more 
 defined smile as she glanced up at him. It was as grave 
 and gentle a smile as is often known. 
 
 " You must try it all," he said, giving her hand the same 
 touch it had had once before. "Miss Faith, I may use 
 your words I think you will never give me harder work to 
 do than I have had to-night !" 
 
 She could not bear that. She stood with eyes cast 
 down, and a fluttering quiver upon her lip; still, because 
 the effort to control herself was at the moment as much as 
 she could do. It was successful, though barely ; and then, 
 without venturing another look, she said her low Good 
 night, sir ; and moved away. She was accompanied as far 
 as the door, but then Mr. Linden paused, with his hand on 
 the latch. 
 
 " Shall you take any work I mean book work with you 
 to Pequot ? or will your hands find too much else to do ?" 
 
 " I meant to take some I meant to do a good deal I 
 hope so." 
 
 "Then can you come back to the great chair for ten 
 minutes, and let me give you a word or two of direction ?" 
 
 She came immediately and sat down. And Mr. Linden 
 went back to where they had been interrupted early in the 
 evening, and told her what and where and how to go on in 
 the various books, till she should see him again ; putting 
 marks here and there to save her trouble, or pencilling 
 some explanation which might be needed. It took but a 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 441 
 
 few minntes to do this ; and then Mr. Linden laid the books 
 together, and drawing the old Bible towards him once 
 more, he turned to the ninety-first Psalm and read it aloud. 
 Read it with full heart-felt effect; which made the words 
 fall like the dew they are, upon the weary little flower 
 Faith was Then he bade her once more goodnight. 
 
 She went refreshed ; yet to become a prey to struggling 
 thoughts which for a while prevented refreshment from 
 having its lawful action. How much of the night and of 
 the early morning Faith spent in these thoughts, and in 
 the fruit of them, is uncertain; for the evening s work 
 would sufficiently have accounted for her worn look the 
 next day. 
 
 
CHAPTER XXXV. 
 
 go to Pe y aoi *" was the first thought 
 that entered Faith s mind the next morning. 
 And the advancing daylight, with its clear steadfast 
 way of looking at things, said, "Yes, you must." "Is 
 there anything / who know most about this business 
 can do to put an end to it ?" That was a second thrilling 
 question. The same daylight gave its frank answer, 
 "No, you cannot you cannot." Faith took both answers, 
 and then Bought, in the very spirit of a child, to "leave 
 all troublesome things where alone they could be taken 
 care of. 
 
 "There is a faculty in this," saith Leighton, "that all 
 persons have not." But the spirit of a child can do it; 
 and the spirit of a Christian, so far as it is right, is none 
 other. Faith went down stairs, in spite of inward sorrow 
 and trembling, with a quiet brow. It was very much the 
 face of last night, for its subdued look, and in spite of the 
 night s rest, in its paleness too ; though the colour played 
 there somewhat fitfully. Sorrowful note of that Mr. Linden 
 took, or the pained look of last night had not passed off 
 from his face, or both might be true. So far as the most 
 gentle, quick-sighted, and careful attention could be of 
 avail, the breakfast was pleasant ; otherwise it was but a 
 grave affair. Even Mrs. Derrick looked from one to the 
 other, with thoughtfulness that was not merely of Faith s 
 going away. 
 
 There was little time however for observations. Directly 
 after breakfast the wagon was got ready ; and when they 
 were bestowed in it and Mr. Linden s farewell had bade 
 Faith remember all his injunctions the night before, he 
 turned and walked on to his own place of work and the 
 mother and daughter set forth on their journey. 
 
 In a small insignificant house, in a by street of Pequot, 
 was the little, very odd household of the two, Miss and 
 Madame Danforth. They kepi no servant ; they lived quite 
 (442) 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 443 
 
 to themselves; the various work of the household they 
 shared between them and made it as good as play ; and no 
 *vorse than play seemed all the rest of their quiet lives. 
 But Miss Dilly was ill now and unable to do her part ; and 
 what was worse, and more, she had lost her wonted cheer 
 ful and gay way of looking at things. That the little 
 Frenchwoman never lost; but it takes two to keep up a 
 shuttlecock, and Faith was welcome in that house. 
 
 What work she did there for the next two or three 
 weeks w as best known not to herself but to the two old 
 ladies whose hearts she cheered. And they knew not all ; 
 they did not know the leap of Faith s heart at the thought 
 of home, whenever, morning or noon or night, it came into 
 her head. She kept it out of her head as much as she 
 could. 
 
 And she went about from the top to the bottom of the 
 house, even after the first day she came, the same sort of 
 sunbeam she was at home. She took in hand Miss Dan- 
 forth s broom and duster, and did Cindy s part of setting 
 cups and saucers; but that was a small matter. The help 
 ful hand which made itself so busy and the voice which ran 
 music all up and down the house, were never forgotten, 
 even by the Frenchwoman. To Miss Danforth, feeble and 
 ailing, Faith ministered differently, and did truly the work 
 of an angel. More than once before the second day was 
 done, Miss Dilly repeated, " Faith, child, how glad I am I 
 sent for you !" And Madame Danforth took to her mightily; 
 opened heart and arms without reservation ; and delighting 
 to have her company, carried her down into the kitchen and 
 initiated Faith into deep mysteries of the science and art 
 the head quarters of which are there. Now did Faith 
 learn new secrets about coffee, about eggs, about salads and 
 about vegetables, that she never knew before ; and for some 
 unknown reason she was keen to learn, and liked the half 
 hours over the kitchen fire with Madame Danforth so well, 
 that the little Frenchwoman grew proud of her pupil. 
 
 It was the third day of Faith s being at Pequot. Faith 
 was engaged in some gentle offices about the room, folding 
 up clothes and putting drawers in order. Miss Danforth s 
 eye watched her, following every movement, till Madame 
 Danforth left the room to go out on business. Faith was 
 
444 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 summoned then to her aunt s side. It was the darkening 
 part of the afternoon. Faith sat down at the foot of Miss 
 Danforth s great easy chair, looked into the fire, and won 
 dered what they were doing at Pattaquasset. 
 
 "And so, Faith, child, you re taken to new ways, I 
 hear." 
 
 To Faith s quick ear, Miss Danforth s voice shewed a 
 purpose. It was less brisk than its old wont. Her 
 answer was as simple as possible. "Yes, aunt Dilly. It s 
 true." 
 
 " You don 4 think you re any better than you used to be 
 do you ?" 
 
 "No, ma am. Yet my life is better, I hope." 
 
 " I don t believe it ! How could it be ?" 
 
 "In this at least, that I am the servant of God now. 
 Before, I never thought of serving him." 
 
 "I never did," said Miss Dilly. "But" 
 
 There was a silence. Faith s heart leapt to hear this 
 confession, but she said nothing and sat still as a mouse. 
 
 "How s Mr. Linden getting on in Pattaquasset?" 
 
 "Well" 
 
 "You like him as well as ever?" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 Alert questions. Rather faint answers. 
 
 "Do you remember what he said one night, about every 
 body being precious ? Do you remember it, Faith ?" 
 
 "Yes, ma am very well." 
 
 " I suppose I have thought of it five hundred and fifty 
 times," Miss Dilly went on. "What were the words, Faith ? 
 do you know em ?" 
 
 Faith did not move, only repeated, and if they had been 
 literal diamonds every word would not have seemed so 
 precious to her, 
 
 " They shall be mine, saith the Lord, in the day when 
 I make up -my jewels. " 
 
 "That s it!" said Miss Dilly. "Now go on, can you, 
 Faith, and tell me what it means." 
 
 "It is spoken of the people that fear the Lord, aunt 
 Dilly it goes on 
 
 " And I will spare them, as a man spareth his own 
 on that serveth him. Then shall ye return and discern 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 445 
 
 between the righteous and the wicked, between him that, 
 serveth God and him that serveth him not. " 
 
 "Tell me more. Faith," said Miss Danforth presently 
 in a subdued voice. "I don t understand one thing about, 
 it from beginning to end." 
 
 In answer to which Faith turned, took a Bible, and as 
 one did of old, preached unto her Jesus. It was very simple 
 preaching. Faith told her aunt the story even very much 
 as she had told it to Johnny Fax; and with the same 
 sweet grave face and winning tongue which had drawn the 
 children. As earnest as they, Miss Dilly listened and 
 looked, and brought her strong sense to bear upon the 
 words. Not with the same ease of understanding. She 
 said little, excepting to bid Faith go on, in a tone that 
 told the quest she was upon unsatisfied yet. 
 
 Faith went on, but preferred to let the Bible words 
 speak instead of her own. It brought Mrs. Custers to 
 mind again, though this time Faith s joy of heart made 
 her words ring as from a sweet silver trumpet. So they 
 fell on the sick woman s ear; nor was there stay or inter 
 ruption till Faith heard the hall door close below. She 
 shut the book then ; then her arm came round Miss Dan- 
 forth s neck, and her kisses spoke well enough the glad 
 sympathy and encouragement Faith spoke in no other way. 
 One earnest return answered her. 
 
 From that time, to read the Bible to her aunt was 
 Faith s work; morning, noon, and night, literally; some 
 times far into the night. For Miss Danforth, embracing 
 what she had never known before, as the light gradually 
 broke upon her; and feeling that her time for study might 
 be made short, was in eager haste and longing to acquaint 
 herself with the broad field of duties and privileges, all 
 new, now laid open before her. Faith could not read too 
 much ; Miss Dilly could not listen too long. 
 
 "Faith, child," she said one night, late, when they were 
 alone, "can t you pray for me?" 
 
 "I do, aunt Dilly." 
 
 "No, no! but I mean, can t you pray with me? now, 
 here. Can t you, Faith?" 
 
 Faith kissed her ; hid her face in her hands and trembled ; 
 and then knelt and prayed. And many a time after that 
 
CHAPTER XXXVI. 
 
 HI HE Saturday before Christmas, which was moreover 
 JL the day but one before, Squire Stoutenburgh went 
 over to Pequot ; and having checked off his business items, 
 drove straight to Madame Danforth s. The door was 
 opened to him by the Frenchwoman, who took him into a 
 little room very like herself, and left him; and in another 
 minute or two Faith .came in. Her exclamation was with 
 the unmistakeable tone and look of pleasure. 
 
 "My dear, I am very glad to see you 1" was part of the 
 warm reply. " How do you do ?" 
 
 "I do very well, sir." 
 
 "Ah!" said the Squire, "I suppose so. Well I ll 
 give you a chance to do better. My dear, I m going to 
 carry you off, you re wanted." 
 
 "Am I?" said Faith with a quick change. "There s 
 nothing the matter ?" 
 
 " Nothing bad," said the Squire. "At least I hope not ! 
 AVill you go home with me this afternoon ?" 
 
 "0 yes, sir and very glad! But did mother send 
 for me ?" 
 
 "Sent for you if I could get you, Miss Faith. I don t 
 suppose she ll ever really interfere with your doings if you 
 choose to go and live in the Moon, but she s half sick for 
 the sight of you. That s prevalent just now," said the 
 Squire, "and she s not the worst case. The doctor went 
 off for fear he should take it; but some people have 
 duties, you know, and can t stir." 
 
 There was a tiny peachblossom tinge on Faith s cheek, 
 which the Squire was pleased to take note of. She stood 
 with a thoughtful face the while. 
 
 "I ll be ready, Mr. Stoutenburgh. When will you come 
 for me ?" 
 
 The time was fixed, and Faith made her explanations 
 
 to her friends; promising that if need were she would 
 
 some back again, or her mother, after Christmas. Miss 
 
 Dilly let her go very willingly, yet most unwillingly; and 
 
 (446) 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 447 
 
 Madame Danforth s reluctance had nothing to balance it. 
 So it was that Faith s joy had its wonted mixture of gravity 
 when she met the Squire again. 
 
 "If you re not going to be glad to get home, I m a rich 
 man if I ll go in with you !" he said as he put her in the 
 sleigh and tucked her up with shawls and buffalo robes. 
 "That s the way ! first get power and then abuse it." 
 
 "Power! Mr. Stoutenburgh. What do you mean? I 
 am very glad to go home. Don t I look so?" She cer 
 tainly did. 
 
 " I mean that I haven t seen anybody smile since you 
 went away," said Mr. Stoutenburgh, proceeding to tuck 
 himself up in like manner. "Except Dr. Harrison. He 
 kept himself in practice while he staid." 
 
 Faith was silent; eying the snowy road and the jingling 
 horse heads, with a bounding feeling of heart that she, was 
 going home. She dared allow it to herself now. 
 
 "What do you guess made the doctor leave that fly 
 away horse of his for Mr. Linden to tame?" said the 
 Squire. "Has he any particular reason for wishing to 
 break his neck ?" 
 
 "Did he do that?" 
 
 "Break his neck? why no, not yet, I suppose the 
 doctor lives in hopes. You take it coolly, Miss Faith ! 
 upon my word." 
 
 " Mr. Stoutenburgh ! I meant, did he leave the horse 
 for him. Dr. Harrison knew there wasn t much danger, 
 Mr. Stoutenburgh." 
 
 Mr. Stoutenburgh touched up his own team. 
 
 "I guess!" he said slowly, "the doctor don t just know 
 how much danger there is. So Pattaquasset 11 have a 
 chance to come down on both feet which that horse 
 don t do often. We ve had all sorts of goings on, Miss 
 Faith." 
 
 "Have you, sir?" The question was put quietly enough, 
 but there was a little tinge of curiosity, too. 
 
 "Yes," said the Squire, shaking his whip. "Sam Dea 
 con s gone away and Mr. Linden s grown unpopular. Aint 
 that news?" 
 
 "What do you mean, sir?" 
 
 "Why Sam Deacon s gone away " the Squire repeated 
 
448 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 coolly. "He was getting rather too much of a sportin 
 character for our town, so a- friend of mine that was going 
 to Egypt or somewhere took him along. You needn t 
 be uneasy about him, Miss Faith he ll be taken care of. 
 I should have sent him a worse journey, only I was over 
 ruled." 
 
 "And is he gone to Egypt?" said Faith. 
 
 "Hardly got so far yet," said the Squire. "But I 
 thought it would be good for Sara s health he s been a 
 little weaker than usual about the head lately." 
 
 "That was only half of your news, Mr. Stoutenburgh," 
 Faith said after another interval of musing. 
 
 " Tother halfs nothing wonderful. Mr. Linden s getting 
 unpopular with everybody in town that he don t make up to 
 on the right side; and as there s a good many of them, 
 I m afraid it ll spread. I ve done my best to tell him how 
 to quiet the matter, but you might just as well tell a pep- 
 peridge which way to grow ! Did you ever try to make 
 him do anything ?" said the Squire, facing round upon Faith. 
 
 The startling of Faith s eyes was like a flash ; and some 
 thing so her colour went and came. The answer was a 
 very orderly, "Yes, sir." 
 
 "Hum I s pose he did it, guess I ll come to you next 
 time I want anything done. Are you cold, my dear ?" said 
 the Squire renewing his efforts at wrapping up. 
 
 Faith s desire for Pattaquasset news was satisfied. She 
 manifested no more curiosity about anything; and so far as 
 appeared in words, was contented with her own thoughts. 
 That however would have been a rash conclusion. For 
 thoughts do occupy that do not content; and Faith could 
 willingly have spared the hints in Mr. Stoutenburgh s last 
 speech and indeed in several others. She by no means 
 understood them thoroughly ; yet something of the drift 
 and air of them she did feel, and felt as unnecessary. There 
 had been already in Faith s mind a doubtful look towards 
 the last evening she had spent in Pattaquasset ; a certain 
 undefined consciousness that her action that night might 
 have said or seemed to say she knew not what. She could 
 find no fault with it, to herself; there had been nothing that 
 she could help; but yet this consciousness made her more 
 tender upon anything that touched the subject. She had 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 449 
 
 thought of it, and put it out of her head, several times in 
 these last weeks ; and now Mr. Stoutenburgh s words had 
 just the effect to make her shy. Faith s mind however 
 had been full of grave and sweet things of late, and was 
 in such a state now. The principal feeling, which the 
 Squire s words could not change, was of very deep and 
 joyous happiness ; she was exceeding glad to go home ; but 
 at the same time in a mood too quiet and sober for the 
 wine of joy to get into her head. 
 
 Squire Stoutenburgh too seemed satisfied, perhaps with 
 the uncold hue of Faith s cheeks; and now drove on at a 
 rapid rate, talking only of indifferent matters. The horses 
 trotted quick over the smooth snow, and the gathering lead 
 colour overhead was touched with gleams of light here and 
 there, as the sun went down behind the Pattaquasset out 
 lines. Swiftly they jingled along, crossing the ferry and 
 mounting the hill ; past trees and barns and village houses 
 then into the main street : down which the horses flew 
 with a will, thinking of oats and their good stable, and un 
 willingly reined in at Mrs. Derrick s door. 
 
 It was dark by that time Faith could see little but the 
 lights glimmering in the windows, and indeed had no time 
 to see much ; so suddenly and softly was she lifted out of 
 the sleigh the moment it stopped. Then Mr. Linden s 
 voice said, 
 
 "Thank you, Mr. Stoutenburgh I" 
 
 "That s one way of thanking me!" said the Squire. 
 "However I suppose it s all right," and gave his impa 
 tient horses their way. 
 
 " Why Mr. Linden," said Faith half laughing, but with 
 a little of the old timidity in her voice, " how could you 
 see me before I saw you ?" 
 
 " For various reasons, Miss Faith. How do you do r ?" 
 He led her on, into the house and into the tea-room, there 
 to delight her mother s heart and make her mother s eyes 
 overflow. 
 
 " Pretty child !" Mrs. Derrick said, " I never will let you 
 go away again for anybody !" 
 
 Faith laughed, and kissed her and kissed her; but did 
 not take that moment to say what she thought that Mrs. 
 Derrick would have to let her go again in a few days perhaps, 
 
 38* 
 
450 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 arid for Miss Danforth herself. Then her eye glanced at the 
 tea-table, as it might at an ungoverned kingdom or a 
 vacated sphere; and the fulness of her heart broke 3ut. 
 
 Mother ! I m glad to be home again I" The tone said 
 it yet more than the words. And then with a sudden 
 movement, she went off a step to Mr. Linden and held out 
 her hand to him, albeit ever so little shyly. The hand was 
 taken and kept, his eyes taking a quiet survey of her the 
 while. 
 
 " Miss Faith, you want to be set to work ! Some people 
 will neglect themselves if they have a chance." 
 
 "I haven t done much work since I have been away, Mr. 
 Linden. " 
 
 He smiled what was he reading in her face? "You 
 don t know what you have done, child," he said. "But she 
 looks glad, Mrs. Derrick, and we are very glad to have 
 her." Whereupon Faith was conducted to the tea-table 
 without more delay; Mrs. Derrick feeling sure that she 
 was starving both with cold arid hunger. 
 
 Faith had no appearance of being cold; and though she 
 certainly did eat her supper as if she was glad to be at 
 home, it was not with the air of a person with whom his 
 bread and butter is the first thought. Gladness shone in 
 every look and movement ; but at the same time over all 
 the gladness there was a slight veil ; it might be gravity, 
 but it might not be all gravity, for part of it was very like 
 constraint; the eyes were more ready to fall than to rise; 
 and the words,, though free to come, had a great facility 
 for tunning in short sentences. But Mrs. Derrick was too 
 happy to notice such light streaks of mist in the sunshine, 
 and talked away at a most unusual rate, telling Faith how 
 Mr. Linden had ridden that wild horse, and had found 
 time to teach her little class, and in general had done 
 everything else for everything seemed to hinge upon him. 
 Mr. Linden himself with now and then a word to qualify, 
 or to make Faith laugh, took a somewhat special and quiet 
 care of her and her wants at the table ; all which seemed 
 to Faith (in her mood) very like little gentle suggestions 
 at that vail; otherwise, he was rather silent. 
 
 Then followed prayers, with all the sweet warm influ 
 ences ot the time j and then Faith might sit and talk or bo 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 451 
 
 silent, as she liked ; rest being considered the best work for 
 that evening. It would seem that she liked to be silent, 
 if that were a fair conclusion from her silence. Her eye 
 took happy note of the familiar things in and about the 
 room ; then she sat and looked into the fireplace, as glad to 
 see it again maybe, or doubtful about looking elsewhere. 
 As silently, for a few minutes, Mr. Linden took note of her: 
 then he spoke. 
 
 "Miss Faith, will you let me give you lessons all through 
 the holidays ?" 
 
 She gave him a swift blushing glance and smile. "If 
 you like to do it, Mr. Linden and if I am here." 
 
 "Where do you find those two ifs ?" 
 
 " I thought, perhaps, when I came away from Pequot 
 to-day, that I might go back again after Monday. I am 
 afraid aunt Dilly will want me." 
 
 "How much must people want you, to gain a hearing?" 
 
 "There are different kinds of wanting," Faith said 
 gravely. "Aunt Dilly may miss me too much." 
 
 "And the abstract too much, is different from the com 
 parative. What about that other if 7 ?" 
 
 " The other if*? I don t know that there is anything 
 about it, Mr. Linden," Faith said laughing. 
 
 "Whence did it come? before it trickeled, as Bunyan 
 says, to your tongue ?" 
 
 "I don t know, sir!" 
 
 " Miss Faith 1 I did not think you would so forget me 
 in three weeks. Do you want to hear the story of a very 
 cold, icy little brook?" he said, with. a sort of amused de- 
 mureness that gave her the benefit of all his adjectives. 
 She looked up at him with earnest eyes not at all amused, 
 but that verged on being hurt ; and it was with a sort of 
 *ear of what the real answer might be, that she asked what 
 he meant. 
 
 "Miss Faith, I mean nothing very bad," he said with a 
 full smile at her then.. "When I really think you are build 
 ing yourself an ice palace, I shall spend my efforts upon 
 thawing, not talking. What have you been doing all these 
 weeks?" 
 
 With a little bit of answering smile she said, in a deli 
 berate kind of way, "I have been running about house 
 
452 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 and learning how to cook French cookery, Mr. Linden 
 and most of all, I ve been reading the Bible. I haven t had 
 time to do much else." 
 
 "Do you know," Mr. Linden said as he watched her, 
 "that is just what I thought? And so you have been going 
 step by step up the mountain ! Do you see how the road 
 improves? do you find the richer pastures and the purer 
 air ?" 
 
 "0 sir," said Faith looking up at him, "I was reading 
 to aunt Dilly." 
 
 "I know, I understood that. Are not my words true 
 still?" 
 
 Gravity and shyness, all except the gravity that belonged 
 to her and to the subject, broke away from Faith. She rose 
 up and stood beside Mr. Linden, moved, happy, and glad 
 with the gladness of full sympathy. 
 
 " It has been a pleasant two weeks, Mr. Linden ! though 
 I would have liked to be at home. Aunt Dilly has wanted 
 the Bible, morning, noon, and night; and it was wonder 
 ful to read it to her ! It has been my business, all these 
 days." 
 
 "My dear child ! I am very glad !" he said, taking her 
 hand. " Wonderful ? yes, it is wonderful to read, to one 
 who wants it." 
 
 "She wanted it so much," Faith said, catching her 
 breath a little. "And understood it, Mr. Linden. Yery 
 soon it was all or mostly clear to her. I read to her 
 sometimes till twelve o clock at night and sometimes 
 began at four in the morning." 
 
 Mr. Linden looked at her with a mingling of expressions. 
 
 " I am afraid that was not good for you, if one dare 
 say it of any work done in that service. Do you know how 
 much the Bible is like that pillar of fire which guided the 
 Israelites, but to those who were not of Israel became a 
 pillar of cloud, from which the Lord looked out but to 
 trouble them ?" 
 
 Faith s eye watched him as he spoke, and caught the 
 power and beauty of the illustration ; but she did not 
 speak. Until after thinking and musing a while she said 
 softly, "It don t trouble aunt Dilly." 
 
 Mr Linden drew up a chair for her near his own, but 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 453 
 
 made no other comment upon her or her musings at first, 
 then abruptly "And you think she will want you again ?" 
 
 "There is nobody else to do this for her," said Faith; 
 and again was silent. " How do you suppose it all began 
 with aunt Dilly, Mr. Linden?" 
 
 "As to means? I cannot tell." 
 
 "it began from a few words, which I dare say you have 
 forgotten, but which she and I remember, words that you 
 said one evening when she was here last summer, about 
 everybody s being precious in one sense. You repeated 
 that passage They shall be mine, saith the Lord, you 
 know." 
 
 Faith did not know what a soft illumination was in her 
 eyes, or she would probably not have turned the light of it 
 so full upon Mr. Linden as at one or two points of her 
 speech she did. It was a grave, sweet look that answered 
 her ; but then his eyes went off to the fire without further 
 reply. 
 
 Faith did not again interrupt the silence ; a silence that 
 to judge, by the faces of both was pleasant to both. Till 
 Mrs. Derrick came in, who indeed could not be very long 
 absent. Then Faith left her place, sat down on a low seat 
 by her mother and caressingly took possession of her hands 
 and arms. She made no more startling propositions that 
 night of going back to Pequot again; and the minutes 
 of the evening flowed on as such minutes do. 
 
 The Sunday which followed was one as quietly happy 
 as is often known in this wor!4- And the next day was 
 Christmas. 
 
CHAPTER XXXYII. 
 
 8O came the holiday week, wherein was to be done so 
 much less than usual and so much more. Mr. 
 Linden s work, indeed, was like to double on all hands; 
 for he was threatened with more tea-drinkings, dinners, 
 suppers, and frolics, than the week would hold. How 
 should he manage to give everybody a piece of him, and 
 likewise present himself entire to the assembled boys when 
 ever they chose to assemble? which promised to be 
 pretty often. How should he go skating, sliding, and 
 sleigh-riding, at all hours of the day and night, and yet 
 spend all those hours where he wanted to spend them ? It 
 was a grave question ; and not easy, as he remarked to 
 Faith, to hold so many feelings in his hands and hurt none 
 of them. So with the question yet undecided, Christmas 
 day came. 
 
 It was a brilliant day all white and blue ; the sky like 
 a sapphire, the earth like a pearl ; the sunbeams burnished 
 gold. 
 
 " Ha ye but seen the light fall of the snow, 
 Before the soil hath smutched it?" 
 
 Such was Pattaquasset, Christmas morning. And the 
 bright lily, 
 
 " Before rude hands have touched it," 
 
 that was Faith Derrick when she came down stairs. The 
 dainty little crimson silk hood ^which Mrs. Derrick had 
 quilted for her, was -in her hand, brought down for dis 
 play ; but at present the sitting-room was empty, and 
 Faith passed on to her work-basket, to put the hood in 
 safe keeping. She found a pre-occupied basket. At some 
 unknown hour of the night, Santa Claus had come and 
 left upon it his mark in the shape of a package : a rather 
 (454) 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 455 
 
 large and ratlier thin package, but done up with that in 
 fallible brown paper and small cord which everybody knows 
 by instinct. Who ever looked twice at a parcel from that 
 wagon, and doubted whence it came ? 
 
 Faith s cheeks took an additional tinge, quite as brilliant 
 as if the crimson hood had been on. What doubtful fingers 
 lifted the package from the basket! 
 
 The thing whatever it was had been done up care 
 fully. Beneath the brown paper a white one revealed 
 itself, beneath that a red leather portfolio made in the 
 pretty old-fashioned style, and securing its contents by 
 means of its red leather tongue. But when Faith had 
 withdrawn this, and with the caution always exercised on 
 such occasions had also drawn out the contents, she found 
 the prettiest continuation of her Italian journey, in the 
 slmpe of very fine photographs of all sorts of Italian places 
 and things, mingled with here and there an excursion into 
 the Swiss mountains. 
 
 A few almost awe-stricken glances Faith gave. How 
 good it was she was alone ! she would not have cared to 
 have the door open and anybody come in, at that minute. 
 Then she put the photographs in the portfolio again, 
 scarcely seen, and looked at the outside of the red leather; 
 felt of its smooth surface with admiring fingers that hardly 
 believed what they touched, arid a face glowing with a very 
 deep glow by this time. Faith thought herself rich, be 
 yond the imagination of a millionaire. She could have sat 
 there with her riches nobody knows how long, and not 
 wanted breakfast; but she dreaded somebody s coming in; 
 and besides, gratitude and pleasure quickened her sense of 
 ether people s wanting breakfast. So after a little mute 
 amazed consideration of her happiness, she folded the port 
 folio again carefully in its paper coverings, and rushed off 
 to the kitchen to signalize the Christmas breakfast and 
 perhaps spend a few of her too many thoughts by the 
 preparation and production of one of Madame Danforth s 
 nice, but in PattaquasBet unheard of, delicacies; and wlun 
 all the rest of the breakfast was ready, Faith demurely went 
 in with her dish. 
 
 She had not a word of acknowledgment for Mr. Linden, 
 which was ungrateful. She gave him her hand, however, 
 
456 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 with a manner and look which were graceful enough ; being 
 at once open and shy, very bright, and yet veiled with a 
 shade of reserve. She had been over the fire, so her face 
 was naturally a little rosy. There was no particular reserve 
 about him, his "Merry Christmas" was not only wished 
 but carried out, so far as breakfast time extended. Faith 
 might be as demure as she liked, but she had to be merry 
 too ; so on the whole the breakfast room was beaming with 
 more than sunlight. Yes, it was a merry Christmas I 
 merry without and merry within, that sort of merriment 
 which "doeth good like a medicine." Gay voices and steps 
 and snowballing on , the broad street; gay snowbirds and 
 chickadees in the branches; in the house glad faces; over 
 and upon all, clear sunshine and the soft hush of a winter s 
 morning. 
 
 "What are you going to do to-day, mother?" said Faith 
 towards the close of breakfast time. 
 
 "I d rather look at you than anything else, child," said 
 her mother, "but I ve got to go out, you know. What are 
 you going to do Faith ?" 
 
 "All sorts of things, mother. Mr. Linden ?" 
 
 "All sorts of things, Miss Faith therefore we shall 
 probably meet quite often in the course of the day," he 
 said smiling. " Will you give me any commands ?" 
 
 " Perhaps if I can. Mother, how are we to get to Mrs. 
 Somers to-night ? is Crab well ?" 
 
 "0 Crab s gone away for the winter, child, and we ve 
 got Mr. Stoutenburgh s Jerry. To be sure that s since 
 you went away." 
 
 The first thing for Faith was the Christmas dinner, into 
 which she plunged, heart and hand. The turkey, the 
 apples, and the pies, were all seen to at last; and about 
 an hour before dinner Faith was ready to take off her 
 kitchen apron and go into the parlour. She longed for a 
 further touch and eyesight of that red leather. 
 
 She had it, for that hour; as dainty a luxuriating 
 over her treasures as anybody ever had. Faith pondered 
 and dreamed over the photographs, one after another; 
 with endless marvel and querying of numberless questions 
 springing out of them, general and particular, historical, 
 natural, social, and artistic or scientific. Questions that 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 457 
 
 sometimes she knew only enough to form vaguely. What 
 a looking over of prints that was ! such an hour as is 
 known by few, few of those who have seen engravings all 
 their lives. Nay, further than that; such as is not known 
 by many a one that stands on the Bridge of sighs, and 
 crosses the Mer de glace, and sees the smoke curling up 
 from Vesuvius. For once in a while there is an imaginary 
 traveller at home to whom is revealed more of the spirit of 
 beauty residing in these things, than hundreds of those who 
 visit them do ever see. Who 
 
 "Feels the warm Orient in the noontide air, 
 And from cloud-minarets hears the sunset call to prayer." 
 
 Before dinner time was quite on the stroke came home 
 Mr. Linden, who betaking himself first upstairs and then into 
 the sitting-room, brought Faith her Christmas breastknot of 
 green and red. Stiff holly leaves, with their glossy sheen, 
 and bright winterberries clear and red, set each other off 
 like jewellers work ; and the soft ribbon that bound them 
 together was of the darkest possible blue. It was as dainty 
 a bit of floral handicraft as Faith had often seen. 
 
 " Will you wear it, Miss Faith ?" Mr. Linden said as he 
 laid it on the table by her. 
 
 Faith had come out of her dream, and gave the holly 
 and winter-berries a downcast look of recognition. It was 
 given in silence, but the pleasure which had been upper 
 most for some time presently made her overcome shyness, 
 and looking up gratefully she exclaimed, "Mr. Linden 
 what pleasure you have given me !" The soft colour which 
 had been in her cheeks before, mounted instantly to deep 
 crimson, and she added timidly, " Wasn t it you?" 
 . "What pleasure you give me!" he said with a smile 
 at her crimson arid all. "Yes, it was I." 
 
 "It seems to me I have been at those places to-day," 
 she went on, looking over at the sofa where her portfolio 
 lay. "I have been fancying your sister standing here and 
 there and looking at something I saw in the picture. Now 
 1 can understand a little better what she was writing 
 abouty 
 
 "I am very glad you like them! Some time you must 
 
 VOL. i. 39 
 
458 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 let me give you any explanations they may need. What 
 have you found for me to do this afternoon ?" 
 "Aren t you going to be busy, Mr. Linden ?" 
 "About something^-your business shall come first." 
 "It can wait," said Faith very brightly. "It was just 
 that, Mr. Linden. I was going to ask you some time to 
 shew them to me. I have been looking at some of them 
 by myself, and going into a great many things over them 
 that I could not understand. But any time will do for 
 that as well as to-day." 
 
 "And to-day as well as any time" he said smiling; 
 "but I suppose we must wait till after dinner." 
 
 There was great satisfaction at that dinner, not to say in 
 it which indeed the dinner merited. There was the re 
 maining glow of the pleasant morning, and a little dawning 
 of the afternoon, besides the hour s own light. Faith 
 indeed was the radiating point of pleasure, which the two 
 others watched and furnished with new supplies. Then 
 after dinner came the Italian work, and she had as elabo 
 rate and careful answers and information as she wished for. 
 Mr. Linden could go back and tell her where each place 
 got its name, and what had been its history, with many 
 stories of its climate and productions and traditions ; and 
 so one by one Faith went over again her new treasures. 
 One by one, until the short afternoon began to fade, and it 
 was time to dress for Mrs. Somers ; and they had made but 
 little progress into the portfolio, after all. Yet it was a 
 great progress to Faith; a grand procession through 
 the years of history and the stages of civilization and the 
 varying phases of nature and humanity. 
 
 Very tenderly the photographs were restored to the 
 portfolio and the red leather tongue drawn through, with 
 a little breath heavy with pleasure, and Faith carried off the 
 whole to be put where profane hands should not get hold 
 of it. Then the comparatively ignoble business of dressing 
 occupied her. And Mrs. Derrick yet more, who of course 
 was there to help and look on ; while Faith s head was er 
 ratically in her portfolio, or at Rome, or at Florence, or 
 elsewhere, as the case might be. Her dress was this 
 evening the same she had worn to Mrs. Stoutenburgh s, but 
 the knot of holly and wiuterberries transformed her more 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 459 
 
 than the rose and myrtle had done; and she stood an un 
 doubted guest of Christmas night. Faith herself took 
 somewhat of the effect, which her thought however concen 
 trated. 
 
 "Mother," she said as she looked in the glass, "I never 
 saw anything so pretty 1" 
 
 "Neither did I, child," said Mrs. Derrick smiling. 
 
 Faith took still closer note of the beauty of her breast- 
 knot ; and then gathering up her crimson hood and cloak, 
 they went down stairs. It was not quite the hour yet for Mrs. 
 Burners . Mr. Linden was ready and in the sitting-room ; 
 but Faith did not this time call his attention to her bouquet. 
 She came in and sat down very quietly in a corner of the 
 sofa. He paused in his walk up and down the room how 
 ever, noting her well as she came in and took her seat; 
 coming presently to take one at her side ; and then catch 
 ing up a book from the table he proceeded to give her the 
 ice palace of the little brook, with which he had threatened 
 her before. 
 
 Down swept the cold wind from the mountain peak, 
 From the snow five thousand summers old" etc. 
 
 " 0," exclaimed Faith, " I have seen just such a brook I I 
 have played in it; when mother was afraid I should tako 
 cold, and wouldn t let me stay. But that s as good as the 
 brook," she added timidly. 
 
 " Without the danger of taking cold. You are quite 
 sure it has not chilled you, Miss Faith ? do you feel win 
 ter-proof?" 
 
 "I think I do, for to-day," said Faith. "If the evening 
 were to be even very disagreeable, I think I could stand it." 
 
 Which remark was perhaps significant. 
 
 The tinkle of Jerry s bells now made itself heard at the 
 door, and Faith was shawled and cloaked and wrapped up 
 by her mother in the house and by Mr. Linden in the 
 sleigh. He was more skilful about it than Squire Stouten- 
 burgh ; and contrived to enclose Faith in a little wigwam 
 of buffalo robes, without letting her feel the weight of 
 them. Then they dashed off Jerry well disposed for 
 exercise after his five minutes stand, and spurning the 
 
460 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 snow from a light enough pair of heels. How merrily the 
 bells jingled ! how calmly and steadily the stars shone 
 down ! There was no moon now, but the whitened earth 
 caught and reflected every bit of the starlight, and made it 
 by no means dark ; and the gleams from cottage windows 
 came out and fell on the snow in little streaks of brightness. 
 Sleighs enough abroad ! from the swift little cutters and 
 large family sleighs that glided on towards the parsonage, 
 down to sledding parties of boys, cheered only by a cow 
 bell and their own laughter. Tinkle, tinkle everywhere, 
 near by and in the distance ; the dark figures just casting a 
 light shadow on the roadside, the merry voices ignoring 
 anything of the kind. 
 
 Mrs. Somers house was a good long drive from Mrs. 
 Derrick s. The road was first on the way to Mr. Simlins ; 
 from there it turned off at right angles and went winding 
 crookedly down a solitary piece of country ; rising and 
 falling over uneven ground, twisting out of the way of a 
 rock here and there, and for some distance skirting the 
 edge of a woodland. There was light enough to see by, 
 but it was not just the piece of road one would choose of 
 a dark night ; and Faith felt thankful Squire Deacon was 
 gone to Egypt. 
 
 
CHAPTER XXVIII. 
 
 IN the dressing-room Faith was seized upon in the 
 warmest manner by Mrs. Stoutenburgh, who looked 
 very pretty in her dress of bright crimson silk. 
 
 " I m so glad you ve come back, dear. And how wel) 
 you re looking ! a little thin, though. But you ll SOOE 
 make up for that. You re just as lovely as you can be, 
 Faith do you know it?" 
 
 "No, ma am." Her flowers, she knew, were as lovely as 
 they could be. "Jerry brought us, Mrs. Stoutenburgh, 
 after all, and pretty fast too." 
 
 "0 he can go fast enough. You needn t look so sober, 
 child of course no one thinks so but me, and nobody ever 
 minds what I say. ThaVs pretty, I suppose you ll allow," 
 she said laughing, and bending down closer to Faith s 
 holly leaves, "what is it, Faith? basswood?" 
 
 "Don t you know holly, Mrs. Stoutenburgh? And the 
 berries are winterberries." 
 
 " Yes my dear I perceive. You mustn t get angry with 
 me, child I tell you nobody does, not even your grave 
 escort. At least not for anything I do to him. Well I ll 
 go down and electrify people with the news that you re 
 coming. And the crimson dress floated off to the tune 
 of a light step and a merry voice. And more slowly and 
 more doubtfully the black dress and winterberries followed 
 her. Perhaps in very truth Faith would have been willing 
 that Mr. Stoutenburgh should have taken her under his 
 broad wing for that going down stairs. At least she was 
 as absolutely grave and quiet as anybody ever saw her, 
 and a little more inclined to be shrinking. But Mr. Lin 
 den was alone in the hall at that minute, so there was no 
 one else to shrink from; and if Faith wanted to shrink 
 from him, she hardly could, there was such an absence of 
 anything to alarm her, both in his look and manner. 
 Therefore, though she had to go down stairs upon his arm, 
 and pass sundry people on their way up, Faith felt that he 
 , 39* (461) 
 
462 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 was a shield between her and the glances and words which 
 he so little regarded. Eyes and tongues indeed ventured 
 hut little in his presence ; but that protection of course 
 extended only to the centre of the drawing-room, and the 
 welcome which Faith received from Mrs. Somers, then 
 she must shield herself. Then truly, for a while, she was 
 taken possession of by Squire Stoutenburgh, who walked 
 with her up and down, and said all manner of kind things. 
 
 Faith had no particular skill to shield herself from any 
 thing, and indeed gave herself no thought about it. She 
 took what came, in a simple and quiet spirit, which was 
 very apt to strike like a bee the right part of every flower ; 
 or that perhaps carried its own honey along. So she walked 
 up and down with Mr. Stoutenburgh ; and so she afterwards 
 entered into the demands of a posse of her old and young 
 friends who had not seen her for a good while 
 
 Amidst a little group of these people, collected benignly 
 around Faith, Dr. Harrison presently intruded himself. 
 Now Dr. Harrison was a lion, and the smaller animals 
 naturally fell off from him, which was precisely what he 
 expected them to do. The doctor had the field soon clear. 
 
 "What have you been doing to yourself?" he said to 
 Faith with the kindly, familiar manner which had grown 
 up between them. 
 
 "Taking good care," she said, in smiling answer to his 
 question. 
 
 "Who took the care? yourself?" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "I thought so." 
 
 "Why, Dr. Harrison?" 
 
 "Excuse me," said he. "Anybody else would have don? 
 it better." 
 
 "No," said she shaking her head, "you are wrong." 
 . "You have been " said he, looking at her, "you have 
 been doing your duty too hard." 
 
 " Can one do that, Dr. Harrison ?" 
 
 "Certainly!" 
 
 "I haven t been doing it this time." 
 
 "Do you remember," he said sitting down by her and 
 lowering his voice, "what you said once about the flowers 
 of the wilderness?" 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 463 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "Would you like to see some of them ?" 
 
 "In the wilderness?" 
 
 "No," said he smiling. "I can shew you one family cf 
 them, by their portraits, here to-night." 
 
 " I would like to see them in the wilderness or anywhere ! 
 said Faith. 
 
 "Then if you ll come with me" 
 
 And the next thing was Dr. Harrison s walking off the 
 black silk and winterberries before all the eyes of the peo 
 ple and through one room after another, till a little one-side 
 room was reached which was not a thoroughfare to any 
 thing. In this little room was a table and a lamp upon it, 
 and also several very large thin books. There was also, 
 which was singular, a very comfortable easy chair. In this 
 Dr. Harrison installed his charge close by the table, and 
 drew up one of the volumes. 
 
 "I am going to introduce to you," he said, "the whole 
 family of the Rhododendrons." 
 
 " Rhododendron ?" said Faith. "I never saw them." 
 
 "It is their loss," said the doctor; "but here they are." 
 
 It was as he said ; the whole family of the plant, in the 
 most superb style of portraiture and presentation. Full 
 size and full colour; one of the most magnificent of such 
 works. Faith had never seen a Rhododendron, and even 
 in her dreams had never visited a wilderness where such 
 flowers grew. Her exquisite delight fully satisfied Dr. 
 Harrison, and quite kept her attention from herself and the 
 fact of her being shut off from the rest of the company. 
 Now and then one and another would drop in and look 
 at what they were about, with curiosity if not with sympa 
 thy ; but Rhododendrons were not alluring to most of the 
 people, nor to say truth was Dr. Harrison. With most 
 urbane politeness he dispersed any desire to remain and 
 look over his proceedings which might have been felt by 
 some of the intruders ; or contrived that they should find 
 nothing to detain them. 
 
 It was a long business, to turn over all those delicious 
 portraits of floral life and give anything like a sufficient 
 look at each one. Such glories of vegetable beauty Faith 
 had never imagined. It was almost a new revelation 
 
464 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 There were deep brilliant crimsons ; there was the loveliest 
 rose-colour, in large heads of the close elegant flowers ; 
 there were, larger still and almost incredible in their mag 
 nificence, enormous clusters of cream-coloured and tinted 
 and even of buff. There were smaller and humbler mem 
 bers of the family, which would have been glorious in any 
 other companionship. There were residents of the rich 
 regions of the tropics; and less superb memberi of the 
 temperate zones; there were trees and shrubs; and there 
 were little bushy, hardy denizens of the highest and bar- 
 renest elevations of rocks and snow to which inflorescence 
 ever climbs. Faith almost caught her breath. 
 
 "And these are in the wilderness!" she said. 
 
 "Yes. What then?" said the doctor. Faith did not 
 say. 
 
 "You are thinking they waste their sweetness ?" 
 
 "O no, indeed ! I don t think that." 
 
 "You are thinking something. Please let me be the 
 better for it." 
 
 "One ought to be the better for it," said Faith. 
 
 "Then I hope you won t refuse it to me," said Dr. Har 
 rison gently laughing at her. 
 
 "I was thinking, Dr Harrison, what the Bible says, 
 He hath made everything beautiful in his time ; and, 
 God saw everything that he had made, and behold it was 
 very good. " 
 
 The doctor turned over the leaf to a new Rhododen 
 dron. Faith s thoughts went to Pequot, and her heart 
 gave a bound of joy at the remembrance of the sick woman 
 there. 
 
 Mrs. Stoutenburgh s crimson dress was so softly worn 
 and managed, that the wearer thereof was close in Dr. 
 Harrison s neighbourhood for a minute before he was aware 
 of her presence; which quiet motions, it should be ob 
 served, were habitual to Mrs. Stoutenburgh, and not at all 
 assumed for the occasion. Therefore it was with no idea 
 of startling anybody, that she said presently, "My dear 
 Faith, what are you looking at through those Rhododen 
 drons ?" Faith started, and looked up with a bit of a 
 smile. 
 
 " What do you see, Mrs. Stoiltenburgh ?" said the doctor 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 465 
 
 "0 several things," said the lady, passing her hand softly 
 over Faith s brow, and then with one of her sudden im 
 pulses putting her lips there. "Do you like them, Faith?" 
 
 "Does not Mrs. Stoutenburgh like them?" said the doc 
 tor, as he placed a chair for her in the best position left for 
 seeing. 
 
 "Thank you," said she laughing. "I came here to be 
 seen this evening. And so ought some other people. How 
 much do you pay for the monopoly, doctor?" 
 
 "I really don t know!" said Dr. Harrison with a very 
 slight rise of his handsome eyebrows. "I am in Patta- 
 quasset which is to me a region of uncertainties. You 
 will know better than I, Mrs. Stoutenburgh." 
 
 "Well," said Mrs. Stoutenburgh with a wicked look at 
 the doctor for his sole benefit, ." speaking of Rhododen 
 drons, which you ve seen often enough before, don t you 
 admire this which you have not seen before?" and she 
 touched Faith s holly leaves with the tip of her little glove. 
 " I should think it must stir what Mr. Linden calls your 
 nerves of pleasant sensation. " 
 
 "I am honoured by your estimation," said the doctor 
 laughing slightly. " Miss Derrick s taste is matchless. It 
 is an act of benevolence for her to wear flowers." 
 
 Faith s very brow crimsoned, till she bent it from view as 
 much as she could. In all her truth she could not rise up 
 there and confess that her skill was not the skill to be com 
 mended. She wanted a shield then. 
 
 "Don t flatter yourself that you are an object of charity," 
 said Mrs. Stoutenburgh turning over another leaf to give 
 Faith employment. " They re talking of games in the 
 other room, dear," she added in a gentle voice, "may I 
 tell Mrs. Somers you will play too ?" 
 
 "Yes ma am, certainly!" 
 
 "They re not ready yet sit still and enjoy your prints 
 I ll see what they are about." And the lady left 
 the room. Dr. Harrison sought some particularly fine 
 specimens and engaged Faith in talk about them and 
 their localities and habits, till her self-possession was 
 restored. 
 
 " Have you heard the news about Mr. Linden ?" he asked 
 with most nonchalant carelessness. 
 
465 SAY AND SEAL 
 
 " What news ?" said Faith, doubtful whether he meant 
 Squire Stoutenburgh s chapter or some other. 
 
 "Then he hasn t told you himself?" 
 
 "No," said Faith. 
 
 "I thought you ought to be authority," the doctor went 
 on in the same tone. "It is very good news for him I 
 hope it is true. They say I have heard, .how beautiful 
 the droop of those petals is ! and the shade of colour is 
 rare They say, that he has a very dear friend abroad ; I 
 mean in Europe, somewhere. Do you think it is true ?" 
 
 "Yes," said Faith. She thought it was not wonderful 
 news. 
 
 " I mean a lady friend ?" said the doctor. 
 
 "Yes," said Faith again. She knew now what the doc 
 tor meant, but she did not feel inclined to enter into the 
 subject or to enlighten him at all. Then too Mr. Linden 
 might have more friends than one abroad 1 li, flashed upon 
 her like a curious illumination. 
 
 "Then the story is true ?" said the doctor. 
 
 "I don t know, sir," said Faith in some distress. "I 
 know nothing about it." 
 
 "But you don t know that it is not true ?" said he look 
 ing at her. 
 
 " No, sir. I don t know." 
 
 Dr. Harrison s further questions and remarks were cut 
 short by the entrance of the very person referred to ; who 
 coming up with his usual light, alert step, held out his hand 
 first of all to the questioner. 
 
 "Good evening, doctor! how do you do again? Miss 
 Faith, may I take you away from these beauties ?" And 
 the released hand was offered to her. She put hers in it 
 very willingly but very silently; Faith dared not say a word 
 to him about the Rhododendrons or about anything else. 
 
 "Ah, you have two hands again," said Dr. Harrison, 
 "and you turn it against me !" 
 
 "Not that fact " Mr. Linden said as he went off. And 
 then slackening his step, he talked or made Faith talk 
 and laugh every inch of the way into the room where all 
 the rest were clustered ready for blind man s buff. It was 
 a triumph of his skill, or of his power, for she had left 
 the Rhododendrons in a mood most shy and quiet, and dis- 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 467 
 
 posed to keep so. Dr. Harrison had not followed them, but 
 soon made his entrance upon the company by another door. 
 
 " What is going on ? or off, Mrs. Stoutenburgh ?" he 
 whispered to that lady. 
 
 "Why the bandage is going on, and we re going off," 
 said she laughing. "Will you be blinded first, doctor?" 
 
 "Blind man s buff!" said the doctor shrugging his shoul 
 ders comically. "Barbarous! I would rather go off too 
 but anything to please you, Mrs. Stoutenburgh. A game 
 to see how much a man without his five senses can do 
 against other people who have them." But the doctor 
 gallantly stepped up to Mrs. Somers. 
 
 "I represent the forlorn hope for the evening, aunt 
 Ellen. Has anybody volunteered to be the first victim?" 
 
 "You are the last person in the room that ought to vol 
 unteer," said Mrs. Somers, "however, blindness is pro 
 verbial in some cases. Miss Essie will bandage your eyes, 
 Julius and use her own for you in the meanwhile, I dare 
 say. Miss Essie, here is a candidate." 
 
 "Not for Miss Essie s good offices I" said the doctor. "1 
 know her. I shall not trust her. I will put myself in safe 
 hands." 
 
 And with an inexpressible air of carelessness and easy 
 pleasure-taking, Dr. Harrison carried his handsome person 
 across the room to where Faith yet stood by the side of 
 Mr. Linden; stood looking rather sober. She had not 
 brought any of the rosy Rhododendron colour away in her 
 face ; or else it had faded. The doctor came up and spoke 
 in an undertone as wilfully and gracefully independent as 
 his manner. 
 
 "If I ask you to do me the honour to put this handker 
 chief over my eyes, Miss Derrick, I suppose you will not 
 know what it signifies?" 
 
 "No, sir," said Faith, with a very slight smile and extra 
 colour. 
 
 "Where I have been," said the doctor, "where we 
 never play it I it is played in this way. My entreating 
 you to blind my eyes, signifies that without them I shall 
 endeavour to find you." 
 
 " Then I wish you d get somebody else to do it, Dr. Har 
 rison." 
 
468 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "You are not in earnest?" said the doctor. 
 
 "Very much in earnest." 
 
 "But I should observe," said he smiling, "that even the 
 unkindness of your refusal would not change my endeavour: 
 I only give you, as in honour bound, the chance of doing all 
 you can to prevent my succeeding. Will you do it ?" 
 
 He tendered the handkerchief. Faith coloured a little 
 more, but to put a stop to his absurdities, as they seemed 
 to her, and to her consequent prominence before the eyes of 
 people, she accepted the office. Dr. Harrison kneeled at 
 her feet, and Faith put the handkerchief round his eyes 
 and tied it on ; endeavouring, to do her justice, to perform 
 the task thoroughly. She was not quite sure how well it 
 was done, after all, for the doctor had interposed a gentle 
 Softly, as she was drawing the knot and had at the same 
 time also raised his hand to ease the bandage. But Faith 
 had to let it go so ; and simply resolved to take care of 
 herself. 
 
 Many eyes, meanwhile, surveyed this performance with 
 much edification, glancing too at the motionless figure who 
 at Faith s side looked down upon it. But when the smile 
 in those eyes touched the lips as well, Mrs. Stouteriburgh 
 was roused to a pitch of delight; and running into the 
 middle of the room to meet the doctor as he came to take his 
 stand, she clapped her hands exclaiming, " doctor 1 doctor I 
 how could you let anybody tie anything over your eyes 1" 
 
 " Is there treachery, Mrs. Stoutenburgh ?" said the doctor 
 with a comic stop. 
 
 " Where ?" said the lady. 
 
 "Nay, I know where," said the doctor. And turning 
 from her he addressed himself to the game. 
 
 But though Dr. Harrison shewed himself a keen player 
 the game came to no sudden termination. And Faith 
 could not help doubting that her work had not been too 
 effectual. It was beyond question, even if she had not been 
 forewarned, that the doctor was endeavouring to find or 
 endeavouring to catch her. In vain Mrs. Stoutenburgh s 
 crimson and Miss Essie s blue floated past him and rustled 
 behind him. In vain Mrs. Somers purple stood in his 
 way. The skirt of that one black silk could go nowhere 
 that some one of the doctor s senses did not inform him of 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 469 
 
 it. Closely he followed upon her flight, and keen work 
 Faith found it, play as well as she would. She began to 
 get out of breath, and the amusement and fun gre# 
 uproarious. 
 
 It was when her foot was failing that the doctor s gained 
 strength : between him and the prize there was now no 
 barrier; no leap could avail Faith in the corner where she 
 was at last hemmed in. Slowly and securely the doctor 
 advanced, first himself and then his hands, and caught- Mr 
 Linden ! Caught him unmistakeably too, there was no 
 help for it; and Dr. Harrison in his astonishment forgot to 
 pronounce him somebody else ! 
 
 "Confound you !" said the doctor slowly and comically 
 " how did you get here ?" 
 
 "Are you fatigued?" said Mr. Linden, taking off the 
 bandage. "Miss Faith, you did this part of your work 
 very ill." 
 
 "How did you get here?" repeated the doctor, taking 
 hold of his arm and shaking it slightly. "I wasn t looking 
 for you, man." 
 
 "What were you looking for?" said Mr. Linden, with a 
 laughing return of the doctor s gaze. 
 
 " Shall I put that on for you ?" said the latter with a sort 
 of complicate expression, which however never lost its 
 grace and ease. And then began another chase but not 
 of Faith this time, perhaps Mr. Linden thought she 
 needed rest. And the changes ran round the company, 
 but never (as it happened) including Faith or Dr. Harrison, 
 until they reached the finishing round of the game. Then 
 it was Mr. Linden s turn again to wear the bandage, and 
 then he gave Faith the sort of run he had given her before 
 at Mrs. Stoutenburgh s, and with the same success. 
 
 " Haven t they played blind man s buff long enough ?" 
 Faith whispered, when the bandage was taken off her cap 
 tor. She was flushed, a little, and sober more than a little. 
 
 "Yes I will move a change," he answered in the same 
 tone. Which he did, after a short consultation. 
 
 "Dr. Harrison you have seen the Butterfly, I sup 
 pose?" 
 
 " The butterfly ?" said the doctor. "I have seen many 
 of all colours ; but the butterfly par excellence, 1 know 
 
 VOL i. 40 
 
410 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 not. Unless it is one with white wings and black bodj. 
 and spots of most brilliant red on the breast." 
 
 "The one I mean combines more colours," said Mr. Lin 
 den. "What were you doing in France, not to see it?" 
 
 "Seeing other things, I suppose. However, now you 
 speak of it, I believe that butterfly has flown over me 
 sometime." 
 
 "Please to imagine yourself a gay rover for the nonce," 
 said Mr. Linden, leading the doctor persuasively into the 
 middle of the floor. "Just suppose you are a Purple Em 
 peror will you doctor? Miss Essie wants a story and 
 forfeits, I shall leave you to gratify her." But he himself 
 sverit to give Miss Faith a seat. That was done with a 
 very different manner from the gay, genial way in which he 
 had addressed the doctor : it was genial enough, certainly, 
 but grave. 
 
 "You do not feel well?" he said, as he wheeled up an 
 easy chair for her. It was spoken too low for any one 
 else to hear. 
 
 "Yes, I do," said Faith quickly. But her face flushed 
 deep, and her eye though it glanced towards him, failed 
 timidly of meeting his; and her voice had lost all the spring 
 of pleasure. 
 
 "Then cannot you keep the promise you made about a 
 disagreeable evening?" The tone was very low still (he 
 was arranging her footstool and chair) a little concerned 
 too, a little or Faith fancied it but indeed she was not 
 quite sure what the third part was; and then the doctor 
 began his work. 
 
 For a minute or two she did not hear him, or heard 
 without heed. She was thinking over Mr. Linden s ques 
 tion and struggling with it. For its slight tone, of remon 
 strance perhaps, only met and stirred into life the feeling 
 she was trying to keep down. Her lip took one of its sor 
 rowful curves for an instant; but then Dr. Harrison came 
 towards them. 
 
 "What insect on the face of the earth, Linden, will you 
 be ? What does he resemble most, Miss Derrick ?" 
 
 "I am not particular about being on the face of the 
 earth," said Mr. Linden, "the air will do just as well." 
 
 The docto- was waiting for Faith s answer. Under the 
 
8 AY AND SEAL. 471 
 
 exigency of the moment she gave it him, glancing up first 
 at the figure beside her, perhaps to refresh her memory 
 or imagination and smiling a little as she spoke. 
 
 "I don t think of any he is like, Dr. Harrison." 
 
 "Dc you think I am like a purple butterfly?" said the 
 doctor. 
 
 "Yes, a little," said Faith. But it was with a face of 
 such childlike soberness that the doctor looked hard at her. 
 
 "What do you think you are like yourself?" said he; 
 not lightly. 
 
 " I think I am a little like an ant," said Faith. 
 
 The doctor turned half round on his heel. 
 
 " Angels and ministers of grace !" was his exclamation 
 "Most winged, gentle, and etherial of all the dwellers in, 
 or on, anthills, know that thy similitude is nothing 
 meaner than a flower. You must take the name of one, 
 Miss Faith all the ladies do what will you be ?" 
 
 "What will you be?" Mr. Linden repeated, "Mignon 
 ette ? that is even below the level of some of your ant 
 hills." 
 
 "If you please," she said. 
 
 "Or one of your Rhododendrons?" said the doctor 
 "that is better; for you have the art or the nature, 
 indeed, of representing all the tints of the family by turns 
 except the unlovely ones. Be a Rhodora I" 
 
 "No" said Faith "I am not like that nor like the 
 other, but 1 will be the other." 
 
 "Mignonette" said the doctor. "Well, what shall we 
 call him? what is ftelike?" 
 
 "I think," said Faith, looking down very gravely, not 
 with the flashing eye with which she would have said it 
 another time, "he is most like a midge." 
 
 The little laugh which answered her, the way in which 
 Mr. Linden bent clown and said, "How do you know, Miss 
 Faith ?" were slightly mystifying to Dr. Harrison. 
 
 "I don t know," she said smiling; and the doctor with 
 one or two looks of very ungratified curiosity left them and 
 returned to his post. 
 
 " What are they going to play, Mr. Linden ?" said Faith. 
 The doctor s explanation, given to the rest generally, she 
 had not heard. 
 
412 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "Do you know what a family connexion you have given 
 me, Miss Faith? The proverb declares that the mother 
 of mischief is no bigger than a midge s wing. " 
 
 An involuntary little caught breath attested perhaps 
 Faith s acquiescence in the truth of the proverb; but 
 the doctor s words prevented the necessity of her speaking. 
 
 "Miss Essie Ladies and gentlemen! Please answer 
 to your names, and thereby proclaim your characters. Mrs. 
 Stoutenburgh, what are you ?" 
 
 "A poppy, I think," said Mrs. Stoutenburgh laughing. 
 "I like to be beforehand with the public." 
 
 " Will you please to name your lord and master ? He is 
 incapable of naming himself." 
 
 "I think you ve named him!" said Mrs. Stoutenburgh 
 with a gay toss of her pretty head. "I m not learned 
 in insects, doctor, call him anything that eats up butter 
 flies." 
 
 "Mr. Stoutenburgh will you be a grub?" said the doc 
 tor. "Or a beetle? I don t know anything else that I 
 us a butterfly dislike more." 
 
 "No, I ll be a cricket I m so spry," said the Squire, 
 "and I ll be down upon you in some other form, doctor." 
 
 "You ll have to fly higher first," said the doctor. "Miss 
 Essie declares herself to be a purple Althaea. Miss Davids 
 an evening primrose. Miss Deacon a cluster rose. 
 Miss Fax a sweet pink. Miss Chester a daisy. Miss 
 Bezac what shall I put you down ?" The butterfly was 
 making a list of his flowers and insects, and cards had been 
 furnished to the different members of the party, and pencils, 
 to do as much for themselves. 
 
 "I d as lieve be balm as anything else, if I knew how," 
 said Miss Bezac; "but I shouldn t call that putting me 
 down." 
 
 "That fits, anyhow," said Squire Stoutenburgh. 
 
 " Balm for hurt minds " said Dr. Harrison writing. 
 "Miss Julia De Staff is a white lily. Miss Emmons a 
 morning glory. Mrs. Churchill a peony. Miss Derrick is 
 mignonette. Mrs. Somers ?" 
 
 "I may as well be lavender," said Mrs. Somers. "Y</u 
 say I am in a good state of preservation." 
 "What is Mr. Somers?" 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 473 
 
 "Mr. Somers what are you?" said his wife. 
 
 "Ha! I don t know, ray dear," said Mr. Somers 
 blandly. "I think I am a out of place." 
 
 "Then you re a moth," said the doctor. "That is out 
 of place too, in most people s opinion. Miss Delaney, I 
 beg your pardon what are you ?" 
 
 "Here are the two Miss Churchills, doctor," said Miss 
 Essie "hyacinth and laburnum." 
 
 "I am sure you have been sponsor, Miss Essie. Well 
 this is my garden of flowers. Then of fellow insects I have 
 a somewhat confused variety. Mr. Stoutenburgh sings 
 round his hearth in the shape of a black cricket. Mr. 
 Linden passes unnoticed in the invisibility of a midge 
 nothing more dangerous. Mr. Somers does all the mis 
 chief he can in the way of devouring widows houses. The 
 two Messrs. De Stan " (two very spruce and moustachioed 
 young gentlemen) "figure as wasp and snail one would 
 hardly think they belonged to the same family but there 
 is no accounting for these things. Mr. George Somers 
 professes to have the taste of a bee but luckily the garden 
 belongs to the butterfly." 
 
 "In other words, some one has put Dr. Harrison in a 
 flutter," said Mrs. Stoutenburgh. 
 
 "I haven t begun yet," said the doctor wheeling round 
 to face her; "when I do, my first business will be to cut 
 you up, Mrs. Stoutenburgh." 
 
 " Miss Faith," said Mr. Linden while the roll went on, 
 "I have not forgotten your question, they, and we, are 
 going to play a French game called the Butterfly and the 
 Flowers; wherein I, a midge, am in humble attendance oh 
 a sprig of mignonette. Whenever our butterfly gardener 
 chooses to speak the name of any flower or insect, that 
 Flower or insect must reply : when he speaks of the gar 
 dener, you flowers must extend one hand in token of wel 
 come, we insects draw back in dismay: if the gardener 
 brings his watering-pot, or there falls a shower of rain, 
 you must hold np your head for joy I must kneel down 
 for fear. If the sunshine is mentioned, we are free to 
 rejoice together standing up and making demonstrations 
 You may reply, Miss Faith, either in your own words or 
 quotations, so that you mention some one of your com- 
 40* 
 
474 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 panions ; but if you fail to speak, or break any other rule, 
 you must pay a forfeit first and redeem it afterwards." 
 
 "I may mention either insect or flower?" said Faith. 
 
 "Yes, just what you like." 
 
 "If everybody is ready," said the doctor, "I will begin 
 by remarking that I find myself in an embarras de rich- 
 esses so many sweets around me that I a butterfly 
 know not which to taste first; and such an array of ene 
 mies hostile alike to the flowers and me, that I know not 
 which to demolish first. I hope a demolishing rain will 
 fall some of these days ah I that is gratifying ! behold 
 my enemies shrinking already, while the flowers lift up 
 their heads with pleasure and warm themselves in the rays 
 of the sun. What is mignonette doing ?" 
 
 There was a general outcry of laughter, for as the gen 
 tlemen had kneeled and bent their heads, and the flowers 
 had risen to greet the sun, Faith, in her amusement and 
 preoccupation had sat still She rose now, blushing a 
 little at being called upon. 
 
 " Mignonette loves the sun without making any show for 
 it. She has no face to lift up like the white lily. 
 
 "The white lily isn t sweet like lavender," said Miss 
 Julia. 
 
 "And the lavender has more to do in the linen press 
 than among butterflies," said Mrs. Somers. 
 
 "It is good to know one s place," said the doctor. 
 "But the butterfly, seeking a safe resting place, flutters 
 with unpoised flight, past the false poppy which flaunts 
 its gay colours on the sight." 
 
 "And fixes its eyes on the distant gardener with his 
 watering-pot" said Mrs. Stoutenburgh, stretching forth 
 her hand, sibyl-like, towards the now prostrate doctor, 
 " whereat the mignonette rejoices " 
 
 "All the flowers rejoice," said the mignonette, "and the 
 cricket jumps out of the way." 
 
 "Into the sunshine" said Mr. Stoutenburgh, laughing; 
 "but the moth feels doubtful." 
 
 "The moth" said Mr. Somers "he don t like the 
 sunshine so well as the rain. He ha he wishes he was 
 a midge there, to get under shelter." 
 
 " A midge here he can t be," said Mr. Linden, dropping 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 4Y5 
 
 his voice for Faith s benefit, " Two suns hold not their 
 courses in one sphere! " Then aloud " Invisibility is a 
 great thing when you can make up your mind to it, but 
 Althaea with the purple eye looks on life differently." 
 "I look on it soberly," said Miss Essie 
 
 " Flutter he, flutter he. high as he will, 
 A butterfly is but a butterfly still. 
 And tis better for us to remain where we are, 
 In the lowly valley of duty and care, 
 Than lonely to soar to the heights above, 
 Where there s nothing to do and nothing to love. " 
 
 "I ll flutter no more! after that" said the doctor. 
 "I ll creep into the heart of the white lily and beg it to 
 shelter me." 
 
 "It won t hide you from the sun nor from the rain," said 
 the white lily, "and I d as lieve shelter a spider be 
 sides." 
 
 Faith forgot again that she must welcome the sun; but 
 she was not the only one who had incurred forfeits. Nor 
 the last one who should. For while that interesting mem 
 ber of society who called himself spider, made his reply, 
 Mr. Linden s attention naturally wandered or came back; 
 and the lively dialogue which then ensued between Messrs 
 Snail, Wasp. Beetle, etc. failed to arouse him to the duties 
 of a midge or the fear of the gardener : he forgot everything 
 else in the pleasure of making Mignonette laugh. Stand 
 ing half before her at last, in some animated bit of talk, 
 more than one sunbeam and watering-pot had come and 
 gone, unnoticed by both midge and mignonette, a fact of 
 which some other people took note, and smilingly marked 
 down the forfeits. 
 
 " Mr. Linden" said the voice of Miss Essie at his 
 elbow "do you know what the doctor is saying? The 
 mother of mischief is no bigger than a midge s wing ! You d 
 better speak to him." 
 
 Mr Linden turned, with a laughing, recollective glance 
 
 "Who speaks slightingly of the midge? let him have 
 a dose of syrup of poppies 1" 
 
 "I guess you can find balm," said Mrs. Stoutenburgh 
 gaily 
 
476 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 " He shall have it if he wants it, said Miss Bezac 
 "that is if / ve got it, though I rather guess he s got it 
 himself, I m sure I don t know what he hasn t got. And 
 it don t strike me he looks as if he wanted it, either, if I 
 had. But it s funny I should and not the doctor though 
 to be sure most things are, and he s gone to the butter 
 fly s ball and the grasshopper s feast. " 
 
 The grasshopper s feast being just now announced," 
 said Mrs. Somers stepping forward, " I shall hope to set 
 the flowers free from their natural enemies without more 
 delay." 
 
 "I shall not confess to that!" said Mr. Linden under 
 tone. " But will you come, Miss Faith the insects are all 
 gone 
 
 Save the few that linger, even yet, 
 Round the Alyssum s tuft and the Mignonette. " 
 
 The midge s prompt action had perhaps disappointed 
 several other people. Dr. Harrison at any rate contrived 
 with Miss Essie to be the immediately preceding couple in 
 the walk to the supper-room. 
 
 "I m glad of some refreshment!" said the doctor; "but 
 terflies cannot live on the wing. Linden 1 have you been 
 singing all the evening, in the character of a midge ?" 
 
 "No," said Mr. Linden "all the singing I have done 
 has been in my own character." 
 
 "I am glad to hear it. By the way," said Dr. Harrison 
 as they reached the supper-room and paired off from their 
 respective charges, " I am sorry to hear that Pattaquasset 
 has no hold on you, Linden." 
 
 "Indeed?" said Mr. Linden, an indeed which might 
 refer to the doctor s sorrow, or the supposed fact. 
 
 " Nay I know nothing about it !" said the doctor lightly 
 as he attacked the supper-table "but Miss Derrick tells 
 me it is true that your heart is in another place." 
 
 "Dr. Harrison!" Mr. Linden said, with a momentary 
 erectness of position. But he said no more; turning off 
 then towards Faith with her oysters. And the gentle re 
 spect and quick attention with which she "was served, Faith 
 might feel, and take note of yet not guess that its peculiar 
 tone this night was warring, hand to hand, with the iujus- 
 
SAY AND, SEAL. 471 
 
 tice done her name. The doctor had unwittingly betrayed 
 at least one point of talk held over the Rhododendrons 
 furnished a clue he dreamed not of; and stirred a power 
 of displeasure which perhaps he thought Mr. Linden did 
 not possess. 
 
 Faith did not indeed guess anything from the manner of 
 the latter to her, although she felt it; she felt it as his own, 
 kind and watchful and even affectionate ; but like him, be 
 longing to him, and therefore not telling upon the question. 
 With a very humbled and self-chiding spirit, she was endeav 
 ouring to keep the face and manner which suited the place, 
 above a deep sinking of heart which was almost overcom 
 ing. Her success was like the balance of her mind doubt 
 ful. Gentle her face was as ever; all the crosses of the 
 evening had not brought an angle there ; but it was sha 
 dowed beyond the fitness of things ; and she was still and 
 retiring so far as it was possible to be, shrinking into a 
 very child s lowness of place. 
 
 Ladies were in the majority that night and the gentlemen 
 were obliged to be constantly on the move. In one of the 
 minutes when Faith was alone, Mrs. Stoutenburgh came up. 
 
 "Faith," she whispered, "have you been doing anything 
 to vex my friend ?" 
 
 Faith started a little, with a sort of shadow of pain 
 crossing her face. 
 
 "Who is your friend, Mrs. Stoutenburgh ?" 
 
 "Hush, child!" ihe answered "your friend, if you like 
 it better." And she added softly but seriously, "Don t vex 
 him, he doesn t deserve it." 
 
 Faith s lip was that touchingly sorrowful child s lip for 
 an instant. She was beyond speaking. Then came up 
 help, in the shape of Miss Essie; with questions about the 
 forfeits and about Mr. Linden. All Mrs. Stoutenburgh s 
 kindness made itself into a screen for Faith, on the instant, 
 neither eyes nor tongues were allowed to come near her. 
 
 "Mr. Linden !" said Miss Essie as he just then came up, 
 " will you help us give out forfeits ? Who do you think is 
 best to do it ?" 
 
 "Mr. Linden," said Mrs. Somers, "we are all very anx 
 ious to know whether all the reports about you are 
 tree." 
 
478 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 Mr. Linden bowed to the anxiety, but gave it no further 
 heed. 
 
 "Are they ?" she repeated. 
 
 "Do all the reports agree, Mrs. Somers?" 
 
 "I must confess they are at swords points." 
 
 "Then they cannot all be true, let them fight it out." 
 
 "But suppose some of the fighting should come upon 
 you ?" 
 
 "That is a supposition I have just refused to take up," 
 said Mr. Linden, stepping towards the table and bringing 
 a bunch of grapes to Faith s plate. 
 
 "Yes, but everybody hasn t the patience of Job," said 
 Mrs. Somers. "Julius, for instance." 
 
 "He has at least his own ways of obtaining information," 
 said Mr. Linden, and Faith felt the slight change of voice. 
 "Miss Essie, what will you have?" 
 
 " Has the doctor any forfeits to pay?" was the somewhat 
 irrelevant answer. "I should so like to see you two set 
 against each other I Dr. Harrison! have you any for 
 feits?" 
 
 "No," said the doctor; "but as severe service to per 
 form as if I had. Linden, we shall want your help it s too 
 much for one man." 
 
 Faith edged away behind this growing knot of talkers, 
 and presently was deeply engaged in conversation with Miss 
 Cecilia Deacon, at a table in the corner, and alternating 
 her attention between grapes and words. Then Squire 
 Stoutenburgh walked softly up and stood behind Faith s 
 chair. 
 
 "My dear, will you have anything more?" 
 
 "No, sir, thank you." 
 
 "Then I am going to carry you off!" said the Squire, 
 "if I wait a quarter of a second more I shall lose my 
 chance. Come I" 
 
 Faith was very willing to come, indeed; and they went 
 back to the drawing-room, all the company pouring after 
 them ; and Faith feeling as if she had got under a kind 
 of lee shore, on Mr. Stoutenburgh s arm. It could not 
 shelter her long, for the forfeits began. 
 
 The doctor and Mr. VLinden, with Miss Essie and Mrs. 
 Stoutenburgh for coadjutors, were constituted the awarding 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 479 
 
 committee; and the forfeits were distributed to them indif 
 ferently. There were many to be redeemed ; and at first 
 there was a crowd of inferior interest, Messrs. Spider and 
 Wasp, Mesdemoiselles White Lily and Cluster rose; who were 
 easily disposed of and gallantly dismissed. But there were 
 others behind. One of Faith s forfeits came up; it was 
 held by Dr. Harrison. 
 
 "Please to stand forth, Miss Derrick, and hear your sen 
 tence," said the doctor, leading her to a central position in 
 the floor ; which Faith took quietly, but with what inward 
 rebellion one or two people could somewhat guess. 
 
 " Have the goodness to state to the company what you 
 consider to be the most admirable and praiseworthy of all 
 the characters of flowers within your knowledge ; and to 
 describe the same, that we may judge of the justness of your 
 opinion." 
 
 " Describe the character ?" said Faith in a low voice. 
 
 "Yes. If you please." 
 
 She stood silent a moment, with downcast eyes, and did 
 not raise them when she spoke. Her colour was hardly 
 heightened, and though her voice rose little above its for 
 mer pitch, its sweet accents were perfectly audible every 
 where. The picture would have been enough for her for 
 feit. 
 
 " The prettiest character of a flower that I know, is that 
 of a little species of Rhododendron. It is one of the least 
 handsome, to look at, of all its family ; its beauty is in its 
 living. It grows on the high places of high mountains, 
 where frost and barrenness give it no help nor chance ; but 
 there, where no other flower ever blossoms, it opens its 
 flowers patiently and perseveriugly ; and its flowers are 
 very sweet. Nothing checks it nor discourages it. As 
 soon as the great cold lets it come, it comes ; and as long 
 as the least mildness lets it stay, it stays. Amidst snow 
 and tempest and desolation it opens its blossoms and 
 spreads its sweetness, with nobody to see it nor to praise 
 it ; where from the nature of the place it lives in, its work 
 is all alone. For no other flower will bear what it bears. 
 \Vili that do?" said Faith, looking up gravely at her 
 questioner. 
 
 Very gently, very reverently even, he took he** hand, put 
 
480 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 it upon his arm and led her to a seat, speaking as he went 
 low words of gratified pardon asking. "You must for- 
 
 five me!" he said. "Forfeits must be forfeits, you know 
 couldn t resist the temptation." 
 
 "Now wasn t that pretty?" whispered Miss Essie in the 
 mean time in Mr. Linden s ear. 
 
 He had listened, leaning against the mantelpiece, and 
 with shaded eyes looking down; and now to Miss Essie s 
 question returned only a grave bend of the head. 
 
 "If you have been looking at the floor all this while, you 
 have lost something," said the lady. " Do you know your 
 turn comes next ? Mr. Linden ladies and gentlemen 1 
 is condemned to tell us what he holds the most precious 
 thing in this world ; and to justify himself in his opinion by 
 an argument, a quotation, and an illustration 1" 
 
 "Now will he find means to evade his sentence!" said 
 Mrs. Stoutenburgh laughing. 
 
 " He has confessed himself addicted to witchcraft in my 
 hearing," said the doctor, who had remained standing by 
 Faith s chair. 
 
 "The most precious thing in the world," said Mr. Lin 
 den, in a tone as carelessly graceful as his attitude, "is that 
 which cannot be bought, for if money could buy it, then 
 were money equally valuable. Take for illustration, the 
 perfection of a friend." 
 
 "/ don t understand," said Miss Essie; "but perhaps 
 I shall when I hear the rest." 
 
 He smiled a little and gave the quotation on that point 
 in his own clear and perfect manner. 
 
 " A sweet, attractive kind of grace; 
 
 A full assurance given by looks ; 
 Continual comfort in a face ; 
 
 The lineaments of gospel books, 
 I trow that countenance cannot lye 
 Whose thoughts are legible in the eye. " 
 
 The quotation was received variously, but in general 
 with vast admiration. Miss Essie turned to Mrs. Stouten 
 burgh and remarked, half loud, 
 
 That s easy to understand. I was dull." 
 
 " What do you think of it ?" said the doctor softly, stoop- 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 481 
 
 ing towards Faith. But if she heard she did not answer 
 him. She sat with downcast eyes that did not move. She 
 had been wondering whether that was a description of 
 Pet, or of somebody else. 
 
 Faith," whispered Mrs. Stoutenburgh s kind mischiev 
 ous voice in her ear, "in whose face do you suppose he 
 finds continual comfort ?" But she was sorry the next 
 instant, for the pained, startled look which flashed up at 
 her. Sorry and yet amused the soft little kiss on Faith s 
 cheek was smiling although apologetic. 
 
 " Mr. Linden," said the doctor, who held the bag of for 
 feits, "it is your duty to punish Miss Essie with some in 
 fliction, such as you can devise." 
 
 "Miss Essie," said Mr. Linden, walking gravely up to 
 her, "if there is any person in this room towards whom 
 you entertain and practise malicious, mischievous, and under 
 hand designs, you are hereby sentenced to indicate the 
 person, declare the designs, and to shew cause. " 
 
 " Why I never did in my life !" said Miss Essie, with a 
 mixture of surprise and amusement in her gracious black 
 eyes. 
 
 " The court is obliged to refuse an unsupported negative." 
 said Mr. Linden bowing. 
 
 "Well," said Miss Essie, with no diminishing of the 
 lustre of her black orbs, "I had a design against you, 
 sir 1" 
 
 "Of what sort?" said Mr. Linden with intense gravity, 
 while everybody else laughed in proportion. 
 
 " I had a design to enter your mind by private fraud, and 
 steal away its secrets ; and the reason was, because the 
 door was so terribly strong and had such an uncommon 
 good lock ! and I couldn t get in any other way." 
 
 "I hope that is news to the rest of the company," said 
 Mr. Linden laughing as he bowed his acknowledgments. 
 " It is none to me ! Miss Essie, may your shadow never be 
 less!" 
 
 " Aint you ashamed !" said Miss Essie reproachfully. 
 "Didn t such a confession deserve better? Who s next, 
 Or. Harrison ?" 
 
 Some unimportant names followed, with commonplace for 
 feits according ; then. Faith s name came to Mr. Linden. 
 
 VOL. i. 41 
 
482 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 Then was there an opening of eyes and a pricking of ears 
 of all the rest of the company. Only Faith herself sat as 
 still as a mouse, after one little quick glance over to where 
 the person stood in whose hands she was. He stood look 
 ing at her, then walked with great deliberation across the 
 room to her low seat, and taking both her hands lifted 
 her up. 
 
 "You need not be frightened," he said softly, as keeping 
 one hand in his clasp he led her back to where he had 
 been standing; then placed her in a great downy easy 
 chair in that corner of the fireplace, and drew up a foot 
 stool for her feet. 
 
 "Miss Faith," he said, "you are to sit there in absolute 
 silence for the next fifteen minutes. If anybody speaks to 
 you, you are not to answer, if you are longing to speak 
 yourself you must wait. It is also required that you look 
 at nobody, and hear as little as possible." With which 
 fierce sentence, Mr. Linden took his stand by the chair to 
 see it enforced. 
 
 "What a man you are 1" said Mrs. Stoutenburgh laugh 
 ing. 
 
 "That s not fair play !" said Mrs. Somers. "She don t 
 want to sit there if you think she does, you re mis 
 taken. " 
 
 " She should have been more careful then," said Mr. 
 Linden. "Dr. Harrison, you have the floor." 
 
 Dr. Harrison did not appear to think that was much of 
 a possession; to judge by his face, which cast several very 
 observant glances towards the chair, and by his manner 
 which for a moment was slightly abstracted and destitute 
 of the spirit of the game. Miss Essie s eyes took the same 
 direction, with a steady gaze which the picture justified. 
 Faith sat where she had been placed, in most absolute 
 obedience to the orders she had received, except possibly 
 not probably the last one. The lids drooped over her 
 eyes, which moved rarely from the floor, and never raised 
 themselves. Her colour had risen indeed to a rich tint, 
 where it stayed; but Mrs. Somers declaration neverthe 
 less was hardly borne out by a certain little bit-in smile 
 which lurked there too, spite of everything. Otherwise 
 she sat like an impersonation of silence, happily screened, 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 483 
 
 by not looking at anybody, from any annoyance of the eyes 
 that were levelled at her and at the figure that held post 
 by her side. 
 
 "Mrs. Stoutenburgh," said the doctor, "you have my 
 aunt Ellen." 
 
 Mrs. Stoutenburgh however was lenient in that quarter, 
 and told Mrs. Somers they would require nothing of her 
 but the three last items of Pattaquasset news which she, 
 as pastor s wife, was bound to know. And Mrs. Somers 
 was not backward in declaring them ; the first being the 
 engagement of two people who hated each other, the second 
 the separation of two people who loved each other; the 
 third, that Mr. Linden shot himself to make a sensa 
 tion. 
 
 "Mr. Linden," said the doctor, "you come next and 
 you are mine. What shall I do with you ?" 
 
 " Why anything," said Mr. Linden. 
 
 "Well I am greatly at a loss what you are good for," 
 said the doctor lightly, "but on the whole I order you to 
 preach a sermon to the company." 
 
 "Have you any choice as to the text?" 
 
 "I am not in the way of those things," said the doctor 
 laughingly. "Give us the lesson you think we want 
 most." 
 
 The clear, grave look that met him Dr. Harrison 
 had seen it before. The change was like the parting 
 of a little bright vapour, revealing the steadfast blue 
 beneath. 
 
 "Nay doctor, you must bid me do something else! I 
 dare not play at marbles with precious stones." 
 
 There was probably a mixture of things in the doctor s 
 mind ; but the outward show in answer to this was in the 
 highest degree seemly and becoming. The expression of 
 Dr. Harrison s face changed ; with a look gentle and 
 kind, even winning, he came up to Mr. Linden s side and 
 took his hand. 
 
 "You are right!" said he, "and I have got my sermon 
 which I deserve. But now, Linden, that is not your 
 forfeit; for that you must tell me honestly what you 
 think of me." There was always a general air of careless 
 ness about Dr. Harrison, as to what he said himself or 
 
484 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 what others said in his presence. Along with this care 
 lessness, which whether seeming or real was aluost inva 
 riable, there mingled now a friend s look and tone and 
 something of a friend s apology making. 
 
 "But do you want me to tell everybody else?" said Mr. 
 Linden, smiling in his old way at the doctor. "Do you 
 like to blush before so many people ?" 
 
 "That s your forfeit!" said the doctor resuming also 
 his old-fashioned light tone. " You re to tell me and you 
 are not to tell anybody else !" 
 
 Well if you will have it," said Mr. Linden looking 
 at him, " Honestly, I think you are very handsome 1 of 
 course that is news to nobody but yourself." 
 
 "Mercy on you, man 1" said the doctor; "do you think 
 that is news to me ?" 
 
 "It is supposed to be by courtesy," said Mr. Linden 
 laughing. 
 
 "Well give me all the grace courtesy will let you," 
 said the doctor; whether altogether lightly, or with some 
 feeling, it would have been hard for a by-stander to tell. 
 "Is Miss Derrick s penance out? She comes next and 
 Miss Essie has her." 
 
 " ]S"o," said Mr. Linden consulting his watch. "I am 
 sorry to interfere with your arrangements, doctor, but justice 
 must have its course." 
 
 "Then there is a recess " said the doctor comically. 
 "Ladies and gentlemen please amuse yourselves." 
 
 He had no intention of helping them, it seemed, for 
 he stood fast in his place and talked to Mr. Linden 
 in a different tone till the minutes were run out. No 
 thing could be more motionless than the occupant of the 
 chair. 
 
 "Miss Faith," Mr. Linden said then, "it is a little hard 
 to pass from one inquisitor to another but I must hand 
 you over to Miss Essie." 
 
 Faith s glance at him expressed no gratification. Mean 
 while the doctor had gone for Miss Essie and brought her 
 :ip to the fireplace. 
 
 "Miss Derrick," said the black-eyed lady, "I wish you 
 to tell as the penalty of your forfeit why, when you 
 - 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 485 
 
 thought the Rhododendron the most perfect flower, you 
 did not take it for your name V 
 
 If anybody had known the pain this question gave 
 Faith the leap of dismay that her heart made 1 Nobody 
 Knew it; her head drooped, and the colour rose again to 
 be sure; but one hand sheltered the exposed cheek and 
 the other was turned to the fire. She could not refuse 
 to answer, and with the doctor s weapo.ns she would 
 not; but here, as once before, Faith s straightforwardness 
 saved her. 
 
 "Why didn t you call yourself Rhodora?" repeated Miss 
 Essie. And Faith answered, 
 
 "Because another name was suggested to me." 
 
 The question could not decently be pushed any 
 further; and both Miss Essie and the doctor looked as 
 if they had failed. Faith s own tumult and sinking of 
 heart prevented her knowing how thoroughly this was 
 true. 
 
 "And you two people," said Mr. Linden, "come and 
 ask Miss Derrick why she chose to appropriate a cha 
 racter that she thought fell short of perfection ! what is 
 the use of telling anybody anything, after that ?" 
 
 "I am only one people," said Miss Essie. 
 
 "I am another," said the doctor; "and I confess my 
 self curious. Besides, a single point of imperfection 
 might be supposed, without injury to mortal and human 
 nature." 
 
 "Julius," said Miss Harrison, "will you have the good 
 ness to do so impolite a thing as to look at your watch ? 
 Aunt Ellen will expect us to set a proper example. 
 Dear Faith, are you bound to sit in that big chair all 
 night?" 
 
 Then there was a general stir and break-up of the 
 party. One bit of conversation Faith was fated to hear 
 as she slowly made her way out of the dressing-room 
 door, among comers and goers: the first speaker was a 
 young De Staff. 
 
 " Since that shooting affair there s been nothing but 
 reports about you, Linden." 
 
 " Reports seldom kill," said Mr. Linden. 
 41* 
 
486 SAY AND SEAL 
 
 "Don t trust to that!" said another laughing mous 
 tache, "keep em this side the water. By the way is 
 there any likeness of that fair foreigner going? How do 
 you fancy she would like reports?" 
 
 " When you find out I wish you would let me know," 
 said Mr. Linden with a little accent of impatience, as he 
 came forward and took Faith in charge. 
 
CHAPTER XXIX. 
 
 IT was pretty late when Jerry and his littie sleigh-load 
 got clear of the gates. The stars were as bright as 
 ever, and now they had the help of the old moon ; which 
 was pouring her clear radiance over the snow and sending 
 long shadows from trees and fences. The fresh air, was 
 pleasant too. Faith felt it, and wondered that starlight 
 and snow and sleigh-bells were such a different thing from 
 what they were a few hours before. She chid herself, she 
 was vexed at herself, and humbled exceedingly. She en 
 deavoured to get back on the simple abstract ground she 
 had held in her own thoughts until within a day or two; 
 she was deeply ashamed that her head should have allowed 
 even a flutter of imagination from Mr. Stoutenburgh s 
 words, which now it appeared might bear a quite contrary 
 sense to that which she had given them. What was she, 
 to have anything to do with them? Faith humbly said, 
 nothing. And yet, she could not help that either, the 
 image of the possibility of what Dr. Harrison had suggested, 
 raised a pain that Faith could not look at. She sat still 
 and motionless, and heard the sleigh-bells without knowing 
 to what tune they jingled. 
 
 It was a quick tune, at all events, for the first ten or 
 fifteen minutes Jerry dashed along to his heart s content, 
 and his driver even urged him on, then with other sleighs 
 left far behind and a hill before him, Jerry brought the 
 tune to a staccato, and Mr. Linden spoke. But the words 
 were not very relevant to either stars or sleigh-bells. 
 "Miss Faith, I thought you knew me better." 
 They startled her, for she was a minute or two without 
 answering ; then came a gentle, and also rather frightened, 
 "Why? why do you say that, Mr. Linden?" 
 "Do you think you know me?" he said, turning towards 
 her with a little bit of a smile, though the voice was grave. 
 "Do you think you have any idea how much I care about 
 
 you ?" 
 
 (487) 
 
488 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "I think you do," she said. "I am sure you do very 
 much !" 
 
 "Do you know how much?" and the smile was full 
 then, and followed by a moment s silence. "I shall not try 
 to tell you, Miss Faith ; I could not if I would but there 
 is something on the other side of the question which I want 
 you to tell me." 
 
 And Jerry walked slowly up the snowy hill, and the 
 slight tinkle of his bells was as silvery as the starlight of 
 Orion overhead. 
 
 Faith looked at her questioner and then off again, while 
 a rich colour was slowly mantling in her cheeks. But the 
 silence was breathless. Jerry s bells only announced it. 
 And having by that time reached the top of the hill he 
 chose and was permitted to set off at his former pace ; 
 flinging off the snow right and left, and tossing his mane 
 on the cool night air. Down that hill, and up the next, 
 and down that and along a level bit of road to the foot 
 of another, then slowly. 
 
 "Miss Faith," said Mr. Linden when they were half way 
 up, "do you never mean to speak to me again ?" 
 
 A very low-breathed although audible "yes." 
 
 " Is that all you mean to say ? I shall take it very com 
 prehensively. " 
 
 She was willing probably that he should take it any way 
 that he pleased ; but to add was as much beyond Faith s 
 power at the moment as to subtract from her one word. 
 She did not even look. 
 
 "Do you know what this silence is promising?" Mr. Lin 
 den said in the same tone, and bending down by her. " I 
 do and yet I want to hear you speak once more. If there 
 is any reason why I should try not to love you better than 
 all the rest of the world, you must tell me now." 
 
 One other quick, inquiring, astonished glance her eyes 
 gave into his face; and then, as usual, his wish to have her 
 speak made her speak, through all the intense difficulty. 
 There was a minute s further hesitation, and then the words, 
 very low, very simple, and trembling, 
 
 "Do if you can." 
 
 "Do try?" he said in a lower and graver tone. 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 189 
 
 "Try?" she said; then with a change of voice and in 
 very much confusion, "0 no, Mr. Linden!" 
 
 "I should not succeed " was all his answer, nor was 
 there time for much more ; for having now turned into the 
 main street where other homeward-bound sleighs were 
 flying along, there was nothing to do bat fly along with 
 the rest ; and a very few minutes brought them home. 
 
 Mr. Skip was probably reposing in parts unknown, for 
 there was no sign of him at his post; and when Faith had 
 been silently taken out of the sleigh and into the hall, Mr. 
 Linden went back to Jerry telling her she must take good 
 care of herself for five minutes. 
 
 Bewilderedly, and trembling yet, Faith turned into the 
 sitting-room. It was warm and bright, Mrs. Derrick having 
 only lately left it; and taking off hood and cloak in a sort 
 of mechanical way, with fingers that did not feel the strings, 
 she sat down in the easy chair and laid her head on the arm 
 of it ; as very a child as she had been on the night of that 
 terrible walk; wondering to herself if this were Christmas 
 day if she were Faith Derrick and if anything were any 
 thing ! but with a wonder of such growing happiness as 
 made it more and more difficult for her to raise her head 
 up. She dreaded with an odd kind of dread which con 
 tradicted itself to hear Mr. Linden come in; and in the 
 abstract, she would have liked very much to jump up and 
 run away ; but that little intimation was quite enough to 
 hold her fast. She sat stifl drawing quick little breaths. 
 The loud voice of the clock near by, striking its twelve 
 strokes, was not half so distinct to her as that light step in 
 the hall which came so swiftly and quick to her side. 
 
 "What is the problem now, pretty child?" Mr. Linden 
 said, laying both hands upon hers, "it is too late for study 
 to-night. You must wait till to-morrow and have my 
 help." 
 
 She rose up at that, however gladly she would have hid 
 den the face her rising revealed ; but yet with no awkward 
 ness she stood before him, rosily grave and shy, and with 
 downcast eyelids that could by no means lift themselves up 
 to shew what was beneath ; a fair combination of the child s 
 character and the woman s nature in one ; both spoken 
 fairly and fully. Mr. Linden watched her for a minute, 
 
490 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 softly passing his hand over that fair brow; then drew her 
 closer. 
 
 "I suppose I may claim Mr. Stoutenburgh s privilege 
 now," he said. But it was more than that he took. And 
 then with one hand still held fast, Faith was put back in 
 her chair and wheeled up to the fire to get warm, and 
 Mr. Linden sat down by her side. 
 
 Did he really think she needed it, when she was rosy to 
 her fingers ends ? But what could she do, but be very still 
 and very happy Even as a flower whose head is heavy 
 with dew, never more fragrant than then, yet with the 
 weight of its sweet burden it bends a little ; like that was 
 the droop of Faith s head at this minute. Whither had the 
 whirl of this evening whirled her ? Faith did not know. 
 She felt as if, to some harbour of rest, broad and safe ; the 
 very one where from its fitness it seemed she ought to be. 
 But shyly and confusedly, she felt it much as a man feels 
 the ground, who is near taken off it by a hurricane. Yet 
 she felt it, for her head drooped more and more. 
 
 " Faith," Mr. Linden said, half smiling, half seriously, 
 "what has made you so sober all this evening so much 
 afraid of me?" 
 
 The quick answer of the eye stayed not a minute ; the 
 blush was more abiding. 
 
 "You don t want me to tell you that!" she said in soft 
 pleading. 
 
 "Do you know now who I think has 
 
 A sweet attractive kind of grace ?" 
 
 "0 don t, please, speak so, Mr. Linden!" she said bow 
 ing her face in her hands, "it don t belong to me." And 
 pressing her hands closer, she added, " You have made me 
 all I am that is anything." 
 
 "There is one thing I mean to make you if I live," he 
 answered smiling, and taking down her hand. "Faith, 
 what do you mean by talking to me in that style ? haven t 
 you just given me leave to think what I like of you ? You 
 deserve another half hour s silent penance." 
 
 A little bit of smile broke upon her face which for an 
 instant she tried to hide with her other hand. But she 
 dropped that and turned the face towards him, rosy, grave, 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 491 
 
 and happy, more than she knew, or she perhaps would have 
 hidden it again. Her eyes indeed only saw his and fell 
 instantly ; and her words began and stopped. 
 
 There is one comfort " 
 
 "What dear child?" 
 
 "That you know what to think," she said, looking up 
 with a face that evidently rested in the confidence of that 
 fact. 
 
 "About what?" Mr. Linden said with an amused look. 
 "I have known what to think about you for some time." 
 
 "I meant that," she said quietly and with very down 
 cast eyes again. 
 
 "I am not in a good mood for riddles to-night," said 
 Mr. Linden, "just what does this one mean ?" 
 
 "Nothing, only " said Faith flushing, "you said " 
 
 She was near breaking down in sheer confusion, but she 
 rallied and went on. "You said I had given you leave to 
 think what you liked of me, and I sav it is a comfort that 
 you know what to think." 
 
 Mr. Linden laughed. 
 
 "You are a dear little child !" he said. "Being just the 
 most precious thing in the world to me, you sit there and 
 rejoice that I am in no danger of overestimating you 
 which is profoundly true. My comfort in knowing what 
 to think, runs in a different line." 
 
 It is hard to describe Faith s look ; it was a mixture of so 
 many things. It was wondering, and shamefaced ; and curi 
 ous for its blending of humility and gladness; but gladness 
 moved to such a point as to be near the edge of sorrowful 
 expression. She would not have permitted it to choose such 
 expression, and indeed it easily took another line ; for even 
 as she looked, her eye caught the light from Mr. Linden s and 
 the gravity of her face broke in a sunny and somewhat ob 
 stinate smile, which Faith would have controlled if she could. 
 
 " That penance was not so very bad," she said, perhaps 
 by way of diversion. 
 
 "I enjoyed it," said Mr. Linden, "I am not sure that 
 everybody else did. Are you longing for another piece of 
 rest ? Look up at me, and let me see if I ought to keep 
 you here any longer." 
 
 She obeyed, though shyly; the smile lingering round her 
 
492 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 lips yet, and her whole face, to tell the truth, bearing much 
 more resemblance to the dawn of a May morning than to 
 the middle of a December night. Mr. Linden was in some 
 danger of forgetting why he had asked to see it; but when 
 her eyes fell beneath his, then he remembered. 
 
 "I must let you go," he said, "I suppose the sooner I 
 do that, the sooner I may hope to see you again. Will 
 you sleep diligently, to that end ?" 
 
 "I don t know " she said softly; rising at the same 
 time to gather up her wrappers which lay strewed about, 
 around and under her. Her lips had the first answer to 
 that ; only as he let her go Mr. Linden said, 
 
 "You must try." 
 
 And a little scarce-spoken "yes" promised it. 
 
 It was easier than she thought. When Faith had got to 
 her room, when she had as usual laid down her heart s 
 burden -joyful or careful in her prayer, there came soon 
 a great subsiding ; and mind and body slept, as sleep comes 
 to an exhausted child ; or as those sleep, at any age, whose 
 hearts bear no weight which God s hand can bear for them, 
 and who are contented to leave their dearest things to the 
 same hand. There was no ravelled sleeve of care ever in 
 Faith s mind, for sleep to knit up ; but tired nature s sweet 
 restorer she needed like the rest of the human family ; and 
 on this occasion sleep did her work without let or hindrance 
 from the time ten minutes after Faith s head touched her 
 pillow till the sun was strong and bright on the morning of 
 the 26th of December. Yes, and pretty high up too; for 
 the first thing that fell upon her waking senses was eight 
 clear strokes of the town clock. 
 
 Faith got up and dressed herself in a great hurry and in 
 absolute dismay; blushing to think where was her mother; 
 and breakfastand everybody all this while, and what 
 everybody was thinking of her. From her room Faith 
 went straight to dairy and kitchen. She wanted her hands 
 full this morning. But her duties in the kitchen were done ; 
 breakfast was only waiting, and her mother talking to the 
 butcher. Faith stood till he was dismissed and had turned 
 his back, and then came into Mrs. Derrick s arms. 
 
 "Mother! why didn t you call me!" 
 
 "Pretty child!" was the fond answer, "why should I? 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 493 
 
 I ve been up to look at you half a dozen times, Faith, to 
 make sure you were not sick; but Mr. Linden said he was 
 in no hurry for breakfast and of course I wasn t. Did 
 you have a good time last night?" 
 
 "I should think you ought to be in a hurry for breakfast 
 by this time." And Faith busied herself in helping Cindy 
 put the breakfast on the table. 
 
 "You run and call Mr. Linden, child," said her mother,- 
 "and I ll see to this. He was here till a minute ago, and 
 then some of the boys wanted to see him. " 
 
 Faith turned away, but with no sort of mind to present 
 herself before the boys, and in tolerable fear of presenting 
 herself before anybody. The closing hall door informed 
 her that one danger was over ; and forcing herself to brave 
 the other, she passed into the sitting-room just as Mr. Lin 
 den reentered it from the hall. Very timidly then she ad 
 vanced a few steps to meet him and stood still, with cheeks 
 as rosy as it was possible to be, and eyes that dared not 
 lift themselves up. 
 
 The greeting she had did not help either matter very 
 much, but that could not be helped either. 
 
 "What colour are your cheeks under all these roses?" 
 Mr. Linden said smiling at her. "My dear Faith, were 
 you quite tired out ?" 
 
 " No You must think so," she said with stammering 
 lips "but breakfast is ready at last. If you ll go in I ll 
 come, Mr. Linden." 
 
 "Do you want me to go in first?" 
 
 "Yes. I ll come directly." 
 
 He let her go, and went in as she desired ; and having 
 persuaded Mrs. Derrick that as breakfast was on the table 
 it had better have prompt attention, Mr. Linden engaged 
 her with a lively account of the people, dresses, and doings, 
 which had graced the Christmas party; keeping her mind 
 pretty well on that subject both before and after Faith 
 made her appearance. How little it engrossed him, only 
 one person at the table could even guess. But she knew, 
 and rested herself happily under the screen he spread out 
 for her; as quiet and demure as anything that ever sat 
 at a breakfast table yet. And all the attention she received 
 was as silent as it was careful ; not till breakfast was over 
 
 VOL. i. 42 
 
494 SAY AND SEAL 
 
 did Mr. Linden give her more than a passing word ; but then 
 he inquired how soon she would be ready for philosophy. 
 
 Faith s hesitating answer was "Very soon;" then as 
 Mr. Linden left the room she asked,, " What are you going 
 to do to-day, mother ?" 
 
 "0 just the old story, "said Mrs. Derrick, "two or 
 three sick people I must go and see, and some well people 
 I d rather see, by half. It s so good to have you home, 
 dear!" And she kissed Faith and held her off and looked 
 at her several feelings at work in her face. "Pretty 
 child," she said, "I don t think I ever saw you look so 
 pretty." 
 
 Faith returned the kiss, and hid her face in her mother s 
 neck ; more things than one were in her mind to say, but 
 not one of them could get out. She could only kiss her 
 mother and hold her fast. The words that at last came, 
 were a very commonplace remark about "going to see 
 to the dinner." 
 
 "I guess you will!" said Mrs. Derrick "with Mr. 
 Linden waiting for you in the other room. I wonder what 
 he d say to you, or to me either. And besides people 
 that want to see about dinner must get up earlier in the 
 morning." 
 
 The words, some of them, were a little moved ; but 
 whatever Mrs. Derrick was thinking of, she did not explain 
 only Lade Faith go off and attend to her lessons and make 
 up f/r lost time. 
 
 Which after some scouting round kitchen and dairy, 
 Faith did. She entered the sitting-room with the little 
 green book in her hand, as near as possible as she would 
 have done three weeks ago. Not quite. 
 
 She had a bright smile of welcome, and Mr. Linden 
 placed a chair for her and placed her in it; and then the 
 lessons went on with all their old gentle care and guidance. 
 More, they could hardly have though Faith sometimes 
 fancied there was more ; and if the old sobriety was hard 
 to keep up, still it was done, for her sake. A little play 
 of the lips which she could sometimes see, was kept within 
 very quiet bounds ; whatever novelty there might be in look 
 or manner was perhaps unconscious and unavoidable. She 
 might he watched a little more than formerly, but her work 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 495 
 
 none the less; and Mr. Linden s explanations and cor 
 rections were given with just their old grave freedom, and 
 no more. And yet how different a thing the lessons were 
 to him ! 
 
 As to Faith, her hand trembled very much at first, and 
 even her voice ; but for all that, the sunshine within was 
 easy to see, and there came a bright flash of it sometimes. 
 In spite of timidity and shyness, every now and then some 
 thing made her forget herself, and then the sunlight broke 
 out ; to be followed perhaps by a double cloud of gravity. 
 But for the rest, she worked like a docile pupil, as she 
 always had done. 
 
 Apparently her teacher s thoughts had not been con 
 fined to the work, if they had to her; for when all was 
 done that could be done before dinner, he made one of 
 those sudden speeches with which he sometimes indulged 
 himself. 
 
 "Faith I wish you would ask me to do half a dozen 
 almost impossible things for you." 
 
 What a pretty, wondering look she gave him. One of 
 the flashes of the sunlight came then. But then came an 
 amused expression. 
 
 " What would be the good of that, Mr. Linden ?" 
 
 "I should have the pleasure of doing them." 
 
 "I believe you would," said Faith. "I think the only 
 things quite impossible to you are wrong things." 
 
 "The only thing you ever did ask of me was impossible," 
 he said with a smile, upon which there was a shadow too 
 as if the recollection pained him. " Child, how could 
 you ? It half broke my heart to withstand you so, do you 
 know that ? I want the almost impossible things to make 
 me forget it." 
 
 Her lip trembled instantly and her command of herself 
 was nearly gone. She had risen for something, and as he 
 spoke she came swiftly behind him, putting herself where 
 he could not see her face, and laid her hand on his shoulder. 
 It lay there as light as thistle-down ; but it was Faith s 
 mute way of saying a great many things that her voice 
 oould not. 
 
 Very quick and tenderly Mr. Linden drew her forward 
 again, and tried the power of his lips to still hers. 
 
496 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "Hush, dear child !" he said "you must not mind any 
 thing I say, I am the last person in the world you ought 
 to be afraid of. And you must not claim it as your pre 
 rogative to get before me in danger and behind me at all 
 other times because that is just reversing the proper 
 order of things. Faith, I am going to ask an almost im 
 possible thing of you." 
 
 "What is it ?" Faith was secretly glad, for afraid of his 
 requests she could not be. 
 
 "You will try to do it?" 
 
 " Yes certainly !" 
 
 "It is only to forget that Mr. Linden is any part of my 
 name," he said smiling. 
 
 She had been rosy enough before, but now the blood 
 reddened her very brow, till for one instant she put up her 
 hands to hide it. 
 
 "What then?" she said in a breathless sort of way 
 
 "What you like" he answered brightly. "I have not 
 quite as many names as a Prince Royal, but still enough 
 to choose from. You may separate, combine, or invent, at 
 your pleasure." 
 
 There came a summons to dinner then; and part of the 
 hours which should follow thereafter, Mr. Linden was 
 pledged to spend somewhere with somebody away from 
 home. But he promised to be back to tea, and before that, 
 if he could ; and so left Faith to the quiet companionship 
 of her mother and her lessons if she felt disposed for them. 
 They were both in the sitting-room together, Mrs. Derrick 
 and the books, both helping the sunlight that came in at 
 the windows. But Faith neglected the books, and came to 
 her mother s side. She sat down and put her arms round 
 her, and nestled her head on her mother s bosom, as she 
 had done in the morning. And then was silent. That 
 might have been just what Mrs. Derrick expected, she 
 was so very ready for it; her work was dropped so in 
 stantly, her head rested so fondly on Faith s. But her 
 silence was soon broken. 
 
 "How long do you think I can wait, pretty child?" 
 she said in the softest, tenderest tone that even she could 
 use. 
 
 " Mother !" said Faith startling. " For what ?" 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 491 
 
 "Suppose you tell me." 
 
 "Do you know, mother?" said Faith in a low, changed 
 tone and drawing closer. Bat Mrs. Derrick only repeated, 
 
 "What, child?" 
 
 "What Mr. Linden has said to me," she whispered. 
 
 "I knew what he would" but the words broke off there, 
 and Mrs. Derrick rested her head again in silence as abso-* 
 lute as Faith s. 
 
 For awhile; and then Faith lifted up her flushed face 
 and began to kiss her. 
 
 " Mother ! why don t you speak to me ?" 
 
 It was not very easy to speak Faith could see that ; but 
 Mrs. Derrick did command her voice enough to give a sort 
 of answer. 
 
 "He had my leave, child, at least he has talked to me 
 about you in a way that I should have said no tc, if I had 
 meant it, and he knew that. Do you think I should 
 have let him stay here all this time if I had not been 
 willing?" 
 
 Faith laid her head down again. 
 
 "Mother dear mother!" she said, "I want more 
 than that !" 
 
 She had ail she wanted then, Mrs. Derrick spoke clearly 
 and steadily, though the tears were falling fast. 
 
 " I am as glad as you are, darling or as he is, -I can 
 not say more than that. So glad that you should be so 
 happy so glad to have such hands in which to leave you." 
 The last words were scarce above a whisper. 
 
 Faith was desperate. She did not cry, but she did 
 everything else. With trembling fingers she stroked her 
 mother s face ; with lips that trembled she kissed her ; but 
 Faith s voice was steady, whatever lay behind it. 
 
 "Mother mother! why do you do so? why do you 
 speak so? Does this look like gladness?" And lips and 
 hands kissed away the tears with an eagerness that was to 
 the last degree tender. 
 
 "Why yes, child!" her mother said rousing up, and 
 with a little bit of a smile that did not belie her words, 
 "I tell you I m as glad as I can be! Tears don t mean 
 anything, Faith, I can t help crying sometimes. But I m 
 just as glad as he is," she repeated, trying her soothing 
 
 42* 
 
408 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 powers in turn, "and if you d seen his face as I did when 
 he went away, you d think that was enough. I don t know 
 whether I could be," she added softly, "if I thought he 
 would take you away from me but I know he ll never do 
 that, from something he said once. Why pretty child ! 
 any one but a baby could see this long ago, and as for 
 "that, Faith, I believe I love him almost as well as you do, 
 this minute." 
 
 The last few minutes had tried Faith more than she 
 could bear, with the complete reaction that followed. The 
 tears that very rarely made their way from her eyes in any 
 body s sight, came now. But they were not permitted to 
 be many ; her mother hardly knew they were come before 
 they were gone ; and half nestling in her arms, Faith lay 
 with her face hid ; silent and quiet. It seemed to Mrs. 
 Derrick as if she was too far oft still, for she lifted Faith 
 softly up, and took her on her lap after the old childish 
 fashion, kissing her once and again. 
 
 "Now, pretty child," she said, softly stroking the un 
 covered cheek, "keep your hands down and tell me all 
 about it. I don t mean every word," she added smiling, 
 "but all you like to tell." 
 
 But Faith could not do that. She made very lame work 
 of it. She managed only with much difficulty to give her 
 mother a very sketchy and thin outline of what she wanted 
 to know; which perhaps was as much as Mrs. Derrick ex 
 pected; and was given with a simplicity as bare of additions 
 as her facts were. A very few words told all she had to 
 tell. Yes, her mother was satisfied, she loved to hear 
 Faith speak those few words, and to watch her the while 
 herself supplying all deficiencies; and then was con 
 tent that her child should lie still and go to sleep, if 
 she chose it was enough to look at her and think : re 
 joicing with her and for her with a very pure joy, if it was 
 sometimes tearful. 
 
 Faith presently changed her position, and gave a very 
 particular attention to the smoothing of the hair over her 
 mother s forehead. Then pulling her cap straight, and 
 giving her a finishing look and kiss, she took a low seat 
 close beside her, laid one of her study books on her mother s 
 lap, resting one arm there fondly, and went hard to work j 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 499 
 
 remarking however that Mrs. Derrick might talk as much 
 as she liked and she would talk too. But Mrs. Derrick 
 either did not want to talk, or else she did not want to in 
 terrupt; for she watched Faith and smiled upon her, and 
 stroked her hair, and said very little. 
 
 Just at the end of the afternoon, when Faith was finish 
 ing her work by firelight, Mr. Linden came in. She did 
 not see the look that passed between her mother and him 
 . she only knew that they held each other s hands for a 
 minute silently, then one of the hands was laid upon her 
 forehead. 
 
 "Little student do you want to try the fresh air?" 
 She said yes; and without raising her eyes, ran off to 
 get ready. In another minute she was out in the cool 
 freshness of the December twilight. 
 
CHAPTER XL. 
 
 walk lasted till all the afterglow had faded and all 
 
 . the stars come out, and till half Pattaquasset had 
 done tea ; having its own glow and starlight, and its flow 
 of conversation to which the table talk was nothing. 
 
 Of course, Faith s first business on reaching home was 
 to see about the tea. She and Mrs. Derrick were happily 
 engaged together in various preparations, and Mr. Linden 
 alone in the sitting-room, when the unwelcome sound of a 
 knock came at the front door; and the next minute his 
 solitude was broken in upon. 
 
 "Good evening!" said the doctor. "Three-quarters 
 of a mile off I heard the clarion of the unseen midge ! so 
 I thought it was best to come to close quarters with the 
 enemy. There is nothing so annoying as a distant hum 
 ming in your ears. How do you do ?" He had come up 
 and laid his hand on Mr. Linden s shoulder before the latter 
 had time to rise. 
 
 "What a perverse taste !" Mr. Linden said, laughing and 
 springing up. "All the rest of the world think a near-by 
 humming so much worse." 
 
 " Can t distinguish at a distance," said the doctor ; " one 
 doesn t know whether it s a midge or a dragon-fly. How 
 is Mignonette ? and Mignonette s mother ?" 
 
 " They were both well the last time I saw them. In what 
 sort of a calm flutter are you, doctor ?" 
 
 "Do you think that is my character?" said the doctor, 
 taking his favourite position on the rug. 
 
 "You go straight to the fire like all the rest of the 
 tribe," said Mr. Linden. 
 
 "Is it inconsistent with the character of such an extra 
 ordinary midge, to go straight to the mark ?" 
 
 "Nobody ever saw a midge do that yet, I ll venture to 
 say. " 
 
 "And you are resolved to act in character," said the 
 doctor gravely. "You have got clean away from the 
 (500) 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 501 
 
 point. I asked you last night to tell me what you thought 
 of me. We are alone now do it, Linden I" 
 
 "Why do you want to know?" 
 
 "I don t know. A man likes to talk of himself cela 
 s entend but I care enough about you, to care to know 
 how I stand in your thoughts. If you asked me how I 
 stand in my own, I could not tell you ; and I should like 
 to know how the just balances of your mind I m not 
 talking ironically, Linden, weigh and poise me; what 
 sort of alloy your mental tests make me out. No mat 
 ter why! indulge me, and let me have it. I presume 
 it is nothing better than philosophical curiosity. I am 
 every man is to himself an enigma a mystery ; and I 
 should like to have a sudden outside view from optics that 
 I have some respect for." 
 
 "I gave you the outside view last night," Mr. Linden 
 said. But then he came and stood near the doctor and 
 answered him simply ; speaking with that grave gentleness 
 of interest which rarely failed to give the speaker a place 
 in people s hearts, even when his words failed of it. 
 
 "I think much of you, in the first place, and in the 
 second place, I wish you would let me think more ; you 
 stand in my thoughts as an object of very warm interest, 
 of very earnest prayer. Measured not by my standards, 
 but by those which the word of God sets up, you are like 
 your own admirably made and adjusted microscope, with 
 all the higher powers left off. The only enigma, the only 
 mystery is, that you yourself cannot see this." 
 
 Dr. Harrison looked at him with a grave, considerative 
 face, drawing a little back ; perhaps to do it the better. 
 
 " Do you mean to say, that you do such a thing as pray 
 for me?" 
 
 A slight, sweet smile came with the answer. " Can you 
 doubt it?" 
 
 "Why I might very reasonably doubt it, though not 
 your word. Why do you, may I ask?" 
 
 "What can I do for a man in deadly peril, whom my 
 arm cannot reach ?" The tone was very kindly, very earn 
 est; the eyes with their deep light looked full into the 
 doctor s. 
 
 Dr. Harrison was silent, meeting the look and taking 
 
502 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 the depth and meaning of it, so far as fathomable by him. 
 The two faces and figures, fine as they both were, made a 
 strange contrast. The doctor s face was in one of its 
 serious and good expressions; but the other had come 
 from a region of light which this one had never entered. 
 And even in attitude the dignified unconsciousness of the 
 one, was very different from the satisfied carelessness of the 
 other. 
 
 "May I further ask," he said in a softened tone, "why 
 you do this for me?" 
 
 "Because I care about you." 
 
 " It s incredible !" said the doctor, his eye wavering, how 
 ever. "One man care about another! Why, man, I may 
 be the worst enemy you have in the world, for aught you 
 know." 
 
 "That cannot hinder my being your friend." 
 
 "Do you know," said the other looking at him half 
 curiously, " I am ready to do such a foolish thing as to 
 believe you ? Well be as much of a friend to me as you 
 can; and I ll deserve it as well as I can which maybe 
 won t be very well. Indeed that is most likely !" He had 
 stretched out his hand to Mr. Linden however, and clasped 
 his warmly. He quitted it now to go forward and take 
 that of Faith. 
 
 She came in just as usual, and met the doctor with her 
 wonted manner; only the crimson stain on her cheek tell 
 ing anything against her. She did not give him much 
 chance to observe that; for Cindy followed her with the 
 tea things and Faith busied herself about the table. The 
 doctor went back to his stand and watched her. 
 
 "Mignonette has changed colour," he remarked pre 
 sently. " How is chat, Miss Derrick ?" 
 
 "How is what, sir?" 
 
 "How corne you to change the proper characteristics 
 of mignonette ? Don t you know that never shews high 
 brilliancy ?" 
 
 "I suppose I am not mignonette to-night," said Faith, 
 returning to the safer observation of the tea-table. 
 
 "Are you my flower, then? the Rhodora?" he said 
 with a lowered tone, coming near her. 
 
 If Faith heard, she did not seem to hear this question. 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 503 
 
 Her attention was bestowed upon the preparations^ for tea, 
 till Mrs. Derrick came in to make it ; and then Faith found 
 a great deal to do in the care of the other duties of the 
 table. It was a mystery, how she managed it; she who 
 generally had as much leisure at meals as anybody wanted. 
 Dr. Harrison s attention however was no longer exclusively 
 given to her. 
 
 " Do you always have these muffins for tea, Mrs. Der 
 rick ?" he remarked with his second essay. 
 
 "Why no!" said Mrs. Derrick, "we have all sorts of 
 other things. Don t you like muffins, doctor?" 
 
 "Like them!" said the doctor. "I am thinking what 
 a happy man Mr. Linden must be." 
 
 "Marvellously true I" said Mr. Linden. "I hope you ll 
 go home and write a new Search after happiness, ending 
 it sentimentally in muffins." 
 
 "Not so," said the doctor. "I should only begin it in 
 muffins as I am doing. But my remark after all had a 
 point; for I was thinking of the possibility of detaching 
 anybody from such a periodical attraction. Mrs. Derrick, 
 I am the bearer of an humble message to you from my 
 sister and father who covet the honour and pleasure of 
 your presence to-morrow evening. Sophy makes me use 
 ful, when she can. I hope you will give me a gracious 
 answer for yourself and Miss Faith, and so make me use 
 ful again. It is a rare chance ! I am not often good for 
 anything." 
 
 "I don t know whether I know how to give what you 
 call gracious answers, doctor," said Mrs. Derrick pleasantly. 
 "I m very much obliged to Miss Sophy, but I never go 
 anywhere at night." 
 
 With the other two the doctor s mission was more 
 successful ; and then he disclosed the other object of his 
 visit. 
 
 "Miss Derrick, do you j emember I once threatened to 
 bring the play of Portia here and introduce her to 
 you ? 
 
 " I remember it," said Faith. 
 
 "Would it be pleasant to you that I should fulfil my 
 threat this evening ?" 
 
 
504 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "I dqn t know^sir," said Faith smiling, "till I hear 
 the play." 
 
 "Mr. Linden, what do you think?" said the doctor, 
 also with a smile. 
 
 "I am ready for anything if you will let me be impolite 
 enough to finish writing a letter while I hear the first part 
 of your reading." 
 
 "To change the subject slightly what do you suppose, 
 Mr. Linden, would on the whole be the effect, on society, 
 if the hand of Truth were in every case to be presented 
 without a glove ?" The doctor spoke gravely now. 
 
 "The effect would be that society would shake hands 
 more cordially I should think," said Mr. Linden ; "though 
 it is hard to say how such an extreme proposition would 
 work." 
 
 " Do you know, it strikes me that it would work just the 
 other way, and that hands would presently clasp nothing 
 but daggers hilts. But there is another question. How 
 will one fair hand of truth live among a crowd of steel 
 gauntlets ?" 
 
 "What?" Mr. Linden said, with a little bending of his 
 brows upon the doctor. "I am wearing neither glove nor 
 gauntlet, what are you talking about? And my half- 
 finished letter is a fact and no pretence." 
 
 "I sha n t believe you," said the doctor, "if you give my 
 fingers such a wring as that. Well, go to your letter, 
 and I ll take Miss Derrick to Venice if she will let me." 
 
 Venice ! That exquisite photograph of the Bridge of 
 Sighs, and "the palace and the prison on each hand," 
 about which such a long, long entrancing account had been 
 given by Mr. Linden to her the scene and the talk rose 
 up before Faith s imagination; she was very ready to go 
 to Venice. Its witching scenery, its strange history, floated - 
 up, in a fascinating, strange cloud- view ; she was all ready 
 for Shylock and the Rialto. Nay, for the Rialto, not for 
 Shylock; him, or anything like him, she had never seen 
 nor imagined. She was only sorry that Mr. Linden had 
 to go to his letter ; but there was a compensative side to 
 that, for her shyness was somewhat less endangered. With 
 only the doctor and Shylock to attend to, she could get 
 along very well. 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 505 
 
 Shyness and fears however, were of very short endurance. 
 To Venice she went, Shylock she saw ; and then she saw 
 nothing else but Shylock, and those who were dealing with 
 him ; unless an occasional slight glance towards the distant 
 table where Mr. Linden sat at his writing, might be held 
 to signify that she had powers of vision for somewhat else. 
 It did not interrupt the doctor s pleasure, nor her own. 
 Dr. Harrison had begun with at least a double motive in 
 his mind ; but man of the world as he was, he forgot his 
 unsatisfied curiosity in the singular gratification of reading 
 such a play to such a listener. It was so plain that Faith 
 was in Venice ! She entered with such simplicity, and also 
 with such intelligence, into the characters and interests of 
 the persons in the drama ; she relished their words so well ; 
 she weighed in such a nice balance of her own the right 
 and the wrong, the true and the false, of whatever rested 
 on nature and truth for its proper judgment; she was so 
 perfectly and deliciously ignorant of the world and the ways 
 of it! The fresh view that such pure eyes took of such 
 actors and scenes, was indescribably interesting; Dr. Har 
 rison found it the best play he had ever read in his life. He 
 made it convenient sometimes to pause to indoctrinate 
 Faith in characters or customs of which she had no ade 
 quate knowledge ; it did not hurt her pleasure ; it was all 
 part of the play. 
 
 In the second scene, the doctor stopped to explain the 
 terms on which Portia had been left with her suitors. 
 
 What do you think of it?" 
 
 I think it was hard," said Faith smiling. 
 
 What would you have done if you had been left so?" 
 
 I would not have been left so." 
 
 But you might not help yourself. Suppose it had been 
 a father s or a mother s command? that anybody might 
 come up and have you, for the finding if they could pitch 
 upon the right box of jewelry?" 
 
 " My father or mother would never have put such a com 
 mand on me," said Faith looking amused. 
 
 "But you may suppose anything," said the doctor lean 
 ing forward and smiling. "Suppose they had ?" 
 
 "Then you must suppose me different too," said Faith 
 
 VOL. i. 43 
 
506 SAY AND SEAL." 
 
 laughing. " Suppose me to have been like Portia ; and I 
 should have done as she did." 
 
 The doctor shook his head and looked gravely at her. 
 
 "Are you so impracticable ?" 
 
 "Was she?" said Faith. 
 
 " Then you wouldn t think it right to obey Mrs. Derrick 
 in all circumstances?" 
 
 " Not if she was Portia s mother," said Faith. 
 
 " Suppose you had been the Prince of Arragon which 
 casket would you have chosen ?" said Mr. Linden, as he 
 came from his table, letter in hand. 
 
 "I suppose I should have chosen as he did," said the 
 doctor carelessly " I really don t remember how that 
 was. I ll tell you when I come to him. Have you done 
 letter- writing?" 
 
 " I have done writing letters, for to-night. Have I per 
 mission to go to Venice in your train ?" 
 
 "I am only a locomotive," said the doctor. "But you 
 know, with two a train goes faster. If you had another 
 copy of the play, now, Linden and we should read it as I 
 have read Shakspeare in certain former times take dif 
 ferent parts I presume the effect would excel steam- 
 power, and be electric. Can you ?" 
 
 This was agreed to, and the "effect" almost equalled the 
 doctor s prognostications. Even Mrs. Derrick, who had 
 somewhat carelessly held aloof from his single presentation 
 of the play, was fascinated now, and drew near and dropped 
 her knitting. It would have been a very rare entertainment 
 to any that had heard it ; but for once an audience of two 
 was sufficient for the stimulus and reward of the readers. 
 That and the actual enjoyment of the parts they were play 
 ing. Dr. Harrison read well, with cultivated and critical 
 accuracy. His voice was good and melodious, his English 
 enunciation excellent ; his knowledge of his author thorough, 
 as far as acquaintanceship went; and his habit of reading 
 a dramatically practised one. But Faith, amid all her de 
 light, had felt a want in it, as compared with the reading 
 to which of late she had been accustomed ; it did not give 
 the soul and heart of the author though it gave everything 
 else. That is what only soul and heart can do. Not that 
 Dr. Harrison was entirely wanting in those gifts either; 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 507 
 
 they lay somewhere, perhaps, in him ; but they are not the 
 ones which in what is called the world come most often or 
 readily into play; and so it falls out that one who lives 
 there long becomes like the cork oak when it has stood 
 long untouched in its world ; the heart is encrusted with a 
 monstrous thick, almost impenetrable, coating of bark. 
 When Mr. Linden joined the reading, the pleasure was 
 perfect ; the very contrast between the two characters and 
 the two voices made the illusion more happy. Then Faith 
 was in a little danger of betraying herself; for it was diffi 
 cult to look at both readers with the same eyes ; and if she 
 tried to keep her eyes at home, that was more difficult 
 still. 
 
 In the second act, Portia says to Arragon, 
 
 " In terms of choice I am not solely led 
 By nice direction of a maiden s eyes," etc. 
 
 "What do you think of that, Miss Derrick?" said the 
 doctor pausing when his turn came. "Do you think a 
 lady s choice ought to be so determined ?" 
 
 Faith raised her eyes, and answered, "No, sir." 
 
 "By what then ? You don t trust appearances?" 
 
 Faith hesitated. 
 
 "I should like to hear how Portia managed," she said, 
 with a little heightened colour. "I never thought much 
 about it." 
 
 "What do you think of Portia s gloves, doctor?" said 
 Mr. Linden. 
 
 "Hum" said the doctor. "They are a pattern! soft 
 as steel, harsh as kid-leather. They fit too, so exquisitely ! 
 But, if I were marrying her, I thinS: I should request that 
 she would give her gloves into my keeping." 
 
 " Then would your exercise of powe7 be properly thwarted. 
 Every time you made the demand, Portia would, like a jug 
 gler, pull off and surrender a fresh pair of gloves, leaving 
 ever a pair yet finer-spun upon her hands." 
 
 " I suppose she would," said the doctor comically. "Come! 
 I won t marry her. And yet, Linden, one might do worse. 
 Such gloves keep off a wonderful amount of friction." 
 
 " If you happen to have fur which cannot be even stroked 
 the wrong way !" 
 
508 SAY AND SEAL 
 
 % 
 
 The doctor s eye glanced with fun, and Faith laughed 
 The reading went on. And went on without much pausing 
 until the lines 
 
 "0 ten times faster Venus pigeons fly 
 To seal love s bonds new made, than they are wont 
 To keep obliged faith unforfeited ! 
 
 Who riseth from a feast, 
 
 With that keen appetite that he sits down ? 
 Where is the horse, that doth untread again 
 His tedious measures with the unbated fire 
 That he did pace them first? All things that are, 
 Are with more spirit chased than enjoyed." 
 
 "Do you believe in that doctrine, Miss Faith?" said the 
 doctor, with a gentle look in her direction. 
 
 "I suppose it is true of some things," she said after a 
 minute s consideration. 
 
 "What a wicked truth it is, Linden!" said the doctor. 
 
 "There is an error i the bill, " said Mr. Linden. 
 
 Faith s eyes looked somewhat eagerly, the doctor s philo 
 sophically. 
 
 "Declare and shew," said the doctor. "I thought it was 
 a universal, most deplorable, human fact ; and here it is, in 
 Shakspeare, man ; which is another word for saying it is in 
 humanity." 
 
 "It is" true only of false things. The Magician s coins 
 are next day but withered leaves the real gold is at com 
 pound interest." 
 
 The doctor s smile was doubtful and cynical; Faith s had 
 a touch of sunlight on it. 
 
 "Where is your real gold 7 ?" said the doctor. 
 
 "Do you expect me to tell you?" said Mr. Linden 
 laughing. "I have found a good deal in the course of my 
 life, and the interest is regularly paid in." 
 
 "Are you talking seriously ?" 
 
 "Ay truly. So may you." 
 
 " From any other man, I should throw away your words 
 as the veriest Magician s coin ; but if they are true metal 
 why I ll ask you to take me to see the Mint some day!" 
 
 "Let me remind you," said Mr. Linden, "that there are 
 many things in Shakspeare. What do you think of this, 
 for a set-off? 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 509 
 
 Love s not Time s fool, though rosy lips and cheeks 
 Within his bending sickle s compass come; 
 Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks, 
 But bears it out e en to the edge of doom. 
 If this be error, and upon me proved, 
 I never writ, nor no man ever loved. " 
 
 "There s an error proved upon me," said the doctor, 
 biting his lips as he looked at Faith who had listened de 
 lightedly. " Come on! I ll stop no more. The thing is, 
 Linden, that I am less happy than you I never found any 
 real gold in my life I" 
 
 "Ah you expect gold to come set with diamonds, and 
 that cannot always be. I don t doubt you have gold 
 enough to start a large fortune, if you would only rub it 
 up and make it productive." 
 
 The doctor made no answer to that, and the reading 
 went on ; Faith becoming exceedingly engrossed with the 
 progress of the drama. She listened with an eagerness 
 which both the readers amusedly took heed of, as the suc 
 cessive princes of Morocco and Arragon made their trial ; 
 the doctor avowing by the way, that he thought he should 
 have "assumed desert" as the latter prince did, and received 
 the fool s head for his pains. Then they came to the beau 
 tiful "casket scene." The doctor had somehow from the 
 beginning left Portia in Mr. Linden s hands ; and now gave 
 with great truth and gracefulness the very graceful words 
 of her successful suitor. He could put truth into these, 
 and did, and accordingly read beautifully ; well heard, for 
 the play of Faith s varying face shewed she went along 
 thoroughly with all the fine turns of thought and feeling ; 
 here and elsewhere. But how well and how delicately Mr. 
 Linden gave Portia! That Dr. Harrison could not have 
 done ; the parts had fallen out happily, whether by chance 
 or design. Her ladylike and coy play with words her 
 transparent veil of delicate shifting turns of expression . 
 contriving to say all and yet as if she would say nothing 
 were rendered by the reader with a grace of tone every 
 way fit to them. Faith s eye ceased to look at anybody, 
 and her colour flitted, as this scene went on; and when 
 Portia s address to her fortunate wooer was reached that 
 very noble and dignified declaration of her woman s mind, 
 
 43* 
 
510 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 when she certainly pulled off her gloves, wherever else she 
 might wear them; Faith turned her face quite away from 
 the readers and with the cheek she could not hide sheltered 
 by her hand as well as her hand could she let nobody 
 but the fire and Mrs. Derrick see what a flush covered the 
 other. Very incautious in Faith, but it was the best she 
 could do. And the varied interests that immediately fol 
 lowed, of Antonio s danger and deliverance, gradually 
 brought her head round again and accounted sufficiently 
 for the colour with which her cheeks still burned. The 
 Merchant of Venice was not the only play enacting that 
 evening; and the temptation to break in upon the one, made 
 the doctor, as often as he could, break off the other ; though 
 the interest of the plot for a while gave him little chance 
 " So shines a good deed in a naughty world." 
 
 "Do you suppose, Miss Derrick," said Dr. Harrison 
 with his look of amused pleasure, "that is because the 
 world is so dark ? or because the effects of the good deed 
 reach to such a distance ?" 
 
 "Both," said Faith immediately. 
 
 "You think the world is so bad?" 
 
 "I don t know much of the world," said Faith, "but I 
 suppose the shining good deeds aren t so very many." 
 
 "What makes a good deed shining?" said the doctor. 
 
 Faith glanced at Mr. Linden. But he did not take it up, 
 and she was thrown back upon her own resources. She 
 thought a bit. 
 
 "I suppose," she said, "its coming from the very 
 spirit of light. 
 
 "You must explain," said the doctor good-humouredly 
 but smiling, "for that puts me in absolute darkness." 
 
 "I don t know very well how to tell what I mean," said 
 Faith colouring and looking thoughtful ; " I think I know. 
 Things that are done for the pure love of God and truth, I 
 think, shine ; if they are ever so little things, because really 
 there is a great light in them. I think they shine more 
 than some of the greater things that people call very bril 
 liant, but that are done from a lower motive." 
 
 "I should like" said the doctor "Can you remember 
 an instance or two ? of both kinds ?" 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 511 
 
 Well Faith remembered an instance or two of one kind, 
 which she could not instance. She sought in her memory. 
 
 "When Daniel kneeled upon his knees three times a day to 
 pray, with his windows open, after the king s law had for 
 bidden any one to do it on pain of death, " said Faith . 
 "I think that was a shining good deed !" 
 
 "But that was a very notable instance," said the doctor. 
 
 "It was a very little thing he did," said Faith. "Only 
 kneeled down to pray in his own room. And it has shined 
 all the way down to us." 
 
 "And in later times," said Mr. Linden, "when the ex 
 ploring shallop of the Mayflower sought a place of settle 
 ment, and after beating about in winter storms came to 
 anchor Friday night at Plymouth Rock; all Saturday 
 was lost in refitting and preparing, and yet on Sunday they 
 would not land. Those two dozen men, with no human 
 eye to see, with every possible need for haste !" 
 
 "That hasn t shined quite so. far," said the doctor, "f>r 
 it never reached me. And it don t enlighten me now ! 
 I should have landed." 
 
 " Do you know nothing of the spirit of Say and Seal, 
 as well as the province?" said Mr. Linden. 
 
 "As how, against landing ?" 
 
 "They rested that day according to the commandment. 1 
 Having promised to obey God in all things, the seal of their 
 obedience was unbroken." 
 
 " Well, Miss Faith," said the doctor "Now for a counter 
 example." 
 
 "I know so little of what has been done," said Faith. 
 "Don t you remember some such things yourself, Dr. Har 
 rison ? Mr. Linden ?" The voice changed and fell a little 
 as it passed from one to the other. 
 
 "General Putnam went into the wolfs den, and pulled 
 him out" said the doctor humorously, "that s all I can 
 think of just now, and it is not very much in point. I don t 
 know that there was anything very bright about it except 
 the wolfs eyes ! But here we are keeping Portia out of 
 doors, and Miss Derrick waiting! Linden fall to." And 
 with comical life and dramatic zeal on the doctor s part, i 
 a few minutes more, the play was finished. 
 
512 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 " Mrs. Derrick," said the doctor gravely as he rose and 
 stood before her, "I hope you approve of plays." 
 
 Mrs. Derrick expressed her amusement and satisfaction. 
 
 "Miss Faith," he said extending his hand, "I have to 
 thank you for the most perfect enjoyment I have ever had 
 of Shakspeare. I only wish to-morrow evening would roll 
 off on such swift wheels but it would be too much. Look 
 where this one has rolled to \ n And he shewed his watch 
 and hurried off; that is, if Dr. Harrison could be said to 
 do such a thing. 
 
 The rest of the party also were stirred from their quiet. 
 Mrs Derrick went out; and Mr. Linden, coming behind 
 Faith as she stood by the fire, gently raised her face till he 
 could have a full view of it, and asked her how she liked 
 being in Venice ? 
 
 " Very much," she said, smiling and blushing at him, 
 "very much!" 
 
 "You are not the magician s coin !" he said, kissing her. 
 "You are not even a witch. Do you know how I found 
 that out ?" 
 
 "No" she said softly, the colour spreading over her 
 face and her eyes falling, but raised again immediately to 
 ask the question of him. 
 
 "A witch s charms are always dispelled whenever she 
 tries to cross running water!" 
 
 She laughed ; an amused, bright, happy little laugh, that 
 it was pleasant to hear. 
 
 "But what did Dr. Harrison mean, by what he said 
 when he thanked me ? What did he thank me for ?" 
 
 "He said- for a new enjoyment of Shakspeare." 
 
 "What did he mean?" 
 
 "Do you understand how the sweet fragrance of mig 
 nonette can give new enjoyment to a summer s day?" 
 
 She blushed exceedingly. "But, Mr. Linden, please 
 don t talk so ! And I don t want to give Dr. Harrison 
 enjoyment in that way." 
 
 "Which part of your sentence shall I handle first?" he 
 said with a laughing flash of the eyes, " Dr. Harrison 
 or Mr. Linden ?" 
 
 "The first," said Faith laying her hand deprecatingly oil 
 his arm; "and let the other alone !" 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 513 
 
 "How am I to please not to talk ?" 
 
 " So as I don t deserve," she said raising her grave 
 eyes to his face. "I would rather have you tell me my 
 wrong things." 
 
 He looked at her, with one of those rare smiles which 
 belonged to her; holding her hand with a little soft motion 
 of it to and fro upon his. own. 
 
 "I am not sure that I dare promise to be good, " he 
 said, "I am so apt to speak of things as I find them. 
 And Mignonette you are to me both in French and 
 English. Faith, I know there is no glove upon your 
 hand, and I know there is none on mine ; but I cannot 
 feel, nor imagine, any friction, can you?" 
 
 She looked up and smiled. So much friction or promise 
 of it, as there is about the blue sky s reflection in the clear 
 deep waters of a mountain lake so much there was in the 
 soft depth and reflection of Faith s eyes at that moment. 
 So deep, so unruffled ; and as in the lake, so in the look 
 that he saw, there was a mingling of earth and heaven. 
 
 or TOI. i. 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 BT 
 
 THE AUTHOR OF "WIDE WIDE WORLD/ 
 
 THE AUTHOR OF "DOLLARS AND CENTS. 
 
 IN TWO VOLUMES. 
 
 "If any man make religion as twelve, and the world aa thirteen, such a < 
 hath not the spirit of a true New Englandman." HiGQiwsoir. 
 
 VOL. II. 
 
 PHILADELPHIA: 
 
 J. B. LIPPINCOTT & CO. 
 
 1883. 
 
. 
 
 Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year I860, bj 
 
 .1. B. LIPPINCOTT & CO., 
 
 It the Clerk s Office of the District Court of -the United States for the 
 Eastern District of Pennsylvania. 
 
 . 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 VT7EDNESDAY morning was cold and raw, and the 
 W sun presently put on a thick grey cloak. There 
 were suspicions abroad that it was one made in the regions 
 of perpetual snow, for whatever effect it might have had 
 upon the sun, it made the earth very cold. Now and then 
 a little frozen-up snowflake came silently down, and the 
 wind swept fitfully round the corners of houses, and wan 
 dered up and down the chimneys. People who were out 
 subsided into a little trot to keep themselves warm, all ex 
 cept the younger part of creation, who made the trot a run ; 
 and those who could, staid at home. 
 
 All of Mrs. Derrick s little family were of this latter 
 class, after the very early morning ; for as some of them 
 were to brave the weather at night, there seemed no reason 
 why they should also brave it by day. As speedily as migk 
 be, Mr. Linden despatched his various matters of outdoor 
 business, and came back to look for his scholar. 
 
 The first thing she was set about was her French exercise, 
 during the first few lines of which Mr. Linden stood by her 
 and looked on. But then he suddenly turned away and 
 went up stairs returning however, presently, to take his 
 usual seat by her side. He watched her progress silently, 
 except for business words and instructions, till the exercise 
 was finished and Faith had turned to him for further 
 directions ; then taking her hand he put upon its forefinger 
 
 (3) 
 
4 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 one of the prettiest things she had ever seen. It was an 
 old-fashioned diamond ring; the stones all of a size, and 
 of great clearness and lustre, set close upon each other all 
 the way round ; with just enough goldsmith s work to bind 
 them together, and to form a dainty frill of filagree work 
 above and below looking almost like a gold line of 
 shadow by that flashing line of light. 
 
 "It was my mother s, Faith," he said, "and she gave it 
 to me in trust for whatever lady I should love as I love 
 you." 
 
 Faith looked down at it with very, very grave eyes. Her 
 head bent lower, and then suddenly laying her hands to 
 gether on the table she hid her face in them; and the 
 diamonds glittered against her temple and in contrast with 
 the neighbouring soft hair. 
 
 One or two mute questions came there, before Mr. 
 Linden said softly, "Faith!" She looked up with flushed 
 face, and all of tears in her eyes but the tears; and her 
 lip had its very unbent line. She looked first at him and 
 then at the ring again Anything more humble or more 
 grave than her look cannot be imagined. His face was 
 grave too, with a sort of moved gravity, that touched both 
 the present and the past, but he did not mean hers should 
 be. 
 
 "Now what will you do, dear child?" he said. "For I 
 must forewarn you that there is a language of rings which 
 is well established in the world." 
 
 "What do you mean?" she said, looking alternately at 
 the ring and him. 
 
 "You know what plain gold on this finger means?" he 
 said, touching the one he spoke of. She looked at first 
 doubtfully, then coloured and said "yes." 
 
 "Well diamonds on this finger are understood to be the 
 avant-couriers of that." 
 
 Faith had never seen diamonds; but that was not what 
 she was thinking of, nor what brought such a deep spot of 
 colour on her cheeks. It was pretty to see, it was so bright 
 and so different from the flush which had been there a 
 few minutes before. Her eyes considered the diamonds 
 attentively. 
 
 "What shall I do?" she said after a little. 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 5 
 
 "I don t know you must try your powers of con 
 trivance." 
 
 "I cannot contrive. I could keep ray glove on to-night; 
 but I could not every day. Shall I give it back to you to 
 keep for me?" she said looking at it lovingly. "Per 
 haps that will be best ! What would you like me to do ?" 
 
 "Anything but that," he said smiling, "I should say 
 that would be worst. You may wear a glove, or glove - 
 finger what you will; but there it must stay, and keep 
 possession for me, till the other one comes to bear it 
 company. In fact I suppose I could endure to have it 
 seen !" 
 
 Her eyes went down to it again. Clearly the ring had a 
 charm for Faith. And so it had, something beyond the 
 glitter of brilliants. Of jewellers value she knew little; 
 the marketable worth of the thing was an enigma to her. 
 But as a treasure of another kind it was beyond price. His 
 mother s ring, on her finger to Faith s fancy it bound and 
 pledged her to a round of life as perfect, as bright, and as 
 pure, as its own circlet of light-giving gems. That she 
 might fill to him as far as was possible all the place 
 that the once owner of the diamonds would have looked for 
 and desired ; and be all that he would look for in the per 
 son to whom the ring, so derived, had come. Faith con 
 sidered it lovingly, with intent brow, and at last lifted her 
 eyes to Mr. Linden by way of answer; without saying 
 anything, yet with half her thoughts in her face. His face 
 was very grave Faith could see a little what the flashing 
 of that ring was to him ; but her look was met and answered 
 with a fulness of warmth and tenderness which said that he 
 had read her thoughts, and that to his mind they were 
 already accomplished. Then he took up one of her books 
 and opened it at the place where she was to read. 
 
 The morning, and the afternoon, went off all too fast, 
 and the sun went down sullenly. As if to be in keeping 
 with the expected change of work and company, the even 
 ing brought worse weather, a keener wind beginning 
 to bestir itself in earnest, a thicker sky ; though the ground 
 was too snow-covered already to allow it to be very dark. 
 With anybody but Mr. Linden, Mrs. Derrick would hardly 
 have let Faith go out; and even as it was, she several 
 
 1* 
 
6 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 times hoped the weather would moderate before they came 
 home. Faith was so well wrapped up however, both in 
 the house and in the sleigh, that the weather gave her no 
 discomfort; it was rather exhilarating to be so warm in 
 spite of it ; and they flew along at a good rate, having the 
 road pretty much to themselves. 
 
 "Faith," Mr. Linden said as they approached Judge 
 Harrison s, "I cannot spend all the evening here with 
 you that is, I ought not. I had a message sent me this 
 afternoon too late to attend to then, which I cannot 
 leave till morning. But if I see you safe by the fire, I 
 hope Miss Harrison will take good care of you till I get 
 back." 
 
 "Well," said Faith, "I wouldn t meddle with your 
 ought s, if I could. I hope you ll take care of Jerry 1" 
 
 "What shall I do with him ? 
 
 "Don t you know?" said Faith demurely. 
 
 "I suppose I ought to drive him so fast that he ll keep 
 warm," said Mr. Linden. "What else?" 
 
 Faith s little laugh made a contrast with the rough night. 
 " You had better let me get out to the fire," she said joy 
 fully, "or /sha n t keep warm." 
 
 "You sha n t?" he said bending down by her, as they 
 reached the door, "your face has no idea of being cold I 
 I ll take care of Jerry, child if I don t forget him in 
 my own pleasant thoughts." 
 
 Faith threw off her cloak and furs on the hall table where 
 some others lay, and pulled off one glove. 
 
 "Keep them both on!" Mr. Linden said softly and 
 miling, "enact Portia for once. Then if you are much 
 urged, you can gracefully yield your own prejudices so far 
 as to take off one." 
 
 She looked at him, then amusedly pulled on her glove 
 again ; and the door was opened for them into a region of 
 warmth and brightness; where there were all sorts of re 
 joicings over them and against the cold night. Mr. Linden 
 was by force persuaded to wait till after coffee before 
 braving it again ; and the Judge and his daughter fairly 
 involved Faith in the meshes of their kindness. A very 
 mouse Faith was to-night, as ever wore gloves; and with 
 a little of a mouse s watchfulness about her, fancying cat s 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 7 
 
 ears at every corner. A brown mouse too ; she had worn 
 only her finest and best stuff dress. But upon the breast 
 of that, a bunch of snowy Laurestinus, nestling among 
 green leaves, put forth a secret claim in a way that was 
 very beautifying. The Judge and Miss Sophy put her in 
 a great soft velvet chair and hovered round her, both of 
 them conscious of her being a little more dainty than usual. 
 Sophy thought perhaps it was the Laurestinus; her father 
 believed it intrinsic. 
 
 The coffee came, and the doctor. 
 
 "I have something better for you than Portia to-night" 
 he said as he dealt out sugar, " though not something 
 better than muffins." 
 
 "Faith, my dear child," said Miss Sophy, "you needn t 
 be so ceremonious none of us are wearing gloves " 
 
 Faith laughed and blushed and pulled off one glove. 
 
 "You are enacting Portia, are you?" said Dr. Harrison. 
 "Even she would not have handled wigs with them. I see 
 I have done mischief! But the harm I did you last night 
 I will undo this evening. Ladies and Gentlemen ! I will 
 give you, presently, the pleasure of hearing some lines 
 written expressive of my wishes toward the unknown but 
 supposed mistress of my life and affections. Any sug 
 gestions toward the bettering of them I will hear." 
 
 "The bettering of what?" said Mrs. Somers, "your 
 life and affections ?" 
 
 "I am aware, my dear aunt Ellen, you think the one 
 impossible the other improbable. I speak of bettering 
 the wishes." 
 
 " Unknown but supposed " said Mr. Linden. " Item 
 She hath many nameless virtues ." 
 
 "That is not my wish," said the doctor gravely looking 
 at him, "I think nameless virtues deserve their ob 
 scurity !" 
 
 "What do you call your ideal?" 
 
 " Psyche, " said the doctor, after a minute s sober con 
 sideration apparently divided between Mr. Linden s face 
 and the subject. 
 
 "That is not so uncommon a name as Campaspe," said 
 Mr. Linden, with a queer little gesture of brow and lips. 
 
 "Who is Campaspe?" said the doctor; while Faith 
 
8 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 looked, and Miss Essie s black eyes sparkled and danced, 
 and everybody else held his coffee cup in abeyance. 
 
 "Did you never hear of my Campaspe ?" said Mr. Lin 
 den, glancing up from under his- brows. 
 
 " We will exchange civilities," said the doctor. " I should 
 be very happy to hear of her." 
 
 Laughing a little, his own cup sending its persuasive 
 steam unheeded, his own face on the sparkling order 
 though the eyes looked demurely down, Mr. Linden went 
 on to ansTer. 
 
 " Cupid and my Campaspe played 
 At cards for kisses ; Cupid payed ; 
 F.e stakes his quiver, bow and arrows, 
 His mother s doves, and teame of sparrows ; 
 Loses them too ; then down he throws 
 The coral of his lippe, the rose 
 Growing on s cheek, (but none knows how) 
 With these, the crystal of his browe, 
 And then the dimple of his chinne ; 
 All these did my Campaspe winne. 
 At last he set her both his eyes, 
 She won, and Cupid blind did rise. 
 
 Love ! has she done this to thee ? 
 
 What shall, alas! become of me! " 
 
 There was a general little breeze of laughter and ap 
 plause. The doctor had glanced at Faith; her colour 
 was certainly raised; but thon the old Judge had just bent 
 down to ask her "if she had ever heard of Campaspe be 
 fore ?" The doctor did not hear but he guessed at the 
 whisper, and saw Faith s laugh and shake of the head. 
 
 "Is that a true bill, Linden?" 
 
 " Very true, " said Mr. Linden, trying his coffee. " But 
 it is not yet known what will become of me." 
 
 "What has become of Campaspe?" 
 
 " She is using her eyes. " 
 
 "Are they those eyes, Mr. Linden?" said Miss Essie 
 coming nearer and using her own. 
 
 "What was the colour of Cupid s?" 
 
 "Blue, certainly 1" 
 
 "Miss Derrick I" said the doctor, "let us have your 
 opinion." 
 
SAY AND SEAL. Q 
 
 Faith gave him at least a frank view of her own, all 
 blushing and laughing as she was, and answered readily 
 "As to the colour of Cupid s eyes ? I have never seen 
 him, sir." 
 
 The doctor was obliged to laugh himself, and the chorus 
 became general, at something in the combination of Faith 
 and her words. But Faith s confusion thereupon mastered 
 her so completely, that perhaps to shield her the doctor 
 requested silence and attention and began to read; of a 
 lady who, he said he was certain, had borrowed of nobody 
 not even of Cupid. 
 
 " Whoe er she be, 
 
 That not impossible she, 
 
 That shall command my heart and me, " 
 
 "I believe she is impossible, to begin with," said Miss 
 Essie. "You will never let any woman command you, Dr. 
 Harrison." 
 
 " You don t know me, Miss Essie," said the doctor, with 
 a curiously grave face, for him. 
 
 "He means 
 
 Who shall command my heart not me, " 
 
 said Mr. Linden. 
 
 "If she can command my heart what of me is left to 
 rebel?" said the doctor. 
 
 " Sophy," said Mrs. Somers, "how long has Julius been 
 all heart?" 
 
 "Ever since my aunt Ellen has been all eyes and ears. 
 Mr. Somers, which portion of your mental nature owns the 
 supremacy of your wife? may I inquire, in the course of 
 this investigation?" 
 
 "Hal" said Mr. Somers blandly, thus called upon "I 
 own her supremacy sir ha in all proper things !" 
 
 "Ha! Very proper!" said the doctor. 
 
 "That is all any good woman wants," said the old Judge 
 benignly. "I take it, that is all she wants. 7 
 
 "Then you must say which are the proper things, 
 father!" said Miss Sophy laughing. 
 
 "You ll have to ask every man separately. Sophy," said 
 
10 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 Mrs. Somers, "they all have their own ideas about proper 
 things. Mr. Somers thinks milk porridge is the limit." 
 
 " Mr. Stoutenburgh," said the doctor, "haven t you owned 
 yourself commanded, ever since your heart gave up its lock 
 and key ?" 
 
 "Yes indeed," said the Squire earnestly, "I am so 
 bound up in slavery that I have even forgotten the wish 
 to be free ! All my wife s things are proper 1" 
 
 "0 hush !" his wife said laughing, but with a little quick 
 bright witness in her eyes, that was pretty to see. Dr. 
 Harrison smiled. 
 
 "You see, Miss Derrick!" he said with a little bow to 
 her, "there is witness on all sides; and now I will go on 
 with my not impossible she." 
 
 He got through several verses, not without several inter 
 ruptions, till he came to the exquisite words following : 
 
 " I wish her beauty, 
 
 That owes not all his duty 
 
 To gaudy tire or glistring shoetye. 
 
 Something more than 
 Taffeta or tissue can, 
 Or rampant feather, or rich fan. 
 
 More than the spoil 
 Of shop, or silk-worm s toil, 
 Or a bought blush, or a set smile. " 
 
 "While Miss Essie exclaimed, Miss Harrison stole a look 
 at Faith ; who was looking up at the doctor, listening, with 
 a very simple face of amusement. Her thoughts were in 
 deed better ballasted than to sway to such a breeze if she had 
 felt it. But the real extreme beauty of the image and of 
 the delineation was what she felt ; she made no application 
 of them. The doctor came to this verse. 
 
 " A well-tamed heart, 
 
 For whose more noble smart 
 
 Love may be long choosing a dart. 
 
 What does that mean, Linden? isn t that an error in 
 the description ?" 
 
SAY AND SEAL. li 
 
 "Poetical license," said Mr. Linden smiling. "Psyche 
 will give you trouble enough, wings and all, there is no 
 fear you will find her tamed ." 
 
 "Hew h Campaspe in that respect?" 
 
 " She has never given me much trouble yet," said Mr. 
 Linden. 
 
 "What I object to is the long choosing ," said the doc 
 tor. "Miss de Staff do you think a good heart should be 
 very hard to win ?" 
 
 " Certainly ! the harder the better," replied the lady. 
 "That s the only way to bring down your pride. The 
 harder she is, the more likely you are to think she s a 
 diamond." 
 
 "Mrs. Stoutenburgh I" 
 
 "What has been the texture of yours all these years, 
 doctor?" 
 
 "lie thinks that when he has dined the rest of the world 
 should follow suit like the Khan of Tartary," said Mrs. 
 Somers. 
 
 "Miss Derrick!" said the doctor "I hope for some 
 gentleness from you. Do you think such a heart as we 
 have been talking of, should be very difficult to move?" 
 
 Faith s blush was exquisite. Real speech was hard to 
 command. She knew all eyes were waiting upon her; and 
 she could not reason out and comfort herself with the truth 
 that to them her blush might mean several things as well 
 as one. The answer came in that delicate voice of hers 
 which timidity had shaken. 
 
 "I think it depends on what there is to move it." 
 
 "What do you call sufficient force?" said Mrs. Somers. 
 
 "1?" said Faith. 
 
 "Yes, you," replied the parson s wife with a look not 
 unkindly amused. "What sort and degree of power should 
 move such a heart ? to quote Julius." 
 
 Faith s blush was painful again, and it was only the sheer 
 necessity of the case that enabled her to rally. But her 
 answer was clear. "Something better than itself, Mrs. 
 Somers." 
 
 " I should like to know what that is I" said Mrs. Somers. 
 
 Mr Linden s involuntary "And so should I " was in a 
 
 VOL II. 7 
 
J2 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 different tone, but rather drew eyes upon himself than 
 Faith. 
 
 "It s of no consequence to you I" said the doctor, wiij 
 a funny, mock serious tone of admonition. 
 
 Mr. Linden bowed, acquiescingly. "Psychology is an 
 interesting study" he added, in qualification. "But let 
 me return your warning, doctor you have a formidable 
 rival. " 
 
 " Qui done ?" 
 
 " Cupid carried off Psyche some time ago do you sup 
 pose you can get her back?" And with a laughing sign 
 of adieu, Mr. Linden went away. 
 
 Luckily for Faith, she was not acquainted with the hea 
 then mythology ; and was also guiltless of any thought of 
 connexion between herself and the doctor s ideal. So her 
 very free, unsuspicious face and laughter quite reassured 
 him. 
 
 "Mr. Linden is an odd sort of person," said Miss Essie 
 philosophically. "1 have studied him a good deal, and I 
 can t quite make him out. He s a very interesting man I 
 But I think he is deeper than he seems." 
 
 "He s deeper than the salt mines of Salzburg then!" 
 said the doctor. 
 
 "Why?" said Miss Essie curiously. 
 
 The doctor answered gravely that "there were beautiful 
 things there "; and went on with his reading. And Faith 
 listened now with unwavering attention, till he came to 
 
 " Sydnean showers 
 
 Of soft discourse, whose powers 
 
 Can crown old winter s head with flowers. " 
 
 Faith s mind took a leap. And it hardly came back 
 again. The reading was followed by a very lively round 
 game of talk; but it was not such talk; and Faith s 
 thoughts wandered away and watched round that circlet 
 of brightness that was covered by her glove ; scattered rays 
 from which led them variously, home, to her Sunday 
 school, to Pequot, and to heaven; coming back again 
 and again to the diamonds and to the image that was in 
 the centre of them. No wonder her grave sweet face was 
 remarked as being even graver and sweeter than usual; 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 13 
 
 and the doctor at last devoted himself to breaking up its 
 quiet. He took her into the library to finish the Rhodo 
 dendrons ostensibly but in reality to get rid of the stiff 
 circle in the other room. The circle followed; but no 
 longer stiff; under the influence of the cold weather and 
 the big fires and good prompting, their spirits got up at 
 last to the pitch of acting charades. Miss Harrison brought 
 down her stores of old and new finery ; and with much zeal 
 and success charades and tableaux went on for some length 
 of time ; to the extreme amusement of Faith, who had never 
 seen any before. They did not divert her from watching 
 for the sound of Mr. Linden s return ; but it came not, and 
 Miss Essie expected and hoped aloud in vain. The hour 
 did come, and passed, at which such gatherings in Patta- 
 quasset were wont to break up. That was not very late to 
 be sure. The Stoutenburghs, and the De Staffs, and finally 
 Mr. and Mrs. Somers, went off in turn; and Faith was left 
 alone to wait; for she had refused all offers of being set 
 down by her various friends. 
 
 It happened that Mr. Linden had been, by no harmful 
 accident but simply by the uutowardness of things, delayed 
 beyond his time ; and then having a good distance to drive, 
 it was some while after the last visiters had departed when 
 he once more reined up Jerry at the door. No servant 
 came to take him, and Mr. Linden applied himself to the 
 bell-handle. But there seemed a spell upon the house or 
 else the inmates were asleep for ring as he would, no one 
 came. 
 
 To fasten Jerry and let himself in were the next steps 
 neither of which took long. But in the drawing-room, to 
 which he had been ushered in the beginning of the evening, 
 there was now no one. The lights and the fires and the 
 empty chairs were there ; that was all. Mr. Linden knew 
 the house well enough to know where next to look; he 
 crossed the hall to a room at the other side, which was the 
 one most commonly used by the family, and from which a 
 passage led to the library. No one was here, and the room 
 was in a strange state of confusion. Before he had well 
 time to remark upon it, Faith came in from the passage 
 bearing a heavy marble bust in her arms. The colour 
 sprang to her cheeks; she set down Prince Talleyrand 
 
 VOL. ii. 2 
 
14 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 quickly and came towards Mr. Linden, saying, "There s firo 
 in the library." 
 
 "My dear child!" he said softly, "what is the matter? 
 What are you about ?" 
 
 "Why there is fire in the library it s all on fire, or soon 
 will be," she said hurriedly, "and we are bringing the things 
 out. The fire can t get in here its a fireproof building 
 only the inside will all burn up. The servants are carrying 
 water to the roof of the house, lest that should catch. I 
 am so glad to see you I" 
 
 And Miss Sophy and the doctor came in, carrying one a 
 picture, the other an armful of books. Faith ran back 
 through the passage. But before she could set her foot 
 inside the library, Mr. Linden s hand was on her shoulder, 
 and he stepped before her and took the survey of the room 
 in one glance. 
 
 Its condition was sufficiently unpromising. The fire had 
 kindled in a heap of combustible trumpery brought there 
 for the tableaux. It had got far beyond management be 
 fore any one discovered it; and now was making fast work 
 in that corner of the room and creeping with no slow pro 
 gress along the cornices of the bookshelves. Short time 
 evidently there was for the family to remove their treasures 
 from its destructive sweep. One corner of the room was 
 in a light blaze; one or two lamps mockingly joined their 
 light to the glare; the smoke was curling in grey wreaths 
 and clouds over and around almost everything. Here an 
 exquisite bust of Proserpine looked forlornly through it; 
 and there a noble painting of Alston s shewed in richer 
 lights than ever before, its harmony of colouring. The ser 
 vants were, as Faith had said, engaged in endeavouring to 
 keep the roof of the house from catching; only one old 
 black retainer of the family, too infirm for that service, was 
 helping them in the labour of rescuing books and treasures 
 of art from the tire, which must take its way within the 
 library. The wall it could not pass, that being, as Faith 
 had also said, proof against it. 
 
 "Stay where you are," Mr. Linden said, "and I will 
 hand things to you" adding under his breath, "if you 
 love me, Faith !" And passing into the room he snatched 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 15 
 
 Proserpine from her smoky berth and gave her to the old 
 servant, handing Faith a light picture. 
 
 "Don t let your sister come in here, Harrison," he said, 
 springing up the steps to the upper shelves of the bookcase 
 nearest the fire " and don t let everybody do everything, 
 keep half in the passage and half here." 
 
 "Yes, Sophy," said the doctor, "that is much better 
 "don t you come in here, nor Miss Faith. And don t work 
 too hard," he said gently to the latter as she came back 
 after bestowing the picture. "I won t ask you not to work 
 at all, for I know it would be of no use." 
 
 "Just work like monkeys," Mr. Linden said from his 
 high post, which was a rather invisible one. "Reuben! 
 I am glad of your help." 
 
 " Reuben !" exclaimed Faith joyously. " How good that 
 is. Give me those books, Reuben." 
 
 And after that the work went on steadily, with few words. 
 It was, too smoky an atmosphere to speak much in; and the 
 utmost exertions on the part of every one of the workers 
 left no strength nor time for it. "Like monkeys" they 
 worked the gentlemen handing things out of the smoke 
 to the willing fingers and light feet that made quick dispo 
 sition of them. Quick it had need to be, for the fire was 
 not waiting for them. And in an incredibly short time 
 incredible save to those who have seen the experiment 
 tried, books and engravings were emptied from shelf after 
 shelf compartment after compartment and lodged within 
 the house. Not a spare inch of space not a spare second 
 of time, it seemed, was gone over; and the treasures of the 
 library were in quick process of shifting from one place to 
 another. It was rather a weary part Faith had to play, 
 to stop short at the doorway and see the struggle with 
 smoke and fire that was going on inside ; and an anxious 
 eye and trembling heart followed the movements of one of 
 the workers there whenever she returned to her post of 
 waiting. She would rather have been amid the smoke and 
 the fire too, than to stand off looking on ; but she did what 
 she was desired and more than she was desired ; for she 
 said not a word, like a wise child. Only did her work with 
 no delay and came back again. Two excellent workers 
 
16 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 were the doctor and Mr. Linden ; Reuben was a capital 
 seconder ; and no better runners than the two ladies need 
 have been found ; while the old Judge and his old serving 
 man did what they could. There was every appearance 
 that their efforts would be successful ; the fire was to be 
 sure, greatly increased and fast spreading, but so also the 
 precious things that it endangered were already in great 
 measure secured. Probably very little would have been 
 lost to be regretted, if the workers had not suffered a slight 
 interruption. 
 
 Mr. Linden was in the middle of the room unlocking the 
 drawers of the library table, which was too large to be re 
 moved. Old Nero, the black man, had taken one of the 
 lamps which yet remained burning, a large heavy one, to 
 carry away. He was just opposite the table, when a stone bust 
 of some weight, which had stood above the bookcases, de 
 tached by the failure of its supports, came down along with 
 some spars of the burning wood and fell against a rich 
 screen just on the other side of Nero. The screen was 
 thrown over on him ; he struggled an instant to right him 
 self and it, holding his lamp off at an awful angle towards 
 Mr. Linden ; then, nqbody could tell how it was, Nero had 
 saved himself and struggled out from the falling screen and 
 burning wood, and Faith and the lamp lay under it, just at 
 Mr. Linden s feet. Yet hardly under it so instantly was 
 it thrown off. The lamp was not broken, which was a 
 wonder ; but Faith was stunned, and the burning wood had 
 touched her brow and singed a lock of hair. 
 
 In such a time of confusion all sorts of things come and 
 go, unseen but by the immediate actors. Dr. Harrison 
 and Reuben were intent upon a heavy picture ; the Judge 
 and his daughter were in the other room. And Faith was 
 lifted up and borne swiftly along to the drawing-room sofa, 
 and there was cold water already on her brow, before the 
 others reached her. She was only a little stunned and had 
 opened her eyes when they came up. They came round 
 her, all the gang of workers, like a swarm of bees, and with 
 as many questions and inquiries. Faith smiled at them all, 
 and begged they would go back and finish what they were 
 doing. 
 
 "I ll stay here a little while," she said; "my fall didn t 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 17 
 
 hurt me a bit, to speak of. Do go I don t anybody wait 
 for me." 
 
 There seemed nothing else to be done ; she would own 
 to wanting nothing; and her urgency at length prevailed 
 with them, however reluctantly, to leave her and go back 
 to the library. But Mr. Linden stood still as the othetc 
 moved off. 
 
 " Where are you hurt ?" he said in a low voice. 
 
 "I suppose the fall bruised me a little bit. It didn t do 
 me any real harm. Don t wait here for me." 
 
 " Where?" Mr. Linden said. 
 
 "Where it bruised me? A little on my head and 
 elbow and side ; altogether nothing I" 
 
 He sat down by her, passing his hand softly over the 
 scorched hair; then said, "Let me see your arm." 
 
 "Oh no! that s not necessary. I said I was bruised, 
 out it isn t much." 
 
 "Faith, you have not told me the whole." 
 
 Her eye shrank from his instantly, and her colour flitted 
 from red to pale. 
 
 " There is nothing more I need tell you. They will all 
 be back here or some of them if you stay. I ll tell you 
 anything you please to morrow," she added with a smile. 
 But he only repeated, "Tell me now I have aright to 
 know." 
 
 Her lip took its childish look, but her eye met him now. 
 "Don t look so 1" she said, "as if there was any reason for 
 it. I think some of the fluid from that lamp ran down on 
 my arm and it smarts. Don t stay here to look grave 
 about me ! it isn t necessary." 
 
 He bent his head and gave her one answer to all that 
 then sprang up and went for Dr. Harrison. Faith tried to 
 hinder him, in vain. 
 
 There was little now to detain anybody in the library, 
 he found, and a good deal to drive everybody out of it. 
 The fire had seemed to take advantage of its unwatched 
 opportunity and had put it pretty well out of any one s 
 power to rescue much more from its rapacity. Reuben 
 and Dr. Harrison were carrying out the drawers of the 
 table, which Mr. Linden had been unlocking; and the 
 doctor dropped the one he held the instant he caught the 
 
 2* 
 
13 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 sense of Mr. Linden s words. He went through the other 
 way, summoning his sister. 
 
 7aith was lying very quietly and smiled at them, but her 
 colour went and came with odd suddenness. She would 
 not after all let the doctor touch her; but rising from 
 the sofa said she would go up stairs and let Sophy see 
 what was wanting. The three went up, and Mr. Linden 
 was left alone. 
 
 He stood still for a moment where they left him, resting 
 his face upon his hand, but then he Went back to the burn 
 ing room ; and stationing himself at the doorway, bade all 
 the rest keep back, and those that could to bring him water. 
 Reuben sprang to this work as he had done to the other ; 
 some of the servants had come down by this time ; and Mr. 
 Linden stood there, dashing the water about the doorway 
 and into the room, upon the floor, the great table, and such 
 of the bookcases as he could come near. The effect was 
 soon evident. The blazing bits of carved moulding as they 
 fell to the floor, went out instead of getting help to burn ; 
 and the heavier shelves and wainscot which being of hard 
 wood burned slowly, began to give out steam as well as 
 smoke. The door and doorway were now perfectly safe 
 the fire hardly could spread into the passage, a danger 
 which had been imminent when Mr. Linden came, but 
 which the family seemed to have forgotten ; secjire in their 
 fireproof walls, they forgot the un-fireproof floor, nor seemed 
 to remember how ifar along the passage the cinders might 
 drift. When there was really nothing more for him to do, 
 and he had given the servants very special instructions as 
 to the watch they should keep, then and not till then did 
 Mr. Linden return to the parlour ; the glow of his severe 
 exercise fading away. 
 
 He found the Judge there, who engaged him in not too 
 welcome conversation ; but there was no help for it. He 
 must hear and answer the old gentleman s thanks for his 
 great services that night praises of his conduct and of 
 Faith s conduct ; speculations and questions concerning the 
 evening s disaster. After a time that seemed tedious, 
 though it was not really very long, Miss Harrison came 
 down. 
 
 " She ll be better directly," she said. "Do sit dowu, Mr 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 19 
 
 Linden! I have ordered some refreshments you must 
 want them, I should think ; and you ll have to wait a little 
 while, for Faith says she will go home with you ; though 
 I am sure she ought not, and Julius says she must not 
 stir." 
 
 Mr. Linden bowed slightly answering in the most com 
 monplace way that he was in no hurry and in no need of 
 refreshments ; and probably he felt also in no need of rest 
 for he remained standing. 
 
 "How is she, dear? how is she?" said the Judge. "Is 
 she much hurt ?" 
 
 "Just now," said Miss Harrison, "she is in such pain 
 that she cannot move but we have put something on 
 that will take away the pain, Julius says, in fifteen min- 
 ntes; and she will be quite well this time to-morrow, he 
 says." 
 
 "But is she much hurt?" Judge Harrison repeated with 
 a very concerned face. 
 
 " She ll be well to-morrow, father ; but she was dread 
 fully burned her arm and shoulder I thought she would 
 have fainted upstairs but I don t know whether people 
 can faint when they are in such pain. I don t see how she 
 can bear her dress to go home, but she says she will ; Mrs. 
 Derrick would be frightened. Mr. Linden, they say every 
 body does what you tell them I wish you d persuade 
 Faith to stay with me to-night! She won t hear me." 
 
 "How soon can I see her?" The voice made Miss 
 Harrison look but her eyes said her ears had made a mis 
 take. 
 
 "Why she said she would come down stairs presently 
 as soon as the pain went off enough to let her do anything 
 and she wanted me to tell you so ; but I am sure it s 
 very wrong. Do, Mr. Linden, take something!" (the 
 servant had brought in a tray of meats and wine) " While 
 you re waiting, you may as well rest yourself. How shall 
 we ever thank you for what you ve done to-night !" 
 
 Miss Harrison spoke under some degree of agitation, but 
 both she and her father failed in no kind or grateful shew 
 of feeling towards their guest. 
 
 "How did it happen, Mr. Linden?" she said when she 
 had done in this kind all she <*ould. 
 
20 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 He said he had not seen the accident only its results. 
 
 "I can t imagine how Faith got there," said Miss Har 
 rison. " She saw the screen coming over on Nero, I sup 
 pose, and thought she could save the lamp she made one 
 spring from the doorway, he says, to where he stood. And 
 in putting up her hand to the lamp, I suppose that horrid 
 fluid ran down her arm and on her shoulder when Nero 
 put out the lamp he must have loosened the fastening ; it 
 went all over her shoulder. But she ll be well to-morrow 
 night, Julius says." 
 
 "Who s with her now, my dear?" said the Judge. 
 
 " Julius is with her he said he d stay with her till I 
 came back she wanted Mr. Linden to know she would go 
 home with him. Now, Mr. Linden, won t you send her 
 word back that you ll take care of Mrs. Derrick if she ll 
 stay ?" 
 
 "I will go up and see her, Miss Harrison." 
 
 That was anticipated however, by the entrance of the 
 doctor; who told his sister Miss Derrick wanted her help, 
 then came gravely to the table, poured out a glass of wine 
 and drank it. His father asked questions, which he an 
 swered briefly. Miss Derrick felt better she was going to 
 get up and come down stairs. 
 
 "But ought she to be suffered to go out to-night, Julius ? 
 such a night ?" 
 
 " Certainly not !" 
 
 The Judge argued the objections to her going. The 
 doctor made no answer. He walked up and down the 
 room, and Mr. Linden stood still. Ten or fifteen minutes 
 passed; and then the door opened softly and Faith, all 
 dressed, cloaked, and furred, came in with her hood, fol 
 lowed by her friend. Miss Sophy looked very ill satisfied. 
 Faith s face was pale enough, but as serenely happy as 
 release from pain can leave a face that has no care behind. 
 A white embodiment of purity and gentleness she looked 
 The doctor was at her side instantly, asking questions. 
 Mr. Linden did not interrupt him, he had met her almost 
 before the doctor, and taken her hand with a quietness 
 through which Faith could perceive the stir of feeliags 
 that might have swept those of all the others out into the 
 snow. But he held her hand silently until other people 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 2 1 
 
 had done their questions then simply asked if she waa 
 quite sure she was fit to ride home? Then, with that 
 passing of the barrier, look and voice did change a little. 
 
 - "I mean to go," she said without looking at him, "if 
 you ll please to take me." 
 
 " She ought not, I am sure she ought not I" exclaimed 
 Miss Harrison in much vexation. "She is just able to 
 stand." 
 
 "You know," Mr. Linden said, not at all as if he was 
 urging her, but merely, making a statement he thought best 
 to make; "I could even bring your mother here, in a very 
 short time, if you wished it." 
 
 "01 don t wish it. I can go home very well now." 
 
 He gave her his arm without more words. Miss Harri 
 son and the Judge followed regretfully to the door; the 
 doctor to the sleigh. 
 
 "Are you well wrapped up ?" he asked. 
 
 "I have got all my own and all Sophy s furs," said Faith 
 in a glad tone of voice. 
 
 "Take care of yourself," he said; "and Mr. Linden, 
 you must take care of her which is more to the purpose. 
 If / had it to do, this ride would not be taken. Linden 
 I ll thank you another time." 
 
 They drove off. But as soon as they were a few steps 
 from the house, Mr. Linden put his arm about Faith and 
 held her so that she could lean against him and rest ; giv 
 ing her complete support, and muffling up the furs about 
 her lightly and effectually, till it was hardly possible for the 
 cold air to win through ; and so drove her home. Not 
 with many words, with only a whispered question now 
 and then, whether she was cold, or wanted any change of 
 posture. The wind had lulled, and it was much milder, 
 and the snow was beginning to fall softly and fast; Faith 
 could feel the snow crystals on his face whenever it touched 
 hers. Mr. Linden would have perhaps chosen to drive 
 gently, as beiog easier for her, but the thick air made it 
 needful. Once only he asked any other question. 
 
 " Faith is my care of you in fault, that it lets you come 
 home ?" 
 
 "No, I think not," she said; "you hold me just so 
 nicely as it is possible to be 1 and this snow-storm is beau- 
 
22 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 tiful." Which answer, though she might not know it, tes 
 tified to her need of precisely the care he was giving her. 
 
 "Are you suffering much now, dear child ?" 
 
 "Not at all. I am only enjoying. I like being out 
 in such a storm as this. Only I am afraid mother is 
 troubled " 
 
 "No I sent Reuben down some time ago, to answer 
 her questions if she was up, and to have a good fire ready 
 for you." 
 
 " that s good I" she said. And then rested, in how 
 luxurious a rest! after exertion, and after anxiety, and 
 after pain ; so cared for and guarded. She could almost 
 have gone to sleep to the tinkle of Jerry s bells ; only that 
 her spirit was too wide awake for that and the pleasure of 
 the time too good to be lost. She had not all the pleasure 
 to herself Faith could feel that, every time Mr. Linden 
 spoke or touched her; but what a different atmosphere his 
 mind was in, from her quiet rest ! Pain had quitted her, 
 but not him, though the kinds were different. Truly he 
 would have borne any amount of physical pain himself, to 
 cancel that which she had suffered, there were some 
 minutes of the ride when he would have borne it, only to 
 lose the thought of that. But Faith knew nothing of it 
 all, except as she could feel once or twice a deep breath 
 that was checked and hushed, and turned into some sweet 
 low-spoken word to her ; and her rest was very deep. So 
 deep, that the stopping of the sleigh at last, was an inter 
 ruption. 
 
 The moment Jerry s bells rang their little summons at 
 the door, the door itself opened, and from the glimmering 
 light Reuben ran out to take the reins. 
 
 " Is Mrs. Derrick up ?" Mr. Linden asked, when the first 
 inquiry about Faith had been answered. 
 
 " I don t know, sir. I told her you wore afraid Miss 
 Faith would take cold without a fire in her room and she 
 let me take up wood and make it; and then she said she 
 wasn t sleepy, and she d take care it didn t go out. I 
 haven t seen her since." 
 
 "Thank you, Reuben now hold Jerry for me, I shall 
 keep you here to-night," Mr. Linden said as he stepped 
 out. And laying his hand upon the furs and wrappers, he 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 23 
 
 said softly, "Little Esquimaux do you think you can 
 walk to the house ?" 
 
 "0 yes! certainly." 
 
 A little bit of a laugh answered her the first she had 
 heard since Campaspe ; and then she was softly lifted up, 
 and borne into the house over the new-fallen snow as 
 lightly as if she had been a snowflake herself. The snow 
 might lay its white feathers upon her hood, but Faith felt 
 as if she were in a cradle instead of a snow-storm. She 
 was placed in the easy chair before the sitting-room fire, 
 and her hood and furs quickly taken off. " How do you 
 feel ?" Mr. Linden asked her. 
 
 She looked like one of the flakes of snow herself, for 
 simplicity and colour; but there was a smile in her eyes 
 and lips that had come from a climate where roses blow. 
 
 " I feel nicely. Only a little bruised and battered feel 
 ing, which isn t unpleasant." 
 
 "Will you have anything? a cup of tea? that might* 
 do you good." 
 
 Faith looked dubious at the cup of tea ; but then rose 
 up and said it would disturb her mother, and she would 
 just go and sleep. 
 
 "It won t disturb her a bit," Mr. Linden said, reseating 
 her, -"sit still I ll send Reuben up to see." 
 
 He left her there a very few minutes, apparently attend 
 ing to more than one thing, for he came back through the 
 eating-room door; bringing word to Faith that her fire 
 and room were in nice order, and her mother fast asleep 
 there in the rocking-chair to keep guard; and that she 
 should have a cup of tea in no time. And with a smile at 
 her, he went back into the eating-room, and brought thence 
 her cup and plate, and requested to be told just how the 
 tea should be made to please her, and whether he might 
 invade the dairy for cream. 
 
 " If I could put this cloak over my shoulders, I would 
 get some myself. Will you put it on for me ? please. Is 
 there fire in the kitchen? I ll go and make the tea." 
 
 "Is there nothing else you would like to do?" he said 
 standing before her, "you shall not stir! Do you think 
 I don t know cream when I see it?" and he went off 
 again, coming back this time in company with Reuben and 
 
24 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 the tea-kettle, but the former did not stay. Then with ap 
 peals to her for directions the tea was made and poured 
 out, and toast made and laid on her plate ; but she was not 
 allowed to raise a finger, except now to handle her cup. 
 
 "It s very good !" said Faith, "but don t you remem 
 ber you once told me two cups of cocoa were better than 
 one ?" 
 
 It is to be noted in passing, that all Faith s nameless 
 addresses were made with a certain gentle, modulated ac 
 cent, which invariably implied in its half timid respect the 
 Mr. Linden which she rarely forgot now she was not to 
 say. 
 
 "Dear child ! I do indeed," he said, as if the remembrance 
 wore a bright one. "But I remember too that my opinion 
 was negatived. Faith, I used to wish then that I could 
 wait upon you bat. I would rather have you wait upon 
 me, after all !" 
 
 Faith utterly disallowed the tone of these last words, 
 and urged her request in great earnest. He laughed at 
 her a little but brought the cup and drank the tea, cer 
 tainly more to please her than himself; watching her the 
 while, to see if the refreshment were telling upon her 
 cheeks. She was very- little satisfied with his perform 
 ance. 
 
 "Now I ll go and wake up mother," she said at last 
 rising. "Don t think of this evening again but to be glad 
 of everything that has happened. I am." 
 
 "I fear, I fear," he said looking at her, "that your glad 
 ness and my sorrow meet on common ground. Child, what 
 shall I do with you ?" but what he did with her then was 
 to put her in that same cradle and carry her softly upstairs, 
 to the very door of her room. 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 f TTHE same soft sriow-storra was coming down when Faith 
 JL opened her eyes next morning; the air looked like a 
 white sheet; but in her room a bright fire was blazing, 
 reddening the white walls, and by her side sat Mrs. Derrick 
 watching her. Very gentle and tender were the hands 
 that helped her dress, and then Mrs. Derrick said she would 
 go down and see to breakfast for a little while. 
 
 "Wasn t it good your room was warm last night?" she 
 said, stroking Faith s hair. 
 
 Faith s eyes acknowledged that. 
 
 "And wasn t it good you were asleep !" she said laugh 
 ing and kissing Mrs. Derrick. " Mother ! I was so 
 glad!" 
 
 "That s the funny part of it," said Mrs. Derrick. 
 "Reuben s just about as queer in his way as Mr. Linden. 
 The only thing I thought from the way he gave the mes 
 sage, was that somebody cared a good deal about his new 
 possession which I suppose is true," she added smiling; 
 "and so I just went to sleep." 
 
 Mrs. Derrick went down; and Faith knelt on the rug 
 before the fire and bent her heart and head over her bible. 
 In great happiness ; in great endeavour that her happiness 
 should stand well based on its true foundations and not 
 shift from them to any other. In sober endeavour to lay 
 hold, and feel that she had hold, of the happiness that can 
 not be taken away; to make sure that her feet were on a 
 rock, before she stooped to take the sweetness of the 
 flowers around her. And to judge by her face, she had 
 felt the rock and the flowers both, before she left her 
 room. 
 
 The moment she opened her door and went out into the 
 hall, Mr. Linden opened his, or rather it was already 
 open, and he came out, meeting her at the head of the 
 stairs. And after his first greeting, he held her still and 
 lo jkcd at her for a moment a little anxiously and intently. 
 
26 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "My poor, pale little child!" he said "you are nothing 
 but a snowdrop this morning !" 
 
 "Well that is a very good thing to be," said Faith 
 brightly. But the colour resemblance he had destroyed. 
 
 She was lifted and carried down just as she had been 
 carried up last night, and into the sitting-room again; for 
 breakfast was prepared there this morning, and the sofa 
 wheeled round to the side of the fire all ready for her. 
 How bright the room looked ! its red curtains within and 
 its white curtains without, and everything so noiseless and 
 sweet and in order. Even the coffeepot was there by this 
 time, and Mrs. Derrick arranged the cups and looked at 
 Faith on the sofa, with eyes that lost no gladness when 
 they went from her to the person who stood at her side. 
 Faith s eyes fell, and for a moment she was very sober. It 
 was only for a moment. 
 
 "What a beautiful storm!" she said. "I am glad it 
 snows. I am going to do a great deal of work to-day." 
 
 Mr. Linden looked at her. " Wouldn t you just as lieve 
 be talked to sleep? 1 
 
 She smiled. "You couldn t do that, Mr. Linden." 
 
 " Mr. Linden can do more than you think and will," he 
 said with a little comic raising of the eyebrows. 
 
 For a while after breakfast Faith sat alone, except 
 as her mother came in and out to see that she wanted 
 nothing, alone in the soft snowy stillness, till Mr. Linden 
 came in from the postoffice and sat down by her, laying 
 against her cheek a soft little bunch of rosebuds and 
 violets. 
 
 "Faith," he said, "you have been looking sober what 
 is the reason ?" 
 
 "I haven t been looking too sober, have I? I didn t 
 know I was looking sober at all." 
 
 She was looking quaint, and lovely ; in the plain wrap 
 per she had put on and the soft thoughtful air and 
 mien, in contrast with which the diamonds jumped and 
 flashed with every motion of her hand. A study book lay 
 in her lap. 
 
 " How did all that happen last night?" said Mr. Linden 
 abruptly. 
 
 "Why " said Faith colouring and looking down at her 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 27 
 
 "I was standing in the doorway and Nero was 
 coming out with that great lamp ; and when he got oppo 
 site the screen something fell on it, I believe, from the 
 burning bookcases, and it was thrown over against him I 
 thought the lamp and he would all go over together and 
 I jumped ; and in putting up my hand to the lamp I sup 
 pose, for I don t remember, the fluid must have run down 
 my arm and on my shoulder I don t know how it got on 
 fire, but it must have been from some of the burning wood 
 that fell. The next I knew, you were carrying me to the 
 drawing-room I have a recollection of that." 
 
 He listened with very grave eyes. 
 
 "Were you trying to take the lamp from Nero ?" 
 
 "0 no. I thought it was going to fall over." 
 
 " What harm would it have done the floor ?" 
 
 The tinge of colour on Faith s cheek deepened consider 
 ably, and her eyes lifted not themselves from the diamonds. 
 She was not ready to speak. 
 
 "I did not think of the floor" 
 
 "Of what then?" 
 
 She waited again. "I was afraid some harm would be 
 do lie," 
 
 "Did you prevent it?" 
 
 "I don t know" she said rather faintly. 
 
 Gently Her head was drawn down till it rested on his 
 shoulder. 
 
 " Faith," he said in his own low sweet tones, " I stretched 
 a little silken thread across the doorway to keep you out 
 did you make of that a clue to find your way in ?" 
 
 She did not answer nor stir. 
 
 There were no more questions asked no more words 
 said ; Mr. Linden was as silent as she and almost as still. 
 Once or twice his lips touched her forehead, not just as 
 they had ever done it before, Faith thought; but some 
 little time had passed, when he suddenly took up the book 
 which lay in her lap and began the lesson at which it lay 
 open; reading and explaining in a very gentle, steady 
 voice, a little moved from its usual clearness. Still his 
 arm did not release her. Faith listened, with a semi- 
 divided mind, for some time; there was something in this 
 
28 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 state of things that she wished to mend. It came at lajt, 
 when there was a pause in the lesson. 
 
 "I am glad of all that happened last night," she said, 
 except the pain to you and mother. There is nothing to 
 be sorry for. You shouldn t be sorry." 
 
 "Why not, little naughty child? and why are you 
 glad ?" 
 
 "Because it was good for me," she said, not very 
 readily nor explicitly. 
 
 " In what way ?" 
 
 "It was good for rae,"-=-she repeated; "it put me in 
 mind of some things." 
 
 " Of what, dear child ?" 
 
 It was a question evidently Faith would rather not have 
 answered. She spoke with some difficulty. 
 
 "That there are such things in the world as pain and 
 trouble. It is best not to forget it." 
 
 Mr. Linden understood and felt; but he only answered, 
 " It will be the business of ray life to make you forget it. 
 Now don t you think you ought to put up this book, and 
 rest or sleep ?" 
 
 "I dare say you ought," said Faith, "and I wish you 
 would. / want to work." 
 
 He gave her a laugh, by way of reply, and then gave 
 her work as she desired; watching carefully against her 
 tiring herself in any way, and making the lessons more of 
 talk on his part and less of study on hers. They were 
 none the less good for that, nor any the less pleasant. Till 
 there came a knock at the front door ; and then with a littlu 
 sigh Faith leaned back against the sofa, as if lessons were 
 done. 
 
 "There is Dr. Harrison." 
 
 "And I shall have to be on my good behaviour," Mr. 
 Linden said, quitting the sofa. "But I suppose he will 
 not stay all the rest of the day." And as Cindy was slow 
 in her movements, he went and opened the door ; Faith the 
 while fitting on a glove finger. 
 
 "First in one element, and then in another " Mr. 
 Linden said, as the doctor came in from a sort of simoon 
 of snow. 
 
 "This one for me I" said Dr. Harrison shaking hhr 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 09 
 
 self; "but I should say you must be ou.t of your element 
 today." 
 
 "Wherefore, if you please?" said Mr. Linden, as he 
 endeavoured to get the doctor out of his. 
 
 "Unless you live in a variety! I thought you were in 
 your element last night." And the doctor went forward 
 into the sitting-room. The first move was to take a seat 
 by Faith and attend to her; and his address and his in 
 quiries, with the manner of them, were perfect in their kind. 
 Interested, concerned, tender, grateful, to the utmost limit 
 of what might have been in the circumstances testified by 
 anybody, with equal grace and skill they were limited there. 
 Of special individual interest he allowed no testimony to 
 escape him none at least that was unequivocal. And 
 Faith gave him answers to all he said, till he touched her 
 gloved finger and inquired if the fire had been at work 
 there too. Faith rather hastily drew it under cover and 
 said no. 
 
 "What is the matter with it?" 
 
 "There is nothing bad the matter with it," said Faith, 
 very imprudently letting her cheeks get rosy. The doctor 
 looked at her told her he could cure her finger if she 
 would let him; and then rose up and assumed his position 
 before the fire, looking down at Mr. Linden. 
 
 "There isn t much of a midge about you, after all," he 
 said. 
 
 " I suppose in the matter of wings we are about on a 
 par. What is\he extent of the damage?" 
 
 "It is nothing worth speaking of I think now," said 
 the doctor. "But we are under an extent of obligation to 
 you, my dear fellow, which sits on me as lightly as obli 
 gation so generously imposed should; and yet I should 
 be doubly grateful if you could shew me some way in which 
 I could for a moment reverse the terms on which we 
 stand towards each other." 
 
 " I don t think of any generous imposition just now," 
 said Mr. Linden smiling. " How are your father and 
 sister? I was afraid they would suffer from the fright, if 
 nothing else." 
 
 " Strong nerves !" said the doctor shrugging his shoulders. 
 We all eat our breakfast this morning, and wanted the 
 
 3* 
 
30 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 chops done as much as usual. Sophy did suffer, though ; 
 but it was because Miss Faith would do nothing but get 
 hurt in the house and wouldn t stay to be made well." 
 
 "I am sure I did something more than that," said Faith, 
 to whom the doctor had looked. 
 
 "You don t deserve any thanks!" he said sitting down 
 again beside her; "but there is somebody else that does, 
 and I wish you would give me a hint how to pay them. 
 That young fellow who says he is no friend of yours he 
 helped us bravely last night. What can I do to please 
 him?" 
 
 "Mr. Linden can tell best," said Faith looking to him. 
 The doctor turned in the same direction. 
 
 "Thank you!" Mr. Linden said, and the words were 
 warmly spoken, yet not immediately followed up. "Thank 
 you very much, doctor!" he repeated thoughtfully "I am 
 not sure that Reuben wants anything just now, next sum 
 mer, perhaps, he may want books." 
 
 " I see you are his friend ?" 
 
 "Yes if you give the word its full length and 
 breadth." 
 
 "What is that?" said Dr. Harrison. "Don t go off to 
 Nought and All. " 
 
 "I suppose in this case I may say, a mutual bond of 
 trust, affection, and active good wishes." 
 
 "There s something in that fellow, I judge?" 
 
 "You judge right." / 
 
 "A fisherman s son, I think you said. Well I share 
 thv* active good wishes, at least, if I can t assume the 
 affection so think about my question, Linden, and I ll 
 promise to back your thoughts. What do you do with 
 yourself such a day ? I was overcome with ennui till I 
 got out into the elements." 
 
 Ennui is not one of my friends," said Mr. Linden 
 smiling "not even an acquaintance. In fact I never 
 even set a chair for him, as the woman in Elia set a chair 
 for the poor relation, saying, perhaps he will step in to 
 day . I have been busy, doctor what shall I do to amuse 
 you? will you have a foreign newspaper?" 
 
 The doctor looked dubious; then took the newspaper 
 
SAY AND SEAL, 31 
 
 and turned it over, but not as if he had got rid of his 
 ennui. 
 
 "This smoke in the house will drive us out of Patta- 
 quasset a little sooner than we expected." 
 
 "Not this winter?" 
 
 "Yes. That s nothing new but we shall go a few 
 days earlier than we meant. I wish you were going 
 too." 
 
 "When to return?" said Mr. Linden. "I mean you 
 not myself." 
 
 "I? I am a wandering comet," said the doctor. "I 
 have astonished Pattaquasset so long, it is time for me to 
 flare up in some other place. I don t know, Linden. 
 Somebody must be here occasionally, to overlook the re 
 fitting of the inside of that library perhaps that agreea 
 ble duty will fall on me. But Linden," said the doctor 
 dropping the newspaper and turning half round on his 
 chair, speaking gracefully and comically, "you astonish 
 Pattaquasset as much as I do : and to tell you the truth 
 you astonish me sometimes a little. This is no place for 
 you. Wouldn t you prefer a tutorship at Quilipeak, or a 
 professor s chair in one of the city colleges ? You may 
 step into either berth presently, and at your pleasure, I 
 know. I do not speak without knowledge." 
 
 There was a stir of feeling in Mr. Linden s face there 
 was even an unwonted tinge of colour, but the firm-set lips 
 gave no indication as to whence it came ; and he presently 
 looked up, answering the doctor in tones as graceful and 
 more simple than his own. 
 
 "Thank you, doctor, once more! But I have full em 
 ployment, and am or am not ambitious, whichever way 
 you choose to render it. Not to speak of the pleasure of 
 astonishing Pattaquasset," he added, with a smile breaking 
 out, "I could not hope to do that for Quilipeak." 
 
 "Please know," said the doctor, both frankly and with 
 much respect in his manner, "that I have been so pre 
 sumptuous as to concern my mind about this for some time 
 . for which you will punish me as you think I deserve. 
 How to be so much further presumptuous as to speak to 
 you about it, was my trouble; and I ventured at last," he 
 said smiling, "upon my own certain possession of certain 
 
32 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 points of that friend character which you were giving 
 just now to Reuben Taylor or to yourself, in his re 
 gard." 
 
 "I am sure you have them! But about Reuben, 
 though I know reward is the last thing he thought of or 
 would wish, yet I, his friend, choose to answer for him, 
 that if you choose to give him any of the books that he 
 will need in college, they will be well bestowed." 
 
 "In college!" said the doctor. "Diable! Where is he 
 going?" 
 
 "Probably to Quilipeak." 
 
 "You said, to college, man. I mean, what is college 
 the road to, in the youngster s mind ?" 
 
 "I am not sure that I have a right to tell you," said Mr. 
 Linden, "it is in his mind a road to greater usefulness 
 so much I may say." 
 
 " He ll never be more useful than he was last night. 
 However, I m willing to help him try. What is Mign 
 onette going to do with herself this afternoon ?" said the 
 doctor throwing aside his newspaper and standing before 
 her. 
 
 "I don t know," said Faith. "Sit here and work, I 
 suppose." 
 
 "I ll tell you what she ought to do," the doctor went on 
 impressively. " She ought to do what the flowers do when 
 the sun goes down, shut up her sweetness to herself, see 
 and be seen by nobody, and cease to be conscious of her 
 own existence." 
 
 Faith laughed, in a way that gave doubtful promise of 
 following the directions. The doctor stood looking down 
 at her, took her hand and gallantly kissed it, and finally 
 took himself off. 
 
 " There is a good little trial of my patience !" Mr. Lin 
 den said. " I don t know but it is well he is going away, 
 for I might forget myself some time, and bid him hands 
 off." 
 
 At which Faith looked thoughtful. 
 
 " Faith," Mr. Linden said, gently raising her face, "would 
 you like to live at Quilipeak?" 
 
 The answer to that was a great rush of colour, and a 
 
SAf AND SEAL. 33 
 
 casting down of eyes and face too as soon as it was per 
 mitted. 
 
 "Well?" he said smiling though she felt some other 
 thread in the voice. " What did you think of the words 
 that passed between the doctor and me ? Would you like 
 to have me agree to his proposal ?" 
 
 "You would do what is best," she said with a good deal 
 of effort. "I couldn t wish anything else." 
 
 He answered her mutely at first, with a deep mingling 
 of gravity and affection, as if she were very, very precious. 
 
 "My dear little child!" he said, "if anything on earth 
 could make me do it, it would be you ! and yet I can 
 not." 
 
 She looked up inquiringly ; but except by that look, she 
 asked nothing. 
 
 "You strengthen my hands more than you weaken 
 them," he said. "I am so sure that you would feel with 
 me ! I know it so well I I have a long story to tell you, 
 dear Faith, some time, not now," he added, with a sort 
 of shadow coming over his face. "Will you let me choose 
 my own time? I know it is asking a good deal." 
 
 "It would be asking a great deal more of me to choose 
 any other," Faith said with a sunny smile. "I like that 
 time best." 
 
 He passed his hand softly once or twice across her fore 
 head, giving her a bright, grateful look, though a little bit 
 of a sigh came with it too, then drew her arm within his 
 and led her slowly up and down the room. 
 
 But after dinner, and after one or two more lessons 
 under careful guardianship, Faith was persuaded to lay 
 herself on the sofa and rest, and listen, first to various 
 bits of reading, then to talk about some of her photographic 
 pictures; the talk diverging right and left, into all sorts 
 of paths, fictional, historic, sacred and profane. Then the 
 light faded the out-of-door light, still amid falling snow; 
 and the firelight shone brighter and brighter; and Mrs. 
 Derrick stopped listening, and went to the dining-room 
 sofa for a nap. Then Mr. Linden, who had been sitting 
 at Faith s side, changed his place so as to face her. 
 
 "How do you feel to-night?" he asked. 
 
34 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "Perfectly well and as nicely as possible. Just enough 
 remains of last night to make it pleasant to lie still." 
 
 "You are a real little sunbeam ! Do you know I want 
 you to go off with me on a shining expedition ?" 
 
 " On what sort of expedition ?" said Faith laughing. 
 
 "A shining one I want to carry your bright face into 
 all the darkest places I can find." 
 
 There was an alternation of amusement and a grave ex 
 pression in her face for a minute, one and the other flitting 
 by turns; but then she said quietly, "When, Mr. Linden?" 
 
 " What shall I do with you ?" he said, "shall I call you 
 Miss Derrick ?" 
 
 " No indeed !" she said colouring. " I don t often forget 
 myself." 
 
 "No, I shall not do that, for it would punish myself too 
 much, but I shall do something else which will not punish 
 me at all, and may perhaps make you remember. What 
 do you suppose it will be ?" 
 
 " I don t know" she said flushing all over. 
 
 "Nothing worse than this" he said, bending his face to 
 hers. " Faith ! I did not mean to frighten you so ! I ll 
 tell you where I want to take you. You know Monday is 
 the first of January, and I want to go with you to those 
 houses in the neighbourhood where the wheels of the new 
 year drag a little, and try to give them a pleasant start. 
 Would you like it ?" 
 
 "0!" she said, springing forward with a delighted 
 exclamation. " Tell me, just what you mean. To which 
 houses ?" 
 
 "I mean that if you are well, we will have a long, long 
 sleigh ride, and leave as many little pieces of comfort and 
 pleasure by the way as we can. The houses, dear, will be 
 more than you think I must make out a list." 
 
 Faith clapped her hands. 
 
 "O delicious! That is the best thing we could possibly 
 do with Monday I and there are two days yet this week - 
 I shall have plenty of chance, mother and I, to make every 
 thing. O what sorts of things shall we take ? and what, 
 are some of the houses ? There is Mrs. Dow, where we 
 went that night," she said, her voice falling, "and Sally 
 Lowndes what places are you thinking off" 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 35 
 
 "I think we might give Reuben at least a visit, if notning 
 else, and there are a good many such houses down about 
 those points, and far on along the shore. I was thinking 
 most of them though there are some nearer by. But my 
 Mignonette must not tire herself, I did not mean to 
 bring anything but pleasure upon her hands." 
 
 "You can t ! in this way," said Faith in delighted eager 
 ness. "Who keeps house in Reuben s home? he has no 
 mother." 
 
 "No I suppose I may say that he keeps house, for 
 his father is away a great deal, and Reuben always seems 
 to be doing what there is to do. As to things you will 
 want some for well people, and some for sick, at some 
 houses the mere necessary bread and meat, and at others 
 any of those little extras which people who spend all their 
 money for bread and meat can never get. But little child," 
 Mr. Linden said smiling, "if I let you prepare, you must 
 let me send home." 
 
 "What?" said she. "I thought you said we would 
 both take them together?" 
 
 He laughed taking her hand and holding it in both his. 
 
 "And so we will ! I meant, send home here, to pre 
 pare." 
 
 "Oh! Well," said Faith, "but we have a great deal 
 now, you know; and I can send Mr. Skip to get more. 
 But one thing I know we will take Reuben a roast 
 turkey !" 
 
 I wonder if she could tell, in the firelight, with what 
 eyes he watched her and listened to her! Probably not, 
 for his back was towards the fire, and the changing light 
 and shade on his face was a little concealed. But the light 
 had the mastery 
 
 "Faith," he said, "I shall send you home some sugar 
 plums upon express condition that you are not to eat 
 them up; being quite sweet enough already." 
 
 His face was so hid that probably Faith thought her own 
 was hid too, and did not know how clearly its moved timid 
 changes were seen. She leaned forward, and touching one 
 hand lightly to his shoulder, said, 
 
 "What do you mean to make me, Endecott?" 
 
36 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 It was a thing to hear, the soft fall and hesitancy of 
 Faith s voice at the last word. Yet4hey hardly told of the 
 struggle it had cost. How the word thrilled him she did 
 not know, the persons living from whom he ever had that 
 name were now so few, that there was a strange mingling 
 with the exquisite pleasure of hearing it from her lips, a 
 mingling of past grief and of present healing. He changed 
 his place instantly; and taking possession of her, gave her 
 the most gentle, tender, and silent thanks. Perhaps too 
 much touched to speak perhaps feeling sure that if he 
 spoke at all it would be in just such words as she had so 
 gently reproved. The answer at last was only a bright, 
 "I told you I could not promise and I will not now !" 
 
 She pushed her head round a little so that she could 
 give a quick glance into his face, in which lay her answer. 
 Her words, when she spoke, made something of a transition, 
 which however was proved by the voice to be a transition 
 in words only. 
 
 "Wouldn t a bag of potatoes be a good thing for us to 
 take?" 
 
 "Certainly! and we must take some books, and some 
 orders for wood. And you must have a basket of trifles to 
 delight all the children we meet." 
 
 " That s easy ! And books, will you take ? that s de 
 licious! that s better than anything, for those who can 
 enjoy them. Do you think any of them want bibles?" 
 
 " We will take some, at a venture I never like to go 
 anywhere without that supply. And then we shall both 
 have to use our wits to find out just what is wanted in a 
 particular place, the people that tell you most have often 
 the least to tell. And above all, Faith, we shall want 
 plenty of sympathy and kind words and patience, they 
 are more called for than anything else. Do you think you 
 can conjure up a sufficient supply?" 
 
 "It is something I know so little about!" said Faith. 
 "I have never had very much chance. When I went to 
 see Mrs. Ousters I didn t in the least know how to speak 
 to her. But these people where we are going all know 
 you, I suppose?" she said with another and not a little 
 wistful look up into his face. 
 
 " Most of them more or less. What of it ?" 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 37 
 
 " That makes it easy," she said quietly. "But I suppose 
 it would be just the same if you didn t know them I About 
 the sick people, Endecott if you can tell us how they are 
 sick, mother and I between us can make out what things to 
 prepare for them." 
 
 " Did you think I was in earnest, dear Faith, when I 
 asked about your sympathy?" Mr. Linden said, drawing 
 her closer. 
 
 "No. I think I have the sympathy, but I don t so well 
 know how to shew it. Then loaves of bread, I suppose, 
 wouldn t come amiss ? And above all, meat. Where else 
 do you think a roast turkey ought to go ?" 
 
 "To one particular far-off house on the shore that is 
 brim full of little children and nothing else !" 
 
 "We ll take them a big one," said Faith smiling, "and 
 I suppose it is no matter how many cakes ! You ll have 
 to make a very particular list, with some notion of what 
 would be best at each place; because in some houses they 
 wouldn t bear what in others they would be very glad of. 
 Wouldn t that be good? So that we might be sure to 
 have the right thing everywhere one right thing, at any 
 rate. The other things might take their chance." 
 
 "Yes, I will do that. But you know the first thing is, 
 that you should get well, and the next that you should not 
 get tired, and these must be secured, if nobody ever has 
 anything." 
 
 Faith s laugh was joyous. 
 
 " To-morrow I mean to make cakes and pies," she said, 
 "and the next day I will bake bread and roast turkeys 
 and boil beef! And you have no idea wha! a quantity of 
 each will be wanted ! I think I never saw anybody so 
 good at talking people to sleep ! that didn t want to go. 
 Now what is that?" For the knocker of the front door 
 sounded loudly again. 
 
 "It is something to send people away that don t want 
 to go !" Mr. Linden said, as he put her back in her old 
 position on the cushions, and moved his chair to a respect 
 ful distance therefrom. But nothing worse canae in this 
 time than a note, well enveloped and sealed, which was for 
 Mr. Linden, it ran after this fashion. 
 
38 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "Tfi the snow yet and the chair 
 not only set for Ennui, but en 
 nui in the chair ! 
 
 "This 2Sth Dec. 18 
 
 " DEAR LINDEN, 
 
 You see my condition. I am desperate for want of 
 something to do so I send you this. Enclosed you will 
 please find if you haven t dropped it on the floor ! $25, 
 for the bibliothecal and collegiate expenses of Miss Der 
 rick s friend. If you should hereafter know him to be in 
 further want of the same kind of material aid and comfort 
 please convey intelligence of the same to myself or father. 
 He i.e. said friend saved to us last night far more than 
 the value of this. 
 
 - I am sorry I have no more to say! for your image 
 what else could it be? has for the moment frightened 
 Ennui into the shadow but he will come back again as 
 soon as I have sealed this. By which you will know when 
 you read the (then) present condition of 
 Your friend most truly 
 
 JULIUS HARRISON. 
 In Pattaquasset, is it ?" 
 
 Mr. Linden read the note by firelight and standing 
 then came and sat down by Faith and put it in her hands. 
 By firelight Faith read it hastily, and looked up with eyes 
 of great delight. "Oh ! "she said, "isn t that good !" 
 Then she looked down at the note soberly again. 
 
 "Well, little child? what?" he said smiling. "Yes, I 
 am very glad. What are you doubting about ?" 
 
 "I am not doubting about anything," she said giving 
 him the note, "only thinking of this strange man." 
 
 " Is he very strange ?" Mr. Linden said. But he did 
 not pursue the subject, going back instead, to the one they 
 had been upon, to give her the information she had asked 
 for about the sick people ihey were likely to meet in their 
 rounds; passing gradually from that to other matters, 
 thence into silence. And Faith followed him, step by step, 
 only when he was quite silent, she was asleep 1 
 
CHAPTER III. 
 
 ^TTHE next two days were busy ones, all round ; for though 
 JL Faith was carefully watched, by both her guardians, 
 yet she was really well and strong enough again to be 
 allowed to do a good deal ; especially with those intervals 
 of rest and study which Mr. Linden managed for he". His 
 work, between these intervals, took him often out of doors, 
 and various were the tokens of that work which came 
 home greatly to Faith s interest and amusement. They 
 were curiously indicative, too, both of the varied wants of 
 the poor people in the neighbourhood, and of his knowledge 
 on the subject. From a little pair of shoes which was to 
 accompany one roast turkey, to the particular sort of new 
 fishing net which was to go with the other, it really seemed 
 as if every sort of thing was wanted somewhere, simple 
 things, and easy to get, and not costing much, but price 
 less to people who had no money at all. Faith was ap 
 pointed receiver general, and her hands were full of amuse 
 ment as well as business. And those two things were the 
 most of all that Mr. Linden suffered to come upon them, 
 whatever his own means might be, it was no part of his 
 plan to trench upon Mrs. Derrick s; though she on her 
 part entered heart and hands into the work, with almost as 
 much delight as Faith herself, and would have given the 
 two carte-blanche to take anything she had in the house. 
 Faith didn t ask him what she should take there, nor let 
 him know much about it till Monday. By this time, what 
 with direct and indirect modes of getting at the knowledge, 
 Faith had become tolerably well acquainted with the class 
 or classes of wants that were to be ministered to. Many 
 were the ovenfuls that were baked that Friday and Satur 
 day ! great service did the great pot that was used for 
 boiling great joints ! nice and comforting were the broths 
 and more delicate things provided, with in (mite care, for 
 some four or five sick or infirm people. But Faith s delight 
 was the things Mr. Linden sent home; every fresh arrival 
 
 (39) 
 
40 SAY AND SEAL 
 
 of which sent her to the kitchen with a new accession of 
 zeal, sympathy, and exultation, sympathy with him and 
 the poor people ; exultation in the work most of all in 
 him ! Great was the marvelling of Cindy and Mr. Skip at 
 these days proceedings. 
 
 So passed Friday and Saturday; and Sunday brought a 
 lull. Faith thought so, and felt so. Her roast turkeys and 
 chickens were reposing in spicy readiness ; her boiled meats 
 and bakeries were all accomplished and in waiting; and 
 dismissing all but a little joyful background thought of 
 them, Faith gave her whole heart and mind to the full 
 Sabbath rest, to the full Sabbath rising; and looked, in 
 her deep happiness, as if she were what she was enjoy 
 ing the one and striving after the other. But the ways by 
 which we are to find the good we must seek, are by no 
 means always those of our own choosing. 
 
 It was a clear, cold, still, winter s day. Cold enough by 
 the thermometer ; but so still that the walking to church 
 was pleasant. They had come home from the afternoon 
 service Faith had not taken off her things when she was 
 called into the kitchen to receive a message. The next 
 minute she was in the sitting-room and stood by the side 
 of Mr. Linden s chair. 
 
 "Mrs. Custers is dying and has sent for me." 
 
 "For you, dear child? Well Are you able to go?" 
 
 "Oh yes." 
 
 He looked at her in silence, as if he were making up his 
 own mind on the subject, then rose up and gently seating 
 her on the sofa, told her to rest there till he was ready; 
 but before he came back again Mrs. Derrick came to Faith s 
 side with a smoking cup of chicken broth and a biscuit. 
 
 "You ve got to eat it, pretty child," she said fondly, 
 "we re both agreed upon that point." 
 
 Which joint mandate Faith did not try to dispute. 
 
 The town clock had struck four, all counted, when Jerry 
 dashed off from the door with the little sleigh behind him. 
 No other sleigh-bells were abroad, and his rang out noisily 
 and alone over the great waste of stillness as soon as they 
 were quit of the village. The air happily was very still 
 and the cold had not increased; but low, low the sun was, 
 and sent his slant beams coolly over the snow-white fields, 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 41 
 
 glinting from fences and rocks and bare thickets with a 
 gleam that threatened he would not look at them long. 
 The hour was one of extreme beauty, fair and still, with 
 a steady strength in its stillness that made the beauty 
 somewhat imposing. There was none of the yielding 
 character of summer there; but a power that was doing 
 its work and would do it straight through. "He giveth 
 forth his ice like morsels; who can stand before his cold ?" 
 thought Faith. 
 
 The sleighing was excellent ; the roads in perfect con 
 dition. 
 
 "How long is it since you were here?" Mr. Linden said 
 as the house came in sight, shewn only by its twinkling 
 panes of glass. 
 
 "Not since before I went to Pequot not since a day or 
 two after that ride we took with Dr. Harrison, when you 
 rode Stranger the first time." 
 
 " How was she then ?" 
 
 " Not much different from what she had been before 
 she didn t say much she seemed to like to listen to me, or 
 to see me, or both. That was all I could be sure of." 
 
 " Try not to let her spend her strength in examining the 
 past state of her mind. Bid her lay hold of the promise 
 now. A present hold will answer all her questions and 
 is all the oldest Christian can rest in." 
 
 "I wish you could speak to her instead of me," said 
 Faith. "Perhaps she will let you." 
 
 "It is not you nor I, my child. Fix your heart upon 
 Christ, and let him speak, fix your eyes upon him, and let 
 his light shine." 
 
 "I know it. I do! " she said, looking up at him 
 with an humble, moved face. 
 
 He lifted her out of the sleigh and led her up to the 
 house, where they were presently admitted ; into an outer 
 room first, where Faith could lay off her furs. 
 
 " She s some brighter to-night," the woman in attend 
 ance said, in answer to Mr. Linden s questions. "I guess 
 she ll be real glad to see you" this was addressed to 
 Faith. 
 
 Faith left Mr. Linden there, and went into the sick 
 chamber alone; where she was always received as if she 
 
 4* 
 
42 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 had brought an olive branch, or a palm branch, or both of 
 thera, in her hand. The spirit of both, no doubt, was in 
 her ; the gentle face looked the promise of both peace and 
 victory, as only humility can look it. 
 
 Mrs. Ousters on her part looked as the other had said* 
 glad ; if so bright a word could be applied to a face that 
 had lost all its own light, and where no reflected light as 
 yet shone. Yet she was quieter than when Faith had first 
 seen her, whether from mental relief or physical prostra 
 tion, and was most eager for all Faith s words, listening 
 for the most part in silence, but with eyes that never said 
 enough. As some poor exhausted traveller takes the 
 water which he has at last reached in the desert, nor 
 knows yet whether its bright drops can avail to save his 
 life, but lays him down by the fountain there to live or 
 die. And Faith, feeling that her hand was ministering 
 those drops of life, lost every other thought, except to 
 wish for a hand that could do it better. Once she ventured 
 a proposition. 
 
 " I have a friend here, Mrs. Ousters, who can tell you 
 about all these things much better than I can. Will you 
 let him ? May I ask him to come in and see you ?" 
 
 " Better ?" she said slowly " I don t believe it. Who is 
 he ? your brother ?" 
 
 "No I haven t any brother. But that don t matter. 
 He s somebody that is a great deal better than I am. 
 May I let him come in? He s here," said Faith very qui 
 etly, along with her flushing cheek. 
 
 There was a poor little faint smile for a moment upon 
 the sick woman s lips while Faith spoke, but it passed and 
 she answered in the same tone "I ll see him to please 
 you before you go. I just want the words now and I 
 like you best." 
 
 Faith troubled her no more with unnecessary sugges 
 tions, and gave her the words. Gave them with the 
 fragrance of her own love about them, which certainly is 
 the surest human vehicle for the love above human that is 
 in them. As on that first occasion, Faith placed herself 
 on the side of the bed ; and holding one of Mrs. Ousters 
 hands in her own, bending her soft quiet face towards the 
 listening eyes and ears, she gave her one by one, like 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 43 
 
 emmbs of life-giving food, the words of promise, of encour 
 agement, of invitation, of example. No answer cheered or 
 helped her ; no token of pleasure or even of assent mot 
 her ; only those fixed listening eyes bade her go on, and 
 told that whether for life and refreshment or no, the words 
 were eagerly taken in, each after the other, as she said 
 them. There was something in the strong sympathy of 
 the speaker in her own feeling and joy of the truths she 
 told that might give them double power and life to the 
 ears of another. Faith reported the words of her Master 
 with such triumphant prizing of them and such leaning on 
 their strength ; she gave his invitations in such tones of 
 affection ; she told over the instances of others prevailing 
 faith with such an evident, clear, satisfying share in the 
 same; the living words this time lost nothing of their 
 power by a dead utterance. Of her own words Faith 
 ventured few; now and then the simplest addition to some 
 thing she had repeated, to make it more plain, or to carry 
 it further home ; such words as she could not keep back ; 
 such words, very much, as she would have spoken to 
 Johnny Fax; not very unlike what Johnny Fax might 
 have spoken to her. But there was not a little physical 
 exhaustion about all this after a while, and Faith found 
 she must have some help to her memory. She went into 
 the other room. 
 
 "I w.nt a bible," she said looking round for it "Is 
 there o*e here ?" 
 
 Yes there was one, but it was Mr. Linden s. That was 
 quickly given her. 
 
 " J forgot it at the moment you went in," he said, "and 
 
 then I did not like to disturb you. My dear Faith ! " 
 
 and he held her hand and looked at her a little wistfully. 
 She brought her other hand upon his, and looked down 
 and looked up wistfully too; like one with a heart full. 
 
 " Can I bfilp you ? can I take your place ?" 
 
 "She won t let you," said Faith shaking her head. 
 ." She says she will see you by and by but she must take 
 her own time for it." 
 
 And Faith went back to her ministrations. Of all bibles, 
 ghe would hnve had that one in her hand then ! And yet 
 its compaU /mship bowed down her heart with a sense of 
 
44 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 weakness ; but that was the- very position for the next 
 move ; a spring beyond weakness to the only real and suffi 
 cient ground of strength. 
 
 The afternoon merged into the evening. A tallow can 
 dle had been brought by the attendant into the room in 
 which Mr Linden was waiting; and its dim smoky light 
 would have made a dismal place of it if he had had no other 
 to go by. He could sometimes hear the low tones of a 
 word or two in the other room ; more often the tones were 
 so low that they failed to reach him. When this state of 
 things had lasted a long time as it seemed there came 
 an interruption in the form of quick steps on the snow; 
 then the door was pushed open, and Dr. Harrison ap- 
 
 You here I" was his astonished salutation. "What 
 upon earth has brought you ?" 
 
 " I came to bring some one else." 
 
 "She isn t here?" said the doctor. "You don t mean 
 that?" 
 
 His emphatic pronouns were a little smile-provoking, 
 in spite of the grave thoughts upon which they intruded 
 or rather perhaps because of them ; but if Mr. Linden s 
 face felt that temptation, it was only for a moment, he 
 answered quietly, 
 
 "If you mean Miss Faith, she has been here a long 
 time." 
 
 The doctor knew that 1 if she came when she was called. 
 He had stopped to eat his dinner. 
 
 "I mean her, of course," he said with his tone a little 
 subdued. "I shouldn t think her mother would have let 
 her come such a night ! " Which meant very plainly that 
 Dr. Harrison would not have let her. " Is she in there 
 with the woman now ?" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 The doctor went with grave aspect to the door of com 
 munication between the two rooms and softly opened it and 
 went in ; so softly, that Faith, engaged in her reading, did 
 not hear anything; the sick woman s eyes were the first 
 that perceived him. Hers rested on him a moment then 
 came back to Faith, and then again met the doctor s; but 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 45 
 
 not just as they had been wont. And her first words bore 
 out his impression. 
 
 "You may come in " she said, slowly and distinctly, . 
 "I m not afraid of you to-night." 
 
 He came forward, looked at her, touched her hand, 
 kindly ; and then without a word turned to Faith. 
 
 Faith did not dare ask a question, but her eyes put it 
 silently. 
 
 " She don t want anything," said he meaningly. " Not 
 from me. She may have anything she fancies to have." 
 
 Faith s eyes went back to the other face. That the 
 doctor s words had been understood there too, was evident 
 from the little flitting colour, and the sick woman lay 
 still witli closed eyes, clasping Faith s hand as if she 
 were holding herself back from drifting out on that great 
 and unknown sea. But she roused herself and spoka 
 hurriedly. " Won t somebody pray for me ?" 
 
 Faith bent over until her lips almost touched the suffer 
 er s cheek and her warm breath floated in the words, "I ll 
 bring somebody " then loosing her hold, she sprang from 
 the bed and out into the other room. But when she had 
 clasped Mr. Linden s hand, Faith bent down her head upon 
 it, unable to speak. The strength it could, his hand gave 
 her and his voice. 
 
 "What, my dear child?" 
 
 Then Faith looked up. " She wants you to pray for 
 her." And without waiting for the unnecessary answer, 
 she led Mr. Linden to the door of the room, there dropped 
 his hand and went in before him. Dr. Harrison was 
 standing by the bedpost, and looked wordlessly upon the 
 two as they entered. 
 
 Mrs. Ousters scanned the stranger s face as he came to 
 wards her, with an anxious, eager look, as if she wanted to 
 know whether he could do anything for her; the look 
 changing to one of satisfaction. But to his low-spoken 
 question as he took her hand, she gave an answer that was 
 almost startling in its slow earnestness. 
 
 " Pray that I may believe and that he may and that 
 God would bless her forever!" 
 
 How was such a request to be met! then and there ! 
 for a moment Mr. Linden s eyes fell. But then he knelt 
 
46 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 by her side, and met it most literally, in tones very low 
 and clear and distinct, in words that might have been 
 angels plumage for their soft bearing upward of the suffer 
 er s thoughts. Faith could feel a slight trembling once or 
 twice of the hand that held hers, but the bitterness of its 
 grasp had relaxed. Dr. Harrison was behind her; 
 whether he stood or knelt she did not know; but he knew 
 that when the other two rose to their feet, one of them was 
 exceedingly pale ; and his move, made on the instant, was 
 to get her a glass of water. Faith only tasted it and gave 
 it him back, and mounted to her former place on the bed. 
 And for a little all was still, until Mr. Linden spoke again 
 in the same clear, guiding tones. 
 
 " My God, within thy hand 
 My helpless soul I trust ! 
 Thy love shall ever stand 
 Thy promise must! " 
 
 Then Mrs. Ousters opened her eyes ; and her first look 
 was at Dr. Harrison. But whether the relaxed mental 
 tension let the bodily weakness appear, or whether the tide 
 was at that point where it ebbs most rapidly, her words 
 were spoken with some trouble yet spoken as if both to 
 make amends and give information. 
 
 "You meant to be very kind "she said "and you 
 have But now I want to believe even if it isn t any use." 
 
 Her eyes passed from him rested for a minute on Mr. 
 Linden: then came to Faith, and never wavered again. 
 " Read" was all she said. 
 
 With unnerved lip and quivering breath Faith began 
 again her sweet utterance of some of those sweetest things. 
 For a moment she longed to ask the other two listeners to 
 go away and leave her alone ; but reasons, different and 
 strong, kept her mouth from speaking the wish ; and then, 
 once dismissed, it was forgotten. Her voice steadied and 
 grew clear presently ; its low, distinct words were not in 
 terrupted by so much as a breath in any part of the room. 
 They steadied her; Faith rested on them and clung to 
 them as she went along, with a sense of failing energy 
 which needed a stay somewhere. But her words did not 
 shew it, except perhaps that they came more slowly and 
 
SAI A ND SEAL. 47 
 
 deliberately, Mr. Linden had drawn back a little out of 
 sight. Dr. Harrison kept his stand by the bedpost, lean 
 ing against it ; and whatever that reading was to him, he 
 was as motionless as that whereon he leaned. 
 
 Till some little length of time had passed in this way, 
 and then he came to Faith s side and laid his hand on her 
 open book. 
 
 " She does not hear you," he said softly. 
 
 Faith looked at him startled, and then bent forward 
 over the woman whose face was turned a little from her. 
 
 "She is sleeping" she said looking up again. 
 
 " She will not hear you any more," said the doctor. 
 
 " She breathes, regularly, " 
 
 Yes so she will for perhaps some hours. But she will 
 not waken again, probably." 
 
 "Are you sure?" Faith said with another look at the 
 calm face before her. 
 
 "Very sure !" 
 
 Was it true*? Faith looked still at the unconscious 
 form, then her bible fell from her hands and her head 
 wearily sunk into them. The strain was over broken 
 short. She had done all she could, and the everlasting 
 answer was sealed up from her. Those heavy eyelids 
 would not unclose again to give it; those parted lips 
 through wlr ch the slow breath went and came, would never 
 tell her. It seemed to Faith that her heart lay on the 
 very ground with the burden of all that weight resting 
 upon it. 
 
 She was not suffered to sit so long. 
 
 "May I take you away?" Mr. Linden said, "you 
 must not stay any longer." 
 
 "Do you think it is no use?" said Faith looking up at 
 him wearily. 
 
 " It is of no use," said Dr. Harrison. He had come near, 
 and took her hand, looking at her with a moved face in 
 which there was something very like tender reproach. 
 But he only brought her hand gravely to his lips again 
 and turned away. Mr. Linden s words were very low- 
 spoken. "I think the doctor is right. But let me take 
 vou home, and then I will come back and stay till morning 
 
48 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 iff 
 
 if you like or till there comes a change. You must not 
 stay. " 
 
 " I don t like to go," said Faith without moving. " She 
 may want me again." 
 
 "There may be no change all night," said the doctor; . 
 "and when it comes it will not probably be a conscious 
 change. If she awakes at all, it will only be to die. You 
 could do nothing more." 
 
 Faith saw that Mr. Linden thought so, and she gave it 
 up; with a lingering unwillingness got off the bed and 
 wrapped her furs round her. Mr. Linden put her into the 
 sleigh, keeping Jerry "back to let the doctor precede them; 
 and when he was fairly in front, Faith was doubly wrapped 
 up as she had been the night of the fire, and could take 
 the refreshment of the cool air, and rest. Very wearily, 
 for a while, mind and body both drooped. Faith was as 
 still as if she had been asleep ; but her eyes were gazing 
 out upon the snow, following the distant speck of the 
 doctor s sleigh, or looking up to the eternal changeless 
 lights that keep watch over this little world and mock its 
 changes. Yet not so ! but that bear their quiet witness 
 that there is something which is not " passing away ;" yea, 
 that there is something which "endureth forever." 
 
 " He calleth them all by their names ; for that he is 
 strong in power, not one faileth." That was in Faith s 
 mind along with other words " The Lord knoweth them 
 that are his." Her mind was in a passive state; things 
 floated in and floated out. It was some time before Mr. 
 Linden said anything he let her be as silent and still as 
 she would ; but at last he bent over her and spoke. 
 
 "My Mignonette" and the thought was not sweeter 
 than the words "are you asleep ?" 
 
 "No " she said in one of those etherial answering tones 
 which curiously say a great many things. 
 
 "Are you resting ?" 
 
 "Yes. I am rested." 
 
 "You must try not to bear the burden of your work after 
 it is done. Now lay it off and leave your poor friend 
 in the hands where I trust she has left herself Her senses 
 are not closed to his voice." 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 40 
 
 "I do" she said with a grateful look. "I know it is 
 Dot my work nor anybody s." 
 
 He drew the furs up about her silently, arranging and 
 adjusting them so as to keep off the wind which had risen 
 a little. 
 
 " We are not very far from home now, we have come 
 fast." 
 
 And as Jerry did not relax his pace, the little distance 
 was soon travelled over. How fair the lights in their own 
 windows looked then ! with their speech of blessing and 
 comfort. 
 
 They all came together round the fire first, and then 
 round the tea-table ; Faith being specially watched over 
 and waited on by both the others. Mrs. Derrick s half 
 developed fear at their long stay, had given place to a sort 
 of moved, untalkative mood when she heard the explana 
 tion, but a mood which relieved itself by trying every pos 
 sible arid impossible thing for Faith s refreshment. Every 
 possible thing except refreshing talk and that Mr. Linden 
 gave her. Talk which without jarring in the least upon 
 the evening s work, yet led her thoughts a little off from 
 the painful part of it. Talk of the Christian s work of 
 the Christian s privilege, of " Heaven and the way 
 thither," of the gilding of the cross, of the glory of the 
 crown. Faith heard and joined in it, but there was a 
 point of pressure yet at her heart; and when they left the 
 table and went into the other room, a slight thing gave 
 indication where it lay. Faith took a little bench by Mrs. 
 Derrick s side, drew her mother s arms round her close, and 
 laid her head down on her lap. 
 
 How softly, how tenderly, did Mrs. Derrick answer the 
 caress, as if she read it perfectly 1 touching Faith s hands 
 and brow and cheeks with fingers that were even trembling. 
 And at last whether her child s mute pleading was too 
 much for her, whether the pain which had never left her 
 heart since the day of Faith s overturn had by degrees 
 done its work, she bent down her lips to Faith s cheek 
 and whispered "Yes, pretty child I mean to try." 
 
 And so the door opened, and Cindy and Mr. Skip came 
 in for prayers. Faith hid her face, but otherwise did not 
 stir. 
 
 VOL. II. 
 
50 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 How- sweet the service was to them all that night ! yes, 
 to them all ; there was riot one who could help feeling its 
 influence. And yet it was very simple, and not very long, 
 Mr. Linden read first a few Bible passages, and then Wes 
 ley s hymn of the New Year, with its bugle note of ac 
 tion, and then to prayer, for which, by that time, every 
 heart was ready. 
 
 "Come let us anew our journey pursue, 
 
 Roll round with the year, 
 And never stand still till the Master appear. 
 His adorable will let us gladly fulfil, 
 
 And our talents improve, 
 By the patience of hope and the labours of love. 
 
 " Our life is a dream ; our time, as a stream, 
 
 Glides swiftly away, 
 
 And the fugitive moment refuses to stay. 
 The arrow is flown the moment is gone ; 
 
 The millennial year 
 Bushes on to our view, and eternity s here. 
 
 * that each, in the day of his coming, may say, 
 
 I have fought my way through ; 
 I have finished the work thou didst give me to do. 
 that each from his Lord may receive the glad word, 
 
 Well and faithfully done ! 
 Enter into my joy, and sit down on my throne." 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 
 THE first morning of the new year turned out as bright 
 as could be desired for the great sleigh-riding expe 
 dition; the very day for it. And in the very mood for it 
 were the people who were to go. Not but somewhat of 
 last night s gravity hung about Faith s bright face ; the 
 one did no hurt to the other; for the best brightness is 
 always sure to be grave, and the best gravity is almost 
 sure to be bright, on some side. However there was 
 nothing contemplative about the character of things this 
 morning; there was too much action afoot. Such an 
 army of meats and drinks, with all sorts of odd ends and 
 varieties, from the shoes to the fishing-net, and such an 
 array of apples and sugarplums! to marshal and order 
 them all in proper companies and ranks, wanted a general I 
 But Faith was by no means a bad general, and up to the 
 act of stowing the sleigh, at which point the things were 
 made over to Mr. Linden and Mr. Skip, her part was well 
 done. And Mr. Linden found in the course of his part 
 of the business that Mrs. Derrick and- Faith had followed a 
 lead of their own. 
 
 There had been a pretty packing and tying up and 
 labelling at the table, before the sleigh-packing began, 
 Faith s busy little fingers went in and out with great 
 dexterity; and either Mr. Linden thought it was pleasant 
 to her or knew it was pleasant to him, to have them so 
 engaged ; for though he stood by and talked to her, and 
 laughed at her, he let the said little fingers have their way ; 
 except when they touched some harsh bit of string, or 
 rough bit of paper, or unmanageable package, and then his 
 own interfered. It was a bright packing up without a 
 shadow, at least that could be called such. But once or 
 twice, when with some quick movement of Faith s hand 
 the diamonds flashed forth their weird light suddenly, 
 she did see that Mr. Linden s eyes went down, and that 
 his \nouth took a set which if not of pain, was at least sad. 
 
 (51) 
 
52 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 It never lasted long and the next look was always one 
 of most full pleasure at her. But the second time, Faith s 
 heart could hardly bear it. She guessed at the why and 
 the what; but words were too gross a medium to convey 
 from spirit to spirit the touch that love could give and 
 pain bear. She watched her chance ; and when one of Mr. 
 Linden s hands was for a moment resting on a package 
 that the other was busied in arranging, suddenly laying 
 the jewelled hand on his, Faith s lips kept it company. 
 
 "Faith!" he said. And then as if he saw it all, he did 
 not say another word, only held her for a minute in a very, 
 very close embrace. But then he whispered, 
 
 "Faith you must give me that in another way." 
 
 Faith appeared to have exhausted her ammunition, for 
 she only answered by hiding her face. 
 
 ""Faith" Mr. Linden repeated. 
 
 She looked up slowly, blushing all over; and her very 
 doubtful face seemed to negative the whole proceeding. 
 But then an irrepressible little laugh began to play. 
 
 "I wouldn t do it," she said unsteadily, "at least, I 
 don t know that I would if I hadn t wished so very 
 much to give you something to-day; and I have nothing 
 else ! " 
 
 And nerving herself desperately, Faith laid one hand on 
 Mr. Linden s shoulder and slightly raising herself on her 
 toes, did bestow on his lips as dainty a kiss as ever Santa 
 Claus brought in his box of New Year curiosities. But 
 she w.as overcome with confusion the moment she had done 
 it, and would have rushed off if that had been possible. 
 
 "Let me go" she said hastily "let me go!" 
 
 In answer to which, she was held as securely fast as she 
 ever had been in her life. Covering and hiding all of her 
 face that she could, Faith renewed her request, in a comical 
 tone of humility as if she didn t deserve it. 
 
 "I never felt less inclined to let you go !" 
 
 "There is all that work to be done," said Faith, by way 
 of possibly useful suggestion. 
 
 " Mignonette, will you remember your new lesson ?" 
 
 She whispered softly, "No. It was only Santa Claus." 
 
 "Not Campaspe?" 
 
 "No Certainly not!" 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 53 
 
 "You remember," said Mr. Linden, "that when Cupid 
 and Campaspe played at cards for kisses, Cupid paid. 
 I was unavoidably reminded of that. But you may go on 
 with your work, you know what happens when lessons 
 are learned imperfectly." And liberty for her work she 
 had ; no more. 
 
 "Child," said her mother coming in, "are you ready for 
 your lunch ?" 
 
 "Why no, mother," said Faith with a little laugh, "of 
 course not ! but I can take it as I go on. There s a good 
 deal of sorting to do yet. I hope the sleigh is big." 
 
 "Take it as you go on, indeed!" said Mrs. Derrick. 
 "You ve got to stop and eat, child, you can t live till 
 night with nothing but other folk s dinners." 
 
 Faith however declared she could not stop to eat; and 
 she contrived to carry on both the rival occupations to 
 gether; and even to make right sure that no one else 
 should attempt to live upon anything more etherial than 
 sandwiches and pumpkin pie. She drank her coffee in the 
 intervals of tying packages and writing labels, and ran 
 about with a sandwich in one hand and a basket in the 
 other; filling Mr. Linden s cup and putting tempting 
 platefuls in his way. But he was as busy as she, spend 
 ing much of his time at the barn, where Squire Stouten- 
 burgh s pretty little box sleigh was in process of filling 
 with cloaks, buffalo robes, and commodities! At last 
 everything was in, and Mr. Linden came to announce that 
 fact to Faith, furs and hood were donned, and the sleigh 
 was off with its whole load. 
 
 Bright, bright the snow was, and blue the shadows, and 
 fair the white expanse of hill and meadow, all crisp and 
 sparkling. Everybody was out which was not wonderful; 
 but so well had Mr. Linden disposed and covered up his 
 packages, that all anybody could see was that he and 
 Faith were taking a sleigh-ride, which was not wonderful 
 either. And before long they left the more frequented 
 roads, and turned down the lane that led to the dwelling 
 of Sally Lowndes. How different it looked now, from that 
 summer evening when Faith had gone there alone. What 
 a colouring then lay on all the ground that was now white 
 with sunlight and blue with shade ! And also, what a 
 
 5* 
 
54 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 difference in the mental colouring. But Jerry, travelling 
 faster than her feet had done, soon brought them to the 
 .house. Mr. Linden buckled the tie, and helped Faith to 
 emerge from the buffalo robes; the winter wind blowing 
 fresh from the sea, and sweeping over the down till Jerry 
 shook his blanket in disapproval. 
 
 "Now my little counsellor," said Mr. Linden, "what 
 does your wisdom say should go in here besides this 
 basket of substantiate ? I think you know more of these 
 people than I do?" And the surf in its cold monotony, 
 said Anything warm! 
 
 "Mother has put in a shawl for Sally," said Faith, 
 getting out the package; (it was one that Mrs. Derrick 
 found she could do without,) "and a little paper of tea, 
 tea is Sally s greatest delight, here it is !" 
 
 Sally s abode was in nothing different from the run of 
 poor houses in the country ; unpainted of course, outside 
 and inside; a rag carpet on the floor, a gay patchwork 
 coverlet on the bed. Sally herself was in the rocking- 
 chair before a little wood fire. But there was not the look 
 of even poor comfort which may sometimes be seen ; want, 
 that told of lack of means and that also went deeper, was 
 visible in everything. 
 
 I ve come to wish you a happy new year, Sally," said 
 Faith brightly. 
 
 "Laws ! I wonder where it s to come from!" said Sally. 
 " If wishiri 1 would fetch it I ve wished it to myself till 
 I m tired. Happy new years don t come to all folks. 
 Aint that How do you do, sir ! raint it the gentleman 
 Jenny told of? that fell down at Mr. Simlins door?" 
 
 "And got up again?" said Mr. Linden. "Yes, I pre 
 sume I am the very person Jenny told of. I remember 
 that Jenny was very kind to me, too. Where is she ?" 
 
 " she s to Mr. Simlinses all along ! she s got a good 
 place; she knows when she s comfortable. She doii t think 
 of me stayin here all alone." 
 
 "But aren t you comfortable, Sally?" said Faith. 
 
 "I should like to know how I would be ! Folks that is 
 comfortable thinks all the world is like them ! If they 
 didn t they d help." 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 55 
 
 Well what is the first thing that would help to make 
 you comfortable ?" said Mr. Linden. 
 
 Sally looked at him, up and down. 
 
 " I d like to see a speck o somebody s face now and then. 
 I mope and mope, till I wish I d die to get rid of it I You 
 see, sir, I aint as I used to was ; and my family aint numerous 
 now. There s no one lives in this house over my head but 
 me and a girl what stays by me to do chores. Aint that 
 a life for a spider ?" 
 
 Faith had been stealthily unfolding the shawl and now 
 put it round Sally s shoulders. " Will that help to make 
 you comfortable ?" she said gently. 
 
 " Laws 1" said Sally " aint that smart ! That s good as 
 far as it goes. Where did that come from ?" 
 
 " Mother sent it to you, for New Year." 
 
 "It s real becoming of her!" said Sally in a mollified 
 tone, feeling of the shawl. "Well I won t say this New 
 Years haint brought me something." 
 
 "It brings you too much cold air at present," Mr. Lin 
 den said. "Do you know that window lets in about as 
 much cold as it keeps out ?" 
 
 "Well I reckon I do," said Sally. I ve nothin to do 
 all day but sit here and realize onto it. There aint no 
 such a thing as buildin a fire in the chimney that ll keep 
 out the cold from that winder." 
 
 " I should think not ! the way is to attack the window 
 itself," he said, looking at it as if he were studying the 
 attack. 
 
 "We ve brought you something else here, Sally, to help 
 keep out the cold," said Faith. "May I put the things in 
 your closet so as to carry home my basket ?" 
 
 "Yes, if you like. What have you got there, Faith?" 
 said Miss Lowndes looking into the closet after her. 
 
 "There s a piece of beef, Sally, of mother s own curing 
 all ready cooked so you ll have nothing to do but cook 
 your potatoes and mother thought you d like a few of our 
 potatoes, they re good this year. Then here is a little 
 paper of tea she sent you, and I ve brought you one of my 
 own pumpkin pies so you must say it is good, Sally." 
 
 " Well I m beat I" said Sally. " Haint you got something 
 else ?" 
 
56 SAT AND SEAL. 
 
 She was like to be beat on all hands ; for Mr. Linden 
 who had been examining the window while Faith emptied 
 her basket, now went ont and presently brought back ham 
 mer and nails and strips of lath, that made Faith wonder 
 whether he had brought a tool-chest along. But the noise 
 of his hammer was much more cheerful than the rattling 
 of the window, and when it had done its work outside as 
 well as in, the wind might whistle for admission in vain. 
 He came in and stood by the fire for a moment then, before 
 they set off, and asked Faith softly what else was wanted ? 
 And Faith whispered in answer 
 
 "The Dairyman s Daughter? but you must give it." 
 
 "Can t you get some comfort in reading your Bible, 
 Sally?" said Faith while Mr. Linden went out to the 
 sleigh with his hammer and nails." 
 
 "Laws!" said Sally "what s the use! I haint got the 
 heart to take the trouble to read, half the time." 
 
 "If you read one half the time, and pray too, Sally, 
 you ll soon get heart for the other half." 
 
 "It s easy talkin " was Sally s encouraging view of the 
 case. 
 
 "It s a great deal easier doing," said Faith. "If you 
 try it, Sally, it ll make you so glad you ll never say you 
 want comfort again. " 
 
 "Well you ve brought me a heap to-day anyhow," said 
 Sally. "Just look at that winder! I declare! I spect 
 I ll make out to eat my dinner to-day without scolding." 
 
 Mr. Linden came back with the tract, but kept it in his 
 hand for a minute. 
 
 "Do you know, Sally, how a house is built upon the 
 bare ground?" he said. "The mason lays down one stone, 
 and then another on that ; and if he cannot have his choice 
 of stones he takes just what come to hand little and big, 
 putting in plenty of mortar to bind all together. Now 
 that s the way you must build up a happy year for your 
 self, and in that way every one can." The words were 
 spoken very brightly, without a touch of faultfinding. 
 
 "Well" said Sally rocking herself back and forth in the 
 rocking-chair "I spect you know how." Which might 
 have been meant as a compliment, or as an excuse. 
 
 "I think you do," said Mr. Linden smiling; "and I am 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 57 
 
 going to leave you a true story of how it was really done 
 by somebody else. Will you read it?" 
 
 "Yes" said Sally continuing to rock. "I ll do any 
 thing you ask me to after that winder. You ve given me 
 a good start anyways. I d as lieves hear you talk as most 
 things." 
 
 There was not time for much more talk then, however. 
 Mr. Linden and Faith went away, leaving the little book 
 on the table. But when Sally went to take a nearer view 
 of its words of golden example, there lay on it the first 
 real little gold piece Sally had ever possessed. 
 
 "That was a good beginning," said Faith in a sort of 
 quiet glee, after she had got into the sleigh again. "I 
 knew, before, we were like a butcher and baker setting off 
 on their travels ; but I had no idea there was a carpenter 
 stowed away anywhere !" And her laugh broke forth 
 upon the air of those wild downs, as Jerry turned his head 
 about. 
 
 " I must be something, you know," said Mr. Linden, 
 "and I don t choose to be the butcher and certainly am 
 not the baker." 
 
 They turned into the village again, and then down 
 towards the shore ; getting brilliant glimpses of the Sound 
 now and then, and a pretty keen breeze. But the sun was 
 strong in its modifying power, and bright and happy 
 spirits did the rest. One little pause the sleigh made at 
 the house where Faith had had her decisive interview with 
 Squire Deacon, but they did not get out there; only gave 
 a selection of comforts into the hands of one of the house 
 hold, and jingled on their way shorewards. Not turning 
 down to the bathing region, but taking a road that ran 
 parallel with the Sound. 
 
 " Do you remember our first walk down here, Faith ?" 
 said Mr. Linden, " when you said you had shewed me the 
 shore ?" 
 
 "Well I did," said Faith smiling, "I shewed you what 
 I knew; but you shewed me what I had never known 
 before." 
 
 " I m sure you shewed me some things I had never 
 known before," he said laughing a little. "Do you know 
 where we are going now ?" they had left the beaten road, 
 
58 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 and entered a by-way where only footsteps marked the 
 snow, and no sleigh before their own had broken ground. 
 It seemed to be a sort of coast-way, leading right off to 
 wards the dashing Sound and its low points and inlets. 
 The shore was marked with ice as well as foam ; the water 
 looked dark and cold, with the white gulls soaring and dip 
 ping, and the white line of Long Island in the distance. 
 
 "Xo, I don t know. Where are we going? how 
 beautiful! how beautiful !" Faith exclaimed. "Hasn t 
 every time its own pleasure I Where are we going, Ende- 
 cott ?" 
 
 "To see one who Dr. Harrison fancies may have some 
 thing in him. Whatever made the doctor take such a dis 
 like to Reuben ?" 
 
 Faith did not answer, and instead looked forward with a 
 sort of contemplative gravity upon her brow. Her cheeks 
 were already so brilliant with riding in the fresh air that a 
 little rise of colour could hardly have been noticed. 
 
 " Do you know ?" 
 
 Faith presently replied that she supposed it was a dislike 
 taken up without any sort of real ground. 
 
 " Well to tell you the truth, my little Mignonette," said 
 Mr. Linden, "the doctor s twenty-five dollars gives me 
 some trouble in that connexion. Reuben will take favours 
 gladly from anybody that likes him, but towards people 
 who do -not (they are very few, indeed) he is as proud as 
 if he had the Bank of England at his back. / might send 
 him a dinner every day if I chose; but if Reuben were 
 starving, his conscience would have a struggle with him 
 before he would take bread from Dr. Harrison." 
 
 Faith listened very seriously and her conclusion was 
 a very earnest "Oh, I am sorry ! But then," she went on 
 thoughtfully, "I don t know that Dr. Harrison dislike-s 
 Reuben He don t understand him, how should he? 
 and I know they have never seemed to get on well to 
 gether. " 
 
 "I chose to answer for him the other day," said Mr. 
 Linden "and I shall not let him refuse; but I have 
 questioned whether I would tell him anything about the 
 money till he is ready for the books. Then if he should 
 meet the doctor, and the doctor should ask him ! " 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 59 
 
 Faith was silent a bit. 
 
 "But Reuben will do what you tell him," she said. 
 "And besides, Reuben was doing everything he could 
 for Dr. Harrison the other night he can t refuse to let 
 Dr. Harrison do something for him. I don t think he 
 ought." 
 
 "He had no thought of reward. Still, he would not 
 refuse, if he supposed any part of the doing was out of 
 care for him, and you know I cannot tell him that I think 
 it is. But I shall talk to him about it. Not to-day : I will 
 not run the risk of spoiling his pleasure at the sight of us. 
 There do you see that little beaver-like hut on the next 
 point? that is where he lives." 
 
 Faith looked at it with curious interest. That little brown 
 spot amidst the waste of snow and waters that was where 
 the fisherman s boy lived ; and there he was preparing him 
 self for college. And for what beside ? 
 
 "Will Reuben or his father be hurt at all at anything 
 we have brought them ?" she said then. 
 
 " No, they will take it all simply for what it is, a New 
 Year s gift. And Reuben would not dream of being hurt 
 by anything we could do, he is as humble as he is proud 
 We are like enough to find him alone." 
 
 And so they found him. With an absorbed ignoring of 
 sleigh-bells and curiosity perhaps because the former 
 rarely came for him, Reuben had sat still at his work 
 until his visiters knocked at the low door. But then he 
 came with a step and face ready to find Mr. Linden 
 though not Faith ; and his first flush of pleasure deepened 
 with surprise and even a little embarrassment as he ushered 
 her in. There was no false pride about it, but "Miss Faith" 
 was looked upon by all the boys as a dainty thing; and 
 Reuben placed a chair for her by the drift-wood fire, with 
 as much feeling of the unfitness of surrounding circum 
 stances, as if she had been the Queen. Something in the 
 hand that was laid on his shoulder brushed that away; and 
 then Reuben looked and spoke as usual. 
 
 Surrounding circumstances were not so bad, after all. 
 Faith had noticed how carefully and neatly the snow was 
 cleared from the door and down to the water s edge, and 
 everything within bore the same tokens. The room was 
 
60 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 very tiny, the floor bare but very clean; the blazing 
 drift-wood the only adornment. Yet not so: for on an 
 old sea chest which graced one side of the room, lay 
 Reuben s work which they had interrupted. An open 
 book, with one or two others beside it; and by them all, 
 with mesh and netting-kneedle and twine, lay an old net 
 which Reuben had been repairing. The drift-wood had 
 stone supporters, the winter wind swept in a sort of 
 grasping way round the little hut; and the dashing of 
 the Sound waters, and the sharp war of the floating ice, 
 broke the stillness. But they were very glad eyes that 
 Reuben lifted to Mr. Linden s face, and a very glad 
 alacrity brought forward a little box for Faith to rest 
 her feet. 
 
 "Don t you mean to sit down, Mr. Linden ?" he said. 
 
 "To be sure I do. But I haven t wished you a happy 
 New Year yet." And the lips that Reuben most reverenced 
 in the world, left their greeting on his forehead. It wa 
 well the boy found something to do with the fire, and 
 Faith s box, and Mr. Linden s chair 1 But then he stood 
 silent and quiet as before. 
 
 " Don t you mean to sit down, Reuben ?" said Faith. 
 
 Reuben smiled, not as if he cared about a seat ; but he 
 brought forward another little box, not even the first cousin 
 of Faith s, and sat down as she desired. 
 
 "Didn t you find it very cold, Miss Faith?" he said, as 
 if he could not get used to seeing her there. "Are you 
 getting warm now?" 
 
 Faith said she hadn t been cold ; and would fast enough 
 have entered into conversation with Reuben, but she thought 
 he would rather hear words from other lips, and was sure 
 that other lips could give them better. 
 
 "And have you got quite well, ma am ?" said Reuben. 
 
 "Don t I look well?" she said smiling at him. "What 
 are you doing over there, Reuben? making a net?" 
 
 "O I was mending it, Miss Faith." 
 
 "I can t afford to have you at that work just now," said 
 Mr. Linden, "you know we begin school again to-mor 
 row. You must tell your father from me, Reuben, that he 
 must please to use his new one for the present, and let you 
 mend up that at your leisure. Will you ?" 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 61 
 
 Reuben flushed looking up and then down as he said, 
 "Yes, sir," and then very softly, "0 Mr. Linden, you 
 needn t have done that !" 
 
 "Of course I need not people never need please them 
 selves, I suppose. But you know, Reuben, there is a great 
 deal of Santa Glaus work going on at this time of year, 
 and Miss Faith and I have had some of it put in our hands. 
 I won t answer for what she ll do with you ! but you must 
 try and bear it manfully." 
 
 Reuben laughed a little half in sympathy with the 
 bright words and smile, half as if the spirit of the time 
 had laid hold of him. 
 
 "You know, Mr. Linden," said Faith laughing, but ap- 
 pealingly too, "that Reuben will get worse handling from 
 you than he will from me! so let him have the worst 
 first." 
 
 "I ll bring in your basket," was all he said, and the 
 basket came in accordingly; Reuben feeling too bewildered 
 to even offer his services. 
 
 Faith found herself in a corner. She jumped up and 
 placed herself in front of the basket so as to hide it. 
 " Wait !" she said. " Reuben, how much of a housekeeper 
 are you ?" 
 
 " I don t know, Miss Faith, I don t believe I ever was 
 tried." 
 
 "Do you know how to make mince pies, for instance ?" 
 
 But Reuben shook his head, with a low-spoken, "No, 
 Miss Faith," a little as if she were somehow transparent, 
 and he was viewing the basket behind her. 
 
 "Never mind my questions," said Faith, "but tell me. 
 Could you stuff a turkey, do you think, if you tried ?" 
 
 "I suppose I could somehow," Reuben said, colouring 
 and laughing. "I never tried, Miss Faith." 
 
 "Then you couldn t!" said Faith, her laugh rolling 
 round the little room, as softly as the curls of smoke went 
 up the chimney. "You needn t think you could! But 
 Reuben, since you can t, don t you think you would let me 
 do it once for you?" 
 
 Reuben s words were not ready in answer. But a 
 bashful look at Faith s face and her hands, one that 
 reminded her of the clam-roasting, was followed by a 
 
 VOL. JI. 6 
 
 I 
 
6^ SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 grateful, low-spoken" I don t think you ought to do any 
 thing for me, Miss Faith." 
 
 "I have had so much pleasure in it, Reuben, you ll have 
 to forgive me;" Faith answered, withdrawing from the 
 basket. 
 
 "You must look into that at your leisure, Reuben," Mr. 
 Linden said, as he watched the play of feeling in the boy s 
 face. "Miss Faith is in no hurry for her basket." 
 
 Reuben heard him silently, and as silently lifted the 
 basket from where it stood and set it carefully on the table. 
 But then he came close up to Faith and stood by her side. 
 "You are very good, Miss Faith !" he said. "I don t know 
 how to thank you." 
 
 "Reuben!" said Faith colouring "you mustn t thank 
 me at all. I ve just had the pleasure of doing but it is 
 Mr. Linden that has brought the basket here, and me 
 ton " 
 
 "And he must take you away," Mr. Linden said. 
 "Reuben, you may thank Miss Faith just as much as you 
 please. If I had nothing else to do, I should invite my 
 self here to dinner, but as it is I must be off. Are you 
 ready?" he said to Faith, while in silence Reuben knelt 
 down to put on again the moccasins which she had thrown 
 off, and then she followed Mr. Linden. Reuben followed 
 too, partly to help their arrangements, partly at Mr. 
 Linden s bidding to bring back the net. But when there 
 was added thereto a little package which could only mean 
 books, Reuben s cup of gravity, at least, was full; and 
 words of good-bye he had none. 
 
 And for a few minutes after they drove away Faith too 
 was silent with great pleasure. She hardly knew, though 
 she felt, how bright the sun was on the snow, and how 
 genial his midday winter beams ; and with how crisp a 
 gleam the light broke on ice points and crests of foam and 
 glanced from the snow-banks. The riches of many days 
 seemed crowded into the few hours of that morning Were 
 they not on a "shining" expedition! Had they not been 
 leaving sunbeams of gladness in house after house, that 
 would shine on, nobody knew how long! Faith was too 
 glad for a little while not to feel very sober ; those sun 
 beams came from so high a source, and were wrought in 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 63 
 
 with others that so wrapped her own life about. So she 
 looked at Jerry s ears and said nothing. 
 
 "Faith," Mr. Linden said suddenly, "I wish I could 
 tell you what it is to me to be going these rounds with 
 you !" 
 
 Faith shewed a quick, touched little smile. " I ve been 
 thinking just now, what it means." 
 
 "I should like to have the explanation of those last 
 three words." 
 
 " What it means ?" and the slight play of her lips did 
 not at all hinder the deep, deep strength of her thought 
 from being manifest. "It means, all you have taught me 
 and led me to ! " 
 
 "You don t intend to lead me to a very clear understand 
 ing," he said playfully, and yet with a tone that half 
 acknowledged her meaning. "Do you ever remember 
 what you have taught me? r-They say one should at the 
 end of the year, reckon up all the blessings it has brought, 
 but I know not where to begin, nor how to recount 
 them. This year ! it has been like the shield in the old 
 fable, it seemed to me of iron to look forward to so cold 
 and dark, and it has been all gold !" 
 
 "Did it look so?" she said with quick eyes of sym 
 pathy. 
 
 "Yes, little Sunbeam, it looked so; and there were 
 enough earthly reasons why it should. But unbelief has 
 had a rebuke for once ; if I know myself, I am ready now 
 to go forward without a question !" 
 
 Over what Hill Difficulty did that future road lie ? He 
 did not explain, and the next words came with a different 
 tone, one that almost put the other out of Faith s head. 
 "My little Sunbeam, do you keep warm?" 
 
 " Yes" she said with a somewhat wistful look that came 
 from a sunbeam determined upon doing its very best of 
 shining, for him. But she was silent again for a minute. 
 "There are plenty of sunbeams abroad to-day, Endecott," 
 she said then with rare sweetness of tone, that touched 
 but did not press upon his tone of a few minutes ago. 
 
 "Dear Faith," he said looking at her, and answering the 
 wistfulness and the smile and the voice all in one, "do 
 you know I can never find words that just suit me for 
 11* 
 
64 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 you? And do you know that I think there was never 
 such a New Year s day heard of ? it is all sunshine ! Just 
 look how the light is breaking out there upon the ice, and 
 touching the waves, and shining through that one little 
 cloud, and guess how I feel it in my heart. Do you 
 know how much work of this sort, and of every sort, 
 you and I shall have to do together, little child, if we 
 live ?" 
 
 It was a look of beauty that answered, so full in its 
 happiness, so blushing and shy; but Faith s words were 
 as simple as they were earnest. 
 
 "I wish it. There can t be too much." 
 
 Their course now became rather irregular ; crossing about 
 from one spot to another, and through a part of the country 
 where Faith had never been. Here was a sort of shore 
 population, people living upon rocks and sand rent free, 
 or almost that ; and supporting themselves otherwise as best 
 they might. A scattered, loose-built hamlet, perching along 
 the icy shore, and with its wild winds to rock the children 
 to sleep, and the music of the waves for a lullaby. But the 
 children throve with such nursing, if one might judge by the 
 numbers that tumbled in the snow and clustered on the 
 doursteps; and the amusement they afforded Faith was 
 not small. The houses were too many here to have time 
 for a visit to each, a pause at the door, and the leaving 
 of some little token of kindness, was all that could be at 
 tempted ; and the tokens were various. Faith s loaves of 
 bread, and her pieces of meat, or papers from the stock of 
 tea and sugar with which she had been furnished, or a bowl 
 of broth jelly for some sick person, a pair of woollen 
 stockings, perhaps, or a flannel jacket, for some rheumatic 
 old man or woman, or a bible, or a combination of dif 
 ferent things where the need demanded. But Faith s special 
 fun was with the children. 
 
 When they first entered the hamlet, Mr. Linden brought 
 forward and set at her feet one basket of trifling juvenile 
 treasures, and another filled more substantially with apples 
 and cakes and sugarplums ; and then as all the children 
 were out of doors, he drove slowly and let her delight as 
 many of them as she chose. What pleasure it was ! those 
 little cold hands, so unwonted to cakes and that could 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 65 
 
 hardly hold apples, how eagerly, how shyly, they were 
 stretched out! with what flourishes of hare feet or old 
 shoes the young ones scampered away, or stood gazing 
 after Jerry s little dust-cloud of snow; ever after to re 
 member and tell of this day, as one wherein a beautiful 
 lady dressed up like a pussy cat, gave them an apple, or a 
 stick of candy, or a picture book! Faith was in a debate 
 between smiles and tears by the time they were through the 
 hamlet and dashing out again on the open snow, for Mr. 
 Linden had left all that part of the business to her; though 
 the children all seemed to know him and he them by 
 heart. 
 
 And good note Faith took of that, and laid up the 
 lesson. She had been a very good Santa Glaus the while, 
 and had acted the part of a sunbeam indifferent well ; being 
 just about so bright and so soft in all her dealings with 
 those same little cold hands and quick spirits; giving them 
 their apples and candy with a good envelope of gentle 
 words and laughter. Seeing that she had it to do, she 
 went into the game thoroughly. But once she made a 
 private protest. 
 
 "Do you know, Endecott, these things would taste a 
 great deal sweeter if your hand gave them ?" 
 
 " I know nothing of the sort 1 Sweeter ? look at that 
 urchin deep in peppermint candy, could anything enhance 
 the spice or the sweetness of that ?" 
 
 "Yes," said Faith shaking her head "and look at that 
 little girl before him, who took the apple and looked at you 
 all the while !" 
 
 "She has an eye for contrast," he said laughing, 
 "and is probably wondering why all people can t look 
 alike !" 
 
 Faith did not secretly blame her, but she left that 
 subject. 
 
 It was to the furthest point of their round that they went 
 now, another fisherman s house far, far off, on the shore. 
 A little larger than Reuben s, but not so neatly kept ; as 
 indeed how could it be ? with so many children, or how 
 could the house hold them, in those times of weather when 
 they condescended to stay in ! They were in pretty good 
 order, to do their mother justice, and she in great delight 
 
 6* 
 
66 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 at the sight of her visiters. There was no room for silence 
 here or at least no silence in the room, for Mrs. Ling was 
 never at a loss for words. And there was no need of much 
 circumlocution in presenting the turkey, nothing but 
 pleasure could come of it, let it enter on which foot it 
 would ; and the train of potatoes, and tea, and bread, and 
 other things, fairly made Mrs. Ling s eyes shine, though 
 she talked away as fast as ever. The children were in 
 spirits too great to be got rid of in any ordinary way, 
 especially the youngest walking Ling ; whose turn having 
 not yet come for a pair of shoes from his father s pocket, 
 was now to be fitted out of Mr. Linden s sleigh. And the 
 shoes did fit and little Japhet marked his sense of the 
 obligation by at once requesting Faith to tie them. Which 
 Faith did in a state of delight too great for words. 
 
 "Now what do you feel like?" she said, when Japhet 
 was fairly shod and she still stooping at his feet. 
 
 "I feel like a king!" said Japhet promptly, which 
 had been the height of his unrepublican ambition for some 
 time. 
 
 "Dear sakes !" said his mother, who had heard the child s 
 request too late to interfere, "I hope you ll not mind him, 
 ma am, he oughter know better, but he don t. And poor 
 things, when they gets pleased it aint often, you see, 
 ma am, so I can t be hard upon em. Do you feel warm ? 
 we do make out to keep warm, most times." 
 
 "I am quite warm, thank you; but I should think you d 
 feel the wind down here. Japhet," said Faith, who had 
 brought in her basket of varieties and whose quiet eyes 
 were fairly in a dance with fun and delight, "which do 
 you think kings like best cookies or candy ?" 
 
 To which Japhet with equal promptness replied, 
 
 "Candy and cookies." / 
 
 "Don t!" his mother said again, but the basket of 
 varieties looked almost as wonderful to her eyes as to those 
 of the children, who now gathered round as near as they 
 dare come, while Mrs. Ling cautiously peeped over their 
 heads. 
 
 "I see you feel like a king!" said Faith filling both 
 Japhet s hands. "There! now I hope you don t feel like 
 Alexander." 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 67 
 
 "Alexander haint got nothin 1" said Japhet, looking 
 towards his eldest brother. 
 
 Which did not overset Faith s gravity, because by this 
 time she had none to speak of. Alexander s delight was 
 found to be in red apples, and he thought a little common 
 top a treasure such as neither Diogenes nor the real Alex 
 ander knew of between them ! One little girl was made 
 happy with a wonderful picture-book in which there were 
 a dog, a cat, and a lion with a great mane just ready to eat 
 a man up, with the stories thereto pertaining ; and a neat 
 little slate seemed a most desirable acquisition to the bright 
 eyes of an older girl. They were all more satisfied than 
 the conqueror of the world by the time Faith rose from the 
 basket; and then she offered her tribute of gingerbread to 
 Mrs. Ling. The little girl with the slate, once released 
 from the spell of the basket, went up to Mr. Linden (who 
 had stood looking on) and said, lt She s awake now, if 
 you please, sir," and he turned and went into the next 
 room, leaving Mrs. Ling to entertain Faith as best she 
 might. For which Mrs. Ling was most ready. 
 
 "Ma always does want to see him" she said. "You 
 see, ma am, she can t never get up now, so it s a play to 
 hear somebody talk. And ma likes him special. Mr. 
 Somers he s been kind too and Mrs. he come down 
 when ma was first took, and since ; but souieways she don t 
 just see into him much. I don know but it s along of his 
 bein better than other folks but after all, a person wants 
 to have even good things talked to em so s they can under 
 stand. Now Mr. Linden, my Mary there 11 listen to him 
 for an hour, and never lose a word." And Mary s bright 
 little eyes answered that readily, while Mrs. Ling s went 
 back to the basket. 
 
 "I can t believe!" she^said. "You don t know what 
 you ve done, ma am I Why there aint one o them children 
 as ever see a real live turkey cooked, in their existence." 
 
 "You don t know what plea-sure I had in doing it for 
 them, Mrs. Ling. Mr. Linden told me there was a house 
 ful of children." 
 
 "Well so there is!" said Mrs. Ling looking round the 
 room, "and it s no wonder he thinks so, for they tease 
 him most out of his life sometimes when he s here, or 
 
68 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 would if lie wam t as good-natured as the day s long. But 
 there aint one too many, after all said and done, for I ve 
 got nothing else, so if it warn t for them I should oe 
 poorly off." With which reverse statement of the case, 
 Mrs. Ling complacently smoothed down four or five heads, 
 and tied as many aprons. 
 
 "Ma," said little Mary, "will Mr. Linden sing for us to 
 day ? 
 
 "I dare say if you ask him pretty," said her mother. 
 "No, I guess he s busy and won t be bothered." 
 
 "He never is bothered," said Mary persistently, while 
 two or three of the others recovering from their apples and 
 shyness, ventured up to Faith again and began to stroke 
 her furs. 
 
 "What does he sing for you, Jenny?" said Faith, taking 
 the little picture-book girl on her lap, and glad to put her 
 own face down in a somewhat sheltered position. 
 
 "0 he sings hymns " said Jenny, gazing abstractedly 
 at the lion and the cat by turns," and other things too, 
 sometimes." 
 
 "Hymns are very interesting. And beautiful don t 
 you think so ?" said Mary drawing nearer. 
 
 "Yes, indeed I do," said Faith stretching out her hand 
 and pulling the little girl up to her. "What ones do you 
 like best, Mary ?" 
 
 But Mary s answer stayed, for Mr. Linden came back at 
 that moment, and skilfully making his way up to Faith 
 without running over any of the little throng, he told her 
 he was ready. And Faith, though secretly wishing for the 
 song as much as any of the children, set Jenny on the floor 
 and rose up$ while Mr. Linden laughingly shewed her an 
 excellent way of investing ten cents , by giving the children 
 each one. Meanwhile Mrs. Ling had been emptying the 
 basket. There was the cold turkey in the full splendour 
 of its rich brown coat a good large turkey too ; but lest 
 there should not be enough of it to go round to so many 
 mouths, Mrs. Derrick and Faith had added a nice piece, 
 ready boiled, of salt pork. Then there were potatoes, 
 and some of Faith s bread, and a paper of tea and 
 another of sugar; and there was arrowroot, made and un 
 made, for the sick woman, with some broth jelly. It was 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 69 
 
 one of those houses where a good deal was wanted, and 
 the supply had been generous in proportion. Mrs. Ling 
 was at her wits end to dispose of it all ; and the children 
 watched her in a gale of excitement, till the last thing was 
 carried off, and Mrs. Ling began to shake out the napkins 
 and fold them up. But then they came round Mr. Linden 
 with their petition, urging it with such humble pertinacity, 
 that he was fain at last to comply. It was only a child s 
 Christmas hymn, set to a simple, bright, quick tune, which 
 at first kept some of the smallest feet in a greater state of 
 unrest than the older children thought at all respectful 
 
 "0 little children, sing. 
 Jesus, your Lord and King 
 For you a child became : 
 On that bright Christmas day 
 He in a manger lay, 
 Who hath the on% Almighty name ! 
 
 "Come children, love him now, 
 Before the Saviour bow, 
 
 Give him each little heart. 
 His spotless nature see, 
 Then like him spotless be, 
 And choose his service for your part. 
 
 " The joy of loving him 
 Shall never fade nor dim, 
 
 While worldly joys fly fast : 
 Jesus to see and love, 
 First here and then above, 
 Such joy shall ever, ever last. 
 
 "I ll give myself away 
 On this new Christmas day, 
 
 He gave his life for me i 
 Jesas, my heart is thine, 
 make it humbly shine 
 With ever-living love to thee! 
 
 "0 Jesus, our Great Friend, 
 Our Saviour, without end 
 
 Thy praises we will bring ! 
 Glory to God s high throne ! 
 Peace now on earth is known, 
 And we for joy may ever sing!" 
 
 I 
 
70 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "There" Mr. Linden said, breaking the hush into which 
 the children had subsided, and gently disengaging himself 
 from them, "now I have given you something to think 
 of, and you must do it, and let me go." And he and Faith 
 were presently on their way ; Faith feeling that she had 
 something to think of too. 
 
 The sun was westing fast as they turned, but now their 
 way lay towards home, via sundry other places. The long 
 sunbeams were passing lovely as they lay upon the snow, 
 and the fantastic shadows of Jerry and the sleigh and all it 
 held, were in odd harmony and contrast. The poverty- 
 stricken house to which the two had walked that memora 
 ble night, had been already visited and passed, and several 
 others with sick or poor inhabitants. Then Mr. Linden 
 turned off down one of the scarce broken by-roads, and 
 stopped before a little lonely brown house with an old but- 
 tonwood tree in front. 
 
 "There is a blanket to go in here, Faith," he said as. he 
 took her out, " and also my hammer ! for there is always 
 something to do." 
 
 "Always something to do at this house?" 
 
 "Yes," he answered laughingly, "so you must hold in 
 check your aversion to carpenters." 
 
 "If you ll please have a charity for the butcher and 
 baker, and tell me what I shall take in here ? for my part." 
 
 "0 we ll go in and find oat, these good people are 
 never just suited unless they have the ordering of every 
 thing. They ll tell us what they want fast enough, but if 
 we guessed at it beforehand, they would maybe find out 
 that those were just the things they did not want. Only 
 my hammer I m sure of that." 
 
 The "good people" in question, were an old man and 
 his wife, living in one little room and with very little furni 
 ture. Very deaf the old man was, and both of them dim- 
 sighted, so that the old bible on the shelf was only a thing 
 to look at, if indeed it had ever been anything more, 
 which some people doubted. This was one of the first 
 things Mr. Linden took hold of after the kind greetings 
 were passed, and he gave it to Faith ; telling her that old 
 Mr. Koscom always expected his visitors to read to him, 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 7i 
 
 and that if she would do that, he would mend Mrs. Ros- 
 com s spinning-wheel which he saw was ready for him. 
 
 Faith threw back her hood and her furs, and took a seat 
 close by the old man ; and the first thing he heard was her 
 sweet voice asking him where she should read, or if he 
 liked to hear any part in particular. 
 
 "No," he said, "he liked to have it surprise him." 
 
 Faith pondered how she should best surprise him, but 
 she had not much time to spare and no chance to ask 
 counsel. So she read as her heart prompted her, first 
 the fifth chapter of II. Corinthians with its joyful Chris 
 tian profession and invitation to others; then she read the 
 account of Jesus healing the impotent man and bidding 
 him " sin no more" ; and then she turned over to the 
 Psalms and gave Mr. Roscom the beautiful 103d psalm of 
 thanksgiving, which after those other two passages 
 seemed particularly beautiful. This was work that Faith 
 loved, and she read so. 
 
 How softly the hammer worked while she read, she 
 might have noticed if her mind had not been full; but 
 though she had no word from that quarter, Mr. Roscom a 
 opinion was clear. 
 
 "That s good," he said, " and strong;^ and I m obleeged 
 to ye." 
 
 And then, the wheel being near done, there was a little 
 skilful talk gone into; in the course of which Faith and 
 Mr. Linden learned, that the old couple were " real tired 
 of salt meat, some days" and that rye bread "warnt 
 thought wholesome by itself" and that " if their tea 
 should give out they didn t know what they should do !" 
 and that " times when the old man was a little poorly, 
 nothing on airth would serve him but a roasted potato!" 
 All of which was said just for the pleasure of talking to 
 sympathizing faces, without the least idea of what was at 
 the door. The blanket was too old a want to be spoken of, 
 but Faith needed only to look at the bed. And then she 
 looked at Mr. Linden, in delighted watch to see what his 
 next move would be ; in the intervals of her chat with Mr. 
 Pvoscom, which was very lively. 
 
 Mr. Linden had finished his work, and stood balancing 
 
Y2 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 his hammer and listening to the catalogue of wants with a 
 smile both grave and bright. 
 
 "Are these just the things you wish for?" he said. 
 "Well your Father kuoweth that ye have need of them, 
 and he has sent them by our hands to-day; so you see 
 that you may trust him for the future." 
 
 He laid his hand on Faith s shoulder as an invitation to 
 her to follow, and went out to the sleigh. She was at the 
 side of it as soon as he, and in it the next minute, stopping 
 to give him only with the eye one warm speech of sym 
 pathy and joy. 
 
 "You haven t put up a basket specially for these people, 
 of course," she said, "so we shall have to take the things 
 from everywhere. There s a beautiful chicken in that bas 
 ket, Endecott I know; that s the largest one we havo 
 left ; and bread there aren t but two loaves here ! shall 
 we give them both ? or. do we want one somewhere else?" 
 
 "I think we may give them both. And Faith don t 
 you think a roasted apple might alternate usefully with the 
 potato ?" 
 
 Faith dived into the receptacle for apples and brought 
 out a good quantity of the right kind. Potatoes were not 
 in very large supply, but tea and sugar were blessed 
 things ! unfailing. 
 
 "And here is a pumpkin pie !" said Faith " I am sure 
 they ll like that and as many cookies and cruller as you 
 like. And what else, Endecott ? here s a pair of those 
 big socks mother knit wouldn t they be good here ?" 
 
 " Very good, dear child 1 and this blanket must go 
 and some tracts, that will furnish more reading. You 
 run in with those, Faith these other things are too heavy 
 for you." 
 
 "I ve strength enough to carry a blanket," said Faith 
 laughing. 
 
 "Well, run off with that too, then," said Mr. Linden, 
 " only if your strength gives out by the way, please to fall 
 on the blanket." 
 
 Faith managed to reach the house safely and with a 
 bright face deposited the blanket on a chair. "I got leave 
 to bring this in to you, Mrs. Roscom," she said. "1 sup 
 pose you know what Mr. Linden means you to do with it. " 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 73 
 
 Perhaps they had seen no two people in the course of the 
 day more thoroughly pleased than these two. The sources 
 of pleasure were not many in that house, and the expectation 
 of pleasure not strong ; and the need of comforts had not 
 died out with the supply; and old and alone as they were, 
 the looking forward to possible cold and hunger was a 
 trial. It was easy to see how that blanket warmed the 
 room and promised a mild winter, and how the socks be 
 came liniment, and it seemed doubtful whether the old 
 man would ever be sick enough for roast potatoes, with the 
 potatoes really in the house. So with other things, they 
 took a childish pleasure even in the cakes and pie, and an 
 order for wood was a real relief. And what a dinner they 
 were already eating in imagination ! 
 
 Mr. Linden had put Faith in the sleigh, with the last 
 sunset rays playing about her ; and he stood wrapping her 
 up in all sorts of ways, and the old man and the old woman 
 stood in the door to see. Then in a voice which he sup 
 posed to be a whisper, Mr. Roscoin said, 
 
 "Be she his wife?" 
 
 " He didn t say and I don know what he said," screamed 
 Mrs. Roscom. 
 
 "Wai she s handsome enough for it and so s he," 
 said the old man contemplatively. "I hope he ll get one 
 as good !" 
 
 Very merrily Mr. Linden laughed as they drove away. 
 
 "I hope I shall !" he said. "Faith, what do you think 
 of that? And which of us has the compliment?" 
 
 But Faith was engaged in pulling her furs and buffalo 
 robes round her, and did not appear to consider compli 
 ments even a matter of moonshine; much less of sunshine. 
 Her first words were to remark upon the exceeding beauty 
 of the last touch the sunlight was giving to certain snowy 
 heights and white cumuli floating above them ; a touch so 
 fair and calm as if heaven were setting its own seal on this 
 bright day. 
 
 " Is your hearl in the clouds ?" Mr. Linden said, bending 
 down to look at her with his laughing eyes. "How can 
 you abstract your thoughts so suddenly from all sublunary 
 affairs ! Do you want any more wrapping up ?" 
 
 VOL. ii. 7 
 
74 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 A little flashing glance of most naive appeal, and Faith s 
 eyes went down absolutely. 
 
 "You may as well laugh!" he said. "One cannot get 
 through the world without occasionally hearing frightful 
 suggestions." 
 
 Faith did laugh, and gave him another good little look, 
 about which the only remarkable thing was that it was 
 afraid to stay. 
 
 "What were your cloudy remarks just now?" said Mr. 
 Linden. 
 
 "I wanted you to look at the beautiful light on them 
 and those far-off ridges of hill it is not gone yet." 
 
 " Yes, they are very beautiful. But I believe I am not 
 in a meditative mood to-day, or else the rival colours 
 distract me. Faith, I mean to put you in the witness-box 
 again. " 
 
 "In the witness-box?" she said with a mental jump to 
 Neanticut, and a look to suit. 
 
 "Yes but we are not on the banks of Kildeer river, 
 and need not be afraid," he said with a smile. "Faith 
 what ever made you take such an aversion to Phil 
 Davids ?" 
 
 " I don t dislike him," she said softly. 
 
 "I did not mean to doubt your forgiving disposition! 
 But what did he do to displease you ?" 
 
 Did Mr. Linden know? or did he not know! Faith 
 looked up to see". He was just disentangling one of the 
 lines from Jerry s tail, but met her look with great com 
 posure. 
 
 "It s an old thing," said Faith. "It s not worth 
 bringing up. 
 
 "But since I have brought it won t you indulge me?" 
 
 The red on Faith s cheeks grew brilliant. "It isn t any 
 thing you would like, if I told it to you. Won t you let 
 me let it alone ?" 
 
 "I should like to hear you tell it." 
 
 "He made one or two rude speeches" said Faith in 
 very great doubt and confusion; "that was all." 
 
 "That I knew before." 
 
 "Did you?" said Faith looking at him. "How did yoi 
 know it, Endeoott ?" 
 
SAY AND SEAL. Y5 
 
 There was a curious gentle, almost tender, modulation 
 of tone in this last sentence, which covered a good deal of 
 possible ground. Mr. Linden drew up one of her mufflers 
 which had fallen off a little, giving her as he did so a silent 
 though laughing answer, as comprehensive as her ques 
 tion. 
 
 "You are just the dearest and most precious little child 
 in the whole world 1" he said. "But why are you afraid 
 to tell me now? and why did Phil s insinuation cause you 
 such dismay ?" 
 
 Faith s confusion would have been, as her rosy flush 
 was, extreme, if something in Mr. Linden s manner had 
 not met that and rebuked it, healing the wound almost 
 before it was made. Between the two Faith struggled 
 for a standing-ground of equanimity, but words, though 
 she struggled for them too, in her reason or imagination 
 she could not find. 
 
 "I want an answer to one of these questions," Mr. 
 Linden said, in a playful sort of tone. "Dr. Harrison 
 used to ask me if you lived upon roses but do you think 
 1 can ?" 
 
 Faith made an effort. "What do you want me to 
 say?" 
 
 "What was it in Phil s words that troubled you so 
 much ?" 
 
 The crimson rush came back overwhelmingly. " Oh 
 Endy please don t ask me 1 " 
 
 "Not quite fair," he said smiling. "I m sure I am 
 willing to tell you anything. Though indeed I do not 
 suppose you need much telling. But Faith is that the 
 system of tactics by which you intend always to have 
 your own way? I shall have to be philosophical to any 
 point !" 
 
 "That speech is so very zigzag," said Faith, "that I 
 cannot follow it. How are you going to be philosophical, 
 Mr. Linden ?" 
 
 "Not by forgetting to exact your forfeit, Miss Der 
 rick." 
 
 "That isn t fair," said Faith laughing. "I didn t for 
 get ! I shouldn t think you had gone> all day without eat 
 ing anything ! and yet you must be starving." 
 
76 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "For what? little provider." 
 
 "For something to eat, I should think." 
 
 " Does that mean that you are suffering ? because if 
 that be the case, I will refresh you (cautiously) with sugar 
 plums ! A very superfluous thing, to be sure, but the most 
 suitable I can think of." 
 
 Faith s laugh came clear now. "No indeed. Suffer 
 ing 1 I never eat so many dinners in one day in my life. 
 But I am hungry though, I believe. How many more 
 places are we going to ? I don t care how many," she said 
 earnestly. "I like to be hungry." 
 
 " Well, keep up your spirits, the next turn will bring 
 us out of the woods, and a three-minute stay at one or 
 two doors will end our work for this time. Meanwhile, 
 4o you want to hear a little bit of good poetry on an 
 entirely new subject?" 
 
 "Oh yes! if you please." 
 
 Demurely enough it was given. 
 
 " Her true beauty leaves behind 
 Apprehensions in my mind 
 Of more sweetness, than all art 
 Or inventions can impart. 
 Thoughts too deep to be expressed, 
 And too strong to be repressed. " 
 
 She gave him a wistful look as he finished the lines; 
 and then sat among her furs, as quiet again as a mouse. 
 
 " Do you like them, Mignonette ?" 
 
 "Yes very much." 
 
 "Would you like to tell me then why the hearing of them 
 makes you sober ?" 
 
 "Yes if you wish"; she said gently. "I know a little 
 I believe, what you think of me ; but what I seem to 
 your eyes on the outside and much more ! I want to be 
 really, really in the sight of the eye that tries the heart 
 and I am not now, Endy." 
 
 "My dear child " he said, and was silent a minute, 
 speeding smoothly along through the starlight; then went 
 on. 
 
 "Yes, dear Faith, that is what I wish for you and 
 for myself. That is where we will most earnestly try to 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 77 
 
 help each other." And presently, as eye and thoughts 
 were caught and held by the wonderful constellation above 
 in the clear sky, yet not drawn away from what they had 
 been talking of, Mr. Linden said, 
 
 " Seek him that maketh the seven stars and Orion, 
 that bringeth the shadow of death upon the day, and turn- 
 eth the night into morning! " And so, in the thought of 
 that, they went home; Orion looking down upon them, 
 and they leaving bits of brightness by the way at the two 
 or three houses which yet remained. The box sleigh got 
 home at last emptied of all its load but the two travellers. 
 
 Mrs. Derrick and supper were ready for them, and had 
 been a good while ; and by this time Mr. Linden and Faith 
 were ready for supper. And much as Mrs. Derrick had to 
 hear, she had something to tell. How Judge Harrison 
 had come to make a visit and say good-bye, and how he 
 had put in her hands another twenty-five dollars to be 
 added to those his son had already bestowed on Reuben. 
 Squire Stoutenburgh too had been there ; but his errand 
 was to declare that Jerry could never be received again 
 into his service, but must henceforth remain in Mrs. Der 
 rick s stable and possession. Altogether, the day even at 
 home had been an exciting one. 
 
 A little time after supper Faith went into the sitting- 
 room. Mr. Linden was there alone. Faith came up to 
 the back of his chair, laid a hand on his shoulder, and 
 bent her head into speaking neighbourhood. It may be 
 remarked, that though Faith no longer said " Mr. Linden," 
 yet that one other word of his name was never spoken just 
 like her other words. There was always a little lowering 
 or alteration of tone, a slight pause before or after it, 
 which set and marked it as bordered round with all the 
 regards which by any phrase could be made known. 
 
 "Endecott" she said very softly, "do you know what 
 you have been doing to-day ?" 
 
 "Comprehensively speaking I have been enjoying my 
 self," he said with a bright smile at her. 
 
 "You have been giving me a lesson all the while, that 
 I felt through and through. " 
 
 "Through and through?" he repeated. "Come round 
 
78 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 here, little bird you need not perch on the back of nij 
 chair. What are you singing about ?" 
 
 "Of what you have taught me to-day," 
 
 "I must have fallen into a very unconscious habit of 
 lesson-giving. What have I taught you? suppose you 
 teach me." 
 
 "How one should hold forth the word of life. " 
 
 "Ah little bird!" he said, with a look at her which 
 said his day s lesson had been the same, yet on different 
 grounds. "Well if you can learn anything from so im 
 perfect a teacher, I am glad. But do not rest there, take 
 up the olive leaf and bear it on 1" 
 
CHAPTER Y. 
 
 MRS DERRICK went to Pequot the next day, and 
 found Miss Danforth as Faith had left her ; or rather, 
 somewhat more failing in everything but mind-strength. 
 Mrs. Derrick was greatly welcomed by both ladies ; but 
 she had not been there three hours when Miss Dilly spoke 
 out what was on her heart. 
 
 "Isn t Faith coming back to me again?" 
 
 For Faith s sake her mother hesitated, and yet it was 
 for Faith s sake that she answered, "Yes, if you want 
 her." 
 
 "It won t be for long I shall want her," said Miss 
 Dilly with a quietness very unlike her old self: "but I 
 would like to have her dear face and music about me once 
 more if she can let me." 
 
 Mrs. Derrick came back with Mr. Stoutenburgh to 
 Pattuquasset that same evening; and Faith put up her 
 books and made immediate preparations for going to 
 Pequot in her stead. 
 
 " I must let you go, child," said her mother, " I couldn t 
 refuse." 
 
 "And I am so glad to-morrow is Wednesday, for I can 
 take you over," said Mr. Linden. 
 
 Wednesday afternoon was very fair, and after dinner 
 Faith and all her needful baggage were bestowed in the 
 little sleigh, and the journey began. Not very much of a 
 journey indeed, unless compared with the length of day 
 light; but as fair and bright and pleasant as a journey 
 could be. Full of talk of all sorts, gliding on through 
 the fading day and the falling night, until 
 
 the floor of heaven 
 
 Was thick inlaid with patines of bright. gold." 
 
 Very bright the stars were, very dark the sky, when 
 , Jerry s bells began to mingle with a crowd of others in the 
 
 (79) 
 
80 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 streets of Pequot. Faith had insisted that Mr. Linden 
 should come in and have a cup of tea or coffee before he 
 went back again; and this being a not unreasonable re 
 quest, besides a pleasant one, she had her way. 
 
 Miss Danforth was in her room and could not see Mr. 
 Linden. Faith with a kiss and a word established the 
 little Frenchwoman to talk to him, obtaining leave to do 
 what she pleased; though Madame Danforth managed to 
 have her share in the hospitality ; got out cups and saucers 
 for Faith and Mr. Linden both on a little table by the fire, 
 her rolls and her butter; talking all the while to him; 
 and took a minute to run down into the kitchen and see 
 that Faith and the coffee-pot were getting on properly. 
 And it may be said in passing that the result did credit to 
 both. The coffee served to Mr. Linden was faultless. 
 Madame Danforth however had hardly presented him his 
 cup, when she was called off and her guests were left alone. 
 
 "Faith," said Mr. Linden, "you must not forget that 
 you have something to do for me as well as for other people 
 while you are here." 
 
 "I don t forget it. But what do you mean, Ende- 
 cott ? 
 
 " To put it in the most effective way I mean that you 
 must take care of me !" he said smiling. 
 
 "I will. As good care as you would take of your 
 self." 
 
 " That is a little ambiguous ! But will you send me 
 word very often of your success ?" 
 
 Faith looked up and looked at him, a little startled. 
 
 "Do you mean " 
 
 "I mean that there is a postoffice in Pattaquasset and 
 another in Pequot." 
 
 She coloured, and somewhat hastily busied herself with 
 refilling Mr. Linden s cup. Then she folded her hands and 
 sat Jooking into the fire with a face on which there was a 
 touching expression of humbleness. 
 
 "My little Mignonette," he said, "what are you think 
 ing of ?" 
 
 "I am thinking of that," she said with a smile which 
 did not change the expression. " Of what you want me to 
 do and about it." 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 81 
 
 "What about it? Are you inditing a letter to me on 
 the spot?" 
 
 "No." 
 
 "What then?" 
 
 Faith would have liked to have her face out of sight, but 
 she couldn t, conveniently. 
 
 "I am thinking, how I shall do it and how you will 
 not like it." 
 
 " You don t know" said Mr. Linden. "Let me tell you 
 how I shall like it. I shall read it, and love it, and answer 
 it will that satisfy you ? or do you want me to hang it 
 round my neck by a blue ribband ? because if you do, I 
 will." 
 
 The laughing flash of Faith s eye contained nevertheless 
 a protest. 
 
 " No, you will not like it, because it will not be fit for 
 you to like ; but you will have patience with it," she said 
 with a smile which did in its loveliness bid good-bye to 
 shadows. 
 
 Mr. Linden left the table, and standing before her as she 
 had risen too, took her face softly in both hands and raised 
 it up for his inspection. 
 
 "Do you know what a naughty child you are ?" 
 
 A most quaint little "yes." 
 
 "Then why don t you behave better?" he said, enforcing 
 his question but not releasing her. 
 
 "I suppose you will teach rne, in time" she said, blush 
 ing and sparkling under his hands. He seemed to like to 
 study her face or was thinking that he should not see it 
 again for some time, the expression on his own belonged 
 to more than one thing. 
 
 "You must not make me wait for that letter, Faith," he 
 said "and I must not let you keep me any longer here ! 
 But if you want anything, of any sort, you must send to 
 me." 
 
 "Yes! to you or to mother." 
 
 "To me if it is anything I can do," he said as. he 
 bade her good-bye. " And take care of yourself, dear child, 
 foe me." And releasing her at last, none too willingly, 
 Mr. Linden went out alone into the starlight. He did not 
 see nor guess how Faith stdod before the fire where he 
 
82 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 had left her, looking down into it, motionless and grave 
 until Madame Danforth came back. Then all that part 
 of her life was shut up within her, and Faith was again to 
 other eyes what she had been before at Pequot. Yet not 
 80 entirely the same, nor was all that part of her life so 
 entirely shut up to herself, that both her aunt and Madame 
 Danforth did not have a thought and exchange a word on 
 the subject. 
 
 "The sun has found the blossom I" said the little French 
 woman knowingly one day; "they do not open so without 
 that!" 
 
 "Nonsense!" said Miss Danforth. "I will ask her." 
 But she never did. 
 
 And for a little while again Faith filled her old office. 
 Miss Dilly had no troubles or darkness to clear away now ; 
 the Bible was plain sailing to her; but she could never 
 spread her sails too soon or too full for that navigation. 
 Early and late, as before, Faith read to her, with a joy and 
 gladness all brightened from the contrast of that Sunday 
 night s reading, and coming with a fuller spring since that 
 one little word of her mother the same night. Indeed the 
 last few days had seemed to make the Bible even greatly more 
 precious to Faith than ever before. She clung more fast, she 
 searched more eagerly, among its treasures of riches, to its 
 pillars of strength ; valueing them all, as it seemed to her, 
 with a new value, with a fresh knowledge of what might 
 be found and won there for others and herself. So with 
 the very eagerness of love Faith read the Bible to Miss 
 Dilly; and so as she had done before, many a time, early 
 and late, in childlike simpleness prayed at her bedside and 
 by her chair. And as before when she was at Pequot she 
 won Madame Danforth s heart, she intrenched herself there 
 now. She was all over the house, carrying a sunbeam 
 with her; but Faith never thought it was her own. She 
 was a most efficient maid of all work, for nursing and 
 too much care had worn poor Madame Danforth not a 
 little. Faith was upper servant and cook by turns; and 
 sometimes went to market ; made every meal pleasant with 
 her gentle happy ways; and comforted the two old ladies 
 to the very top of comfort. 
 
 Whether she wanted to be" at home or not, Faith did not 
 
SAY AND SEAL 83 
 
 stop to ask herself. But those letters those letters they 
 were written, and they were carried to the postoffice 
 and others were found at the postoffice in reply to them. 
 And what had been such trial in the proposition, became, 
 even in the first instance, the joy of Faith s life. She 
 wrote hers how she could; generally at night, when she 
 could be quite uninterrupted and alone. It was often very 
 late at night, but it was always a time of rare pleasure and 
 liberty of heart; for if the body were tired, the spirit was 
 free. And Faith s was particularly free, for the manacles 
 and fetters of pride which weigh so bitter heavy on many 
 a mind and life, her gentle and true spirit had let fall. 
 She knew nobody better that her letters were not like 
 those letters of Mr. Linden s sister, Pet : those exquisite 
 letters, where every grace and every talent of a finely 
 gifted and fully cultivated mind seemed playing together 
 with all the rich stores of the past and realities of the 
 present. She knew, that in very style and formalities of 
 execution, her own letters were imperfect and unformed. 
 But she was equally sure that in time what was wrong in 
 this kind would be made right ; and she was not afraid to 
 be found wrong, at all, for her own sake. It was because 
 of somebody else, that she had flinched from this writing 
 proposal; because she felt that what was wrong in her 
 touched him now. But there again, Faith wrote, trusting 
 with an absolute trust in the heart and hand to which she 
 ^ent her letters; willing to be found wrong if need be; 
 sure to be set right truly and gently. And so, Faith wrote 
 her own heart and life out, from day to day, giving Mr. 
 Linden precisely what he wanted, and with a child s fear 
 lessness. It was a great thing to go to the postoffice those 
 days! Faith left it to nobody else to do for her. And 
 how strange how weird, almost, the signature of those 
 letters and her own name on the outside looked to her, in 
 the same fr.ee, graceful handwriting which she had read on 
 that little card so long ago ! And the letters themselves ? 
 - enough to say, that they made Faith think of the way 
 she had been sheltered from the wind, and carried upstairs 
 when her strength failed, and read to and talked to and 
 instructed, that they made her long to be home and yet con 
 tent to be there ; giving her all sorts of details, of things in 
 
84 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 Pattaquasset and things elsewhere just as the writer would 
 have talked them to her ; with sometimes a word of counsel, 
 or of caution, or of suggestion, or some old German hymn 
 which she might find of use in her ministrations, written 
 out in full. It may be mentioned in passing, that the fair 
 little face he had been looking at, or her evident fear of 
 writing to him, made Mr. Linden write to her that very 
 night; a little sugarplum of a letter, which Faith had for 
 her dinner next day. 
 
 And Faith read these letters at all sorts of times, and 
 thought of them at other times ; and made them next to 
 her Bible as she should. 
 
CHAPTER VI. 
 
 weeks passed quietly, without much apparent 
 
 _ change in Miss Danforth; and Faith was beginning 
 to think of appointing a time to go home. But the neces 
 sity for that was suddenly superseded. The Friday follow 
 ing, Miss Dilly took a change for the worse, and Saturday 
 she died. Faith sent off tidings immediately to Pattaquas- 
 set; but her letter could not reach there till Monday ; and 
 Monday came a very great fall of snow which made trav 
 elling impossible. Faith waited patiently, comforting Ma 
 dame Danforth as she might, and endeavouring to win her to 
 some notion of that joy in the things of the Bible in which 
 Miss Dilly had lived and died. For no change had come 
 over Miss Dilly s sky ; and she had set sail from the shores 
 of earth in the very sunlight. 
 
 It fell out, that Faith s letter of Saturday afternoon had 
 been five minutes too late for the mail ; and after lying in 
 the office at Pequot over Sunday, had been again subjected 
 to the delays of Monday s storm, which in its wild fury put 
 a stop to everything else; and thus, when Mr. Linden went 
 to the office Tuesday morning before school time, the mail 
 had not yet got in. Not long after, however, Mr. Skip 
 brought home the letters ; and Mrs. Derrick reading hers, 
 at once took Mr. Skip and Jerry and set off for Pequot; 
 minding neither snowdrifts nor driving wind, when the road 
 to Faith lay through them, and arriving there quite safe 
 about the hour of midday. 
 
 The delayed funeral took place the same afternoon. And 
 the next morning, in a brilliant cold day, snow all over the 
 ground and the sky all blue, the mother and daughter 
 set forth homewards. Madame Danforth was going to 
 take another relation in, and live on still in the little 
 bouse where she and her sister-in-law had made a happy 
 home for so many years. Miss Danforth had left a few 
 hundreds, three or four, to Faith. It was all she bad 
 owned in the world ; her principal living having been an 
 
 VOL. ii. 8 (85) 
 
86 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 annuity settled upon her by her brother, which reverted to 
 Madame Danforth. 
 
 It was about mid afternoon when they reached home, 
 and of course the house held no one but Cindy ; except in 
 deed that sort of invisible presence which books and other 
 inanimate things make known ; and Cindy had to tell 
 of two or three visiters, but otherwise nothing. Yery 
 fair it all looked to Faith, very sweet to her ear was the 
 sound of the village clock, although as yet it was only 
 striking three. She did not say much about the matter. 
 A gleeful announcement that she was glad to be at home, 
 she made to Mrs. Derrick; but after that she expressed 
 herself in action. One of her first moves was to the 
 kitchen, determined that there should be a double con 
 sciousness of her being at home when supper-time came. 
 Then books were got out, and fires put in wonderful order. 
 Mr. Linden might guess, from the state in which he found 
 his room, that it had come under its old rule. No such 
 fire had greeted him there for weeks ; no such brushed-up 
 clean hearth ; no such delicate arrangement of table and 
 chairs and curtains and couch. But the fire burned quietly 
 and told no tales, otherwise than by its very orderly snap 
 ping and sparkling. 
 
 And indeed it so happened, that Mr. Linden went first 
 into the sitting-room, partly to see if any one was there, 
 partly because the day was cold, and under Cindy s man 
 agement there was small reason to suppose that his room 
 was warm. And once there, the easy-chair reminded him 
 so strongly that he was tired, that he even sat down in it 
 before going upstairs, which combination a long walk 
 through the snowdrifts since school, made very acceptable. 
 Five minutes after, Faith having got rid of her kitchen 
 apron, opened softly the door of the sitting-room. She 
 stopped an instant, and then came forward, her gladness 
 not at all veiled by a very rosy veil of shy modesty. There 
 was no stay in his step to meet her, he had sprung up 
 with the first sound of her foot on the threshold ; and how 
 much she had been missed and longed for Faith might 
 guess, from the glad silence in which she was held fast and 
 for a minute not allowed to speak herself. So very glad ! 
 she could see it and feel it exceedingly as he brought her 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 87 
 
 forward to the fire, and lifted up her face, and looked at it 
 with eyes that were not easily satisfied. 
 
 "My little Sunbeam," he said, "how lovely you are !" 
 
 She had been laughing and flushing with a joy almost as 
 frankly shewn as his own ; but that brought a change over 
 her face. The eyes fell, and the line of the lips was unbent 
 after a different fashion. 
 
 "I don t know what it is like to see you again," Mr. 
 Linden said as his own touched them once more, 
 *Tike any amount of balm and rest and refreshment! 
 How long have you been here, dear child ? and how do 
 you do ? and have you any idea how glad I am to have 
 you home ?" 
 
 She answered partly in dumb show, clasping one hand 
 upon his shoulder and laying down her head upon it. Her 
 words were very quiet and low-spoken. 
 
 "We came home a while ago and I am very well." 
 Mr. Linden rested his face lightly upon her shining hair, 
 and was silent till Faith wondered ; little guessing what 
 thoughts the absence and the meeting and above all her 
 mute expression, had stirred; nor what bitterness was 
 wrapped in those sweet minutes. But he put it aside, 
 and then took the sweetness pure and unmixed; giv 
 ing her about as much sunshine as he said she gave 
 him. 
 
 "How do you like writing to me, Faith ?" he said. "Am 
 I, on the whole, any more terrific at a distance than near 
 by?" 
 
 "I didn t know you could be so good at a distance," 
 she said expressively. 
 
 "Did you find out what reception your letters met?" 
 
 "I didn t want to find out." 
 
 "Do you call that an answer?" he said smiling. "Why 
 didn t you want to find out? and did you?" 
 
 "Why!" said Faith, "I didn t want to find out be 
 cause it wasn t necessary. I did find out that I liked to 
 write. But you wouldn t have liked it if you had known 
 what time of night it was, of: en." 
 
 "What do you think of taking up a new study?" said 
 Mr. Linden. "It strikes me that it would do you good 
 *o stand in the witness-box half an hour every day, just 
 
88 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 for practice. Faith did you find out what reception 
 your letters met?" 
 
 " I knew before " she said, meeting his eyes. . 
 
 "Did you ! then what made you assure me I should not 
 like them ?" 
 
 "I don t think you did, Endecott the parts of them 
 that you oughtn t to have liked." 
 
 "Truly I think not!" he said laughing. "You are on 
 safe ground there, little Mignonette. But speaking of let 
 ters do you want more tidings from Italy ?" ^ 
 
 " yes I if you please. Are they good ? And has all 
 been good here with you and the school since I have beeu 
 away ?" 
 
 " Yes, they are good, my sister and yours is enjoy 
 ing herself reasonably. And the boys have been good, 
 and I have wanted my Mignonette." 
 
 One word in that speech brought a soft play of 
 colour to Faith s face, but her words did not touch 
 that point. 
 
 The days went on very quietly after that, and the weeks 
 followed, quietly, regularly, full of business and pleasure. 
 Quick steps were made in many things during those weeks, 
 little interrupted by the rest of Pattaquasset, some of the 
 most stirring people of that town being away. An occa 
 sional tea-drinking did steal an evening now and then, but 
 also furnished the before and after walk or ride, and so on 
 the whole did little mischief; and as Faith was now some 
 times taken on Mr. Linden s visits to another range of soci 
 ety, she saw more of him than ever ; and daily learned more 
 and more not only of him, but of his care for her. His 
 voice never indeed harsh to any one took its gentlest 
 tones to her ; his eye its softest and deepest lustre : no 
 matter how tired he came home the first sight of her 
 seemed to banish all thought of fatigue. Faith could 
 feel that she was the very delight of his life. Indeed, by 
 degrees, she began to understand that she had long been 
 so only there had once been a qualification, now, the 
 sunshine of his happiness had nothing to check its ex 
 pression, or its endeavour to make her life as bright. 
 That he took "continual comfort" in her, Faith could 
 see. 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 89 
 
 And child ! he did not see what this consciousness 
 spurred her to do ; how the strength of her heart spent 
 itself yet was never spent in efforts to grow and become 
 more worthy of him and more fit for him to take comfort 
 in. The days were short, and Faith s household duties not 
 few, especially in the severe weather, when she could not 
 let her mother be tried with efforts which in summer-time 
 might be easy and pleasant enough. A good piece of 
 every day was of necessity spent by Faith about house and 
 in the kitchen, and faithfully given to its work. But her 
 heart spurred her on to get knowledge. The times when 
 Mr. Linden was out of school could rarely be study times, 
 except of study with him; and to be prepared for him 
 Faith was eager. She took times that were hers all alone. 
 Nobody heard her noiseless footfall in the early morning 
 down the stair. Long before it was light, hours before 
 the sun thought of shewing his face to the white Mong and 
 the snowy houseroofs of Pattaquasset, Faith lighted her 
 fire in the sitting-room, and her lamp on the table ; and 
 after what in the first place was often a good while with 
 her Bible, she bent herself to the deep earnest absorbed 
 pressing into the studies she was pursuing with Mr. Linden 
 or such of them -as the morning had time for. Faith 
 could not lengthen the day at the other end; to prevent 
 the sun was her only chance ; and day after day and week 
 after week, through the short days of February, she had 
 done solid work and a deal of it before anybody in the 
 house saw her face in the kitchen or at breakfast. They 
 saw it then as bright* as ever. Mr. Linden only knew that 
 his scholar made very swift and smooth progress. He 
 would have known more, for Faith would have shewn the 
 effects of her early hours of work in her looks and life the 
 rest of the day, but happiness is strong ; and a mind abso 
 lutely at peace with God and the world has a great rest ! 
 Friction is said to be one of the notable hindering powers 
 in the world of matter it is equally true, perhaps, of the 
 world of spirit. Without it, in either sphere, how softly 
 and with how little wear and tear, everything moves I 
 And Faith s life knew none. 
 
 8* 
 
CHAPTER VII. 
 
 IT was near the end of February, rather late in the 
 afternoon of a by no means balmy day, in the course 
 of which Dr. Harrison had arrived to look after his repairs. 
 But the workmen had stopped work and gone home to 
 supper, and the doctor and his late dinner sat together. 
 Luxuriously enough, on the doctor s part, for the dinner 
 was good and well cooked, the bottles -of wine irreproach 
 able (as wine) in their silver stands, the little group of 
 different coloured glasses shining in the firelight. The 
 doctor s fingerbovvl and napkin stood at hand, ( at this stage 
 of the proceeding) his half-pared apple was clearly worth 
 the trouble, and he himself between the fire and his easy- 
 chair might be said to be "in the lap of comfort." Com 
 fort rarely did much for him but take him on her lap, 
 however he seldom stayed there; and on the present 
 occasion the doctor s eyes were very wide open and his 
 thoughts at work. It might be presumed that neither 
 process was cut short, when the old black man opened the 
 door and announced Mr. Linden. 
 
 But if Mr. Linden could have seen the doctor s face just 
 before, he might have supposed that his entrance had pro 
 duced rather a sedative effect. For* the brow smoothed 
 itself down, the eye took its light play and the mouth its 
 light smile, and the doctor s advance to meet his friend 
 was marked with all its graceful and easy unconcern. Ho 
 did not even seem energetic enough to be very glad ; for 
 grace and carelessness still blended in his welcome and 
 in his hospitable attentions, nothing of which however was 
 failing. He had presently made Mr. Linden as comfortable 
 as himself, so far as possible outward appliances could be 
 effectual; established him at a good side of the table; 
 Burnished him with fruit and pressed him with wine; and 
 then sitting at ease at his own corner, sipped His claret 
 daintily, eyeing Mr. Linden good humouredly Between sips ; 
 (90) 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 91 
 
 but apparently too happily on good terras ^ith Comfort to 
 be in any wise eager or anxious as to what Mr. Linden s 
 business might be, or whether he had ai.y. 
 
 "Has the news of ray arrival flown over Pattaquasset 
 already?" said he. "I thought I had seen nothing but 
 frieze jackets, and friezes of broken plaster and I have 
 certainly felt so much of another kind of freeze that I 
 should hardly think even news could have stirred." 
 
 Mr. Linden s reception of the doctor s hospitality had 
 been merely nominal except so far as face and voice had 
 the receiving, and he answered quietly 
 
 " I don t know. I happened to want you, doctor, and so 
 I found out that you were here." 
 
 " Want me ? I am very glad to be wanted by you so 
 that it be not for you. What is it, my dear Linden ?" 
 
 " No you will not be glad," said Mr. Linden, "though 
 it is both for me and not for me. I want you to go with 
 me to see one of my little scholars who is sick." 
 
 "Who is he?" 
 
 "One whom you have seen but will not remember, 
 Johnny Fax." 
 
 "Fax " said the doctor "I remember the name, but 
 no particular owner of it. What s the matter with him ?" 
 
 "I want you to come and see." 
 
 "Now?" 
 
 "As near that as may be." 
 
 "Now it shall be, then; though with such a February 
 night on one side, it takes all your power on the other to 
 draw me out of this chair. You don t look much like 
 Comedy, and I am very little like the great buskin-wearer 
 but I would as lieve Tragedy had me by the other shoulder 
 as February, when his fingers have been so very long away 
 from the fire. Did you ever read Thomson s Castle of 
 Indolence, Linden ?" 
 
 "Not to much purpose the name is all I remember." 
 
 "Stupid book," said the doctor; "but a delightful 
 place !" 
 
 The luxury of broadcloth and furs in which the doctor 
 was presently involved might have rendered him reasonably 
 independent, one would think, of February or any other of 
 Jank Frost s band. Jerry was at the door, and involving. 
 
92 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 themselves still further in buffalo robes the two gentle 
 men drove to the somewhat distant farm settlement which 
 called Jonathan Fax master. Mr. Fax was a well-to-do 
 member of the Pattaquasset community, as far as means 
 went ; there was very little knowledge in his house how 
 to make use of means. Nor many people to make use 
 of the knowledge. The one feminine member of the 
 family had lately married and gone off to take care of 
 her own concerns, and Jonathan and his one other child 
 lived on as best they might; the child being dependant 
 upon the maid of all work for his clothes and breakfast, for 
 his Sunday lessons upon Faith, for the weekday teaching 
 and comfort of his little life upon Mr. Linden. Living 
 along in this somewhat divided way, the child had suddenly 
 taken sick no one just knew how; nor just what to do 
 with him except to send Mr. Linden word by one of the 
 other boys, which had been done that afternoon. And 
 thus it was, that Dr. Harrison had been looked for, found, 
 and drawn out into the February night with only the slight 
 protection of furs and broadcloth. 
 
 Thus it was that after a short and rather silent drive, 
 the two gentlemen went together into the last-century sort 
 of a house, received the angular welcome of Jonathan Fax, 
 and stood side by side by the bed where the sick child lay. 
 Side by side with what different faces I A difference 
 which Johnny was quick to recognize. He lay on the bed, 
 wrapped in a little old plaid cloak, and with cheeks which 
 rivalled its one remaining bright colour; and half unclosing 
 his heavy eyes to see the doctor, he stretched out his arms 
 to Mr. Linden, clasping them round his neck as his friend 
 sat down on the bedside and gently lifted him up, and 
 receiving the kiss on his flushed cheek with a little parting 
 of the lips which said how glad he was. But then he lay 
 quite still in Mr. Linden s arms. 
 
 Whatever attractions the Castle of Indolence might 
 have for Dr. Harrison upon occasion, he never seemed 
 so much as to look that way when he was at his work. 
 Now, it made no difference that he was no friend of 
 Johnny s; he gave his attention thoroughly and with all 
 his skill to the condition and wants of his little patient. 
 
 "Is there nobody to take care of him?" he asked in 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 93 
 
 French, for Jonathan Fax with his square and by no 
 means delicate and tender physiognomy stood at the other 
 side of the bed heavily looking on. 
 
 "I shall, to-night," said Mr. Linden. "You may give 
 me your directions." 
 
 The doctor proceeded to do this ; but added, " He wants 
 care and good nursing ; and he ll suffer if he don t have it. 
 He is a sick child." 
 
 "He shall have it," was all the answer; and when the 
 doctor had finished his work for the time, Mr. Linden laid 
 the child on the bed again, giving him a whispered promise 
 to come back and stay with him all night; upon the 
 strength of which promise Johnny fell into a deep sleep. 
 
 "Has the creature nobody to take care of him?" said 
 the doctor as they went out. 
 
 "Nobody at home." 
 
 "I shall be here a day or two, Linden I ll see him early 
 in the morning again." 
 
 Mr. Linden s next move through the biting air was to 
 drive home. At the door of the sitting-room Faith met 
 him 
 
 " Endecott how is he ?" 
 
 " Less well than I expected to find him, dear Faith. I 
 found Dr. Harrison and took him there with me." 
 
 "And what did Dr. Harrison say of him ?" 
 
 "That he wanted good care and nursing." 
 
 "And who is there to give it to him, Endy?" she said 
 with a very saddened and earnest face. 
 
 "Why I shall give it to him to-night, my child, and we ll 
 see about to-morrow. The doctor promised to go there 
 again in the morning." 
 
 She stood a moment silent, and then said, "I ll go with 
 you." 
 
 " Not to-night, dear it is not needful. He will not want 
 more than one watcher." 
 
 "But he might want something else something to be 
 done that a woman about the house might be wanted for 
 let me go too ! " 
 
 "No indeed! you must go to sleep. And he will hardly 
 
 want anything but what I can give him to-night. I know 
 
 / well what your little hands are in a sick room," be said 
 
94 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 taking them in his own, " 1 know well ! but they are not 
 made of iron nor are you." 
 
 Faith looked ill satisfied. 
 
 "Well, you ll not hinder my taking your place by him 
 to-morrow, Endy ?" 
 
 "If I can," Mr. Linden said, "I shall come home to 
 breakfast, and then I may know what you had better do; 
 but if I should be detained there, and so not get here till 
 midday, wait for me I should not like to have you go 
 without seeing me again ; and I can leave Reuben there 
 for the morning if need be." 
 
 "Oh Endecott! " she said with a heart full; but she 
 said no more and ran away. She came back soon to call 
 Mr. Linden to tea, which had waited ; and after tea when 
 he was about going she put a basket in his hand. 
 
 " I hope Mr. Fax has wood in his house, so that you can 
 keep a fire, but you are not likely to find anything else 
 there. You ll want everything that is in this, Endy please 
 remember." 
 
 "I will not forget," he said, as he gave her his thanks. 
 "But what did that exclamation mean, before tea? : 
 
 " What exclamation ? Oh " said Faith, smiling some 
 what but looking down, "I suppose it meant that I was 
 disappointed." 
 
 "My dear little child you must try not to feel disap 
 pointed, because I am quite sure you ought not to go ; and 
 that must content both you and me. So good night." 
 
 Faith tried to be contented, but her little scholar lay on 
 her heart. And it lay on her heart too, that Mr. Linden 
 would be watching all night and teaching all day. He did 
 not know how much he had disappointed, for she hud laid 
 a fine plan to go by starlight in the morning to take his 
 place and send him home for a little rest before breakfast 
 and school. Faith studied only one book that night, and 
 that was her Bible. 
 
 It was a night of steady watching, broken by many 
 other things, but not by sleep. There was constantly 
 some little thing to do for the sick child, ranging from 
 giving him a drink of water, to giving him talk, or rock 
 ing and it might be singing him to sleep. But the 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 95 
 
 restless little requests never had to wait for their answer, 
 and with the whole house sunk in stillness or sleep, Mr 
 Linden played the part of a most gentle and efficient nurse 
 and thought of Faith, and her disappointment. And so 
 the night wore away, and the morning star came up, and 
 then the red flushes of sunrise. 
 
 " Who turneth the night into day" Mr. Linden thought, 
 \vith a grave look from the window to the little face beside 
 him and then the words came, 
 
 "In the morning, children, in the morning; 
 We ll all rise together in the morning!" 
 
 It was very early indeed, earlier even than usual, when 
 Faith came down and kindled her fire. And then leaving 
 it to burn, she opened the curtains of the window and 
 looked out into the starlight. It was long before the red 
 flush of the morning; it was even before the time when 
 Faith would have gone to relieve the guard in that sick 
 room ; her thoughts sped away to the distant watcher there 
 and the sick child. Faith could guess what sort of a 
 watching it had been, and it was a comfort to think that 
 Johnny had it. But then as she looked out into the clear 
 still starlight, something brought up the question, what if 
 Johnny should die? It was overwhelming to Faith for 
 a minute ; her little scholar s loveliness had got fast hold 
 of her heart; and she loved him for deep and far-back 
 associations too. She could not bear to think that it might 
 be. Yet she asked herself if this was a reasonable feeling ? 
 \Vhy should she be sorry if it were so that this little 
 blossom of Heaven should have an early transplanting 
 thither? Ah, the fragrance of such Heaven-flowers is too 
 sweet to be missed, and Earth wants them. As Faith 
 looked sadly out into the night, watched the eternal proces 
 sion of bright stars, and heard the low sweep of the wind, 
 the words came to her, separated from their context and 
 from everything else as it seemed, I, the Lord, do all 
 these things. Her niiud as instautly gave a glad assent and 
 rested itself in them. Not seen by her or by mortal the 
 place or fitting of any change or turn of earthly things, in 
 the great plan, every one such turn and change had its 
 
96 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 place, as sure as the post of each star in the sky as true 
 to its commission as that wind, which came from no one 
 knew where to go no one knew whither. Faith looked and 
 listened, and took the lesson deep down in her heart. 
 
 Mr. Linden s little basket had stood him well in stead 
 that long night, for Faith had said truth ; nothing was for 
 him in Mr. Fax s house. Mr. Fax was well enough satis 
 fied that Johnny s teacher should take the trouble of nurs 
 ing the child, had no idea that such trouble would necessa 
 rily involve much loss of sleep, and still further no notion 
 of the fact that a watcher at night needs food as much as 
 fire. Fire Mr. Linden had, but he would have been worse 
 off without the stores he found in his basket. In truth the 
 supply generally was sufficient to have kept him from starv 
 ing even if he had been obliged to go without his breakfast ; 
 but Dr. Harrison concerned himself about his little patient, 
 and was better than Mr. Linden s hopes. He came, 
 though in the cold short February morning, a good while 
 before eight o clock. He gave Mr. Linden a pleasant clssp 
 of the hand ; and then made his observations in silence. 
 
 "Is this one of your favourites?" he said at length. 
 
 A grave "yes." 
 
 "I am sorry for it." 
 
 Mr. Linden was silent at first, looking down at the child 
 with a sort of expression the doctor had not often seen, am* 
 when he spoke it was without raising his eyes. 
 
 "Tell me more particularly." 
 
 "I don t know myself," said the doctor with a frankness 
 /startling in one of his profession ; but Dr. Harrison s char 
 acteristic carelessness nowhere made itself more apparent 
 than in his words and about what people might think of 
 them. "I don t say anything certainly but I do not like 
 appearances. " 
 
 "What is the matter?" 
 
 " It s an indefinite sort of attack all the worse for that ! 
 the root of which is hid from me. All you can do is 
 to watch and wait. Have you been here through the 
 night?" 
 
 " Yes," Mr. Linden answered arid put the further ques 
 tion, "Do you think there is any danger of contagion?" 
 
 "O no 1 the fever, what there is, comes from some 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 97 
 
 inward cause a complicated one, I judge. I can guess, 
 and that s all. Are there no women about the house ?" 
 
 "None that are good for much." And looking at his 
 watch, Mr. Linden laid the child who had fallen asleep 
 again out of his arms among the pillows, arranging them 
 softly and dextrously as if he were used to the business. 
 
 "Reuben Taylor will stay with him for the present," he 
 said as he turned to Dr. Harrison. 
 
 "I ll come again by and by," the doctor said. "Mean 
 while all that can be done is to let him have this, as I told 
 you." 
 
 The directions were given to Reuben, the doctor drove 
 off, and Mr. Linden set out on his quick walk home ; after 
 the confinement of. the night, the cold morning air and 
 exercise were rather resting than otherwise. It was a very 
 thoughtful half hour very sorrowful at first; but before 
 he reached home, thought, and almost feeling, had got 
 beyond the narrow bounds of time, and were resting 
 peacefully even joyfully where bright celestial ages 
 roll. 
 
 He entered the house with a light step, and went first 
 upstairs to change his dress; but when he came down and 
 entered the sitting-room, there was the tone of the whole 
 walk upon his face still. Faith put her question softly, a,s 
 if she expected no glad answer. And yet it was partly 
 that, though given in very gentle, grave tones. 
 
 "There is more to fear than to hope, dear Faith, aud 
 there is everything to hope, and nothing to fear!" 
 
 She turned away to the breakfast-table ; and said little 
 more till the meal was over. Then she rose when he did. 
 
 " 1 am going now, Endy !" The tone was of very earnest 
 determination, that yet waited for sanction. 
 
 " Yes," he answered " Dr. Harrison says the fever is not 
 contagious, I waited to know that. If I can I shall get 
 free before midday, so I may meet you there. Ani can 
 you prepare and take with you two or three things ?" he 
 told her what. 
 
 Faith set about them ; and when they were done, Mr. 
 Skip had iinished his breakfast and got Jerry ready. Some 
 other preparations Faith had made beforehand ; and with 
 no delay now she was on her swift way to little Johnny s 
 
 VOL. II. 9 
 
98 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 bedside. She came in like a vision of comfort upon the 
 sick room, with all sorts of freshness about her ; grasped 
 Reuben s hand, and throwing back her hood, stooped her 
 lips to Johnny s cheek. And Johnny gave her his usual 
 little fair smile and then his eyes went off to the doorway, 
 as if he half expected to see some one else behind her. But 
 it was from no want of love to her, as she knew from the 
 way the eyes came back to her face and rested there, and 
 took a sort of pleased survey of her hood and, her fur and 
 her dress. 
 
 "Dear Johnny! Can you speak to me?" said Faith 
 tenderly touching her cheek again to his. 
 
 "Oh yes, ma am," he said, in a quiet voice and with the 
 same bit of a smile. That was what Faith wanted. Then 
 she looked up. 
 
 "Are you going to school now, Reuben?" 
 
 "I didn t expect to this morning, Miss Faith," Reuben 
 said with a sober glance at his little comrade. 
 
 "Then you can wait here a bit for me." 
 
 Leaving Reuben once more in charge, Faith went on a 
 rummaging expedition over the house to find some woman 
 inmate. Not too easily or speedily she was found at last, 
 the housekeeper and all-work woman, deep in all work as 
 she really seemed, and in an outer kitchen of remote busi 
 ness, whither Faith had trace-d her by an exercise of deter 
 minate patience and skill. Having got so fur, Faith was 
 not balked in the rest; and obtaining from her some of 
 Johnny s clean linen which she persuaded her to go in search 
 of, she returned to the room where she had left Reuben; 
 and set about making the sick child as comfortable as in his 
 sickness he could be. 
 
 It was a day or two already since Johnny had lain there 
 and had had little effectual attention from anybody, till Mr. 
 Linden came last night. The child might well look at his 
 new nurse, for her neat dress and gentle face and soft move 
 ments were alone a balm for any sick place. And in her 
 quiet way, Faith set about changing the look of this one. 
 There was plenty of wood, and she made a glorious fire. 
 Then tenderly and dextrously she managed to get a fresh 
 nightgown on Johnny without disturbing him more than 
 pleasantly with her soft manipulations ; and wrapping him 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 99 
 
 in a nice little old doublegown which she had brought with 
 ner and which had been, a friend of her own childish days, 
 Faith gave him to Reuben to hold while she made up the 
 bed and changed the clothes, the means for which she had 
 also won from the housekeeper. Then having let down the 
 chintz curtains to shield off the intense glare of the sunny 
 snow, Faith assumed Johnny into her own arms. She had 
 brought vinegar from home, and with it bathed the little 
 boy s face and hands and brushed his hair, till the refreshed 
 little head lay upon her breast in soothed rest and comfort. 
 
 "There, Johnny!" she whispered as her lips touched 
 his brow, "Mr. Linden may corne as soon as he pleases 
 we are ready for him !" 
 
 The child half unclosed his eyes at the words, and then 
 sunk again into one of his fits of feverish sleep, the colour 
 rising in his cheeks a little, the breath coming quick. 
 Ileuben knelt down at Faith s side and watched him. 
 
 "I used to wonder, Miss Faith," he said &oftly, "what 
 would become of him if Mr. Linden ever went away" and 
 the quiet pause told what provision Reuben thought was 
 fast coming for any such contingency. 
 
 " You can t think what Mr. Linden s been to Johnny, 
 Miss Faith," he went on in the same low voice, "and to 
 all of us," he added lower still. "But he s taken such care 
 of him, in school and out. It was only last week Johnny 
 told me he liked coming to school in the winter, because 
 then Mr. Linden always went home with him. And when 
 ever he could get in Mr. Linden s lap he was perfectly 
 happy. And Mr. Linden would let him, sometimes, even 
 in school, because Johnny was so little and not very strong, 
 and he d let him sit in his lap and go to sleep for a little 
 while when he got tired, and then Johnny would go back 
 to his lessons as bright as a bee. That was the way he did 
 the very first day school was opened, (or Johnny was 
 frightened at first, and a mind to cry he d never had any 
 body to take much care of him. And Mr. Linden just 
 called him and took him up and spoke to him and Johnny 
 laid his head right down and went to sleep ; and he s loved 
 Mr. Linden with all his heart ever since. I know we all 
 laughed and he smiled himself, but it made all the rest of 
 us love him too." 
 
10(1 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 Reuben had gone on talking, softly, as if he felt sure of 
 sympathy in all he might say on the subject. But that 
 "first day school was opened!" how Faith s thoughts 
 sprang back there, with what strange, mixed memories 
 the vision of it came up before her ! That day and time 
 when so many new threads were introduced iato her life, 
 which were now shewing their colours and working out 
 their various patterns. It was only a spring there and 
 back again, however, that her thoughts took; or rather 
 the vision was a sort of background to Reuben s delinea 
 tions, and her eye was upon these ; with what kind of sym 
 pathy she did not care to let him see. Her cheek was 
 bent down to the sick child s head and Faith s face was 
 half hidden. Until a moment later, when the door opened 
 and Johnny s father came in to see what was become of him ; 
 and then Mr. Fax had no clue to the lustrous softness of 
 the eyes that looked up at him. He could make nothing 
 of it. 
 
 "What!" said he. "Why who s Johnny got to look 
 after him now ?" 
 
 "I am his teacher, sir." 
 
 "His teacher, be you? Seems to me he s a lot of em. 
 One teacher stayed with him last night. How many has he 
 got, among you?" 
 
 " Only two " said Faith, rejoicing that she was one. " I 
 am his Suuday school teacher." 
 
 " Well what s your name, now ?" 
 
 "Faith Derrick." 
 
 " ThaVs who you be !" said Mr. Fax in surprise. "Don t 
 say 1 Well Johnny s got into good hands, aint he ? How s 
 he gettin along ?" 
 
 Faith s eye went down to the little boy, and her hand 
 passed slowly and tenderly over his hair; she was at a loss 
 how to answer, and Reuben spoke for her. 
 
 "He s been sleeping a good deal this morning." 
 
 The father stooped towards the child, but his look went 
 from him to Faith, with a mixture of curiosity and un 
 easiness as he spoke. 
 
 " Sleeping is he ? Then I guess he s gettin along first- 
 rate aint he ?" 
 
 Again Faith s look astonished the man, both because of 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 101 
 
 its intent soft beauty and the trembling set of her lip. But 
 how to answer him she did not know. Her head sunk over 
 the child s brow as she exclaimed, 
 
 "His dear Master knows what to do with him! " 
 
 Jonathan Fax stood up straight and looked at Reuben. 
 
 "What does she mean !" 
 
 " She means that he is in God s hands, and that we 
 don t know yet what He will do," Reuben answered with 
 clear simplicity. 
 
 Yet it was a strange view of the subject to Mr. Fax ; 
 and he stood stiff and angular and square, looking down 
 at Faith and her charge, feeling startled and strange. Her 
 face was bent so that he could not see that quiver of her 
 lip now; but he did see one or two drops fall from the 
 lowered eyelids on Johnny s hair. Perhaps he would have 
 asked more questions, but he did not; something kept 
 them back. He stood fixed, with gathering soberness 
 growing over his features. Little he guessed that those 
 tears had been half wrung from Faith s eyes by the contrast 
 between his happy little child and him. It was with some 
 thing like a groan at last that he turned away, merely bid 
 ding Reuben Taylor to call for anything that was wanted. 
 
 The morning wore on softly, for Johnny still slept. 
 Reuben went quietly about, giving attention where it was 
 needed; to the fire, or to the curtains drawn back now 
 as the sun got round or bringing Faith a footstool, or 
 trying some other little thing for her comfort; and when 
 he was not wanted remaining in absolute stillness. As it 
 neared midday, however, he took his stand by the window, 
 and after a short watch there suddenly turned and left the 
 room. And a moment after Mr. Linden came in. 
 
 * Faith met him with a look of grave, sweet quiet ; in 
 which was mingled a certain joy at being where she was. 
 She waited for him to speak. But something in her face, 
 or her office, moved him, the gravity of his own look 
 deepened as he came forward his words were not ready. 
 He sat down by her, resting his arm on the back of her 
 chair and giving her and Johnny the same salutation the 
 last too softly to rouse him. 
 
 "Has the doctor been here?" he said first. 
 
 "No." 
 
102 SAY AND SEAL - 
 
 He was silent again for a minute, but then Johnny sud 
 denly started up waking perhaps out of some fever dream ; 
 for he seemed frightened and bewildered, and almost ready 
 to cry ; turning his head uneasily away from everything 
 and everybody as it seemed, until his eyes were fairly open, 
 and then giving almost a spring out of Faith s arms into 
 those of Mr. Linden ; holding him round the neck and 
 breathing little sobbing breaths on his shoulder, till the 
 resting-place had done its work, till Mr. Linden s soft 
 whispered words had given him comfort. But it was a 
 little wearily then that he said, "Sing." 
 
 Was it wearily that the song was given ? Faith could 
 not tell, she could not name those different notes in the 
 voice, she could only feel that the octave reached from 
 earth to heaven. 
 
 " How kind is Jesus, Lord of all ! 
 To hear my little feeble call. 
 How kind is Jesus, thus to be 
 Physician, Saviour, all to me! 
 
 How much he loves me he doth shew ; 
 How much he loves I cannot know. 
 I m glad my life is his to keep, 
 Then he will watch and I may sleep 
 
 Jesus on earth, while here I lie; 
 Jesus in heaven, if I die : 
 I m safe and happy in his care, 
 His love will keep me, here or there. 
 
 * An angel he may send for me, 
 And then an angel I shall be. 
 Lord Jesus, through thy love divine, 
 Thy little child is ever thine. " 
 
 Faith had drawn her chair a little back and with her 
 head leaning on the back of Mr. Linden s chair, listened 
 in a spirit not very different from Johnny s own. She 
 looked up then when it was done, with almost as childlike 
 a brow. It had quieted him, as with a charm, and the 
 little smile he gave Faith was almost wondering why she 
 looked grave. 
 
 "You ve been here a good while," he said, as if the mere 
 announcement of the fact spoke his thanks. 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 103 
 
 "Has she?" Mr. Linden said. "What has Miss Faith 
 done with you, Johnny, if she has been here a good 
 while ?" 
 
 "All sorts of things," Johnny answered, with another 
 comprehensive expression of gratitude. 
 
 "I thought so !" said Mr. Linden. "I shouldn t wonder 
 a bit if she had dressed you up in something she used to 
 wear herself." 
 
 " She wasn t ever so little," the child said softly. 
 
 Faith had been preparing for him a cup of some light 
 nourishment which he was to take from time to time, and 
 now coming to Mr Linden s side kneeled down there before 
 Johnny to give it to him. The child took the delicate 
 spoonfuls as she gave them, turning his fair eyes from her 
 to Mr. Linden as if he felt in a very sweet atmosphere of 
 love and care ; and when she went away with the cup he 
 said in his slow fashion, 
 
 " I love her very much/ 
 
 And Faith heard the answer 
 
 "And so do I." 
 
 Coming up behind Mr. Linden she laid her hand on his 
 shoulder. 
 
 "Endecott where are you going to take dinner and 
 rest to-day ?" 
 
 "01 will take rest by the way," he answered lightly, 
 and with a smile at her. " There is dinner enough in my 
 supper basket I have not much time for it, neither." 
 
 " School again this afternoon ?" 
 
 "Yes, I must be there for awhile." 
 
 Faith moved away, remarking in a different tone, "Your 
 supper basket is at home, sir!" and busied her energies 
 about serving him as she had just served Johnny. With 
 something more substantial however. Faith had brought 
 a lunch basket, and in five minutes had made Mr. Linden 
 a cup of home tea. 
 
 "Now how shall we manage?" she said; "for Johnny 
 must have you every minute while you are here and 
 tnere is no such thing as a little table. I shall have to 
 be table and dumb waiter for you if you won t mind." 
 
 And so Faith pulled up her chair again and sat down, 
 
104 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 with the basket open on her lap and Mr. Linden s cup in 
 her hand. 
 
 "I only hope," she said, "that Dr. Harrison will not 
 choose this particular minute to come in I If he does, 
 catch the cup of tea, Endecott ! for I won t answer for 
 anything." 
 
 "I don t know whether I should be most sorry or proud, 
 in case of such event," said Mr. Linden, "however, I do 
 not wish the doctor anything so disagreeable. But I will 
 promise to catch the cup of tea and everything else, down 
 to his displeasure. Only you must not be a dumb waiter, 
 for that will not suit me at all." 
 
 It was one of those pretty bits of sunshine that some 
 times shew themselves in the midst of a very unpromising 
 day, the time when they sat there with the lunch basket 
 between them. The refreshment of talk and of lunch (for 
 lunch is refreshing when it is needed) brightened both 
 faces and voices; and Mr. Linden s little charge, in one of 
 his turns of happy rest and ease, watched them amused 
 and interested till he fell asleep. By that time Mr. 
 Linden s spare minutes were about over. As he was 
 laying Johnny gently down on the bed, Faith seized her 
 chance. 
 
 "You ll let me stay here to-night won t you, Ende 
 cott?" 
 
 " It would not be good for you, dear child, if you stay 
 until night it will be quite as much as you ought to do. But 
 I will see you again by that time." 
 
 "I am strong, Endecott." 
 
 "Yes, you are strong, little Sunbeam," he said, turning 
 now to her and taking both her hands, "and yet it is a 
 sort of strength I must guard. Even sunbeams must not 
 be always on duty. But we ll see about it when I come 
 back." 
 
 Mr. Linden went off to his other sphere of action, and 
 soon after Reuben came softly in, just to let Faith know 
 that he was at hand if she wanted anything, and to offer to 
 take her place. 
 
 "Reuben!" said Faith suddenly, "have you had anj 
 dinner ?" 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 105 
 
 "0 yes, ma am enough," Reuben said with a smile. 
 "I brought something with me this morning." 
 
 Faith put her lunch basket into his hand, but her words 
 were cut short; for she saw Dr. Harrison just coming to 
 the house. She moved away and stood gravely by the 
 fire. 
 
 The doctor came in pulling off his glove. He gave his 
 hand to Faith with evident pleasure, but with a frank free 
 pleasure, that had nothing embarrassing about the manner 
 of it; except the indication of its depth. After a few 
 words given with as easy an intonation as if the ther 
 mometer were not just a few degrees above zero outside 
 where he had come from, the doctor s eye went over to the 
 other person in the room ; and then the doctor himself 
 crossed over and offered his hand. 
 
 "I shall never see you, Reuben," said he with a very 
 pleasant recollective play of eye and lip, "without think 
 ing of a friend. 11 
 
 The doctor had a more full view of Reuben s eyes, there 
 upon, than he had ever before been favoured with, for one 
 moment their clear, true, earnest expression met his. But 
 whatever the boy read or tried to read or did not read, 
 he answered simply, as he looked away again, 
 
 "You have been that to me, sir." 
 
 "I don t know " said the doctor lightly. "I am afraid 
 not according to your friend. Mr. Linden s definition. But 
 reckon me such a one as I can be, will you ?" He turned 
 away without waiting for the answer and went back to 
 Faith. 
 
 "Do you fcnow," he said, "I expected to find you 
 here ?" 
 
 "Very naturally," said Faith quietly. 
 
 "Yes it is according to my experience. "Now how is 
 this child ?" 
 
 He turned to see, and so did Faith. He looked at the 
 child, while Faith s eye went from Johnny to him. Both 
 faces were grave, but Faith s grew more grave as sue 
 looked. 
 
 "How is this child ?" she repeated. 
 
 " He is not worse," said the doctor; except that not to 
 
106 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 be hotter is to be worse. Are you particularly interested 
 in him ?" 
 
 Faith looked down at the sweet pure little face, and for 
 a minute or two was very still. She did not even think of 
 answering the doctor, nor dare speak words at all. Her 
 first movement was to push away softly a lock of hair from 
 Johnny s forehead. 
 
 "What can I do for him, Dr. Harrison?" 
 
 "N)t much just now go on as you have been doing. I 
 will be here to-night again, and then perhaps I shall know 
 more." 
 
 He gave her a new medicine for him however; and having 
 said all that was needful on that score, came back with her 
 to the fire and stood a little while talking -just so long as 
 it would do for him to stay with any chance of its being ac 
 ceptable ; talking in a tone that did not jar with the place or 
 the time, gravely and pleasantly, of some matters of 
 interest; and then he went. And Faith sat down by the 
 bedside, and forgot Dr. Harrison ; and thought of the Sun 
 day school in the woods that evening in October, and the 
 hymn, I want to be an angel ; and looked at Johnny with 
 a very full heart. 
 
 Not a very long time had passed, when Faith heard 
 sleigh bells again, and a person very different from the 
 doctor came softly in ; even Mrs. Derrick. She smiled at 
 Reuben and Faith, and going ^close up to the bed folded her 
 hands quietly together and stood looking at the sick child ; 
 the smile vanishing from her face, her lips taking a tender, 
 pitiful set her eyes in their experience gravely reading the 
 signs. She looked for a few minutes in silence, then with a 
 little sorrowful sigh she turned to Faith. 
 
 "Pretty child," she said, "can t you take a little rest? 
 I ll sit by him now." 
 
 "O mother I m not tired much. I have not been very 
 
 Mrs. Derrick however took the matter into her own 
 hands, and did not content herself till she had Faith on a 
 low seat at her side, and Faith s head on her lap ; which 
 was a rest, to mind and body both. Reuben replenished 
 the fire and went out, and the two sat alone. 
 
 "Faith," her mother said softly, "don t you think he d 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 101 
 
 be content with me to-night ? I can t bear to have Mr. 
 Linden sit up." 
 
 "I want to stay myself, mother, if he would let me." 
 " I don t believe he ll do that, Faith and I guess he s 
 right But you must make him go home to tea, child, and 
 he might rest a little then ; and I ll stay till he comes back, 
 at least." 
 
 There was not much more to be said then, for Johnny 
 woke up and wanted to be taken on Faith s lap, and talked 
 to, and petted; answering all her efforts with a sort of 
 grateful little smile and way ; but moving himself about in 
 her arms as if he felt restless and uneasy. It went to her 
 heart Presently, in the low tones which were music 
 of themselves, she carried his thoughts off to the time 
 when Jesus was a little child ; and began to give him, in 
 the simplicity of very graphic detail, part of the story of 
 Christ s life upon earth. It was a name that Johnny loved 
 to hear ; and Faith went from point to point of his words, 
 and wonders, and healing power and comforting love. Not 
 dwelling too long, but telling Johnny very much as if she 
 had seen it, each gentle story of the sick and the weary 
 and the troubled, who came in their various ways to ask 
 pity of Jesus, and found it ; and reporting to Johnny as if 
 she had heard them the words of promise and love that a 
 little child could understand. Mrs. Derrick listened ; she 
 had never heard just such a talk in her life. The peculiarity 
 of it was in the vivid faith and love which took hold of the 
 things as if Faith had had them by eyesight and hearing, 
 and in the simplicity of representation with which she 
 gave them, as a child to a child. And all the while she 
 let Johnny constantly be changing his position, as restless 
 ness prompted; from sitting to kneeling and lying in her 
 arms ; sometimes brushing his hair, which once in a while 
 he had a fancy for, and sometimes combing it off from his 
 forehead with her own fingers dipped in the vinegar and 
 water which he liked to smell. Nothing could be more 
 winning nothing more skilful, in its way, than Faith s talk 
 to the sick child that half hour or more. And Johnny told 
 its effect, in the way he would bid her talk, if she paused 
 for a minute. So by degrees the restless fit passed off for 
 
108 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 the time, and he lay still in her arms, with drooping heavy 
 eyelids now. 
 
 Everything was subsiding; the sun sank down softly 
 behind the wavy horizon line, the clouds floated silently 
 away to some other harbour, and the blasts of wind came 
 fainter and fainter, like the music of a retreating army. 
 Swiftly the daylight ebbed away, and still Faith rocked 
 softly back and forth, and her mother watched her. Once 
 in a while Reuben came silently in to bring wood or fresh 
 water, otherwise they had no interruption. Then Mr. 
 Linden came, and sitting down by Faith as he had done 
 before, asked about the child and about the doctor. 
 
 " He came very soon after you went away," said Faith. 
 "He said that he was no better, and that to be no better 
 was to be worse." It was plain that she thought more than 
 she said. Faith had little experience, but there is an intui 
 tive skill in some eyes to know what they have never known 
 before. 
 
 Mr. Linden bent down over the child, laying cheek to 
 cheek softly and silently, until Johnny rousing up a little 
 held up his lips to be kissed, and he did not raise his head 
 then. 
 
 "Have you been asleep, Johnny?" he said. 
 
 "I don t know," the child said dreamily. 
 
 " Has Miss Faith taken care of you ever since I went 
 
 "Yes," Johnny said, with a little faint smile "and 
 we ve had talk." 
 
 "I wish I had been nere to hear it," said Mr. Linden. 
 "What was it about ? all sorts of sweet things?" 
 
 "Yes," Johnny said again, his face brightening "out 
 of the Bible." 
 
 "Well they are the sweetest things I know of," said Mr. 
 Linden. " Now if you will come on my lap, I am sure 
 Miss Faith will get you something to eat she can do it a 
 great deal better than I can." 
 
 Faith had soon done that, and brought the cup to 
 Johnny, of something that he liked, and fed him as she had 
 done at noon. It seemed to refresh him, for he fell into a 
 quieter sleep than he had had for some time, and was 
 oftly laid on the bed. 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 109 
 
 "Now dear Faith," Mr. Linden said coming back to her, 
 "it is time for you to go home and rest." 
 
 "Do you mean to send me?" she said wistfully. 
 
 " Or take you n he said, with a soft touch of his fingers 
 on her hair. "I don t know but I could be spared long 
 enough for that." 
 
 It was arranged so, Mrs. Derrick undertaking to supply 
 all deficiencies so far as she could, until Mr. Linden should 
 get back again. The fast drive home through the still cold 
 air was refreshing to both parties ; it was a still drive too. 
 Then leaving Mr. Linden to get a little rest on the sofa, 
 Faith prepared tea. But Mr. Linden would not stay long 
 after that, for rest or anything. 
 
 "I am coming very early to-morrow, Endecott," Faith 
 said then. 
 
 " You may, dear child if you will promise to sleep to 
 night. But you must not rouse yourself too early. - You 
 know to-morrow is Saturday so I shall not be called off 
 by other duties." 
 
 He went, and Mrs. Derrick came; but Faith, though 
 weary enough certainly, spent the evening in study. 
 
 VOL. II. 10 
 
CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 HPHERE is no knowing what Mr. Linden would have 
 _L considered "too early," and Faith had prudently 
 omitted to enquire. She studied nothing but her Bible 
 that morning and spent the rest of the time in getting 
 ready what she was to take with her; for Mr. Linden 
 would not come home to breakfast. And it was but fair 
 day, the sun had not risen, when she was on her way. She 
 wondered, as she went, what they would have done that 
 winter without Jerry; and looked at the colouring clouds 
 in the east with a strange quick appreciation of the rising 
 of that other day told of in the Bible. Little Johnny 
 brought the two near ; the type and the antitype. It was 
 a pretty ride; cold, bright, still, shadowless; till the sun 
 got above the horizon, and then the long yellow faint 
 beams threw themselves across the snow that was all a 
 white level before. They reached Faith s heart, as the 
 commissioned earnest of that other Sun that will fill the 
 world with his glory and that will make heaven a place 
 where "there shall be no night." 
 
 The room where little Johnny was, lay like the chamber 
 called Peace, in the Pilgrim s Progress towards the sun- 
 rising; but to reach it Faith had first to pass through 
 another on the darker side of the house. The door be 
 tween the two stood open, perhaps for fresher air, and as 
 Faith came lightly in she could see that room lit up as it 
 were with the early sunbeams. It was an old-fashioned 
 room ; the windows with chintz shades, the floor painted, 
 with a single strip of rag carpet; the old low-post bed 
 stead, with its check blue and white spread, the high-backed 
 splinter chairs, told of life that had made but little progress 
 in modern improvement. And Jonathan Fax himself, lean, 
 long-headed, and lantern-jawed, looked grimmer than ever 
 under his new veil of solemn feeling. He sat by the win 
 dow. 
 
 The wood fire in the low fireplace flickered and fell with 
 
 (110) 
 
SAY AND SEAL. HI 
 
 its changing light, on all ; but within the warm glow a little 
 group told of life that had made progress progress which 
 though but yet begun, was to go on its fair course through 
 all the ages of eternity ! 
 
 Little Johnny sat in his teacher s lap, one arm round 
 his neck, and his weary little head resting as securely on 
 Mr. Linden s breast as if it had been a woman s. The 
 other hand moved softly over the cuff of that black sleeve, 
 or twined its thin fingers in and out the strong hand that 
 was clasped round him. Sometimes raising his eyes, Johnny 
 put some question, or asked for "talk;" his own face then 
 much the brighter of the two, Faith could see the face 
 that bent over him not only touched with its wonted gravity, 
 which the heavenly seal set there, but moved and shaken 
 in its composure by the wistful eyes and worfrs of the little 
 boy. The answering words were too low-spoken for her to 
 hear. She could see how tenderly the child s caresses were 
 returned, not the mother whose care Johnny had never 
 known, could have given the little head gentler rest. Nay, 
 not so good, unless she could have given the little heart 
 such comfort. For Johnny was in fhe arms of one who 
 knew well that road to the unseen land who had studied 
 it; and now as the child went on before him, could still 
 give him words of cheer, and shew him the stepping-stones 
 through the dark river. It seemed to Faith as if the river 
 were already in sight, as if somewhat of 
 
 that strange, unearthly grace 
 Which crowns but once the children of our race " 
 
 already rested upon Johnny s fair brow. Yet he looked 
 brighter than yesterday, bright with a very sweet clear 
 quietness now. 
 
 Faith stood still one minute and another; then pulling 
 off her hood, she came in with a footfall so noiseless that 
 it never brought Mr. Fax s head from the window, and 
 knelt down by the side of that group. She had a smile 
 for Johnny too, but it was a smile that had quite left the 
 things of the world behind it and met the child on his own 
 ground ; and her kiss was sweet accordingly. A look and a 
 clasp of the hand to Mr. Linden ; then she rose up and 
 
112 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 went round to the window to take the hand of Mr. Fax, 
 who had found his feet. 
 
 "I m very much beholden to ye!" said he in somewhat 
 astonished wise. " You re takin a sight o trouble among 
 ye." 
 
 "It s no trouble, sir." 
 
 Mr. Fax looked bewildered. He advanced to Mr. Lin 
 den. "Now this girl s here," said he, "don t you think 
 you hadn t better come into another room and try to drop 
 off? I guess he can o^t along without you for a spell 
 can t he?" 
 
 "I am not quite ready to leave him," Mr. Linden said, 
 " and I am not at all sleepy, Mr. Fax. Perhaps I will come 
 by and by." % 
 
 "We ll have breakfast, I conclude, some time this fore 
 noon. I ll go and see if it s ever comin . Maybe you ll 
 take that first," 
 
 He went away; and Faith, rid of her wrappers, came 
 up again behind Johnny, passing her fingers through his 
 hair and bending down her face to his; she did not speak. 
 Only her eye went to Mr. Linden for intelligence, as the 
 eye will, even when it has seen for itself 1 
 
 "Dr. Harrison is coming this morning," was all he said. 
 She did not need to ask any more. 
 
 " May Johnny have anything now ?" 
 
 " yes and he will like it," Mr. Linden said in a dif 
 ferent tone, and half addressing the child. " He asked me 
 some time ago when you were coming but not for 
 that." 
 
 Faith brought something freshly prepared for Johnny 
 and served him tenderly. Meanwhile her own coifee had 
 been on the fire ; and after making two or three simple 
 arrangements of things she came back to them. 
 
 "Will you sit with me now, Johnny, and let Mr. Linden 
 have some breakfast ?" 
 
 "In here ?" the child said. But being reassured on that 
 point, he came to Faith s arms very willingly, or rather let 
 Mr. Linden place him there, when she had drawn her chair 
 up nearer the table so that he could look on. And with 
 ner a~ms wrapped tenderly round him, but a face of as clear 
 quiet as the morning sky when there are no clouds before 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 113 
 
 the sunrise, she sat there, and she and Johnny matched Mr. 
 Linden s breakfast. There was no need to talk, for Johnny 
 had a simple pleasure in what was going on, and in every 
 thing his friend did. And if the little face before him 
 hindered Mr. Linden s enjoyment of breakfast, that was 
 suffered to appear as little as possible. Breakfast was even 
 rather prolonged and played with, because it seemed to 
 amuse him ; and the word and the smile were always ready, 
 either to call forth or to answer one from the child. Nor 
 from him alone, for by degrees even Faith was drawn out 
 of her silence, into gentle quiet talk. 
 
 Mr. Linden had not yet changed his place, when on the 
 walk that led up to the house Faith saw the approacl of 
 Dr. Harrison. The doctor as he came in gave a compre 
 hensive glance at the table, Mr. Linden who had risen, and 
 Faith with Johnny in her lap; shook hands with Mr. Lin 
 den, and taking the chair he had quitted sat down in front 
 of Faith and Johnny. A question and answer first passed 
 about her own well-being. 
 
 "You ve not been here all night?" said he. 
 
 "No, sir. I came a while ago." 
 
 The doctor s unsatisfied eye fell on the child; fell, with 
 no change of its unsatisfied expression. It took rapid and 
 yet critical note of him, with a look that Faith knew 
 through its unchangingness, scanned, judged, and passed 
 sentence. Then Dr. Harrison rose and walked over to Mr. 
 Linden. 
 
 " There is nothing to be done," he said in a low tone. " I 
 would stay but I know that it would be in vain. She 
 ought not to be here." 
 
 For the first remark Mr. Linden was prepared, the 
 second fell upon a heart that was already keeping closer 
 watch over her strength and happiness than even the doc 
 tor could. He merely answered by a quiet question or 
 two as to what could be done for the child s comfort . 
 as to the probable length of time there would be to do 
 anything. 
 
 "He may have any simple thing he likes," said the doc 
 tor- -"such as he has had. I need not give you directions 
 for more than to-day. I am sorry I cannot stay longer 
 
 10* 
 
114 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 with you but it does not matter you can do as well as I 
 now." 
 
 He went up to Faith and spoke with a different manner. 
 " Miss Faith, I hope you will not let your goodness forget 
 that its powers need to be taken care of. You were here 
 yesterday there is no necessity for you to be here to 
 day." 
 
 "I don t come for necessity, Dr. Harrison." 
 
 "I know!" said he shaking his head, "your will is 
 strong ! but it ought not to have full play. You are not 
 wanted here." 
 
 Faith let him go without an answer to that. As soon 
 as the doctor was gone, Mr. Linden came and sat down by 
 Johnny again, kissing the child s brow and cheek and lips, 
 with a face a little moved indeed, and yet with its clear 
 look unclouded ; and softly asked what he should do for 
 him. But though Johnny smiled, and stroked his face, he 
 seemed rather inclined to be quiet and even to sleep; 
 yielding partly to the effect of weakness and fever, partly 
 to the restless night; and his two teachers watched him 
 together. Faith was very silent and quiet. Then sud 
 denly she said, 
 
 " Go and take some rest yourself, won t you, Endecott 
 now." 
 
 "I do not feel the need of it " he said. "I had some 
 snatches of sleep last night." 
 
 She looked at him, but the silence was unbroken again 
 for some little time longer. At length, pushing aside a 
 lock of hair from the fair little brow beneath which the 
 eyelids drooped with such unnatural heaviness, Faith said, 
 and the tone seemed to come from very stillness of heart, 
 the words dropped so grave and clear, 
 
 "The name of Christ is good here to-day, Endecott." 
 
 "How good! how precious!" was his quick rejoinder. 
 "And how very precious too, is the love of his will 1" and 
 he repeated softly, as if half thinking it out 
 
 " I worship thee, sweet will of God ! 
 
 And all thy ways adore ! 
 And every day I live, I seem 
 To love thee more and more. " 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 115 
 
 An earnest, somewhat wistful glance of Faith s eye was 
 the answer ; it was not a dissenting answer, but it went 
 back to Johnny. Her lip was a child s lip in its humble 
 ness. 
 
 " It was very hard for me to give him up at first " Mr. 
 Linden went on softly ; and the voice said it was yet ; 
 "but that answers all questions. The good Husbandman 
 may pluck his roses, and gather in his lilies at mid-summer, 
 and, for aught I dare say, in the beginning of the first 
 summer month. " 
 
 Faith looked at the little human flower in her arms and 
 was silent. 
 
 "Reuben was telling me yesterday " she said after a 
 few minutes, "what you have been to him." 
 
 But her words touched sweet and bitter things Mr. 
 Linden did not immediately answer, his head drooped a 
 little on his hand, and he did not raise it again until Johnny 
 claimed his attention. 
 
 The quiet rest of the little sleeper was passing off, 
 changing into an unquiet waking; not with the fear of 
 yesterday but with a restlessness of discomfort that was 
 not easily soothed. Words and caresses seemed to have 
 lost their quieting power for the time, though the child s 
 face never failed to answer them; but he presently held 
 out his arms to Mr. Linden, with the words, "Walk like 
 last night." 
 
 And for a while then Faith had nothing to do but to 
 look and listen ; to listen to the soft measured steps through 
 the room, to watch the soothing, resting effect of the 
 motion on the sick child, as wrapped in Mr. Linden s arms 
 he was carried to and fro. She could tell how it wrought 
 from the quieter, unbent muscles from the words which 
 by degrees Johnny began to speak. But after a while, one 
 of these words was, " Sing." Mr. Linden did not stay his 
 walk, but though his tone was almost as low as his foot 
 steps, Faith heard every word. 
 
 "Jesus loves me this I know, 
 For the Bible tells me so: 
 Little ones to him belong, 
 They are weak, but he is strong. 
 
116 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 " Jesus loves me, he who died 
 Heaven s gate to open wide; 
 He will wash away my sin, 
 Let his little child come in. 
 
 "Jesus loves me loves me still, 
 Though I m very weak and ill ; 
 From his shining throne on high 
 Comes to watch me where I lie. 
 
 "Jesus loves me, he will stay 
 Close beside me all the way. 
 Then his little child will take 
 Up to heaven for his dear sake." 
 
 There were a few silent turns taken after that, and then 
 Mr. Linden came back to the rocking-chair, and told Faith 
 in a sort of bright cheerful way meant for her as well as 
 the child that Johnny wanted her to brush his hair and 
 give him something to eat. Which Johnny enforced with 
 one of his quiet smiles. Faith sprang to do it, and both 
 offices were performed with hands of tenderness and eyes 
 of love, with how much inner trembling of heart neither 
 eyes nor hands told. Then, after all that was done, Faith 
 stood by the table and began to swallow coffee and bread 
 on her own account, somewhat eagerly. Mr. Linden 
 watched her, with grave eyes. 
 
 "Now you must go and lie down," he said. 
 
 "Not at all!" Faith said with a smile at him. "I 
 hadn t time or didn t take time to eat my breakfast 
 before I came away from home that is all. It is you who 
 ought to do that, Endy," she added gently. 
 
 She put away the things, cleared the table, made up the 
 fire, and smoothed the bed, ready for Johnny when he 
 should want it ; and then she came and sat down. 
 
 " Won t you go ?" she said softly. 
 
 "I would rather stay here." 
 
 Faith folded her hands and sat waiting to be useful. 
 
 Perhaps Mr. Linden thought it would be a comfort to 
 her if he at least partly granted her request, perhaps he 
 thought it would be wise; for he said, laying his cheek 
 against the child s, 
 
 "Johnny, if you will sit with Miss Faith now, I will lay 
 
SAY AND SEAL. Uf 
 
 my head down on one of your pillows for a little while, and 
 you can call me the minute you want me." 
 
 The child was very quiet and resting then, and leaning 
 his head happily against Faith, watched Mr. Linden as he 
 sat down by the bedside and gave himself a sort of rest in 
 the way he had proposed ; and then Faith s gentle voice 
 was put in requisition. It was going over some things 
 Johnny liked to hear, very softly so that no ears but his 
 might be the wiser, when the door opened and Jonathan 
 Fax came in again. He glanced at Mr. Linden, and ad 
 vanced softly up to Faith. There stood and looked down 
 at his child and her with a curious look that half recog 
 nized what it would not see. 
 
 "You re as good to him as if he belonged to ye ! "said 
 Jonathan, in a voice not clear. 
 
 " So he does " was Faith s answer, laying her cheek to 
 the little boy s head. By how many ties, she thought; 
 but she added no more. The words had shaken her. 
 
 " How s he gettin on ?" was the uneasy question next, as 
 the father stooped with his hands on his knees to look 
 nearer at the child. 
 
 Did he not know ? Faith for a minute held her breath. 
 Then she lifted her face and looked up looked full into 
 his eyes. 
 
 "Don t you know, Mr. Fax, that Johnny cannot go any 
 way but well ?" 
 
 The words were soft and low, but the man stood up, 
 straightening himself instantly as if he had received a blow. 
 
 "Do you mean to say," he asked huskily, "that he is 
 goin to die ?" 
 
 It startled Faith fearfully. She did not know how much 
 Johnny would understand or be moved by the words. And 
 she saw that they had been heard and noted. With infinite 
 softness and quietness she laid her cheek to the little boy s, 
 answering in words as sweet as he had ever heard from her 
 voice as unfearful 
 
 "Johnny knows where he is going, if Jesus wants 
 him." 
 
 " Jesus is in heaven," the child said instantly, as if she 
 had asked him a question, and with the same deliberate 
 manner that he would have answered her in Sunday school, 
 
118 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 and raising his clear eyes to hers as he had been WOL! to 
 do there. But the voice was fainter. 
 
 Faith s head drooped lower, and her voice was fainter 
 too but clear and cheery. 
 
 "Yes, darling and we ll be with him there by and 
 by." 
 
 "Yes," the child repeated, nestling his head against her 
 in a weary sort of way, but with a little smile still. The 
 father looked at Faith and at the child like one mazed and 
 bewildered; stood still as if he had got a shock; then 
 wheeling round spoke to nobody and went out. Faith 
 pressed her lips and cheek lightly to Johnny s brow, in a 
 rush of sorrow and joy ; then began again some sweet Bible 
 story for his tired little spirit. 
 
 Mr. Linden did not long keep even his resting position, 
 though perhaps longer than he would but for the murmur 
 ing talk which he did not want to interrupt. But when 
 that ceased, he came back to his former seat, leaning his 
 arm on Faith s chair in a silence that was very uninter 
 rupted. There were plenty of comers and goers in the 
 outer room, Miss Bezac, and Mrs. Stoutenburgh, and Mrs. 
 Derrick, and Mrs. Sorners, were all there with offers of 
 assistance; but Mr Linden knew well that little Johnny 
 had all he could have, and his orders to Reuben had been 
 very strict that no one should come in. So except the 
 various tones of different voices which made their way 
 once in a while the two watchers had nothing to break the 
 still quiet in which they sat. Their own words only made 
 the quiet deeper, as they watched the little feet which they 
 had first guided in the heavenward path, now passing on 
 before them. 
 
 " We were permitted to shew him the way at first, 
 Faith," Mr. Linden said, "but he is shewing it to us now! 
 But suffer them to come I in death as in life." 
 
 Much of the time the child slumbered or lay in a half 
 stupor, though often this was uneasy unless Mr. Linden 
 walked with him up and down the room. Then he would 
 revive a little, and look and speak quite brightly, asking for 
 singing or reading or talk, letting Faith smooth his hair, 
 or bathe his face and hands, or give him a spoonful or two 
 from one of her little cups ; his face keeping its fair quiet 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 119 
 
 look, even though the mortal began to give way before the 
 immortal. 
 
 In one of these times of greater strength and refresh 
 ment, when he was in Mr. Linden s arms, he looked up at 
 him and said, 
 
 "Read about heaven what you used to." 
 
 Mr. Linden took his little Bible remembering but too 
 readily what that used to be, and read softly and clearly 
 the verses in Revelation 
 
 " And he shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem. 
 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, 
 to shine in it : for the glory of God did lighten it, and the 
 Lamb is the light thereof. And the nations of them that 
 are saved shall walk in the light of it, and the kings of the 
 earth do bring their glory and honour unto it. And the 
 gates of it shall not be shut at all by day, for there shall 
 be no night there. And there shall in no wise enter into 
 it anything that -defileth, or whatsoever worketh abomina 
 tion, or maketh a lie, but they that are written in the 
 Lamb s book of life. " 
 
 The child listened, with his eyes upon his teacher s face 
 and his arm round him, as he had been used, too, and 
 when the reading was finished lay quiet for a little time; 
 while his friends too were silent thinking of "the city 
 that hath foundations." 
 
 " That s the same gate," Johnny said in his slow, though t- 
 .ful way, as if his mind had gone back to the morning 
 hymn. 
 
 "Yes," Mr. Linden said, with lips that would not quite 
 be controlled, and yet answering the child s smile, "that is 
 the gate where his little child shall go in ! And that is the 
 beautiful city where the Lord Jesus lives, and where my 
 Johnny is going to be with him forever and where dear 
 Miss Faith and I hope to come by and by." 
 
 The child s hands were folded together, and with a fair, 
 pure smile he looked from one face to the other; closing 
 his eyes then in quiet sleep, but with the smile yet left. 
 
 It was no time for words. The gates of the city seemed 
 too near, where the little traveller s feet were so soon to 
 enter. The veil between seemed so slight, that even sense 
 might almost pass beyond it, when the Heaven-light was 
 
120 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 already shining on that fair little face ! Faith wiped away 
 tears and looked and brushed them away again ; but for 
 a long time was very silent. At last she said, very low, 
 that it might be quietly, 
 
 "Endecott it seems to me as if I could almost hear 
 them!" 
 
 He half looked the question which yet needed no answer, 
 looking down then again at the little ransomed one in his 
 arms, as he said in the same low voice, wherein mingled a 
 note of the church triumphant through all its deep human 
 feeling, 
 
 " And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy 
 to take the book and to open the seals thereof, for thou 
 wast slain : and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, out 
 of every kindred, and tongue, and people and nation !" 
 
 "And," said Faith presently, lower still, "can t you, as 
 Bunyau says, hear the bells of the city ringing for joy 1 " 
 
 Those choral harmonies of heaven, heard or unheard, 
 were stilling to mortal speech and even mortal feeling. 
 Very quietly the minutes and the hours of that day suc 
 ceeded each other. Quietly even on the sick child s part; 
 more so than yesterday ; nature succumbed gently, and the 
 restless uneasiness which had marked the night and the pre 
 ceding day gave place gradually before increasing faintness 
 of the bodily powers. There was little talk called for 
 after that time hardly any, though never a word met his 
 waking ear that did not meet the same grateful, pleased 
 manner and smile. But the occasions became fewer; 
 Johnny slumbered gently, but more plainly a sleep that was 
 nearing the end, in the arms of his best friend, who would 
 let him even when unconscious have no worse resting-place 
 would let every faint waking minute find the same earthly 
 love about him that had been his dearest earthly refuge and 
 stay. But earth was having less and less of her little immortal 
 tenant ; and as the hours of the afternoon began to tell of 
 failing light and a fading day, it was plain that the little 
 spirit was almost ready to wing its way to the city that 
 hath no need of the sun." 
 
 Mr. Fax came in sometimes to look at the child, but 
 never staid long never offered to take him out of the hands 
 he perhaps unconsciously felt were more of kin to him. 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 121 
 
 spiritually, than his own. Out of the room, he sat down 
 in the midst of his visitors and said nothing. He seemed 
 bewildered or astounded. "I never knowed," he said 
 once, "till that girl told me. I heard what the doctor 
 said at night but I didn t think as he was any wiser than 
 other doctors and their word s about as good one side as 
 tother." 
 
 At the edge of the evening Reuben came in to say that 
 Mr. Skip was there with the sleigh. 
 
 "Let him put Jerry in the stable and go home," Faith 
 said softly to Mr. Linden. " One of Mr. Fax s men can 
 harness him any time." 
 
 "Dear Faith !" he said, "you had better go with him." 
 
 "I can t go, Endecott. Don t tell me to go," she said 
 with a determinate quietness. 
 
 " How can I let you stay ? you ought not to watch here 
 all night unless there were something for you to do." 
 
 " There may be something for me to do," she said, but not 
 as if that were what she wanted to stay for. 
 
 " I think not," he said softly, and looking down again, 
 "Faith it is near the dawning! and yet it may not be 
 till the dawning. And dear child, you ought not to watch 
 here." 
 
 " It will not hurt me," she said under her breath. 
 
 " I know " he said with a gentle admission of all her 
 reasons and. full sympathy with all her wishes, "but I 
 think you ought not." 
 
 "Do you mean," she said after a minute s pause, 
 "that you wish me to go?" 
 
 It was hard for him to say yes but he did. 
 
 She sat still a moment, with her face in the shade ; then 
 rose up and arranged everything about the room which her 
 hands could better ; made a cup of tea and brought it to 
 Mr. Linden; and prepared herself for her ride. When 
 she came at last, ready, with only her hood to put on, her 
 fat 1 " was almost as fair as Johnny s. There was no shadow 
 on n of any kind, but clear day, as if a reflection from the 
 c "ty she had been looking towards. She put her hand in 
 Mr. Linden s and knelt down as she had done in the morn- 
 iug to kiss Johnny. Her lips trembled but the kisses were 
 
 VOL. 11. 11 
 
122 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 quietly given ; and rising to her feet without speaking or 
 looking, Faith went away. 
 
 If quietness was broken on the ride home, it was restored 
 by the time she got there ; and with the same clear look 
 Faith went in. That Mrs. Derrick was much relieved to 
 see her, was evident, but she seemed not very ready to ask 
 questions. She looked at Faith, and then with a little 
 sigh or two began softly to unfasten her cloak and furs, and 
 to put her in a comfortable place by the fire, and to hasten 
 tea, but all in a sort of sorrowful subdued silence ; letting 
 her take her own time to speak, or not speak at all, if she 
 liked it better. Faith s words were cheerfully given, though 
 about other things. And after tea she did in some measure 
 justify Mr. Linden s decision in sending her home; for she 
 laid herself on the couch in the sitting-room and went into 
 a sleep as profound and calm as the slumbers she had left 
 watching. Her mother sat by her in absolute stillness 
 thinking of Faith as she had been in her childhood and 
 from thence until now; thinking of the last time she her 
 self had been in that sick room, of the talk she had heard 
 there of the silence that was there now: wiping away 
 some tears now and then looking always at Faith with a 
 sort of double feeling; that both claimed her as a child, 
 and was ready to sit at her feet and learn. But as it came 
 to the hour of bedtime, and Faith still slept, her mother 
 stooped down and kissed her two or three times to wake 
 her up. 
 
 "Pretty child," she said, "you d better go to bed." 
 
 Faith started with a recollective look and asked what 
 time it was ; then sank down again. 
 
 "I ll wait an hour yet." 
 
 " Had you better ?" her mother said gently. " I ll sit 
 up, dear, and call you if you re wanted. Did you think 
 they d send ?" 
 
 "Send? no, mother!" 
 
 Mrs. Derrick was silent a minute. " Mr. Linden wouldn t 
 come home to-night, dear." 
 
 "Wouldn t he?" said Faith startling; and for a minute 
 the sorrowful look came back to her face. But then it re 
 turned to its high quiet ; she kissed her mother and they 
 went up stairs together. 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 123 
 
 No, he did not come home, and well assured that he 
 would not, Faith ceased to watch for him, and fatigue and 
 exhaustion again had their way. The night was very still 
 the endless train of stars sweeping on in their appointed 
 course, until the morning star rose and the day broke. 
 Even then Faith slept on. But when the more earthly 
 light of the sun came, with its bestirring beams, it roused 
 her; and she started up, in that mood where amid quick 
 coming recollections she was almost breathless for more 
 tidings waiting, as if by the least noise or stir she might 
 lose something. 
 
 It was then that she heard Mr. Linden come in even as 
 she sat so listening, heard him come in and come up stairs, 
 with a slow quiet step that would have told her all, if the 
 fact of his coming had not been enough. She heard his 
 door close, and then all was still again, except what faint 
 sounds she might hear from the working part of the house 
 below. Faith sat motionless till she could hear nothing 
 more up stairs and then kept her position breathlessly for 
 a second or two longer, looking at the still sunbeams which 
 came pouring into her room according to their wont, with 
 their unvarying heavenly message ; and then gave way 
 rare for her to a burst of gentle sorrow, that yet was not 
 all sorrow, and which for that very mingling was the more 
 heart-straitening while it lasted. The light of the fair 
 clear Sunday morning bore such strange testimony of the 
 everlasting day upon which her little charge of yesterday 
 had even entered ! But the sense of that was quieting, if 
 it was stirring. 
 
 Not until the breakfast hour was fully come did Mr. Lin 
 den make his appearance; but then he came, looking pale 
 indeed, and somewhat worn, yet with a face of rest. He 
 gave his hand to Mrs. Derrick, and coming up to Faith 
 took her in his arms and kissed her, and gently put her in 
 her chair at the table; waiving all questions till another 
 time. There were none asked; Mrs. Derrick would not 
 have ventured any ; and the tinge in Faith s cheeks gave 
 token of only one of various feelings by which she was 
 silenced. Yet that was not a sorrowful breakfast for 
 rest was on every brow ; on two of them it was the very 
 
124 SAY AND 
 
 rest of the day when Christ broke the bars of death and 
 rose. 
 
 Breakfast had been a little late, and there was not much 
 time to spare when it was over. 
 
 " You had better not try to go out this morning, dear 
 Faith," Mr. Linden said as they left the table and came 
 round the fire in the sitting-room. 
 
 "0 yesl I can go. I must go" she added softly. 
 
 "I have not much to tell you," he said in the same 
 tone, "nothing, but what is most sweet and fair. Would 
 you like to go up there with me by and by ?" 
 
 "Yes. After church?" 
 
 "After church in the afternoon would give us most 
 time." 
 
 The Sunday classes were first met how was not likely 
 to be forgotten by scholars or teachers. It was an absorb 
 ing hour to Faith and her two little children that were left 
 to her; an hour that tried her very much. She controlled 
 herself, but took her revenge all church time. As soon as 
 she was where nobody need know what she did, Faith felt 
 unnerved, and a luxury of tears that she could not restrain 
 lasted till the service was over. It lasted no longer. And 
 the only two persons that knew of the tears, were glad to 
 have them come. 
 
 After the afternoon service, when people were not only 
 out of church but at home, Mr. Linden and Faith set out 
 on their solitary drive it was too far for her to walk, 
 both for strength and time,- the afternoon was well on its 
 way. 
 
 The outer room into which Faith had first gone the day 
 before, had a "low murmur of voices and a little sprinkling 
 of people within ; but Mr. Linden let none of them stop 
 her, and merely bowing as he passed through, he led her 
 on. In the next room were two of the boys, but they went 
 away at once ; and Mr. Linden put his arm round Faith, 
 letting her lean all her weight on him if she chose, and led 
 her up to the bedside. They stood there and looked as 
 one might look at a ray of eternal sunlight falling athwart 
 the dark shadows of time. 
 
 The child lay in his deep sleep as if Mr. Linden had 
 just laid him down; his head a little turned towards them, 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 12 5 
 
 a little drooping, his hands in their own natural position 
 on breast and neck. A faint pink-tinted wrapper lay in 
 soft folds about him, with its white frills at neck and 
 wrists, on his breast a bunch of the first snowdrops 
 spoke of the everlasting spring, and never - withering 
 flowers! 
 
 With hearts and faces that grew every moment more 
 quiet, more steady, Johnny s two teachers stood and looked 
 at him, then knelt together, and prayed that in the way 
 which they had shewed him, they might themselves be 
 found faithful. 
 
 "You shouldn t say we" said Faith when they had 
 risen and were standing there again. "It was you to 
 him and me both." And bending forward to kiss the little 
 face again, she added, " He taught me as much as he ever 
 learned from me !" 
 
 But the words were spoken with difficulty, and Faith did 
 not try any more. 
 
 They stood there till the twilight began to fall, and then 
 turned their faces homewards with a strange mingling of 
 joy and sorrow in their hearts. How many times Mr 
 Linden went there afterwards Faith did not know she 
 could only guess. 
 
 There was no school for the next two days. Tuesday 
 was white with snow, not falling thick upon the ground, 
 but in fine light flakes, and few people cared to be out. 
 Mr. Linden had been, early in the morning, since dinner 
 he had been in his room; and now as it drew towards 
 three o clock, he came down and left the house, taking the 
 road towards that of Jonathan Fax. Other dark figures 
 now appeared from time to time, bendlig their steps in the 
 same direction, some sturdy farmer in his fearnought 
 coat, or two of the school-boys with their arms round 
 each other. Then this ceased, and the soft falling snow 
 alone was in the field. 
 
 The afternoon wore on, and the sun was towards the 
 setting, when a faint reddish tinge began to flush along the 
 western horizon, and the snowflakes grew thinner. Then, 
 just as the first sunbeams shot through their cloudy prison, 
 making the snow a mere white veil to their splendour, the 
 little carriage of Mr. SoLiers came slowly down the road, 
 
 11* 
 
I2o SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 and in it Mr. Somers himself. A half dozen of the neigh 
 bouring farmers followed. Then the little coffin of Johnny 
 Fax, borne by Reuben Taylor and Sam Stoutenburgh and 
 Phil Davids and Joe Deacon, each cap and left arm bound 
 with crape > followed by Johnny s two little classmates 
 Charles Twelfth and Robbie Waters. Then the chief 
 mourners-^Jonathan Fax and Mr. Linden, arm in arm, 
 and Mr. Linden wearing the crape badge. After them the 
 whole school, two and two. The flickering snowflakes 
 fell softly on the little pall, but through them the sunbeams 
 shot joyously, and said that the child had gone 
 
 "Through a dark stormy night 
 To a calm land of light!" 
 
 "Meet again? Yes, we shall meet again, 
 Though now we part in pain! 
 His people all 
 Together Christ shall call, 
 Hallelujah!" 
 
 "Child," said Mrs. Derrick in a choked voice, and 
 wiping her eyes, when the last one had long passed out of 
 view, "it s good to see him and Jonathan Fax walking to 
 gether I anyway. I guess Jonathan 11 never say a word 
 against him again. Faith, he s beautiful 1" 
 
CHAPTER IX. 
 
 TT seemed to Faith as if the little shadow which Febru 
 ary had brought and left did not pass away or rather, 
 as if it had stretched on till it met another; though 
 whence that came, from what possible cloud, she could 
 not see. She was not the cloud that she knew and felt : 
 if such care and tenderness and attention as she had had 
 all winter could be increased, then were they now, every 
 spare moment was given to her, all sorts of things were 
 undertaken to give her pleasure, and that she was Mr. 
 Linden s sunbeam was never more clear. -Yet to her fancy 
 that shadow went out and came in with him lived even in 
 her presence, nay, as if she had been a real sunbeam, grew 
 deeper there. And yet not that, what was it? Tho 
 slight change of voice or face in the very midst of some 
 bright talk, the eyes that followed her about the room or 
 studied her face while she studied her lesson she felt if 
 she did not see them, even the increased unwillingness to 
 have her out of his sight, what did they all mean ? So 
 constant, yet so intangible, so going hand in hand with 
 all the clear, bright activity that had ever been part of 
 Mr. Linden s doings; while the pleasure of nothing seemed 
 to be checked, and yet a little pain mingled with all, 
 Faith felt puzzled and grieved by turns. She bore it for 
 a while, in wondering and sorrowful silence, till she began 
 to be afraid of the shadow s spreading to her own face. 
 Nay, she felt it there sometimes. Faith couldn t stand it 
 any longer. 
 
 He had come in rather late one evening. It was a 
 bleak evening in March, but the fire never more wanted 
 
 . burned splendidly and lit up the sitting-room in style. 
 
 Before it, in the easy-chair, Mr. Linden sat meditating. 
 He might be tired but Faith fancied she saw the shadow 
 She came up behind his chair, put both hands on one of 
 bis shoulders and leaned down. 
 
 (127) 
 
J2S SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "Endecott" she said in some of -her most winning 
 tones, "may I ask you something?" 
 
 He came out of his muse instantly, and laying his hand 
 on hers, asked her "what she thought about it herself?" 
 
 " I think I may, if you ll promise not to answer me 
 unless you have a mind 1" 
 
 " Do you suppose I would ?" Mr. Linden said laughing. 
 "What trust you have in your own power !" 
 
 " No, not a bit," said Faith. " Then shall I ask you ?" 
 
 "You are beginning to work upon my timid disposition ! 
 . of which I believe I once told you. What are you 
 going to ask me ? to challenge Dr. Harrison ? or to run 
 for President ?" 
 
 "Would you like to do either of those two things?" 
 
 "I was only putting myself at your disposal as I have 
 done before." 
 
 "Would you do either of em if I asked you?" said 
 Faith softly. 
 
 "I suppose I am safe in saying yes!" said Mr. Linden 
 smiling. "Little bird why do you keep on the wing?" 
 
 "I wanted to make sure of lighting in a right place," 
 said Faith. "Endy" and her voice came back to the 
 rich softness of the tones of her first question, a little 
 dashed with timidity, "has anybody been putting non 
 sense into your head?" 
 
 He lifted her hand from its resting place, bringing it 
 round to his cheek and lips at first in silence, 
 
 "Do you know," he said, "that is just the point over 
 which I thought you were hovering?" But the certainty 
 had changed his tone. And rising up quick and suddenly, 
 he drew her off to the sofa and seated her there, keeping 
 his arm still about her as if for a shield. 
 
 "Faith," he said, "do you remember that I promised 
 some time to tell you a long story ?" 
 
 She looked up into his face gravely and affectionately, 
 reading his look. "But you won t have time for it now, 
 Endecott tea will be ready directly. We must wait till 
 by and by." 
 
 "My little Sunbeam," he said, looking at her and gently 
 pushing back her hair, "do you know I love you very 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 129 
 
 much r What made you think there was anything in my 
 head but the most profound and abstract sense ?" 
 Faith shook her head with a little bit of a smile. 
 "1 saw that you were growing either more sensible of 
 late or less, and 1 wanted to know which it was." 
 
 "Please to explain yourself! How could I grow more 
 sensible ? and in what way did I grow less ?" 
 
 " I am talking nonsense," said Faith simply. " But if it 
 was sense in your head, Endy, there was a little too much 
 of it; and I had seen nonsense look so so I wanted to 
 know." 
 
 "Faith," Mr. Linden> : said, "you remind me often of that 
 Englishman Madame D Arblay tells about, who to the end 
 of his life declared that his wife was the most beautiful 
 sight in the world to him 1 Do you know I think he will 
 have a successor?" 
 
 Her colour rose bright, and for a minute she looked down 
 at her diamonds. Then looked up demurely, and asked 
 who Madame D Arblay was ? 
 
 " She was an English woman, an authoress, a maid of 
 honour to the Queen. Do you wish to know anything 
 about the other two persons 1 alluded to ?" 
 
 One sparkling flash of Faith s soft eye, was all she gave 
 him. "No, I don t think I do," she said. 
 
 "You know enough already? or too much? Faith- 
 are Christmas roses to be in season all the year round ?" 
 
 "I don t know, but tea is. Suppose I go and see about 
 it Monsieur ?" 
 
 "Eh bien Mademoiselle," he said gravely but holding 
 her fast, "suppose you do !" 
 
 " Then we should have it." 
 
 "Undoubtedly, Mademoiselle! Vous avez raison." 
 
 "And what have you ?" said Faith laughing. 
 
 "I have you! Love and Reason did meet once, you 
 know." 
 
 "Did they?" said Faith looking up. "How should I 
 know?" 
 
 "You never found it out in your own personal experi 
 ence ?" 
 
 "You say it s a fact," said Faith. "I thought you 
 referred to it as a former fact." 
 
130 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "Like tea" said Mr. Linden. 
 
 "Like tea, Endecott! what are you talking of ? n 
 
 "Former facts." 
 
 "I wonder what I shall get you to-night, Endecott" she 
 said merrily twisting round to look at him, "you must 
 want something ! Is a thing properly said to be former, as 
 long as it is still present ?" 
 
 " What is present ?" 
 
 " Tea isn t past" said Faith with another little flash of 
 her eye. 
 
 "If you are going to set up for Reason," said Mr. Lin 
 den, "there is no more to be don3; but as for me, I may 
 as well submit to my fate. Shakspeare says, To love, and 
 to be wise, exceeds man s might. " 
 
 "I don t- think I set up for reason," said Faith, "only 
 for tea ; and you obliged me to take reason instead I 
 guess Shakspeare was right." 
 
 " Unquestionably !" said Mr. Linden laughing. " Faith, 
 did you ever hear of Love in a Cottage ?" 
 
 "I believe I have." 
 
 " I hope you don t think that includes tea ?" 
 
 " I never thought it included much good," said Faith. 
 "I always thought it was something foolish." 
 
 " There spoke Reason !" said Mr. Linden, " and I shall 
 not dare to speak again for ten minutes. Faith, you will 
 have time to meditate." And his eyes went to the fire and 
 staid there. Faith meditated or waited upon his medita 
 tions ; for her eyes now and then sought his face somewhat 
 wistfully to see if she could read what he was thinking of 
 . which yet she could not read. But her exploring looks 
 in that direction were too frequent to leave room for the 
 supposition that Reason made much progress. 
 
 " Faith," Mr. Linden said, suddenly intercepting one of 
 these looks, "now let us compare results before we medi 
 tate any further. What have you to shew ?" 
 
 " Nothing" said Faith frankly. 
 
 "I on my part have made a great discovery, which will 
 perhaps answer for us both. It is very simple, as most 
 great discoveries are, being merely this : that I prefer other 
 things than reproofs from the lips of Reason. Will you 
 have an illustration ?" 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 13} 
 
 " Can t I understand without ?" said Faith laughing, but 
 with also a little rising colour. And very smilingly she had 
 her answer the only answer she could expect. 
 
 " I believe you are principled against saying yes !" said 
 Mr. Linden. " The most encouraging thing you ever said 
 to me was Oh no ! " 
 
 What swift recollection, what quick sympathy with that 
 time, spoke in the crimson of Faith s cheeks ! It was some 
 thing to see the eloquent blood. Eyes were not to be 
 seen. Mr. Linden smiled, touching his hand softly to her 
 cheeks. 
 
 "0 Mignonette !" he said "or I should rather say, 
 Roses ! or Carnation ! Is there anything beyond that 
 in your Flora ?" 
 
 In the emergency Faith took possession of the hand that 
 invaded her carnations and turning the full display upon 
 him asked if he would not like to have something more 
 substantial. Apparently the display was approved, though 
 there were no words to that effect. 
 
 " I suppose I must let you go," he said, "because if we 
 are to study all the evening after tea, it will not do to talk 
 away the whole evening before. You shall choose your own 
 time for hearing my story, dear child only let me know 
 when the time comes." 
 
 There was no shadow upon the tea hour, on Faith s part, 
 nor on the hours of study that followed. The wind swept 
 i-ound the house, March fashion, but the fire and the open 
 books laughed at him. There seemed even a little more 
 than usual of happy gayety in Faith s way of going through 
 her work ; she and the fire played at which should get 
 ahead of the other ; and between whiles she was obliged to 
 use a little caution to obviate Mr. Linden s surprise at find 
 ing how far she was getting ahead of herself. For Faith s 
 early morning studies were not now by any means confined 
 to the lessons he set for her and expected her to do ; net- 
 object and endeavour was to prevent his requirements, and 
 so prepare the ground before his teachings that without 
 finding out how it came to be so ready, he should simply 
 occupy more of it and cultivate higher. It was rather a nice 
 matter ! not to let him see that she had done too much, and 
 
132 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 yet to make him know that he might take what harvests he 
 pleased off the ground ; with such keen eyes too, that knew 
 so well all the relative forces of soil and cultivation and 
 could estimate so surely the fruits of both. Faith managed 
 by not managing at all and by keeping very quiet, as far as 
 possible shewing him nothing he did not directly or indi 
 rectly call for; but sometimes she felt she was grazing the 
 edge of discovery, which the least lifting of the veil of 
 Mr. Linden s unsuspiciousness would secure. She felt it 
 to-night, and the fire and she had one or two odd little con 
 sultations. Just what Mr. Linden was consulting with 
 himself about at those times, she did not know ; but she 
 half fancied it was something. Once the fire called her off 
 at the end of a lesson, and when she came back to the table 
 he had the next book open ; but it was not till this set of 
 questions and answers and explanations was half through, 
 that Faith discovered he had opened the book at a different 
 place from the one where it had been closed the day before, 
 then it suddenly flashed upon her ; but whether it had 
 been by accident, or of intent, she did not know. 
 
 One last consultation Faith held with the fire while Mrs. 
 Derrick was gathering her work together to go to bed. 
 Then she brought a low seat to Mr. Linden s feet. " Now, 
 Endy, I am ready." A little smile a soft, lingering 
 touch upon her forehead, came with his words. 
 
 " My little Mignonette, what do you suppose I came to 
 Pattaquasset for ?" 
 
 She looked rather wondering at him, and then said, " I 
 supposed to teach the school." 
 
 " Yes, but to what end ? I mean in my intent. I know 
 now what I came for, in one sense," he said, securing one 
 of her hands. 
 
 " Why Endecott, do you want me to tell you ?" 
 
 "If you know or guess." 
 
 " I don t know nor guess anything. I supposed merely 
 that you did that as other people do other things and for 
 the same reason." 
 
 " It was for a very commonplace reason," Mr. Linden 
 said, watching her face with two or three things at work in 
 his own : "it was to get money to finish my studies for 
 your favourite profession." 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 133 
 
 " My favourite profession ! Which do you mean ?" 
 
 " Have you forgotten Miss Essie s question ? I have 
 not nor the dear child who was so unwilling to answer it." 
 
 Faith s mind went back to Miss Essie, the question and 
 answer, and took the round of the subject, and even as 
 she did so her face changed, a sort of grave light coming 
 into it 
 
 "Do you mean that, Endy?" she said half under her 
 breath. 
 
 "I mean that, and no other." 
 
 The light brightened and deepened her colour flushed 
 like a morning sky, till at last the first sunbeam struck 
 athwart her face, in the shape of a smile. It was not a lip 
 smile it was on eye and brow and lip and cheek together. 
 Mr. Linden bent down by her, lifting her face to meet hi? 
 eyes, which through all their intentness smiled too 
 
 "Faith, I want to hear every word of that." 
 
 "Of what?" 
 
 "Of all that is in your mind and face just now." 
 
 Her two little answering sentences evidently only gave 
 the key of very deep tones. 
 
 "I think it is good, Endy. I am glad." 
 
 " I thought you would be. But that does not satisfy 
 me, dear Faith I want you to say to me all the different 
 things that your thoughts were saying to you. You are 
 not afraid of me at this time of day ?" he said bringing her 
 face closer. 
 
 "I have nothing to say I need be afraid to say," Faith 
 answered slowly, "but it is hard to disentangle so many 
 thoughts. I was thinking it is such great and high work 
 such happy work and such honour and then that you 
 will do it right, Endecott " she hesitated. "How could 
 I help but be glad?" 
 
 "Do you like your new prospective position, little Sun 
 beam?" 
 
 A deep colour came over her face, and the eyes fell 
 Yet Faith folded her hands and spoke. 
 
 " I was glad to think " She got so far, but the sen 
 tence was never finished. 
 
 "Glad to think what, dear child?" 
 
 Faith glanced up. She did not want to answer Then 
 VOL. u. 12 
 
134 SAY AND SEAL - 
 
 she said with the greatest simplicity, " I am glad if I may 
 do something " 
 
 "Glad that I should realize my ideal?" Mr. Linden said 
 with a smile, and softly bringing her face round again. 
 "Faith, do you know what a dear little minister s wife 
 you will make ? Mignonette is so suitable for a parson 
 age ! so well calculated to impress the people with a 
 notion of the extreme grave propriety which reigns there ! 
 For is not Mignonette always sweet, demure, and never 
 by any chance 1 high coloured ?" 
 
 She would not let her face be held up. It went down 
 upon her lap into her hands, which she pressed close to 
 hide it. 
 
 "Oh Endecott! " she said desperately. "You ll have 
 to call me something else." 
 
 " Faith !" was Ids smiling reply, "I will, just so soon 
 as I can. Don t you want to come over to the sofa and 
 hear the rest of my story ?" 
 
 "Your story ! Oh yes !" 
 
 And first having a sympathizing interview with the 
 fire, Faith went over to the sofa and sat down ; but hid her 
 face no more. Much as he had done before tea, Mr. Lin 
 den came and sat down by her, with the same sort of 
 gentle steadiness of manner, as if some strong thread of 
 feeling had wrapped itself round an equally deep thread 
 of purpose, his gay talk now as then finding always some 
 contrast in his face. But of this Faith had seen little or 
 nothing her eyes had not been very free to look. She 
 did notice how silently he stood by her as she put the fire 
 in order, she did notice the look that rested on her as she 
 took her seat, but then he began his story and she could 
 thing of nothing else. 
 
 "It was given to me, dear Faith," he said, "to spend 
 my boyhood in an atmosphere more like the glow of that 
 firelight than anything I can compare it to, for its warmth 
 and radiance ; where very luxurious worldly circumstances 
 were crowned with the full luxury of earthly love. But it 
 was a love so heaven-directed, so heaven-blessed, that it 
 was but the means of preparing me to go out into the cold 
 alone. That was where I learned to love your diamonds," 
 he added, taking the jewelled hand in his, "when I used 
 
SAY AND SEAL. ]35 
 
 to see them not more busy among things of literature and 
 taste, than in all possible ministrations to the roughest and 
 poorest and humblest of those whom literature describes 
 and taste shrinks from ! But I used to think," he said 
 speaking very low, "that the ring was never so bright, nor 
 so quick moving, as when it was at work for me." 
 
 Faith s eye fell with his to the diamonds. She was very 
 still; the flash all gone. 
 
 "That time of my life," Mr. Linden presently went on, 
 "was passed partly in Europe and partly here. We came 
 home just after I had graduated from a German University, 
 but before I went away again almost everything I had in 
 the world went from me." He was silent for a little, draw 
 ing Faith s head down upon his shoulder and resting his 
 lightly upon^it, till she felt what she was to him. Then he 
 looked up and spoke quietly as before. 
 
 "Pet and I were left alone. A sister of my father s was 
 very anxious to take her, but Pet would not hear of it, and 
 so for a year we lived together, and when 1 went to the 
 Seminary she went too, living where I lived, and seeing 
 what she could of me between times. It was not very 
 good for her, but it was the best we could do then. I sup 
 pose there was some mismanagement on the part of my 
 father s executors or some complication in his affairs, I 
 need not trouble you with details; but we were left with 
 out much more than enough to give her the income 1 wished 
 her to have for her own private use. Of course I would 
 not touch that for our joint expenses. But until a year 
 ago we did still live together by various means. Then 
 this sister of my father s set her heart upon taking Pet 
 with her to Europe and I set mine almost as much ; 1 could 
 better bear to live alone, than to have her ; and her life 
 then amounted to that. And so between us both she con 
 sented very unwillingly; and she went to Italy, and I 
 studied as long as I had ways and means, and then came 
 here to get more. So you see, dear child," Mr. Linden 
 said with a smile, "it is not my fortune I have asked you 
 to share, but my fortunes." 
 
 She gave him a smile, as bright and free as the glancing 
 of a star ; then her look went away again. And it was a 
 good little while before perhaps she dared speak perhaps 
 
136 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 before she wanted to speak. So very steady and still her 
 look and herself were, it said that they covered thoughts 
 too tender or too deep to be put into words. And the 
 thoughtfulness rather deepened as minutes rolled on and 
 a good many of them rolled on, and still Faith did not 
 speak. Mr. Linden s watch ticked its remarks unhindered. 
 Words came at last. 
 
 "Endecott you said something about means for study. 
 How much means does it want? and how much study?" 
 The interest at work in the question was deeper than Faith 
 meant to shew, or knew she shewed. 
 
 He told her the various expenses, ordinary and contingent, 
 in few words, and was silent a moment. But then drawing 
 her close to him, with that same sort of sheltering gesture 
 she had noticed before, he went on to answer her other 
 question; the voice and manner giving her a perfect key 
 to all the grave looks she had mused over. 
 
 "Do you remember, dear Faith, that I once called you 
 a brave little child ?" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "You must be that now," he said gently, "you and I 
 must both be brave, and cheerful, and full of trust. Be 
 cause, precious child, I have two years work before me 
 and the work cannot be done here." 
 
 She looked in his face once, and was silent; what her 
 silence covered could only be guessed. But it lasted a little 
 while. 
 
 "It must be done at that place where you were with 
 your sister ?" 
 
 "Yes, little Mignonette, it must be done there." 
 
 "And when must you begin the work, Endecott?" If the 
 words cost her some effort, it only just appeared. 
 
 "I came for a year, dear Faith and I ought not to 
 stay much beyond that." 
 
 Faith mentally counted the months, in haste, with a 
 pang; but the silence did not last long this time. Her 
 head left its resting place and bending forward she looked 
 up into Mr. Linden s face, with a sunny clear look that met 
 his full. It was not a look that could by any means be 
 mistaken to indicate a want of other feeling, however. 
 One might as soon judge from the sunshine gilding on 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 137 
 
 the slope of a mountain that the mountain is made of 
 tinsel. 
 
 "Endecott is that what has been the matter with 
 you ?" 
 
 She needed no answer but his look, though that was a? 
 slear as her own. 
 
 "I could easier bear it if / could bear the whole," he 
 said. "But you can understand that Dr. Harrison s pro 
 posal tried, though it did not tempt me." 
 
 She scarce gave a thought to that. 
 
 "There is one thing more I wanted to ask. Will there 
 be " she paused, and went on, " no time at all that yon 
 can be here ?" 
 
 "Dear Faith!" he said kissing her, "do you think I 
 could bear that ? How often I shall be able to come I 
 cannot quite tell, but come I shall from time to time, if 
 I live. And in the meanwhile we must make letters do 
 a great deal." 
 
 Her face brightened. She sat quietly looking at him. 
 
 "Will that shadow come any more, now that you have 
 told me ?" 
 
 "I will give you leave to scold me, if you see it," Mr. 
 Linden said, answering her smile, "I ought not to be in 
 shadow for a minute with such a sunbeam in my posses 
 sion. Although, although! do you know, little bright 
 one, that the connexion between sunbeams and shadows is 
 very intimate? and very hard to get rid of?" 
 
 "Shall I talk to you about nonsense again?" she 
 said half lightly, resting her hand on his arm and looking 
 at him. Yet behind her light tone there was a great ten 
 derness. 
 
 "You may and I will plead guilty. But in which of 
 the old classes of uncanny folk will you put me? with 
 those who were known by their having no shadow, or with 
 those who went always with two ?" 
 
 " So I suppose one must have a little shadow, to keep 
 from being uncanny !" 
 
 " You and I will not go upon that understanding, dear 
 Faith." 
 
 Faith did not look like one who had felt no shadow; 
 rather perhaps she looked like one who had borne a blow; 
 12* 
 
] 38 SAY AND SEAL 
 
 a look that in the midst of the talk more than once 
 brought to Mr. Linden s mind a shadowy remembrance 
 of her as she was after they got home that terrible evening, 
 but her face had a gentle brightness now that then was 
 wanting. 
 
 " I don t know " she said wistfully in answer to his last 
 words. " Perhaps it is good. I dare say it is, for me. It 
 is a shame for me to remind you of anything but don t 
 you know, Endecott- all things are ours ? both things 
 present and things to come?" And her eye looked up 
 with a child s gravity, and a child s srnile. 
 
 Bear it alone ? yes, he could have done that as he had 
 borne other things, it tried him to see her bear it. It 
 touched him to see that look come back to see any tem 
 pering of the bright face she had worn so long. Faith 
 hardly knew perhaps with what eyes he had watched her 
 through all the conversation, eyes none the less anxious for 
 the smile that met hers so readily ; she hardly guessed what 
 pain her bright efforts at keeping up, gave him. To shel 
 ter and gladden her life was the dearest delight of his ; 
 and just now duty thwarted him in both points. And he 
 knew almost better than she did how much she de 
 pended on him. He looked down at her for a moment 
 with a face of such grave submission as Faith had never 
 seen him wear. 
 
 "My dear little child !" he said. But that sentence was 
 let stand by itself. The next was spoken differently. "I 
 do know it, dear Faith, and yet you do well to remind 
 me. I need to be kept up to the mark. And it is not 
 more true that each day has sufficient evil, than that each 
 has sufficient good if it be only sought out. There can 
 not much darkness live in the light of those words." 
 
 "How far have you to go," she said with demure arch 
 ness, "to find the good of these days?" 
 
 "You are quick at conclusions" said Mr. Linden, 
 " how far do you think it is between us at present ?" 
 
 "Endecott" she said gravely "it will never be fur 
 ther!" 
 
 He laughed a little with a half moved half amused 
 expression, wrapping her up like some dainty piece of 
 preciousness. "Because every day that I am away will 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 139 
 
 bring us nearer together? I suppose that is good mea 
 surement." 
 
 "You know," she said, "you have told me two things 
 to-night, Endecott; and if one makes me sorry, the other 
 makes me glad." 
 
 " I was sure of that ! And it is such great, great 
 pleasure to think of the times of coming back and 
 of leaving you work to do, and of writing to you about it, 
 and then of finding out how well it is done ! You must 
 keep my books for me, Mignonette mine, I sav ! they 
 are as much yours as mine and more." 
 
 "Your books?" she said with a flush. 
 
 "Yes there are but a few of these that I shall want 
 with me, the most of my study books I did not bring 
 here." 
 
 "But won t you want these with you?" 
 
 "As far from that as possible. Do you think you could 
 make up your mind to let me tell Reuben a secret ? and 
 give him a reason for being even more devoted to you than 
 he is now?" 
 
 She coloured very brightly again. "I am willing if 
 you wish it. Why, Endecott ?" 
 
 " The chief reason is, that I do not wish to lose any of 
 your letters, nor have you lose any of mine. And small 
 postoffices are not so safe as large ones, nor are their 
 managers proverbially silent. I should like to make Reu 
 ben a sort of intermediate office." 
 
 "And send your letters to him ?" 
 " Yes. Would you mind that ?" 
 
 "And my letters ?" 
 
 "And yours in like manner, little Mignonette. He could 
 either enclose them to me, or put them in some neighbour 
 ing office, I think Reuben would enjoy an eight miles 
 walk a day, taken for me. Or you could hide your en 
 velope with another, and let him direct that. You need 
 not be afraid of Reuben," Mr. Linden said smiling, 
 "you might give him forty letters without his once daring 
 to look at you." 
 
 "But I thought you said he was going to college 
 next summer?" 
 
 " That was talked of, but I think he will stay another 
 
140 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 year at home, and then enter a higher class. It will save 
 expense, and he will be longer with his father. Reuben 
 and I hope to be brother ministers, one day, Faith." 
 
 "Do you! Does he !" said Faith astonished. "That 
 is good ! I am glad of it. But what will he do for money, 
 Endecott?" 
 
 "We shall see part of the way is clear, so we may 
 hope the rest will be. Perhaps I may let him do some 
 of his studying with me. Do you think you would object 
 to that?" 
 
 "Object to it! How could I? What do you mean, 
 Endecott?" 
 
 "0 little Mignonette!" he said smiling, "how sweet you 
 are ! and what joy it would be to see you wear the only 
 title I can give you ! Don t you know, pretty child, that 
 if I gave Reuben Hebrew you might be called upon to 
 give him tea!" 
 
 Faith s eyes went down and her colour mounted, and 
 mounted. But her next remark was extremely collected. 
 "How good it was Dr. Harrison s money came!" 
 
 "I believe you stipulated that we were to have tea 
 ourselves," said Mr. Linden, "but the question remains 
 whether you would dispense it to any one else." 
 
 Faith was only restrained from covering her face again 
 by the feeling that it would be foolish ; and withal a little 
 laughter could not be prevented. She did shield one side 
 of her face with her hand, and leaning upon it looked into 
 the fire for suggestions. Finally answered sedately, "I 
 should think you and he might have it together !" 
 
 "Have it yes, if we could get it; but I am ignorant 
 of any but the chemical properties of milk and sugar." 
 
 " I thought you said you knew cream when you saw it !" 
 said Faith from behind her shield. 
 
 "That is knowing its appearance not its properties, 
 Miss Reason." 
 
 " What does reason want to know more, for a cup of 
 tea?" 
 
 "But you have declared once to-night that I am not 
 Reason," said Mr. Linden laughing. "For instance I 
 once made the sudden acquaintance of a particular person, 
 vrho made as sudden an impression on my mind, after 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 1 41 
 
 those three minutes I should have known her by sight (like 
 cream) to the end of my life. But I went on trying ex 
 periments (as one might taste successive drops of cream) 
 finding out more and more sweetness each time; untii 
 (like cream again) I discovered that she was perfectly 
 indispensable to my cup of tea 1" 
 
 Faith bowed her glad little head, laughing, though 
 feeling much deeper was at work. 
 
 "After this," she said, "I shall always be greatly at a 
 loss what you are thinking of when you are looking 
 at me." 
 
 "Will your reflections be carried on with such a face?" 
 said Mr. Linden. "Do you remember that afternoon, 
 Faith? when I so nearly laid hold of you and you 
 wanted to laugh, and did not dare ?" 
 
 "What afternoon?" 
 
 "The one wherein I first had the pleasure of seeing you. 
 How demurely you eyed me ! and wondered in your little 
 sensible heart what sort of a person I could possibly be I" 
 
 "How did you know I wondered?" said Faith colour 
 ing." 
 
 "By your very gentle, modest, and fearful examinations, 
 your evident musings over my words, and the bright look 
 now and then that told of progress." 
 
 Faith laughed. 
 
 " You made me begin to think and wish immediately," 
 she said. "It was no wonder I wondered. . 
 
 "Yes, and how I longed to give you your wish, so far as 
 I could, and how afraid I was to offer my services, and 
 how you would persist in thanking me for pleasing myself, 
 do you remember, little Sunbeam ? and your fright when 
 I asked about Prescott?" 
 
 She looked up with the prettiest, rosiest remembrance 
 of it all; and then her face suddenly changed, and turning 
 from him she shielded it again with her hand, but not to 
 hide the rosy colour this time. Mr. Linden drew her close 
 to him, resting his face upon her other cheek at first 
 without words. 
 
 "Dear child 1" he said, "my own little Mignonette! 
 you must not forget what you said to me, and you must 
 not forget that I hope to come home quite often. There 
 
142 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 was a time, when I thought I might have to go away and 
 never have tne right to come and see you again. And you 
 must think to yourself though you will not speak of it to 
 me that after this bit of time, all our life will be spent 
 together. You need not expect m; 1 to wait for anything . 
 not even the cottage you like so much." 
 
 She did not answer immediately, as was natural, his last 
 suggestions not being very word-provoking with her. But 
 when she did speak, it was in a clear, cheerful tone. 
 
 "I ll bear my part, Endy I should be very ungrateful 
 if I couldn t. And you can bear your part I am glad to 
 think of that ! for you are working for a Master that 
 always gives full pay." 
 
 "We can always bear God s will," he said, a little 
 gravely, "it is only our own that points the trial and 
 makes it unbearable." 
 
CHAPTER X. 
 
 TT^AITH had no chance to think that night. She went 
 JL to sleep conscientiously. And a chance the next 
 morning was out of the question. She dared not come 
 down as early as usual, if her own strength would have let 
 her. The few minutes before breakfast were busy ones ; 
 and the few hours after breakfast. Faith went about with 
 the consciousness of something on her heart to be looked 
 at; but it had to bide its time. Her household duties done, 
 her preparations for Mr. Linden being already in advance, 
 she had leisure to attend -to this other thing. And alone 
 Faith sat down and looked at it. 
 
 It was the first real steady trial her life had known. Her 
 father s death had come when she was too young to feel 
 deeply any want that her mother could not fill. To be 
 away from anything she much loved was a sorrow Faith 
 hardly knew by experience. But a two years separation was 
 a very, very heavy and sharp pain to think of; and Faith 
 had an inward assurance that the reality would be heavier 
 and sharper than her thoughts beforehand could make it. 
 Perhaps it was too great a pain to be struggled with ; for 
 Faith did not struggle or not long. She sat down and 
 looked at it, what she had not dared to do the night 
 before ; measured it and weighed it; and then bowed her 
 heart and head to it in utter submission. With it came such 
 a crowd of glad and good things, things indeed that made 
 the trial and were bound up with it, that Faith locked the 
 one and the other up in her heart together. And remem 
 bering too the sunshine of joy in which she had lately lived, 
 she humbly confessed that some check might be needed to 
 remind her and make her know that earth has not the best 
 sunshine, and that any gain would be loss that turned her 
 eyes away from that best, or lessened her sense of its 
 brightness. 
 
 (143) 
 
142 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 was a time, when I thought I might have to go away and 
 never have tne right to come and see you again. And you 
 must think to yourself though you will not speak of it to 
 me that after this bit of time, all our life will be spent 
 together. You need not expect mi- to wait for anything 
 not even the cottage you like so much." 
 
 She did not answer immediately, as was natural, his last 
 suggestions not being very word-provoking with her. But 
 when she did speak, it was in a clear, cheerful tone. 
 
 "I ll bear my part, Endy I should be very ungrateful 
 if I couldn t. And you can bear your part I am glad to 
 think of that ! for you are working for a Master that 
 always gives full pay." 
 
 "We can always bear God s will," he said, a little 
 gravely, "it is only our own that points the trial and 
 makes it unbearable." 
 
CHAPTER X. 
 
 TT^AITH had no chance to think that night. She went 
 JL to sleep conscientiously. And a chance the next 
 morning was out of the question. She dared not come 
 down as early as usual, if her own strength would have let 
 her. The few minutes before breakfast were busy ones ; 
 and the few hours after breakfast Faith went about with 
 the consciousness of something on her heart to be looked 
 at; but it had to bide its time. Her household duties done, 
 her preparations for Mr. Linden being already in advance, 
 she had leisure to attend *to this other thing. And alone 
 Faith sat down and looked at it. 
 
 It was the first real steady trial her life had known. Her 
 father s death had come when she was too young to feel 
 deeply any want that her mother could not fill. To be 
 away from anything she much loved was a sorrow Faith 
 hardly knew by experience. But a two years separation was 
 a very, very heavy and sharp pain to think of; and Faith 
 had an inward assurance that the reality would be heavier 
 and sharper than her thoughts beforehand could make it. 
 Perhaps it was too great a pain to be struggled with ; for 
 Faith did not struggle or not long. She sat down and 
 looked at it, what she had not dared to do the night 
 before ; measured it and weighed it; and then bowed her 
 heart and head to it in utter submission. With it came such 
 a crowd of glad and good things, things indeed that made 
 the trial and were bound up with it, that Faith locked the 
 one and the other up in her heart together. And remem 
 bering too the sunshine of joy in which she had lately lived, 
 she humbly confessed that some check might be needed to 
 remind her and make her know that earth has not the best 
 sunshine, and that any gain would be loss that turned her 
 eyes away from that best, or lessened her sense of its 
 /brightness. 
 
 (143) 
 
144 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 So there came no shadow over her at all, either that day 
 or afterwards The clear light of her face was not clouded, 
 and her voice rung to the same tune. There was no 
 shadow, nor shade of a shadow. There was a little sub 
 dued air ; a little additional gravity, a trifle more of ten 
 derness in her looks and ways, which told of the simpleness 
 of heart with which she had quietly taken what God gave 
 and was content with it. 
 
 To Mr. Linden the trial was not new, and to sorrow of 
 various kinds he was wonted ; but it was new to him to see 
 her tried, and to that he found it hard to accustom himself. 
 Yet he carried out his words, Faith could feel a sort of 
 atmosphere of bright strength about her all the time. How 
 tenderly she was watched and watched over she could 
 partly see, but pain or anxiety Mr. Linden kept to himself. 
 He set himself to work to make her enjoy every minute. 
 Yet he never shunned the subject of his going away, he 
 let her become used to the sound of the words, and to every 
 little particular connected with it they were all told her 
 by degrees ; but told with such bright words of hope and 
 trust, that Faith took the pain as it were diluted. 
 
 Before all this had gone far indeed not many days after 
 the first telling of his story, Faith had come down as usual 
 one early morning to her work. She had been down about 
 an hour, when she heard the door open and Mr. Linden 
 came in. He had two seconds view of the picture before 
 she rose up to meet him. There was no lamp yet burning 
 in the room. A fire of good hard wood threw its light 
 over everything, reflected back from the red curtains 
 which fell over the windows. In the very centre of 
 the glow, Faith sat on a low cushion, with her book on a 
 chair. She was dressed exactly, for nicety, as if she might 
 have been going to Judge Harrison s to tea. And on the 
 open pages, and on Faith s bright hair, edging her ruffles, 
 and warming up her brown dress, was the soft red fall of 
 the firelight. She rose up immediately with her usual glad 
 look, behind which lay a doubtful surmising as to his errand. 
 It was on her lips to ask what had brought him down so 
 early, but she was prudently silent. He came forward 
 quick and quietly, according to his wont, not at all as if she 
 were about anything unusual, and giving her one of those 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 145 
 
 greetings which did sometimes betray the grave feeling he 
 kept so well in hand, he brought her back to the fire. 
 
 " Little bird," he said, " what straws are you weaving in 
 at present ?" 
 
 " I don t know. Not any unless thoughts." 
 
 " Will it please you to state what you are doing ?" 
 
 "I was reading. I had just got to the end of the story 
 of Moses blessing Israel. I was thinking of these words" 
 and she took up her book and shewed him. " Happy art 
 thou, Israel, saved of the Lord, the shield of thy help, 
 and who is the sword of thy excellency." 
 
 "Did you ever look out any of the answering passages 
 in other parts of the Bible ?" 
 
 " Not often. I don t know them. Once in a while I 
 think of one. And then they are so beautiful !" 
 
 Mr. Linden took the book from her hand, turning from 
 place to place and reading to her. 
 
 " Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, 
 whose hope is in the Lord his God : which made heaven, 
 and earth, the sea, and all that therein is : which keepeth 
 truth forever. That is what David said, then hear how 
 Isaiah answers Behold, God is my salvation ; I will trust, 
 and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my 
 strength and my song; he also is become my salvation. 
 And again Israel shall be saved in the Lord with an 
 everlasting salvation : ye shall not be ashamed nor con 
 founded, world without end. " 
 
 Faith drew a little quick breath 
 
 " Doesn t it seem," she said, " as if words were heaped on 
 words to prevent our being afraid ?" 
 
 " I think it really is so ; till we have a shield of promises 
 as well as protection. After Abraham had gone out of his 
 own country, not knowing whither he went, the word of 
 the Lord came to him, saying, Fear not, Abraham, I am 
 ti>y shield and thy exceeding great reward. Then David 
 takes that up and expatiates upon it, finding in it both 
 thing s present and things to come , dear Faith." 
 
 " For the Lord God is a sun and a shield : the Lord will 
 give grace and glory : no good thing will he withhold from 
 them that walk uprightly. Lord of hosts, blessed is the 
 man that trusteth in thee. " 
 
 VOL. II. 13 
 
|46 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 She looked down at the words, then up at him with a 
 glad, sunshiny light in her eyes. Her comment on the 
 whole was heartfelt, and comprehensive. " How good it 
 was you came down this morning !" 
 
 "Would you like to have me come every morning ?" 
 
 " Oh how much ! But that s no use, Endecott." 
 
 "Why not?" 
 
 "I mustn t get to depending upon you too much," she 
 said with a smile. 
 
 "What had you been musing about to make you so glad 
 this morning ?" he said looking at her. 
 
 " Nothing ! but those passages as you read them one 
 after the other were so beautiful, and felt so strong. It was 
 a great pleasure to hear you read them," she said dropping 
 her voice a little in confession. 
 
 "It shall be as you like, darling, about my coming again. 
 But dear Faith, of this other morning work you must let 
 me say a word." 
 
 " What, Endecott ?" 
 
 "You are doing too much." 
 
 " No. What makes you think so ?" 
 
 Significantly Mr. Linden laid his hand on the pile of 
 study books. 
 
 "Well?" 
 
 "Well. For the future please to let these gentry rest in 
 peaceful seclusion until after breakfast." 
 
 "Oh no, Endy!" 
 
 "My dear, I shall have you turning into a moonbeam. 
 Just imagine what it would cost me to call you pale Cyn 
 thia !" 
 
 "You needn t imagine it, Endecott." 
 
 "Only so far as to prevent the reality. Do you know I 
 have been afraid of this for some time." 
 
 "Of what?" 
 
 "Afraid that you were disregarding the bounds I have 
 laid down for study and the sun for sleep." 
 
 " I didn t know you had laid down any bounds," she said 
 gaily again, "and I never did mind the sun." 
 
 " Well won t you mind me?" said he smiling. "I have a 
 right to expect that in study matters, you know." 
 
 " Don t try me " said Faith, very winningly, much more 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 147 
 
 than she knew He stood looking at her, with the sweet 
 unbent expression which was her special right. 
 
 "Faith, don t you mean to love to have me take care of 
 you?" 
 
 That brought a change of look, and it was curious to see 
 the ineffectual forces gather to veil what in spite of them 
 wreathed in her smile and laid an additional roseleaf upon 
 each cheek. The shy eyes retreated from view ; then they 
 were raised again as she touched his arm and said, with a 
 demure softness, "What must I do, Endy?" 
 
 "Be content with the old study houis, my dear child. 
 They are long enough, and many enough." 
 
 " Oh Endy ! not for me. " 
 
 "For thee." 
 
 Faith looked down and looked disturbed. 
 
 " Then, Endecott, I sha n t be as wise as I want to be, 
 nor as you want to have me." 
 
 " Then you will be just as wise as I want you to be," he 
 said with a smile. "As to the rest, pretty child, do you 
 mean that my wife shall deprive me of my scholar?" 
 
 Faith turned away and said rather quickly, "Endy, how 
 did you know ?" 
 
 " From some lesson evidence. And I always hear yon 
 come down and whiles I see a face at breakfast which has 
 riot lately come from rest." 
 
 Faith s secret thought was that it was better than rest. 
 But after folding her hands with a grave face, she looked 
 up at Mr. Linden with a smile which yielded the whole 
 question. 
 
 "To prove to you what a naughty child you have been," 
 said Mr. Linden, " I shall give you an increase of outdoor 
 lessons, and take you off on an expedition the first mild 
 day. On which occasion you may study me if you have 
 any of Miss Essie s curiosity." 
 
 " Don t I ?" said Faith. "And I am going to do it more. 
 What expedition are you going on, Endecott?" 
 
 "Up to Kildeer river- I have business there. Will 
 you trust yourself to me in a boat if I will let you steer ?" 
 
 " I ll do anything to go," said Faith. "And I suppose 
 if I steered wrong, the helm would come about pretty 
 quick 1" And so ended her last early morning studies. 
 
148 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 It was in the afternoon of the same day that Faith put 
 in practice what she had been thinking of when she avowed 
 her determination of further studying Mr. Linden. He had 
 come home from school, and it was the dusky hour again ; 
 the pleasant interregnum between day and night when even 
 busy folk take a little time to think and vest. Mr. Linden 
 was indulging in both apparently ; he was in one of those 
 quiet times of doing nothing which Faith chose for making 
 any of her very gentle attacks upon him. One seemed to 
 be in meditation now. She stole up behind him and leaned 
 down on the back of his chair, after her wont. 
 
 "Endecott" she said softly. 
 
 Faith s voice was in ordinary a pleasant thing to hear ; 
 but this name from her lips was always a concretion of 
 sweetness, flavoured differently as the case might be. 
 Sometimes with mere gladness, sometimes with the spirit 
 of fun, often enough with a little timidity, and sometimes 
 with a rose-drop from the very bottom of her heart s well ; 
 with various compounds of the same. But this time it was 
 more than timidity; Faith s one word was spoken as from 
 lips that were positively afraid to follow it with others. 
 
 "That note," said Mr. Linden smiling, "seems to come 
 from the top of a primeval pine tree with a hawk in 
 sight ! Little bird, will you please come down into the lower 
 regions of air? where you can be (comparatively) safe." 
 
 Faith laughed ; but the hawk remained in sight of her 
 words. 
 
 "You said this morning I never asked you any but 
 impossible things." 
 
 "Most sorrowfully true ! have you another one ready ?" 
 
 "If I ask you something possible, what will you do?" 
 she said, softly touching the side of his head with her hand. 
 It was Faith s utmost freedom; a sort of gentle admiring 
 touch of her fingers which the thick locks of hair felt 
 hardly more than a spider s feet. 
 
 "That depends so much upon the thing!" he said, half 
 turning to give her the look which belonged to his words. 
 " There are such a variety of ways in which I might deal 
 with it and with you." 
 
 "I am not going to ask you anything but what would be 
 right." 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 149 
 
 "You do not doubt that ray answer will be conformable ?" 
 
 "Yes I do. It will be your right, but it may not be 
 my right, you know." 
 
 "If you get what is not your right, you ought to be 
 contented," said Mr. Linden. 
 
 "Now you have turned me and my meaning round; 
 Endecott-^-you know Aunt Dilly gave me something? 
 mayn t I won t you let me lend it to you ?" 
 
 Very low and doubtfully the words came out ! But if 
 Faith had any more to say, she had little chance for 
 a while. One quick look round at her Mr. Linden gave, 
 but then he sprang up and came to where she stood, lifting 
 her face and giving her her "right" in one sense at least. 
 Other answer he made none. 
 
 "Endy have I asked a possible thing this time?" she 
 said under breath. 
 
 "My precious child ! Do you think it possible?" 
 
 "It ought to be possible, Eudecott." And if ever an 
 humble suggestion of a possibility was made, Faith made 
 it then. 
 
 "I shall have to go back to my first answer," said Mr. 
 Linden, " I have no words for any other. Faith, dearest 
 don t you know that it is not needful ? Will that con 
 tent you, little sweet one ?" 
 
 A soft "no." 
 
 "Why not?" he said, making good his threat. "What 
 do you want me to have more than I need ?" 
 
 "I fear the ways you will take to make that true. I 
 should think you might, Endecott!" The ellipsis was not 
 hard to supply. 
 
 "I shall not take any unlawful means nor any unwise 
 ones, I hope," he said lightly. "What are you afraid I 
 shall do ?" 
 
 "Get up early in the morning, she whispered. 
 
 "But that is so pleasant! Do you suppose I get up 
 late now, little bird ?" 
 
 " Not late, with breakfast at seven. How early do you ?" 
 
 "Philosophically early! Do you know you have not 
 had your poem to-day ? what shall it be ? sunrise or 
 sunset?" 
 
 " Which you please," she said gently, with the tone of a 
 
150 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 mind upon something else. Mr. Linden looked down at 
 her in silence for a minute. 
 
 "Dear Faith," he said, "I told you truly that there is no 
 need. This year s work has done quite as much as I 
 thought it would. What are you afraid of?" 
 
 "I am not afraid of much," she said, looking up at him 
 now with a clear brow. "But Endy, I have changed ruy 
 mind about something. Could you easily come down and 
 read with me a little while every morning ? or are you 
 busy?" 
 
 " I am never too busy to spend time with you, my child, 
 that is one piece of pleasure I shall always allow myself. 
 At what hour shall I come ?" 
 
 "At six o clock, can you?" said Faith. "If you gave 
 me a quarter of an hour then, I should still have time 
 enough for breakfast work. This morning I was afraid 
 but I was foolish. This evening I want all I can get. And 
 when you read me a ladder of verses again," she said 
 smiling, "I shall mark them in my Bible, and then I shall 
 have them by and by when you are gone." 
 
 "Yes, and I can send you more. It is good to go up a 
 ladder of Bible verses when one is afraid or foolish," he 
 said gently and answering her smile. "One end of it 
 always rests on earth, within reach of the weakest and 
 weariest." 
 
 "That is just it! Oh Endy," she said, clasping her 
 hands sadly and wishfully before her and her eyes tilling as 
 she spok} "I wish there were more people to tell people 
 the truth !" 
 
CHAPTER XI. 
 
 IT was a fair, fair May morning when Mr. Linden and 
 Faith set forth on their expedition to Kildeer river 
 After their early rising and early breakfast, they took their 
 way down to the shore of the Mong, where the little sail 
 boat lay rocking on the incoming tide, her ropes and 
 streamers just answering to the morning breeze. The soft 
 spring sunlight glinted on every tree and hillside. The 
 "Balm of a Thousand Flowers" true and not spurious 
 was sprinkled through the air, under the influence of 
 which unseen nectar the birds became almost intoxicated 
 with joy ; pouring out their songs with a sort of spend 
 thrift recklessness, the very fish caught the infection, and 
 flashed and sparkled in the blue water by schools at a 
 time. 
 
 In the sailboat now stood baskets and shawls, a book or 
 two, an empty basket for wild flowers, and by the tiller sat 
 Faith invested with her new dignity but not yet. instructed 
 therein. Mr. Linden stood on the shore, with the boat s 
 detaining rope in his hand, looking about him as if he had 
 a mind to take the good of things as he went along. Up 
 the hill from the shore, trotted Jerry and Mr. Skip. 
 
 "Endecott," said Faith joyously, "Goethe would have 
 more than enough if he was here." 
 
 She was not a bad part of the picture herself; fair and 
 glad as she looked, as fair as the May morning and tho 
 birds and the sunlight. 
 
 "Isn t this air sweet?" 
 
 " Very ! But Goethe would choose my point of view. 
 So much depends, in a picture, upon the principal light!" 
 
 "I wonder which is the principal light to-day!" said 
 Faith laughing. " How it sparkles all over the river, 
 and then on the young leaves and buds ; and then soft 
 shining on the clouds. And they are all May! Look at 
 
 (151) 
 
152 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 those tiny specks of white cloud scattered along the horizon, 
 up there towards Neanticut." 
 
 "The principal light to-day," said Mr. Linden, "is one 
 particular sunbeam, which as it were leads off the rest. 
 It s a fair train, altogether I" and he threw the rope into 
 the little vessel, and jumped in himself; then lifting Faith 
 a little from her place, and arranging and disposing of her 
 daintily among shawls and cushions, and putting her un 
 wonted fingers upon the tiller. 
 
 "Now Miss Derrick," he said, "before we go any further, 
 I should like to know your estimate and understanding of 
 the power at present in your hands." 
 
 " I know what a rudder is good for," said Faith merrily. 
 "I know that this ship, though it be so great, and driven 
 of fierce winds, yet is it turned about with a very small 
 helm whithersoever the governor listeth. That is what 
 you may call theoretical knowledge." 
 
 "Clearly your estimate covers the ground! But you 
 perceive, that while you take upon yourself the guiding of 
 the boat (if I might venture to suggest ! our course lies 
 up the Mong, and not out to sea) I, with my sail, control 
 the motive power." 
 
 "You mean that if I don t go right, you ll drop the 
 sail?" 
 
 "Not at all! I shall navigate, not drift. Do you sup 
 pose I shall surrender at the first summons?" 
 
 "What would you consider a summons ?" said Faith 
 with a funny look. "I don t think your sail can do much 
 against my rudder." 
 
 "My sail regulates the boat s headway which in its 
 turn affects the rudder. (If we run down those fishermen 
 the damages may be heavy.) But you see I have this ad 
 vantage, I know beforehand your system of navigation 
 you don t know mine. Let me inform your unpractised 
 eyes, Miss Derrick, that the dark object just ahead of us 
 is a snag." 
 
 " My eyes don t see any better for that information, 
 said Faith ; with great attention however managing to 
 guide their little craft clear of both snag and fishermen, 
 and almost too engaged in the double duty to have leisure 
 for laughing. But practice is the road to excellence and 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 153 
 
 ease ; Faith learned presently the correspondence between 
 the rudder and her hand, and in the course of a quarter 
 of an hour could keep the north track with tolerable 
 steadiness. The wind was fair for a straight run up the 
 Mong. The river stretching north in a diminishing blue 
 current (pretty broad however at Pattaquasset and for 
 some miles up) shewed its low banks in tlie tenderest 
 grading of colour; very softly brown in the distance, and 
 near the eye opening into the delicate hues of the young 
 leaf. The river rolled its bright blue, and the overarching 
 sky was like one of summer s. Yet the air was not so, - 
 spicy from young buds; and the light was Springy; not 
 Summer s ardour nor Summer s glare, but that loveliest 
 promise of what is coming and oblivion of what is past. 
 So the little boat sailed up the Mong. Mr. Linden s sail 
 was steady, Faith s rudder was still. 
 
 ," Faith," Mr. Linden said suddenly, "have you made up 
 your mind to my letter plan ?" 
 
 "About Reuben? yes. I am willing." 
 " You know you are to send me every possible question 
 that comes up in the course of your studies, and every 
 French exercise, and every doubt or discomfort of any 
 kind if any should come. I shall not be easy unless I 
 think that." 
 
 "But you won t have tifee for my French exercises ! 
 "Try me. And you are to take plenty of fresh air, and 
 not a bit of fatigue; and in general are to suppose your 
 self a rare little plant belonging to me, which 1 have left 
 in your charge for the time being. Do you understand, 
 Mignonette ?" 
 
 Her blush and smile, of touched pleasure, shewed abund 
 ance of understanding. 
 
 " But I want you to tell me, Endecott, all the things in 
 particular you would like to have me do or attend to while 
 you are away besides my studies. I have been thinking 
 to ask you, and waiting for a good time." 
 
 " All the things ? of what sort, dear child?" 
 "Aren t there some of your poor people you would like 
 to have particularly attended to? I could get Reuben to 
 go with me, you know, where it was too far for me to go 
 alone, or mother." 
 
154 SA1 AND SEAL 
 
 "Yes, there are some things you might do," said Mr. 
 Linden,. "for me and for them, though more in the way of 
 sending than going; the places are too far off. But I 
 should like to know that Mrs. Ling s mother had a bunch 
 of garden flowers now and then, and that another went to 
 that little lame girl on the Monongatesak road ; and once 
 in a great while (not often, or they will lose their charm) 
 you may send the Roscoms two fresh eggs ! not more, on 
 any account. Reuben will go for you, anywhere and the 
 Roscoms are old protegees of his." 
 
 "I didn t mean to forget the Roscoms," said Faith. 
 "But must one manage with them so carefully?" 
 
 "In matter of favours, yes. And even in matter of 
 visits, to a certain degree, their life is so monotonous 
 that novelty has a great charm. Reuben used to go and 
 read to them almost every day on his way from school, but 
 I found it best to make my coming an event." 
 
 "Can "I do anything for Reuben?" 
 
 "Nothing new that I know of, at present you are 
 doing something for him all the while, and it will be a 
 wonderful delight to him to bring you letters. Then if 
 you are ever driving down that Monongatesak road, with 
 nothing to hinder, take the little lame child with you for 
 a mile or two, she so pines to be out of the house and 
 moving. Would it be disagreeable to you? there is 
 nothing but what is pleasant in her appearance." 
 
 "What if there were?" she said with a wistful look at 
 him. "Do you mind disagreeablenesses ? and do you want 
 to have me mind them ?" 
 
 "No, dear child, but you must get wonted by degrees, 
 and some temperaments can never bear what others can. 
 What if we were to overhaul those fishermen ?" 
 
 "What do you want?" said Faith, as she carefully set 
 the boat s head that way. "A fish for dinner?" 
 
 "No" said Mr. Linden, "I have too much respect 
 for that basket at my feet. But you know, Faith, we are 
 having a sort of preliminary play-practice at seeking our 
 fortune, to-day, we must carry it out. Just imagine, my 
 dear, that we are adrift in this boat, with nothing at all 
 for dinner, and supper a wild idea ! riot the eastern fisher 
 man who for four fish received from the Sultan four hun- 
 
SAY ANI> SEAL. 155 
 
 dred pieces of gold, would then appear so interesting as 
 these." 
 
 " If you wanted dinner from them but you say you 
 don t," said Faith laughing. "Endecott, I don t under 
 stand in the least ! And besides, you said you wouldn t 
 drift but navigate!" 
 
 And her soft notes rolled over the water, too soft to reach 
 the yet somewhat distant fishermen. 
 
 "And so because I turn navigator you turn Siren 1" said 
 Mr. Linden. "But I have you safe in my boat I need 
 not stop to listen. " 
 
 "But what did you mean ?" 
 
 "By what?" 
 
 "All that." 
 
 "Short and comprehensive!" said Mr. Linden "come 
 up on the other side, Faith, the current is less strong. All 
 about seeking our fortune, do you mean? Did you never 
 hear of any other extraordinary prince and princess who 
 did the same?" 
 
 "If I am not adrift in the boat, I am in my wits !" said 
 Faith, "and with no sail nor rudder either. Why are 
 those fishermen interesting, Endecott?" 
 
 "Why my child," he said, "in the supposititious case 
 which I put, they were interesting as having fish, while we 
 
 had none. But in the reality they were picturesque in the 
 
 distance, what they are near by we will see," he added 
 with a smile at her, as the sail cani round and the little 
 boat shot up alongside of her rough-looking relation. 
 " Well friends, what cheer ? besides a M&y morning and a 
 fair wind ?" 
 
 The fishermen slowly dragging their net, hoarsely specu 
 lating on its probable weight of fish, paused both their 
 oars and tongues and looked at him. One of the m%n had 
 the oars ; the other at the end of the boat was hauling in, 
 hand over hand. 
 
 " That s about all the cheer you want, I guess, aint it ?" 
 said this man. It was said freely enough, but with no inci 
 vility. 
 
 " Not all 7 want," said Mr. Linden, while the oarsman, 
 rolling his tobacco in his mouth, came out with 
 
 VOL. II. 19 
 
156 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 Shouldn t wonder, now, if twan t much in your line o 
 business ! guess likely you be one o the mighty smart folks 
 that don t do nothin ." 
 
 "I ve no objection to being mighty smart ," said Mr. 
 Linden, belaying his rope with a light hand, "but I 
 shouldn t like to pay such a price for it. Smartness will 
 have to come down before I m a purchaser." 
 
 The man looked at him with a queer little gleam crossing 
 his face 
 
 " Shouldn t wonder if you hadn t took it when it was 
 down !" he said. 
 
 "It s a great thing to know the state of the market," 
 said Mr. Linden. "I suppose you find that with your 
 fish." 
 
 "Gen lly do, when we take em," said the man at the 
 net, who never took his eye off the overhauling boat and. 
 its crew. He was not a young man, but a jovial-looking 
 fellow. "What fish tfe you arter, stranger?" 
 
 " Somewhat of a variety," Mr. Linden said with a smile. 
 "What makes the fish come into your net?" 
 
 "Haven t an idee !" said the man "without it bees that 
 fish is very onintelligent creturs. I don t suppose fish 
 has much brains, sir. And so they goes further and fares 
 worse." Which statement of the case he appeared to think 
 amusing. 
 
 "But then why do they sometimes stay out?" said Mr. 
 Linden, "because I -have read of men who toiled all the 
 night and caught nothing ." 
 
 " Wall, you see," said the fisher, " they goes in shoals or 
 flocks like, and they s notional. Some of em won t come 
 at one time o tide, and some won t come at another and 
 they has their favourite places too. Then if a man sets his 
 nets where the fish aint, all creation might work and catch 
 nothin . This side the river is better now than over 
 there." 
 
 "These men that I was talking of," said Mr. Linden, 
 "once found a difference even between the two sides of 
 their ship. But the other time, when they had caught 
 nothing all the night, in the morning they caught so 
 many that their net broke and both their ships began to 
 sink." 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 157 
 
 "What kind o folks was them ?" said the oarsman a little 
 scornfully. 
 
 " Why they were fishermen," said Mr. Linden. "They 
 followed your calling- first, and then they followed mine." 
 
 "What s yourn?" said the other, in his tone of good- 
 humoured interest. " Guess you re a speaker o some sort 
 aint ye ?" 
 
 " Yes " Mr. Linden said, with a little demure gesture 
 of the head, " I am of some sort, as you say. But I ve 
 got an account of these men in my pocket don t you want 
 to hear it? it s more interesting than any account you 
 could have of me." 
 
 "Like to hear it well enough " said the man at the net, 
 setting himself astride the gunwale to listen, with the net 
 hanging from his hand. 
 
 "I wouldn t mind knowing how they worked it " said 
 the other man, while Mr. Linden threw a rope round one 
 of the thole-pins of the fishing boat and gave the other end 
 to Faith, and then took out his book. And Faith was 
 amused at the men s submissive attention, and the next 
 minute did not wonder at all ! as she noted the charm that 
 held them the grace of mingled ease, kindliness, and power, 
 in Mr. Linden s manner and presence. Nothing could 
 have greater simplicity, and it was not new to Faith, yet 
 she looked at him as if she had never seen him before. 
 
 "A great many years ago," he said, "when the Son of 
 God, our Lord Jesus Christ, was in this world, he went 
 about healing sick people, and teaching every one the way 
 to heaven; and the people came in great numbers to hear 
 him. 
 
 " And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon 
 him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of 
 Gennesareth, and saw two ships standing by the lake; but 
 the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing 
 their nets. " 
 
 "We wash our n by pnllin em through the water," said 
 the net man. 
 
 "The Lord entered one of the ships, which belonged to 
 
 a marf named 8imon, and asked him to push out a little 
 
 from the shore. And he sat down, and taught the people 
 
 out of the ship. Now, when he had left speaking, he 
 
 VOL. H. 14 
 
158 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your 
 nets for a draught. And Simon answering, said unto him, 
 Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken 
 nothing ; nevertheless, at thy word I will let down the 
 net." 
 
 " In course ! whether twas any use or not," the man 
 with the net said approvingly. "So he had oughter." 
 
 " Yes, and he knew it would be of use in some way, for 
 God never gives a command without a reason. And when 
 they had let down the net, they enclosed a great multitude 
 of fishes: and their net brake. And they beckoned unto 
 their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should 
 come and help them. And they came, and filled both the 
 ships, so that they began to sink. " 
 
 " That was a bigger haul than ever I see, yet," remarked 
 the man. 
 
 "Neither had Simon ever seen anything like it he 
 knew that it was brought about by the direct power of God. 
 
 " When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus 
 knees, saying, Depart from me ; for I am a sinful man, 
 Lord. For he was astonished, and all they that were 
 with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had 
 taken. " 
 
 "Can t see what he said that fur," said the oarsman. 
 
 " No more don t I !" said the other. " He had got a good 
 haul o fish, anyway if he was ever so ! and we aint none 
 of us white lilies." 
 
 "But then Peter knew that. he ought to be a white lily 
 and such a new view of God s power and greatness made him 
 feel it more than ever. So that he was both afraid and 
 ashamed, he thought himself unworthy to have the Lord 
 in his ship, and was afraid to have him stay there." 
 
 "1 wouldn t have asked him to go out, if he had been in 
 mine, I don t think !" said the elder fisher slowly. "I 
 don t see as that chap need to ha j been afeard he hadn t 
 done nothin but good to him." 
 
 "But it s what we do ourselves that makes us afraid," 
 said Mr. Linden. " So it was with Adarn and Eve in the 
 garden, you know God had talked to them a great many 
 times, and they were never afraid till they disobeyed him 
 then the moment he spoke they ran and hid themselves." 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 159 
 
 The oarsman was silent, the other man gave a sort of 
 grunt that betokened interest. 
 
 " What shines had this feller been cuttin up ?" 
 
 "Why!" said Mr. Linden, starting up and taking his 
 stand by the mast, as the little boat curtseyed softly over 
 the waves, " if you tell one of your boys always to walk .11 
 one particular road, and you find him always walking in 
 another I don t think it matters much what he s doing 
 there, to him or to you." 
 
 "Wall?" said the man, with a face of curiosity for 
 what was to come next, mingled with a certain degree of 
 intelligence that would not confess itself. 
 
 "Well Peter knew he was not in the way wherein the 
 Lord commands us all to walk." 
 
 " I guess every feller s got to pick out his own road for 
 himself !" said the fisher, pulling up a foot or two of his net 
 carelessly. 
 
 "That s what Peter had thought, and so he had lived, 
 just as he chose. But when he saw more of the glory of 
 God, then he was afraid and confessed his sin. And what 
 do you suppose the Lord said to him then ?" 
 
 "What did Peter own up to ?" 
 
 "The account gives only the general confession that he 
 was a sinful man, not worthy to have the Lord look upon 
 him except in anger. You see he falls down at his feet and 
 prays him to depart he could not believe that the Lord 
 would stay there to speak good to him." 
 
 " Well what did he say to him ?" 
 
 " He said unto him, Fear not . And no one need fear, 
 who humbly confesses his sins at the feet of Jesus, for if 
 we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our 
 sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Then the 
 Lord bade Simon and all his companions to follow him 
 and they obeyed. And now I want to tell you what this 
 following means." 
 
 He put one arm round the mast, half leaning against it, 
 and gave them what Faith would have called a ladder 
 passing from the Follow me, spoken to Peter, to 
 the young man who being bid to follow, went away sor 
 rowful , to the description of the way given in the tenth 
 
 19* 
 
(60 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 chapter of John, to the place whither the flock follow 
 Christ 
 
 "And I looked, and lo, a Lamb stood on the mount 
 Zion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, 
 having his Father s name written in their foreheads . 
 These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he 
 goeth. " 
 
 The men listened, open-mouthed and with intent eyes ; - 
 partly to the speaker, it was evident, and partly to what 
 the speaker said. And that his words took hold, it was 
 also evident. When he ceased, the man at the net dropped 
 his eyes for a moment, a curious look of meditation cover 
 ing his face. 
 
 . "It s easy to talk of follerin ," he said with a half laugh 
 which was not of carelessness, "and one might like to, 
 but it s plaguey hard to know where to start ! " 
 
 " It s easy for God to teach you and easy to ask him to 
 do it. If it was anything else you wanted to do, you 
 would not stop trying till you found out," said Mr. Linden 
 "and that is just the way here. Now I am going to give 
 you a copy of all this," he said, throwing his own little Bible 
 softly into Faith s lap and stepping forward to the prow 
 of the boat (which she thought held only lunch baskets) 
 " and I shall turn down a leaf at the story of the net full 
 of good fishes and another at a place that tells of a net 
 full of every kind, both bad and good. And I want you 
 to read them, and think about them, and find out how to 
 follow Christ and then come on!" He took his seat 
 once more in the stern of the boat, and held out the 
 Bible to the fisherman. The other man, slowly dip 
 ping his oars in and out, met his look too, but made no 
 answer. 
 
 The man at the net took the book and turned over the 
 leaves with a wondering, considering air. 
 
 "What do you reckon this here s worth ?" he said some 
 what awkwardly, without raising his eyes from it. 
 
 " Worth daily reading and study worth all you ha\e in 
 the world, if you will use it right," said Mr. Linden. " Von 
 need not think about any other value I had it in trust to 
 give away." 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 161 
 
 "I m much obleeged to you, I ll take a look at it no\i 
 and then. Do you live along here, anywheres ?" 
 
 "In Pattaquasset, just now," Mr. Linden said, as he 
 prepared to make sail again: "I don t very often come to 
 this part of the river." 
 
 " Well hold on !" said the man, beginning to pull in his 
 net with great vivacity, "I m bound to give you a fish 
 if I ve got one here. Bear a hand, Dick ! Haint you got 
 a place on board there that you can stow it, without skeerhr 
 the lady?" 
 
 " I ll try to find one !" said Mr. Linden, answering the 
 proposal just as it was meant. "If the lady is scared she 
 shall turn her face the other way." 
 
 "She ll turn it which way you say? " ventured the 
 fisher insinuatingly. 
 
 Faith did not seem afraid of the fish, by the way she 
 leaned over the stern of the boat and eyed the up-coming 
 nets which the men were drawing in. She had listened to 
 the foregoing talk, to the full as intently as those for whom 
 it was meant, and with a multitude of interests at work in 
 her mind and heart of which they had never dreamed. 
 And now her eye was bent on the net; but her thoughts 
 were on that other kind of fishing of which she had just 
 seen an example the first she had ever seen of Mr. Lin 
 den s ! and her full heart was longingly thinking, among 
 other thoughts, of the few there were to draw those nets, and 
 the multitude to be drawn ! What Faith saw in the meshes 
 the man s hands were slowly pulling up ! 
 
 But the fisherman only saw what pleased him greatly, 
 some very fine fish; shad they were for the greater part; 
 from which he selected a noble specimen and cast it over 
 into Mr. Linden s boat. Then standing up in his own he 
 wiped his hands on the sleeves of his coat. 
 
 " Hope you ll come along again some day," said he. 
 "And" (waggishly) "don t come without the lady!" 
 
 The rope was drawn in and the little skiff shot ahead 
 smoothly and silently from the great brown fishing boat and 
 her equally brown owners. Gliding on watched for a 
 little by the fibers, then their attention was claimed by the 
 flapping shad -in the net, and the sail boafe set her canvas 
 toward; Kikiecr river. Mr. Linden went forward and 
 
 14* 
 
| 6 o SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 bestowed his prisoner a little more out of sight and sound 
 in Korae place of safety, and then sitting down in the prow 
 dipped his hands in the blue water and took a survey of 
 Faith, as she sat in the stern the tiller in her hand, the 
 shadow of the sail falling partly across; the spring zephyrs 
 playing all about her. 
 
 "Little bird," he said, "why don t you sing?" 
 
 A smile of much and deep meaning went back from the 
 stern to the prow; but she presently made the somewhat 
 obvious remark that "birds do not always sing." 
 
 "A melancholy fact in natural history ! the truth of which 
 I am just now experiencing. What shall be done with 
 them at these times are they to be coaxed or chidden 
 or fed with sponge cake? Have you got any in your 
 basket?" 
 
 "Are you hungry ?" said Faith. 
 
 " Only for words or songs or some other commodity 
 of like origin," Mr. Linden said, coming back to his old 
 place. "What shall I have? if I cannot get the two 
 first ?" 
 
 "You might have a little patience? " 
 
 " Patience , my dear, is a good root but nothing akin 
 to sugar canes." 
 
 "There s no need of it, either," said Faith laughing, 
 "for you can sing if I can t." 
 
 " No, there is no need of it, and therefore Now, little 
 bird, will you please not to fly past the outlet of Kildeer 
 river?" 
 
 Laughing, colouring, Faith nevertheless bent a very 
 earnest attention upon this difficult piece of navigation. 
 For the opening of Kildeer river was as yet but slightly to 
 be discerned; a little break in the smooth shore line, a 
 very little atmospheric change in the soft leafy hues of the 
 nearer and further point. Faith watched, as only a young 
 steersman does, for the time and place where her rudder 
 should begin to take cognizance of the approaching change 
 of course. A little wider the break in the shore line grew, 
 more plain the mark of a break in the trees, and almost 
 suddenly the little stream unfolded its pretty reach of water 
 and woodland, ^stretching in alluringly with picturesque 
 turns of its mimic channel. Faith needed a little help now, 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 103 
 
 for the river was not everywhere navigable ; but after a 
 few minutes of pretty sailing among care-requiring rocks 
 and sand-banks, where the loss of wind made their pro 
 gress slow, the little skiff was safely brought to land at a 
 nice piece of gravelly shore. It was wonderful pretty! 
 The trees with their various young verdure came down to 
 the water s edge, with many a dainty tint ; here one covered 
 with soft catkins of flower, there one ruddy with not yet 
 opened buds. The winding banks of the stream on one 
 hand; and on the other the little piece of it they had 
 passed over, with the breadth of the Mong beyond. 
 Through all, May s air and Spring s perfume, and the still 
 ness of noonday. 
 
 "Inverted in the tide 
 
 Stand the grey rocks, and trembling shadows throw. 
 And the fair trees look over, side by side, 
 And see themselves below." 
 
 So Mr. Linden told Faith, as he was putting his sail in 
 trim repose, and then telling her that the guiding power 
 was still in her hands, requested to know what they should 
 do next. 
 
 "Why," said Faith merrily, "I thought you had business 
 to attend to ?" 
 
 "I had " said Mr. Linden, "but I reflected that you 
 would probably give me full occupation, and so got rid of 
 the business first." 
 
 " Then you have nothing to do here ?" 
 
 "A great deal, I suppose; but I know not what." 
 
 Faith fairly sat down to laugh at him. 
 
 "What do you think of having lunch, and then going 
 after flowers ?" 
 
 "I consider that to be a prudent, bird-like suggestion. 
 Do you expect me to cook this fish for you ? or will you be 
 content to take it home to your mother, and let us feast 
 upon 
 
 " Herbs, and such like country messes, 
 Which neat-handed Phyllis dresses ?" 
 
 "Have you all the books in the world in your head ?" 
 said Faith, laughing her own little laugh roundly. " JIow 
 
166 
 
 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 get at that fire, and the fancy will pass away. Endeeott \ 
 it is absolutely necessary that some wood should be put 
 on; and I don t believe princes know how." 
 
 "Princes," said Mr. Linden, holding her a little off with 
 ose hand, while with the other he replenished the fire, "are 
 especially famed for their power of doing impossible things 
 in desert places. And the princess will follow whether 
 you can see it or not. Is that blaze aspiring enough for 
 you ? 
 
 "Yes, but it needs to be kept up I want a good bed of 
 coals." 
 
 A fine fire was on its way at last, and while waiting for 
 it to burn down to the desired bed of coals, the temporary 
 prince and princess sat down on the rock to feast their eyes 
 in the mean time. A little past midday, it was not the pic 
 turesque hour for another season ; but now, in the freshness 
 of Spring, the delicate beauties of colour and light could 
 bear the full meridian sun and not ask for shadows to set 
 them off; other than the tender shade under the half-leaved 
 trees. It was a warm enough day too, and. those same 
 leaves were making a great spring towards their full unfold 
 ing. Birds were twittering all around, and they only filled 
 up the silence. 
 
 "Isn t it worth corning for! said Faith, when they 
 had taken it all in for a few minutes without interrupting 
 the birds. 
 
 "More than that and the it is very plural. Faith, do 
 you see that butterfly?" A primrose- winged rover was 
 meandering about in the soft air before them, flitting over 
 the buttercups with a listless sort of admiration. 
 
 "Poor thing, he has come out too soon," said Faith. 
 " He will have some frost yet, for so summery as it is to 
 day." But Faith gave a graver look at the butterfly than 
 his yellow wings altogether warranted. 
 
 "Among the ancients," said Mr. Linden, "the word for 
 a butterfly and the word for the soul were the same, they 
 thought the first was a good emblem of the lightness and 
 airiness of the last. So they held, that when a man died 
 a butterfly might be seen flitting above his head. I was 
 thinking how well this one little thing shews the exceeding 
 lowness of heathen ideas." 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 167 
 
 "Did they think the butterfly was his very spirit, in that 
 form ?" 
 
 " I suppose so or thought they did. But look at that 
 creature s wavering, unsteady flight; his aimless wander 
 ings, anywhere or nowhere; and compare it with the 
 mounting up with wings as eagles , which a Christian soul 
 may know, even in this life, compare it with the swift 
 return to God who gave it with the being caught up to 
 meet the Lord which it shall surely know at death." 
 
 "And the butterfly isn t further from that," said Faith 
 clasping her hands together, "than many a real, living 
 soul in many a living person!" 
 
 "No, not further; and so what the old Greeks made an 
 emblem of the immortal soul, gives name, with us, to those 
 persons who are most tied down to mortality. What were 
 you thinking of, a minute ago, when I shewed you the 
 butterfly?" 
 
 " I was thinking of somebody that I am afraid a butter 
 fly will always remind me of," Faith answered with a slight 
 colour ; " and of the time he got the name." 
 
 "He got it by favour of his office, you know not other 
 wise." 
 
 "I know" 
 
 But with that, Faith jumped up to see to the state of the 
 tire; and then after some conjuration in her basket pro 
 duced a suspicious-looking tin vessel, for which the proper 
 bed of coals was found. Leaving it and the fire to agree 
 together, Faith came back to the rock and Mr. Linden and 
 stood a little while silently looking and breathing the 
 sweetness. 
 
 "I always did love everything in the world, that my eyes 
 could see," she said gravely. "But I love them so much 
 more now ! now that the hand that made them is not such 
 a strange far-otf hand to me. It makes a kind of new 
 world to me, Endecott." 
 
 "Yes and you can understand how even without 
 physical changes when we shall know as we are known, 
 the heavens and earth wherein dwelleth righteousness 
 may be preeminently new ." 
 
 Faith stood without reply a few minutes longer, then ran 
 
168 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 back to her fire ; and after a short space called to Mr 
 Linden to ask if he would like to come and see what the 
 prince had been picking up wood for ? 
 
 To which the prince responded with very un-royal alac 
 rity, bringing a well-put-together knot of buttercups to 
 adorn one side of Miranda s head; which he declared 
 looked better than gold beads, if they didn t cost as 
 much. 
 
 A napkin was spread on the rock, conveniently near to 
 the fire ; on which plates and bread and a bottle of cream 
 and a dainty looking pasty were irregularly bestowed. 
 Mr. Linden threw himself down on the moss ; and Faith 
 had got a cup and saucer out of her basket and was just 
 sugaring and creaming the prince s reward before applying 
 to her dish on the fire for the crowning coffee ; when her 
 eye was caught by a spectator lately come upon the scene. 
 No other than a somewhat ragged little boy, who eyeing 
 them from the bank had been irresistibly lured nearer and 
 nearer, by the grace of the preparations and the steam of 
 the hot coffee perhaps, till he now stood by the trunk of 
 the nearest tree. 
 
 " What are you doin ?" he said. 
 
 "What are you?" said Mr. Linden, turning to look at 
 the boy not just as he looked at the coffee, but very much 
 as the coffee looked at him. "Did you never see people 
 eat dinner ?" 
 
 The boy stood his ground with, "What you got?" 
 
 " When was the last time ?" said Mr. Linden. (" Princess 
 this may turn out to be a subject 1") 
 
 "Last time what?" said the subject stoutly. 
 
 "The last time you saw people eating dinner," said Mr. 
 Linden. "Did you ever go to the Museum?" 
 
 "I ve went to Pettibaug!" 
 
 "When is the last time you saw people eating dinner?" 
 said Faith. 
 
 "We haint got none to our house." 
 
 "What s the matter?" 
 
 "Mintie said there warn t nothin to eat and I might go 
 a blackberryin ." 
 
 "You ve come to the right place," said Mr. Linden, 
 "I don t believe they re ripe anywhere else. -Who ia 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 169 
 
 Mintie ? and who stays with her while jou re after 
 blackberries ?" 
 
 " Mintie s sissy. There aint nobody stayin with her 
 she s stayin along o mother when she s up." 
 
 "Where is she ? I mean where does she live and you, 
 and Mintie. Where is your house ?" 
 
 "Round there Taint fur. What you got?" 
 
 Faith set down her cup and looked at Mr. Linden. 
 
 "What is the matter with your mother?" 
 
 "She s sick." 
 
 " Well if I give you a basket, and this lady puts some 
 dinner in it for your mother and Mintie and you, do you 
 think you can carry it home ?" 
 
 "Is your sister sick too?" said Faith. 
 
 "She s got the fever nagur." 
 
 "Endecott," said Faith softly, "shall we go and see 
 them?" 
 
 "Yes, of course. What s your name, child?" 
 
 "My name s Bob Tuck." 
 
 Mr. Linden looked at him. 
 
 " How comes it that you and Dromy are no more alike ? w 
 he said. 
 
 "Mother says Dromy aint like nothin . /be." 
 
 "Well Bob Tuck," said Mr. Linden smiling, "have you 
 got a broom at home ?" 
 
 " There s two old ones." 
 
 "Then if you will go home and sweep the floor as well 
 as you can, with the two old brooms, and set the table, I ll 
 bring this lady to see you and we ll carry the basket 
 (which means, Princess, that 7 will!) and you can let 
 the blackberries hang on till they get ripe. Do you under 
 stand ?" 
 
 "If I ll sweep the floor, you ll fetch the basket?" said 
 Bob. 
 
 "Yes. And you can wash your hands nicely and be 
 residy to help me take the things out of it." 
 
 Bob started. " How soon 11 yon come ?" 
 
 "As soon as I finish my dinner." 
 
 " How good it is I brought the whole pie 1" said Faith, 
 as she poured the delayed coffee upon the cream and sugar. 
 "And there s your shad, Endecott ! unless you prefer to 
 
 VOL. II. 15 
 
170 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 take that home, and we ll send something else. Now yon 
 see what you picked up sticks for ?" 
 
 "I see " Mr. Linden said, looking at her. "And you 
 gee, Princess, what royalty is apt to meet if it will go 
 wandering round the world." 
 
 "What?" 
 
 "Bob Tuck!" 
 
 "Well it s a good thing for Bob Tuck to meet with 
 royalty," said Faith, looking at the pie Mr. Linden was 
 cutting. 
 
 "Princess," said Mr. Linden, "have you any Queen 
 Anne in your basket?" 
 
 Faith looked, her merry, puzzled, grave look of inquiry, 
 and then there was nothing for it but a ringing laugh 
 again. 
 
 -"I would rather have that at a venture, if I were the 
 sick one," said Mr. Linden. "But the specific most prized 
 by that class of the population who have fever nagur , is 
 called in their vernacular Queen Anne anglice, quinine. 
 Faith, you have no idea how those buttercups are beau 
 tified !" 
 
 "Flowers always are, that you handle," said Faith. 
 
 "You see how appropriate they are to my Sunbeam 
 for 
 
 The buttercup catches the sun in his chalice ." 
 
 "What is a chalice ?" 
 
 "A sort of cup a church service cup, generally. Did 
 you admire so much the head of clover I gave you once 
 down at the shore ?" 
 
 Faith gave him a curious glance of recollection ; but 
 though there was a half smile on her face too, she remained 
 silent. 
 
 " Well, little bird ?" he said smiling. "Of what is that 
 look compounded ?" 
 
 "Various things, I suppose. Let me have your cup, 
 Endecott ?" 
 
 "Do you know," he said, "that for a scholar, you are 
 remarkably unready to answer questions ?" 
 
 "I didn t know it." 
 
 "Are not aware of any class of recollective remarks or 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 17] 
 
 inquiries which now and then break forth, and which yon 
 invariably smother with a thick blanket of silence ?" 
 
 There was another quick glance and smile, and then 
 Faith said as she handed him his cup, 
 
 " What do you want to know, Endecott?" 
 
 " I want to know where there was ever just such another 
 princess. And by the way, speaking of the shore I have 
 something that belongs to her." 
 
 "To me?" 
 
 "Oui, mademoiselle." 
 
 "May I know what?" 
 
 "You may, yet not just now. You may guess what 
 it is." 
 
 But Faith gave up guessing in despair at one of Mr. 
 Linden s puzzles. 
 
 The basket was repacked when the lunch was done ; and 
 they set out on their walk. The way, following Bob s 
 direction, led along the bank under the trees, turning a lit 
 tle before the Mong was reached. The house was soon 
 found : standing alone, in an enclosed garden ground 
 where no spade had been struck that season; and at the 
 end of a farm road that shewed no marks of travel. 
 
 Bob had not only swept the room, but his tidings had 
 roused apparently his sister to prepare herself also; for 
 Mintie met them as they came in. She was a handsome 
 girl, with a feverish colour in her cheeks that made her 
 appearance only more striking. There was pride and 
 poverty here, clearly. Faith s simple words neither as 
 sumed the one nor attacked the other. The girl looked 
 curiously at her and at the other visiter. 
 
 "Who be you?" 
 
 "We do not live in this neighbourhood," said Faith. 
 "We came up to Kildeer river to-day, and met your little 
 brother down by the shore." 
 
 " What did he say to you ?" 
 
 "He told us you were sick and in want of help." 
 
 Another look laid the girl s jealousy asleep. She told 
 her story her father had died six months ago ; she and 
 her mother and brother lived there alone. It was an "un 
 likely place to get to," and no neighbours very near. Her 
 mother had been sick abed for a number of weeks; and 
 
172 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 she had had all co do, and now for a week past had been 
 unable to do anything, go to Pettibaug or anywhere else, 
 to get what they wanted. And so they "had got out of 
 most everything." Dromy Tack, Mr. Linden s scholar, 
 lived at Farmer Davids in the capacity of farm-boy; Mrs. 
 Davids being a far-off connexion. 
 
 So much was all pride permitted to be told. Without 
 much questioning, her visiters contrived to find out what 
 they could do for her. Faith put the coffee-pot on the 
 fire, declaring that it would do Miritie good like medicine; 
 and served it to her when it was hot, with some bread and 
 chicken, as if it had been indeed medicine and Faith a 
 doctor. Then while Bob and she were dining, Faith weut 
 in to see the sick woman. She was much more communi 
 cative, and half avowed that she believed what she wanted 
 now was "nourishing things" ."but with me lyin here on 
 my back," she said, " taint so easy to find em." Faith 
 gave her a cup of coffee too and some bread ; she had 
 hardly drunk any herself at lunch; and leaving her patient 
 much inspirited, came back to Mr. Linden in the other 
 room. Apparently his words and deeds had been accepta 
 ble too, Bob s face was shining, not only with dinner but 
 with the previous cold water applications which Mr. Linden 
 had insisted on, and Mintie s mind was evidently at work 
 upon various things. The basket was soon emptied of all 
 but its dishes, and the prince and princess went on their 
 way down the hill. 
 
 "Faith," said Mr. Linden, "shall we go and sit in the 
 boat for half an hour, considering various things, and then 
 h.ive our wild flower hunt? Or would you prefer that 
 first ?" 
 
 "0 no! I would rather have the half hour in the 
 boat." 
 
 It was good time yet in the afternoon, and though the 
 little boat now lay partly shadowed by the hill, it was none 
 the worse resting place for that. Again Faith was seated 
 there in all the style that shawls and cushions furnished, 
 and just tired enough to feel luxurious in the soft atmo 
 sphere. Mr. Linden arranged and established her to his 
 liking; then he took out of his pocket a letter. 
 
 It was one which had been opened and read ; but as he 
 
t SAY AND SEAL. j^.3 
 
 unfolded it, there appeared another unopened, unread; its 
 dainty seal unbroken, and on the back in fair tracery, the 
 words, "Miss Faith Derrick." As Faith read them and 
 saw the hand, her eye glanced first up at Mr. Linden with 
 its mute burden of surprise, and then the roses bloomed 
 out over her cheeks and even threw their flush upon her 
 brow. Her eye was cast down now and fixed on the 
 unopened letter, with the softest fall of its eyelid. 
 
 "Shall I read you a part of mine first?" 
 
 "If you please. I wish you would." 
 
 "Only a little bit," he said smiling thinking perhaps 
 that she did not know to what she gave her assent so 
 readily, "you shall read the whole of it another tim** " 
 The "little bit" began rather abruptly. 
 
 " I have written to yonr darling, Endy Xot much, tell 
 her; because what I have in my heart for her cannot be 
 told. I know how precious any one must be whom.yoi 
 love so much. But make her love me a little before she 
 reads my letter and don t let her call me anything bn+ 
 Pet and then I shall feel as if I had a sister already. 
 And so I have, as you say. What a glad word ! I could 
 cry again with the very writing of it. 
 
 1 Endy I did cry a little over your letter, but only for 
 joy : if it had been for sorrow I should have cried long 
 ago ; for I knew well enough what was coming. Only I 
 want more than ever to be at home, and to see you, and 
 to see Faith don t let her think I am like you ! 
 V My letter wouldn t hold much, as I told you. But I 
 give you any number of (unspeakable !) messages for her, 
 John "Endy. I suppose you will take charge of them? I 
 may feel sure they have all reached their destination ? " 
 
 Long before the reading was finished, Faith s head had 
 sunk almost to the cushions beside her. The reader s 
 voice and intonation had given every word a sort of ring 
 in her heart, though the tone was low. One hand "ame 
 round her when she put her head down, taking possession 
 of her hand which lay so still, with the unopened letter ID 
 its clasp. But now she was gently raised up. 
 
 "Precious child," Mr. Linden said, "what are you droop 
 ing your head for?" 
 
 "For the same reason she had, I suppose, " said Faith 
 15* 
 
174 SAY AND SEAL. ^ 
 
 half laughing, though witnesses of another kind were in her 
 eyes. 
 
 " Who are you talking about ?" 
 
 "Your sister." 
 
 "Why don t you begin to practise your lesson ?" 
 
 Perhaps Faith thought that she was. She looked at 
 nothing but her letter. 
 
 "Will you wait for your messages till we get home? 
 this place not being absolute seclusion." 
 
 "Shall I read this now?" said Faith rather hastily. 
 
 "I should think there would be no danger in that." 
 
 With somewhat unsteady fingers, that yet tried to be 
 quiet, Faith broke the seal; and masking her glowing face 
 with one hand, she bent over the letter to read it. 
 
 "My very dear, and most unknown, and most well- 
 known little sister ! I have had a picture sent me of you 
 as you appeared one night, when you sat for your por 
 trait, hearing Portia ; and with it a notice of several events 
 which occurred just before that time. And both picture 
 and events have gone down into my heart, and abide there. 
 Endecott says you are a Sunbeam and I feel as if a little 
 of the light had come over the water to me, ever since 
 his letter came I have been in a state of absolute reflec 
 tion I 
 
 " I thought my love would not be the first to find out 
 the way even then when I wrote it! Faith do you 
 know that there is nobody in the world just like him ? be 
 cause if you do not you will find it out ! I mean ! like 
 Endecott not like Love. My dear, I beg pardon for my 
 pronoun 1 But just how / have loved you all these months, 
 for making him so happy, I cannot tell you. 
 
 "And I cannot write to-day about anything, my 
 thoughts are in too uneven a flow to find their way to the 
 end of my pen, and take all possible flights instead. Dear 
 Faith, you must wait for a letter till the next steamer. 
 And you cannot miss it nor anything else, with Endecott 
 there, it seems to me that to be even in the same country 
 with him is happiness. 
 
 "You must love me too, Faith, and not think me a 
 Btranger, and let me be your (because I am Endy s) 
 
 "PET." 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 175 
 
 Faith took a great deal more time than was necessary 
 for the reading of this letter. Yery much indeed she 
 would have liked to do as her correspondent confessed she 
 had done, and cry but there was no sign of such an in 
 clination. She only sat perfectly moveless, bending over 
 her letter. At last suddenly looked up and gave it to 
 Mr. Linden. 
 
 "Well ?" he said with a smile at her as he took it. 
 
 "You ll see " she said, a little breathlessly. And still 
 holding her hand fast, Mr. Linden read the letter, quicker 
 than she had done, and without comment unless when his 
 look shewed that it touched him. 
 
 "You will love her, Faith!" he said as he folded the 
 letter up again, "in spite of all your inclinations to the 
 contrary 1" 
 
 "Do you think that is in the future tense? But I am 
 afraid," added Faith, "she thinks too much of me now." 
 
 " She does not think as much of you as I do," Mr. Lin 
 den said, with a look and smile that covered all the ground 
 of present or future fear. "And after all it is a danger 
 which you will share with me. It is one of Pet s loveable 
 fiiilu.gs to think too much of some people whom she loves 
 just enough." 
 
 H umility is not a fearful thing. Whatever had been in 
 Faith s speech, her look, bright, wistful, and happy, had no 
 fear, truly bumble though it was. "There is no.danger of 
 my loving this letter too much" she said as she carefully 
 restored it to its envelope ; saicl with a secret utterance of 
 great gratification. 
 
 The promised half hour was much more than up, and 
 the broadening shadow on Kildeer river said that the time 
 which could be given to wild flowers was fast running 
 away. Perhaps, too, Mr. Linden thought Faith had mused 
 and been excited enough, for he made a move. Everything 
 in the boat was put up in close order, and then the two 
 went ashore again, flower basket in hand. 
 
 The long shadows heightened the beauty of the woods 
 now, falling soft and brown upon the yet browner carpet 
 of dry leaves, and the young leaves and buds overhead 
 shewed every tint, from yellow to green. Under the trees 
 were various low shrubs in flower, shad-blossom, with its 
 
176 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 fleecy stems, and azalia in rosy pink; and the real ild 
 flowers the dainty things as wild in growth as in name, 
 were sprinkled everywhere. Wind flowers and columbine ; 
 orchis sweet as any hyacinth; tall Solomon s seal; spotless 
 bloodroot; and violets white, yellow, and purple. The 
 dogwood stretched its white arms athwart hemlock and 
 service; the creeping partridge berry carried its perfumed 
 white stars over rocks and moss in the deep shade below. 
 Yellow bellwort hung its fair flowers on every ridge ; 
 where the ground grew wet were dog s-tooth violet and 
 chick wintergreen. There the red maples stood, with 
 bunches of crimson keys, at the edge of the higher 
 ground their humbler growing sister the striped bark, 
 waved her green tresses. There seemed to be no end to 
 the flowers nor to the variety nor to the pleasure of 
 picking. 
 
 " Faith" said Mr. Linden. 
 
 Faith looked up from a bunch of Sanguinaria beside 
 which she was crouching. 
 
 "I find so much Mignonette! do you?" 
 
 Faith s eye flashed, and taking one of those little white 
 stars she threw it towards Mr. Linden. It went in a 
 graceful parabolic curve and fell harmlessly, like her cour 
 age, at his feet. 
 
 "What has become of the princess?" 
 
 "You ought rather to ask after the prince!" said Mr. 
 Linden, picking up the Sanguinaria with great devotion. 
 "Is this the Star of the Order of Merit?" 
 
 "I am not Queen Flora. I don t know." 
 
 "As what then was it bestowed ?" 
 
 " It might be Mignonette s shield, which she used as a 
 weapon because she hadn t any other ! Endy, look at those 
 green Maple flowers ! You can reach them." 
 
 He gathered some of the hanging clusters, and then 
 came and sat down where she was at work and began to 
 put them into her basket, arranging and dressing the other 
 flowers the while dextrously. 
 
 "Do you know, my little Sunbeam," he said, "that your 
 namesakes are retreating ?" 
 
 "I know it, Endy," she said hastening her last gather 
 ings "and I am ready." 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 177 
 
 They began their homeward way to the boat, wandering 
 a little still, for flowers, and stopping to pick them, so that 
 the sun was quite low before Kildeer river was reached. 
 There Mr. Linden stood a moment looking about, 
 
 "Do you see the place where we sat, Faith?" he said, 
 "over on the other bank?" 
 
 She looked, and looked at him and smiled very differ 
 ent from her look then ! A glance comprehensive and 
 satisfactory enough without words, so without any more 
 words they went on their way along the shore of the river. 
 As they neared their boat, the rays of the setting sun 
 were darted into Kildeer river and gilded the embayed 
 little vessel and all the surrounding shores. Rocks and 
 trees and bits of land glowed or glistened in splendour 
 wherever a point or a spray could catch the sun; the 
 water in both rivers shone with a long strip of gold. 
 They had had nothing so brilliant all day. 
 
 In the full glow and brightness Faith sat down in the 
 boat with her flowers near her, and Mr. Linden loosened 
 the sail. How pretty the bank looked as they were leav 
 ing it ! the ashes of their tire on the rock, and the places 
 where they had sat or wandered, and talked such happy 
 words ! 
 
 "I shall always love Kildeer river," said Faith with 
 little long breath, "because I read my letter here." 
 
 "And so shall I," said Mr. Linden, "but my love for it 
 dates back to the first piece of reading I ever did in its 
 company." He looked back for a minute or two at the 
 one shore and the other the sunlight, the trees, the 
 flowery hillside, and it was well then that his face was 
 not seen by Faith there fell on it such a shadow of pain. 
 But he presently turned to her again with just the former 
 look. 
 
 "Xow," he said, "do you think you can steer home in 
 the twilight?" 
 
 "I don t know. Can I? I can follow directions." 
 
 "And I can give them." 
 
 And with that arrangement they ran out from the clean 
 
 woody shores of Kildeer river, and set their sail for Patta- 
 
 quasset. How fair, at that point of weather and day ! a 
 
 little quieter than the morning spring-tide of everything, 
 
178 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 but what was loss gay was more peaceful; and against a 
 soft south wind the little boat began to beat her way down, 
 favoured however by the tide. These tacks made Mr. 
 Linden s counsels more especially needed, but the short 
 swift runs back and forth across the river were even more 
 inspiriting than a steady run before the wind, and the con 
 stant attention which helm and sail required made talk and 
 action lively enough. 
 
 "This is good, Endecott!" said Faith as the little boat 
 came about for the fifth or sixth time. 
 
 "Faith," he said, smiling at her, "you look just as fresh 
 as a rose ! the day does not seem to have tired you one 
 bit." 
 
 "Tirod!" she said, "yes, I am a little bit tired or 
 hungry but was there ever such a day as we have had ? 
 since the first of January!" 
 
 "My dear little Mignonette!" Mr. Linden said but if 
 it was a message Faith had then, it came from some 
 where nearer than across the water. "If you are tired, 
 dear child, give up the rudder to me, and lay down your 
 head and rest. Do you see after what a sleep-inviting 
 "ashion the lights are twinkling all down the shore?" 
 
 "I m not sleepy a bit;" said Faith, "nor tired, except 
 just enough; and I like this small portion of power you 
 have put in my hands. How beautiful those lights look ! 
 . and the lights overhead, Endy. How beautiful every 
 thing is I " 
 
 "Yes," said Mr. Linden, "when there is light within. 
 
 " He that hath light within his own clear breast, 
 May sit i the centre and enjoy bright day. " 
 
 "That s beautiful!" said Faith after a pause. 
 
 And now the brush and stir of coming about again 
 claimed their attention, and in a minute more they were 
 stretching away on a new tack, with another set of constel 
 lations opposite to them in the sky. The breeze was fresh, 
 though as mild as May ; the boat made good speed ; and 
 in spite of beating down the river the mouth of the 
 Mong was neared fast. Pattaquasset lights, a little clus 
 ter of them, appeared unmistakably; for down by the point 
 
SAY AND SEAL. If 9 
 
 there was a little knot of houses, variously concerned in 
 trade or fisheries. Mr. Linden had to put his hand upon 
 the tiller sometimes then, till they got in. Mr. Skip and 
 Jerry were in waiting; had been, "a sight o half hours," 
 the former stated. Baskets and shad and passengers were 
 transferred to the wagon, and within a moderate time 
 thereafter welcomed (the latter) by Mrs. Derrick and sup 
 per wherein, after a little delay therefor, the shad played 
 a conspicuous and most satisfactory part. 
 
 Now there are no shad like the shad that come out of 
 the Mong. 
 
 
CHAPTER XII. 
 
 SO passed the days. Not indeed all at Kildeer river, 
 but all in sweet, peaceful, bright occupations, whether 
 of work or play. The trustees had received their notice, 
 with much dismay; a little alleviated by the fact that Mr. 
 Linden was willing to stay at his post for a few weeks after 
 the end of the year. 
 
 It was almost a wonder, as the weeks went on, that Mr. 
 Linden kept down the shadows as well as he did, to leave 
 Faith in the morning, and go to his devoted set of scholars 
 every one of whom had some particular as well as gen 
 eral hold on him and love for him ; and then to get away 
 by the hardest from their words and looks of sorrow and 
 regret, and come back to the presence of her brave lit 
 tle face Mr. Linden was between two fires. And they 
 wrought a sort of deepening of everything about him 
 which was lovely or loveable which did not make it easier 
 for Pattaquasset to let him go. 
 
 As far as anybody could be a help to him, Faith was 
 one. In a gentleness of spirit that was of no kin to weak 
 ness, she took to her heart the good that she had, and was 
 quite as much of a sunbeam as ever. How it would be 
 when Mr. Linden was gone, Faith did not know; but she 
 did know that that was one of to-morrow s cares, with 
 which she had no business to-day. If the thought ever 
 came up in its strength, strong enough to bring down her 
 heart and head, if there were times when Faith shewed 
 herself to herself the revelation was made to no other 
 person. And therefore it is probable that it was a view 
 she did not often indulge in. 
 
 Dr. Harrison was not much at Pattaquasset these days 
 He found it convenient to be away. 
 
 Dr. Harrison was a man who did not like to throw away 
 his ammunition. He by no means absented himself because 
 180) 
 
SAY AND SEAL. . 181 
 
 of any failing in his fancy for somebody in Pattaquasset ; 
 the working of cause and effect was on a precisely opposite 
 principle. The truth was, the fancy had grown to a 
 strength that would not well bear the doubtful kind of in 
 tercourse which had been kept up between the parties; 
 yet doubtful it remained, and must remain for the present. 
 With Mr. Linden there in the family ; with the familiar 
 habits that naturally grow up between hostess and guest, 
 friend and friend, fellow inmates of the same house it was 
 very difficult for the doctor to judge whether those habits 
 nad any other and deeper groundwork. It was impossible, 
 with his scanty and limited chances of observation. At 
 the same time there was too great a possibility his jeal 
 ousy called it more, for him to be willing to take any for 
 ward and untfbubtful steps himself. He did not find sea- 
 room to put in his oar. In this state of things, all that 
 his pride and his prudence would suffer him to do, was t& 
 wait wait till either by Mr. Linden s stay or departure 
 the truth might be made known. But to abide in Patta 
 quasset and watch patiently the signs of things, was more 
 than Dr. Harrison s feeling, for it was far more than 
 fancy, could bear. Just now, in despair or disgust, he 
 had taken a longer enterprise than usual ; and was very 
 far indeed from Pattaquasset when the news of Mr. Lin 
 den s going set all the country in a flame. So, greatly to 
 Faith s satisfaction, he could not for some time be there to 
 idcl any flame of his own. 
 
 The morning readings with Mr. Linden were great and 
 chief treasures to her all these days. She was always 
 ready for him before six o clock. Not now in a tirelit 
 room, with curtains drawn against the cold; but in the 
 early freshness of the spring and summer mornings, with 
 windows open and sweet air coming in. Duly Faith noted 
 every "ladder of verses" till her Bible grew to be well 
 dotted with marks of red ink. They looked lovely to her 
 eyes. So they might ; for they were records of many very 
 deep and sweet draughts from that well of water which 
 the word is to them that love it; draughts deeper and 
 sweeter than Faith could have drawn by herself or she 
 thought so. No quarter of an hour in the day Faith loved 
 so well. It was often more. 
 
 voi,. IK 16 
 
182 - SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 One morning the "ladder" began with the silver trum 
 pets made for the service of God in the hands of the 
 priests of Israel. Faith, looking quietly out of the win 
 dow, went roving in thought over the times and occasions 
 Mr. Linden read of, when their triumphal blast had pro 
 claimed the name and the glory of God in the ears of the 
 thousands of Israel; times of rejoicing, of hope, of pro 
 mise and of victory. Scenes of glory in the old Jewish 
 history floated before her with the sublime faitli of the 
 actors in them, and the magnificent emblematic language 
 in which they read the truth. Faith only came fairly 
 back to New England and Pattaquasset at David s decla 
 ration 
 
 "Blessed are the people that know the joyful sound; 
 they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance." 
 
 The words thrilled her. She thought of the many who 
 had never heard the sound at all ; snd entered into Isaiah s 
 foresight of a day when " the great trumpet shall be blown, 
 and they shall come that were ready to perish in the land 
 of Assyria, and the outcasts in the land of Egypt." 
 
 " How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him 
 that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that 
 bringeth good tidings of good ; that publisheth salvation ; 
 that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth 1" 
 
 Then came Isaiah s own blast of the trumpet, and then 
 the sweet enlargements and proclamations of the gospel, 
 and the Lord s own invitation to all who are "weary and 
 heavy laden." But also 
 
 "How shall they call on him in whom they have not be 
 lieved ? and how shall they believe in him of whom they 
 have not heard ? and how shall they hear without a 
 preacher? and how shall they preach, except they be 
 sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them 
 that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of 
 good things !" 
 
 "And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let 
 him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst 
 come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life 
 freely." 
 
 Faith sat by the open window, no sound abroad but the 
 stir in the leaves and the low music of birds. The very 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 183 
 
 still peace without, rather seemed to heighten and swell 
 the moving of thoughts within, which surged like the sea. 
 Mr. Linden, stopped reading and was silent; and so was 
 she, with nothing of ail this appearing otherwise than in 
 the fixed, abstracted look which went out into Patta- 
 quasset but also went far beyond. And when she spoke, 
 it wns earnestly and with the same clear quiet. 
 
 "Endy I am glad to have you go, for the reason you 
 are going for. I wouldn t have you be anything else than 
 what you mean to be, not for the pleasure of having you 
 here." 
 
 Her voice did not tremble, though indeed it told of feel 
 ings that were less assured. 
 
 "Dear Faith !" Mr. Linden said, with a bright flash of 
 pleasure at her words, which changed even while he spoke, 
 "you do not know what a comfort it is to me to feel that ! 
 And do you realize, little Sunbeam, what joy it is, that 
 however far apart we can still work together in the same 
 cause, for the same master ? The work which I take upon 
 me by name, belongs as really to you, for the call should 
 be given by every one that heareth to every one that is 
 athirst." 
 
 " I know " she said quietly. "How grand those words 
 are you have been reading!" 
 
 "Faith," Mr. Linden said presently, "have you any 
 special attachment to this particular little Bible ?" 
 
 "I have my red notes in it," she said with a bright 
 smile. 
 
 " I am not quite satisfied with the paper and type, for 
 your eyes by firelight and twilight. Shall I break up 
 any train of old association if I send you another ?" 
 
 She gave him a look of what Dr. Harrison might have 
 called "compound interest"; but assured him at the same 
 time with sedate earnestness that the one she had would do 
 very well. 
 
 This was but a day or two before Mr. Linden s leaving 
 Pattaquasset. He had paid his many farewell visits before 
 the last week came, and before that, too, had given up his 
 weekday scholars, those last days were all given to Faith. 
 Given to her in every possible way out of doors and 
 within ; in that fair summer weather the open air was the 
 
184 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 best of all places for talking, and the least liable to intru 
 sion. It was a great relief to get away from village sights 
 and sounds to the still woods, or the fresh shore, it was a 
 great help towards cheerfulness. And the help was needed. 
 Wherever Mr. Linden went, among people, he met nothing 
 but sorrow for his going away, wherever he went, to 
 house or woods, he carried the deep-hidden double sorrow 
 in his heart, which no one guessed of all who so loudly 
 bewailed his departure. Faith herself perhaps hardly 
 realized what his part of that sorrow was; but he knew 
 hers, and bore it as one bears the trials of the dearest 
 friend one has on earth. 
 
 He was to go very early in the morning, but when the 
 late evening talk had impinged upon the night as much as 
 it could be allowed to do, he gave Faith the unexpected 
 promise of coming down to read with her just as usual 
 next day. 
 
 It was very, very early this time, in the summer twilight 
 dawn, when the kildeers were in their full burst of matins, 
 and all the other birds coming in one by one. Faith did 
 not say many words, but she was as quiet as the hour. 
 Then she went to the breakfast-room to arrange and hasten 
 matters there ; and Mr. Linden followed, and stood watch 
 ing her she did not know how, she only knew how he 
 talked. 
 
 But he took her into the sitting-room the moment break 
 fast was over and stood by her, giving her the mute caresses 
 he could not put in words. And for words there was little 
 time. The morning light came up and up into the sky, 
 the caudles burned dim, as they stood there ; and then he 
 bade her " be perfect, be of good comfort, " and so went 
 away. 
 
CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 WHEN Mr. Linden was out of sight from the porch, 
 Faith went to the deserted room. 
 
 It was in the latter end of summer. The windows were 
 open, and the summer wind blowing the muslin curtains 
 flutteringly in. The maple shaded Faith s old reading 
 window, the leaves not changing yet; one cupboard door 
 a little open, shewed the treasures of books within. The 
 chintz couch stood empty, so it always stood when Faith 
 saw it, except only in those days of Mr. Linden s confine 
 ment with his wound. But now her mind leaped back to 
 that time ; and the couch and the table and the books, the 
 very windows and fireplace, looked deserted. The red 
 maple leaves floating in the dancing flames in the chim 
 ney her lessons by the side of that couch her first exer 
 cise, which she had been sent to do at that table ; all that 
 and everything beside seemed to make its passage through 
 Faith s mind in tumultuous procession. She sat down on 
 the couch and leaned her head on the back of it ; but only 
 a few nervous tears came, and oppressed sobbing breaths 
 took the place of them. For a little while then Faith fell 
 on her knees, and if she could not speak connectedly, nor 
 think connectedly, she yet poured out her heart in the only 
 safe channel ; and grew quiet and self-possessed. After an 
 hour she left the couch and turned to go down and join her 
 mother. 
 
 Passing the table on her way out, with a glance which 
 had been called off by other things as she came in, Faith s 
 eye was caught and stayed. There was no exercise left 
 there for her, but the very gold pen with which she had 
 written that first one and which she had used so many 
 times since, lay there ; and by the pen a letter. The blood 
 rushed to Faith s heart as if Mr. Linden had come back 
 again, or rather as if he had not taken quite all of himself 
 away In a flood of gladness and thankfulness and sorrow, 
 
 16* (185) 
 
186 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 Faith took up the letter and standing there by the table 
 read it. 
 
 "MY OWN LITTLE PRECIOUS MlGNONETTE, 
 
 I have a love for this sheet of paper, because it will be 
 in your hands when I cannot touch them nor see them, 
 how often they have ministered to me just where I am 
 writing this ! just where you will find it. I know you will 
 find it, Faith I know where you will go as soon as I am 
 out of sight, but dear child, do not let any sight or asso 
 ciation in this room make you anything but glad : they are 
 all very dear to me. That first day when you came in 
 here to see me and all the days that followed, and all 
 the sweet knowledge I gained of my little Mignonette, 
 while she was learning other things. Faith, I can even 
 forgive Dr. Harrison his questions that day, for the delight 
 it was to me to shield you. Dear child, you must let me 
 do that now whenever I can, it is one of the griefs of this 
 separation that I cannot do it all the time. 
 
 I must go back to our Bible verses ! Do you remember 
 that first ladder we went up together? The Lord God 
 is a sun and a shield; the Lord will give grace and glory. 
 In that sunlight I shall think of you as abiding, I will 
 remember that you are covered by that shield. I know 
 that the Lord will keep all that I have committed to him ! 
 
 Now darling, if I could leave you messages, I would; 
 but they must wait till I come and deliver them myself. 
 Take, in the mean while, all possible love and trust ; and 
 all comfort from the cause of my absence, from our mutual 
 work, from my expected coming home now and then from 
 the diamonds on your finger and what they betoken 1 
 The diamonds stay with you, Faith, but their light goes 
 with me. 
 
 My child, I have too much to say to write any longer 
 I shall be drawn on too far and too long, it is not far 
 from daybreak now. Take the best possible care of your 
 self, and be strong and of a g-ood courage, and the Lord 
 that made heaven and earth, bless thee out of Zion l 
 
 Precious child, you do not know how deeply I am 
 Always your own 
 
 ENDECOTT." 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 187 
 
 The first lines of the letter wrung some tears from 
 Faith s eyes, but afterwards the effect of the whole was to 
 shake her. She sat down on the couch with the let 
 ter fast in her hand, and hid her head ; yet no weeping, 
 only convulsive breaths and a straitened breast. Faith 
 was wonderful glad of that letter ! but the meeting of two 
 tides is just hard to bear; and it wakened everything as 
 well as gladness. However, in its time, that struggle was 
 over too ; and she went dowu to Mrs. Derrick looking much 
 like her wonted self. 
 
 She went about so, all the day; nervously busy, though 
 never more orderly about her business. In the kitchen and 
 dairy and storeroom, and with her mother, Faith seemed as 
 usual, with a very little of grave thoughtfulness or remem 
 brance thrown over her natural pleasantness; only she 
 gave books a wide berth, and took care to see no face that 
 came to the house One would have thought her per 
 haps Mrs. Derrick even did quietly composed and pa 
 tiently submitting to trial, as if Mr. Linden had been 
 already weeks away. Perhaps Faith herself thought so 
 A little thing shewed how much this quiet was worth. 
 
 The day had been gone through ; the tea was over, as it 
 might, with the two alone ; and mother and daughter had 
 gone into the other room. Faith lit the lamp, and then 
 began a sentence to her mother about laying the Bible in 
 its place for prayer when she stopped short. For a mo 
 ment she stood still with the revulsion ; then she fell on her 
 knees and hid her face in Mrs. Derrick s lap. and the tears 
 that had kept back so long came in a stormy flood; clearing 
 the sky which had not been clear before. She was quiet 
 really after that; she had no more fear of her books; and 
 the first thing Faith did was to take pen and. paper and 
 pour out an answer to her morning s letter ; an answer in 
 which she gave Mr. Linden the history of her whole day, 
 with very little reservation. 
 
 Her mother watched her, sat and looked at her as she 
 wrote, with eyes very glistening and tremulous in their fond 
 admiration. Indeed that had been their character all day, 
 though Mrs. Derrick had followed Faith in her busy work, 
 with no attempt to check her, with no allusion to what they 
 both thought of uninterruptedly. Now, however, that 
 
J88 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 Faith s tears had made their own way, her mother s heart 
 was easier; and she watched the pretty writer by the lamp 
 with all sorts of sweet and tender thoughts. 
 
 A day or two passed, in great quiet and tender minister 
 ing to each other of the mother and daughter. Faith had 
 taken deep hold of her studies again and every minute of 
 the day was filled up as busily as ever. So the sitting-roorn 
 wore in all things minus one its wonted aspect, when, the 
 third evening, it received Dr. Harrison. 
 
 He came in looking remarkably well, in his light dainty 
 summer dress, and with that gentle carelessness of move 
 ment and manner that suited the relaxing persuasions of a 
 hot summer day. He came in, too, a little like a person 
 who through long absences has forgotten how wonted he 
 used to be in a certain place or how fond he was of what 
 he found there. Nothing further from the truth 1 
 
 He accosted both ladies after his usual gay fashion, 
 and talked for a while about nothings and as if he cared 
 about nothing. He could make nothing of Faith, except 
 perhaps that she was a trifle shy of him. That did not 
 mean evil necessarily ; it was natural enough. He wouldn t 
 disturb her shyness ! 
 
 " I have a sympathetic feeling for you, Mrs. Derrick, "h^ 
 remarked. "I miss Mr. Linden so much in Pattaquasset, 
 I can t think how you must do in the house." 
 
 "No, doctor, you can t," was Mrs. Derrick s quiet 
 rejoinder. 
 
 "How do you?" 
 
 "Why I can t tell you, either," said Mrs. Derrick. 
 
 "Mrs. Derrick," said the doctor, "I shouldn t like to be 
 a lawyer and have to examine you as a witness. Unless it 
 wasn t August!" 
 
 "Well I suppose we should agree upon that, doctor," 
 said Mrs. Derrick. " I don t know what August has to do 
 with it." 
 
 "My dear madam, it would be too much trouble! Ap 
 parently it isn t August everywhere !" A very peremptory 
 rap at the front door came in the train of footsteps that 
 were loud and brisk as by authority, and that had quite 
 survived the enervating effects referred to by the doctor 
 
 "Miss Faith," said Cindy appearing at the parlour door, 
 
SAY AND SEAL. |89 
 
 "here -s a man s got something and he won t give it to me 
 without I ll take oath I m you which of course I dursn t. 
 I m free to confess, I can t even get sight of it. Shall I 
 fetch him in thing and all ?" 
 
 Faith went to the door. It was nobody more terrific 
 than an express-man, who seemed to recognize Miss Faith 
 Derrick by instinct, for he asked no questions only put a 
 package into her hands, and then gave her his book to 
 sign. Faith signed her name, eagerly, and then ran up 
 stairs with her treasure and a beating heart, and struck a 
 light, 
 
 There was no need to ask where it came from the 
 address was plain enough ; nor much need to ask what it 
 was she knew that it must be her Bible. Yet that only 
 heightened the pleasure and interest, as she took off one 
 wrapping paper after another, till its own beautiful morocco 
 covers appeared. Within was the perfection of type and 
 paper, with here and there a fine coloured map ; in size and 
 shape just that medium which seems to combine the excel 
 lencies of all the rest. There was no letter in the package, 
 but a slip of paper with a new ladder of verses marked 
 the place where they began ; and on the fly leaf, below the 
 inscription, was written the first verse of the ninety-first 
 psalm. This was the leading reference on the slip of 
 paper. 
 
 Has any one with any heart ever received such a 
 package ? To such a one there is no need to tell the glow 
 of pleasure, the rush of affection and joy, which filled 
 Faith s heart and her face; to anybody else it s no use. 
 8he had to exercise some care to prevent certain witnesses 
 of the eyes from staining the morocco or spotting the 
 leaves. The paper of references she left, to be enjoyed 
 more leisurely another time ; and went on turning over the 
 pages, catching glimpses of the loved words that she had 
 never seen so fairly presented to the eye before; when after 
 a good deal of this sort of delectation, through half of 
 which she was writing a letter to Mr. Linden, Faith sud 
 denly recollected Dr. Harrison ! Softly the paper wrappers 
 enfolded her treasure, and then Faith went down stairs with 
 the high colour of pleasure in her cheeks. The doctor took 
 several observations. 
 
190 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 He had not been profiting by any opportunity to ex 
 amine Mrs. Derrick. On the contrary, he had talked 
 about everything else, somewhat August fashion, in man 
 ner, but yet so cleverly that even Mrs. Derrick confessed 
 afterwards she had been entertained. Now, on Faith s re 
 appearance, he went on with his subject until he came to a 
 natural pause in the conversation ; which he changed by 
 remarking, in a simple tone of interest, 
 
 "I haven t learned yet satisfactorily what took Mr. Lin 
 den away ?" 
 
 "His own business," said Mrs. Derrick. "You must 
 have heard what he is about now, doctor ?" 
 
 "I have heard but one hears everything. It is true 
 then ?" 
 
 "0 yes, it s true," said Mrs. Derrick with an even play 
 of her knitting-needles. 
 
 "But then follows another very natural question," said 
 the doctor. "Why did he come here at all?" 
 
 " I dare say he d tell you if he was here as I wish he 
 was," said Mrs. Derrick, "Mr. Linden always seemed to 
 have good reasons for what he did." 
 
 "I think that too," said the doctor. "I am not quito 
 so sure of his telling them to me. But Pattaquasset has 
 reason to be very sorry he is gone away ! What sort of 
 a preacher will he make, Mrs. Derrick ?" 
 
 "He s a good one now " said Mrs. Derrick with a 
 smile that was even a little moved. " Don t you think so, 
 doctor ?" 
 
 "How dare you ask me that, Mrs, Derrick?" said the 
 doctor with slow funny utterance. "But I will confess 
 this, I would rather have him preach to me than you." 
 
 "What sort of a bad reason have you got for that?" she 
 said, looking at him. 
 
 "Miss Faith," said the doctor with the mock air of 
 being in a dilemma, "you are good at definitions, if I 
 remember what is the proper character of a bad rea 
 son /" 
 
 Faith looked up he had never seen her look prettier, 
 with a little hidden laughter both on and under her face 
 and that colour she had brought down stairs with her. 
 But her answer was demure enough. 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 19] 
 
 " T suppose, sir, one that ought not to be a reason at all, 
 or one that is not reason enough." 
 
 "Do you consider it a bad reason for my not liking Mrs. 
 Derrick s preaching, that I am afraid of her?" 
 
 I shouldn t think it was reason enough," said Faith. 
 
 " Do you like preaching from people that you are afraid 
 of?" 
 
 "Yes. At least I think I should. I don t know that I 
 ever really was afraid of anybody." 
 
 These words, or the manner which went with them, quite 
 obliterated the idea of Mrs. Derrick from the doctor s head. 
 But his manner did not change. He-only addressed his 
 talk to Faith and altered the character of it. Nothing 
 could be more cool and disembarrassed. He had chosen 
 his tactics. 
 
 They were made to regulate likewise the length of his 
 visit, though the short summer evening had near run its 
 course before he (in parliamentary phrase) was on his legs 
 not to speak but to go. Then strolling on to the front 
 door, he there met Reuben Taylor; flush in the doorway. 
 The boy stept back into the hall to let him cone out; 
 whence, as the doctor saw through the open window, he 
 went at once to Faith s side. But either accidentally or of 
 design, Reuben stood so directly before her, that Dr. Har 
 rison could see neither face indeed could scarce see her at 
 all. The little business transaction that went on then the 
 letter which Reuben took from his pocket and then again 
 from its outer envelope. the simple respect and pleasure 
 with which he gave it to Faith though colouring a little 
 too, all this was invisible, except to Mrs. Derrick. Faith s 
 face would have told the doctor the whole. The pretty 
 colour the dropped eyes and the undertone of her grate 
 ful, "I am very much obliged to you, Reuben !" 
 
 Reuben made no verbal answer, and staid not a minute 
 briger, but the pleasure of his new trust was wonderful! 
 
CHAPTER XIY. 
 
 FAITH did not have as uninterrupted a time for studies 
 as she had counted upon for the next few months. In 
 the first place, letters took a great many hours. In the 
 second place, her studies were pretty frequently broken up 
 of an evening by Dr. Harrison. 
 
 He certainly came often ; whether it was because of the 
 strength of attraction in that particular house, or the 
 failure of any attraction beside in all the coasts of Patta- 
 quasset, was a problem. which remained unsolved by any 
 thing in the doctor s manner. His manner was like what 
 it had been the evening just recounted. He amused him 
 self, after his nonchalant fashion, and amused his hearers; 
 he did not in the mean time call upon them for any help at 
 all. He discerned easily that Faith had a little shyness 
 about her; that might mean one thing or it might mean 
 another; and Dr. Harrison was far too wise to risk the 
 one thing by endeavouring to find out whether it was the 
 other. The doctor was no fisher had no favour for the 
 sport ; but if he had been, he might have thought that now 
 he was going to give his fish a very long line indeed, and 
 let it play to any extent of shyness or wilfulness ; his hand 
 on the reel all the time. 
 
 The talk that would do for Miss Essie would not please 
 Faith. The doctor knew that long ago. He drew upon 
 his better stores. His knowledge of the earth we live on ; 
 his familiarity with nature s and art s wonders; history and 
 philosophy; literature and science; and a knowledge of 
 the world which he used as a little piquant spice to flavour 
 all the rest of his knowledge. Thrown in justly, with a nice 
 hand, so as not to offend, it did rather serve to provoke a 
 delicate palate; while it unmistakably gratified his own. It 
 was the salt to the doctor s dish. 
 (192) 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 193 
 
 But everything wants breaking up with variety, and 
 variety itself may come to be monotonous. He asked 
 Faith one evening if she knew anything of chymistry; and 
 proceeded upon her reply to give her sundry bits of detail 
 and some further insight into the meaning and bearing of 
 the science. . It was not August then, but it might have 
 been, for the leisurely manner in which the doctor unwound 
 his skein of talk, as if he were talking to himself or for 
 himself; and yet he was, and he knew it, filling Faith s 
 ears with delight. He took up the same subject afterwards 
 from time to time; beginning from any trifle of suggestion, 
 he would go off into an exquisite chymical discussion, illus 
 trated and pointed and ornamented, as no lecturer but one 
 loving both his subject and his object could ever make it. 
 After a while the doctor began to come with bits of metal 
 and phials of acids, and delight Faith and astonish Mrs. 
 Derrick by turning her sitting-room into an impromptu 
 laboratory. Such fumes ! such gaseous odours ! such omin 
 ous reports , were never known in and about Mrs. Der 
 rick s quiet household ; nor were her basins and tumblers 
 ever put to such strange, and in her view hideous, uses. 
 But Dr. Harrison rather seemed to enjoy what appeared at 
 first sight inconveniences ; triumphed over the imperfections 
 of tools and instruments, and wrought wonders over which 
 Faith bent with greater raptures than if the marvels of 
 Aladdin s lamp had been shewn before her. The doctor 
 began by slow degrees; he let all this grow up of itself; 
 he asked only for a tumbler the first time. And insensibly 
 they went on, from one thing to another ; till instead of a 
 tumbler, the doctor would sometimes be surrounded with a 
 most extraordinary retinue and train of diversified crockery 
 and china. An empty butter-tub came to do duty for a 
 water-bath ; bottles and jars and cups and glasses, of various 
 shapes and dimensions, attended or waited upon the doc 
 tor s operations ; and with a slight apology and assurance 
 to Mrs. Derrick he on more than one or two occasions ap 
 propriated the clock-shade for his use and behoof as a re 
 ceiver. Then siphons began to come in the doctor s 
 pocket; and glass tubes, bent and straight, open and 
 sealed, in the doctor s hand; and one of his evenings came 
 to be better than a play. 7 A most beautiful and exquisite 
 
 VCL. II. 17 
 
194 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 play to Faith. Yet Dr. Harrison never forgot bis tactics; 
 never let his fish feel the line; and to Faith s joyous How 
 shall 1 ever thank you, Dr. Harrison! would reply by a 
 dry request that she would induce Mrs. Derrick to have 
 muffins for tea some evening and let him come. 
 
 And what did Dr. Harrison gain by all this? He did 
 gain some hours of pleasure that would have been very 
 exquisite pleasure, but for the doubt that haunted him, and 
 respecting which he could get no data of decision. The 
 shyness and reserve did pass away from Faith; she met 
 him and talked with him as a pleasant intimate friend 
 whose company she enjoyed and who had a sort of right to 
 hers ; the right of friendship and kindliness. But then he 
 never did anything to try her shyness or to call up her 
 reserve. He never asked anything of her that she could 
 refuse. He never advanced a step where it could with de 
 cency be repressed. He knew it. But he bided his time. 
 He did not know what thorough and full accounts of all his 
 evenings went through the post-office. 
 
 He knew, and it rather annoyed him, that Reuben Tay 
 lor was very freely admitted and very intimately regarded 
 in the house. There was perhaps no very good reason why 
 this should have annoyed the doctor. Yet somehow he 
 always rather identified Reuben Taylor with another of his 
 friends. He found out, too, that Reuben much preferred 
 the times when he, the doctor, was not there ; for after once 
 or twice coming in upon sulphuric acid and clock shades 
 (from which he retreated faster than if it had all been gun 
 powder) Reuben changed his hour; and the doctor had the 
 satisfaction of wishing him good evening in the porch or 
 of passing him on the sidewalk or of hearing the swing 
 of the little gate and Reuben s quick bound up the steps 
 when his own feet were well out in the common ground of 
 the road. 
 
 Mrs. Derrick expressed unequivocally (to Faith, not the 
 doctor) her dislike of all chymical smells whatever, and her 
 abhorrence of all reports but those which went off after 
 the doctor s departure; the preparation of which Mrs. Der 
 rick beheld with a sort of vindictive satisfaction. Mr. Liu- 
 den enjoyed his letters unqualifiedly, sometimes wrote 
 chymical answers now and then forestalling the doctor, 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 195 
 
 but rarely saying much about him. Faith was in little 
 danger of annoyance from anything with her mother sitting 
 by, and for the rest Dr. Harrison was at his own risk. 
 Letters were too precious every inch of them to be much 
 taken up with discussing him. Other things were of more 
 interest, sometimes discussion, sometimes information, 
 oftenest of all, talk; and now and then came with the 
 letter some book to give Faith a -new bit of reading.. 
 Above all, the letters told her in a sort of indefinable, 
 unconscious way, how much, how much her presence was 
 missed and longed for ; it seemed to her as if where one 
 letter laid it down the next took it up not in word but in 
 atmosphere, and carried it further. In that one respect 
 (though Faith never found it out) the chymical accounts 
 gave pain. 
 
 Faith in her letters never spoke directly of this element 
 of his ; but she made many a gentle effort to meet it and 
 soothe what could be soothed. To this end partly were her 
 very full accounts of all the course of her quiet life. As 
 fearlessly and simply as possible Faith talked, to him; 
 quite willing to be found wrong and to be told so, where- 
 ever wrong was. It was rather by the fulness of what 
 she gave him, than by any declaration of want on her own 
 part, that Mr. Linden could tell from her letters how much 
 she felt or missed in his absence. She rarely put any of 
 that into words, and if it got in atmospherically it was by 
 the subtlest of entrances. When she spoke it at all, it was 
 generally a very frank and simple expression of strong 
 truth. 
 
 Of out-door work, during all this time, she had a variety. 
 For some time after Mr. Linden s going away, neither 
 Mrs. Stoutenburgh nor the Squire had been near the 
 house ; but then they began to amuse themselves with 
 taking her to drive, and whenever Faith could and would 
 go she was sure of a pleasant hour or two out in the brisk 
 autumn air, and with no danger of even hearing Mr. Lin 
 den s name mentioned. The silence indeed proved rather 
 too much, but it was better than speech. Then she and 
 Rt-uben had many excursions, short and long. Sometimes 
 the flowers or eggs or tracts were sent by him alone, but 
 often Faith chose to go too ; and he was her ever ready, 
 
196 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 respectful, &nd efficient escort, respect it was truly, of the 
 deepest and most affectionate kind. And thus on foot or 
 with Jerry the two went their rounds; but at such houses 
 Faith must both hear and speak of .Mr. Linden there was 
 always some question to answer, some story to hear. 
 
 It happened, among Dr. Harrison s other pleasures, that 
 he several times met them on these expeditions ; generally 
 when he was driving, sometimes when they were too; but 
 one late November afternoon not late in the month but 
 late in the day, fortune favoured him Strolling along for 
 an unwonted walk, the doctor beheld from a little hill Faith 
 and Reuben in the valley below, saw them go up to the 
 door of a cottage, saw Faith go in, and Reuben sit down 
 in the porch and take put his book. It was a fair picture, 
 --the brown woodland, the soft sunlight, the little dark 
 cottage, the pretty youthful figures with their quick steps 
 and natural gestures, and the evening hue and tone of 
 everything. But the doctor did not admire it and 
 went down the hill without even taking off his hat to 
 the chickadees that bobbed their black caps at him from 
 both sides of the road. By the porch the doctor suddenly 
 slackened his pace, looked within, nodded to Reuben, and 
 came to a halt. 
 
 "Have I accidentally found out where you live, Reu 
 ben ? 
 
 "I live down by the shore, sir," said Reuben standing 
 up. 
 
 "I thought " said the doctor, "I had got an impres 
 sion that you were not a thorough-going Pattaquasseter . 
 but you looked so much at home there. "Where do you 
 live ? whereabouts, I mean ; for the shore stretches a long 
 way." 
 
 Reuben gave the vernacular name of the little rocky 
 coast point which was his home, but the point itself was 
 too much out of the doctor s beat to have the name 
 familiar. 
 
 "How far off is that?" 
 
 "About four miles from here, sir." 
 
 " May I ask what you are studying so diligently toui 
 aiiles from home at this hour ?" 
 
 Reuben coloured a good deal, but with not more than a 
 
SAY AND SEAL. J9Y 
 
 moment s reluctance held out his book for the doctor s 
 inspection, it was a Bible. The doctor s face changed, 
 ever so little ; but with what feeling, or combination of 
 feelings, it would have taken a much wiser reader of men 
 and faces than Reuben to tell. It was only a moment, and 
 then he stood with the book in his hand gravely turning it 
 over, but with his usual face. 
 
 "I once had the pleasure of asking you questions on 
 some other matters," he remarked, "and I remember 
 you answered well. Can you pass as good an examination 
 in this ?" 
 
 "As to the words, sir? or the thoughts? I don t quite 
 know," said Reuben modestly. 
 
 "Words are the signs of thoughts, you know." 
 
 "Yes, sir but nobody can know all the Bible thoughts 
 though some people have learned all the Bible words." 
 
 The doctor gave a little sort of commenting nod, rather 
 approving than otherwise. "You are safe here," he paid 
 as he handed the book back to Reuben; "for in this study 
 I couldn t examine you. What are you pursuing the study 
 for ? may I ask ?" 
 
 "If you don t know!" was in the boy s full gaze for a 
 moment. But he looked down again, answering steadily 
 " Thy word have I hid in ray heart, that I might not sin 
 against thee ! I love it, Dr. Harrison and it shews me 
 the way to serve God." 
 
 "Well," said the doctor rather kindly "if I hadn t 
 interrupted you, how much more study would you have 
 accomplished bei f ore you thought it time to set oft for 
 that four miles walk home to that unpronounceable 
 place ?" 
 
 "I don t know, sir I am not obliged to be there by any 
 particular time of night." 
 
 "No, I know you are not. But excuse my curiosity I 
 are you so fond of the Bible that you stop on the way 
 home to read it a? you go along ? or are you waiting for 
 somebody ?" 
 
 The words brought the colour back with a different tnge, 
 but Reuben simply answered, "No, sir I did not stop liera 
 to re;id. I am waiting." 
 
 "For Mie Derrick, are you not?" 
 17* 
 
198 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "Yes, sir." 
 
 "Then I dare say Miss Derrick will release you for this 
 time, and allow me to attend her home, whither I am going 
 myself." 
 
 "I must wait till she comes out, sir," Reuben said, 
 with the respectful intractability which the doctor remem 
 bered. 
 
 "Of course!" he said. "Did you ever take lessons of 
 anybody but Mr. Linden ? " But at this point the house 
 door opened and Faith came out. 
 
 "Miss Faith," said the doctor, after his greeting which 
 was thoroughly in character, "if you will tell your escort 
 here who 1 am sure is a staunch one that you need him 
 no longer, he will feel free to begin his long walk to the 
 shore, and I shall have the rare pleasure and honour of 
 going home with you." 
 
 Faith turned frankly. "Do you want to go home, 
 Reuben ?" 
 
 "No, Miss Faith" was the equally frank, low-spoken 
 answer, "not unless you want me to go." Reuben could 
 but speak the truth and he did try to speak it with as 
 little offence as possible; though with an instinctive feeling 
 that the time when truth will be truth and not treason , 
 had not yet arrived. " I mean, that I want to do just what 
 you wish," he added looking up at her. 
 
 "I don t want you to go, then," said Faith laughing, 
 "for I mean that you shall come home to tea with me. 
 Dr. Harrison, I will invite you too," she said turning her 
 bright face towards him. "I believe there are muffins 
 to-night." 
 
 "Miss Faith," said the doctor, "you are an angel !" 
 
 "What is the connexion between that and muffins?" 
 said Faith merrily, for Reuben was at her side and she felt 
 free. 
 
 "You mistake the connexion," said the doctor gravely. 
 "Angels are supposed to be impartial in their attentions to 
 the human race, and not swayed by such curious and of 
 course arrogant considerations as move the lower herd of 
 mortals. To an immaterial creature, how can the height 
 of a door be material 1" 
 
 "But I think you are mistaken," said Faith gently. I 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 199 
 
 don t believe any creatures mind more what they find inside 
 the door." 
 
 What did you find inside that door?" said the doc 
 tor. 
 
 Faith hesitated. "Do you know to-morrow is Thanks 
 giving day, Dr. Harrison?" 
 
 "I am not quite sure that I ought to say I know it . 
 though my father did read the proclamation. I suppose I 
 know it now." 
 
 "I found inside of that door some people who could not 
 make pumpkin pies and Reuben and I have been carry 
 ing them one of mother s." 
 
 "What a day they will have of it!" said the doctor, 
 "if Mrs. Derrick s pies are made in the same place as her 
 muffins. But can you find nothing better to do than run 
 ning round the country to supply the people that haven t 
 pies?" 
 
 " Not many things pleasanter," said Faith looking at 
 him. 
 
 "I see I was right," said he smiling. "I have no doubt 
 angels do that sort of thing. But it is a sort of pleasure 
 of which I have no knowledge. All my life I have pleased 
 only myself. Yet one would wish to have some share in it, 
 too. I can t make pies ! And if I could, I shouldn t know 
 in the least where to bestow them. Do you think you could 
 take this now," said he producing a gold eagle, "and turn 
 it into pumpkins or anything else that you think will make 
 people happy and see that they get to the right places ? 
 for me ?" 
 
 "Do you mean it seriously, Dr. Harrison?" 
 
 "If you will have the condescension !" 
 
 "Oh thank you!" said Faith flushing with joy, "oh 
 thank you ! I am very glad of this, and so will many 
 others be. Dr. Harrison, I wish you could know the plea 
 sure this will give I the good it will do." 
 
 " I don t think a ten-dollar piece ever gave me so much 
 pleasure," said he looking a little moved. "About the 
 good I don t know; that s not so easy." 
 
 Faith left that point for him to consider, though with 
 many a wish in her own heart. But the walk home bright 
 ened into a very pleasant one after that. 
 
CHAPTER XV. 
 
 THE soft grey clouds which had hung about the setting 
 sun only waited his departure to double their folds 
 and spread them all over the sky. Then the wind rose, 
 sweeping gustily through the bare branches, and heavy 
 drops _of rain fell scatteringly on the dead leaves. But 
 when wind and rain had taken a little more counsel to 
 gether, they joined forces in .a wild stormy concert which 
 swept on with increasing tumult. It did not disturb Faith 
 and her mother, at their quiet work and reading, it did 
 not deter Cindy from going over night to spend Thanks 
 giving day with her friends, but it was a wild storm 
 nevertheless; and while the hours of the night rolled on 
 over the sleepers in Mrs. Derrick s house, still wind and 
 rain kept up their carousal, nor thought of being quiet 
 even when the morning broke. 
 
 "But rather, giving of thanks." That was the motto of 
 the day the one answer to the many vexed questions of 
 life and care. Care was pressing, and life distracting, and 
 everywhere was something that seemed to call for tears or 
 complaints. To all of these the day answered "But 
 rather, giving of thanks." 
 
 It was dark enough when Faith awoke ; and she sat up 
 in bed a minute or two, listening to the wild blasts of wind 
 and the heavy pattering of the rain, hearing the screech 
 of the locomotive as the train swept by in the distance, 
 with a pang at the thought of its freight of homeward- 
 bound and expected dear ones, then taking the day s 
 motto, and gently and quietly going about the day s work. 
 But the first of its work for her, was to cancel the bit of 
 work it had already done by itself; and for that Faith 
 went to her Bible, went first to the list of texts that had 
 come with it ; endeavouring to realize and make sure her 
 ground on that verse of the 91st Psalm then on from 
 that to its following. 
 (200) 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 20 ] 
 
 "For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his 
 pavilion." 
 
 It was not a "time of trouble." Faith would not call it 
 so. Never so bright a Thanksgiving day had risen upon 
 her, spite of its clouds. But trouble might come; in the 
 course of life-experience she knew it was pretty sure to 
 come; and she sought to refuge herself beforehand in the 
 promise of that pavilion of hiding. The driving wind and 
 storm that emblematized another kind, gave emphasis also 
 to the emblem of shelter. How Faith blessed her Bible ! 
 
 The next verse enlarged a little. 
 
 "Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence 
 from the pride of man : thou shalt keep them secretly in a 
 pavilion from the strife of tongues." 
 
 Then followed the joyful acceptance of that promise 
 
 "Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me 
 from trouble ; thou shalt compass me about with songs of 
 deliverance." 
 
 Then its result 
 
 " I am like a green olive tree in the house of God : I 
 trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever." 
 
 "From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when 
 my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is 
 higher than I. For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a 
 strong tower from the enemy. I will abide in thy taber 
 nacle for ever; I will trust in the covert of thy wings." 
 
 What strong refuge ! what riches of trust ! How very 
 bright Faith s fire-lit room looked, with the wind whistling 
 all about, and the red light on her open Bible. She turned 
 on. And like the full burst of a chorus after that solo, she 
 seemed to hear the whole Church Militant say, 
 
 "Lord, thou hast been our dwelling-place in all genera 
 tions." 
 
 Her mind swept back to the martyr ages, to times when 
 the church s road has been in darkness and in light, and the 
 long train of pilgrims have gone over it in light and in 
 darkness, each with that staff in his hand. Faith looked 
 long at those words, seeming to see the great "cloud of wit 
 nesses" pass in procession before her. How true the words 
 were to Abraham, when he left his home. How true to 
 Daniel when he was thrown to the lions. How true they 
 
2Q2 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 were to Stephen when he uttered his dying cry ! how true 
 to the little child whom she had seen go to be with Christ 
 for ever I "In all generations." 
 
 The prophets, true to their office, threw the light for 
 ward. 
 
 "He shall be for a sanctuary." 
 
 "Although I have cast them far off among the heathen, 
 and although I have scattered them among the countries, 
 yet wili I be to them as a little sanctuary in the countries 
 where they shall come." 
 
 "I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the 
 lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon. His branches 
 shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree, and 
 his smell as Lebanon." 
 
 The next words gave the whole description, the whole 
 key of entrance. 
 
 "Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, 
 God dwelleth in him and he in God. And we have known 
 and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love ; 
 and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in 
 him." 
 
 Here was the " Sanctuary " on earth, the foreshewing 
 image of the one on high. 
 
 "I saw no temple therein : for the Lord God Almighty 
 and the Lamb are the temple of it." 
 
 How far Faith had got from the earthly Thanksgiving 
 day even to that finished and everlasting one on high ! 
 She had of course read and studied these passages all be 
 fore once ; and then she had shut them up as a particular 
 casket of treasures that she would not grow too familiar 
 with suddenly, but would keep to enjoy their brightness 
 another time. Something this Thanksgiving morning had 
 made Faith want them. She now sat looking at the last 
 words, feeling as if she wanted nothing. 
 
 The wind and the rain still raged without, drowning and 
 merging any sounds there might be in the road, though 
 truly few animate things were abroad at that hour in that 
 weather. Mr. Skip had roused himself, indeed, for his 
 day s pleasure, and after lighting the kitchen fire had gone 
 forth leaving it to take care of itself; but when the door 
 closed after him, Faith and her fire looked at eajh other in 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 203 
 
 the same stillness as before. Until she heard the front 
 door open and shut, that was the first sound, and the 
 last, no unwonted one, either; that door opened and shut 
 twenty times a day. What intangible, well-recognized 
 modification in its motions now, made Faith s heart bound 
 and sink with sudden belief with swift denial? Who was 
 it? at that hour! Faith sprang to the parlour door, she 
 did not know how, and was in the dark hall. A little 
 gleam of firelight followed her a little faint dawn came 
 through the fanlight of the door: just enough to reveal to 
 Faith those very outlines which at first sight she had pro 
 nounced "pleasant." One more spring Faith made ; with 
 no scream of delight, but with a low exclamation, very 
 low, that for its many-folded sweetness was like the invo 
 lutions of a rosebud. 
 
 " Faith I" he exclaimed. " Don t touch me till I get 
 out of the rain 1" which prohibition Faith might consider 
 useless, or might think that shuttlecock fashion it had 
 got turned round in the air. 
 
 "The best place to get out of the rain is in here," she 
 said trying to draw him along with her. " Oh Eudy ! how 
 came you in it?" 
 
 " If you say three words to me, I shall give you the 
 benefit of all the remaining raindrops," said Mr. Linden, 
 disengaging himself to throw off his overcoat, "how can 
 one do anything, with you standing there ? How came I 
 in it? why I came in it! Precious child! how do you 
 do ?" And she was taken possession of, and carried off 
 into the next room, like a rosebud as she was, to have the 
 same question put a great many times in a different way. 
 More words for her, just then, Mr. Linden did not seem to 
 have. Nor Faith for him. She stood very still, her face 
 in a glow of shy joy, but her eyes and even her lips grave 
 and quiet; except when sometimes a very tiny indicatory 
 smile broke half way upon them. 
 
 " When did you come ?" 
 
 "I came in the night train. Mignonette are you glad 
 to see rne ?" 
 
 The f-mile shewed her teeth a little. They would bear 
 shewing, but this was only a glimmer of the white enamel. 
 
 "Then you have been travelling all night?" 
 
204 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 Yes. How are you going to prove your position f" 
 What position, Endy?" 
 That you are glad to see me." 
 
 I don t know," she said looking up at him. 
 You cannot think of any proof to give me?" 
 I can think of a great many." 
 
 I am ready to take them !" said Mr. Linden demurely. 
 Then if you will sit down and let me leave you for a 
 few minutes, I will see what I can do." 
 
 " Thank you the proofs that I mean would by no means 
 take you further off. Suppose you see what you can do 
 without going away." 
 
 She laid her head down for a minute, colouring too, even 
 the cheek that was high-coloured before ; but she looked up 
 again. 
 
 " Stoop your high head, then, Endy !" she said ; and 
 she gave him two kisses, as full and earnest as they were 
 soft. There was no doubt Faith had proved her position ! 
 
 "Faith, darling," he said, "have you been growing thin? 
 or is it only that I have had to do with such substantial 
 humanity of late. Look up here and let me see are you 
 anything but the essence of Mignonette ?" 
 
 The face she shewed was aptly named ; about as pure as 
 that. With grave, loving intentness not the less grave 
 for its little companion smile. Mr. Linden studied her face 
 for a minute, pushing back her hair. 
 
 "Do you think," she said then in a light soft tone a 
 departure from the last words, >"do you think you won t 
 want the essence of something else by and by, Eudecott?" 
 
 "No," decidedly, "I want nothing but you so you 
 may as well make up your mind to want nothing but me." 
 
 " Do you know what that would end in ?" 
 
 "Not necessarily in such a simple duet," said Mr. Lin 
 den smiling, "people do riot always realize their ideal. 
 Mignonette, you are just as lovely as you can be 1 and 
 you need not bring Miss Reason to keep me in order. I 
 suppose if she were in the house it would end in her want 
 ing her breakfast." 
 
 "I don t like Miss Keason," said Faith, "and the only 
 thing I am thinking of putting in order is the kitchen 
 fire. Would you like to go there with me ? Nobody s i\ 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 205 
 
 the house Cindy went yesterday to a wedding, and Mr. 
 Skip is gone home to keep Thanksgiving." 
 
 " That is the best thing I ever heard of Cindy," said 
 Mr. Linden " Of course I will go ! and play Ferdinand 
 again Faith, would the doctor call me an acid corne 
 to dissolve all his crystals?" 
 
 "Dr. Harrison gave me ten dollars yesterday for the 
 poor people," said Faith as she led the way to the kitchen. 
 Arrived there, she placed a chair for Mr. Linden and re 
 quested him to be seated; while she examined into the 
 state of the fire. The chair was disregarded the fire 
 received double attention. 
 
 "Faith," he said laughingly, "I bear the curb about as 
 well as Stranger. I have a great mind to tell you how that 
 eagle stands in the doctor s memorandum book !" 
 
 Faith dropped her hands for the moment and looked at 
 him, with grave eyes of wide-open attention. The look 
 changed Mr. Linden s purpose, he could not bear to take 
 away all the pleasure the eagle had brought on his gold 
 wings. 
 
 " I don t believe there is such a book in existence," he 
 said lightly. " Miranda, what would you like to have me 
 do for you now? the fire is ready for anything." 
 
 "I haven t anything ready for it yet," said Faith, "but 
 I will have if you ll wait a bit." She left him there, and 
 ran off coming back in a little while. And then Mr. Lin 
 den was initiated, if he never was before, in kitchen myste 
 ries. Faith covered herself with a great apron, rolled up 4 
 her sleeves above the elbows, and with funny little glances 
 at him between whiles, went round the room about various 
 pieces of work. Almost noiseles-sly, with the utmost nicety 
 of quick and clean work, she was busy in one thing after 
 another and in two or three at the same time; while Mr. 
 Linden stood or sat by the fire looking on. Two things he 
 comprehended ; the potatoes which were put over the fire 
 to boil and the white shortcakes which finally stood cut out 
 on the board ready for baking. The preliminary flour and 
 cream and mixing in the bowl had been (culinary) Sanscrit 
 to him. He had watched her somewhat silently of late, 
 but none the less intently : indeed in all his watching there 
 had been a silent thread woven in with its laughing and 
 
 VOL. II, 18 
 
206 
 
 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 busy talk, his eyes had followed her as one follows a vcri 
 table sunbeam, noting the bright gleams of colour here, 
 and the soft light there, and thinking of the time when it 
 must quit the room. 
 
 "Faith," he said as she cut out her cakes, "are these 
 what you made for me the first night I came here ?" 
 
 "I believe so !" 
 
 " What do you suppose you look like going about the 
 kitchen in this style? you make me think irresistibly of 
 something." 
 
 "I should like to know," said Faith with an amused 
 laugh. 
 
 "I shall make you blush, if I tell you," said Mr. Linden. 
 
 That was enough to do it ! Faith gave him one look, 
 and went on with her shortcakes. 
 
 "You don t care about knowing, after all?" said Mr. 
 Linden. "Well. Faith, do you expect ever to make such 
 things in my house ? because if you do, I think it will 
 ensure my coming down stairs before breakfast." 
 
 How she flushed I over cheek and brow, then remarked 
 gravely that " she was glad he liked it." 
 
 "Yes, and you have no idea what effects my liking will 
 produce !" said Mr. Linden. "You see, Faith, it may hap 
 pen to us now and then to be left without other hands than 
 our own in the house (there is no reliance whatever to be 
 placed upon cottages 1) and then you will come down, as 
 now, and I shall come too taking the precaution to bring 
 a book, that nobody may suspect what I come for. Then 
 enter one of my parishioners Faith, are you attend 
 ing?" 
 
 Faith had stopped, and poising her rolling pin the re 
 verse way on the board that is, on end, had leaned her 
 arms upon it, giving up shortcakes entirely for the time 
 being. 
 
 "You will not be in that position," said Mr. Linden, 
 "but going on properly with your cakes as you should be 
 now. Then enter one of my parishioners who lives six 
 miles off, to ask me to come over to his house and instruct 
 him in the best way of hanging his gate, which I of course 
 promise to do, notwithstanding your protestations that I 
 know nothing of that nor of anything else. Parishioner 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 207 
 
 goes away and reports. One part of the people say how 
 economical we are 1 to make one fire do our cooking and 
 studying. Another part have their suspicions that you 
 keep me at hand -to lift otf the teakettle (much strength 
 ened by report of your protest.) And the charitable part 
 at once propose to raise my salary so that we may have 
 as many fires as we like. Faith what should we do in the 
 circumstances ?" 
 
 Faith was biting her lips and rolling out cakes with the 
 swiftest activity, not allowing Mr. Linden a sight of her 
 face. 
 
 "If you hung the gate, I should think you would take 
 the money " she answered demurely. 
 
 "I said you would say I could not do it!" said Mr. Lin 
 den. "Which being duly reported and considered by cer 
 tain other people, will cause them to shake their heads, and 
 wish in half audible (but most telegraphic !) whispers, that 
 Mr. Linden were half as smart as his wife !" 
 
 Faith stopped again. " Oh Endy !" she exclaimed be 
 tween laughing and pleading. 
 
 "Que voulez-vous, Mademoiselle?" 
 
 But Faith went at her cakes and finished the few that 
 were left. 
 
 " I think you must be very much in want of your break 
 fast," she said coming to the fire. "You have played 
 Prince Ferdinand do you think you would mind acting 
 the part of King Alfred, for once?" 
 
 " My dear, I will play any part for you whatever ! in 
 our duet. Shall I practise taking off the kettle to begin 
 with ?" 
 
 "I don t think you had better," Faith said with a kept 
 down laugh, "for it doesn t boil." 
 
 " Shall I take you off then ? What are you going to do 
 while I play Alfred ? I will not answer for my solo per 
 formances." 
 
 "I shall not be gone but a few minutes. Do you think 
 you could take this little skillet from the fire if it did. 
 boil ?" 
 
 Mr. Linden might have got into a reverie after she ran 
 away ; but certain it is that the skillet was in imminent 
 
208 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 danger of "boiling over" when Faith appeared at his side 
 and with a laughing look at him gently lifted it off. 
 
 "You are an excellent Alfred !" 
 
 "What version of Alfred have you learned?" he said 
 laughing, and catching it from her hand before it reached 
 the hearth. "I thought hot water was his reward not 
 his work." 
 
 " I thought, Endy, you would like to go up to your room 
 before breakfast. Mother will be down presently." 
 
 "And am I to find the perfection of a fire, as usual?" 
 said Mr. Linden, taking both her hands in his and looking 
 at her. "Little Sunbeam! you should not have done 
 that 1 Do you know what you deserve ?" 
 
 She stood before him rather soberly, glancing up and 
 down ; but he little guessed what her quietness covered. 
 Though the lines of her lip did give tiny indication that 
 quietness was stirred somewhere. He drew her to him for 
 a moment, with one or two unconnected words of deep 
 affection, then turned and went away. Faith listened to 
 hear the well known run up the stairs the familiar closing 
 of that door, how strange it sounded ! how gladsome, 
 how sorrowful. She stood still just where Mr. Linden had 
 left her, as if sorrow and joy both held her with detaining 
 hands. 
 
 " Why child ? Faith !" said Mrs. Derrick coming into 
 the kitchen, "what af~e you about? What made you get 
 up so early, Faith ? What s the matter? breakfast ready 
 at this time of day ! Couldn t you sleep, pretty child ?" 
 she added tenderly. 
 
 " I didn t get up very much earlier than usual, mother. 
 Don t you want breakfast ?" 
 
 " Whenever you like, child," said her mother, taking hold 
 in her turn, " but what s made you in such a hurry ? And 
 what makes you look so, Faith ? You re not pale, neither, 
 how do you look ?" 
 
 Faith came so close that her mother could not see, and 
 kissed her. "Mother, Mr. Linden is here." 
 
 "Here!" said Mrs. Derrick with a little sympathetic 
 start it was not all surprise, nor all joy. " Pretty child ! 
 how glad I am 1 But why didn t you call me, Faith ? and 
 why don t you go and sit down and be quiet -now you ve 
 
SAY AND SEAL 
 
 209 
 
 just been tiring yourself, and I could have done the whole! 
 And of all things, how could he get here in such weather? 
 No wonder you re in a hurry, child !" and Mrs. Derrick 
 began to work in earnest. 
 
 Faith gave her the word or two more that she could 
 give, and went to the dairy. It was Faith s domain ; she 
 was alone, and her industry fell from her hands. Breakfast 
 and all might wait. Faith set down her bowl and spoon, 
 sat down herself on the low dairy shelf before the window, 
 cold and November though it was, and let the tears come, 
 of which she had a whole heartful in store ; and for a little 
 while they fell faster than the raindrops which beat and 
 rattled against the panes. But this was a gentler shower, 
 and cleared the sky. Faith rose up from the shelf entirely 
 herself again. 
 
 So busy, skimming off the smooth cream, she felt the 
 light touch of hands on her shoulders felt more than that 
 on her cheek. Had the tears left any trace there ? that 
 Mr. Linden brought her face round into view. He asked 
 no such question, however, unless with his eyes. 
 
 "Mignonette, what are you about?" 
 
 "King Alfred s breakfast. I forgot you knew the way 
 to the dairy!" 
 
 " Or could find it if I did not. What shape does my 
 breakfast take in these regions ?" 
 
 "It takes the shape Let us go back to the kitchen and 
 we will see." 
 
 It was spry work in the kitchen now ! How Faith s 
 fingers went about. But Mr. Linden could make nothing 
 of the form his breakfast was taking nothing of Faith s 
 mysterious bowl, in which the cream he had seen her skim 
 went into compound with the potatoes he had seen boiling 
 and with also certain butter and eggs. The mixture went 
 into the oven, and then Faith went off to set the table in 
 the parlour. As they were alone to-day the fire in the 
 dining-room was not to be kindled. 
 
 The storm beat so differently upon the windows now! 
 aow, when it was only a barrier against people who were 
 not wanted to come in. Mr. Linden followed Faith in her 
 motions, sometimes with eye and voice, sometimes with his 
 own steps; confusing both her and her arrangements, 
 
 18* 
 
210 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 making her laugh, and himself the cause of various irregu 
 larities in the table-setting, which he was very quick to 
 point out. 
 
 " Mignonette," he said, "I think it is a perfect day ! Do 
 you hear how it storms ?" 
 
 ."And aren t you glad Cindy went to a wedding? And 
 oh, Endy ! how many people will be coming after you 
 to-day?" Faith stopped, knife in hand. 
 
 " Did you suppose that I would come here to see you, 
 and then be obliged to see half Pattaquasset instead ? I 
 stopped at Patchaug station, there Reuben met me, and 
 we had as pleasant a four mile drive in the rain as I ever 
 remember. As to the wedding I think there can never 
 be more than one other so felicitous." 
 
 Faith ran off. 
 
 And presently the breakfast came in, variously, in her 
 hands and in Mrs. Derrick s. It was broad light now, and 
 the curtains drawn back, but the red firelight still gave the 
 hue of the room ; and the breakfast-table and the three 
 people round it wanted for no element or means of com 
 fort. There were the shortcakes, which Mr. Linden might 
 more readily recognize now in their light brown flakiness 
 his coffee was poured upon the richest of cream ; the pota 
 toes came out of the oven in the shape of a great puff-ball, 
 of most tender consistency; and the remains of a cold 
 chicken had been mystified into such a dish of delicacy as 
 no hands but a Frenchwoman s or Faith s could con 
 coct. It s a pleasant thing to be catered for by hands that 
 love you. Mr. Linden had found that pleasure this morn 
 ing before. But both Faith and he were undoubtedly 
 ready for their breakfast ! 
 
 After breakfast came the consideration of a basketful of 
 things Mr. Linden had brought her. Very simple things 
 they were, and unromantic enough to be useful ; yet with 
 sentiment enough about them, if that name might be 
 given to the tokens of a care that busied itself about all 
 the ins and outs of her daily life, and sought out and 
 remembered the various little things that she wanted and 
 could not get; for the various papers of sugarplums in 
 which the whole were packed, Mr. Linden declared them 
 to be nothing but epithets and adjectives. 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 211 
 
 The weather held on its way into the afternoon; but 
 what was most unexpected, the afternoon brought a visiter. 
 Mr. Linden and Faith, deep in talk, heard the sound of 
 a foot on the scraper and then of a knock at the door, 
 which made them both start up. Faith went to the door. 
 But before she could open it, Mrs. Derrick came up behind 
 her with swift steps and remanded Faith to the parlour. 
 
 "I ll open it, child," she said, "it s no use for you to 
 run the risk of seeing anybody you don t want to." So 
 Faith returned to Mr. Linden. But the first word set all 
 fears at rest it was only Reuben Taylor. He presented 
 himself with many apologies, and would fain have told his 
 errand to Mrs. Derrick, but as it was for Faith, the good 
 lady opened the parlour door and bade Reuben go in, - 
 which, as he could not help it, Reuben did. But the 
 colour of his face as he came in! Mr. Linden took the 
 effect of it Faith was partly occupied with her own ; and 
 Reuben, thinking the sooner the quicker walked straight 
 up to her. 
 
 " Miss Faith," he said, trying to speak as usual, "I beg 
 your pardon but I was sent here with this," and Reuben 
 presented a moderately large round basket, without a handle. 
 
 "Reuben, come up to the fire," said Mr. Linden; while 
 Faith took the basket and exclaimed, "This ! Who in the 
 world sent you, Reuben? Yes, come to the fire." 
 
 " 1 am not cold, sir," Reuben said with a look towards 
 where Mr. Linden stood by the mantelpiece, as if his desire 
 was to get out of the room instead of further in, though 
 he did follow Faith a step or two as she went that way. " I 
 didn t mean to come here to-day, Mr. Linden, but " 
 
 "Didn t mean to come here?" said Mr. Linden smiling, 
 " what have you been doing, to be afraid of me ? Faith, 
 has your postman been remiss ?" 
 
 They were a pair, Reuben and Faith ! though the colour 
 of the one was varying, while Reuben s was steady. Faith 
 nevertheless seized the boy s hand and drew him with gentle 
 violence up to the fire. 
 
 " Who sent you with this, Reuben ?" 
 
 " Dr. Harrison, Miss Faith. I was off on an errand after 
 fhurch, and one of his men came after me and told me to 
 come to the house. And there 1 saw the doctor himself 
 
212 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 and ho told me to bring you this basket, ma am, and that 
 he didn t like to trust it to any one else. And " but there 
 Reuben hesitated. 
 
 "And that you were the only person he knew who would 
 go through fire and water for him ?" said Mr. Linden. 
 
 "No, sir, but I suppose I ve got to say it, since he told 
 me to, Dr. Harrison said, Miss Faith, that " the message 
 seemed to stir both Reuben s shame and laughter "that 
 he had begged a cake of his sister, to go with your Thanks 
 giving pies and that it was in the basket. And that I 
 needn t tell anybody else about it." 
 
 "Reuben," said Mr. Linden laughing, "you needn t tell 
 him that I shall eat half the cake." 
 
 "No, sir" Reuben said, and tried not to laugh, and 
 couldn t help it. 
 
 The third member of the trio shewed no disposition at 
 all to much laughter. She had put the basket down on the 
 table and looked at it from a distance, as if it had contained 
 the four and twenty live blackbirds or a small powder 
 magazine. The effect of his message Reuben did not stay 
 to see. He went round to Mr. Linden to ask if the morn 
 ing orders were unchanged, clasped hands with him then 
 bowed low to Faith and went out. 
 
 With very demure face Mr. Linden seated himself in one 
 of the easy-chairs, and looked towards the table, with the 
 air of one who expects something! And not demurely 
 but with grave consciousness, Faith stood looking in the 
 same direction ; then her eyes went to Mr. Linden. But 
 his face did not relax in the least. 
 
 "Do you suppose that basket holds a kitten?" he said 
 contemplatively. 
 
 Faith did not answer but walked over to the table and 
 began the work of investigation. Mr. Linden came too. 
 "if you are to make feline discoveries, I must stand by 
 you, little bird," he said. 
 
 The basket was carefully tied with a network of strings 
 over the top ; then followed one paper after another, a silk 
 paper at last, and the cake was revealed. The low excla 
 mation that burst from Faith might be characterized as one 
 of mingled admiration and dismay. 
 
 Certainly Dr. Harrison had amused himself that Thanks 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 213 
 
 giving day ! perhaps in terror of his old enemy, ennui. At 
 least his basket looked so. 
 
 The cake lay upon a white paper in the basket, with a 
 little space all around. It was a rather small loaf with a 
 plain icing. But round the sides of it were trailed long 
 sprays of ivy geranium, making a beautiful bordering. The 
 centre was crowned with a white camellia in its perfection. 
 From the tip edge of each outer petal depended a drop of 
 gold, made to adhere there by some strong gum probably ; 
 and between the camellia and the ivy wreaths was a brilliant 
 ring of gold spots, somewhat larger, set in the icing. Some 
 body, and it was probably the doctor, for want of better to 
 do, had carefully prepared the places to receive them, so 
 that they were set in the white like a very neat inlay. It 
 was presently seen that quarter eagles made the inlay, and 
 that the camellia was dropped with gold dollars. 
 
 On the ivy lay a note. Faith looked at Mr. Linden as 
 she took it up; broke the seal, and hastily running over the 
 paper gave it to him 
 
 "My DEAR Miss FAITH, 
 
 My yesterday s speculation in pumpkins proved so suc 
 cessful, that like a true speculator it made me want to 
 plunge deeper into the pumpkin field ! I find myself 
 this morning dissatisfied with what I have done and beg 
 to send a cake to go along with the pies to be appor 
 tioned of course as your judgment shall suggest. I begged 
 the cake from Sophy, who I am sure would not have given 
 it to me if she had known what I was going to do with it. 
 Your pleasure, personal and representative, last night, 
 .s a reproach to me whenever I think of it. Yet my un 
 wonted hand knows neither how to cut up cake, nor what 
 :o do with it when it is cut except avaler! Am I wrong 
 In hoping that you will do me the grace to make available 
 what I should only if I tried to do better with it throw 
 away ? and that as a token of your forgiveness and grace 
 you will on the next opportunity bestow a piece of pump 
 kin pie, such as you carried the other night, on 
 
 Your very respectful and most obedient servant, 
 
 PATTAQUASSET, Nov. 15, 18. JULIUS HARRISON." 
 
214 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 Mr. Linden read the note more deliberately than Faith 
 had done, but his face, the while, she could not read; 
 though (fascinated by the difficulty) her glances changed 
 to a steady gaze. It was quietly grave that was all and 
 not all, and the note was given back to her with a smile 
 that spoke both thoughts of the doctor, and pleasure for 
 any pleasure Faith might have from his basket. But then 
 some of the deeper feeling came out in his comments and 
 they were peculiar. He had stood still for a second after 
 reading the note, his eyes looking down at the cake 
 gravely; but then they came to her; and suddenly taking 
 her in his arms Mr. Linden gave her it would be hazard 
 ous to say, as many kisses as Dr. Harrison had gold pieces 
 but certainly as many as he had put in the basket, and 
 more. Faith did not read them, either, at first, till the 
 repetition or the way of it, told what they were ; the glad 
 saying that she was his, beyond any one s power to buy her, 
 more than all, an indemnification to himself for all the 
 gold he could not lay at her feet ! There needed no speech 
 to tell her both. 
 
 A word or two had answered his demonstrations, first a 
 wondering word, arid then afterwards a low repetition of his 
 name, in a tone of humble recognition and protest. Now 
 she looked up at him with a child s clear face, full of the 
 colour he had brought into it. 
 
 - "Little darling," he said, "you will have your hands full 
 of business !" 
 
 " Oh Endy I am very sorry !" 
 
 " Sorry ?" Mr. Linden said. " What about ?" 
 
 " I m sorry that basket has come here !" 
 
 "It gives you the means of making other people glad." 
 
 "Yes but," Faith looked uncomfortably at the basket. 
 Then brought her eyes back to Mr. Linden s face. " What 
 ought I to do, Endecott?" 
 
 "The most good and the least harm you can in the 
 circumstances." 
 
 "How shall I, the last? 7 she said with a manner like 
 a beautiful child, truth struggling through embarrassment 
 
 " If you could contrive to make yourself disenchanting !" 
 
 Faith passed that, and waited, her eyes making a grave 
 appeal. Mr. Linden smiled. 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 215 
 
 "I am afraid you can only be yourself," he said. "And 
 if Dr. Harrison will not remove himself to a safe distance, 
 there is not much to be done, except with the money. Let 
 him understand that you consent for once to be his almoner, 
 merely because you know better than he where the need is, 
 that you take from him, as from anybody, a donation for 
 your poor and sick neighbours." 
 
 "Must I write?" 
 
 "No." 
 
 "But, Endecott is that all?" 
 
 " All that I need say. You never did encourage him, 
 Faith, it may be a long time before he gives you a chance 
 to rf/scourage. There is one thing /can do, if you wish." 
 
 She had stood with an awakened, sorrowful look, the 
 colour burning all over face and brow. Now she startled 
 and asked "What?" 
 
 " Something you do not wish. I can tell him that you 
 belong to me." But that indeed Faith did not wish. 
 
 "Oh no, Endecott I would rather manage it some 
 other way. Now don t let us lose any more of our afternoon 
 with it but come and tell me what will be the best things 
 to do with this money." 
 
 "It is hard to tell all at once," Mr. Linden said as they 
 once more took their seats by the fire. "What have you 
 thought of yourself?" 
 
 "I know where one or two blankets are wanting. And 
 O, Eudy ! there is one place where I should like to send 
 a rocking-chair ever so common a one, you know." 
 
 "And if Ency Stephens had one of those little self-loco 
 motive carriages, she could go about by herself all day 
 long." 
 
 "How good that would be ! as soon as .the spring opens. 
 You could send one up from New York, Endecott. Do 
 they cost much ?" 
 
 " I think not. And what do you say to taking a little 
 portion of this for the beginning of a free library Tor the 
 poor people? If the thing were once begun, Mr. Stouten- 
 burgh would give you what you please to carry it ou, and 
 Mr. Simlins would help, and so would I." 
 
 "1 was thinking of books!" said Faith, her eye dancing 
 in an unknown library ; "but these would be books to 
 
216 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 lend. I think a great many would like that, Endecott ! O 
 yes, we could get plenty of help. That is a delightful 
 plan ! I don t think I ought to be sorry that basket came, 
 after all," she added smiling. Mr. Linden smiled too she 
 was a pretty Lady Bountiful 1 
 
 "Faith," he said, "suppose (it is a very presumptuous 
 supposition, but one may suppose anything) suppose when 
 my hands are free to take care of my Mignonette, that I 
 should have the offer of two or three different gardens 
 wherein to place her. How should I choose ?" 
 
 She coloured and looked at him somewhat inquiringly, 
 then turned away with a kept- in but very pretty smile. "I 
 know," she said, "how you would choose and you would 
 not ask me." 
 
 "Yes I should, little unbeliever I ask you now." 
 
 "You would go," she said gravely "where your hands 
 were most wanted." 
 
 "There spoke a true Sunbeam 1" said Mr. Linden. But 
 perhaps the word or something in the changing light of 
 the afternoon carried his thoughts on to the night train 
 which was to bear him away ; for he left Dr. Harrison, and 
 baskets, and schemes, in the background ; and drawing her 
 closer to his side talked of her affairs what she had been 
 doing, what she meant to do, in various ways, trying to 
 leave as it were a sort of network of his care about her. 
 Then came twilight, and Mrs. Derrick and tea; with Faith s 
 light figure flitting to and fro in preparation; and then 
 prayers. And then how fast the clock ticked ! how fast 
 the minutes began to run away ! 
 
 The storm did not rest, it blew and beat and poured 
 down as hard as ever, eddying round the house in gusts 
 that made every word and every minute within doors seem 
 quieter and sweeter. And the words were many, and the 
 minutes too yet they dropped away* one by one, and the 
 upper glass was empty! 
 
CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 * 
 
 FAITH fortified herself with a triple wall of mental 
 resolves against Dr. Harrison s advances. Bat when 
 the doctor came again, a night or two after Thanksgiving, 
 there did not seem to be much that she could do or hin 
 der. The doctor s lines of circumvallation were too skil 
 fully drawn for an inexperienced warrior like Faith to know 
 very well where to oppose him. He was not in a demon 
 strative mood at all; rather more quiet than usual. He 
 had just pushed an advanced work in the shape of his 
 golden cake ; and he rested there for the present. 
 
 To Faith s great joy, midway in the evening the doctor s 
 monopoly was broken by the entrance of Squire Stouten- 
 burgh and a very round game of talk. Faith seized the 
 opportunity to present her claim for a free library an 
 swered with open hand on the spot. And when he was 
 gone, she sat meditating a speech, but she was prevented. 
 The doctor, as if unconsciously amusing himself, started a 
 chymical question; and went on. to give Faith a most ex 
 quisite analysis and illustration It was impossible to listen 
 coldly ; it was impossible to maintain reserve. Faith must 
 be herself, and delight shone in every feature. Now could 
 Dr. Harrison enjoy this thoroughly and yet give no sign 
 that he did so ; his eye watched hers, while Faith thought 
 he was looking into depths of science ; his smile was a keen 
 reflection of that on her lips, while she fancied it called 
 forth only by his own skill, or success, or scientific power. 
 He had produced the very effect he wanted ; for the moment, 
 he had her all to himself. 
 
 " Miss Faith," he said gently, as his demonstration came 
 to an end, "you may command me for that library." 
 
 Faith drew back and her mind returned to business again. 
 Tlr doctor saw it, and was instantly sorry he had started 
 the subject. 
 
 "I was going to speak to you about that, Dr. Harrison. 
 .ft you have no objection, I shall take a little of that money 
 VOL ti. 19 (217) 
 
218 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 you entrusted to me, for it the beginning of it. Only a 
 little. The rest shall go as I suppose you meant it to go." 
 
 "I knew it was very sure to go right after it got into 
 your hands. I don t think I followed it any further." 
 
 " It will make a great many people happy this winter, 
 Dr. Harrison " 
 
 "I hope it will," said he very sincerely ; for he knew that 
 if it made them it would her. 
 
 "You have little notion how much," Faith went on 
 gravely. "I will do the best I can with it, and if you 
 had patience to hear, I would let you know what, Dr. Har 
 rison." 
 
 "You do me less than justice, Miss Faith. You can 
 hear me rant about philosophical niceties, and yet think 
 that I would not have patience to listen to a lecture from 
 you upon my neglected duties !" 
 
 "I didn t mean that, sir." 
 
 He gave her a genial, recognizing little smile, which was 
 not exactly in his "part" but came in spite of him. 
 
 "Do you know, I should like to hear it, Miss Faith. I 
 always like lectures illustrated. What have you done 
 already ?" 
 
 "There is an almost bed-ridden woman two miles off, 
 who will bless somebody all winter for the comfort of a 
 rocking-chair all her life, I may rather say; a common 
 wooden one, Dr. Harrison." 
 
 "That is a capital idea," said the doctor. "She will 
 bless you, I hope." 
 
 "No, certainly! I shall tell her the money is not mine, 
 I am only laying it out for a, kind somebody." 
 . "Miss Faith ," said the doctor, "I am not kind!" 
 
 "I think you are," was her gentle, somewhat wistful 
 answer. The doctor sprung up. 
 
 " Mrs. Derrick," said he with all his comicality alive, 
 "Miss Faith promised me a piece of pumpkin pie." 
 
 He had it, and taking his old place on the rug slowly 
 demolished it, qualifying every morsel with such ridiculous 
 correlative remarks, allusions, and propositions, that it 
 was beyond the power of either Mrs. Derrick or Faith to 
 retain her gravity. But the moment the door closed upou 
 him, Faith looked sober. 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 219 
 
 "Well, child?" said her mother. 
 
 "Well, mother I haven t written my French. n 
 
 And she sat down to write it, but studied something else. 
 "Manage it some other way" she had said she would; it 
 was not easy ! What was she going to do ? the doctor 
 asked nothing of her but ordinary civility ; how could she 
 refuse him that? It was a puzzle, and Faith found it so 
 as the weeks went on. It seemed to be as Mr. Linden had 
 said ; that she could do little but be as she had been, her 
 self. That did not satisfy Faith. 
 
 It was a great relief, when about the middle of Decem 
 ber the family went to New York for a few weeks, and Dr. 
 Harrison went with his family. Once more she breathed 
 freely. Then Faith and Reuben made themselves very 
 busy in preparing for the Christmas doings. Means enough 
 were on hand now. Reuben was an invaluable auxiliary 
 as a scout; to find out where anything was pressingiy 
 wanted and what; and long lists were made, and many 
 trains laid in readiness against Mr. Linden s arrival. And 
 then he came 1 
 
 It was for a good week s holiday this time, and how it 
 was enjoyed two people knew which was enough. Stu 
 dies went on after the old fashion during that week, and 
 dinners and teas out made some unavoidable interruptions, 
 yet not on the whole unpleasant. And sleigh rides were 
 taken, day and night; and walks and talks not to be men 
 tioned. Then the Newyear s visiting with such a budget 
 of new varieties ! how pleasant it was to go that round 
 again together; and it was hard to make short visits, for 
 everybody wanted to see and hear so much of Mr. Linden. 
 He stayed one extra day after that to see Faith when he 
 had done seeing everybody else, but then he went; and the 
 coldness and quiet of winter set in, broken only by letters. 
 
 There was a break of another kind when Dr. Harrison 
 came back, in the middle of January ; such a break to 
 Faith s quiet that the coldness was well nigh forgotten. 
 She had doubly resolved she would have as little as possi 
 ble to do with him ; and found presently she was having 
 quite as much as ever. 
 
 The plan of rendering him a grave account of what she 
 had done or was doing with his money, so far as the plan 
 
22 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 regarded keeping him at a distance, was a signal failure. 
 Very simply and honestly it was done, on her part; but it 
 suited the doctor admirably ; nothing could better serve his 
 purposes. Dr. Harrison heard her communication about 
 some relieved family or project of relief, with a pleasant 
 sort of attention and intelligence ; and had skill, although 
 really and professedly unwonted in the like things, to take 
 up her plans and make the most happy suggestions and 
 additions often growing a large scheme upon a small one, 
 and edging in the additional means so insensibly, so quietly, 
 that though Faith saw he did it she could not tell how to 
 hinder and did not know that she ought. Mr. Linden had 
 sent, as he promised, his help for the library, indeed sent 
 from time to time some new parcel; and without inquiring 
 whether the money he had left for 7m poor people was 
 exhausted, had sent her a fresh supply. But she had none 
 too much, from all sources. It was a winter of great 
 severity among the poorer portion of the community; 
 work was hard to come by, and the intense weather made 
 food and .clothing and tiring doubly in demand. There 
 were few starving poor people in Pattaquasset; but many 
 that winter lacked comforts, and some would have wanted 
 bread, without the diligent care of their better-off neigh 
 bours. And there as everywhere, those who gave such 
 care were few. Faith and Reuben had plenty to do. But 
 indeed not merely, nor chiefly, with the furnishing of food 
 to the hungry and firing to the cold ; neither were those 
 the points where Dr. Harrison s assistance came most help 
 fully in. 
 
 Little Ency Stephens wanted a flower now and then, as 
 well as a velocipede ; and Dr. Harrison gave not to Faith, 
 but to Faith s hands for her a nice little monthly rose 
 bush out of the greenhouse. How it smiled in the poor 
 cottage and on the ailing child ! and what could Faith do 
 but with a swelling heart to wish good to the giver. A 
 smoky chimney was putting out the eyes of a poor seam 
 stress. Dr. Harrison quietly gave Reuben orders to have 
 a certain top put to the chimney and send the bill to him. 
 He even seemed to be undertaking some things on his own 
 account. Faith heard through Reuben that he had pro 
 cured the office of post-mistress in Pattaquasset to be given 
 
SAY AND SEAL. . 221 
 
 to the distressed family she and Mr. Linden had visited at 
 Neanticut ; and that Mrs. Tuck and Miutie were settled at 
 the post-office, in all comfort accordingly. But worst of 
 all ! there were some sick people ; and one or two for whom 
 Faith dared not refuse his offer to go with her to see them. 
 Dared still less after the first time he had actually gone ; so 
 great and immediate she found the value, not of his medi 
 cines only, but of the word or two of hint and direction 
 which he gave her towards their help and healing. Faith 
 began to look forward to May with a breath of almost im 
 patience. But a change came before that. 
 
 19* 
 
CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 T^HE spring came, with all its genial influences. Not 
 now with such expeditions as the last spring had 
 seen, but with letters to take their place, and with walks 
 of business and kindness instead of pleasure. Yes, of 
 pleasure too; and Faith began to find her "knight" not 
 only a help and safeguard, but good company. Reuben 
 was so true, so simple and modest was walking in such a 
 swift path of improvement; was so devoted to Faith and 
 her interests, besides the particular bond of sympathy be 
 tween them, that she might have had many a brother and 
 fared much worse. The intercourse had not changed its 
 character outwardly Reuben s simple ceremonial of re 
 spect and deference was as strict as ever; but the thor 
 ough liking of first acquaintanceship had deepened into 
 very warm affection on both sides. With Dr. Harrison 
 Reuben gained no ground or the doctor did not with 
 him. Though often working for him and with him, though 
 invariably courteous with the most respectful propriety, 
 Faith could see that Reuben s old feeling was rather on 
 the increase. 
 
 With the spring thaw came a freshet. It came suddenly, 
 at the end of the week", every river and stream rising into 
 a full tide of insurrection with the inciting snows of Satur 
 day, and Saturday night bridges and mill-dams went by the 
 board. Among the rest, one of the railway bridges near 
 Pattaquasset gave way, and a full train from the east set- 
 down its freight of passengers in Pattaquasset over Sun 
 day. They amused themselves variously as such freight 
 in such circumstances is wont to do. Faith knew that the 
 church was well filled that Sunday morning, but the fact or 
 the cause concerned her little did not disturb the quiet 
 path of her thoughts and steps, until church was out and 
 she coming home, alone that day, as it happened. Then 
 she found the walk full and her walk hindered. Especially 
 by two gentlemen who as the others thinned off, right and 
 (222) 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 223 
 
 left, still went straight on ; not fast enough to get away 
 from Faith nor slow enough for her to pass them. They 
 were strangers, evidently, and town bred. One of them 
 reminded Faith of Dr. Harrison, in dress and style both 
 belonged to a class of which she had seen few specimens. 
 But she gave them little heed (save as they detained her,) 
 nor cared at all for their discussion of the weather, or 
 the place. Then suddenly her attention was caught and 
 held. 
 
 "By the way!" said one "this is the very place where 
 Linden was so long." 
 
 "Who? Endecott Linden?" said Dr. Harrison s like 
 ness. " What was he here for?" 
 
 "Teaching school." 
 
 " Teaching school !" echoed the other, "Endecott Lin 
 den teaching school ! Pegasus in pound ! How did the 
 rustics catch him ?" 
 
 "Pegasus came of his own accord, if I remember." 
 
 " Pshaw, yes ! but Linden. For what conceivable rea 
 son did he let himself down to teach school?" 
 
 " He didn t " said the other a little hotly. " He wouldn t 
 let himself down if he turned street-sweeper." 
 
 "True he has a sort of natural dais which he carries 
 about with him, I suppose he d make the crossing the 
 court end. But I say, what did he do this for?" 
 
 "Why for money !" said the first speaker. "What an 
 ado about nothing!" 
 
 "Inconceivable ! Just imagine, George, a man who can 
 sing as he does, teaching a, b, ab !" 
 
 "Well imagine it," said George, "and then you ll 
 wish you were six years old to have him teach you. 11 
 
 " How cross you are," said his friend lazily. "And 
 despotic. Was there nothing left of all that immense 
 property? I ve just come home, you know." 
 
 ; Not much," said George. "A little but Endecott 
 wouldn t touch that it was all put at interest for Miss 
 Pet. He would have it so, and even supported her as 
 long as she staid in the country. What he works so hard 
 for ?7.oi I don t understand." 
 
 "Works, does he? I thought he was studying for 
 the church going to bury himself again. It s a crying 
 
224 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 shame! why he might be member, minister, Secretary, 
 President !" 
 
 " He !" cried George in hot disdain, "he soil his fingers 
 with politics ! No he s in the right place now, there s 
 no other pure enough for him." 
 
 " I didn t know you admired the church so much," said 
 nis friend ironically. 
 
 "I don t only the place in it where he ll stand. That s 
 grand." 
 
 "And so he s at work yet ?" 
 
 "Yes indeed and it puzzles me. That year here ought 
 to have carried him through his studies." 
 
 "Why what can he do ? not teach school now, he s no 
 time for it." 
 
 "He can give lessons and does. Makes the time, I 
 suppose. You know he has learned about everything but 
 Theology. Oliphant was telling me about it the other day." 
 
 "What a strange thing!" said the other musingly, 
 "such a family, so swept overboard ! What a house that 
 was! You remember his mother, George?" 
 
 "I should think so ! and the way Endecott used to sing 
 to her every night, no matter who was there." 
 
 "Yes," sai$ the doctor s confrere "and come to her to 
 be kissed afterwards. I should have laughed at any other 
 man but it set well on him. So did her diamond ring in 
 his hair, which she was so fond of handling. How did he 
 make out to live when she died ?" 
 
 " I don t know " said George with a half drawn breath 
 a little reverently too : " I suppose he could tell you. But 
 all that first year nobody saw him unless somebody in 
 need or sorrow : they could always find him. He looked as 
 if he had taken leave of the world except to work for it." 
 
 "How courted he used to be!" said the other "how 
 petted not spoiled, strange to say. Do you suppose he ll 
 ever marry, George ? will he ever find any one to suit his 
 notions? He s had enough to choose from already in 
 Europe and here. What do they say of him off yonder 
 where he is now ?" 
 
 "They say he s rock crystal, because ice will meU," 
 said George. " So I suppose his notions are as high as ever." 
 
 "You used to admire Miss Linden, if I remember," said 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 225 
 
 his friend. "What a ring that was I I wonder if she s 
 got it. George I sha n t walk any further in this mud 
 turn about." 
 
 Which the two did, suddenly. Both stepped aside out 
 of Faith s way, in surprise her light footfall had not 
 made them lower their voices. But in that moment they 
 could see that she was a lady ; in acknowledgment of which 
 fact the one gentleman bowed slightly, and the other lifted 
 his hat. Faith had thrown back her veil to hear better 
 what they were saying, not expecting so sudden an encoun 
 ter; arid as she passed, secure in being a stranger, gave 
 them both a view of as soft a pair of eyes as they had 
 either of them ever looked into, which also sought theirs 
 with a curious intentness, borne out by the high bright 
 tinge which excitement had brought into her cheeks. 
 Both of them saw and remembered, for swift as it was, the 
 look was not one to forget. But the glance added lit 
 tle to what Faith knew already about the strangers, and 
 she went on her way feeling as if a stricture had been 
 bound tight round her heart. 
 
 The words about Mr. Linden s fastidiousness she knew 
 quite enough of him to verify; and in the light of these 
 people s talk it almost seemed to Faith as if there had 
 been some glamour about her as if she should some day 
 prove to be "magician s coin" after all. But though the 
 old sense of unworthiness swept over her, Faith was not 
 of a temper to dwell long or heavily upon such a doubt. 
 Her heart had been strangely stirred besides by what was 
 said of his mother, and his old way of life, and his changes. 
 She knew about them of course before; yet as a trifle, the 
 touching of a single ray, will often give a new view of an 
 old scene, those side words of strangers set all Mr. Lin 
 den s time of joy and sorrow with such vivid reality before 
 her, that her heart was like to break with it. That effect 
 too, more or less, passed away from her mind, never 
 entirely. Another thing staid. 
 
 "What he works so hard for now" Then he was work 
 ing hard! and doing his own studies and correcting her 
 French exercises, and giving her lessons all the while, as 
 well as to other people ; and bringing her gifts with the 
 fruit of his work! And not an atom of it all could Faith 
 
226 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 touch to change. She pondered it, and she knew it. She 
 doubted whether she could with any good effect venture so 
 much as a remonstrance ; and the more Faith thought, the 
 more this doubt resolved itself into certainty. And all the 
 while, he was working hard ! Round that fact her thoughts 
 beat, like an alarmed bird round its nest; about as help 
 lessly. 
 
 Mrs. Derrick thought Faith was more grave and ab 
 stracted than usual that day, and sometimes thought so 
 afterwards ; that was all Faith made known. 
 
 Dr. Harrison thought the same thing on the next occa 
 sion of his seeing her, and on the next; or rather he 
 thought she held off from him more than usual ; what the 
 root of it might be he was uncertain. And circumstances 
 were unfavourable to the exactness of his observations for 
 some time thereafter. 
 
 It was yet early in March, when Mrs. Stoutenburgh 
 took a very troublesome and tedious fever, which lasted 
 several weeks. It was reckoned dangerous, part of the 
 time, and Mrs. Derrick and Faith were in very constant 
 attendance. Faith especially, for Mrs. Stoutenburgh liked 
 no one else so well about her; and gratitude and re 
 gard made her eager to do all she might. So daily and 
 nightly she was at Mrs. Stouteuburgh s bedside, ministering 
 to her in all the gentle offices of a nurse, and in that line 
 besides where Mr. Linden had declared Dr. Harrison but 
 half knew his profession. And there, and about this work, 
 Dr. Harrison met her. 
 
 Their meetings were of necessity very often; but no lec 
 tures, nor discussions, nor much conversation, were now 
 possible. Faith felt she had a vantage ground, and used 
 it The doctor felt he had lost ground, or at the least was 
 not gaining ; and against some felt but unrecognized obsta 
 cle in his way his curiosity and passion chafed. He could 
 see Faith nowhere else now; she contrived not to meet 
 him at home. She was out with Reuben or resting or 
 unavoidably busy, when he came there. And Dr. Harrison 
 knew the resting times were needed, and could only fume 
 against the business in which he sometimes had some reason.. 
 
 One day he found her at her post in the sick room, 
 when Mrs. Stouteuburgh had fallen asleep. It was to- 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 227 
 
 wards the end of the afternoon. An open Bible lay on 
 the bed s side; and Faith sat there resting her head on 
 her hand. She was thinking how hard Mr. Linden was 
 working, and herself looking somewhat as if she were fol 
 lowing his example. 
 
 " What are you doing ?" said the doctor softly. 
 
 "I have been reading to Mrs. Stoutenburgh." 
 
 ; * Feverish " whispered the doctor. 
 
 "No; she has gone to sleep." 
 
 "Tired her!" 
 
 "No," said Faith with a smile, " it s resting. The Bible 
 never tired any one yet, that loved it I think. " 
 
 "Well people " said the doctor. 
 
 " Sick people ! You re mistaken, Dr. Harrison. Sick 
 people most of all." 
 
 "Do you know that you will be sick next," said he 
 gravely, "if you do not take more care?" 
 
 A fair little smile denied any fear or care .on that sub 
 ject, but did not satisfy the doctor. 
 
 "I do not approve of what you are doin;," said he 
 seriously. 
 
 "Reading this?" 
 
 "Even the same." 
 
 "But you are mistaken, Dr. Harrison," she said gently. 
 "There is nothing so soothing, to those that love it. I 
 wish you loved it! Don t you remember you confessed to 
 me once that somebody had told you you had but half 
 learned your profession?" 
 
 Faith trembled, for she had said those last words wit 
 tingly. She could not have spoken them, if the light in 
 the room had not been such as to hide her change of 
 colour ; and even then she dared not speak the name she 
 alluded to. But she had said it half as a matter of COP 
 science. 
 
 It drew forth no answer from the doctor, for Mrs. 
 Stoutenburgh just then stirred and awoke. And Faith 
 little guessed the train she had touched. There were no 
 indications of manner; and she could not, as Dr. Harrison 
 went leisurely down the stairs, see the tremendous bound 
 his mind made with the question, 
 
 "Is it that book that stands in my way? or HE!" 
 
CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 MRS. STOUTENBURGH got well. And it was in 
 Faith s mind then, by some means to see very little 
 more of Dr. Harrisoti till Mr. Linden should be in Pattaquas- 
 set again. So much for human intentions. Faith fell sick 
 herself; and instead of being kept at a distance Dr. Har 
 rison saw her twice at least in the twenty-four hours. 
 
 It was a doubtful privilege to see those soft eyes lustrous 
 with fever and a steady glow take place of the changing 
 and flitting hues which were as much a part of Faith s lan 
 guage, at times, as the movements of a horse s ears are part 
 of his. But as after a few days it became evident that 
 there was nothing dangerous about Faith s attack, it is 
 probable that the doctor rather enjoyed his position than 
 otherwise. The freedom and authority of his office were a 
 pleasant advance upon the formalities of ordinary inter 
 course ; and to see Faith and speak to her and touch her 
 hand without any ceremonial but that of friendship, was an 
 advantage great enough to desire the prolonging thereof. 
 Faith was a gentle patient; and Dr. Harrison s care was 
 unbounded ; though it was not alarming, even to Mrs. Der 
 rick, as he assured her there was no cause. 
 
 For a week however Faith kept her bed, and even Dr.- 
 Harrison was glad when at the end of a week she was able 
 to be up again. Especially perhaps as it was only in her 
 wrapper and an easy-chair ; his office was not at an end ; 
 the fever, in a remittent or intermittent form, still hung 
 about her and forbade her doing anything but taking care 
 of herself. 
 
 Not precisely in this category of duty were the letters 
 Faith had written all that week. She had written them, 
 how was best known by an aching head and burning 
 fingers and feverish vision. Bat an interruption of them 
 would have drawn on Mr. Linden s knowing the reason; 
 (228) 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 229 
 
 and tnen Faith knew that no considerations would keep 
 him from coming to her. It was towards the end of the 
 study term ; he was working hard already ; she could not 
 endure that any further bar should be placed in his way. 
 None should for her. And so, bit by bit when she could 
 do but a bit at a time, the letters were written. Exercises 
 had to be excused. And Faith was a third very thankful 
 when at the end of a sick week, she was able to get up and 
 be dressed and sit in the easy-chair and see the diamonds 
 sparkling against her brown wrapper again. 
 
 It was April now, and a soft springy day. A fire burned 
 gently in the chimney, while a window open at a little dis 
 tance let in Spring s whispers and fragrances; and the plain 
 old-fashioned room looked cozy and pretty, as some rooms 
 will look under undefinable influences. Nothing could be 
 plainer. There was not even the quaint elegance of Mr. 
 Linden s room ; this one was wainscotted with light blue 
 and whitewashed, and furnished with the simplest of chintz 
 furniture. But its simplicity and purity were all in tone 
 with the Spring air and the cheer of the wood fire ; and not 
 at all a bad setting for the figure that sat there in the great 
 chintz chair before the fire; her soft hair in bright order, 
 the quiet brown folds of the wrapper enveloping her, and 
 the flash of the diamonds giving curious point and effect to 
 the whole picture. Faith was alone and looking very 
 happy. 
 
 It wanted but a few weeks now of Mr. Linden s coming 
 home, coming home for a longer rest and sight of her ; and 
 Faith had not seen him since January. Mrs. Stouten- 
 burgh s illness and Faith s consequent fatigue had in part 
 accounted to him for the short letters and missing French 
 exercises, but she could see that such excuse would not long 
 be made for her, his last one or two letters had been more 
 anxious, more special in their inquiries : how glad she was 
 that he need have no further cause for either. Partly 
 musing on all this, partly on what she had been reading, 
 Faith sat that afternoon, when the well-known single soft 
 knock at her door announced Reuben Taylor. He came in 
 with a glad face how sad it had lately been Faith had 
 seen, sick as she was, and with both hands full of pleasant 
 things. One hand was literally full, of cowslips ; and as he 
 
 VOL. ii. 20 
 
230 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 came up and gave her bis other hand, it seemed to Faith as 
 if a great spot of Spring gold was before her eyes. 
 
 "Dear Miss Faith," Reuben said, "I wonder if anybody 
 can ever be thankful enough, to see you better ! You feel 
 stronger than yesterday, don t you, ma am ?" 
 
 "I can t be thankful enough, Reuben I feel that to-day. 
 How good you are to bring me those cowslips ! yes, 
 1 am stronger than I was yesterday." 
 
 That Faith was not very strong was sufficiently shewn by 
 the way her hands lay in her lap and on the arm of the 
 chair, and by the lines of her pale quiet face. Bodily 
 strength was not flourishing there. Reuben looked at her 
 wistfully, with a half-choked sigh, then knelt down beside 
 her chair, as he often did. 
 
 "I didn t bring them all, Miss Faith I mean, I didn t 
 pick them all. Charlie and Robbie saw me in the meadow, 
 and nothing would do but they must help. I don t think 
 they always knew which to pick but I thought you wouldn t 
 mind that," he said as he laid the cowslips on the table, 
 their fair yellow faces shewing very fair in the sick room. 
 Faith s face was bright before, but it brightened still. 
 
 "They look lovely to me tell Charlie and Rob I will 
 thank them when I can. I don t thank you, Reuben," she 
 said turning from the flowers to him. 
 
 " No, ma am, I should hope not," he said, answering her 
 smile gratefully. " But that s not all, Miss Faith for Ency 
 Stephens sent you one of her rosebuds," and Reuben took 
 a little parcel carefully from his pocket. " It s only wrapped 
 up in brown paper, because I hadn t time to go home for 
 white. And she told me to tell you, Miss Faith," he added, 
 both eyes and cheek flushing "that she prays every 
 day for you to get well and for Mr. Linden to come home." 
 
 The smile died on Faith s face and her eyes fell. " He 
 ought to have this," she said presently, with a little flush on 
 her own cheek. " I don t feel as if it should come to me. 
 Reuben, does she want anything?" It was very rare, 
 even now, for Faith to speak directly to Reuben of Mr. 
 Linden, though she was ready enough to hear Reuben 
 speak of him. 
 
 " No, ma am, I think not," he said in answer to net ques 
 tion. "You know did you ever hear, Miss Faith? that 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 231 
 
 when Mr. Linden first went there she was kept in the 
 house the whole time, nobody knew how to take her out 
 or took the trouble ; and Mr. Linden carried her half a 
 mile down the lane that very first day. And you can guese 
 how he talked *q her, Miss Faith, they said she looked 
 like another child when she catne back. But is there any 
 thing I can do for you, ma am, before I go to the post- 
 office ? it s almost time." 
 
 "If you ll fill that glass with water for me, Reuben 
 that I mayn t let my sweet cowslips fade that s all. They ll 
 do me good all to-morrow." 
 
 Reuben went off, his place presently supplied by Mrs. 
 Stoutenburgh ; who against all persuasion had insisted upon 
 coming down to see Faith. And then Faith was left to 
 the calm companionship of her cowslips till Reuben came 
 back from the post-office. 
 
 He came up to Faith s chair, and taking out the letter 
 broke the outer seal, (a ceremony he generally performed in 
 her presence) and was just removing the envelope when the 
 doctor came in for his evening visit. The doctor saw a 
 tableau, Faith, the cowslips, and Reuben, Mrs. Derrick 
 by the window he hardly saw, nor what the o thers were 
 about. But that he had interrupted something was clear 
 the very atmosphere of the room was startled ; and though 
 Reuben s position hid both letter and hands, it was certain 
 the hands were busy. What was in them, and what became 
 of it, the doctor could not tell. Before he was fairly in the 
 room the letter had retreated to Reuben s pocket, and 
 Reuben stepped back and stood behind Faith s chair. 
 
 The doctor laid a hand on his shoulder with a How 
 do you do as he passed; and accosted Faith with all the 
 free kindliness which his office of physician permitted him 
 to add to the friend. The doctor took all his advantage ; 
 he did not take more ; and not Faith herself could see that 
 there was any warmer feeling behind his pleasant and 
 pleased eye and smile. But it is true Faith was a simple 
 ton. She did not see that his pleasantness covered keen 
 scrutiny. The scrutiny found nothing. 
 
 " How do you do ?" he said. 
 
 "I don t suppose I need say a word to tell you," Faith 
 answered smiling. "I am well enough to enjoy cowslips." 
 
232 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 The doctor s eye fell slightingly upon them, which was 
 not wonderful. 
 
 "I think you must be very well!" he said with some 
 trifle of addenda from lip and eye. "You see you are 
 mistaken. I shouldn t have known how well, except from 
 your words." 
 
 "You are mistaken now, Dr. Harrison," said Faith in the 
 slow quiet way in which she spoke to-day. "You think 
 these are not splendid but they are bits of spring !" 
 
 "They are not Spring s best bits, I hope," said the 
 doctor. 
 
 "What do you think of that?" 
 
 The doctor took the rosebud and looked at it. 
 
 "If I were to tell you what I think of it," he said with a 
 sort of grave candour, "you would dismiss me, and I should 
 come here no more I" 
 
 "Reuben brought me that, Dr. Harrison, from the little 
 lame girl you sent the rosebush to, in the winter. I wish 
 you knew how much good that rosebush has done !" 
 
 "I sometimes wish," said the doctor, "that I had been 
 born in a cottage !" 
 
 " Why, in the world ?" 
 
 "It would be so pleasant to have people come and bring 
 me rosebushes!" 
 
 "Or cowslips ?" said Faith. " Then you would have a 
 taste for cowslips." 
 
 "But then the people might get sick," said the doctor, 
 waiving the bits of spring ;- "so I am content. How 
 are you to-day?" He took Faith s hand and felt it, and 
 looked at her. The result did not seem to be unsatisfactory 
 on the whole. 
 
 You mustn t read too much in that book," said he, 
 glancing over at it. 
 
 "Why not?" 
 
 "You must keep quiet." 
 
 "For how long?" 
 
 " It depends. There is a little enemy of fever hanging 
 about your skirts, that I will oppose with something else ; 
 but all you can oppose to him is quietness." 
 
 Faith thought of the words "The rock of my defence 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 233 
 
 and my refuse" what quietness was like that of their 
 giving; but she said nothing to the doctor. 
 
 Dr. Harrison gave Mrs. Derrick her directions on various 
 points; then taking his old-fashioned stand on the rug, 
 surveyed the easy-chair and its occupant and Reuben still 
 behind it. 
 
 "By the way, Mrs. Derrick," said he carelessly, "I 
 have heard a pretty story of your friend Mr. Linden." He 
 noticed, but only that Faith had glanced at him and was to 
 all appearance quietly looking down at her cowslips. 
 
 "I dare say, doctor," said Mrs. Derrick placidly. "I ve 
 heard a great many." 
 
 " Have you heard it ?" 
 
 "Heard what?" said Mrs. Derrick. "It s an old pretty 
 story that everybody loves him." 
 
 "I heard this only the other day," said the doctor. "It s 
 not of that kind. But stories will be stories and people 
 will tell them." 
 
 How the colour flushed and paled in Reuben s cheek ! 
 he stood resting his hands lightly on the back of Faith s 
 chair, looking down. The colour on Faith s cheek did not 
 change. 
 
 "Who told this?" said Mrs. Derrick. 
 
 "People that have known the family. They say, he has 
 managed to run through a very large property, and that he 
 leaves his sister now to live upon charity." 
 
 It was impossible to tell from the doctor s manner whether 
 he put any faith in his story himself. It was as much like 
 delivering a report as bringing a charge. It might have 
 been either ! He saw Reuben s colour become fixed and 
 very high, but though the doctor could almost have sworn 
 that there was a rush of hid tears under the boy s drooping 
 eyelids, yet the lines about the mouth took the curl of an 
 irrepressible smile. Mrs. Derrick picked up two stitches, 
 made a third then answered. 
 
 "So that s what you call a pretty story! It was hardly 
 worth remembering to tell us, doctor, you and I, and 
 Reuben, and Faith, know better." Now could not the 
 doctor tell for the life of him, whether the words were sim 
 ply innocent, or simply malicious! Mrs. Derrick was jso 
 
 20* 
 
234 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 imperturbable there, at her knitting! Neither did the 
 doctor much care. It sounded to him just like Mrs. Der 
 rick. He looked at Faith; and remarked lightly that "he 
 didn t know anything !" 
 
 Faith was very quiet ; he could not see that her colour 
 had risen more than a little, and a little was not enough to 
 judge by in her face. But in an instant more after he had 
 spoken, she looked full and gravely up at him. 
 
 "Do you believe everything about everybody, Dr. Har 
 rison ?" 
 
 " On the contrary ! I don t believe anything of anybody I 
 Except you," he added with a little smile. 
 
 " Do you believe such a story ?" 
 
 Her steady soft eyes, which did not move from him, gave 
 him an uncomfortable feeling perhaps of undefined remem 
 brance. "I don t believe it,"- he said returning her gaze. 
 "I don t do anything with it. Such things are said of 
 everybody and of almost everybody they are true. I take 
 them as they come. But about this particular case," he 
 said with one of his gentle looks, "I will do just what you 
 say I must do." 
 
 Faith smiled. 
 
 "I don t say you must do anything. I am sorry for you, 
 Dr. Harrison." 
 
 "I am glad you are sorry !" he said sitting down by her. 
 "And there is reason enough; but what is this one ?" 
 
 "You lose a great pleasure." 
 
 "What one?" 
 
 "You don t know how to trust." 
 
 "Do I not?" said the doctor, looking at the rosebud still 
 in his hand. "Well you shall teach me!" And spring 
 ing up he bowed to Mrs. Derrick and went off rosebud 
 and all. 
 
 Reuben stood still for about half a minute then came 
 round, and silently gave Faith her letter. 
 
 "Reuben Taylor!" said Faith, as he was going after 
 the doctor. "You have been standing so long suppose 
 you sit down for a minute ?" 
 
 Whatever Reuben thought of the request, he said no 
 thing, but obeyed her, bringing a foot cushion to her chair 
 and bestowing himself upon it. Faith smiled at him as she 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 235 
 
 spoke again, though there was an unwonted fire in her owe 
 eyes ; and the blood came fast now to her face. 
 
 "Reuben, I wanted to ask you what all that colour is 
 in your cheeks for ?" 
 
 Reuben hesitated there seemed a stricture across his 
 breast which made speaking hard work ; but at last he said 
 frankly, though in none of the clearest tones, 
 
 "Because I m angry, Miss Faith and hurt too." 
 
 Faith s next words fell like pearls 
 
 " It isn t worth the while." 
 
 "No, Miss Faith," he answered without looking up. 
 
 "It s too much honour to something that doesn t deserve 
 it, and Reuben it s too little to something that does." 
 
 "0 no, ma am! it s not that!" Reuben said, raising his 
 eyes to her face with the old earnest look. "But Miss 
 Faith, there are some things tme can t bear to hear said 
 and said so," he added a little lower, and looking down 
 again. "And then he s Dr. Harrison, and I m only a 
 poor boy and mayn t answer him and that fretted me; 
 and it isn t the first time, neither," Reuben said, as if he 
 were making a clean breast of it. "Oh Miss Faith! I d 
 rather have had him knock me down, than speak such 
 words !" Tears were getting the upper hand in the boy s 
 voice. 
 
 "Dear Reuben," said Faith, very quietly, though her 
 cheeks were two carnations, "what I am most sorry for is 
 Dr. Harrison." 
 
 Reuben drew a long breath, with his "Yes, ma am I m 
 sorry for him too, very aften when he talks about other 
 things. But I don t believe even you know just just 
 how false that was." Reuben spoke as if the words choked 
 nira. "It s maybe never come in your way to know all he 
 did here for everybody, and for me." 
 
 There was a quick pulsation at that instant from Faith s 
 heart to the hand that held her letter, but she only said, 
 "Tell me!" 
 
 " I couldn t begin to tell you all, ma am," Reuben said, 
 
 a sfflile coming over his face now, "nobody could but 
 
 himself and he wouldn t remember. I couldn t even tell 
 
 you all he s done for me; but one thing" Reuben s eyes 
 
 ^and voice fell and he spoke very low. "You know, Miss 
 
236 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 Faith, the rate of schooling here is fixed by the trustees. 
 And the first day I came father told me to say he didn t 
 know that he could find the money for more than one 
 quarter, but he had so much all ready, and he wanted me 
 to have so much. I thought it would be hard to ask, but 
 it was so easy of him, 7 Reuben said with that same smile. 
 " Mr. Linden didn t say much about it only yes but then 
 he spoke to father (that very day we were at the shore Miss 
 Faith) and told him I should come all the time for the 
 pleasure of teaching me." (Reuben thought the compli 
 ment went all to Mr. Linden, or he would not have told it.) 
 " But father wouldn t do that, he said Mr. Linden should 
 have the money as fast as he could get it; arid if he didn t 
 take it I shouldn t come. And it was paid all the year, 
 regularly. But then, Miss Faith " there was a pause. 
 
 "What, Reuben?" she whispered. 
 
 "Then instead of keeping it for himself, he put it all in 
 the bank for me. And I never knew it till I opened the 
 letter he gave me when he was going away." 
 
 The brightness of the hidden diamonds danced in Faith s 
 face for a minute half hidden too, but it was there. 
 
 " Reuben," she whispered, as he was starting up to go, 
 "what we have to do is to pray for Dr. Harrison." 
 
 "Miss Faith, how do people live who do not pray?" 
 
 "I don t know!" 
 
 But Faith s voice did not speak the thanksgiving which 
 bounded in her heart to Reuben s words. She sat back in 
 her chair looking tired, with her letter clasped fast in her 
 hand. Reuben stepped forward and arranged the fire softly 
 then giving her another wistful look he bowed and went 
 lightly out of the room. With gentle step Mrs. Derrick 
 came up to Faith, to kiss her and ask how she felt. Faith s 
 eyelids unclosed. 
 
 "Very happy, mother, and tired too. Don t you think 
 I could have a light presently ?" 
 
 " This minute, pretty child. But lie down on the couch, 
 Faith, and I ll bring up the little table." 
 
 That was done, and then Faith read her letter, with^first 
 a rapid and then a slow enjoyment of it, making every word 
 and sentence do more than double duty, and bring the very 
 writer near. And then she lay with it clasped upon her 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 237 
 
 bosom, thinking those flowing trains of half feverish thought 
 which are so full of images, but which in her case flowed 
 with a clear stream over smooth channels, nor ever met a 
 rough break or jar. Even Dr. Harrison did not make an 
 exception, for Faith s thought of him was constantly soft 
 ened by her prayer for him. Her mother drew near when 
 the letter was at last folded up, and watched her from the 
 other side of the stand; but though mind and heart too 
 were full enough, she rightly judged that Faith needed no 
 more excitement ; and so never mentioned Dr. Harrison s 
 name, nor even asked how he came to carry oif the rosebud. 
 
 Faith s trains of thought ended at last in a sleep which 
 lasted till past her tea-time. Mrs. Derrick was still by her 
 side when she awoke, and Faith opening her eyes as quietly 
 as she had shut them, remarked, 
 
 "Mother! letters are great things." 
 
 "Why child," said her mother smiling, "what have you 
 been dreaming about?" 
 
 "Nothing. That isn t a dream; it s a reality." 
 
 Blessing in her heart the sender of the reality which gave 
 such pleasure, Mrs. Derrick answered, " Yes, child, it s real 
 arid so s he." 
 
 Faith said nothing to that except by her smile. She 
 only spoke the hope that she might be stronger the next 
 day ; a sentiment which though at first sight it might seem 
 to have nothing to do with the former subject, was really in 
 very close connexion with it. 
 
 But Faith was not stronger the next day. The fever 
 was not driven away and strength was in the grip of it yet. 
 The doctor gave her no new directions, but insisted very 
 much on quietness and care. There was nothing to be 
 apprehended of the fever but tediousness, and the further 
 and prolonged loss of strength; but that was quite enough 
 to have to avoid. For that she must take all sorts of care. 
 He also said that the case might go on without his over 
 sight for a day or two, and that for that space of time in 
 the middle of the week he should be absent from Pattaquas- 
 set, having a very urgent call of business elsewhere. 
 
 And whether for that reason or needing no fresh one, the 
 doctor having stated so much went on to tell about other 
 things, and made a long visit. The talk came upon the 
 
AND SEAL. 
 
 Bible again, Faith didn t know how, and grew very ani 
 mated. Dr. Harrison had brought with him this morning 
 one of his pleasantest moods, or manners; he thought yes 
 terday that Faith s eyes had given him a reproof for slander, 
 and he had no intent to offend in the like way again. He 
 was grave, gentle, candid, seemingly willing to listen, but 
 that he always was to Faith ; and talked sense or feeling 
 in a most sensible and simple way. Yet the conversation 
 ended with giving Faith great pain. He had asked her to 
 read something confirmatory or illustrative of the statement 
 she was making, out of the Bible ; and Faith had complied 
 with his wish. That was nothing strange. She had often 
 done it. To-day the reading had been followed by a little 
 observation, acutely put, which Faith felt raised a barrier 
 between him and the truth she had been pressing. She felt 
 it, and yet she could not answer him. She knew it was 
 false ; she could see that his objection was foundationless 
 stood on air; but she did not see the path by which she 
 might bring the doctor up to her standing-point where he 
 might see it too. It was as if she were at the top of a 
 mountain and he at the bottom ; her eye commanded a full 
 wide view of the whole country, while his could see but a 
 most imperfect portion. But to bring him up to her, Faith 
 knew not. It is hard, when feet are unwilling to climb ! 
 And unskilled in the subtleties of controversy, most inno 
 cent of the duplicities of unbelief, Faith saw her neighbour 
 entangled, as it seemed, in a mesh of his own weaving and 
 had not power to untie the knot. It distressed her. Other 
 knots of skepticism or ignorance that he had presented to 
 her she had cut easily with the sword of truth if she could 
 not untie ; he had offered her one to-day that she could cut 
 indeed as easily for herself, but not for him. To do that 
 called for not better wits, but for far greater controversial 
 acumen and logical practice than Faith knew. He did 
 not press his point, not even for victory; he gave the ob 
 jection to her and left it there ; but while to her it was 
 "mere rottenness of reasoning, she knew that for him it 
 stood. It grieved her deeply; and Mrs. Derrick saw her 
 worn and feverish all the day, without knowing what special 
 reason there had been. She tried to stop Faith s working; 
 but though not fit for it, Faith would not be stopped She 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 239 
 
 dared not trust Mr. Linden with any more excuses or put- 
 offs ; and a feverish cheek and hand that day and the next 
 went over her exercise and letter. And enjoyed both, in 
 spite of fever. But when they were done, late in the next 
 day, Faith lay down wearily on the couch and consoled 
 herself with the thoughts of the letter to come ; it was the 
 evening for one. 
 
 It was the evening for one and yet one came not. Other 
 letters came the great leather bag was tossed out on the 
 station-house steps, and thence borne off to the post-office, 
 where five minutes later Reuben Taylor came to wait for 
 his share of the contents. But when with the assurance 
 which has never yet known disappointment, Reuben ap 
 plied at the window, Mintie gave him a rather coquettish 
 
 "No, Mr. Taylor you re not in luck to-day, there s 
 nothing for you." 
 
 In his surprise Reuben tried every means to make him 
 self and her believe that she was mistaken ; and urged a new 
 examination of all the letters, till Mintie made or feigned 
 to make it, with the same success. 
 
 Reuben turned away from the office in real sorrow of 
 heart. He had not now to learn what store was set by 
 those letters especially now, when Faith was sick, he had 
 noticed her holding of that very last one which had come. 
 And then, not merely to lose the pleasure, but to have the 
 disappointment ! Then too, what had hindered the letter? 
 One sometimes came out of time, but the expected one 
 hud never yet failed. Was Mr. Linden sick? and what 
 would Miss Faith think? the letter might fail from other 
 causes (hardly, Reuben thought) but what would she 
 think ? herself so far from well. And then, should he go 
 at once and tell her or let her find it out from his non- 
 appearance ? 
 
 That last idea was promptly rejected, she should at 
 least not be in suspense, and Reuben was soon at her door, 
 as soon admitted. But he came in very quietly, without 
 that spring of step which had so often brought a letter, arid 
 standing by her chair said gently, 
 
 Miss Faith, I didn t find anything to-night but I 
 thought I d come and tell you, for fear you d be ex 
 pecting. " 
 
240 SAY, AND SEAL. 
 
 "-Not find anything !" said Faith raising herself half up, 
 with the start of colour into her pale cheeks. 
 
 "No, ma am, they said at the office there was nothing. 
 Maybe it will come to-rnorrow." 
 
 It hurt him to see the little patient droop of each feature 
 as Faith laid herself down again. 
 
 "Thank you, Reuben," she said. "0 yes, maybe it 
 will." 
 
 Words of consolation Reuben did not presume to offer, 
 but there was a great deal in his face and quiet low-spoken 
 "Can I do anything to-night, Miss Faith?" 
 
 "No," she said cheerfully. "There s nothing. Isn t it 
 time Mr. and Mrs. Roscom had some fresh eggs, Reuben ? 
 Mother will give you them." 
 
 Reuben only said he would stop there and see them. 
 
 The letter did not come next day. Reuben came, as 
 usual, in the afternoon, but only to tell his bad success. He 
 had not the heart to bring cowslips again, and ventured no 
 words to Faith but about some of her poor people. That 
 subject Faith went into fully. After Reuben was gone she 
 lay quiet a while ; and took her indemnification in the even 
 ing by getting Mrs. Derrick to read to her one or two of 
 those strings of passages which Faith called ladders. 
 Whether she could mount by them or not just then, her 
 mother might ; and hearing them Faith went to sleep. She 
 said nothing about her letters, except to tell Mrs. Derrick 
 they had not come. 
 
 That day and the next were quiet days, being the days of 
 Dr. Harrison s absence. And if some accident had befallen 
 Wednesday s letter, there was good hope of one Friday. And 
 as Friday wore away, Faith did not know that she was 
 counting the hours, and yet could at any time have answered 
 any question as to the time of day. It was one of those 
 calm days, within doors and without, which ebb away so 
 noiselessly, that only the clock tells their progress. Faith s 
 little clock (Mr. Linden had amused himself with sending 
 her one, about- as big as a good-sized watch on a stand) 
 ticked musically on the table, suggesting a good many 
 things. Not merely the flight of time not merely that 
 the train would soon be in, not merely that she might 
 soon have a letter; nor even that it, the clock, had seen 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 241 
 
 Mr. Linden since she had. All these thoughts mingled, 
 but with them something else. They would tick on, those 
 minutes, relentlessly, no matter what they were to bring or 
 take away, steady, unalterable, unchecked, like the old 
 idea of Fate. She tried to be steady too tried to have 
 that fixedness of heart which says confidently, " I will sing 
 and give praise. " But she was weak yet, with the effect and 
 even the presence -of fever, and through all her thoughts she 
 seemed to feel those minutes tracking with light steps across 
 her breast. She lay with her hands clasped there, to still them. 
 
 The sun began to slant his beams in at the window, and 
 then with one long screeching "Whew!" the afternoon 
 train flew through Pattaquasset, tossing out the letter bag 
 on its way. Then Faith waited watching intently for 
 Reuben s step on the stairs. 
 
 Reuben on his part had watched the letter-bag from the 
 moment it was thrown out, had followed it to the office, and 
 there posted himself near the window to have the first 
 chance. But his prize was a blank. 
 
 Sick at heart, Reuben drew back a little, giving way 
 before Mintie s rather sharp "I tell you no, Mr. Taylor, 1 
 and other people s earnest pressing forward to the window. 
 But when the last one had gone those happy people, who 
 had got their letters ! Reuben again presented himself, and 
 braved Mintie s displeasure by further inquiries ; which pro 
 duced nothing but an increase of the displeasure. He 
 turned and walked slowly away. It might have been any 
 weather he might have met anybody or heard anything; 
 but when Reuben reached Mrs. Derrick s the whole walk 
 was a blank to him. What was the matter how would 
 Miss Faith bear it these two questions lay on his heart. 
 In vain he tried to lay them down, for the very words 
 which told him .that "the Lord doth not afflict willingly," 
 said also that he doth afflict; and Reuben s heart sank. 
 He stood for a moment in the porch, realizing how people 
 live who do pray then went in and straight upstairs, 
 walked up to Faith s couch when admitted, and without 
 giving himself much time to think, told his news. 
 
 "Dear Miss Faith, you must wait a little longer yet. 
 May I write by to-night s mail and ask why the letter hasn t 
 come ? it may have been lost." 
 
 VOL. II. 21 
 
242 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 Faith started up, with first a flush and then a great sinking 
 of colour, and steadying herself with one hand on the back 
 of the couch looked into her messenger s face as if there 
 she could track the missing letter or discern the cause that 
 kept it from her. But Reuben s face discovered nothing 
 but his sorrow and sympathy ; and Faith sank back on her 
 pillow again with a face robbed of colour beyond all the 
 power of fever s wasting to do. 
 
 "Yes write!" she said. 
 
 Reuben stood still, his hands lightly clasped, his heart 
 full of thoughts he had perhaps no right to utter, if he 
 could have found words. 
 
 " I wish you d write, Reuben, "she repeated after a moment. 
 
 "Yes, ma am," he said, "I will. Only dear Miss Faith ! 
 you know the darkness and the light are both alike to Him. " 
 Reuben was gone. 
 
 Faith lay for a few minutes as he had left her, and then 
 slipped off the couch and kneeled beside it ; for she felt as 
 if the burden of the time could be borne only so. She laid 
 her head and heart down together, and for a long time was 
 very still; setting her foot on the lowest step of some of 
 those ladders, if she could not mount by them. A foot 
 hold is something. 
 
 She was there yet, she had not stirred, when another foot 
 step in the passage and other fingers at the door made her 
 know the approach of Dr. Harrison. Faith started up and 
 met him standing. The doctor looked at her as he came 
 up. So pale, so very quiet, so purely gentle, and yet with 
 such soft strength in her eye, he had not seen her look 
 just so, nor anybody else, before. 
 
 "How do you do?" he said reverentially as he took her hand. 
 
 "I am well," said Faith. 
 
 "Are you ?" said the doctor gravely, eyeing the mark of 
 unconquered fever and its wasting effects even on her then. 
 "I am very glad to hear it, indeed !" 
 
 "I mean, that I feel well," said Faith correcting herself. 
 
 " You will feel better if you will take a more resting posi 
 tion," said -the doctor putting her into the chair. And then 
 he stood and looked at her; and Faith looked at her little 
 clock, with her foot on that step of her ladder. "He 
 kuoweth thy walking through this great wilderness." 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 243 
 
 "What have you been doing to yourself these two days ?" 
 said the doctor. 
 
 "Nothing " she said; "more than usual." 
 
 He laid her appearance all to the account of the fever, 
 she was so quiet; and proceeded to a new examination 
 of the state of her hand, and to give her various profes 
 sional orders. 
 
 "Miss Faith, can you do anything in the way of eating ?" 
 
 Her very face as well as her tongue seemed to answer 
 him, "Not much." 
 
 " Do you think of anything you could fancy?" 
 
 "No." 
 
 " I brought some birds home with me that I believe I 
 can answer for. Try to demolish the pinion of one of them 
 will you? Jt is a duty you owe to society." 
 
 "I will try," she said gravely. 
 
 The doctor wondered whether she had laid up against 
 him any of his former conversation. 
 
 "What do you think," he said with a kind of gentle 
 insinuation, "of that argument I ventured to advance the 
 other day, on the matter we were speaking of?" 
 
 "I don t like to think of it at all, Dr. Harrison." 
 
 "May I know why not?" 
 
 "Because I know it is false, and yet I cannot make you 
 see it." 
 
 "Can you make yourself see it?" 
 
 " I don t need to take any pains for that. I see it very 
 well." 
 
 " Perhaps you will find the way to make me see it," said 
 the doctor pleasantly. 
 
 "That would be easy," said Faith, "if" 
 
 " If what ? May I not know the difficulty ?" 
 
 "If you really cared about it." 
 
 " I do care about it. You mistake me when you think 
 that. But you must not think about anything now. Did 
 you know I carried off your rosebud the other night?" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 It was impossible to tell from the doctor s accent how he 
 viewed the transaction, and equally impossible from Faith s 
 answer to tell what she thought of it. Extremes meet as 
 Mr. Linden had once remarked. 
 
244 SAY .ND SEAL. 
 
 " I ll endeavour to atone for that presumption to-morrow," 
 said lie rising, for Mrs. Derrick now entered the room. To 
 her Dr. Harrison repeated his orders- and counsels, and to 
 Faith s relief took himself away. Her mother came up to 
 the easy-chair with a smothered sigh on her lips, and laid 
 her gentle hand on Faith s forehead and wrist. 
 
 "Child," she said, "has that man talked you into a fever 
 again ? I ve a great mind not to let him come any more 
 I guess I could cure you better myself. If you d send word 
 to somebody else, Faith, we d have you well in no time." 
 
 "I haven t heard from him to-night, mother." Faith felt 
 the little start of her mother s hand. 
 
 "Maybe he s coming then," said Mrs. Derrick, "he 
 might have meant to come yesterday and been hindered." 
 Faith did not think that. .~ 
 
 "We shall know," she said to her mother. "We have 
 only to wait and be quiet." And she carried out both parts 
 of her stated duty to perfection. 
 
 There is a strange sort of strength in a certain degree 
 of weakness or it may be that weakness runs sooner to its 
 refuge, while strength stands outside to do battle with the 
 evil felt or feared. Faith s gentle and firm temper was 
 never apt for struggling, with either pain or fear; it would 
 stand, or yield, as the case called for; and now, whether 
 that her mind had been living in ^uch a peaceful and loving 
 atmosphere, both earthly and heavenly, that it could settle 
 upon none but peaceful views of things, or that bodily 
 weakness made her unable to bear any other, she did mount 
 upon one of those ladders and left her burden on the 
 ground. She thought she did. She was as quiet outwardly 
 as before; she told Mrs. Derrick, who looked at her in 
 misery, and told her with a steady cheerful little smile, 
 that "she dared say the letter would come to-morrow." 
 But it is true that Faith had no power to eat that night nor 
 the next day; and that she did not know the hidden slow 
 fever not of disease which was running through all her 
 veins and making the other fever do its work again, bright 
 in her cheek and eye and beating at her temples and wrist. 
 But she was as still and quiet through it all quiet in voice 
 and brow as if letters had been full and plenty 
 
CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 IT was about midday of Saturday, when Reuben Taylor, 
 proceeding up the main street of Pattaquasset on 
 some business errand for his father, was joined by Phil 
 Davids no wonted or favourite associate or companion. 
 But Phil now walked up the street alongside of the basket 
 which had come "into town" with fish. 
 
 "I say, Reuben," said Phil after some unimportant re 
 marks had been made and answered, "does Mr. Linden 
 ever write to you ?" 
 
 Reuben started as if that touched some under current 
 of his thoughts, and answered "yes." 
 
 " I wish he d write to me," said Phil. "I know I d like 
 it. I say, Taylor, what does he send you such thick letters 
 about?" 
 
 "Such thick letters!" Reuben repeated, with a quick 
 look at his companion. "People put a great many things 
 in a letter, Phil." 
 
 "I guess likely. That s what I say. What does he 
 write to you about?" 
 
 "Maybe I ll bring up one of em for you to read," 
 said Reuben. "You ve heard him talk, Phil he writes 
 just so." 
 
 " Does he ? I guess you wouldn t like to miss one of his 
 letters then, Reuben, would you?" 
 
 "No." 
 
 " I s pose it would be a worse job yet to miss two of 
 em wouldn t it?" said Phil with a perfectly grave face. 
 
 "Phil Davids!" Reuben exclaimed, facing round upon 
 him, with such a flash of joy and hope and surprise and 
 eagerness, as made Phil wonder. "What do you mean?" 
 he added checking himself. "Just turn your pockets inside 
 out, Phil, before we go any further." 
 
 When were you at the post-office?" 
 
 21* (245) 
 
24G SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "Last night and this morning." Reuben forced him 
 self to be quiet. 
 
 " Well look here, when you go there, don t you ask for 
 letters ?" 
 
 "Ask! I ve asked till they were all out of patience." 
 
 "Suppose you come to the right shop next time!" said 
 Phil, importantly producing the missing papers. 
 
 "Phil! Phil! " was all Reuben said. He caught the 
 letters and stood looking at them with a face that made 
 Phil look. "Mr. Linden will love you all his life for this. 
 But how in the world did you get them ?" 
 
 " That s exactly what I d like somebody to tell me !" said 
 Phil. " I know who put the monkey s paw in the fire but 
 how the chestnuts got there, I m beat!" 
 
 " What do you know ?" said Reuben, " where did you 
 get these ? Oh Phil ! I never can thank you enough !" 
 
 "It was because they were his letters I did it," said 
 Phil bluntly. "I wasn t going to let Mintie Tuck have 
 em. But I say! Reuben, what have you done to spite 
 her ? or has she a spite against Mr. Linden ? or who has 
 she a spite against?" 
 
 "I don t know. Did she give em to you, Phil?" 
 
 "Not by a precious sight 1 nor to anybody else. Dromy 
 saw em in her drawer, and for all the gumph he is, he 
 knew the writing; and I made him get em for me this 
 morning while they were at breakfast. Now Taylor," said 
 Phil settling his hands further down in his pockets as 
 thpy rapidly walked along, "what bird s on that nest?" 
 
 Reuben listened with an intentness that spoke of more 
 than wonder. "In her drawer ?" he repeated, "what, 
 down in the office ?" 
 
 "Not a bit of it! Stowed away with her earrings and 
 ribbands upstairs somewhere." 
 
 "Phil," said Reuben when he had pondered this strange 
 information in silence for a minute, "will you be in the 
 office when the mail comes in for a night or two?- and 
 don t tell this to any one till Mr. Linden sends word what 
 should be done." 
 
 "You expect more letters?" said Phil, with a not stupid 
 glance at his fellow. 
 
 "Yes," Reuben said, too frankly to increase suspicion; 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 247 
 
 "and if one should come it s very important that I should 
 get it. And of course /can t watch." 
 
 " She sha n t get it I" said Phil. "I ll be there. I ll be 
 Sinbad s old man of the mountain for Mintie. I won t sit 
 on her shoulders, but I ll sit on the counter; and if there s 
 a scratch of Mr. Linden s in the mail-bag, I ll engage I ll 
 see it as fast as she will. I know his seal too." 
 
 "Gould she have done it to tease me?" Reuben said, 
 " I ve never had the least thing to do with her but through 
 that post-office window." 
 
 "What did you ever give her through the post-office 
 window ?" Phil asked half laughingly. 
 
 "Questions enough " Reuben said, his thoughts too 
 busy to notice any underhand meaning, "and lately she s 
 given me rather cross answers. That s all." 
 
 "Well what do you suppose she stole your letters for?" 
 
 "I don t know enough about her to guess," Reuben said 
 frankly. 
 
 "Well," said Phil, "/guess Dr. Harrison won t appoint 
 the postmaster of Pattaquasset when I am President. I 
 rather think he won t." 
 
 "I wish you d make haste and be President," Reuben 
 said. "But if he didn t know anything about Mrs. Tuck, 
 Phil, other people did and thought she was honest at 
 least And you l^now she s postmaster, by right." 
 
 11 She is the female of Dromy!" said Phil with intense 
 expression. "But Mintie aint a fool, and it s s/ie s post 
 master anyhow Dromy says it s she that s Dr. Harrison s 
 friend ; so that makes it. But that don t tell why she 
 wants the letters." 
 
 "Dr. Harrison s friend?" said Reuben, "what does she 
 have to do with him ?" 
 
 " I aint a friend of either of em, so I don t know," said 
 Phil. "But girls with pretty faces will make friends with 
 anybody !" 
 
 A very high degree of masculine charity and correctness 
 of judgment was expressed in Phil s voice and words. 
 Reuben made no reply his charity, of any sort, was not 
 m a talkative mood, and the two parted kindly at Phil s 
 cross road. 
 
 Not home to dinner now, for Reuben ! The minutes 
 
248 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 of talk had seemed long to his impatience ; he had borne 
 them, partly to get information, partly to keep down sus 
 picion. But now with Phil out of sight, he turned short 
 about and took the way to Mrs. Derrick s with almost fly 
 ing steps. True, he was not dressed for "Miss Faith s" 
 room but Reuben Taylor was always neat and in order, 
 and she must not wait. He hurried into Mrs. Roscom s 
 there to leave his basket and every removable trace of his 
 work, then on ! 
 
 Faith had spent the early morning upon her couch ; no 
 need to ask if she felt stronger than yesterday, every line 
 and feature shewed prostration and patience. Breakfast 
 had been passed over nominally. What Mrs. Derrick could 
 do for her was done ; what she could not, lay heavy on the 
 hearts of both as the one went down to make the day s 
 arrangements, and the other lay still to endure. Reuben 
 had not come after the morning train there was nothing 
 even to expect till night, and Faith lay listening to her lit 
 tle clock and watching the passage of the April sunbeams 
 through her room. 
 
 Suddenly a loud startling rap at the front door. But 
 she was powerless to go and see, and after that one sound 
 the house seemed to sink into perfect stillness. Then the 
 door of her room opened, and Mrs. Derrick came in bear 
 ing a large basket. A heavy one too,, but Mrs. Derrick 
 would have spent her last atom of strength before she 
 would have let any one else bring it up. Her face looked 
 quite radiant. 
 
 "Pretty ch ild!" she said, "here s something for you!" 
 
 It was needless to ask questions, Mrs. Derrick s face 
 could have but one meaning. Faith neither asked nor an 
 swered, except by the sudden start of the blood into cheeks 
 which were pale enough before. Slipping from the couch 
 she was on her knees by the basket, pulling out the ends 
 of the knots by which it was tied, with just a tiny beauti 
 ful smile at work on her changed lips. Her mother went 
 softly away (she thought the first sight of anything in that 
 line belonged to Faith alone) and the April sunbeams took 
 a new view of things. 
 
 The knots gave way, arid the basket cover swung round, 
 and the white wrapping paper came off; and within lay 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 249 
 
 something for her truly! most appropriate! A great 
 stem of bananas and another of plantains, thick set with 
 fruit, displayed their smooth green and red coats in very ex 
 cellent contrast, and below and around and doing duty as 
 mere packing, were sunny Havana oranges, of extra size, 
 and of extra flavour to judge by the perfume. But bet 
 ter than all, to Faith s eye, was a little slip of black- 
 marked white paper, tucked under a red banana it had 
 only these words 
 
 " Sweets to the sweet. 
 
 "Faith, I should put in more, but the basket refuses. It 
 is the measure of only one part of the proverb do you 
 understand ?" 
 
 Faith knew oranges, she had never seen bananas or 
 plantains before. It was all one ; for the time being they 
 were not bananas or oranges but hieroglyphics; and the 
 one fruit looked as much like Mr. Linden s handwriting as 
 the other. She sat with her arm resting on the couch sup 
 porting her head, and looking at them. Not the finest 
 picture that Goethe ever viewed, or bade his friends view 
 as part of their "duty," was so beautiful as that basket of 
 red and yellow fruit to Faith s eye. And all the more for 
 that foreign look they were like Mr. Linden ; for the com 
 mon things which they said, it was like him to say uncom 
 monly. How very sweet was the smell of those oranges ! 
 and how delicious the soft feeling of peace which settled 
 down on all Faith s senses. Yery different from the sort " 
 of quiet she was in a quarter of an hour ago. She did not 
 trouble herself now about the missing letters. - This told 
 that Mr. Linden was well, or he could hardly have been 
 out to buy fruit and pack it and pack it off to her. So 
 Mrs. Derrick found her, reading not words, but oranges and 
 bananas ; with a face it was a pity Mr. Linden could not see. 
 
 It may be remarked in passing that the face was not lost 
 upon the one who did see it. Mrs. Derrick came and 
 stooped down by Faith and her basket in great admiration 
 and joy and silence for a moment the sight almost put 
 everything else out of her head ; but then she exclaimed, 
 "Child, the doctor s coming! I saw him driving up to 
 the door." 
 
250 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 . Faith put the cover on the basket, and while Mrs. Der 
 rick set it out of sight, she received the doctor as yesterday, 
 standing. But with a nice little colour in her cheeks to 
 day, in place of yesterday s sad want of it. Dr. Harrison 
 came up with one hand full of a most rare and elegant 
 bunch of hothouse flowers. 
 
 "My amends-making " he said as he presented it. 
 
 It was not in Faith s nature not to look pleasure and 
 admiration at such bits of kindred nature. They were 
 very exquisite, they were some of them new to her, they 
 were all most lovely, and Faith s eyes looked love at them. 
 Dr. Harrison was satisfied, for in those eyes there was to 
 day no shadow at all. Their gravity he was accustomed 
 to, and thought he liked. 
 
 "How do you do?" he said. 
 
 "I am a great deal better. mother may I have a 
 glass of water for these?" 
 
 "You said yesterday you were well, Miss Faith." 
 
 "You saw I wasn t," said Faith as she put her flowers 
 in the glass. 
 
 " That is very true. And I see also that your statement 
 to-day is not of much juster correctness. How came you 
 to say that?" 
 
 " I said, it without knowing what I said," Faith an 
 swered simply. "What is this, Dr. Harrison?" 
 
 The doctor puzzled over her answer and could make 
 nothing of it. 
 
 "That is a Fuchsia and that is another." 
 
 "How beautiful ! how beautiful. They are not sweet?" 
 
 " You cannot always have sweetness in connexion with 
 everything else," he said with a slight emphasis. Faith s 
 mind was too far away from the subject to catch his 
 innuendo ; unless other lips had spoken it. 
 
 "Mrs. Derrick," said the doctor, "I should like as a 
 professional man, to know what portion of the wing of a 
 robin this lady can manage for her breakfast ?" 
 
 " Some days more and some days less," said Mrs. Der 
 rick. "She was not very hungry this morning." (A mild 
 statement of the case.) 
 
 "Some days less than the wing of a robin I" said the 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 251 
 
 doctor. " The robin himself is a better feeder. Mrs. Der 
 rick, what fancies does this bird live upon?" 
 
 The allusion drew a smile to Faith s face, which Mrs 
 Derrick did not understand. 
 
 " She don t tell all her fancies, she has seemed to live 
 on tea and toast, for eatables." 
 
 The doctor smiled, and went back to Faith who was 
 busy with the flowers ; or as Mrs. Derrick said, seemed to 
 be busy with them. 
 
 "Are those better than cowslips?" he asked lightly. 
 
 "They are more wonderfully beautiful they are not 
 better in their place." 
 
 "How is that?" 
 
 "I told you cowslips were bits of spring," said Faith 
 smiling. "These are not that. I think everything in the 
 world I mean, the natural world has its place, that it fills." 
 
 "Better than any other would?" 
 
 "I suppose so. Yes." 
 
 "That is admirable philosophy," said the doctor. "Ex 
 cellent to keep one contented. Three feet of snow is then 
 as good as May zephyrs ! Daisies and dandelions are fair 
 substitutes for geraniums and cacti! And these barren 
 granite fields, where the skeleton rock has hardly covered 
 itself skin deep with soil, are better than flowery prairies 
 of rolling land, and fertile wildernesses of roses !" 
 
 " Well/ said Faith ; "you needn t laugh. I think they 
 are. 
 
 "By what transmutation of philosophy?" 
 
 Faith s philosophy was put to the test by certain sounds 
 which just then came to her ear ; the hall door opened and 
 shut quick though softly, and Reuben came lightly upstairs 
 -two stairs at a time ! but his knock at Faith s door was 
 almost as quiet as usual. Whatever spirit of energy was 
 at work in him, however, calmed itself down at sight of 
 Dr. Harrison whom he did not then stay to greet; but 
 coming up with a swift steady step to Faith s chair, knelt 
 down there and gave her his hand with, "Miss Faith, are 
 you better to-day ?" 
 
 If a rosebud yesterday shut up in the cold had opened 
 all its beams to the sun, that was Faith to-day, as she 
 took Reuben s hand and held it. 
 
252 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "That is a very devoted servant of yours, Miss Faith/ 
 said the doctor pointedly. "I notice he gives you homage 
 in true chivalric style. Does the transmuting philosophy 
 extend thus far also ?" 
 
 Faith turned the light of her face upon him as she an 
 swered, "I shouldn t be worthy of one of those knights or 
 of this, Dr. Harrison, if I would change one for the other." 
 
 Reuben had risen to his feet as the doctor spoke, and as 
 he quitted Faith s hand laid his own, with the slightest pos 
 sible gesture, upon the left breast of his coat ; which did 
 not mean (as it would with Sam Stoutenburgh) that there 
 was his heart but that there were the letters I Then step 
 ping back with a bow acknowledging Dr. Harrison s pre 
 sence, Reuben went over to the window to speak to Mrs. 
 Derrick. The doctor had seen him before that morning 
 from the window, as with some ordered fish Reuben entered 
 Judge Harrison s gate, and his dress was the same now as 
 then, how the different offices could be so different and so 
 reconciled or what this office was, were matters of study. 
 But clearly Faith was as strong for her knight as her knight 
 was for her. 
 
 "I didn t understand the transmuting philosophy in the 
 tormer case," the doctor remarked. 
 
 " It is not that," said Faith with rising colour, for she 
 had seen Reuben s hand gesture. " It is just taking things 
 as they are." 
 
 "That is a philosophy deeper than that of transmuta 
 tion!" said the doctor. "I give it up. But what is the 
 philosophy in this case ? " and he nodded slightly towards 
 Reuben. 
 
 "If you ever know him, you ll know, Dr. Harrison, 
 Faith said softly. 
 
 "Is he so trustworthy?" said the doctor thoughtfully 
 looking at him; but then he gave his attention to Faith, 
 and talked of herself and what she was to do for herself; 
 until seeing no prospect of the doctor s being out of his 
 way, Reuben was again passing them on his way out. The 
 doctor arrested him by a slight but pleasant gesture. 
 
 "What are you doing now, Taylor?" 
 
 "Nothing new, sir, a little for my father and a little foi 
 myself." 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 253 
 
 "I saw you doing something for your father, I think 
 to-day. Doesn t that hinder your studies ?" 
 
 "Mr. Linden used to say that one duty never really 
 hinders another, sir." 
 
 "Pleasant doctrine!" said the doctor. "I am tempted 
 to try it now. If you bestow a little time upon me, it will 
 not perhaps interfere with your going to dinner afterwards. 
 Does Mr. Linden continue to hold some of his super 
 vision over you ? Do you hear from him sometimes?" 
 
 "Yes sir both," was Reuben s prompt answer. 
 
 "Then you have something to do with the post-office 
 occasionally ?" 
 
 "Yes sir." 
 
 "And know pretty well what everybody in Pattaquasset 
 says of every other body, -don t you ?" 
 
 "I don t need to go to the post-office for that, sir," 
 Reuben said quietly. 
 
 "No I mean by virtue of another office that which 
 you exercise for your father. But it is true, isn t it?" 
 
 " Not quite, sir. Some people do not talk to me and 
 some I never stop to hear." 
 
 The doctor smiled a little, along with an acute look of 
 approving intelligence. 
 
 "Well do you happen to know what is said or thought 
 of the people I was the means of putting into the post- 
 office, half a year ago?" 
 
 " Not very well, sir. I haven t heard much said about 
 them." 
 
 "As far as your knowledge goes, they seem to be doing 
 their duty ?" 
 
 "I make no complaint, sir." 
 
 Dr. Harrison glanced at Faith with a not pleased expres 
 sion, and back again. "Does that mean that you have 
 none to make, or that you will make none? I am asking, 
 you surely must know, not officially nor judicially ; but to 
 gain private information which it is desirable I should 
 have; and which I ask, and expect to receive, confiden 
 tially." 
 
 " Sir," Reuben said gravely, though with a manner per 
 fectly respectful, "why do you ask me? The gentlemen of 
 Pattaquasset should know more about their own post-office, 
 VOL, ii. 22 
 
254 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 than the poor fishers of Quapaw. There is a clannishness 
 among poor people, sir, if I had heard anything, I should 
 not like to tell you." 
 
 The doctor got up and took his old position on the car 
 pet rug, a very slight air of haughty displeasure mixing 
 with his habitual indolent gracefulness. 
 
 "This is your knight, Miss Derrick! Apparently the 
 proverb of friends friends does not hold good with 
 him. When you are a little older, sir, you will know if 
 you grow correspondingly wiser that the fishers of Qua 
 paw or of any other pohit are precisely the people to know 
 in such a matter what the gentlemen whom it more nearly 
 concerns, cannot get at; and you have yourself given the 
 reason." 
 
 Faith looked at Reuben with a little inquiring wonder. 
 But he made no answer, either to her look or the doctor s 
 words ; indeed perhaps did not see the former, for his own 
 eyes were cast down. He stood there, the fingers of both 
 hands lightly interlaced, his face quiet to the last degree of 
 immovability. The doctor s first words, to Faith, had 
 brought a moment s flush to his cheeks, but it had passed 
 with the moment; gravity and steadiness and truth were all 
 that remained. The doctor recognized them all, but all as 
 adverse or opposition forces.. 
 
 "I will not detain you longer, sir! I told you, Miss 
 Faith," he said sitting down and changing his tone, "that 
 I did not know how to cut up cake still less how to 
 administer it. I found this family very poor over at 
 Neanticut, on some of my excursions; and somewhat 
 carelessly thought they could perform the duty of taking 
 papers out of a bag, as well as wiser people. There is a 
 girl too, the daughter, who seemed clever enough. But I 
 have had reason to doubt my own wisdom in the proceed 
 ing, after all." 
 
 Faith heard the door close after Reuben with the first of 
 the doctor s words to her. She listened to the rest with a 
 divided interest. Her mind had gone off to her basket of 
 oananas, and was besides occupied with a little lurking 
 wonder at Reuben s impracticability. But with nothing 
 strongly, the feeling of weakness and lassitude was so 
 Baking the upper hand of every other. The relaxing now 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 255 
 
 began to tell of the great tension she had borne for a day 
 or two ; the relaxing was entire, for what the basket had 
 begun Reuben s appearance had finished. Faith was sure 
 he had a letter for her, and so sat and looked at the doctor 
 like one whose senses were floating away in a dream one 
 of those pleasant dreams that they do not wish to break. 
 
 "You are faint!" said the doctor suddenly. "Mrs. 
 Derrick, have you any wine in the house ? I should like 
 some here." 
 
 But Mrs. Derrick s first step (it seemed but that) was to 
 Faith taking her out of the easy-chair and putting her on 
 the couch before any one had time to say ay or no. There 
 she left her while she opened the closet and got out the 
 wine ; bringing it then to Faitli and setting the doctor 
 aside most unceremoniously. Faitli had not quite reached 
 the fainting point, though she was near it from mere inani 
 tion. She drank the wine, and smiled at them both like 
 one who had a secret wine of her own that she was taking 
 privately. 
 
 " What will she eat, Mrs. Derrick ?" said the doctor in 
 real concern. "Tea and toast won t do !" 
 
 "I w-ill take something presently," Faith said with 
 another of those childlike satisfied looks. They made 
 Dr. Harrison very unlike himself, always. He stood so 
 now. 
 
 "Doctor," said Mrs. Derrick, in her odd, free, rather 
 blunt and yet kindly way, "you are a very good doctor, I 
 dare say, but you re not much of a nurse. Now I am 
 and I ll find her something to eat, you needn t be 
 uneasy." 
 
 He looked at her with one of the best smiles that ever 
 came over his face ; bright, free and kindly ; then turned 
 to Faith. 
 
 " What made your knight so cross with me ?" he said as 
 he bent over her to take her hand. 
 
 " I don t know " said Faith. " I am sure he had some 
 good reason." 
 
 " Reason to be cross !" 
 
 " He didn t mean to be cross. You don t know Reuben 
 Taylor." 
 
256 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 The doctor was inclined to be of a different opinion, for 
 his brows knit as soon as he had closed her door. 
 
 " Now mother !" said Faith half raising herself, " please 
 let me have my basket. I am going to try one of those 
 queer things. That is what I want." 
 
 "Do you know what I want ?" said Mrs. Derrick as she 
 brought up the basket. "Just to have Dr. Harrison find 
 Mr. Linden here some day !" Which severe sentence was 
 so much softened down by the weight of the basket, that it 
 sounded quite harmless. 
 
 Faith was too eager to get the cover off to pay present 
 attention to this speech. There they were again ! the red 
 and yellow strange, beautiful, foreign-looking things which 
 she was to eat; too handsome to disturb. But finally a red 
 plump banana was cut from the stem, and Faith looked at 
 it in her fingers, uncertain how to begin the attack. Look 
 ing back to the little empty space where it had been, Faith 
 became ware of an end of blue ribband beneath said 
 space. Down went the banana and down went Faith. The 
 loop of ribband being pulled gently suggested that it was 
 not able to contend with an unknown weight of bananas; 
 but when Faith partly held these up, the ribband yielded to 
 persuasion, and tugged after it into the daylight a tiny 
 package which being unwrapped revealed a tiny oval case; 
 wherein lay, last of all, a delicate silver knife. Faith s face 
 of overflowing delight it was good to see. 
 
 "0 mother! how just like him! Mother !" exclaimed 
 Faith, "this is to eat those with !" 
 
 Could anything more be wanting to give bananas a fla 
 vour ? They happened moreover to hit the fancy the doctor 
 had been so anxious to suit. Faith liked her first one very 
 much, and pronounced it very nearly the best of all fruits. 
 But being persuaded to try one, Mrs. Derrick avowed that 
 she could not eat it and wondered how Faith could ; declar 
 ing that in her judgment if a thing was sweet at all, it ought 
 to be sweeter. 
 
 If Dr. Harrison could have seen the atmosphere of peace 
 and delight his knit brows had left behind them ! 
 
 As soon as he was gone, Reuben brought up the letters. 
 And with sunshine all round her, Faith read them and went 
 to sleep, which she did with the little case that held her 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 257 
 
 knife clasped in her hand. Sleep claimed her while fever 
 took its turn and passed away for the day. -Faith woke up 
 towards evening, weak and weary in body, unable to make 
 much lively shew of the merry heart which doeth good 
 like a medicine . 
 
 "My studies don t get on very fast at this rate, mother," 
 she remarked as she sat in the easy-chair at her tea, unable 
 to hold her head up. 
 
 " This has been a hard day," her mother said sadly as she 
 looked at her. "Faith, I won t let Dr. Harrison pay any 
 more such long visits ! he tires you to death." 
 
 "It wasn t that. Mother I think I ll have one of those 
 things out of my basket I wish Mr. Linden had told me 
 what to call them." 
 
 Mrs. Derrick brought the basket and -looked on intently. 
 
 "When is he coming, child?" she said. 
 
 Faith did not certainly know. Under the influence of a 
 plantain and the silver knife she revived a little. 
 
 "Mother what made you wish Dr. Harrison might meet 
 Mr. Linden here?" 
 
 "It would save- him a world of trouble," said Mrs. Der 
 rick kindly. "And besides, child, I m tired seeing him buzz 
 round you, myself Faith, Mr. Linden would say that he 
 ought to be told you re sick." 
 
 "I can judge for him once in a while," Faith said with a 
 little bit of a triumphing smile. 
 
 "Well " said her mother, "you ll see what he ll say. 
 I guess he d rather you d judge for him about something 
 else." 
 
 From that time letters went and came through the Pat 
 chaug post-office. 
 
 22* 
 
CHAPTER XX. 
 
 FAITH rallied somewhat from the prostration that suc 
 ceeded those days of anxiety; but then the fever 
 again asserted its empire, and strength, little by little but 
 daily, lost ground rather than gained it. Though not ever 
 very high, the fever came back with persevering regularity ; 
 it would not be baffled ; and such always recurring assaults 
 are trying to flesh and blood and to spirit too, be they of 
 what they may. Faith s patience and happy quiet never 
 left her; as the weeks went on it did happen that the 
 quiet grew more quiet, and was even a little bordering 
 on depression. One or two things helped this uncom 
 fortably. 
 
 The sense of the extreme unpleasantness of such a meet 
 ing as her mother had wished for, perhaps startled Faith 
 to a fresh sense of what she had to do in the premises. 
 She resolved to be as grave and cool as it was possible to 
 be, in Dr. Harrison s presence. She would keep him at 
 such a distance as should wean him from any thoughts of 
 her. Faith tried faithfully to do what she had purposed. 
 But it was very difficult to keep at a distance a person who 
 did not pretend to be near, or only pretended it in a line 
 where he could not be repulsed. He must see her every 
 day as her physician. He must be sllowed the kindly ex 
 pression of kind feelings; he could not be forbidden to 
 bring to his patient, as her friend and physician, such 
 tilings as he thought her strength, or weakness, needed. 
 These instances of thoughtfulness and care for her were 
 many. Birds, old wine from his father s cellar, flowers 
 from the greenhouse, and fruit from nobody knows where, 
 came often; and the manner of offering them, the quiet, 
 unobtrusive, unexacting kindness and attention, it was 
 scarce possible to reject without something that would 
 have seemed churlishness Faith took them as gravely as 
 Bhe could without being unkind. Her illness helped her, 
 and also hindered the effect she wished to produce. Feel 
 ing weak and weary and unable for any sort of exertion, it 
 (258) 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 259 
 
 was the easier for her to be silent, abstracted, unresponsive 
 to anything that was said or done. And also her being so 
 signified the less and testified the less of her real purpose. 
 Faith knew it and could not help it. She could not besides 
 be anything but natural ; and she felt kindly towards Dr. 
 Harrison ; with a grave kindness, that yet was more earnest 
 in its good wishes for him than any other perhaps that 
 existed for Dr. Harrison in the world. Faith could not 
 hide that, careful as she was in her manner of shewing it. 
 And there was one subject upon which she dared not be 
 unresponsive or abstracted when the doctor brought it up. 
 He brought it up now very often. 
 
 She did not know how it was, she was far from knowing 
 why it was ; but the pleasant talk with which the doctor 
 sought to amuse her, and which was most skilfully pleasant 
 as to the rest, was very apt to glance upon Bible subjects ; 
 and as it touched, to brush them with the wing of doubt 
 or difficulty or uneasiness. Dr.. Harrison did not see 
 things as she did that was of old; but he contrived to 
 let her see that he doubted she did not see them right, and 
 somehow contrived also to make her hear his reasons. It 
 was done with the art of a master and the steady aim of a 
 general who has a great field to win. Faith did not want 
 to hear his suggestions of doubt and cavil. She remem 
 bered Mr. Linden s advice long ago given ; repeated it to 
 herself every day ; and sought to meet Dr. Harrison only 
 with the sling stone of truth and let his weapons of artifi 
 cial warfare alone. Truly she "had not proved these," and 
 "could not go with them." But -whatever effect her sling 
 might have upon him, which she knew not, his arrows were 
 so cunningly thrown that they wounded her. Not in her 
 belief; she never failed for a moment to be aware that they 
 were arrows from a false quiver, that the sword of truth 
 would break with a blow. And yet, in her weak state of 
 body and consequent weak state of mind, the sight of such 
 poisoned arrows flying about distressed her; the mere 
 knowledge that they did fly and bore death with them; a 
 knowledge which once she happily had not. All this wouid 
 have pained her if she had been well ; in the feverish de 
 pression of illness it weighed upon her like a mountaiu of 
 cloud. Faith s shield caught the darts and kept them from 
 
260 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 herself; but in her increasing nervous weakness her hand 
 at last grew weary; and it seemed to Faith then as if she 
 could see nothing but those arrows flying through the air. 
 But there was one human form before which, she knew, this 
 mental array of enemies would incontinently take flight and 
 disappear; she knew they would not stand the first sound of 
 Mr. Linden s voice; and her longing grew intense for his 
 coming. How did she ever keep it out of her letters ! Yet 
 it hardly got in there, for she watched it well. Sometimes 
 the subdued " T want to see you very much," at the. close 
 of a letter, said, more than Faith knew it did; and she 
 could not be aware how much was told by the tone of her 
 writing. That had changed, though that too was guarded, 
 so far as she could. She could not pour out a light, free, 
 and joyous account of all that was going on within and 
 about her, when she was suffering alternately from lever 
 and weakness, and through both from depression and nerv 
 ous fancies. Most unlike Faith ! and she tried to seem her 
 usual self then when she came most near it, in writing to 
 him. But it was a nice matter to write letters for so many 
 weeks out of a sick room and not let Mr. Linden find out 
 that she herself was there all the while. His letters how 
 ever were both a help and a spur; Faith talked a good 
 deal of things not at Pattaquasset ; and through all weak 
 ness and ailing sent her exercises prepared with utmost 
 care, regularly as usual. It hurt her; but Faith would 
 not be stopped. Her sickness she knew after all was but a 
 light matter ; and nothing could persuade her to break in 
 upon Mr. Linden s term of study with any more interrup 
 tions for her. And even to Mrs. Derrick she did not tell 
 the keen heart-longing, which daily .grew more urgent, for 
 that term to come to an end. 
 
 Mrs. Derrick did sometimes connect the cause of her 
 weariness with Dr. Harrison, and was indignant in propor 
 tion. Faith looked at him with different eyes, and her 
 feeling was of very gentle and deep sorrow for him. It 
 was by the appeal to that side of her character that Dr. 
 Harrison gained all his advantage. 
 
 Faith s shield caught his arrows of unbelieving sugges 
 tion and threw them off from her own heart; she could 
 not put that shield between them and the doctor, and that 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 261 
 
 was her grief. It grieved her more than he thought. And 
 yet, it was with a half conscious, half instinctive availing 
 himself of this feeling that he aimed and managed his at 
 tacks with such consummate tact and skill. Faith would not 
 have entered into controversy ; she would not have taken up 
 a gauntlet of challenge ; did he know that ? His hints and 
 questions were brought into the subject, Faith knew not 
 how ; but the point. of view in which they always presented 
 themselves was as troublers of his own mind difficulties 
 he would willingly have solved questions he would like to 
 see answered. And Faith s words, few or many, for she 
 was sometimes drawn on, were said in the humble yearning 
 desire to let him know what she rejoiced in and save him 
 from an abyss of false fathomless depth. It was more than 
 she could do. Dr. Harrison s subtle difficulties and propo 
 sitions had been contrived in a school of which she knew 
 nothing ; and were far too subtle and complicate in their 
 false wit for Faith s true wit to answer. Not at all for 
 lack of wit, but for lack of skill in fencing and of experi 
 ence in the windings of duplicity. So she heard things 
 that grieved her arid that she could not shew up to the 
 doctor for what she knew them to be. 
 
 "I am no better than this little knife!" she thought 
 bitterly one day, as she was looking at her favourite silver 
 banana-carver; "it can go through soft fruit well enough, 
 but it isn t strong enough or sharp enough to deal with 
 anything harder ! " 
 
 Faith did herself injustice. It tajves sometimes little less 
 than Ithuriel s spear to make the low, insidious, unobtrusive 
 forms of evil stand up and shew themselves what they are 
 the very Devil ! 
 
 "Reuben," said Faith one time when they were alone 
 together, "did you ever hear any of the mischievous talk 
 against the Bible, of people who don t love it?" 
 
 " Yes, Miss Faith, I never heard a great deal at a 
 time only little bits now and then. And I ve felt some 
 times from a word or two what other words the people had 
 in their hearts." 
 
 "Don t ever let people talk it to you, Reuben, unless 
 God makes it your duty to hear it," she said wearilv. 
 Reuben looked at her. 
 
2G2 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 " Do you think he ever makes it our duty, Miss Faith ?" 
 
 " I don t know !" said Faith, a little as if the question 
 startled her. "But you might be where you could not help 
 it, Reuben." 
 
 He was silent, looking rather thoughtfully into the fire. 
 
 "Miss Faith," he said, "you remember when Christian 
 was going through the Valley of the Shadow of Death, 
 the fiends came and whispered to him all sorts of dreadful 
 things which he would not have thought of for the world. 
 But, as Mr. Bunyan says, he had not the discretion 
 either to stop his ears, or to know from whence those blas 
 phemies came ." Reuben blushed a little at his own advice- 
 giving, but made no other apology. 
 
 There was much love and respect and delight in Faith s 
 swift look at him. Her words glanced. "Reuben, I am 
 glad you are going to be a minister!" She added with the 
 sorrowful look stealing over her face, "I wish the world 
 was full of ministers! if they were good ones." 
 
 His face was very bright and grateful, and humble too. 
 "Miss Faith," he said, taking up her words, "don t you 
 love to think of that other definition of minister? you 
 know ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure ." 
 
 "In that way the world is full now," said Faith; "in nil 
 things except men. But by and by the great trumpet will 
 be blown and they that were ready to perish shall come, 
 from everywhere. It s good to know that." 
 
 "It s such a beautiful thing to know, just by believing !" 
 Reuben said, "don t you think so, Miss Faith ? And then 
 whatever people say or do, and if we can t find a word to 
 answer them, we know down in our hearts, that the Bible 
 is true. And so by faith we stand . " 
 
 "But we ought to find words to answer them, Reuben 
 or else, though we stand, they fall !" 
 
 "Yes, ma am sometimes," Reuben said rather hesita 
 tingly. "Only I ve heard Mr. Linden say that a Chris 
 tian must take care of his own standing first, and do 
 nothing to shake that; or else he may have his own light 
 blown out while he s trying to light other people s. You 
 know, Miss Faith, the five wise virgins would not give 
 their oil to the others. I ve heard Mr. Linden talk about 
 it very often," Reuben added softly, as if he wanted to 
 screen himself from the charge of presumption. 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 263 
 
 If Faith was bringing charges, it was against herself, 
 for she sat very silent and thoughtful, and weary also; for 
 when for the fifth or sixth time Reuben brought his eyes 
 from the fire to her face he saw that she had fallen asleep. 
 
 Mr. Linden s letters about this time told two or three 
 things, among the rest that he might soon be looked for 
 instead of letters. Moreover that he felt sure he was 
 wanted and further, that Faith s letters had changed. 
 These two last things were not said in words, but Faith 
 read them none the less surely read thus first that her let 
 ters really were different. Just what cause Mr. Linden 
 assigned to himself, she did not know, nor whether he had 
 fixed upon any ; but it was clear that nothing but the fact 
 that his freedom was so close at hand, kept him from free 
 ing himself at once and coming to Pattaquasset. Arid 
 second only to Faith did Mrs. Derrick long for his appear 
 ance. 
 
 She had heard bits of the doctor s talk from time to 
 time, but for a while with some doubt of their meaning, 
 as whether he was reporting what other people said, or 
 whether she had heard him correctly. But when by 
 degrees the goodness of her hearing attested itself, then 
 Mrs. Derrick s indignation began to follow suit. The 
 doctor s object she did not at first guess (perhaps made 
 it, if possible, worse than it was) but that made little 
 difference. 
 
 On this particular afternoon, when Faith woke up she 
 found Reuben gone and her mother keeping watch. The 
 fair look that always greeted Mrs. Derrick was given her, 
 but otherwise the face she was studying was not satisfac 
 tory. The roundness of the cheek was much lessened, the 
 colour was gone, and the lines of expression were weary 
 though she had slept. Or rather perhaps they were too 
 gravely drawn. 
 
 " Faith," said her mother decisively, "you want your tea. 
 Can you eat a broiled pigeon, if I broil it myself?" 
 
 "I can eat a piece of one, if you ll take the rest, 
 mother," she said with a smile at her. "I eat a whole 
 banana just before I went to sleep." 
 
 " Well this ain t the doctor s pigeon, so I guess it will 
 be good," said Mrs. Derrick. " Sam Stoutenburgh brought 
 
2G4 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 it. And I m going to cook it here, pretty child, because J 
 want to be here myself. I suppose the smoke won t trou 
 ble you if it goes up chimney ?" 
 
 "I d like it, smoke and all, mother," said Faith, changing 
 the resting-place for her head. "But you needn t slight 
 
 the doctor s birds they were as fine birds as could be 
 
 when I could eat them." 
 
 " Birds of a feather " said Mrs. Derrick laconically. 
 And she drew out some of the glowing and winking 
 embers, and set thereon the tiny gridiron with its purplish 
 plump pigeon. " Sam s home now, Faith, arid you d think 
 he d been through every degree of everything. But the 
 first thing he did was to go off and shoot pigeons for you." 
 
 Faith was inclined to think he had not got above one 
 degree. She sat in her easy-chair and watched the play 
 cookery with amused pleased eyes. 
 
 " I should like to be in the kitchen again, mother doing 
 something for you." 
 
 "You shall do something for me presently," said her 
 mother, as the pigeon began to send out little puffs of 
 steam and jets of juice, which the coals resented. "This 
 one s fat, anyway and there s a half dozen more. The 
 fun of it is, child, that Sam was afraid there weren t 
 enough ! he wanted to know if I was sure they d last till 
 to-morrow ! so I guess he s not in a fainting away state. 
 I told him we d roast beef in the house, for you to fall 
 back upon, child," she added with a little laugh, as she 
 turned the pigeon. But her face was very grave the next 
 moment, with the sorrowful reality. "Pretty child," she 
 said tenderly, "do you feel as if you could eat a muffin or 
 a biscuit best?" 
 
 "Mother, that pigeon is making me hungry, it smells so 
 nice. I am sure I can eat anything. * 
 
 "Well I made muffins," said Mrs. Derrick, bustling 
 softly about with the little table and the tea-things. " Faith, 
 I m afraid to have Mr. Linden come home and find your 
 cheeks so thin." 
 
 "I m not," said Faith quietly. 
 
 "My!" said her mother, "you never were afraid of any 
 thing he d a mind to do, child. But for all / know, he may 
 carry you off to Europe in the next steamer. He s up 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 265 
 
 to most anything," said Mrs. Derrick stooping down by 
 the pigeon, and giving it the persuasion of a few more coals. 
 
 Faith said languidly that she did not think there was 
 much danger, and Mrs. Derrick for the present concentrated 
 her attention upon the tea preparations. Cindy came up 
 with a little teakettle, and Mrs. Derrick made the tea, and 
 then went down stairs to superintend the first baking of the 
 muffins, leaving the teakettle to sing Faith into a very quiet 
 state of mind. Then presently reappearing, with a smoking 
 plate of cakes in her hand, Mrs. Derrick took up the 
 pigeon, with due applications of butter and salt and pepper, 
 and the tea was ready. It was early ; the sunbeams were 
 lingering yet in the room, the air wafted in through the 
 window the sweet dewy breath of flowers and buds and 
 springing grass over the pigeon and muffins; and by Faith s 
 plate stood the freshest of watercrpsses in a little white 
 bowl. These Reuben brought he r every day, wet from the 
 clear stream where they grew, shining with the drops of 
 bright water, and generally sprinkled too with some of the 
 spring flowers. To-day the plate on which the bowl stood 
 had a perfect wreath or crown of mouse-ear, the pale pink 
 blossoms saying all sorts of sweet things. The room was 
 well off for flowers in other respects. Dr. Harrison s hot 
 house foreigners looked dainty and splendid, and Mrs. 
 Stoutenburgh s periwinkle and crocuses and daffodils looked 
 springlike and fresh ; while in another glass a rich assort 
 ment of dandelions spoke a prettier message yet, from 
 Charles twelfth and his little compeers. 
 
 "And the mouse-ear is come !" said Faith as she applied 
 herself to the refreshment of salt and watercresses. "I won 
 der whether Reuben does this because he loves flowers him 
 self, or because he knows I do. I guess it s both. How 
 lovely they are! How my dairy must want me, mother." 
 Which was said with a little recollective patient sigh. 
 
 "I guess it can wait," said her mother cheerfully. "And 
 I guess it ll have to. You needn t think you ll be let do 
 anything for one while, Faith." 
 
 "I guess I shall, mother. I am sure I am stronger to 
 day, and Dr. Harrison said I had less fever. And your 
 pigeon is good. Besides, I must, if I can," said Faith, 
 with an anticipative glance this time. 
 VOL. ii. 23 
 
266 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "It s my belief, child," said her mother, "that if Dr. 
 Harrison had staid away altogether or never staid here 
 more than five minutes at a time, you d have been better 
 long ago. But I think you are better in spite of him." 
 
 Of the two subjects Faith preferred the pigeon to Dr. 
 Harrison, and discussed it quite to her mother s satisfaction. 
 But if silent, she thought never the less. Both Reuben 
 Taylor s words and her mother s words quickened her to 
 thinking, and thinking seemed of very little use. The next 
 day when the doctor came she was as grave and still and 
 unresponsive as she could be. And it had no effect on him 
 whatever. He was just as usual, he talked just as usual ; 
 and Faith could but be grieved, and be silent. It did not 
 enter her gentle imagination that the very things which so 
 troubled her were spoken on purpose to trouble her. How 
 could it? when they made their way into the conversation 
 and into her hearing a? followers of something else, as 
 harpies that worried or had worried somebody else, as 
 shapes that a cloud might take and be a cloud again only, 
 she could not forget that shape. It was near now the time 
 for Mr. Linden to come home, and Faith looked for his 
 coming with an hourly breath of longing. It seemed to 
 her that his very being there would at once break the mesh 
 Dr. Harrison was so busy weaving and in which she had no 
 power to stop him. 
 
 But the doctor s opportunity for playing this game was 
 nearing an end, and he knew it. He did not know that 
 Mr. Linden was coming; he did know that Faith was 
 getting well. 
 
 A day or two after the talk with Reuben it happened 
 that Mrs. Derrick was detained down stairs when the doc 
 tor came up to see Faith. The room was full of a May 
 warmth and sweetness from the open windows ; and Faith 
 herself in a white dress instead of the brown wrapper, 
 looked May-like enough. Not so jocund and blooming 
 certainly; she was more like a snowdrop than a crocus. 
 Her cheeks were pale and thin, but their colour was fresh; 
 and her eye had the light of returning health, or of 
 returning something else 1 
 
 "You are getting well!" said the doctor. "I shall lose 
 my w^rk and forgive me, rny pleasure 1" 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 26 T 
 
 "I will give you some better work to do, Dr. Harrison." 
 
 " What is that ? Anything for you ! " 
 
 "It is not for me. That little lame child to whom you 
 sent the rose-tree, Dr. Harrison, she is very sick. Would 
 you go and see her ?" 
 
 " Did you think I would not ?" he said rather gravely. 
 
 "I want to see her very much myself," Faith went on; 
 "but I suppose I could not take so long a ride yet 
 Could I?" 
 
 The doctor looked at her. 
 
 "I think the mother of the Gracchi must have been 
 something such a woman !" he said with an indescribable 
 grave comic mien; "and the other Roman mother that 
 saved Rome and lost her son ! Or that lady of Sparta 
 who made the affectionate request to her son about coming 
 home from the battle on his shield I I thought the race had 
 died out." 
 
 Faith could not help laughing. He had not been sure 
 that she would understand his allusions, but his watchful 
 eye saw that she did. 
 
 " Were you educated in Pattaquasset ?" he said. "Par 
 don me I" 
 
 All Faith s gravity returned, and all her colour too. 
 "No, sir," she said, "I have never been educated. I am 
 studying now." 
 
 "Studying!" said he gently. "You have little need to 
 study." 
 
 "Why, sir?" 
 
 "There are minds and natures so rich by their original 
 constitution, that their own free growth is a fuller and better 
 harvest than all the schoolmasters in the world can bring 
 out of other people." 
 
 Again Faith s cheek was dyed. "I was poor enough," 
 she said bowing her head for a moment. " I am poor now, 
 but I am studying." 
 
 In which last words lay perhaps the tiniest evidence of 
 an intention not to be poor always. A suspicious glance 
 of thought shot from the doctor s mind. But as it had 
 happened more than once before, the simplicity of Faith s 
 frankness misled him, and he dismissed suspicion. 
 
 If you want an illustration of my meaning," he went on 
 
268 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 without change of manner, "permit me to remind you 
 that your paragon of character, the Rhododendron doefc 
 no studying. My conclusion is plain !" 
 
 "The Rhododendron does all it can." 
 
 " Well " said the doctor, "it is impossible to trace the 
 limits of the influences of mignonette." 
 
 Faith looked grave. She was thinking how very power 
 less her influences had been. 
 
 "Don t you see that I have made out my position?" 
 
 "No." 
 
 "What sort of studying may I ask it? do you favour 
 most?" he said with a smile. 
 
 "I like all kinds every kind 1" 
 
 "I believe that. I know you have a love for chymistry, 
 and Shakspeare, and natural history. But I should like to 
 know Mignonette s favourite atmosphere." 
 
 "The study I like best of all is the one you like least, 
 Dr. Harrison." 
 
 "What may that be, Miss Faith ?" 
 
 "The study of the Bible." 
 
 "The Bible ! Surely you know that already," he said in 
 an interested voice. 
 
 "Did you think so ?" said Faith quickly and with secret 
 humbleness. "You made a great mistake, Dr. Harrison. 
 Bat there is nothing I take such deep lessons in ; nor such 
 pleasant ones." 
 
 "You mistake me too, Miss Faith. I do like it. You 
 are strong enough for it to-day I wish you would give me 
 one of those lessons you speak of?" 
 
 "If you loved it, sir, you would not ask me. You would 
 find them for yourself." 
 
 "Another mistake!" said the doctor. "I might love 
 them, and yet ask you. Won t you give me one ?" 
 
 She lifted to his a look so gentle and grave that he could 
 not think she was displeased, or harsh, or even unkind. 
 But she answered him, "No." 
 
 "Don t you feel strong enough for it?" he said with a 
 shade of concern. 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "You think you have given me one lesson already," he 
 said smiling, " which I am not attending to. I will go and 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 269 
 
 see your little sick child immediately. But I don t 
 
 the \vay ! I wish you were well enough to pilot me. I 
 
 can t find her by the sign of the rosebush?" 
 
 " Reuben Taylor will take you there, Dr. Harrison, if 
 you will let him. He goes there often." 
 
 " If I will let him ! Say, if he will let me ! Your knight 
 does not smile upon me, Miss Faith." 
 
 "Why not?" 
 
 "I m sure I m not qualified to give evidence," said the 
 doctor half laughing at having the tables turned upon him. 
 ""Unless his chivalric devotion to you is jealous of every 
 other approach even mine. But you say he will guide 
 me to the rosebush ?" 
 
 "I am sure he will with great pleasure, Dr. Harrison." 
 
 "And I will go with great pleasure for you." 
 
 He was standing before her, looking down. There wan 
 something in the look that made Faith s colour come again. 
 She answered seriously, "No sir not for me." 
 
 "Why not?" 
 
 "I can t reward you," said Faith ; trembling, for she 
 felt she was speaking to the point. " Do it for a better 
 reason." 
 
 "Will you shew me a better?" 
 
 She answered instantly with a bright little smile, " Give, 
 and it shall be given unto you ; full measure, pressed down, 
 heaped up, and running over, shall men give into your 
 bosom. " 
 
 "In another world ! " said the doctor. 
 
 "No in this. The promise stands for it." 
 
 "It s your part of this world not mine; and unless you 
 shew me the way, Miss Faith, I shall never get into it." 
 Then more gently, taking her hand and kissing it, he added, 
 "Are you tired of trying to help me ?" 
 
 Faith met his keen eye, reddened, and drooped her head ; 
 for indeed she felt weak. And her words were low and 
 scarce steady. "I will not be tired of praying for you, Dr 
 Harrison." 
 
 What swift electric current along the chain of associa 
 tion moved the doctor s next question. lie was silent a 
 minute before he spoke it; then spoke in a clear even 
 voice. "May 1 ask you is it impertinent what first led 
 
 23* 
 
270 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 you to this way of thinking ? Sophy says you were not 
 always so." 
 
 The colour deepened on Faith s cheek, he saw that, and 
 deepened more. 
 
 "The teaching is always of heaven, sir. But it came to 
 me through the hands of the friend who was so long in our 
 house last year." 
 
 "And has that adventurer counselled you to trust no 
 friend that isn t of his way of thinking?" the doctor said 
 with some haughtiness of accent. 
 
 Faith raised her eyes and looked at him the steady grave 
 look that the doctor never liked to meet from those soft 
 eyes. It fixed his, till her eyes fell with a sudden motion, 
 and the doctor s followed them whither ? To that gloved 
 forefinger which he had often noticed was kept covered. 
 Faith was slowly drawing the covering off; and something 
 in her manner or her look kept his eyes rivetted there. 
 Slowly, deliberately, Faith uncovered the finger, and in full 
 view the brilliants sparkled ; danced and leapt, as it seemed 
 to Faith, whose eyes saw nothing else. She did not dare 
 look up, nor could, for a double reason. She sat like a fair 
 statue, looking still and only at the diamond sign, while the 
 blood in her cheeks that bore witness to it seemed the only 
 moving thing about her. That rose and deepened, from 
 crimson to scarlet, and from her cheeks to the rim of her 
 hair. 
 
 She never saw the changes in her neighbour s face, nor 
 what struggles the paleness and the returning flush bore 
 witness to. She never looked up. She had revealed all ; 
 she was willing he should conceal all, that he could. It 
 was but a minute or two, though Faith s measurement made 
 it a more indefinite time ; and Dr. Harrison took her hand 
 again, precisely in his usual manner, remarked that it was 
 possible he might be obliged to go south in a day or two 
 for a day or two, but that he rather thought he had cured 
 her; and so went off, with no difference of tone that any 
 stranger could have told, and Faith never raised her eyey 
 to see how he looked. 
 
CHAPTER XXI 
 
 DR. HARRISON sent away his curricle and walked 
 home, slowly, with his hands behind him, as if the 
 May air had made him lazy. To any one that met him, he 
 wore as disengaged an air as usual ; his eye was as coolly 
 cognizant of all upon which it fell, and his brow never 
 looked less thoughtful. While his head never had been 
 more busy. He kept the secret of his pride he had kept 
 and would keep it, well ; no one should guess what he bore ; 
 but he bore a writhing brain and a passion that was heav 
 ing with disappointment. To no end except to expose 
 himself he had worked at his mining operations all these 
 months; nothing could be more absolute than the silence 
 of Faith s answer; nothing could be more certain than the 
 fixedness of her position. Against the very impassable- 
 ness of the barrier the doctor s will chafed, even while his 
 hope gave way. He ruthlessly called himself a fool for it 
 too, at the minute. But he was unused to be baffled ; and 
 no man pursues long with such deliberate energy a purpose 
 upon which he has set his heart, without having all the 
 cords of his will and his passion knit at last into a cable of 
 strength and tenacity. The doctor s walk grew slower, and 
 his eyes fell on the ground. How lovely Faith had looked 
 even then, when she was putting him and herself to pain ; 
 how speakingly the crimson hues had chased each other 
 all over her face, and neck ; how shyly her eyelashes had 
 kept their place on her cheek ; with how exquisite grace 
 her still attitude had been maintained. And withal what 
 a piece of simplicity she was ! What a contrast those 
 superb diamonds had made with the almost quaint un- 
 adorriedness of her figure in its white wrapper. A con 
 trast that somehow was not inharmonious, and with which 
 the doctor s artistic taste confessed itself bewitched, though 
 Faith s only other remotest ornament was that very 
 
 (271) 
 
212 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 womanly one of her rich brown hair. A piece of simplicity ? 
 Could she be beyond his reach ? With duty between, 
 yes ; otherwise, no ! as all the doctor s experience told 
 him. And he walked leisurely past his own door, past the 
 houses of the village, on almost to the entrance of the 
 woody road; then turned and came with a brisker pace 
 back. He still called himself a fool, secretly ; but he went 
 into the library and wrote a letter. Which in course of 
 time was received and read by Mr. Linden between two of 
 his pieces of work. 
 
 It appeared the next day that Dr. Harrison had changed 
 his mind, or his plans, about going south ; for he came as 
 usual to see Faith. In every sense as usual ; to her 
 astonishment no traces remained of the yesterday s conver 
 sation. The ease and kindliness of his manner had suffered 
 no abatement, although a little touch of regretfulness, just 
 allowed to appear, forbade her to doubt that she had been 
 understood. Spite of herself, she could not help being 
 presently again almost at ease with him. Nevertheless 
 Faith wished he had gone south. 
 
 She did not feel sure that Mr. Linden would be pleased 
 with the state of matters, as days went on, and she was 
 sure she was not pleased herself. There was something 
 she did not understand. The doctor s manner was not pre 
 suming, in a way ; neither did he obtrude even his sorrow 
 upon her ; yet he took the place of a privileged person 
 she felt that and she was obliged to see his pain in the 
 very silence and in the play of words or of face which she 
 thought assumed to conceal it. She was very sorry for 
 him, and in the same breath thought she must have been 
 wrong in something, though she could not see how, or 
 things would never have come to such a point. 
 
 She could not guess how could she ! that the doctor 
 was playing a desperate game and had thrown his last 
 stake on the chance of a flaw in Mr. Linden s confidence 
 towards her or in hers towards him, or of a flaw in the tem 
 per of either of them, or a flaw in their pride, or affection ! 
 There are flaws in so many characters 1 Did but either of 
 them lack moral courage, or truth, or trust, or common 
 sense, like a great many of the rest of the world and the 
 doctor had gained his ground ! For Dr. Harrison had de- 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 273 
 
 termined that Faith s religious opinions should not stand in 
 his way; she should think as he did, or he would think 
 with her! 
 
 Of all this Faith knew nothing. She had only an intui 
 tive sense that something was not right ; and doubt and 
 annoyance kept her strength back. She lost ground again. 
 All summed itself up in a longing for Mr. Linden to come. 
 
 Meanwhile Mr. Linden had received and read the follow 
 ing despatch, and studied and taught before and after it as 
 best he might. 
 
 Pattaquasset, April, 18 . 
 "MY DEAR LINDEN, 
 
 I do not know what impulse prompts me to write this 
 letter to you A very strong one, probably, that makes 
 fools of men Yet even with my eyes open to this, I go on. 
 
 I have unwittingly become your rival. Not in fact ; 
 indeed, but in character. I have been so unfortunate as to 
 love a person you are somehow concerned in and before 
 I knew that you had any concern of the kind. That is a 
 very simple story, and only one to be smothered not to be 
 brought to open air, were it all. But the course of the 
 months past, which has too late brought me this knowledge 
 of myself, has also made me believe that had I a fair 
 field were there no contrary ties or fetters of conscience 
 I should not love in vain. What those ties are I know 
 nothing I have not asked but the existence of some 
 obligation I have been given to understand. With certain 
 natures of truth and duty, that is a barrier impassable. You 
 would be safe, were I to act out of honour. 
 
 I arn a fool, I believe; but I am not yet such a fool as 
 not to know that there is but one man in the world to whom 
 I could write such a confession. Nothing better prompts 
 it than pure selfishness, I am aware but with me that is 
 strong. I have that notion of you that you would not 
 care to keep what you held only by priority of claim. I 
 may be wrong in the supposition upon which I am going 
 yet it is ray chance for life and I cannot yield it up. That 
 were the lady free in conscience as well as in fact she 
 might be induced to look favourably on me. 1 ought to 
 add, that I believe such a consciousness has never shaped 
 itself to her mind the innocence with which she may at 
 
2T4 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 first have entered into some sort of obligation, would not 
 lessen or alter its truth or stringency to her pure mind. 
 The game is in your own hands, Linden so is 
 Your unworthy friend 
 
 JULIUS HARRISON. 
 
 p.S. One thing further I ought to add that a some 
 what delicate state of nerves and health, over which I have 
 been for some time watching, would make any rash broach 
 ing of this subject very inexpedient and unsafe. I need 
 not enforce this hint." 
 
CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 nnHE spring opened from day to day, and the apple 
 JL blossoms were bursting. Mr. Linden might soon be 
 looked for, and one warm May afternoon Faith went in 
 to make his room ready. It was the first day she had 
 been fit for it, and she was yet so little strong that she 
 must take care of her movements. With slow and unable 
 fingers she did her pleasant work, and then very tired, sat 
 down in her old reading window-seat and went into a long 
 dream-meditation. It was pleasant for a while, in har 
 mony with the summer air and the robins in the maple; it 
 got round at last into the train of the last weeks. A 
 fruitless reverie ended in Faith s getting very weary; and 
 she went back to her own room to put herself on the couch 
 cushions and go to sleep. 
 
 Sleep held on its way after a peaceful fashion, yet not so 
 but that Faith s face shewed traces of her thoughts. Mrs. 
 Derrick came softly and watched her, and the spring air 
 blew back the curtains and fanned her, and brushed her 
 hair with its perfumed wings ; and one or two honey bees 
 buzzed in and sought honey from the doctor s flowers, and 
 forsook them again for the fields. 
 
 Up there at last, following Mrs. Derrick, came Mr. Lin 
 den. With few reasons asked or told of his sudden appear 
 ance ; with little said even of Faith s illness but the mere 
 fact, he went up to the sunlit room and there staid. Not 
 restingly in Faith s easy-chair, but standing by the low fire 
 place, just where he could have the fullest view of her. 
 Mrs. Derrick came and went, he never stirred. The sun 
 beams came and went wrapped Faith in their bright folds 
 and lay at his feet, then began to withdraw altogether. 
 They had shewed him the unwontedly pale and worn face, 
 and lit up the weary lines in which the lips lay asleep ; and 
 just when the sunbeams had left it all, Mr. Linden became 
 aware that two dark eyes had softly opened and were 
 gazing at him as if ho were a figure in a dream. So per- 
 
 (275> 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 haps for a minute he seemed, touched with the light as he 
 was, which made a glorification in the brown locks of his 
 hair and gleamed about "pleasant outlines" standing as 
 fixed and still as a statue. But they were not statue eyes 
 which looked into hers, and Faith s dreamlike gaze was 
 only for a moment. Then every line of her face changed 
 with joy and she sprang up to hide it in Mr. Linden s 
 arms. He stood still, holding her as one holds some 
 rescued thing. For Faith was too weak to be just herself, 
 and weariness and gladness had found their own very un 
 usual expression in an outflow of nervous tears. 
 
 Something seemed to have taken away Mr. Linden s 
 power of words. He did place her among the cushions 
 again, but if every one of her tears had been balm to him 
 he could not have let them flow more unchecked. Perhaps 
 the recollection that they were tears came suddenly ; for 
 with very sudden sweet peremptoriness he said, 
 
 "Faith, hush! Are you so glad to see me?" 
 
 She was jnstantly still. No answer. 
 
 "What then?" The intonation was most tender, so, 
 rather than by any playfulness, cancelling his own question. 
 She raised her head, she had dismissed her tears, yet the 
 smile with which her glance favoured him was a sort of 
 rainbow smile, born of clouds. 
 
 " That is a very struggling and misty sunbeam !" said 
 Mr. Linden. "Is that why I was kept out of its range so 
 long?" 
 
 Faith s head drooped. Her forehead lay lightly against 
 him ; he could not see what sort of a smile she wore. 
 
 " Whereupon it goes into seclusion altogether. Mignon 
 ette, look up and kiss me, how much longer do you sup 
 pose I can wait for that ?" 
 
 He had no longer to wait at that time, and the touch of 
 her lips was with a tremulous gladness which was tale-tell 
 ing. And then the position of the lowered head and the 
 hand which kept its place on his shoulder shewed him that 
 she was clinging, though with shy eagerness, like a bird 
 that with tired wing has found her nest. With one of those 
 quick impulses which to-day seemed to have taken the place 
 of his usual steadiness, Mr. Linden bent down and blessed 
 her; in words such as she never remembered from other 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 277 
 
 lips. Not many indeed, bat deep and strong, as the very 
 depth and strength of his own human and religious nature ; 
 words that stilled Faith s heart as with the shadowing of 
 peace ; so that for the time she could not wonder, but only 
 rest. They made her tremble a moment; then she rested 
 as if the words had been a spell. But the rest wrought 
 action. Faith drew back presently and looked up at Mr. 
 Linden to see how he looked. And then she could not 
 tell. Her puzzled eyes found nothing to remark upon. 
 
 "Endy I thought you would not be here for two or 
 three days yet." 
 
 " It was nearly impossible. My child, when did you get 
 sick ?" 
 
 "0 a good while ago." 
 
 " A good while / Mr. Linden repeated with grave 
 emphasis. "Well do you think it would have lengthened 
 the time to have me come and see you ?" 
 
 Faith s heart was too full, and her answer, looking down, 
 was a tremulous, quiet and tender, 
 
 "I don t think it would." 
 
 " Then wherefore was I not permitted ?" 
 
 "I didn t want you to come then." 
 
 "And again, wherefore?" 
 
 "Why you know, Eudy. I couldn t want you till you 
 were ready to come." 
 
 " I should have been most emphatically ready I What 
 sort of medical attendance have you had ?" 
 
 "Good, you know. I had Dr. Harrison." 
 
 "And he did his duty faithfully ?" 
 
 "I guess he always does his medical duty," said Faith 
 somewhat quietly. 
 
 "Duty is a sort of whole-souled thing, to my mind," said 
 Mr. Linden. "Do you think all his ministrations did you 
 good?" 
 
 There was pain and wonder, and even some fear in Faith s 
 eyes as she looked at Mr. Linden. 
 
 "They ought not to have done me any harm" she said 
 neekly. 
 
 "Did they, Faith ? I thought " Very softly and thought 
 fully his fingers came about her hair, his eyes looking at 
 her, Faith could hardly tell how. The pain of those weeks 
 
 VOL. IT. 24 
 
278 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 stung her again the sorrow and the shame and the need- 
 lessness. Faith s head sunk again upon Mr. Linden s 
 breast, for the tears came bitterly; though he could not 
 know that. He only knew that they came. Holding her 
 with a strong arm as if against some one else ; soothing 
 her with grave kisses, not with words, Mr. Linden waited 
 for her to speak. 
 
 Child," he said at last, "you will do yourself harm. 
 Has he brought on this state of the nerves that he talks 
 about ? And in what possible way ?" 
 
 "Don t talk about it, Endy ! " said Faith struggling 
 for self-command "I am foolish and wrong and weak. 
 I ll tell you another time." But Faith s head kept its 
 position. 
 
 "Do you think I can wait, to know what has made my 
 coming home such a tearful affair ?" 
 
 "Yes. Because it s all over now." 
 
 "What is over?" 
 
 "All that you wouldn t like." 
 
 " Faith you talk in perfect riddles ! It is well that what 
 I can see of this very pale little face is less puzzling. Did 
 you tell Dr. Harrison of your claim upon me ?" 
 
 "What? " she said looking up. 
 
 "Well. You know what that claim is. Did you tel) 
 him, Faith ?" 
 
 Her eyes fell again. "Yes at least I shewed him my 
 ring." 
 
 "In answer to his suit, Faith?" 
 
 "No. He was talking as I did not like, one day." 
 Faith s cheeks were growing beautifully rosy. 
 
 "Was it to protect yourself, or me?" said Mr. Linden 
 watching her. Faith s glance up and down, was inex 
 pressibly pretty. 
 
 "Myself, I think." 
 
 "You have a strange power of exciting and keeping 
 down my temper, at one and the same time 1" said Mr. 
 Linden. "What did he dare say to you?" 
 
 "Nothing about me. It was something about you 
 which I did not choose to have him say." 
 
 Mr. Linden smiled, and called her a little crusader, but 
 the g rave look came back. Dr. Harrison had known, 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 279 
 
 then, just what ties he was trying to break, had felt sure 
 must have felt sure that they were bonds of very deep 
 love and confidence ; and thereupon, had coolly set him 
 self to sow mistrust ! Mr. Linden was very silent, the 
 keen words of indignation that rose to his lips ever driven 
 back and turned aside by Faith s face, which told so plainly 
 that she could bear no excitement. He spoke at last with 
 great deliberation. 
 
 "You may as well shew it to all Pattaquasset, Mig 
 nonette ! for all Pattaquasset shall know before I have 
 been here much longer." 
 
 "What? why?" she said startling. 
 
 "For what you will, love. I think you need the pro 
 tection of my name." 
 
 Faith could not deny it; howsoever she looked quaintly 
 grave upon the proposition. 
 
 " Do you know how you will have to scour the country 
 now, and make yourself as much as possible like cowslips 
 and buttercups and primroses and mouse-ear ?" said Mr. 
 Linden smiling. "One day you may be a Spring beauty, 
 and the next Meadow-sweet, and when I see you a wild 
 pink I shall feel comparatively happy." 
 
 Faith with a very little laugh remarked that she did not 
 feel as if she ever should be anything wild. 
 
 "What is your definition of wild?" 
 
 "Not tame." 
 
 "Does that meek adjective express the kind of pink you 
 intend to be ?" 
 
 "I didn t say what I should be I only spoke of what 
 I am." 
 
 " Shall I tell you the future tense of this very indicative 
 mood?" he said touching her cheeks. 
 
 "If you know it!" 
 
 "If I know it! You will be (some months later) a 
 Linden flower! whether wild or tame remains to be 
 been." 
 
 Unless Linden flowers can be sometimes, found a good 
 deal deeper-coloured than pinks, there was at least very 
 little present resemblance. The only notice Faith took of 
 this prophecy was an involuntary one. The door softly 
 opened at this point, and Mrs. Derrick came in to an- 
 
280 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 nounce tea. She stood still .a moment surveying thetd 
 both. 
 
 "How do you think she looks, Mr. Linden?" 
 His eyes went back to Faith, giving a quick reply which 
 he did riot mean they should. She looks like a dear child 
 as she is, Mrs. Derrick. I cannot say much more for 
 her. But I shall take her down to tea." 
 
 Mrs. Derrick went joyfully off for shawls and wrappers. 
 Mr. Linden was silent; his eyes had not stirred. But he 
 amused himself with taking some of the violets from the 
 table near by and fastening them in her belt and hair ; the 
 very touch of his fingers telling some things he did not 
 
 " Sunbeam, do you feel as if you could bear transporta 
 tion ?" 
 
 "Not as a sunbeam. I could walk down, I think," saif l 
 Faith. Mr. Linden remarked that the truth of that pro 
 position would never be known; and then she was muffled 
 in a large soft shawl, and carried down stairs and laid on 
 the sofa in the sitting-room. The windows were open for 
 the May wind, but there was a dainty little fire still every 
 thing looked strangely familiar ; even Mr. Linden ; though 
 his face wore not just its most wonted expression. He 
 had laid her down among the cushions and loosened her 
 wrapping shawl, and paid a little attention to the fire; and 
 now stood in Dr. Harrison s favourite place, looking at 
 her, perhaps trying to see whether she looked more like 
 herself down stairs than she had done above. He could not 
 find that she did. Faith felt as if a great cloud had rolled 
 over and rolled off from her; yet in her very happiness she 
 had a great desire to cry ; her weakness of body helped 
 that. Her head lay still upon the cushions with fingers 
 pressed upon her brow. She hardly dared look at Mr. 
 Linden; her eye wandered over less dangerous things; 
 yet it saw him not the less. How sweetly the wind blew. 
 
 Mr. Linden went off to the window and picked three or 
 four of the May roses that grew there, and then coming to 
 sit down by Faith s sofa softly pushed one of the buds in 
 between her fingers, and made the rest into a breast knot 
 which he laid on the white folds of her dress. He put 
 other roses in her cheeks then, but it was all done with a 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 28 1 
 
 curious quietness that covered less quiet things. Faith 
 took the flowers and played with them, venturing scarce a 
 look of answer. With the wasted cheek, the delicate flush 
 on it. and all the stirred fountain of feeling which she was 
 not so able as usual to control, Faith was very lovely; to 
 which effect the roses and violets scattered over her lent a 
 help of their own. Mr. Linden looked at her, giving now 
 and then a little arranging touch to flowers or hair with 
 an unbending face, which ended at last in a very full 
 bright smile; though just why it rouged her cheeks so 
 instantly Faith did not feel quite sure. She felt the 
 rouge. 
 
 "I am glad you feel like yourself again," she remarked. 
 
 "How do you know that I do?" 
 
 "I think you look so." 
 
 "Quite a mistake. I am only bewitched. That is some 
 what like myself, I must own." 
 
 Faith s face made a remonstrance, not at all calculated to 
 be successful. 
 
 "Please don t bewitch me then 1" said Mr. Linden an 
 swering the look. "You know I cannot help it and on 
 the whole you don t wish I could. What do you think of 
 her now, Mrs. Derrick ?" he added, getting up to roll the 
 tea-table close to the sofa. The folding of Mrs. Derrick s 
 hands was significant. 
 
 "Yes, but you must not look at her so," said Mr. Linden 
 demurely arranging the table and sofa angles in harmonious 
 relation. "You should look with cool unconcern as I 
 do." 
 
 " YouT said Mrs. Derrick. "Well I should like to see 
 that for once." 
 
 Faith laughed again, and was ready for her supper after 
 a new fashion from what she had known for many a day 
 past. There is no doubt but cresses and broiled pigeon 
 were good that night 1 
 
 24* 
 

 CHAPTER XXIII. 
 
 WHAT a twitter of birds was in Faith s ears as she 
 awoke next morning ! Perhaps they were not really 
 more noisy than usual, but she seemed to hear them more; 
 and then it was a soft balmy morning, with a joyous spring 
 sunshine and a dancing spring air, which gave full effect to 
 all the bird voices. Faith listened to the chorus, the choir, 
 the concert, the solos, with a charmed ear. The minute s 
 hush; the low twitter answered softly from bush and tree; 
 the soft chiming in of other notes; the swelling, quicken 
 ing, increasing song till every sparrow and kildeer in all 
 Pattaquasset drew his bow and clattered his castanets with 
 the speed and the eagerness of twenty fiddlers. Only 
 in this orchestra the heads turned gracefully on swelling 
 throats, and for the angular play of elbows there was the 
 lifting flutter of joyous wings ; and the audience of opening 
 leaves clapped their little hands for an encore. 
 
 Such were the sounds that came to Faith from without; 
 within her room, Mrs. Derrick moved silently about, 
 lighting the fire, arranging the window curtains, the tab!* 
 and couch, laying out Faith s dressing gown to air, but not 
 saying a word to her yet, lest she might be asleep. Faith 
 could see the relief and gladness in every step her mother 
 took and well knew why. On the white spread before her 
 lay a glowing little bunch of spring flowers, the last night s 
 dew yet hiding in the depths of the violets, and sprinkling 
 the leaves of the May roses, and making the windflowers 
 look at her with w.et eyes. Faith grasped these and held 
 a considerably long conversation with them ; then found it 
 in her heart to speak otherwise. 
 
 " Mother," said she, with a little smile upon the contented 
 languor of convalescence, " you feel better!" 
 
 Mrs. Derrick came quick to her side, and kissed her and 
 stroked her face. "Pretty child," she said, " so do you." 
 
 Which fact Faith confirmed by setting about the busi- 
 (282) 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 283 
 
 *.css of dressing with more energy and good will than she 
 nad for many a day brought to it. The pale cheeks were 
 not quite so pale this morning. The white dress was tied 
 round the waist with that blue ribband of long ago nevei 
 yet spoiled with wearing; and in it the roses and violets 
 made a spot of warmer colour. When at last she was 
 ready, and had stepped out into the hall, Mr. Linden met 
 her there as he had done the night after the fire; and as 
 then, stayed her for a minute and scanned her face : with a 
 different look from then, with a different sort of gravity, 
 which gladness did not quite cover up. He asked no 
 questions but with his eyes, and did not say much but 
 with his lips ; then carried her down to the breakfast- room 
 
 " Mignonette," he said, " what time to-day will it please 
 you to take a drive ?" 
 
 The pleasure of the idea brought the colour to Faith s 
 cheeks. "I suppose I had better ask Dr. Harrison first 
 whether I may go," she said gravely. 
 
 " Not at all. He has nothing whatever to say about it " 
 
 " Then as soon as he is gone, I am ready." 
 
 "We will not wait for him," said Mr. Linden. 
 
 "But Endy, later will do just as well, won t it?" 
 
 "No, love not half so well." 
 
 "Why?" 
 
 "Principally, because I want you to be out when Dr. 
 Harrison comes." And quitting that subject, Mr. Linden 
 wheeled her round to the nearer consideration of biscuits 
 and coffee; leaving Dr. Harrison, for the time, quite out 
 of sight. Out of his own sight, that is ; for Faith plainly 
 did not forget him. She was a delicious thing to take care 
 of this morning; in that delicacy of bodily condition to 
 which the strong love to minister, and a tenderness of spirit 
 which grew out of other things and which to-day she had 
 no force to hide. And there was an apprehension which 
 Mr. Linden could see behind her eyes every time they came 
 to his face. Faith was gathering her powers for a struggle. 
 Yet she had no mind to begin it, and waited after breakfast 
 till Mr. Linden should bring up the subject again. He 
 seemed in no haste to bring it up. For some reason or 
 other, he was in a mood that could not do enough for her, 
 It was a mood Faith must try. 
 
284 SAY AND SEAL 
 
 As the morning had worn on and she saw some prelimi 
 nary movement on Mr. Linden s part, which looked like 
 action, she put her hand in his and lifted her eyes to his 
 face, with a gentle plea in them, speaking in musical soft 
 ness. "Endy, will you let me wait till Dr. Harrison has 
 made his visit ?" The little hand was clasped and held fast. 
 
 " He would not wish to see you with me, Mignonette 
 and I certainly will not let him see you without." 
 
 "0 why, Endy?" 
 
 "Because Mignonette I cannot tell you. Don t ask me. " 
 
 Faith flushed and looked troubled but somewhat timid 
 too, and asked no more. She puzzled over the subject. 
 
 "Then, Endy, suppose we don t go out to drive to-day?" 
 
 "Suppose we do. What are you rouging your cheeks 
 for?" he added smiling. "Faith, I know I have no legal 
 right to control your actions and yet in this case you must 
 let me say for you what I should for my sister or my wife." 
 
 How Faith wished to know why. The rouge grew 
 bright; but forbidden to ask, she dared not ask. "Would 
 you care if we did not go out to-day ?" she said with some 
 timid hesitation. 
 
 "Very much." 
 
 She was silenced. That Mr. Linden had some strong 
 reason it was plain; not the less the thought of Dr. Har 
 rison grieved her. But she said nothing. Nor did he, 
 upon that subject, threw it to the winds apparently. The 
 first move was to take her up stairs again and bestow her 
 daintily among cushions, then to sit by her and spice her 
 cup of chicken broth with pepper and talk, till both it and 
 Faith were warm, and Mrs. Derrick in a state of delight. 
 The good, sweet effect of which mode of treatment, was 
 shewn in the way the fringed curtains of Faith s eyes were 
 by and by dropped by sleep herself. When she awoke 
 Mr. Linden was gone ; and Mrs. Derrick sat there keeping 
 watch. 
 
 "Has the doctor been here, mother?" 
 
 " Why child," said her mother, " he s slipped off Stranger, 
 in some of his capers, and hurt his ancle, so Reuben says 
 he won t come till to-morrow. Shall I tell Mr. Linden he 
 may come up ?" 
 
 "Yes." Faith felt it a relief. 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 285 
 
 Mr. Linden came to tell her the carriage was ready. 
 
 It seemed to Faith as if Jerry knew his old driver, with 
 such good will did he set forth, with such little snorts of 
 high spirit and tossings of head and mane. Down the old 
 farm road, among fields of fresh grain and fresh ploughing, 
 where blue birds sat on the fences, and jocund dandelions 
 sunned themselves by the wayside. The breeze came fresh 
 into Faith s face, tossing back her hair ; and presently with 
 the scent of buds and flowers and ploughed land came a 
 mingling of the sea breeze, for Mr. Linden was driving 
 that way. " He was right to make her come ! Faith felt it 
 in her heart, and so did he. There had been few words 
 spoken hitherto, but now he turned to her with a smile of 
 great satisfaction, saying, 
 
 "Mignonette, this breeze is telling upon your cheeks." 
 
 "It is going all through me!" said Faith, drawing an 
 eager breath of appreciation. Mr. Linden gave her shawls 
 and cushions some arranging touches, and to her a glad 
 word or two of answer, then drove on down to the shore. 
 Not at their usual bathing and picnic place, but at the fur 
 ther out Barley Point ; where the breeze came in its full 
 freshness and the waves rolled in white-crested. There he 
 made Jerry stand still for a while, and made Faith lean 
 upon him and so rest. 
 
 They were somewhat elevated above the sea, where the 
 barren face of the land broke down suddenly some twenty 
 feet. With what a sweet dash the waves broke upon the 
 beach, chasing up the wet sand and laying down a little 
 freight of seaweed here and there: how the water sparkled 
 and glittered, and was blue and white and green and neu 
 tral tint, how the gulls soared and stooped and flapped 
 their wings in the gay breeze, before which the white- 
 winged vessels flew on a more steady course. Jerry pawed 
 the turf, and shook his head in approbation, and Faith s 
 head lay very still. Perhaps Mr. Linden thought she had 
 done talking enough that day, for he was rather silent; 
 only watching her lest she should be tired, or have too 
 much of the air. What he watched her for all the rest of 
 the time, was best known to himself. Her brow had its 
 old quiet again now, though her face was grave beyond its 
 old wont; and the eyes, as he could see them, were softly 
 
286 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 grave and softly glad together, intently going from the 
 white-tipped water to the white- winged gulls and the 
 clouds grey and white that sailed above them. Suddenly, 
 after a long roaming over the fresh life that was abroad 
 there, the eyes were lifted to his face. 
 
 "Endecott if I don t say anything, it is because I can t 
 say anything good enough !" 
 
 "Faith," he said with that same glad look at her, "your 
 face says that you are getting better every minute. Not 
 tired yet ?" 
 
 "I feel as if I was in a grand dream." 
 
 "Do you?" said Mr. Linden, "I am glad I do not. 
 It brings me out of a dream to see you begin to look 
 like yourself. I have not felt so real before since I came 
 home." 
 
 "You are real enough," said Faith; "and so is every 
 thing else. It is only my feeling that is dreamy. And 
 this air will wake me up, if 1 stay here a little while 
 longer. How good it is !" 
 
 "Do you see that dark rock out in the midst of the 
 waves ? and how the waves half cover and then leave it 
 bare ?" 
 
 "Yes" 
 
 " I was thinking of what Rutherford says of the chang 
 ing, swaying, unsteady tide of life-joys and sorrows,^ 
 Our rock doth not ebb and flow, but our sea ." 
 
 Faith thought her own life had not been much like that 
 changing tide; then remembered his had, in nearer measure. 
 The next question was not far off; she put it, looking up 
 anxiously and regretfully. "Endecott, what are you work 
 ing so hard for ?" 
 
 A very gay change of face answered her. 
 
 "So hard as what?" 
 
 "As you do." 
 
 "What makes you think I am working so hard, little 
 Mignonette ? have I given you that impression ? I did 
 not mean it. Do I look overworked ?" 
 
 "No " said Faith "I think not, but that is not the 
 thing. Why do you, Endecott?" 
 
 It was a very gently put question, but put with eyes and 
 lips as well as the sweet voice, dainty in its half timidity 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 287 
 
 mixed with the sweetness. Mr. Linden looked down at 
 her till the question was finished, but then he looked off at 
 the dancing water; the smile which had been dawning 
 upon his lips breaking out into very full sunshine. It was 
 a strange smile very enjoying and yet a little moved. 
 
 "Mignonette," he said looking down at her again, "do 
 you know what a dear little child you are ?" 
 
 Her eyes wavered, then faced him again with a sort of 
 smiling gravity, as not relinquishing their answer. 
 
 "You will be dreadfully shocked if I tell you." 
 
 u Shall I?" she said, not believing him. \ 
 
 "Yes. But what do you suppose I am doing? what 
 has put all this into your head ?" 
 
 "I heard it," said Faith. 
 
 "From whom?" 
 
 "I don t know. But somebody that wondered what you 
 were doing it for." 
 
 " Most enigmatical information! What it did some 
 body say I was doing ?" 
 
 "Working hard giving lessons," said Faith dropping 
 her voice. 
 
 "Well what else was I doing when I was here? Thai 
 should not shock you, dear child." 
 
 "You were not doing anything else when you were here 
 that is the very thing, Endecott." 
 
 "Mignonette I have done nothing to hurt myself, as 
 you may see. I am very strong to work." 
 
 She gave a little grave glance at him, grave with a back 
 ground of regretfulness, and placed herself back in her for 
 mer position ; pushing her questions no further. But Mr. 
 Linden did not look grave. 
 
 "I am quite willing to tell you all about my work," he 
 said, "that I did not long ago was for two or three rea- 
 .sons which you will understand. I told you once, dear 
 Faith upon a night which I shall never forge-t that I 
 had means enough to carry me through my studies; but 
 two things made me take measures to earn a good deal 
 more. One was, that I would always rather work than not 
 to have what I want to spend in various good and pleasant 
 ways." 
 
288 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "Yes ?" she said a little eagerly. He looked at her 
 with that same smile coming over his face. 
 
 "It will shock you," he said, "however The other 
 
 reason was this. We agreed how I should choose between 
 two gardens wherein to place my Mignonette. But it may 
 chance that for even the offer of one I shall have to wait 
 and for Mignonette I cannot. Yoyez-vous, Mademoi 
 selle ?" 
 
 Yes, plainly enough; as he could- tell by the bright flush 
 which mounted up to her forehead arid made her a Rho- 
 dora again. And doubtless Faith would have said several 
 things, only she could not! and so sat like the stillest of 
 scared mice ; with no more words at command. Mr. Linden 
 laughed telling her he thought there was no hope of 
 benefitting her cheeks any further that day, and that to 
 judge by her eyelids sleep would be the next thing ; and 
 BO turned the little carriage round and Jerry s head towards 
 home. 
 
CHAPTER XXIY. 
 
 DINNER was ready when they reached home, so that 
 Faith was taken at once to the table ; and when din 
 ner was over, up stairs to go to sleep. And sleep held her 
 well nigh all the afternoon. The sunbeams were long, the 
 light of day was growing gentle, when Faith at last awoke 
 and arose, with a tinge in her cheeks and a face getting to 
 be itself again. She put her hair and her dress in fresh 
 order, and went softly about doing the same office for 
 several things in the room; thinking all the while what 
 Mr. Linden had been working for, and how shut her mouth 
 was from saying anything about it. 
 
 Where is Mr. Linden, mother?" 
 
 Down stairs." 
 
 I am going down too. I am quite well enough without 
 be ng carried. Come, mother." 
 
 He won t like it, child, you d better let me call him." 
 
 No indeed," said Faith. "I ll just take your arm, 
 mother. It will do me good." 
 
 So softly and with a little wilful pleasure on Faith s part, 
 the stairs were descended ; and not content with that, Faith 
 went into the tea-room and began as of old to give a deli 
 cate hand to the tea-table arrangements. Then when all 
 was done, slowly made her entrance into the other room. 
 But there, to Faith s dismay, were two gentlemen instead of 
 one, standing in the middle of the floor in earnest conver 
 sation. Both turned the minute she opened the door, and 
 Squire Stoutenburgh came towards her, exclaiming, "Why 
 Miss Faith ! nobody gave me any hope of seeing you. 
 My dear, are you as well as you loo k ?" 
 
 Faith s instant extreme desire was to quit the field she 
 had so rashly ventured upon. Her answer to Mr. Stout- 
 enburgh, if made, was too unintelligible to be understood 
 or remembered ; and meanwhile she was as the Squire had 
 hinted, looking very well, and a picture of dainty confu 
 sion. It might not help the confusion, though it did put 
 
 VOL. n. 26 (289) 
 
290 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 her face more out of sight, to be rescued from the Squire s 
 hands and placed in the easy-chair. 
 
 "No, she is not as well as she looks, Mr. Stoutenburgh, 
 and therefore you must not keep her standing." 
 
 "I won t keep her nor you neither long," said the 
 Squire. " Miss Faith, I hope you ll keep him standing 
 or kneeling or something all summer. How long are you 
 going to stay, sure enough ?" 
 
 "Till I must go." Faith heard the smile with which it 
 was spoken. 
 
 "Then I shall go home a happy man !" said Mr. Stout 
 enburgh, with a sort of earnest heartiness which became 
 him very well. "My dear, I m as glad as if you were my 
 own daughter and you ll let me say that, because your 
 father and I were such friends." With which original and 
 sincere expression of feeling the Squire went off. 
 
 "You naughty child," Mr. Linden said, coming back to 
 Faith s chair, "who gave you leave to come down stairs? 
 I shouldn t be at all surprised if you had been after 
 cream." 
 
 "No I haven t Endy," said Faith lifting up her face 
 which was in a sort of overwhelmed state. 
 "What is the matter?" he said smiling. 
 
 "Don t mind me," said Faith passing her hands over her 
 face. I am half ashamed of myself I shall be better in a 
 day or two." 
 
 " How do you feel, after your ride and your sleep ?" 
 
 "0 well! nicely," she said in happy accents. 
 
 "What made you try to walk down stairs?" 
 
 "I thought I could do it." 
 
 "And knew I would not let you. Will you be in a talk 
 ing mood after tea?" 
 
 "I am now. I have been wanting to talk to you, Ende- 
 cott, ever since you got home." 
 
 "What about?" 
 
 "About these weeks." 
 
 The summons to tea came then, however; but when tea 
 was disposed of, and Faith had come back to her sofa in 
 the sitting-room, Mr. Linden took his p\ace at her side. 
 
 "Now I am ready for these weeks ," he said. 
 
 Faith was less ready than he, though she had wished for 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 291 
 
 the talk. Her face darkened to something of the weary 
 look with which he had found her. 
 
 "Endecott, I have wanted to see you dreadfully!" He 
 looked pained not merely, she knew, because of that : but 
 the thought had no further expression. 
 
 "What has been the matter, my dear child?" 
 
 Faith s hand and head went down on his shoulder, as on 
 a rest they had long coveted. " I am afraid you will be 
 ashamed of me, Endecott, but I will tell you. You 
 know since I have been sick I have seen a great deal of 
 Dr. Harrison every day, and twice a day. I couldn t 
 help it." 
 
 "No." 
 
 "And Endy, he used to talk to me." 
 
 "Yes," the word was short and grave. 
 
 "I don t know why he did it; and I did not like it, and 
 I could not help it. He would talk to me about Bible 
 things." 
 
 "Well? He used to do that long ago." 
 
 "And long ago you told me not to let him talk to me of 
 his doubts and false opinions. Endecott, I didn t forget 
 that I remembered it all the while, and yet he did talk 
 to me of those things, and I could not tell how to hinder 
 it. And then, Endecott the things were in my head . 
 and I could not get them out!" The manner of Faith s 
 slow words told of a great deal of heart- work. 
 
 Mr. Linden did not start but Faith felt the thrill which 
 passed over him, even to the fingers that held hers. Clearly 
 this was not what he expected. 
 
 "Faith," he said, "has he touched your faith ?" 
 
 Faith s head drew nearer to his, with a manner half 
 caressing, half shrinking, but the answer was a low, " No 
 never." 
 
 " Child !" he said with a sort of deep terror in his voice, 
 " I think I could not have borne that. I wo^ild rather 
 he had won away your heart from me !" 
 
 Faith did not move, and seemed to herself scarce to 
 breathe, such a spasm of various feelings was upon her 
 heart. " It did not, Endy," she whispered. 
 
 He stooped to kiss her, as if that was the only answer 
 
292 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 he conld give just then; merely saying, "Tell me all 
 about it." 
 
 "I don t know how he did it" Faith went on hesi 
 tatingly, as if the words were not easy to her; "and 
 always before I knew it was coming, it was .said, some 
 thing that troubled me; almost every time he came. I 
 don t know whether it troubled him too, or whether But 
 no matter what it was said for ! He would tell me of some 
 question that had occurred to him, or some difficulty that 
 he could not understand ; or else it was a contrary fact that 
 somebody else had stated, or a cunning explanation that 
 somebody had found out, or a discovery that was against 
 the truth, or some train of consequences and inferences 
 that would undermine it. And these things were always 
 so curiously put, that though I knew they were false, Endy 
 I never doubted that I knew they were not the truth; 
 yet I could not shew him that they were not ; and that 
 hurt me. It pained me by day and by night; but that 
 was not all." Faith hesitated. "These things nev.er did 
 touch my faith, Endecott but it seems to me now as if 
 they had shut it up in a fortress and besieged it. I hadn t 
 a bit of comfort of it except by snatches only I knew it 
 was there for ever so long. When I tried to read the 
 Bible, often I could think of nothing but these thoughts 
 would push themselves in between like a swarm of gnats 
 humming in my ears ; and often I had no good of prayer," 
 she added in a yet lower voice. 
 
 "Have you now?" Mr. Linden said. "Has that passed 
 away ?" 
 
 She hesitated again, perhaps struggling with some emo 
 tion which she would not let get the better of her. Her 
 words were quiet. "It is passing. Earth and sky are all 
 cleared since you came as I knew they would be." 
 
 Mr. Linden was silent and motionless, looking down at 
 her, curbing as he best might the grief and indignation 
 which were by turns as much as he could manage. He did 
 not speak for some time. 
 
 "I think, Endy," said Faith, "I shouldn t have felt so if 
 I had been well and strong. I am almost sure it was 
 partly that. I wasn t strong in mind or body and how I 
 wanted you!" 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 293 
 
 "And where was my place in the world if not here I" 
 
 "I didn t want you till you came," she said in a very 
 sweet low tone. 
 
 " Ah, child ! you do not know what you are talking of, 
 nor what a snare was spread for you." 
 
 " Do you think that, Endy ?" she said in a scared way. 
 
 "What else?" 
 
 "But he always seemed I always hoped, he was really 
 interested in those things himself." 
 
 "No man carries truth in one hand and falsehood in the 
 other," said Mr. Linden sternly. 
 
 Faith was sitting upright, looking very thoughtful and 
 very grieved. "But you do not think, Endecott, you do 
 not think there was no truth in it ?" 
 
 His face caught her grieved look, he answered slowly, 
 "Child, you must leave all that. I only know that he tried 
 to get rid of every barrier in his way." 
 
 "And how in this, Endecott? What?" 
 
 "He doubtless thought your belief stood between him 
 and your favour." 
 
 "And that if he could change that !" Faith s head 
 
 sank with a low word of pain. Mr. Linden was silent. She 
 looked up again, with a face of yearning sorrow which it 
 was a pity perhaps Dr. Harrison could not see. "And 
 now," she said, "we never can do anything more for him I" 
 
 But Mr. Linden was not ready for the wish, the stern 
 ness of his face did not relax this time even under the 
 power of hers. Until as he looked, with the sight of all 
 her loveliness and the thought of all the wrong done her, 
 came the keen realization of why it had been done ; then 
 his look changed and saddened. 
 
 "Endecott," she said after a while, humbly, "do you 
 think any one who loves Christ could be brought to disbe 
 lieve him ?" 
 
 "No not really and permanently The promise says, 
 Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I 
 deliver him ." 
 
 "Then what did you fear so much for me, Endy?" 
 
 She had cause for the question ; he had spoken and looked 
 and listened with that intentness of sense which shews some 
 
 25* 
 
294 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 hidden anxiety, measuring jealously every look and word 
 of hers by some old well-remembered standard. 
 
 "You remember, dear Faith," he said, "that when the 
 thieves set upon one of the pilgrims, though he made out 
 to keep his jewels yet they took from him all his spending 
 money; and in the want of that he went to the end of his 
 life." 
 
 But the smile that answered him was an answering 
 smile. Though there was sorrow in it, and humbleness, and 
 even fear, its fullest burdens were the free guaranty that she 
 was not hurt, and an untold wealth of affection, that almost 
 breathed out of the moving and parted lips. "Endy, it 
 was only a cloud I knew at the time it would scatter 
 away just as soon as you came. I knew it was a cloud, but 
 I wasn t well." 
 
 Mr. Linden lifted her face, gazing at it intently. " My 
 little Mignonette," he said, "are you sure that you hold 
 fast the beginning of your confidence ? Are you sure he 
 has not dimmed the light that used to shine so bright in 
 your heart ? that he has not made heaven seem less real, 
 nor the promises of less effect ? Are you sure, Faith ? If 
 he has, find it out now I" 
 
 She had never seen him look so never heard him speak 
 with such earnestness. The words seemed to come from 
 the very depths of his heart ; freighted not only with their 
 own moment, but with the pain which the raising such 
 Questions had stirred in him. Faith knew little of even the 
 pictures of angels if she had she might have thought of 
 one then. Her child nature would have thrown itself into 
 Ms arms to give the answer ; as it was, the woman drew a 
 little back and spoke with veiled eyes. 
 
 If he has, I don t know it, Endecott. It was a cloud 
 tkut hindered all enjoyment from me, I knew at the time 
 it was no more. It is gone, or almost. It was wrong to 
 be on me at all but I was weak and not well." Her 
 sp^ch was very humble, and the innocent trembling of the 
 lips was as one might answer an angel. 
 
 His eyes changed as she spoke, watching her still, but less 
 clearly ; and bringing her where she had not dared to place 
 herself, Mr. Linden kissed her again and again as one 
 rejoices over what has been lost or in deadly peril. Not 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 205 
 
 many words and those low and half uttered, of deep 
 thanksgiving, of untold tenderness. But Faith hid her 
 face in her hands, and though she did not shed any tears, 
 shook and trembled. 
 
 " This will not do, for you nor for me," said Mr. Linden. 
 "Mignonette have my words grieved you? they need 
 not there was not a breath in them harsher than a summer 
 wind." 
 
 "I didn t think it, Endy." 
 
 "What are you thinking of, my child ?" 
 
 "Nothing Never mind me, " she said deprecatingly. 
 
 " Tell me, Faith," he repeated. 
 
 But she did not. The quivering emotion passed away or 
 was overcome ; and then her answer was a very grave and 
 sweet look and smile ; still such a one as might without any 
 for.ce have been given to an angel. 
 
 "Faith, what will make you speak? this? Tell me 
 what you were trembling about I shall begin to think you 
 have grown afraid of me." 
 
 "I don t think I have, " she said very quietly. 
 
 "You are a sort of willowbranch, so very pliant that 
 you glide out of reach on the very breath that comes after 
 you. Now I think the very profound confidence I reposed in 
 you this morning, deserves some return. I m afraid I can 
 not ask for it with such persuasive eyes." 
 
 " It s no confidence " said Faith. " I didn t know I 
 had been in such danger ; and" she spoke with some diffi 
 culty " I didn t know what it would be to offend you." 
 
 "Did you think you could ?" 
 
 "If I did wrong ?" 
 
 "Faith," he said, "do you know what I should expect 
 1 if I did wrong , as you say ? that you would break your 
 heart, perhaps, but never that you would be offended. I 
 should expect to find you more than ever my sweet minis 
 tering spirit." 
 
 A look of intense grave earnestness followed and echoed 
 his thought with one or two of her own; then her gravity 
 broke in a radiant little smile. "I am not exactly like you, 
 Fudecott," she said. 
 
 "What is the precise bearing of that remark ?" 
 
 "You might be offended where I should have no 
 
296 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 right, " she said with slow utterance and consideration of 
 her words. 
 
 "But why little Arabic poem?" 
 
 The colour started into Faith s cheeks, but she answered. 
 "You are better than I, and besides, you know, Endj ! 
 it would be right for* you to do what it wouldn t be right 
 for me to do." Her colour deepened to brightness and her 
 eyes were very cast down. Mr. Linden looked at her 
 smiling a grave sweet smile. 
 
 "Faith," he said, "I have heard or imagined that a 
 man might have an angel for his wife, but I never heard 
 yet of a woman who had an angel for her husband did 
 you ?" 
 
 Faith endeavoured to shield her eyes and cheek with a 
 very insufficient hand. " You put me in the witness-box, 
 what can I do ?" she said. 
 
 "You can do one thing as well as anybody I ever saw," 
 Mr. Linden said, taking her hand down. "Faith, where 
 did you get such pink cheeks ?" 
 
 "What is an Arabic poem?" said Faith gravely. 
 
 "A pretty thing that requires translating. Faith, I have 
 a great desire to take you all about Pattaquasset and tell 
 everybody what you are to be." 
 
 "Endecott!" said Faith with a startled glance. 
 
 "What?" he answered laughing. 
 
 "Why do you say so ?" 
 
 "Just imagine the delight of all Quapaw, and the full 
 satisfaction of the Roscoms. Shouldn t you like to see it ?" 
 
 Faith looked at him in a sort of frightened mood of 
 mind, discerning some earnest in the play. Mr. Linden s 
 face did not reassure her, though he carried the play at that 
 time no further. 
 
CHAPTER XXV. 
 
 IF the fears of the night before had not quite been slept 
 off, if the alarming ideas had not all been left in dream 
 land, still it was hard for anything but peace and pleasure 
 to shew its head that morning. In at Faith s window came 
 the sunbeams, the tiny panes of glass shewed each a patch 
 of the bluest sky, and through some unseen open sash the 
 morning air swept in full sweetness. When Faith opened 
 her own window, the twitter and song of all manner of 
 birds was something to hear, and their quick motions were 
 something to see. From the sweetbriar on the house to the 
 trees in the orchard, from the mud nest under the eaves 
 to the hole in the barn wall, what darting and skimming 
 and fluttering ! Off in the orchard the apple trees were softly 
 putting on their nonpareil dress of blossoms, feeding the 
 air with nectar till it was half intoxicated ; and down in the 
 garden a little bevy of bells stood prim and soft and sweet, 
 ringing their noiseless spring chimes under Faith s window. 
 Under her window too, that is within close sight of it, 
 stood Reuben Taylor and Mr. Linden. Not watching for 
 her just then as it appeared, but intent upon their own con 
 cerns. Or rather, Reuben in his usual dark, neat dress 
 and straw hat, with hands neither busy nor at rest, but 
 waiting and ready was intent upon Mr. Linden and Mr. 
 Linden upon his work. His hat was off, on the grass 
 beside him, and he himself half sitting half leaning upon 
 an old crooked apple tree, had his hands full of cowslips 
 though what he was doing with them Faith could not tell. 
 Only from a fluttering end of blue ribband that appeared, 
 she could guess their destination. The two friends were 
 talking busily and merrily, with little cowslip interludes, 
 and the yellow blossoms sprinkled the grass all about the 
 tree, some having dropped down, others been tossed off as 
 not worthy a place in the ball. For that was the work in 
 Mr. Linden s hands something which Faith had never 
 seen. 
 
 (297) 
 
298 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 It was so very pretty a picture that Faith sat down to 
 look at it, and thoughtless of being found out, looked on in 
 a dream. Mr Linden s threats of yesterday did come back 
 to her shrinkingly, but she threw them off; the time was tpo 
 happy to bear the shadow of anything weightier than apple 
 blossoms. Faith looked out through them admiringly, 
 marvelling anew how Mr. Linden had ever come to like her ; 
 and while her soft eyes were studying him, her heart made 
 many a vow before the time. She only felt the birds fly 
 past; her mind was taking strange glimpses into the 
 future. 
 
 Stepping jauntily out from the house, Sam Stoutenburgh 
 came next upon the scene, the springtime of his man s 
 attire suiting well enough with his years but not so well 
 with his surroundings ; too desperately smart for the cow 
 slips, bright and shining asthey were there in the sun, too 
 new for the tulips though they had been out of the ground 
 but a few days. For 
 
 In a little bit of garden ground 
 Where many a lovely plant was found, 
 
 Stood a tulip in gay attire! 
 His pantaloons green as ever were seen, 
 His cap was as red as fire. 
 
 But the tulip was at least used to his cap which was 
 more than could be said of Sam and his hat. 
 
 "Mrs. Derrick told me to come out here and find you, 
 sir," he said. "But what are you doing, Mr. Linden?" 
 ^ "I am making a ball." 
 
 "A ball !" 
 
 "Yes," said Mr. Linden, -" gratifying one of my youth 
 ful tastes. Sam, I ll lend you my hat." 
 
 " Why ! what for, sir ?" said Sam, a little confused and 
 a good deal puzzled, while Reuben smiled. 
 
 "Just to save you from the headache while you stand 
 there in the sun," said Mr. Linden, tying the ends of his 
 ribband together. " It s a man s hat, Sam you need not 
 be afraid of it. That s a good lesson in whistling!" he 
 said, looking up into the tree over his head, where a robin 
 had just come to exercise his powers. But as Mr. Linden s 
 eyes came back from the robin they caught sight of Faith 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 299 
 
 nt her window, and instantly he was on his feet and made 
 her a most graceful and low reverence. Instinctively the 
 two boys turned and followed suit the one with his straw 
 hat the other with his beaver. 
 
 Faith s contemplative quiet was broken up, and her face 
 grew shy and flushed as she gave her tiny grave signs of 
 recognition; but a soft good morning floated down to 
 them, followed nobody knows why by a more particular 
 "Good morning, Sam." 
 
 "Miss Faith!" said Sara affectingly, "are you always 
 going to stay up stairs ?" 
 
 " No I am coming down presently. You are early to 
 day, Sam." 
 
 "Not earlier than I ve been some other days, Miss 
 Faith." 
 
 Faith nodded at him and left the window; threw round 
 her the light shawl which she was expected to wear because 
 she had been sick, rather than because the May air called 
 for it, and prepared to go down. But in the second of 
 time which all this took, she heard her name called from 
 the orchard not very loud but very distinct. 
 
 "Faith!" 
 
 She knew who called, and it was with a little startled 
 thrill that she presented herself at the window to answer 
 the summons. Mr. Linden stood close beneath it. 
 
 " Can you catch this ?" he said, looking up at her with 
 laughing eyes. And the soft cowslip ball came whirling 
 up to bury its golden head in her hands. If Faith saw 
 anything else, it was the very evident astonishment of one 
 of the standers-by. But nevertheless she bravely put her 
 bright blushing face out again. 
 
 " Thank you, Mr. Linden," she said. "It s too pretty to 
 be thrown more than once." 
 
 "Are you ready to come yourself?" 
 
 "Yes, I m coming." 
 
 He bowed and turned away, passing on into the house 
 with so quick a step that he was at the head of the stairs 
 as soon as she was. 
 
 " You are not going to carry me down to-day 1" said 
 Faith starting back. "I can walk down as well as you can 
 or at least I can as well walk down." 
 
300 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "There is no one in the parlour, Mignonette." 
 
 " Then I ll not go there," said Faith smiling. 
 
 "I ll take you to the garden, if you prefer it. Is the 
 supposed fact of your being able to walk down stairs any 
 reason why you should not bid me good morning ?" 
 
 There was neither that nor any other existing reason, 
 to judge by the quiet grace with which Faith drew near 
 to give the required good morning, or rather to permit Mr. 
 Linden to take it ; and then placed her hand in his, as will 
 ing to have so much aid from him as that could give. He 
 held it fast, and her too, for a minute, while his other hand 
 busied itself with fastening in her belt a dewy, sweet, sonsie 
 looking little sprig of May roses. 
 
 "How do you feel this morning?" he said when he was 
 gravely considering the effect. 
 
 "Very much like Spring I" Faith looked so, with her 
 other hand full of primroses. 
 
 "And otherwise ?" 
 
 "I don t feel otherwise!" said Faith laughing; the first 
 really free merry look of laughter he had seen on her face 
 since he came home. 
 
 "You are the sweetest of all spring blossoms," Mr. Lin 
 den said, carrying her off with perfect disregard of the 
 supposed fact of her being able to walk. At the foot of 
 the stairs, however, she was permitted to find her feet again. 
 " Where will you go, dear child ? the orchard is very wet, 
 but you may venture as far as the door." 
 
 "No, I have something to do," said Faith. 
 
 "What have you to do ?" 
 
 "What I used to take care of part of it. I m so glad 
 to do it again." 
 
 "Not to-day you ought not! nor to-morrow. You 
 must come in here and sit quiet till breakfast, and for a few 
 days more be content to be Love in idleness as well as 
 Mignonette. Will you promise ?" he said, seating her in 
 the easy-chair, with open window, and breakfast table, and 
 a gay little fire to make the captivity pleasant. 
 
 "But I like work, Endy and a little won t hurt me. 
 Those boys want you and I ll make the coffee." 
 
 "Do you know, Mignonette, how pale you would be if I 
 were away?" 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 30] 
 
 She shook her head. 
 
 "I do," said Mr. Linden, "and as I am in a mood for 
 roses this morning, I want you to let me bring those boys 
 in here then they can see me and I can see you." 
 
 The roses came, started and brightened, and her eyes 
 looked a soft protest ; but it was a minority protest and 
 gave way, and her face after all told him he might do what 
 he liked. He gave her a reassuring smile, and went back 
 to the orchard, presently returning with Reuben and Sam, 
 the one wearing a face of unqualified pleasure, the other 
 of almost as unqualified shyness. Sam was not quite sure 
 that his ears had reported correctly, but the doubt and the 
 new idea were enough to discompose him thoroughly. He 
 listened eagerly to the answers Reuben s words called forth, 
 but seemed afraid to venture many himself. As for Mr. 
 Linden, he was combining another handful of flowers 
 covering his amusement with very grave composure. 
 
 It was not bad amusement; for the exquisite simplicity 
 in Faith s manner, with the contrast of the coming and 
 going colour and the shy eyelashes, made a picture that 
 any one claiming interest in it would have been a little 
 proud of. And the roses in her belt and the cowslips in 
 her hand and the delicate lines of her face which health 
 had not yet rounded out again, all joined to make the 
 vision a very fair one. She was most shy of Sam, and did 
 not look at Mr. Linden. 
 
 "I haven t thanked you for your pigeons, Sam," she said, 
 after a few lively words with Reuben. 
 
 "No, Miss Faith, please don t 1" was the gallant rejoinder. 
 
 "Weren t they worth thanks?" inquired Mr. Linden. 
 
 "I thought they were, when I was eating them; and 
 mother said they were the best I had. Don t you like to 
 be thanked, Sam ?" 
 
 "When it s worth while," said Sam. "But you* know, 
 ma am You know, Mr. Linden, it s thanks enough to do 
 anything for Miss Faith." 
 
 "I know that very well." Quiet as the words were 
 they brought all Sam s ideas to the ground like his own 
 pigeons. 
 
 " Where are you now in college, Sam ?" Faith went on 
 perhaps because she felt herself a coward. 
 
 VOL. II. 2G 
 
202 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 Sam made answer, in a more subdued state of mind 
 than was usual when he announced his Sophomorical dis 
 tinctions. 
 
 "What are you going to do when you come out?" 
 
 "O I don t know, Miss Faith, father says I can do 
 just what I like." 
 
 "And you don t know what that will be, Sam ?" 
 
 "No " said Sam. "I can t even guess." 
 
 "A man who can do what he likes ought to do a great 
 deal," said Mr. Linden. "Reuben, will you take the upper 
 road home, and give these flowers to Ency Stephens for 
 Miss Faith ?" 
 
 "O yes, sir!" Reuben said. 
 
 "No, Reuben 1 I didn t send them," said Faith eagerly. 
 
 "Tell her," said Mr. Linden smiling, "that they came 
 from Miss Faith s garden, and that I shall bring Miss 
 Faith herself to see her, just so soon as she can bear such 
 a long drive." The bunch of flowers was laid lightly on 
 her hands for her disposal. "Now I must send you two 
 collegians present and future away, for you have had 
 your breakfast and we have not had ours." 
 
 At which remark Sam took Faith s hand with a bow of 
 great perplexity and reverence, and Reuben drew near and 
 waited for the flowers. 
 
 "Give them to her from Mr. Linden," said Faith, rosy 
 red, as she put them in his keeping; "she will like that 
 best, Reuben." 
 
 Reuben thought he knew how to combine the two mes 
 sages, and the boys went off just as the coffee-pot came in. 
 
 "Faith," said Mr. Linden coming back to sit down by her, 
 "here is a rosebud so much like you that I think I ought 
 to wear it. What do you consider the most appropriate 
 way?" 
 
 " How do gentlemen wear flowers ? You ll have to stick 
 it in a buttonhole," said Faith half grave and half laugh 
 ing, "if it must be worn." 
 
 "But that is to treat it as a common flower I" 
 
 "You ll have to treat it so," said Faith glancing from 
 the rosebud to him. 
 
 "Look at it," said Mr. Linden, "do you see how very 
 lovely it is ?" 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 303 
 
 She did look at it, more closely, and then at him with an 
 appeal of grave remonstrance, deep though unspoken. But 
 it was met defiantly. 
 
 " If I am to wear this, Mignonette, you must put it in 
 place." 
 
 Faith was a little shy of even doing so much, and be 
 sides was aware that her mother as well as the coffee-pot 
 had come upon the scene. However she took the flower 
 and succeeded in attaching it securely where she thought it 
 ought to go, on the breast of Mr. Linden s waistcoat; by 
 which time the resemblance between the two rosebuds was 
 perfect, and striking; and Faith drew back to her break- 
 fast, glad to have everybody s attention diverted to coffee, 
 which she declared was good with cowslips. It may be said 
 that the diversion was not immediate; for though her chair 
 was at once wheeled round to the table, yet Faith had to 
 take her thanks then and there in full defiance of Mrs 
 Derrick s presence. After that, however, Mr. Linden to 
 do him justice did change the subject. 
 
 Cowslips and coffee went on well till near the end of 
 breakfast, which to say truth had been rather prolonged aa 
 well as delayed ; and then there came a front door knock. 
 It was of no use for Faith to start, for breakfast was not 
 absolutely finished ; and the next minute who should come 
 in from the hall but Miss Essie de Staff. As fresh as pos 
 sible, in white dress and black silk apron; her black hair 
 from which -she had drawn off the sunbonuet, in shining 
 order; the black eyes as well ! Perhaps they dilated on 
 first seeing the party ; more sparkling they could not be. 
 She advanced at a moderate pace towards the table, look 
 ing and speaking. 
 
 "Mrs. Derrick! I didn t know you were such late peo 
 ple. I have come to run away with your daughter, and 
 thought I should find the coast clear. Mr. Linden ! I didn t 
 know Pattaquasset was so happy as to have you back, sir." 
 
 "We have breakfast late for Faith s sake," said Mrs. 
 Derrick, while Mr. Linden rose and gave the lady first his 
 hand and then a chair, remarking that the happiness of 
 Pattaquasset was pleasant news to him too. 
 
 "But Faith s well again, isn t she?" said Miss Essie, 
 waiting to get breath, mentally. 
 
304 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "She s better," said Mrs. Derrick. 
 
 "She goes out?" 
 
 "She has been once." 
 
 "Is that all? Well it will do her good to go again. 
 Sophy Harrison and I made up our minds that she and I 
 and Faith would spend the day together and so I ve come 
 to fetch her. Do you believe in the possibiliiy of ladies 
 falling in love with ladies, Mr. Linden ?" 
 
 "I have more knowledge of gentlemen s possibilities. 
 Who is supposed to be in danger, Miss Essie ?" 
 
 "Faith cannot go out to spend the day," said Mrs. Der 
 rick decidedly. 
 
 "Is it danger?" said Miss Essie. "Mrs. Derrick, why 
 can t Faith go with me ? Faith, won t you go ?" She had 
 come up close to the table and stood by Faith s side, whom 
 her eyes were now reading, or at least endeavouring to 
 spell out. 
 
 "Not to-day, Miss Essie, thank you." 
 
 "Thank me? you ought to apologize to me." Miss 
 Essie took a chair in that place, where she could "rake" 
 the whole table. " Here will be Sophy and me horribly dis 
 appointed. We had counted on you. Sophy is all alone. 
 You know, Faith, the doctor is laid up?" 
 
 "We heard of it," Faith answered, not very easily. 
 
 " Well, do you know he says he is going South ?" 
 
 "I heard so," said Faith. Miss Essie could not make 
 much of the rising colour in her cheeks, it came and went 
 so easily ! 
 
 " What takes him off just now in such haste ? business ?" 
 
 Faith looked up and gave her inquisitor a full clear look, 
 such as curiosity never cares for, while she answered with 
 quiet dignity, "He did not tell me, Miss Essie." 
 
 "It s a pity Dr. Harrison s just going now that you re 
 just come," said the lady of the black eyes, shifting her 
 ground. "You used to be such friends." 
 
 "What is a friend?" said Mr. Linden "By the way, 
 Miss Essie, you should make these cresses an excuse for at 
 least eating salt with us, and so prove your title to the 
 name." 
 
 " Dear me !" said the lady taking a handful, " I thought 
 a friend was something more more etherial than thatP 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 30 
 
 "Than what, if you please?" 
 
 "A person who eats your salt ! I don t love cresses. 1 
 am not one of Nebuchadnezzar s family. Where did yon 
 get the fashion ? It s French. Dr. Harrison eats them 
 Did he teach it to you, Faith ?" 
 
 " I think I had that honour," said Mr. Linden. 
 
 "I dare say you gave more lessons than were given in 
 school," said Miss Essie significantly. "What else did you 
 learn of him, Faith ?" 
 
 Faith gave the lady only a glance of her soft eye, but 
 her face and her very throat were charged with varying 
 colour. Her attention went from cresses to cowslips. 
 
 "I am saucy!" said the lady. "Mr. Linden, are you 
 coming back to the bona fide school here ? there ll be a 
 great many glad." 
 
 A very involuntary lesson to Miss Essie herself came 
 longingly to Mr. Linden s lips, but except from the slight 
 play and compression of the same she had not the benefit 
 of it. He spoke as usual. 
 
 " She has never learned the art of self-defence, Miss 
 Essie, therefore I pray you attack me. No, I am not 
 coming back to the school and to say truth, I think there 
 would be some people sorry as well as glad if I did." 
 
 "Your bad scholars?" said the lady, not intent upon 
 her question. 
 
 "No my good friends." 
 
 "/should be glad," said Miss Essie. "Who are your 
 friends that would be sorry ? Dr. Harrison, for instance ?" 
 
 "The friends who like my present work better." 
 
 "And you are going to be a clergyman?" said Miss 
 Essie, leaning her elbow on the table and studying Mr. 
 Linden, perhaps some other things too, with her eyes. 
 He smi)ed under the scrutiny, but merely bowed to her 
 question. 
 
 " It s dreadful hard work ! " said Miss Essie. 
 
 "Dreadful? Miss Essie, you have not studied the sub 
 ject." 
 
 "No " said she laughing, "I said dreadful hard. Ami 
 so it is, I think." 
 
 " There be some sports are painful, but their labour 
 delight in them sets off is not that equally true of soma 
 
 26* 
 
306 , SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 work?" said Mr. Linden, making one or two quiet addi 
 tions to the breakfast on Faith s plate. Which means of 
 assistance Faith inadvertently disregarded and pushed her 
 plate away. 
 
 "Do you suppose anybody delights in them ?" said Miss 
 Essie. "I can t understand it but perhaps they do. A 
 minister is very much looked up to. But one thing is cer 
 tain of all things the hardest, it is to be a minister s wife 1" 
 
 "Of all things! He must be a poor sort of a minister 
 who lets his wife have a harder life than his own." 
 
 "He can t help it " said Miss Essie, walking her black 
 eyes about. "Of course he don t wish it but women 
 always do have a harder time than men, and a minister s 
 wife particularly." 
 
 "It s a comfort to think he don t wish it," said Mr. Lin 
 den with a sort of resigned gravity. 
 
 "Well it would not be much comfort to me," said Miss 
 Essie. "When a woman marries, she naturally expects her 
 husband to belong to her; but a minister belongs to 
 everybody else !" 
 
 "I see I have not studied the subject," said Mr. Linden. 
 "Miss Essie, you are giving me most important .informa 
 tion. Is this so inevitable that I ought in conscience to 
 warn the lady beforehand ?" 
 
 Miss Essie smiled graciously. "It would be no use, 
 she wouldn t believe you. / might warn her. I have 
 seen it." 
 
 "What have you seen?" 
 
 "Why that! that a woman who marries a minister 
 needn t expect to have any more of her husband than his 
 clothes to mend." 
 
 "Melancholy statement!" said Mr. Linden. 
 
 "It s of no use to tell it to a man!" said Miss Essie 
 "But I have seen it." 
 
 "Not in my house." 
 
 "I shall see it in your house, if you ever let me in there 
 but it will be too late to warn then. Yery likely you will 
 not see it." 
 
 Faith sat with one hand shielding her face from this 
 speaker, though by that means it was more fully revealed to 
 the other. Her other hand, and her eyes as far as possible, 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 307 
 
 were lost in the bunch of cowslips; her colour had long 
 ceased to be varying. She sat still as a mouse. 
 
 "No, I shall not see it. To what end would your warn 
 ings be directed, if they could reach her in time ?" 
 
 "To keep her from taking such a trying position." 
 
 "Oh " said Mr. Linden. "Have you no feeling for 
 me, Miss Essie? It is very plain why you scrupled to eat 
 salt with me this morning !" 
 
 "I ll eat salt with you as a single man," said Miss 
 Essie, "but if you are going to be a minister, be gener 
 ous, and let your wife go ! Any other woman will tell 
 you so." 
 
 "Let her go where? With me? that is just what I 
 intend." 
 
 "Yes," said Miss Essie, "and then you>\\ never know 
 it but she will sit alone up stairs and sew while you are 
 writing your sermons, and she ll sit down stairs and sew 
 while you re riding about the country or walking about the 
 town; and she ll go out alone of your errands when you 
 have a cold that keeps you at home; and the only time she 
 hears you speak will be when you speak in the pulpit ! And 
 if you ask her whether she is happy, she will say yes ! " 
 
 Despite all her desperate contusion, the one visible 
 corner of Faith s mouth shewed rebellion against order. 
 Mr. Linden laughed with most unterrified amusement. 
 
 "If she says that, it will be so, Miss Essie my wife 
 will be a most uncompromising truth-teller But in your 
 picture / am the one to be pitied. Will she never sit on 
 the same floor with me under any circumstances?" 
 
 "More than you deserve !" said Miss Essie. "You to be 
 pitied, indeed ! You know the man has the stir, and the 
 talk, and the going from place to place, and the being 
 looked up to, and the having everybody at his feet; and 
 what has she ?" 
 
 Mr. Linden did not answer, even with his eyes, which 
 were looking down ; and the smile which came at Miss 
 Essie s last words, was clearly not meant for her. His wife 
 would have something so it said and asserted, and his 
 wife was not an indefinite, imaginary person, it said that 
 too. And she was worth all that could be laid at her feet.. 
 How much he had to lay there what homage his homage 
 
308 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 was even of this the face gave unconscious token. Miss 
 Essie looked, and read it or at least felt it, much more 
 than she could well have put into words. Then taking in 
 review Faith s bowed head, she turned and spoke in quite 
 a different tone. 
 
 <l There is no use in talking to people, Mrs. Derrick. 
 After all, mayn t I have Faith ?" 
 
 "To spend the day? Oh no, Miss Essie! she s not 
 strong enough," said Mrs. Derrick, rising from the table 
 and beginning to put the cups together. Faith left the 
 party and went to the fire, which in the advanced state of 
 the May morning needed no tending. 
 
 "Yet she must spend the day somewhere," said Miss 
 Essie wheeling round. "Faith! what are you going to 
 do with yourself?" 
 
 "Nothing, Miss Essie," came softly from the fire- 
 mender. But as her hand moved to and fro with the tongs, 
 the sparkle of the diamonds caught Miss Essie s eye. 
 
 "Child! how did you get that?" she exclaimed, 
 springing to her side and arresting the tongs. Faith s low 
 "I don t know, ma am" was inimitable. It was- well 
 neither lady had sight of Mr. Linden s face. 
 
 "It s very beautiful !" said Miss Essie, controlling herself 
 into some order, and poring over the little hand sHe had 
 made captive. " I never saw a greater beauty of a ring 
 never. Do you know what it means, Faith ?" She dropped 
 her voice and tapped significantly the finger. 
 
 Faith answered like a person put to the question, 
 "Yes." 
 
 "Do you?" said Miss Essie in the same low aside and 
 half laughing. " I am so glad. I always thought it. 
 But this is splendid, Faith. You don t know how handsome 
 it is. It is easy to know where this came from. I needn t 
 ask." 
 
 "I must ask you both to sit down," said Mr. Linden. 
 "Faith is not strong enough for much standing, Miss Essie," 
 
 " I can t sit down I m going away," said the lady. " I ll 
 tell Sophy she may expect you the first day you can go out 
 for so long," she went on renewing her half whisper to 
 Faith. " Does she know of this ?"^-touching the diamonds 
 which Miss Essie had not yet let go. 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 309 
 
 "No, Miss Essie" Faith stood in great confusion. Mr. 
 Linden left the table, and gently disengaging her from Miss 
 Essie placed her in the great chair, and stood resting one 
 hand on the back of it. 
 
 "Miss Essie," he said, " Faith belongs to me and there 
 fore if I take care of her strength in a somewhat summary 
 .way, you will forgive me." 
 
 Miss Essie paused and looked at him in most bewildering 
 confusion. He had spoken and she had heard, very clearly. 
 
 "I don t believe it !" she said with an attempt at jocu 
 larity in which there mingled somehow, inexplicably, a 
 quality that was not pleasure. "Faith! no double-deal 
 ing. Two is too much." 
 
 "Or even the suggestion of two," Mr. Linden said. 
 
 "Do you mean," said Miss Essie looking at him with a 
 semi-comical endeavour to cover up discomfiture and other 
 things "do you mean to say that I have made nothing 
 here but an abominable mistake ?" 
 
 "I should give it a different adjective." 
 
 Miss Essie made a despairing gesture. " Oh ! I might 
 well say it s no use talking to people ! Will you ever for 
 give me, Mr. Linden, for all the mischief I have tried to do 
 you ? I didn t know both parties were within hearing of 
 me, you know, sir ? " 
 
 "Miss Essie, I hope you may always be as successful." 
 
 Perhaps Miss Essie wondered, as she glanced at Faith, 
 whether she had done any mischief or no ; but she ven 
 tured no sort of repartee, being altogether in an uncomfort 
 able and somewhat awed state of mind. She made hurried 
 adieus to Mrs. Derrick, more formal and extremely civil 
 leave-taking of Mr. Linden, parted in a sort of astonished 
 wise with Faith and the diamonds which evidently bewil 
 dered her yet, and made what was also evidently an escape 
 out of the house. While Mr. Linden attended the lady to 
 the door, Faith softly and swiftly passed behind them and 
 made her escape too, up stairs. She was gone before he 
 turned. 
 
 It was perhaps an hour after this, when Cindy entered 
 Faith s room and gave her a note. "I m free to confess," 
 said Cindy, "that Mr. Linden gave it to me, but who writ 
 it I don t know." But Faith did. It ran thus: 
 
310 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 " Mademoiselle With great impatience I have waited 
 for my Sunbeam to break through the gloomy clouds of 
 doubt which surround me but I perceive the warning 
 has taken effect ! 
 
 In keeping with this is the state of the outer world, 
 which is even rainy! so that my purpose to take said 
 Sunbeam out to drive is for the present thwarted. 
 
 Conceive of my state of mind ! 
 
 In vain I repeat to myself the comforting truth, that my 
 Sunbeam is shining somewhere, if not on me, there are 
 circumstances where philosophical truths lose all their 
 power. 
 
 I remember that the warning contained some notable 
 mistakes, as for instance, that I should ever my pen re 
 fuses to write the words! or I do. As well might it be 
 
 said that I should . Mademoiselle, you must perceive 
 
 the obvious bearing of these two upon each other. 
 
 If your interest in the writer has carried you so far, per 
 haps he may indulge the hope that at some future time it 
 may carry you further even to the head of the stairs 
 where it is needless to say you will be received with open 
 arms. 
 
 It is also needless to sign this it could come from but 
 one person !" 
 
 Some two minutes after, Faith s room door opened, and 
 a very flashing bright sunbeam came out upon the place 
 indicated, only a little peachblossom tinge in her cheeks 
 witnessing to any consciousness. She was met according 
 to promise then held off and looked at with serio-comic eyes. 
 
 "What a cruel child you are !" Mr. Linden said. 
 
 "What do you want, Endecott?" said Faith trying to be 
 serious. 
 
 " How can you have the heart to sit up stairs and sew 
 while I am down stairs in my study ?" 
 
 Faith instantly came so close, taking the nearest refuge, 
 that he could not very well see her face ; but that she was 
 laughing still he knew. 
 
 "Endecott! don t talk so. I didn t know where you 
 were." 
 
 " Will it be in this sort of weather that you will go cut 
 to do errands and leave me at home ?" 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 31 1 
 
 "Endecott! If you don t want anything more of me," 
 said Faith lifting up a face which was an array of peach- 
 blossoms, "I ll go back again." 
 
 " Will you ? " with a little tightening of his hold, and 
 signification of his approval of peachblogsoms. "Faith, 
 you are a lovely child ! Will it distress you very much if 
 I go off and ride about the country alone ?" 
 
 But now, seeing she could not get away, she stood 
 graver ; and the answer was very gentle, almost tender 
 "No." 
 
 "Then you will not confess that you were frightened out 
 of your wits at the picture?" said Mr. Linden smiling, 
 though with an answering change of tone. 
 
 "Did you think I was?" 
 
 "No you are too much of a woman for that, even if you 
 had believed it true." 
 
 " Then you were not frightened ? " she said with some 
 comicality. 
 
 " I ? desperately ! my note did not give you any idea of 
 the state of my mind ! Imagine me sitting down stairs and 
 saying to myself (words naturally suggested by the state 
 of the weather) 
 
 how this spring of love resembleth 
 
 Th uncertain glories of an April day, 
 Which now shews all the beauties of the sun, 
 And by and by a cloud takes all away! " 
 
 One of the soft flashes of Faith s eye came first to an 
 swer him; and then she remarked very coolly, (N.B. her 
 face was not so,) "I think it will clear at noon, Endecott." 
 
 "Do you?" he said looking towards the window with a 
 counterfeit surprise that was in comical antithesis to his 
 last words, "does it rain still !" 
 
 Faith s eye came back quick from the window to him, 
 and then, for the first time in many a long day, her old 
 mellow sweet laugh rolled over the subject, dismissing 
 make-believes and figures of speech in its clear matter-of- 
 fact rejoicing. 
 
 "My dear* little Mignonette!" Mr. Linden said, "that 
 does my very heart good. You are really getting better, 
 in spite of lessons and warnings, and all other hindrances. 
 
312 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 Do you want to know what I have truly been thinking of 
 since you came up stairs ? Shall we exchange thoughts ?" 
 
 " Please give me yours," she answered. 
 
 " They sprang from Miss Essie s question. Faith, when 
 she asked me what my wife would have, I could not tell her 
 I could not answer it to myself afterwards very definitely. 
 Only so far she will have all I have to give." His hand 
 was smoothing and arranging her hair as he spoke his 
 look one that nobody but Faith ever had from Mr. Linden. 
 She had looked up once and seen it ; and then she stood 
 before him, so still and silent as if she might have had 
 nothing to say; but every line of her brow, her moved lip, 
 her attitude, the wy power of her silence, contradicted 
 that, and testified as well to the grace of a grave and most 
 exquisite humility which clothed her from head to foot. 
 Mr. Linden was as silent as she, watching her ; but then 
 he drew her off to the low couch in the wide old-fashioned 
 entry window, and seated her there in a very bath of spring 
 air and struggling sunbeams. 
 
 "I suppose it is useless to say Please give me yours ," 
 he said smiling. "Mignonette, we have had no reading 
 to-day do you like this time and place ? and shall it be 
 with you or to you ?" 
 
 "It will be both, won t it?" said Faith; and she went 
 for her Bible. 
 
CHAPTER XXVI. 
 
 day was struggling into clearness by the time dinner 
 was over. Patches of blue sky looked down through 
 grey, vapoury, scattering clouds ; while now and then a few 
 rain drops fell to keep up the character of the morning, 
 and broad warm genial sunbeams fell between them. It 
 was not fair yet for a drive; and Mr. Linden went out on 
 some errands of business, leaving Faith with a charge to 
 sleep and rest and be ready against his return. 
 
 He was but a little while gone when Jem Waters made 
 his appearance and asked for Faith. Mr. Simlins had been 
 ill -that Faith knew but Jem brought a sad report of 
 how ill he had been, and a message that he was "tired of 
 not seeing Faith and wished she would let Jem fetch her 
 down. She might go back again as soon as she d a mind 
 to." He wanted to see her "real bad," according to Jem; 
 for he had ordered the best wagon on the premises to be 
 cleaned and harnessed up, and the best buffalo robe put in, 
 and charged Jem to bring Miss Faith "if she could any 
 ways come." And there was Jem and the wagon. 
 
 Faith demurred ; she had not had her sleep and didn t 
 know, or rather did know, how the proceeding would be 
 looked upon; but she also fancied more meaning in the 
 summons than Jem had been commissioned to make known. 
 And perhaps another little wee feminine thought came in 
 to help her decision. 
 
 "Mother," she said, "I shall go. You need not say 
 anything about it unless you are asked. It isn t far to Mr. 
 Simlins I shall be home in time for my ride." So, quickly 
 ready, Jem drove her down. 
 
 Mr. Simlius she found sitting up, in a nondescript inva 
 lid s attire of an old cloak and a summer waistcoat; and 
 warm as the day was, with a little fire burning, which was 
 not unnecessary to correct the damp of the unused sitting- 
 room. He was, as he said, "fallen away considerable, and 
 
 VOL. IT. 27 (313) 
 
314 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 with no more strength than a spring chicken," but for the 
 rest looked as usual. And so spoke. 
 
 "Well, why haint you been to see me before?" 
 
 "I have been sick, sir." 
 
 "Sick?" said he, his voice softening unconsciously to 
 wards her sweet tones. "Sit there and let me see. I 
 believe you have. But you aint fur from well now!" He 
 had some reason, for the face he had turned to the sunlight 
 bore all the quiet lines of happiness, and its somewhat faint 
 colour was replaced under his scrutiny by a conscious deep 
 rose. 
 
 "Don t you know," said he settling himself back in his 
 chair, "I don t think I see the sun and moon when I don t 
 see you ? Or the moon, anyways you aint but the half 
 of my Zodiack." 
 
 "What did you want to see the moon for, Mr. Simlins?" 
 said Faith willing to interrupt him. 
 
 "Well you see, I ve been a kind of a latudinarian 
 too," said Mr. Simlins doubtfully. "It pulls a man s mind 
 down; as well as his flesh and I got tired of thinkin to 
 day and concluded I d send for you to stop it." His look 
 confessed more than his words. Faith had little need to 
 ask what he had been thinking about. 
 
 "What shall I do to stop it, sir?" 
 
 " Well, you can read can t you ? or talk to me." 
 
 There was a strange uneasy wandering of his eye, and a 
 corresponding unwonted simplicity and directness in his 
 talk. Faith noted both and silently went for a Bible she 
 saw lying on a table. She brought it to Mr. Simlins side 
 and opened its pages slowly, questioning with herself where 
 she should read. Some association of a long past conver 
 sation perhaps was present with her, for though she paused 
 over one and another of several passages, she could fix 
 upon none but the parable of the unfruitful tree. 
 
 "Do you mean that for me?" said the farmer a minute 
 after she had done. 
 
 "Yes sir and no, dear Mr. Simlins I" said Faith look 
 ing up. 
 
 "Why is it yes and no ? howj^e I like that?" he 
 growled, but with a certain softening and lowering of his 
 growl. 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 315 
 
 " The good trees all do the work they were made for. 
 God calls for the same from us," Faith said gently. 
 
 "I know what you re thinkin of," said he; "but liaint 
 1 done it? Who ever heerd a man say I had wronged 
 him ? or that I have been hard-hearted either ? I never 
 
 was. 
 
 It was curious how he let his thoughts out to her ; but 
 the very gentle, pure and true face beside him provoked 
 neither controversy, nor mistrust, nor pride. He spoke to 
 her as if she had only been a child. Like a child, with 
 such sympathy and simplicity, she answered him. 
 
 "Mr. Simlins, the Bible says that the fruits of right 
 eousness are by Jesus Christ. Do you know him? rare 
 you in his service ?" 
 
 "I don t know as I understand you," said he. 
 
 "I can t make you understand it, sir." 
 
 "Why can t you? who can?" said he quickly. 
 
 " It is written, Mr. Sirnlins, * They shall be all taught 
 of God. " She shewed him the place. "And it is writ 
 ten, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, 
 and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach 
 us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths. That is it. 
 If you are willing to walk in his paths, he will shew them 
 to you." Faith looked eagerly at the farmer, and he 
 looked at her. Neither heart was hid from the other. 
 
 "Bat supposin I was willin which I be, so fur s I know 
 
 I don t know what they be no more n a child. How am 
 
 I goin to find em out?" 
 
 Faith s eyes filled quick as she turned over the leaves 
 
 again; was it by sympathy alone that occasion came for 
 
 the rough hand to pass once or twice hastily across those 
 that were looking at her? Without speaking, Faith shewed 
 him the words, "If any man will do his will, he shall 
 know of the doctrine." 
 
 "That is the question, dear Mr. Simlins. On that if 
 it all hangs " The farmer took the book into his own 
 hands and sat looking steadily at the words. 
 
 "Well," said he putting it back on her lap "supposin 
 the if s all right Go ahead, Faith." 
 
 "Then the way is clear for you to do that; and it s all 
 
BIG SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 easy. But the first thing is here the invitation of Jesus 
 himself." 
 
 "Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, 
 and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and 
 learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye 
 shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and 
 my burden is light." 
 
 "You see," she went on very gently, "he bids you 
 learn of him so he is ready to teach you. If you are 
 only willing to take his yoke upon you, to be his servant 
 and own it, he will shew you what to do, step by step, 
 and help you in every one." 
 
 "I don t see where s the beginning of the way yet," said 
 the farmer. 
 
 "That," said Faith. "Be the servant of Jesus Christ 
 and own it ; and then go to him for all you want. He is 
 good for all " 
 
 There was a pause. 
 
 "I s pose you ve been goin on in that way a good 
 while." 
 
 "A good while yes," Faith almost whispered. 
 
 "Well, when you are goin to him sometimes, ask souie- 
 thin for me, will you?" 
 
 He had bent over, leaning on his knees, to speak it in a 
 lower growl than ordinary. Faith bowed her head at first, 
 unwilling to speak; but tears somehow started, and the 
 drops followed each other, as she sat gazing into the black 
 fireplace, she could not help it .till a perfect shower of 
 weeping brought her face into her hands and stirred her 
 not very strong frame. It stirred the farmer, robust as he 
 was in spite of illness ; he shifted his chair most uneasily, 
 and finally laid down his head on his folded arms on the 
 table. Faith was the first to speak. 
 
 "Mr. Simlins, who takes care of you?" 
 
 "Ugh !" (a most unintelligible grant,) "they all do it by 
 turns Jenny and all of em." 
 
 "What have you had for dinner to-day?" 
 
 "Didn t want anything!" He sat up and brushed his 
 cloak sleeve across his forehead. 
 
 "Mr. Simlins, I shall send you down something from 
 home and you must eat it." 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 31 7 
 
 "The doctor said I was to take wine but I haint thought 
 of it to-day." 
 
 "Where is it?" 
 
 He nodded his head in the direction of the cupboard. 
 Faith went rummaging, poured him out a glass and 
 brought it. 
 
 "You see," said he after he had taken it "I ve been 
 pretty well. pulled down I didn t know one time which 
 side of the fence I was goin over and I didn t see the 
 ground on the other side. I don t know why I should be 
 ashamed to say I was afeard !" There was a strong, stern, 
 truth-telling about this speech that thrilled his hearer. She 
 sat down again. 
 
 "You had best take some yourself," he said. "Do 
 Faith !" 
 
 "No sir I m going. I must go," she answered rising 
 to make ready. 
 
 It was strange how the door could have opened and she 
 not heard it neither she nor Mr. Simlins in fact, perhaps 
 because their minds were so far away. That the incoming 
 steps were unheard was not so strange, nor new, but the 
 first thing of which Faith was conscious was the soft touch 
 of a hand on either side of her face she was a prisoner. 
 Faith s instant spring to one side brought her face to face 
 with everybody. Mr. Simlins looked from one to the 
 other, and his first remark was characteristically addressed 
 to Faith. 
 
 "Why you didn t tell me that !" 
 
 "Has she told you everything but that?" said Mr. Lin 
 den smiling, and giving the farmer s hand good token of 
 his presence. 
 
 "Where under the sun did you come from?" said the 
 farmer returning his grasp with interest, and looking at 
 Mr. Linden as if indeed one of the lights of the solar sys 
 tem had been out before his arrival. Faith sat down 
 mutely and as quietly as possible behind Mr. Linden. 
 
 "From under the sun very literally just now before 
 that from under a shower. I have been down to Quapaw, 
 then home to Mrs. Derrick s, then here. Mr. Simlins, I 
 am sorry to see that you are nursing yourself instead of 
 me. What is the matter ?" 
 
 27* 
 
318 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 " Pd as Heves be doin this, of the two," said the farmer 
 with a stray smile. "There aint much the matter. How 
 long have you been in this meridian?" 
 
 "Two days." And stepping from before Faith, Mr. 
 Linden asked her "if she had come there in a dream?" 
 
 "Do you ever see such good-lookin things in your 
 dreams ?" said the farmer. " My visual picturs are all 
 broken down fences, or Jem or Jenny doin somethin they 
 haint ought to do. How long re you goin to stay in Pat- 
 taquasset, Dominie ?" 
 
 "Some time, I hope. Not quite so long as the first 
 time, but longer than I have been since that. Do you 
 know, Mr. Simlins, your coat collar is a little bit turned 
 in ? and why don t you give the sunshine a better wel 
 come ? you two sick people together want some one to 
 make a stir for you." Which office Mr. Linden took upon 
 himself lightly disengaging the collar, and then going to 
 the window to draw up the shade and throw back the shut 
 ters, stopping on his way back to straighten the table 
 cover, and followed by a full gush of sunlight from the 
 window. 
 
 "It is so glorious this afternoon!" he said. And stand 
 ing silent a moment in that brilliant band of light looking 
 out at the world all glittering and sparkling in the sun, 
 Mr. Linden repeated, " Unto you that fear my name, 
 shall the Sun of Righteousness arise, with healing in his 
 wings. What a promise that is!" 
 
 "Where did you get those words?" said Mr. Simlins, 
 after the sunlight and the silence had given them their full 
 effect. 
 
 "From the Bible God s book of promises. Do you 
 want to se the place ?" 
 
 Mr. Simlins turned down a corner of the leaf and laid 
 the book, still open, on the table. Then looked at Mr. 
 Linden with a mixture of pleasure and humour in his eyes. 
 "Are you any nearer bein a minister than you was a year 
 ago ?" 
 
 "Nearer in one way. But I cannot lay claim to the 
 title you gave me for another year yet, Mr. Simlins." 
 
 "You re Say and Seal as much as ever. What more 
 fixin have you got to do ?" 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 310 
 
 "A little finishing," said Mr. Linden with a smile. 
 
 And he got up and went for Faith s shawl and gloves 
 which were on the table. Mr. Simlins watched the shawl 
 ing and gloving with attention. 
 
 "You can tell Jem he won t be wanted again, Faith," he 
 said. "I guess you ll see him at the gate." Mr. Linden 
 smiled, but some other thought was on his mind, the face 
 that he turned to Mr. Simlins shewed concern that was 
 both grave and kind. 
 
 "What can I do for you?" he said. 
 
 " This aint the prettiest place in Pattaquasset ; but maybe 
 you ll come and see me sometimes till I can get out my 
 self," Mr. Simlins said considerately. 
 
 "You may be sure I will. And will you let me pray 
 with you now, before I go ?" 
 
 The farmer hesitated or was silent one instant, then 
 with a sort of subdued abruptness said, 
 
 "I m ready!" * 
 
 They knelt there in the sunlight; but when the prayer 
 was over Mr. Simlins felt half puzzled to know for whose 
 sake it had been proposed. For with the telling of his 
 doubts and hindrances and wants things which he had 
 told to no one, there mingled so much of the speaker s own 
 interest, which could not be content to leave him but in 
 Christ s hands. 
 
 There was not a word spoken after that for a minute, 
 Mr. Linden stood by the low mantelpiece resting his face 
 on his hand. The farmer, busy with the feelings which the 
 prayer had raised, sat with downcast eyes. And Faith 
 was motionless with a deep and manifold sense of happi 
 ness, the labyrinth of which herself could not soon have 
 threaded out. The silence and stillness of his two com 
 panions drew the farmer s eyes up; he read first, with an 
 eager eye that nobody saw, the sweet gravity on one half 
 hidden face, and the deep pure joy written in all the lines 
 of the other; and secret and strong, though half unknown 
 to himself, the whole tide of his heart turned that way. If 
 not before, then at least, something like Ruth s resolution 
 came up within him; " thy people shall be my people, and 
 thy God my God !" Mr. Linden was the first one that 
 moved. 
 
320 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "Are you ready, dear child ?" 
 
 The farmer s eyes were on her too, even while he wrung 
 Mr. Linden s hand. But he only said before he let it go, 
 "Give a glass of wine to her when she gets home." 
 
 Out in the sweet afternoon air, and driving through the 
 gate which opened on the highway, with Jem Waters on 
 hand to shut it, Mr. Linden brought Faith s face round 
 towards him and scanned it earnestly. 
 
 "My child, how tired you are! I wish I knew whether 
 it would do you most good to go straight home, or to 
 breathe this air a little longer." 
 
 "I hope you won t conclude to take me home," said 
 Faith. " I have been looking for this all day. 
 
 "Do you think you deserve to have it ?" said Mr. Linden, 
 turning Jerry s head however the way that was not straight 
 home. "Why didn t you sleep, and wait for me to bring 
 you down here ?" 
 
 "One reason was, Endy, that I half guessed Mr. Simlins 
 wanted to talk to me and that it might be better for him to 
 see one than two. 
 
 "I could have left you there for a while." 
 
 "No you couldn t!" she said. "And I couldn t have 
 driven off Jerry and left you though that would have been 
 better." 
 
 "You could have driven me off. What was the other 
 reason?" 
 
 "The other reason isn t really worth your hearing. 
 Don t you think this afternoon is too pretty to spoil with 
 bad reasons?" she said with gentle eyes, half fun, half 
 confession. 
 
 "Entirely. Faith I think you would bear the ride 
 better if you had a sort of afternoon lunch, shall we stop 
 at Miss Bezac s for a glass of milk ?" 
 
 "Oh no!" she said hastily. "Oh no, Endecott ! I 
 don t want anything but to ride." 
 
 "And to hide " said Mr. Linden laughingly. "Another 
 bad reason, Faith ?" 
 
 She gave him a little blushing look, very frank and 
 happy, that also bore homage to his penetration. 
 
 " Stop anywhere you please, Endy," she said honestly 
 "I was very glad you came to Mr. Simlins ." 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 321 
 
 " Would you rather get it from Mrs. Davids ?" he inquired 
 demurely. 
 
 "No, not rather. Whichever you like, Endecott," Faith 
 said, hiding the start which the question in this real form 
 gave her. The afternoon sun through which they were 
 riding was very bright; the washed leaves were brilliantly 
 green ; sweet scents of trees and buds filled the air, and 
 opening apple blossoms were scattering beauty all over the 
 land. Nothing could spoil that afternoon. Faith had a 
 secret consciousness besides that the very thing from which 
 she shrank was by no means disagreeable to Mr. Linden. 
 She did not care what he did! And lie, in the joy of 
 being with her, of seeing her grow stronger every hour, Mr. 
 Linden was in a holiday humour in the mood for work 
 or play or mischief; and took the road to Miss Bezac s for 
 more than a glass of milk. 
 
 "Mignonette," he said, "what varieties of pride do you 
 consider lawful and becoming?" 
 
 "I know only a few innocent sorts," said Faith, "that 
 I keep for myself." 
 
 "Luxurious child ! A few innocent sorts of pride that, 
 you keep for yourself 1 You must divide with me." 
 
 How Faith laughed. 
 
 "You wouldn t thank me for one of them all, Endecott. 
 And yet " She stopped, and coloured brilliantly on the 
 sudden. 
 
 "Explain and finish," said Mr. Linden laconically. 
 
 " If I told you what they are you would laugh at me." 
 
 " That would not hurt me. What are they, Mignonette ?" 
 
 She spoke gravely, though smiling sometimes; answer 
 ing to the matter of fact, as she had been asked. "I am 
 proud, a little, of very fine rolls of butter, or a particularly 
 #ood cheese. I think I am proud of my carnations, and 
 perhaps " she went on colouring "of being so good a 
 baker as I am. And perhaps I think I am of such 
 things as sewing and dressmaking; but I don t think 
 there is much harm in all that. I know myself sometimes 
 proud of other things, where I know it is wrong." 
 
 "How do you know but I am proud of your rolls of 
 butter too?" said Mr. Linden looking amused. "But 
 Mignonette, what called forth such a display of the carna- 
 
822 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 tions you are not proud of? What was the force of that 
 And yet ?" 
 
 It brought the colour again, and Faith hesitated and 
 looked puzzled, Then she tried a new way of escape. 
 
 "Don t you mean to let me have any of my thoughts to 
 myself?" she said playfully. 
 
 " Don t you mean to let me have any of them for 
 myself?" 
 
 "You? Haven t you them almost all?" 
 
 "My dear I beg pardon ! one for every carnation, but 
 I did not know that I had so nearly made the tour of your 
 mind. I was under the impression that my passports were 
 not yet made out and that my knowledge of your thoughts 
 was all gained from certain predatory excursions, telescopic 
 observations, and such like illegal practices. I am sure all 
 my attempts to cross the frontier in the ordinary way are 
 met by something more impassable than a file of bayonets." 
 
 Faith looked up at him as if to s**s how much of this was 
 meant for true. 
 
 "But," said she naively, "I feel &* it I had been under 
 a microscope." 
 
 "My clear!" said Mr. Linden again, with an air at once 
 resigned and deprecating. But the? his gravity gave way. 
 "Faith ! is that your feeling in ray company? I wonder 
 you can endure the sight of me." 
 
 "Why ?" said she timidly. 
 
 "If I seem to you like a microscope." 
 
 "Only your eyes, like those power-glasses. Not for 
 size!" said Faith, laughing now herself. 
 
 "Ah little Mignonette," he said smiling, "some things 
 can be seen without microscopic vipion. And do not you 
 know, ray child, that carnations mut draw attention to the 
 particular point round which they bloom ?" 
 
 "Endy, you shall know what J was thinking of," she 
 said. "You touched it already. It was only that per 
 haps sometime you would be a little proud even of those 
 little things in me because Now you can punish me for 
 being proud in earnest !" It was said in great confusion ; 
 it had cost Faith a struggle ; the white and red both 
 strove in her downcast face. Mr. Linden might not fathom 
 what was not in a man s nature ; but Faith had hardly ever 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 323 
 
 perhaps given him such a token of the value she set upon 
 Ins pleasure. 
 
 "Punish you ?" he said, leaving Jerry to find the road for 
 himself for a minute, "how shall I do it? so? And how 
 much punishment do you require ? I think a little is not 
 enough. Because what, love?" 
 
 "Endy! "she said under her breath, "you know! 
 don t ask me." 
 
 "Then if I exceed your limits you will not blame 
 me?" 
 
 "Limits of what?" 
 
 "Limits of this species of executive justice." 
 
 "I don t think you would keep limits of anybody else s 
 setting," said Faith with a little subdued fun. "Look, 
 Endy ! we are coming to Miss Bezac s." 
 
 "Most true," said Mr. Linden, "now shall you see 
 (perhaps!) one of the innocent sorts of pride that I keep 
 for myself. What have we come for ?" he added laughing, as 
 Jerry trotted up the side hill to the cottage, "is it butter, 
 or carnations, or dressmaking? they all make a rare com 
 bination in my mind at present." 
 
 "She is at home!" said Faith, "if she wasn t, the win 
 dow-curtains would be down. Now she is going to be 
 pleased, and so am I, for she will give me something to 
 eat." Faith looked as if she wanted it, as she softly opened 
 the door of the dressmaker s little parlour, or workroom, 
 and softly went in. The various business and talk of the 
 afternoon had exhausted her. 
 
 Miss Bezac, having in her young days been not only rich, 
 but also a firstrate needlewoman, now that she was older 
 and poor plied her needle for a different purpose. Yet 
 something of old habits clung to her still; she would not 
 take the common work of the village; but when Mrs. 
 Stoutenburgh wanted a gay silk dress, or Miss De Staff a 
 delicate muslin, or Mrs. Somers an embroidered merino 
 then Miss Bezac was sure to have them go through her 
 hands; and for these ladies she took the fashions and dis 
 pensed them exceeding well. Strangers too, in Patta- 
 quasset for the sammer, often came to her, and had not 
 Miss Bezac made the very first embroidered waistcoat that 
 ever Squire Deacon wore, or Sam Stoutenburgh admired 
 
324 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 himself in ? So her table was generally covered with pretty 
 work, and on this particular afternoon she was choosing the 
 patterns for a second waistcoat for the young member from 
 Quilipeak, a mantilla for his mother, and a silk apron for 
 Miss Essie, all at once. In deep cogitation Faith found her, 
 and Faith s soft salutation, 
 
 "Dear Miss Bezae, will you let strangers come in?" 
 How gloriously Faith blushed. 
 
 "Strangers!" cried Miss Bezac, turning round. "Why 
 Faith ! you don t mean to say it s you ? though I don t 
 suppose you mean to say it s anybody else. Unless I de 
 clare I don t know whether it is you or not !" said Miss 
 Bezac, looking from her to Mr. Linden and shaking hands 
 with both at once. "Though if it isn t I ought to have 
 heard only folks don t always do what they ought at 
 least I don t, nor much of anything." 
 
 "It is nobody else yet," said Mr. Linden smiling. 
 Whereat Miss Bezae laid one hand on the other, and 
 stepping back a little surveyed the two as a whole. 
 
 "Do you know," she said, "(you wouldn t think it) but 
 sometimes I can t say a word !" 
 
 "You must not expect Faith to say much she is tired," 
 said Mr. Linden putting her in a chair. "Miss Bezac, I 
 brought her here to get something to eat." 
 
 " Well I don t believe I don t really believe that any 
 body but you would ever do such a kind thing," said Miss 
 Bezac. " What shall I get ? Faith what will you have ? 
 And you re well enough to be out again ! and it s so well 
 I m not out myself! I ll run and see if the fire ain t, 
 the kettle ought to be boiled, for I wanted an early cup of 
 tea" 
 
 "No, dear Miss Bezac, don t!" said Faith. "Only give 
 me some bread and milk." 
 
 Miss Bezac stopped short. 
 
 "Bread and milk?" she said "is that good for you? 
 The bread s good, I know, baked last night; and the milk 
 always is sweet, up here with the cowslips and most 
 things are sweet when you re hungry. But ain t you more 
 hungry than that ? and somebody els might be, if yon 
 ain t and one always must think of somebody else too. 
 But you do, I ll say that for you. And oh didn t I say long 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 305 
 
 ago ! " A funny little recollective pause Miss Bezac 
 made, her thoughts going back even to the night of the 
 celebration. Then she ran away for the bread and milk, 
 then she came back and put her head in at the door. 
 
 "Faith, do you like a cup or a bowl? I like a cup, 
 because 1 always think of a cup of comfort and I never 
 heard of a bowl of anything. But you can have which you 
 like." 
 
 "I like the cup too," said Faith laughing. "But even 
 the bowl would be comfort to-day, Miss Bezac." 
 
 The cup came, and a little pitcher for replenishing, and a 
 blue plate of very white bread and very brown bread, and 
 one of Miss Bezac s old-fashioned silver spoons, and a little 
 loaf of one, two, three, four, cake , that looked as good as 
 the bread. All of which were arranged on a round stand 
 before Faith by Miss Bezac and Mr. Linden jointly. He 
 brought her a footstool too, and with persuasive fingers 
 untied and took off her bonnet which supplementary ar 
 rangements Miss Bezac surveyed with folded hands and 
 great admiration. Which also made the pale cheeks flush 
 again, but that was pretty to look upon. Faith betook 
 herself to the old-fashioned spoon and the milk, then gave 
 Mr. Linden something to do in the shape of a piece of cake ; 
 and then resigning herself to circumstances broke brown 
 bread into the milk and eat it with great and profitable 
 satisfaction, leaving the conversation in the hands of the 
 other two. The sun sank lower and lower, sending fare 
 well beams into the valleys, and shaking out gold pieces in 
 Miss Bezac s little brown sitting-room like the Will-o - 
 wisps in the Tale of tales . Through the open door her 
 red cow might be seen returning home by a winding and 
 circuitous path, such as cows love, and a little sparrow 
 hopped in and out, from the doorstep, looking for One, 
 two, three, four , crumbs. Faith from her seat near the 
 fire could see it all if her eyes chose to pass Mr. Linden, . 
 what he saw, she found out whenever they went that way. 
 It was not wonderful that Faith turned from the table at 
 last with a very refreshed face. 
 
 " Miss Bezac, you have made me up," she said smiling. 
 
 "Have I?" said her little hostess, "well that comes 
 pretty near it. Do you know when I saw you I mean 
 
 VOL. IT. 28 
 
326 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 when I saw both of you, I really thought you had come foi 
 me to make up something else ? And I must say, I wish 
 you had, not that I haven t dresses enough, and too 
 many unless I had a new pair of eyes but I always did 
 set my heart on making that one. And I haven t set my 
 heart upon many things for a good while, so of course I 
 iain t used to being disappointed. You won t begin, will 
 you, Faith ?" 
 
 Faith kissed her, hastily expressing the unsentimental 
 hope that her tea would be as good as her bread and milk; 
 and ran out, leaving Mr. Linden to follow at his leisure. 
 Faith was foiind untying Jerry. 
 
 "What do you mean?" said Mr. Linden staying her 
 hands and lifting her in the most summary manner into the 
 wagon. "Bread and milk is too stimulating for you, child, 
 we must find something less exciting. What will you 
 see fit to do next?" 
 
 "I can untie a bridle," said Faith. 
 
 "Or slip your head through one. But you should have 
 seen the delight with which Miss Bezac entered upon the 
 year of patience that I prescribed to her ! and the very 
 (innocuous) pride that lay hid in the prescription. Do you 
 feel disposed to punish me for that, Mignonette ?" 
 
 One of Faith s grave childish looks answered him; but 
 then, dismissing Mr. Linden as impracticable, she gave 
 herself to the enjoyment of the time. It was a fit after 
 noon I The sunbeams were bright on leaves and flowers, 
 with that fairy brightness which belongs peculiarly to 
 spring. The air was a real spring air, sweet and bracing, 
 full of delicate spices of May. The apple blossoms, out 
 and bursting out, dressed the land with the very bloom of 
 joy. And through it all Mr. Linden drove her, himself in 
 a "holiday humour." Bread and milk may be stimulating, 
 but health and happiness are more stimulating yet; and 
 Faith came home after a ride of some length looking not a 
 bit the worse, and ready for supper 
 
CHAPTER XXVII. 
 
 A MONTH passed away, with apple blossoms, straw* 
 berry flowers, now with strawberries themselves. Roses 
 coming into splendour, carnations in full force, and both re 
 established in the cheeks of Faith Derrick. What a month 
 it had been ! of weather, of work, of society. Lessons 
 after the old fashion, reading aloud, talking ; going round 
 the country at Jerry s heels, or on the back of Mrs. Stout- 
 enbnrgh s pony for there she was put, just so soon as she 
 coulrl bear it, passing by degrees from a gentle trot on 
 level ground to a ladylike scamper over the hills. Faith 
 had not been so strong for many a day as the longest day 
 of that summer found her. 
 
 Coming home from their afternoon ride by the way of the 
 postoffice, Mr. Linden found there a letter from Europe ; 
 the seal of which he broke as they entered, the house, just 
 in time to give Faith a little enclosed note to herself as she 
 went up stairs to change her dress. Its words were few. 
 Referring Faith to Mr. Linden for particulars, it asked her 
 to let him come to Germany without delay. The aunt with 
 whom Miss Linden lived was at the point of death, appar 
 ently she herself in danger of being left quite alone in a 
 strange land. Yet with all the urgency of the case, the 
 whole breathing of Miss Linden s note was, "Faith can 
 you spare him ? will you let him come ?" 
 
 The question was settled before it was asked, in Faith s 
 mind; but what a laying down of pleasure and what a 
 taking up of pain was there ! The rest of the vacation 
 was gone at once ; for Mr. Linden could not go to Europe 
 and come back, even on the wings of steam, and have a 
 day left before study would begin again. No more of him 
 except, at the best, snatches till next year; and next 
 year was very far off, and who could tell what might be 
 next year ? But at the best, she must see little more of 
 him until then ; and in the mean time he must put half the 
 world between them. Nobody saw how fast the roses 
 
 (327) 
 
S28 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 faded on Faith s cheek ; she sat and looked at the matter 
 all alone, and looked it through. For one few minutes; 
 and then she rose up and began dressing slowly, looking at 
 it still, but gathering all her forces together to deal with it. 
 And when her dressing was done, she still stood leaning 
 one hand and her head on the dressing table, thinking over 
 all that was to do. She had remembered, as with a flash 
 of remembrance, what day the next steamer would sail 
 from what port she knew the hour when Mr. Linden must 
 leave Pattaquasset. And when her mind had seen all the 
 preparations to be made, and she thought she was strong 
 enough, she turned to go down stairs ; but then feeling very 
 weak Faith turned again and kneeled down to pray. And 
 in a mixed feeling of strength and weakness, she went 
 down stairs. 
 
 First to the kitchen, where she quietly looked after the 
 state of the clothes in the wash, and desired Cindy to have 
 all Mr. Linden s things ready for ironing that evening. 
 Then attended to the supply of bread and the provision for 
 breakfast; saw that one or two things about the supper 
 were in proper order and progress ; asked Mrs. Derrick to 
 make the tea when it was time, and finally, as quietly as if 
 the afternoon s ride had been the only event of the after 
 noon, opened the door of the sitting-room and softly 
 went in. 
 
 For a while after reading his own letter Mr. Linden had 
 sat absolutely still, then with a sort of impatience to see 
 Faith, to give her what comfort he could, at least to have 
 her with him every minute, he had paced up and down the 
 sitting-room till she appeared. Now he took her in his 
 arms with all sorts of tender caresses with no words at 
 first but, "My little Mignonette !" Faith herself was quite 
 still and wordless ; only once, and that suddenly and ear 
 nestly, she gave his cheek the salutation she had never 
 given him before unbidden. From her it was a whole 
 volume, and thoroughly peace-speaking, although it might 
 intimate a little difficulty of words. 
 
 Keeping one arm round her, Mr. Linden began again 
 his walk up and down the room ; beginning to talk as well 
 telling her what wa,s in his letter, how long the journey 
 would take, and more than all, what she must do while he 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 329 
 
 was away. How long the absence would be when he 
 should be at home again, that was little touched upon by 
 either; the return might be very speedy -that seemed most 
 probable, but neither he nor Faith cared to pu in words 
 all the uncertainties that hung about it. From every point 
 he came back to her, with injunctions about her strength, 
 and directions about her studies, and charges to take care 
 of herself for him with other words of comfort and 
 cheering, spoken cheerfully from a very sorrowful heart. 
 One other charge he gave 
 
 " My little Sunbeam, my dearest Faith, keep both your 
 names unclouded!" 
 
 " I have had one lesson, Endy " 
 
 She was a little pale, but had listened to him quietly as 
 intently ; voice and smile both ready to do their part, albeit 
 gravely, whenever there was a part for them. 
 
 "I shall not forget " she added now with a smile, a rare 
 one, after a little pause. 
 
 He brought her back to the sofa then, kissing the pale 
 cheeks as if he missed their carnations. Yet with the 
 stringency of the old law which saith that "Doublet and 
 hose must shew itself courageous to petticoat" Mr. Liu- 
 den gave her bright words, although they were words of a 
 very grave brightness not contradicted, but qualified by 
 his eyes. 
 
 "Mignonette," he said, "I. did not think next year could 
 gain brightness from anything but I cannot tell you how 
 it has looked to me within these last two hours. If I could 
 but call in Mr. Somers, and then take you with me !" 
 
 It brought a rush of the carnations ; but Faith did not 
 think so extravagant a wish required any combating. Nei 
 ther did she say what she thought of "next year." 
 
 That evening at least they had quietly together. What 
 Faith did after they had separated for the night, Mr Lin 
 den never knew; but the morning saw everything ready 
 for his departure, ready down to the little details which a 
 man recognizes only (for the most part) by the sense of 
 want. And if cheeks were paler than last night, they were 
 only now and then less steady till he was gone. 
 
 28* 
 
CHAPTER XXVIII. 
 
 DR. HARRISON took passage in the steamship Vul 
 can, C. W. Cyclops, commander, for the Old World ; 
 having come to the conclusion that the southern country 
 was not sufficiently remote, and that only a change of hemi 
 spheres would suit the precise state of his mind. Letters 
 of combined farewell and notice-giving, reached Pattaquas- 
 set too late to cumber the doctor with a bevy of friends to 
 see him off; but his sudden motions were too well known, 
 and his peculiarities too long established, to excite much 
 surprise or dismay by any new manifestations. 
 
 The Yulcan lay getting her steam up in that fair June 
 morning, with very little regard to the amount of high pres 
 sure that her passengers might bring on board. Nothing 
 could be more regardless of their hurry and bustle, the 
 causes that brought them, the tears they shed, the friends 
 they left behind, than the ship with her black sides and red 
 smoke pipe. Tears did indeed trickle down some parts of 
 her machinery, but they were only condensed steam which 
 might indeed be true of some of the tears of her pas 
 sengers. 
 
 Punctual to her time slie left her moorings, steaming 
 down the beautiful bay with all the June light upon her, 
 throwing back little foamy waves that glittered in the sun, 
 making her farewell with a long train of blue rollers that 
 came one after another to kiss the shore. What if tears 
 sprinkled the dus,ty sidewalks of Canal St. ? what if that 
 same light shone on white handkerchiefs and bowed heads ? 
 The answering drops might fall in the state-rooms of 
 the Yulcan, but on deck bustle and excitement had their 
 way. 
 
 So went on the miles and the hours, then the pilot left 
 the vessel, taking with him a little handful of letters ; and 
 the passengers who had been down stairs to write were on 
 deck, watching him off. In the city business rolled on with 
 its closing tide, far down on the Long Branch shore peo- 
 (330) 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 331 
 
 pie looked northward towards a dim outline, a little waft 
 of smoke, and said "There goes the Vulcan." The fresh 
 ening breeze, the long rolls of the Atlantic, sent some pas 
 sengers below, even now, others stood gazing back at the 
 faint city indications, others still walked up and down . 
 those who had left little, or cared little for what they had 
 left. Of these was Dr. Harrison, who paced the deck with 
 very easy external manifestations. 
 
 Some change of mind some freak of fancy, sent him 
 at last to the other side of the ship then to the prow. 
 Here sailors were busy, here one passenger stood alone : 
 but if there had been twenty more, Dr. Harrison could 
 have seen but this one. He was standing with arms folded, 
 in a sort of immoveable position, that yet accommodated 
 itself easily to the ship s slow courtseying; as regardless 
 of that as of the soft play of the sea breeze; looking back 
 but not to the place where the Vulcan had lain a few 
 hours before. He was rather looking forward, looking 
 off to some spot that lay north or northeast of them : some 
 spot invisible, yet how clearly seen ! Looking thither, as 
 if in all the horizon that alone had any interest. So ab 
 sorbed so far from the ship, his lips set in such grave, 
 sad lines; his eyes so intent, as if they could by no means 
 look at anything else. Nay, for the time, there was noth 
 ing else to see ! Dr. Harrison might come or go the 
 sailors might do their utmost, far over the rolling water, 
 conscious of that only because it was a barrier of separa 
 tion, the watcher s eyes rested on Mignonette. If once 
 <i)r twice the eyelids fell, it was not that the vision failed. 
 
 Dr. Harrison stopped short, unseen, and not wishing at 
 that moment to meet the consequences of being seen. Yet 
 he stood still and looked. The first feeling being one of 
 intense displeasure and disgust that the Vulcan carried so 
 unwelcome a fellow-passenger; the second, of unbounded 
 astonishment and wonder what he did there. He putting 
 the ocean between him and Pattaquasset ? he setting out 
 for the Old World, with all his hopes just blossoming in 
 the New ? What could be the explanation ? Was it possi 
 ble, Dr. Harrison asked himself for one moment, that he 
 could have been mistaken ? that he could have misunder 
 stood the issue of the conversation that morning in Faith s 
 
332 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 sick room? A moment resolved him. He recalled the 
 steady, dauntless look of Faith s eyes after his words, a 
 look which he had two or three times been privileged to 
 receive from her and never cared to meet; he remembered 
 how daintily her colour rose as her eyes fell, and the slow 
 deliberate uncovering of her diamond finger from which 
 the eyes were not raised again to look at him ; he remem 
 bered it with the embittered pang of the moment. No I 
 he had not been mistaken ; he had read her right. Could 
 it be it crossed the doctor s mind like a flash of the intens- 
 est lightning that his letter had done its work? its work 
 of separation ? But the cool reminder of reason came like 
 the darkness after the lightning. Mr. Linden would not 
 have been at Mrs. Derrick s, as the doctor had heard of his 
 being there, if any entering wedge of division had made 
 itself felt between his place there and him. No, though 
 now he was here in the Vulcan. And Dr. Harrison no 
 ticed anew, keenly, that the expression of the gazer s face, 
 though sorrowful and grave, was in nowise dark or de 
 sponding. Nothing of that ! The grave brow was unbent 
 in every line of it; the grave lips had no hard set of pain ; 
 the doctor read them well, both lips and brow ! Mr. Lin 
 den was no man to stand and look towards Pattaquasset if 
 he had nothing there. And with a twinge he now recol 
 lected the unwonted sound of that name from the pilot s 
 mouth as he took charge of the letters and went off. Ay ! 
 and turning with the thought the doctor paced back again, 
 as unregardful now of the contents of the Vulcan, animate 
 or inanimate, as the man himself whom he had been watch 
 ing. 
 
 What should he do? he must meet him and speak to 
 him, though the doctor desired nothing less in the whole 
 broad earth. But he must do it, for the maintenance of 
 his own character and the safety of his own secret and 
 pride that hung thereby. That little piece of simplicity 
 up there in the country had managed to say him no with 
 out being directly asked to say anything thanks to her 
 truthful honesty; and perhaps, a twinge or two of another 
 sort came to Dr. Harrison s mind as he thought of his rela 
 tions with her, yes, and of his relations with him. Not 
 pleasant, but all the more, if possible, Dr. Harrison set hw 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 333 
 
 teetn and resolved to speak to Mr. Linden the first oppor 
 tunity. All the more, that he was not certain Mr. Linden 
 had received his letter, it was likely, yet Dr. Harrison had 
 had no note of the fact. It might have failed. And not 
 withstanding all the conclusions to which his meditations 
 had come, curiosity lingered yet; a morbid curiosity, un 
 reasonable, as he said to himself, yet uncontrollable, to see 
 by eye and ear witness, even in actual speech and conver 
 sation, whether all was well with Mr. Linden or not. His 
 own power of self-possession Dr. Harrison could trust: he 
 would try that of the other. Yet he took tolerably good 
 care that the opportunity of speaking should not be this 
 evening. The doctor did not come in to supper till all the 
 passengers were seated, or nearly so, and then carried him 
 self to the end of the apartment furthest from his friend; 
 where he so bore his part that no mortal could have sup 
 posed Dr. Harrison had suffered lately in mind, body, or 
 estate. 
 
 Mr. Linden s part that night was a quiet one, the volun 
 tary part of it, and strictly confined to the various little 
 tea-table courtesies which with him might indeed be called 
 involuntary. But it so happened that the Vulcan carried 
 out quite a knot of his former friends gentlemen who 
 knew him well, and these from their various places at the 
 table spoke either to him or of him frequently. Dr. Har 
 rison in the pauses of his own talk could hear, "Linden" 
 
 "Endecott Linden" "John, what have you been doing 
 
 with yourself?" in different tones of question or comment, 
 
 . sometimes caught the tones of Mr. Linden s voice in 
 
 reply ; but as they were both on the same side of the table 
 eyesight was not called for. The doctor sat in his place 
 until the table was nearly cleared; then sauntered forth 
 into the evening light. Fair; bright, glowing light, upon 
 gay water and a gay deck-full ; but Dr. Harrison gaining 
 nothing from its brightness, stood looking out on its reflec 
 tion in the waves more gloomily than he had seen another 
 look a little time ago. Then a hand was laid lightly on 
 his shoulder, making its claim of acquaintanceship with a 
 very kind, friendly touch. The doctor turned and met 
 hand and eye with as far as could be seen his old manner, 
 only perhaps his fingers released themselves a little sooner 
 
334 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 than once they would, and the smile was a trifle more broad 
 than it might if there had been no constraint about it. 
 
 " I am not altogether taken now by surprise," said he, 
 11 though surprise hasn t yet quit its hold of me. I heard 
 your name a little while ago. What are you doing here, 
 Linden?" 
 
 "Rocking in the cradle of business as well as of the 
 deep," said Mr. Linden. " The last steamer brought word 
 that I must sail by this, and so here I am." 
 
 "Who rocks the cradle of business?" said the doctor, 
 with the old comical lift of the eyebrows with which he 
 used to begin a tilt with Mr. Linden. 
 
 "Duty and Interest rock it between them, -singing of 
 rest, and keeping one awake thereby." 
 
 "A proper pair of nurses!" said the doctor. "Why 
 man, they would tear the infant Business to pieces between 
 them ! Unless one of them did as much for the other in 
 time to prevent it." 
 
 "Never unless Inclination took the place of Interest." 
 
 "Don t make any difference," said the doctor; "Incli 
 nation always follows the lead of Interest. Except in a 
 few extraordinary specimens of human nature." 
 
 Mr. Linden turned towards the scattered groups of pas 
 sengers, and so doing his eye caught the shining of that 
 very star which was rising over Pattaquasset as he and 
 Mignonette rode home two nights before. Only two nights ! 
 For a minute everything else might have been at the an 
 tipodes then Mr. Linden brought at least his eyes back 
 to the deck of the Vulcan. "What sort of a motley have 
 we here, doctor? Do you know many of them?" 
 
 "Yes " said the doctor slightly; "the usual combina 
 tions of Interest and Inclination. I wonder if we are 
 exceptions, Linden ?" 
 
 " The usual combination is not, perhaps, just the best, 
 it is a nice matter for a man to judge in his own case how 
 far the proportions are rectified." 
 
 "He can t do it. Human machinery can t do it. Can 
 you measure the height of those waves while they dazzle 
 your eyes with gold and purple as they do now ?" 
 
 "Nay but I can tell how much they do or do not throw 
 me out of my right course." 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 335 
 
 "What course are you on now, Linden?" said the doc 
 tor with his old-fashioned assumption of carelessness, dis 
 missing the subject. 
 
 " Now ?" Mr. Linden repeated. " Do you mean in studies, 
 travels, or conversation ?" 
 
 "In conversation, you have as usual brought me to a 
 point ! I mean if I mean anything, the other two ; but 
 I mean nothing, unless you like." 
 
 " I do like. Just now, then, I am in the vacation before 
 the last year of my Seminary life, for the rest, I am OD 
 my way to Germany." 
 
 "Finish your course there, eh?" said the doctor. "Why 
 man, I thought you had found the four azure chains long 
 ago." 
 
 " No, not to finish my course, if I am kept in Germany 
 more than a few weeks, it will not be by azure chains," 
 said Mr. Linden. 
 
 "That it will not!" said one of the young men coming 
 up, fresh from the tea-table and his cigar. "Azure chains ? 
 pooh ! Linden breaks them as easy as Samson did the 
 green withs. How biblical it makes one to be in company 
 with such a theologian ! But I shouldn t wonder if he was 
 going to Europe to join some order of friars he ll find 
 nothing monastic enough for him in America." 
 
 ".Mistaken your man, Motley !" said the doctor; who for 
 reasons of his own did not choose to quit the conversation. 
 "The worst / have to say of him is, that if he spends an 
 other year in Germany his hearers will never be able to 
 understand him !" 
 
 "Mistaken him!" said Mr. Motley "at this time of 
 day, that ll do! Where did you get acquainted with him, 
 pray ?" 
 
 "Once when I had the management of him," said the 
 doctor coolly. " There is no way of becoming acquainted 
 with a man, like that." 
 
 "Once when you thought you had," said Mr. Motley. 
 "Well, where was it? in a dark passage when you got to 
 the door first ?" 
 
 " Whenever I have had the misfortune to be in a dark 
 passage with him, he has shewed me the door," said the 
 
336 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 doctor gravely but gracefully, in his old fashion admirably 
 maintained. 
 
 "If one of you wasn t Endecott Linden," said Mr. Mot 
 ley throwing the end of his cigar overboard, "I should 
 think you had made acquaintance on a highway robbery." 
 
 "Instead of which, it was in the peaceful town of Pat- 
 taquasset," said Mr. Linden. 
 
 "Permit me to request the reason of Mr. Motley s 
 extraordinary guess," said the doctor. 
 
 "So natural to say where you ve met a man if there s 
 no reason against it," said the other coolly. "But you 
 don t say it was in Pattaquasset, doctor ? Were you ever 
 there ?" 
 
 "Depends entirely on. the decision of certain questions in 
 metaphysics," said the doctor. "As for instance, whether 
 anything that is, is and the matter of personal identity, 
 which you know is doubtful. I know the appearance of 
 the place, Motley." 
 
 "Are there any pretty girls there?" said Mr. Motley, 
 carelessly, but keeping his eye rather on Mr. Linden than 
 the doctor. 
 
 "Mr. Linden can answer better than I," said Dr. Harri 
 son, whose eye also turned that way, and whose tone 
 changed somewhat in spite of himself. "There are none 
 there that could not answer any question about Mr. 
 Linden." 
 
 "By the help of a powerful imagination," said the per 
 son spoken of. Mr. Motley looked from one to the other. 
 
 "I don t know what to make of either of you," he said. 
 " Why doctor, Endecott Linden is a a mere I don t like 
 to call him hard names, and I can t call him soft ones ! 
 However to be sure the cat may look at the king, even 
 if his majesty won t return the compliment. Well you and 
 I were never thought hard-hearted, so I ll tell you my story. 
 Did it ever happen or seem to happen, doctor that 
 you, seeming to be in Pattaquasset, went not to church 
 but along the road therefrom ? Preferring the exit to the 
 entrance as you and I too often do ?" 
 
 " It has seemed to happen to me," said Dr. Harrison, 
 as if mechanically. 
 
 " Well George Alcott and I do you know George ? no 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 337 
 
 great loss we were kept one Sunday in that respectable 
 little town by a freshet. Whether it was one of those 
 rains that bring down more things from the sky than water, 
 I don t know, George declared it was. If it wasn t, we 
 made discoveries." 
 
 "If you and George both used your eyes, there must 
 have been discoveries," said Mr. Linden. "Did you take 
 notice how green the grass looked after the rain ? and that 
 when the clouds were blown away the sun shone ?" 
 
 "You re not all theology yet !" said Mr. Motley. "Be 
 quiet can t you? I m not talking to you. We were 
 sauntering down this same road, doctor after church, 
 falling in with the people, so that we could see them and 
 be taken for churchgoers. But there wasn t much to see. 
 Then George declared that here was the place where Lin 
 den had secluded himself for nobody knows what, then 
 we fell naturally into lamenting the waste of such fine ma 
 terial, and conned over various particulars of his former 
 life and prospects the great promise of past years, the 
 present melancholy mania to make money and be use 
 ful. Upon which points George and I fought as usual. 
 Then we grew tired of the subject and of the mud turned 
 short about and beheld what do you suppose, doctor ?" 
 
 "How far you had come for nothing?" 
 
 "Imagine," said Mr. Motley, taking out a fresh cigar and 
 a match and proceeding to put them to their respective 
 uses, "Imagine the vision that appeared to Balaam s ass 
 and how the ass felt." 
 
 "Nay, that we cannot do," said Mr. Linden. "You tax 
 us too far." 
 
 " In both requisitions " added the doctor. 
 
 "There stood," said Mr. Motley, removing his cigar and 
 waving it gracefully in one hand. "There stood close 
 behind us on the mud she could not have been in it an 
 immortal creature, in mortal merino ! We transfixed, 
 mute stepped aside right and left to let her pass, I be 
 lieve George had presence of mind enough to take off his 
 hat; and she severe in youthful beauty , glorious in youth 
 ful blushes walked on, looking full at us as she went. But 
 such a look ! and from such eyes ! fabulous eyes, doctor, 
 upon my honour. Then we saw that the merino was only 
 
 VOL. ii. 29 
 
338 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 a disguise. Imagine a search warrant wrapped up in 
 moonbeams imagine the blending of the softest sunset re 
 flection with a keen lightning flash, and after all you have 
 only words not those eyes. Linden ! seems to me your 
 imagination serves you better here, your own eyes are 
 worth looking at 1" 
 
 "It has had more help from you," Mr. Linden said, con 
 trolling the involuntary unbent play of eye and lip with 
 which he had heard the description. 
 
 "Well, George raved about them for a month," Mr. 
 Motley went on, "and staid in Pattaquasset a whole week 
 to see them again which he didn t; so he made up his 
 mind that they had escaped in the train of events or of 
 ears, and now seeks them through the world. Some day 
 he will meet them in the possession of Mrs. Somebody . 
 and then hang himself." And Mr. Motley puffed out 
 clouds of smoke thereupon. 
 
 "According to your account, he could not do better," 
 said the doctor cynically. 
 
 "I suppose the world would get on, if he did," said Mr. 
 Motley with philosophical coolness. " But the queerity 
 was," he added, removing the cigar once more, " what made 
 her look at us so? Did she know by her supernatural 
 vision that we had not been to church ? for I must say, 
 Linden, she looked like one of your kind. Or were her 
 unearthly ears charmed by the account of your unearthly 
 perfections ? for George and I were doing the thing hand 
 somely." 
 
 "It was probably that," said Mr. Linden. "Few people, 
 I think, can listen to your stories unmoved." 
 
 "Hang it," said Mr. Motley, "I wish I could! This 
 vixenish old craft is behaving with a great deal too much 
 suavity to suit my notions. I don t care about making a 
 reverence to every wave I meet if they re going to tower 
 up at this rate. But I guess you re right, Linden the 
 description of you can be made quite captivating and her 
 cheeks glowed like damask roses with some sort of inspira 
 tion. However, as George pathetically and poetically 
 remarks, 
 
 I only know she came and went ! 
 
 the last part of which illustrious example I shall follow, 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 339 
 
 Linden, if any story don t move you, you re no better than 
 the North Cape." 
 
 " Can you stand it ?" asked the doctor suddenly of hia 
 remaining companion. 
 
 "Yes I have known Motley a long time." 
 
 "Pshaw! no, I mean this wind." 
 
 " 1 beg your pardon ! Yes for anything I have felt 
 of it yet." 
 
 "If you will excuse me, I will get something more on. 
 I have come from a warmer part of the world lately." 
 
 The doctor disappeared, and found something in another 
 part of the boat to detain him. 
 
 Dr. Harrison had stood one conversation, but he had no 
 mind to stand a second. He did not think it necessary. 
 If by any possibility he could have put himself on board 
 of another steamer, or packet; or have leaped forward into 
 France, or back into America ! he would have done it. 
 But since he must see Mr. Linden from time to time in 
 their present situation, he contrived that that should be 
 all. Even that was as seldom and as little as possible; the 
 art not to see, Dr. Harrison could practise to perfection, and 
 did now ; so far as he could without rendering it too obvi 
 ously a matter of his own will. That would not have 
 suited his plans. So he saw his one-time friend as often as 
 he must, and then was civil invariably, civil with the respect 
 which was Dr. Harrison s highest degree of civility and 
 which probably in this instance was true and heartfelt ; but 
 he was cool, after his slight gay surface manner, and even 
 when speaking kept at a distance. For the rest, it is 
 notable, even in so small a space as the walls of a steamer 
 shut in, how far apart people can be that have no wish to 
 be near. Days passed that saw at the utmost only a bow 
 exchanged between these two ; many days that heard but 
 one or two words. Mr. Linden s own plans and occupa 
 tions, the arrangement of his time, helped to further the 
 doctor s wish. There was many an hour when Dr. Harrison 
 would not have found him if he had tried, but when they 
 were really together the non-intercourse was the doctor s 
 fault. For all that had been, Mr. Linden was still hia 
 friend, he realized more and more every day the value of 
 
340 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 the prize for which Dr. Harrison had played and lost ; aud 
 pity had made forgiveness easy. He was ready for all 
 their old kindly intercourse, but seeing the doctor shunned 
 him there was nothing to do but follow the lead. Some 
 times indeed they came together for a few minutes were 
 thrown so in a way that was worse than hours of talk. 
 
 The Yulcan had made about half her passage, and a 
 fair, fresh morning had brought most of the passengers on 
 deck. Mr. Linden was not there, but the rest were grouped 
 and watching the approach of a homeward bound steamer ; 
 when as she neared them Mr. Linden too came on deck. 
 It was to talk with the Captain however, not the passen 
 gers or to consult with him, for the two stood together 
 speaking and smiling. "You can try," Dr. Harrison heard 
 the Captain say; and then he lifted his trumpet and hailed 
 the other Captain responding. Still the steamer came 
 on, nearer and nearer, still the two on the deck of the 
 Yulcan stood side by side; till at a certain point, just where 
 the vessels were at the nearest, Captain Cyclops gave his 
 companion a little signal nod. And Mr. Linden stepping 
 forward a pace or two, lent the whole power of his skill and 
 strength to send a despatch on board the Polar Bear. The 
 little packet sped from his hand, spinning through the air 
 like a dark speck. Not a person spoke or moved Would 
 it reach? would it fail? until the packet, just clearing 
 the guards, fell safe on the deck of the other vessel, was 
 picked up by her Captain and proclaimed through the 
 speaking trumpet. Slightly raising his hat then, Mr. Lin 
 den drew back from his forward position ; just as a shout 
 of delighted acclaim burst from both the boats. 
 
 "That went with a will, I tell you!" said Captain Cy 
 clops with a little nod of his head. 
 
 "I say, Linden !" spoke out one of the young men "is 
 that your heart you sent home ?" 
 
 "I feel it beating here yet," Mr. Linden answered. But 
 just how much of it he carried back to his state-room for the 
 next hour has never been ascertained. Society had no help 
 from Dr. Harrison for more than that length of time. 
 Neither could proximity nor anything else make him, 
 visibly, aware of Mr. Linden s existence during the rest of 
 the day. 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 341 
 
 Mr. Linden knew the doctor too well and it maybe 
 said, knew Faith too well to be much surprised at that. 
 If he could have spared Dr. Harrison the pain of seeing 
 his little air-sent missive, he would have done it ; but the 
 letter could go but at one time, and from one side of the 
 ship and just there and then Dr. Harrison chose to be. 
 But though the sort of growing estrangement which the 
 doctor practised sprang from no wish nor feeling but his 
 own, yet Mr. Linden found it hard to touch it in any way. 
 Sometimes he tried sometimes he left it for Time s touch 
 ing, which mends so many things. And slowly, and gently, 
 that touch did work not by fading one feeling but by 
 deepening another. Little as Dr. Harrison had to do with 
 his friend, almost every one else in the ship had a good deal, 
 and the place which Mr. Linden soon took in the admiration 
 as well as the respect of the passengers, could not fail to 
 come to the doctor s notice. Men of very careless life and 
 opinions pruned their language in his presence, those who 
 lived but for themselves, and took poor care of what they 
 lived for, passed him reverently on some of his errands 
 through the ship. Dr. Harrison had never lived with him 
 before, and little as they saw each other, you could as well 
 conceal the perfume of a hidden bunch of violets as welJ 
 shut your senses to the spring air as could the doctor shut 
 his to the beauty of that well-grown Christian character. 
 The light of it shone, and the influence of it went forth 
 through all the ship. 
 
 "What a strange, incomprehensible, admirable fellow, 
 Linden is !" said Mr. Motley one day when he and the doc 
 tor were sunning themselves in profound laziness on deck. 
 It was rather late Sunday afternoon, and the morning ser 
 vice had left a sort of respectful quietness behind it. 
 
 "He must be r said the doctor with a slight indescrib 
 able expression, "if at this moment you can be roused to 
 wonder at anything." 
 
 Mr. Motley inclined his head with perfect suavity in 
 honour of the doctor s words. 
 
 " It s a glorious thing to lie here on deck and do nothing !" 
 he said, extending his elegantly clad limbs rather more into 
 the distance. "How fine the breeze is, doctor what d? 
 you think of the day, as a whole ?" 
 
 29* 
 
342 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "Unfinished, at present, " 
 
 Well " said Mr. Motley, "take that part of it which 
 you with such precision term this moment , what do you 
 think of it as it appears here on deck ?" 
 
 "Sunny " said the doctor, "and we are flies. On the 
 whole I think it s a bore, Motley." 
 
 "What do you think of the Black Hole of Calcutta, in 
 comparison ?" said Mr. Motley closing his eyes. 
 
 " The difference is, that that would have been an insuffer 
 able bore." 
 
 Mr. Motley smiled stroking his chin with affectionate 
 fingers. " On the whole," he said, " I think you re right 
 in that position. What do you suppose Linden s about at 
 this moment ?" 
 
 "Is he your ward?" said the doctor. 
 
 "He s down below " said Mr. Motley with a significant 
 pointing of his train of remarks. "By which I don t 
 mean ! that he s left this planet for truly, when he does I 
 think it will be in a different direction ; but he s down in 
 the steerage trying to get some of those creatures to 
 follow him." 
 
 "Which way?" 
 
 "You and George Alcott have such a snappish thread in 
 you!" said Mr. Motley yawning "only it sits better on 
 George than it does on you. But I like it it rather 
 excites me to be snubbed. However, here comes Linden 
 so I hope they ll not follow him this way." 
 
 This way Mr. Linden himself did not come, but chose 
 another part of the deck for a somewhat prolonged walk 
 in the Seabreeze. The doctor glanced towards him, then 
 moved his chair slightly, so as to put the walker out of his 
 range of vision. 
 
 "He s a good fellow enough," he remarked carelessly. 
 "You were pleased to speak of him just now as incompre 
 hensible may I ask how he has earned a title to tliat ?" 
 The tone was a little slighting. 
 
 "Take the last instance "said Mr. Motley, "you 
 yourself were pleased to pronounce the steerage a more 
 insufferable bore than the deck yet he chooses it, and 
 not only on Sundays. I don t believe there s a day that he 
 don t go down there. He s popular enough without it 
 
SAY AND SEAL. , 343 
 
 Hisn t that. And nobody knows it one of the sailors told 
 me. If he was a medico, like you, doctor, there d be less 
 wonder but as it is ! " and Mr. Motley resigned himself 
 again to the influence of the sunshine. A moment s medi 
 tation on the doctor s part, to judge by his face, was delect 
 able. 
 
 " There isn t any sickness down there ?" he said then. 
 
 Always is in the steerage isn t there?" said Mr. Mot 
 ley, "I don t knowl the surgeon can tell you." 
 
 "There s no occasion, " said the doctor with a little 
 haughtiness. "He knows who I am." 
 
 And Dr. Harrison too resigned himself, apparently, to the 
 sunny influences of the time and was silent. 
 
 But as the sun went down lower and lower, Mr. Motley 
 roused himself up and went off to try the effect upon his 
 spirits of a little cheerful society, then Mr. Linden came 
 and took the vacant chair. 
 
 "How beautiful it is!" he said, in a tone that was half 
 greeting, half meditation. The start with which Dr. Har 
 rison heard him was skilfully transformed into a natural 
 change of position. 
 
 "Beautiful? yes," said he. "Has the beauty driven 
 Motley away ?" 
 
 "He is gone. Your waves are very dazzling to-night, 
 doctor." 
 
 "They are helping us on," said the doctor looking at 
 them. "We shall be in after two days more if this 
 holds." 
 
 Helping us on perhaps the thought was not unqualified 
 in Mr. Linden s mind, for he considered that or something 
 else in grave silence for a minute or two. 
 
 "Dr. Harrison," he said suddenly, "you asked me about 
 my course I wish you would tell me yours. Towards 
 what for what. You bade me call myself a friend may 
 I use a friend s privilege?" He spoke with a grave, frank 
 earnestness. 
 
 The doctor s face shewed but a small part of the aston 
 ishment which this speech raised. It shewed a little. 
 
 " I can be but flattered ! " he said with something of 
 the old graceful medium between play and earnest. " You 
 ask me what I am hardly wise enough to answer you. I 
 
344 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 am going to Paris, and you to Germany. After that, I really 
 know about as much of one course as of the other." 
 
 "My question referred, not to the little daily revolutions, 
 but to the great life orbit. Harrison, what is yours to be ?" 
 
 Evidently it was an uneasy question. Yet the power of 
 influence or of associations was such that Dr. Harrison 
 did not fling it away. "I remember," he said, not without 
 some bitterness of accent "you once did me the honour 
 to profess to care." 
 
 "I do care, very much." And one of the old looks, 
 that Dr. Harrison well remembered said the words were 
 true. 
 
 "You do me more honour than I do myself," he said, 
 not so lightly as he meant to say it. " I do not care. I 
 see nothing to care for." 
 
 "You refuse to see it " Mr. Linden said gently and 
 sorrowfully. 
 
 Dr. Harrison s brow darkened it might be with pain, 
 for Mr. Linden s words were the echo of others he had 
 listened to not long ago. In a moment he turned and 
 spoke with an impulse of bravado ? Perhaps he eould 
 not have defined, and his companion could not trace. 
 
 " I refuse to see nothing ! but I confess to you I see 
 nothing distinctly. What sort of an orbit would you 
 propose to me ?" 
 
 The tone sounded frank, and certainly was not unkind. 
 Mr. Linden s answer was in few words " To them who by 
 patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour 
 and immortality, eternal life ." 
 
 Dr. Harrison remained a little while with knitted brow 
 looking down at his hands, which certainly were in an 
 order to need no examination. Neither was he examining 
 them. When he looked up again it was with the frankness 
 and kindliness both more defined. Perhaps, very strange 
 to his spirit, a little shame was at work there. 
 
 "Linden," he said, "I believe in you ! and if ever I enter 
 upon an orbit of any sort, I ll take up yours. But " said 
 he relapsing into his light tone, perhaps of intent, "you 
 know two forces are necessary to keep a body going in one 
 and I assure you there is none, of any sort, at present at 
 work upon me !" 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 345 
 
 "You are mistaken," said Mr. Linden, "there are two." 
 
 "Let s hear " said the doctor without looking at him. 
 
 "In the first place your conscience, in the second your 
 will." 
 
 "You have heard of such things as both getting stagnant 
 for want of use haven t you ?" 
 
 "I have heard of the one being half choked by the 
 other," said Mr. Linden: 
 
 "It s so warm this afternoon that I can t contradict you. 
 What do you want me to do, Linden ?" 
 
 "Let conscience do its work and then you do yours. 1 
 
 A minute s silence. 
 
 "You do me honour, to believe I have such a thing as a 
 conscience," said the doctor again a little bitterly. "I 
 didn t use to think it, myself." 
 
 He was unaware that it was that very ignored principle 
 which had forced him to make this speech. 
 
 "My dear friend " Mr. Linden began, and he too 
 paused, looking off gravely towards the brightening hori 
 zon. "Then do yourself the honour to let conscience have 
 fair play," he went on presently, "it is too delicate a 
 stream to bear the mountain torrents of unchecked will and 
 keep its clearness." 
 
 "Hum ! there s ho system of drainage that ever I heard 
 of that will apply up in those regions !" said the doctor, 
 after again a second s delay to speak. "And you are doing 
 my will too much honour now I tell you it is in a state 
 of stagnation, and I don t at present see any precipice to 
 tumble down. When I do, I ll promise to think of yon 
 if that thought isn t carried away -too. Come, Linden!" 
 he said with more expression of kindliness than Mr. Linden 
 had seen certainly during all the voyage before, " I be 
 lieve in you, and I will ! though I suppose my words do 
 seem to you no better than the very spray of those torrents 
 you are talking about. Will you walk ? Motley put me 
 to sleep, but you have done one good thing you have 
 stirred me to desire action at least." 
 
 It was curious, how the power of character, the power 
 of influence, had borne down passion and jealousy even 
 smothered mortification and pride and made the man of 
 the world speak truth. Mr. Linden rose yet did not im- 
 
346 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 mediately begin the walk; for laying one hand on the doc 
 tor s shoulder with a gesture that spoke both regard and 
 sorrow and entreaty, he stood silently looking off at the 
 colours in the west. 
 
 "Dr. Harrison," he said, "I well believe that your mother 
 and mine are dear friends in heaven God grant that we 
 may be, too !" 
 
 Then they both turned, and together began their walk. 
 It lasted till they were summoned to tea; and from that 
 time till they got in there was no more avoidance of his 
 old friend by the doctor. His manner was changed ; if he 
 did not find enjoyment in Mr. Linden s society he found 
 somewhat else which had value for him. There was not 
 again a shade of dislike or of repulsion; and when they 
 parted on landing, though it might be that there lay in 
 Dr. Harrison s secret heart a hope that he might never see 
 Mr. Linden again, there lay with it also, as surely, a secret 
 regret. 
 
 Now all that Faith knew of this for a long time, was 
 from a newspaper; where among a crowd of unimportant 
 passengers in the Yulcan s list she read the names of Dr. 
 Harrison and J. E. Linden. 
 
CHAPTER XXIX. 
 
 TT^AITH and her mother sat alone at breakfast. About 
 a fortnight of grave quiet had followed after the joy 
 ous month that went before, with little enlivening, few in 
 terruptions. Without, the season had bloomed into greater 
 luxuriance, within, the flowers now rarely came ; and 
 Faith s flowerless dress and belt and hair, said of them 
 selves that Mr. Linden was away. Roses indeed peeped 
 through the windows, and thrust their heads between the 
 blinds, but no one invited them in. 
 
 Not so peremptorily as the roses and yet with more 
 assurance of welcome Reuben Taylor knocked at the door 
 during breakfast time ; scattering the abstract musings that 
 floated about the coffee-pot and mingled with its vapoury 
 cloud. 
 
 "Sit down, Reuben," said Faith jumping up; "there s 
 a place for you, arid I ll give you a plate." To which 
 Reuben only replied, "A letter, Miss Faith !" and putting 
 it in her hands went off with quick steps. On the back of 
 it was written, up in one corner "Flung on board the 
 Polar Bear, by a strong hand, from steamship Vulcan, half 
 way across." 
 
 There was no need of flowers now truly in the house, 
 for Faith stood by the table transformed into a rose of 
 summer joy. 
 
 " Mother 1" she exclaimed, "It s from sea half way 
 across." 
 
 "From sea! half way across " her mother repeated. 
 "Why child, what are you talking about? You don t mean 
 that Mr. Linden s contrived to make a letter swim back 
 here already, do you ?" 
 
 Faith hardly heard. A minute she stood, with her eyes 
 very like what Mr. Motley had graphically described them 
 to be, breaking the seal with hurried fingers, and then ran 
 away. The breakfast table and Mrs. Derrick waited they 
 waited a long time before Faith came back to eat a cold 
 
 (347) 
 
348 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 breakfast, which tasted of nothing but sea-breezes and was 
 therefore very strengthening. The strengthening effect 
 went through the day ; there was a fresh colour in Faith s 
 face. Fifty times at least the "moonbeams" of her eyes 
 saw a "strong hand" throw her packet across the sea 
 waves that separated the two steamers ; the master of the 
 "Polar Bear" might guess, but Faith knew, that a strong 
 heart had done it as well. And when her work was over 
 Faith put a rose in her belt in honour of the day, and sat 
 down to her books, very happy. 
 
 The books were engrossing, and it was later than usual 
 when she came down stairs to get tea, but Mrs. Derrick 
 was out. That wasn t very strange. Faith went through 
 the little routine of preparation, then she took another 
 book and sat down by the sweet summer air of the open 
 window to wait. By and by Mrs. Derrick came slowly 
 down the road, opened and shut the gate with the same air 
 of abstracted deliberateness, and came up the steps looking 
 tired and flushed. In the porch Faith met and kissed her. 
 
 "Where have you been now, mother? tea s ready." 
 
 "Pretty child!" was Mrs. Derrick s answer, "how glad I 
 am you got that letter this morning 1" 
 
 Faith smiled ; she didn t forget it, but it was not to be 
 expected that it should be quite so present to Mrs. Der 
 rick s mind. Yet almost at the same instant she felt that 
 her mother had some particular reason for saying that just 
 then. 
 
 "Where have you been, mother?" 
 
 "Up to Squire Stoutenburgh s," said Mrs. Derrick, put 
 ting herself wearily in the rocking-chair, "and they were 
 all out gone to Pequot to spend the day. So I lost my 
 labour. " 
 
 Gently Faith stood before her and took off her bonnet. 
 "What did you go there for, mother?" 
 
 "I wanted to see him " said Mrs. Derrick. "Squire 
 Deacon s been here, Faith." 
 
 " Mother ! Is he back again ? What for ?" 
 
 " Settle here and live, I suppose. He s married that s 
 one thing. What was he here for ? why the old story, 
 Faith, he wants the place." And Mrs. Derrick ^ eyes 
 looked as if she wanted it too. 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 349 
 
 "Does he want it very much, mother?" 
 
 "Means to have it, child and I don t feel as if I could 
 live in any other house in Pattaquasset. So I thought 
 maybe Mr. Stoutenburgh would make him hold off till next 
 year, Faith," said Mrs^ Derrick, a little smile coming back 
 to her lips. "I guess I ll go up again after tea." 
 
 Faith coaxed her mother into the other room and gave 
 her her tea daintily ; revolving in her mind the while many 
 things. When tea was over and Mrs. Derrick was again 
 bent upon business, Faith ventured a question. "Mother, 
 what do you suppose Squire Stoutenburgh can do to help 
 us?" 
 
 " 1 can t tell, child, he might talk Sam Deacon into let 
 ting us keep the house, at least. We ve got to live some 
 where, you know, Faith. It s no sort of use for me to talk 
 to him, he s as stiff as a crab tree and I aint. I think 
 I ll try." 
 
 "To-night, mother?" 
 
 "I thought 1 would." 
 
 Faith hesitated, putting the cups together. "Mother, 
 I ll go. I dare say I shall do as well." 
 
 "I m afraid you re tired too, pretty child," said Mrs. Der 
 rick, but with evident relief at the very idea. 
 
 "I tired ? Never," said Faith. "You rest, mother 
 and don t fear," she added, kissing her. "I ll put on my 
 bonnet and be there and back again in a little while." 
 
 The summer twilight was falling grey, but Faith knew 
 she Could have a guardian to come home; and besides the 
 road between the two houses was thickly built up and per 
 fectly safe. The evening glow was almost gone, the stars 
 faintly gleaming out in the blue above ; a gentle sea breeze 
 stirred the branches and went along with Faith on her errand. 
 Now was this errand grievously unpleasing to Faith, simply 
 because of the implication of that one year of reprieve 
 which she must ask for. How should she manage it ? But 
 her way was clear ; she must manage it as she could. 
 
 Spite of this bugbear, she had gone with a light free 
 step all along her road, walking rather quick; for other 
 thoughts had kept her company, and the image of her little 
 flying packet shot once and again through her mind. At 
 length she came to Mr. Stoutenburgh s gate, and Faith s 
 
 VOL. II. 30 
 
350 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 foot paused. Light shone through the muslin curtains ; 
 and as her step neared the front door the broken sounds of 
 voices and laughter came unwelcomely through. A most 
 unnecessary formality her knock was, but one of the chil 
 dren came to the door and ushered her at once into the 
 tearoom, where the family were waiting for their late tea. 
 Mrs. Stoutenburgh looking very pretty in her light sum 
 mer dress was half reclining on the sofa, professing that 
 she was tired to death, but quite failing to excite any sym 
 pathy thereby in the group of children who had not seen 
 her since morning. The Squire himself walked leisurely 
 up and down, with his hands behind him, sometimes laugh 
 ing at the children sometimes helping on their play. Through 
 the room was the full perfume of roses, and the lamplight 
 c*ould not yet hide the departing glow of the western hori 
 zon. Into this. group and atmosphere little Linda brought 
 the guest, with the simple announcement, "Mother, it s Miss 
 Faith." 
 
 " Miss Faith I" Mrs. Stoutenburgh exclaimed, starting up 
 and dispersing the young ones, "Linda, you shall have a 
 lump of sugar ! My dear other child, how do you do ? 
 and what sweet corner of your little heart sent you up here 
 to-night? You have not no, that can t be, and you 
 wouldn t come here if you had. But dear Faith, how are 
 you ?" and she was rescued from the Squire and carried 
 off to the sofa to answer at her leisure. With a -sort of 
 blushing, steadfast grace, which was common with her in the 
 company of friends who were in her secret, Faith answered. 
 
 "And you haven t had tea yet," she said remorsefully. 
 "I came to give Mr. Stoutenburgh some trouble but I can 
 do it in three minutes." Faith looked towards the Squire. 
 
 "My dear," he said, "it would take you three years !" 
 
 "But Faith," said Mrs. Stoutenburgh "here comes the 
 tea, and you can t go home without Mr. Stoutenburgh, 
 and nothing qualifies him for business like a contented state 
 of his appetite !" 
 
 Faith laughed and sat down again, and then was fain 
 upon persuasion to take a place at the table, which was a 
 joyous scene enough. Faith did little but fill a place ; her 
 mind was busy with thoughts that began to come pressincrly ; 
 ihe tried not ti have it seem so. 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 351 
 
 "My dear," said the Squire as he helped Faith to rasp 
 berries, " what fine weather we have had, eh ?" 
 
 "Beautiful weather!" Faith responded with a little 
 energy. 
 
 " Papa," said one of the children, "do you think Mr. Lin 
 den s had it fine too?" 
 
 "What tangents children s minds go off in !" observed 
 Mrs. Stoutenburgh. " Faith ! don t eat your raspberries 
 without sugar, how impatient you are. You used to 
 preach patience to me when I was sick." 
 
 "I can be very patient, with these raspberries and no 
 sugar," said Faith, wishing she could hide the bloom of her 
 cheeks as easily as she hid that of the berries under the fine 
 white shower. 
 
 "Poor child I" said her friend gently, "I think you have 
 need of all your patience." And her hands came softly 
 about Faith s plate, removing encumbrances and adding 
 dainties, with a sort of mute sympathy that at the moment 
 could find no more etherial channel. "Mr. Stoutenburgh 
 drove down to Quapaw the other day," she went on in a 
 low voice, "to ask those fishing people what indications 
 our land weather gave of the weather at sea; and he 
 couldn t half tell me about his visit when he came home," 
 said Mrs. Stoutenburgh, breaking short off in her account. 
 "Linda, go get that glass of white roses and set it by Miss 
 Faith, maybe she ll take them home with her." 
 
 Faith looked at the white roses and smelled their sweet 
 ness;" and then she said, "Who did you see, Mr. Stouten 
 burgh ? down at Quapaw ?" 
 
 "None of the men, my dear they were all away, but I 
 saw half the rest of the village ; and even the children knew 
 what report the men had brought in, and what they thought 
 of the weather. Everybody had a good word to say about 
 it, Miss Faith; and everybody I do believe!" said the 
 Squire reverently, "had been on their knees to pray for it. 
 Jonathan Ling s wife said that was all they could ever do 
 for him." Which pronoun, be it understood, did not refer 
 to Jonathan Ling. 
 
 "They re Mr. Linden s roses, Miss Faith," said little 
 Linda, who stood waiting for more marked admiration, 
 "do you like them ? He always did." 
 
352 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 FaHh kissed the child, partly to thank her and to stop 
 her lips, partly to hide her own which she felt were tale- 
 telling. 
 
 "Where did you get the roses, Linda?" 
 
 " off the bush in the garden. But Mr. Linden always 
 picked one whenever he came, and sometimes he d stop on 
 his way to school, and just open the gate and get one of 
 these white roses and then go away again. So we called 
 it Mr. Linden s bush." Faith endeavoured to attend to her 
 raspberries after this. When tea was over she was carried 
 off into the drawing-room and the children were kept out. 
 
 "If you want me away too, Faith," Mrs. Stoutenburgh 
 said as she arranged the lamp and the curtains, "I ll go." 
 
 "I don t want you to go, ma am." And then covering 
 her trepidation under the simplest of grave exteriors, Faith 
 spoke to the point. "It is mother s business. Squire Dea 
 con has come home, Mr. Stoutenburgh." 
 
 "My dear," said the Squire, "I know he has. I heard it 
 just before you came in. But he s married, Miss Faith." 
 
 "That don t content him," said Faith, "for he wants our 
 farm." 
 
 "Rascal!" said Mr. Stoutenburgh in an emphatic under 
 tone, "the old claim, I suppose. What s the state of it 
 DOW, my dear? " 
 
 "Nothing new, sir ; he has a right to it, I suppose. The 
 mortgage is owing, and we haven t been able to pay any 
 thing but the interest, and that must be a small rent for the. 
 farm." Faith paused. Mrs. Stoutenburgh was silent; look 
 ing from one to the other anxiously, the Squire himself 
 was not very intelligible. 
 
 " Yes" he said, " of course. Your poor father only lived 
 to make the second payment. I don t know why I call him 
 poor he s rich enough now. But Sarn Deacon I a small 
 rent? too much for him to get, and too little. Why 
 my dear!" he said suddenly sitting up straight and facing 
 round upon Faith, "I thought What does your mother 
 axpect to do, Miss Faith ? has she seen Sam ? What does 
 hn say ?" 
 
 :< He came to see her this afternoon, sir he is bent upon 
 having the place, mother says. And she don t like to 
 leave the old house," Faith said slowly. " He will take the 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 353 
 
 farm, I suppose, but mother thought, perhaps, sir if you 
 would speak to Mr. Deacon, he would let us stay in the 
 house only the house without anything else for another 
 year. Mother wished it I don t know that your speaking 
 to him could do any good." Faith went straight through, 
 but the rosy colour sprung and grew till its crimson reached 
 her forehead. Xot the less she went clearly through with 
 what she had to say, her eyes only at the last words droop 
 ing. Mr. Stoutenburgh rose up with great energy and 
 stood before her. 
 
 " My dear," he said, "he shall do it ! If it was any other 
 man I d promise to make him do more, but Sam always 
 must have some way of amusing himself, and I m afraid I 
 can t make this as expensive as the last one he tried. You 
 tell your mother, Miss Faith, that she shall stay in her 
 house till she d rather go to yours. I hope that won t be 
 more than a year, but if it is she shall stay." 
 
 " That s good, Mr. Stoutenburgh 1" said his wife with a 
 little clap of her hands. 
 
 Whether Faith thought it was good might be a ques 
 tion ; her eyes fell further, she did not offer to thank Mr. 
 Stoutenburgh for his energetic kindness, nor to say any 
 thing. Yet Faith had seemingly more to say, for she made 
 no motion to go. She sat quite still a few minutes, till 
 raising her eyes fully to Mr. Stoutenburgh s face she said 
 gravely, " Mother will feel very glad when I tell her that 
 sir." 
 
 " She may make herself easy But tell her, my dear," 
 said the Squire, again forgetting in his earnestness what 
 ground he was on, "tell her she s on no account to tell 
 Sam why she wants to stay. Will you recollect that, 
 Miss Faith?" 
 
 Faith s eyes opened slightly. "I think he must know 
 or guess it, Mr. Stoutenburgh? Mother says she could 
 hardly bear to live in any other house in Pattaquasset." 
 
 "My dear Miss Faith I" said Mr. Stoutenburgh, "I 
 mean ! why she don t want to stay any longer. That s 
 what Sam mustn t know. I m very stupid about my words, 
 always. " 
 
 Faith was again obliged to wait a few minutes before 
 she could go on. Mrs. Stoutenburgh was the first to speak, 
 
 30* 
 
354 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 for the Squire walked up and down, no doubt (mentally; 
 .attacking Mr. Deacon. 
 
 " I m so glad !" she said, with the old dance of her eyes 
 and yet a little sigh too. " So glad and so happy, that I 
 could cry, I know I shall when the time comes. Dear 
 Faith, do you feel quite easy about this other business 
 now?" 
 
 "What, ma am? about Mr. Deacon?" 
 
 "Why yes!" said Mrs. Stoutenburgh laughing, "isn t 
 that the only one you ve been uneasy about?" 
 
 "I am not uneasy now," said Faith. "But Mr. Stout 
 enburgh if Mr. Deacon takes the farm back again, whom 
 does the hay belong to, and the cattle, and the tools and 
 farm things ?" 
 
 "All that s on the land all that s growing on it, goes 
 with it. All that s under cover and moveable belongs to 
 you." 
 
 "Then the hay in the barn is ours?" 
 
 "Everything in the barn." 
 
 "There s a good deal in the barn," said Faith with a 
 brightening face. "You know the season has been early, 
 sir, and our hay -fields lie well to the sun ; and a great deal 
 of the hay is in. Mr. Deacon will want some rent for the 
 house I suppose, and I guess there will be hay enough to 
 pay it, whatever it is. For I can t sell my cows ! " she 
 added laughing a little. 
 
 Her two friends the Squire on the floor and his wife on 
 the sofa looked at her and then at each other. 
 
 "My dear," the Squire began, "I want to ask you a 
 question. And before I do, let me tell you which per 
 haps you don t know just what right I" 
 
 "Oh Mr. Stoutenburgh!" cried his wife, "do please 
 hush ! you ll say something dreadful." 
 
 "Not a bit of it " said the Squire, "I know what to 
 say this time, my dear, and when to stop. I wanted to tell 
 you, Miss Faith, that I am your regularly appointed guar 
 dian therefore if I ask questions you will understand why. " 
 But what more on that subject the Squire might have said, 
 and said not, was left to conjecture. Faith looked at him, 
 wondering, colouring, doubting. 
 
 "I never heard of it before, sir," she said. 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 355 
 
 "You shouldn t say regularly, Mr. Stoutenburgh," said 
 his wife, " Faith will think she is to be under your control. " 
 
 " 1 shouldn t say legally," said the Squire, "and I didn t 
 No she aint under ray control. I only mean, Miss Faith," 
 he said turning to her, "that I am appointed to look after 
 your interests, till somebody who is better qualified comes 
 to do it." 
 
 " There Mr. Stoutenburgh, don t go any further," said 
 his wife. 
 
 "Not in that direction," said the Squire. "Now my 
 dear, if Sam Deacon will amuse himself in this way, as I 
 said, what will you do ? Do the farm and the house about 
 counterbalance each other most years ?" 
 
 Faith never knew how she separated the two parts of her 
 nature enough at this moment to be practical, but she 
 answered. " We have been able to pay the interest on the 
 mortgage, sir, every year. That s all. Mother has not laid 
 up anything." 
 
 The Squire took a turn or two up ajid down the room, 
 then came and stood before her again. " My dear," he 
 said, "you can t tell just yet what your plans will be, so I 
 won t ask you to-night, but you had better let me deal with 
 Sam Deacon, and the new tenant, and the hay, and every 
 thing else. And you may draw upon me for something 
 more solid, to any amount you please." 
 
 "Something more solid than yourself! Mr. Stouten 
 burgh !" his wife said, though -her eyes were bright with 
 more than one feeling. 
 
 Faith was silent a minute, and then gave Mr. Stouten 
 burgh a full view of those steady eyes that some people 
 liked and some did not care just so to meet. 
 
 "No, sir! " she said with a smile and also a little wist 
 ful look of the gratitude she did not speak, "if the hay 
 will pay the rent, I don t want anything else. Mother and 
 I can do very well. We will be very much obliged to you 
 to manage Mr. Deacon for us and the hay. I think I can 
 manage the rest. I shall keep the cows and make butter/ 
 she said with a laughing flash of the eye. 
 
 "O delicious!" cried Mrs, Stoutenburgh, "(I mean the 
 butter, Faith) but will you let me have it ?" 
 
 "You don t want it," said Faith. 
 
356 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "I do! nobody makes such butter I should eat my 
 breakfast with a new appetite, and so would Sam. We 
 never can get butter enough when he s in the house. I ll 
 send down for it three times a week how often do you 
 churn, Faith ?" 
 
 Faith came close up to her and kissed her as she whis 
 pered laughingly, "Every day!" 
 
 Then I ll send every day!" said Mrs. Stoutenburgh 
 clapping her hands. "And then I shall hear of you once 
 in a while. Ungrateful child, you haven t been here before 
 since I suppose it won t do to say when," she added, kiss 
 ing Faith on both cheeks. " I shall tell Mr. Linden it is 
 not benevolent to pet you so much." 
 
 "But my dear my dear " said the Squire from one to 
 the other. "Well, well, I ll talk to you another time, 
 Miss Faith, I can t keep up with more than one lady at 
 once. You and Mrs. Stoutenburgh have gone on clean 
 ahead of me." 
 
 " What s the matter, Mr. Stoutenburgh ?" said Faith. " I 
 would like to hear it now, for there is something I want 
 settled." 
 
 "What s that?" said the Squire. 
 
 "Will you please go on, sir?" 
 
 "I guess I ll hear you first," said the Squire. "You 
 seem to know just what you want to say, Miss Faith, and 
 I m not sure that I do." 
 
 " You said we had gone on ahead of you, sir. Shall we 
 go back now?" 
 
 "Why my dear," said the Squire smiling, "I thought you 
 two were settling up accounts and arrangements rather fast, 
 that s all. If they are the beginning and end, that s very 
 well ; but if they re only premonitory symptoms, that again s 
 different." 
 
 "And not very well ?" said Faith, waiting. 
 
 "Not very," said Mr. Stoutenburgh shaking his head. 
 
 "How should it be better, sir?" 
 
 "My dear, -in general, what is needless can be spared." 
 
 "I don t know what I am going to do, Mr. Stouten 
 burgh. I am going to do nothing needless, not wilfully 
 needless. But I am going to do it without help." She 
 stood before him, with perfect gentleness but with as clsar 
 
SAY AND SExVL. 357 
 
 determination in both look and manner, making her mean 
 ing known. Mrs. Stoutenburgh laughed, the Squire stood 
 looking at her in a smiling perplexity. Finally went straight 
 to the point. 
 
 "Miss Faith, it is doubly needless that you should do 
 anything more than you ve been doing everybody knows 
 that s enough. In the first place, my dear, you are your 
 father s child and that s all that need be said, till my purse 
 has a hole at both ends. In the next place shall I tell 
 her what she is in the next place, Mrs. Stoutenburgh ?" 
 
 "I fancy she knows," said his wife demurely. 
 
 " Well," said the Squire, "the next place is the first place, 
 after all, and I haven t the right to do much but take care 
 of her. But my dear, I have it under hand and seal to 
 take better care than that." 
 
 Than what, sir?" said Faith with very deep colour, 
 but unchanged bearing. 
 
 "I don t know yet," said Mr. Stoutenburgh, "any more 
 than you know what you are going to do. Than to let you 
 do anything that would grieve your dear friend and mine. 
 If I could shew you the letter you d understand, Miss 
 Faith, but I m not good at repeating. To take care of you 
 as lie would that was part of it. And because I can t 
 half carry out such instructions, is no sign I shouldn t do it 
 a quarter." And the Squire stood as firm on his ground as 
 Faith on hers. 
 
 No, not quite ; for in her absolute gentleness there was a 
 power of intent expressed, which rougher outlines could but 
 give with less emphasis. The blood spoke for her eloquently 
 before Faith could find any sort of words to speak for her 
 self, brought now by more feelings than one ; yet still she 
 stood before the Squire, drooping her head a little, a soft 
 statue of immoveability. Only once, just before she spoke, 
 both Faith s hands went up to her brow to push the hair 
 back ; a most unusual gesture of agitation. But her look 
 and her words were after the same steady fashion as before, 
 aggravated by a little wicked smile, and Faith s voice 
 sounded for sweetness like silver bells. 
 
 "You can t do it, Mr. Stoutenburgh! not that way. 
 Take care of me every other way ; but I ll not have of 
 that sort -a bit of help. " 
 
358 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 The Squire looked at her with a mixture of amusement 
 and perplexity. 
 
 "Pin to follow suit " he said, "but then I don t just 
 know what Mr. Linden would do in such a case ! Can you 
 tell me, Miss Faith ?" 
 
 "It is no matter it would not make any difference." 
 
 "What would not?" said the Squire innocently. 
 
 "Anything that he could do, sir ; so you have no chance." 
 She coloured gloriously, but she smiled at him too with her 
 last words. 
 
 Well, Miss Faith," said Mr. Stoutenburgh, "I have my 
 doubts as to the correctness of that first statement; but I ll 
 tell you what / shall do, my refractory young lady. If you 
 set about anything outside the limits, I ll do my best to 
 thwart you, there !" 
 
 If Faith was not a match for him, there was no meaning 
 in the laugh of her dark eye. But she only bade Mrs. 
 Stoutenburgh an affectionate good night, took her bunch of 
 white roses and Mr. Stoutenburgh s arm and set out to go 
 home. 
 
CHAPTER XXX. 
 
 FAITH put her roses in water and listened half a minute 
 to their strange silent messages. But after that she 
 did a great deal of thinking. If all went well, and Mr. 
 Linden got home safe from abroad, and this year were all 
 she had to take care for, it was a very little matter to keep 
 the year afloat, and very little matter, in her estimation, 
 whatever she might have to do for the purpose. But those 
 "ifs" no mortal could answer for. Faith did not look 
 much at that truth, but she acted upon it; prayed over her 
 thoughts and brought her plans into shape in very humble 
 consciousness of it. And at the early breakfast the next 
 morning she began to unfold them; which as Mrs. Derrick 
 did not like them, led on to a long talk; but Faith as usual 
 had her way. 
 
 After some preliminary arrangements, and late in the 
 day, she set off upon a long walk to Miss Bezac s. The 
 slant beams of the summer sun were again upon the trim 
 little house as Faith came up towards it. Things were 
 changed since she was there before ! changed a good deaf 
 from the gay, joy&us playtime of that visit. Mr. Linden in 
 Europe, and she "It is very well," thought Faith; "it 
 might not have been good for me to have too much of such 
 a lime Next year" 
 
 Would if it brought joy, bring also an entering upon real 
 life-work. Faith knew it; she had realized long before with a 
 thought of pain, that this summons to Europe had perhaps 
 cut short her last time of absolute holiday pleasure. Mr. 
 Linden could hardly now be more than a few days in Pat- 
 taquasset before "next year" should come and Faith did 
 not stop to look at that; she never thought of it three 
 minutes together. But life-work looked to her lovely; 
 what did not? Even the little pathway to Miss Bezac s 
 door was pleasant. She was secretly glad of that other 
 visit now, which had made this one so easy; though yet a 
 sympathetic blush started as she went in. 
 
 (359) 
 
360 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "Why Faith !" said Miss Bezac,-^" you re the very per 
 son I was thinking of, and the very one I wanted to see ! 
 though I always do want to see you, for that matter, and 
 don t often get what I want. Then I don t generally want 
 much. But what a beautiful visit we had last time! Do 
 you know I ve been conjuring ever since how your dress 
 should be made ? What ll it be, to begin with ? I always 
 do like to begin with that and it s bothered me a good 
 deal not knowing it, I mean. I couldn t arrange so well 
 about the making. Because making white satin s one thing, 
 and muslin s another, and lace is different from em both 
 and indeed from most other things except spider s webs." 
 All which pleasant and composing sentiments were uttered 
 while Miss Bezac was clearing a chair for Faith, and put 
 ting her in it, and laying her various pieces of work 
 together. 
 
 "I shouldn t be the least bit of help to you," said Faith 
 who couldn t help laughing. " Can t it wait ?" 
 
 "Why it ll have to," said Miss Bezac; "he said it must, 
 but that s no reason I should. I always like a reason 
 for everything. It took me an age and a quarter to find 
 out why Miss Essie De Staff always will wear aprons. She 
 wears em out, too, in more ways than one, but that s good 
 for me. Only there s so many ways of making them that 
 I get in a puzzle. Now this one, Faith would you work 
 it with red flowers or green ? I said black, but she will 
 have colours. You ve got a good colour to-day don t 
 you want some bread and milk /" said Miss Bezac, dropping 
 the apron. 
 
 " No, thank you 1" said Faith laughing again, "not to 
 day. I should work that with green, Miss Bezac." 
 
 "But I m afraid green won t do, with black above and 
 black below," said Miss Bezac. "Two sides to things you 
 know, Faith, aprons and all the rest. I d a great mind to 
 work it with both, and then she couldn t say she d rather 
 have had tother. What things I have worked in my day ! 
 but my day s twilight now, and my eyes find it out." 
 
 "Do you have more to do than you can manage, gen 
 erally ?" said Faith. 
 
 " Why no, child, because I never take any more, that s 
 ihe way not to have things troubles or aprons. I could 
 
SAY AND 8EAL. 361 
 
 have my hands full of both, but what s the use ? when one 
 hasn t eyes for sewing or crying. Mrs. Stoutenburgh 
 comes, and Mrs. Somers, and Miss Essie and the land 
 lord, and sometimes I let em leave me a job, and sometimes 
 I don t, send em, dresses, and all, off to Quilipeak." 
 
 " Then I ll tell you what you shall give me to-day in 
 stead of bread and milk; some of the work that you 
 would send off. Don t you remember," said Faith, smiling 
 quietly at Miss Bezac s eyes, "you once promised to teach 
 me to embroider waistcoats ?" 
 
 "Why yes!" said Miss Bezac "and so I will. But, 
 my dear, are you sure he would wear it? and after all, 
 isn t it likely he ll get everything of that sort he wants, in 
 Paris ? And then the size 1 who s to tell what that should 
 be ? To be sure you could do the fronts, and have them 
 made up afterwards and of course he would wear any 
 thing you made. I ll go right off and get my patterns." 
 
 Faith s confusion was startled. It was Miss Bezac s 
 turn to look at her. She caught hold of the seamstress 
 and brought her back to listening at least. 
 
 " Stop ! Miss Bezac 1 you don t understand me. I 
 want work ! I want work. I am not talking of making 
 anything for anybody ! " Faith s eyes were truthful now, 
 if ever they were. 
 
 "Well then how can you work, if you won t make any 
 thing for anybody ? Want work, Faith ? you don t mean 
 to say all that story about Sarn Deacon s true? Do you 
 know," said Miss Bezac, dropping into a chair and folding 
 her hands, "when I heard that man had gone out of town, 
 I said to myself, it would be a mercy if he never came 
 back!" which was the severest censure Miss Bezac ever 
 passed upon anybody. "I really did," she went on, 
 "and now he s come, and I s pose I ve got to say that s a 
 mercy too and this, though I wouldn t believe it last 
 night." 
 
 "Then you have heard it?" 
 
 "My ears did, and they re pretty good ears too, though 
 f do get out of patience with them now and then." 
 
 "It s true," said Faith, "and it s nothing very dreadful. 
 Mother and I have nothing to live upon but what I can 
 make by butter ; so I thought I would learn and take work 
 
 VOL. II. 81 
 
362 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 of you, if you had it for me. I could soon understand it ; 
 and then you can let people bring you as much as they wilr 
 what you cannot do, I will do. I could think of nothing 
 so pleasant; no way to make money, I mean. /; 
 
 For a minute Miss Bezac sat quite still, then she 
 roused up. 
 
 "Nothing to live upon but butter!" she said, "well 
 that s not much, at least if there s ever so much of it you 
 want something else. And what you want yoa must have 
 if you can get it. And I can get you plenty of work 
 and it s a good thing to understand this sort of work too, 
 for he might carry you off to some random place where 
 they wear calico just as they can put it on and that 
 wouldn t suit you, nor him neither. I don t believe this ll 
 suit him though and it don t me, not a bit. I m as proud 
 as a Lucifer match for anybody I love. But 1 (1 make you 
 proud of your work in no time. What ll you d ? tirst? em 
 broider or stitch or cut out or baste or fit ?" 
 
 "What you please what you think best But Miss 
 Bezac, what are you proud about ?" 
 
 "O I ve my ways and means, like other folks, 1 said Miss 
 Bezac. "And you can do something more striking than 
 aprons for people that don t need em. But I m not going 
 to give you this apron, Faith I sha n t have her wearing 
 your work all round town, and none the wiser. See this 
 is nice and light and pretty like the baby it s for, you 
 like green, don t you? and so will your eyes." 
 
 "I d as lieve have Miss Essie wear my work as eat my 
 butter," said Faith. "But," she added more gravely, "I 
 think that what God gives me to do, I ought to be proud 
 to do, and I am sure I am willing. He knows best." 
 
 ".Yes, yes, my dear I believe that, and so I do most 
 things you say," answered Miss Bezac, bringing forth from 
 the closet a little roll of green calico. "Now do you like 
 this? because if you don t, say so." 
 
 "I ll take this," said Faith, "and the next time I ll take 
 the apron. I must do just as much as I can, Miss Bezac ; 
 and you must let me. Would you rather have the apron 
 done first? I want Miss Essie s apron, Miss Bezac !" 
 
 "Well you can t have it," said Miss Bezac, "and what 
 you can t, you can t^ all the world over. Begin slow and 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 363 
 
 go on fast that s the best way. And I ll take the best 
 care of you ! lay you up in lavender, like my work when 
 it s done and isn t gone home." 
 
 So laughingly they parted, and Faith went home with 
 her little bundle of work, well contented. 
 
 A very few days had seen the household retrenchments 
 made. Cindy was gone, and Mr. Skip was only waiting 
 for a boy to come. Mother and daughter drew their 
 various tools and conveniences into one room and the 
 kitchen, down stairs, to have the less to take care of; 
 abandoning the old eating-room except as a passage-way 
 to the kitchen ; and taking their meals, for greater conve 
 nience, in the latter apartment. 
 
 Faith did not shut up her books without some great 
 twinges of pain; but she said not one word on the matter. 
 She bestowed on her stitching and on her housework and 
 on her butter the diligent zeal which used to go into French 
 rules and philosophy. But Mrs. Stoutenburgh had reckoned 
 without her host, for there was a great deal more of the 
 butter than she could possibly dispose of; and Judge Har 
 rison s family and Miss De Staff s became joint consumers 
 and paid the highest price for it, that Faith would take. 
 But this is running ahead of the story. 
 
 Some days after Faith s appeal to Mr. Stoutenburgh 
 had passed, before the Squire presented himself to report 
 progress. He found both the ladies at work in the sitting- 
 room, looking very much as usual, except that there was a 
 certain not inelegant disposition of various pieces of muslin 
 and silk and ribbon about the room which carried the 
 appearance of business. 
 
 "What rent will Mr. Deacon have, Mr. Stoutenburgh ?" 
 said Faith looking up from her needle. 
 
 "My dear, he ll have what he can get," said the Squire, 
 "but what thaV\\. be, Miss Faith, he and 1 haven t just made 
 up our minds." 
 
 " How much ought it to be, sir, do you think ?" 
 
 "Nothing at all," said the Squire, "not a cent." 
 
 " Do you think not, sir ?" said Faith doubtfully. 
 
 "Not a cent!" the Squire repeated, "and I told him 
 so, and said he might throw the barn into the bargain and 
 not hurt himself." 
 
364 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "Will he agree to that, Mr. Stoutenburgh ? I mean 
 about the house. We can pay for it." 
 
 " My dear, I hope to make him agree to that, and more 
 too. So just let the hay stand,, and the house, and the 
 barn, and everything else for the present. I ll tell you time 
 enough if quarter day must come. And by the way, 
 talking of quarters, there s one of a lamb we killed yester 
 day, I told Tim to leave it in the kitchen. How does 
 your ice hold out?" 
 
 "Do you want some, sir?" said Faith, in whose eyes 
 there shone a soft light the Squire could be at no loss to 
 read. 
 
 "No my dear, I don t though Mrs. Stoutenburgh does 
 tell me sometimes to keep cool. But I thought maybe 
 you did. Do you know, Miss Essie De Staff never sees 
 me now if she can help it what do you suppose is the 
 reason ?" 
 
 "I don t think there can be any, sir." 
 
 "Must be I" said the Squire, "always is a reason for 
 every fact. You know what friends we used to be, it was 
 always, Hush, Mr. Stoutenburgh! or, How do you know 
 anything about it ? Ah, he s a splendid fellow ! My dear, 
 I don t wish to ask any impertinent questions, but when 
 you do hear that he s safe across, just let me know will 
 you ?" And the Squire bowed himself off without waiting 
 for an answer 
 
CHAPTER XXXI. 
 
 "TTIAITH found that sewing and housework and butter 
 Jj making took not only her hands but her minutes, and 
 on these little minute wheels the days glided off very fast. 
 She had plenty of fresh air, withal, for Mrs. Stoutenburgh 
 would coax her into a horseback ride, or the Squire take 
 her off in his little wagon ; or Mrs. Derrick and Jerry go 
 with her down to the shore for clams and salt water. The 
 sea breeze was more company than usual, this summer. 
 
 By the time August days came, there came also a letter 
 from Europe ; and thereafter the despatches were as regu 
 lar and as frequent as the steamers. But they brought no 
 special news as to the point of coming home. Mrs. Iredell 
 lingered on in the same uncertain state, neither worse nor 
 better, there was no news to send. Everything else the 
 letters had ; and though Faith might miss that, she could 
 not complain. 
 
 So the summer days slipped away peacefully; and when 
 the mother and daughter sat sewing together in the after 
 noon, (for Mrs. Derrick often took some little skirt or 
 sleeve) nobody would have guessed why the needles were 
 at work. 
 
 There was one remarkable thing about the boy Reuben 
 had found to supply Mr. Skip s place he was never visible. 
 Nor audible either, for that matter, except that Faith at 
 her own early rising often heard the wood-saw industriously 
 in motion. He was not to sleep in the house for the first 
 month, that had been agreed ; but whether he slept any 
 where seemed a matter of doubt. A doubt Faith resolved 
 to set at rest; and one August morning, while the birds 
 were a-twitter yet with their first getting up and the sun 
 had not neared the horizon, Faith crossed the yard to the 
 woodshed and stood in the open doorway, the morning 
 light shewing the soft outlines of her figure in a dark print 
 dress, and her white ruffles, and gleaming on her faultlessly 
 soft and bright hair. 
 
 31* (365) 
 
366 SAT AND SEAL. 
 
 The woodshed was in twilight yet ; its various contents 
 shewing dimly, the phoebe who had built her nest under 
 the low roof just astir, but the wood work was going on 
 briskly. Not indeed under the saw that lay idle; but 
 with the sort of noiseless celerity which was natural to 
 him, Reuben Taylor was piling the sticks of this or yester 
 day s cutting : the slight chafing of the wood as it fell into 
 place chiming with the low notes of a hymn tune w,hich 
 Faith well remembered to have heard Mr. Linden sing. 
 She did not stir, but softly, as she stood there, her voice 
 joined in. 
 
 For a minute Reuben did not hear her, then in some 
 pause of arrangement he heard, and turned round with a 
 start and flush that for degree might have suited one who 
 was stealing wood instead of piling it. But he did not 
 speak nor even thought to say good morning; only 
 pushed the hair back from his forehead and waited to 
 receive sentence. 
 
 "Reuben I" said Faith, stepping in the doorway. And 
 she said not another word ; but in her eyes and her lips, 
 even in her very attitude as she stood before him, Reuben 
 Taylor might read it all ! her knowledge for whose love 
 he was doing that work, her powerlessness of any present 
 means of thanks, and the existence of a joint treasury of 
 returned affection that would make itself known to him 
 some day, if ever the chance were. The morning sun 
 gleamed in through the doorway on her face, and Reuben 
 could see it all there. He had raised his eyes at the first 
 sound of her voice, but they fell again, and his only answer 
 was a very low spoken "Good morning, Miss Faith." 
 
 Faith sat down on a pile of cut sticks and looked up at 
 him. 
 
 " Reuben what are you about ?" 
 
 " Putting these sticks out of the way, Miss Faith" with 
 a half laugh then. 
 
 "I shall tell Mr. Linden of you," (gravely.) 
 
 "I didn t mean you should have a chance, Miss Faith." 
 
 "Now you are caught and found do you know what 
 your punishment will be ?" 
 
 Reuben looked up again but did not venture to -guess. 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 367 
 
 "You will be obliged to come in and take a cup of coffee 
 with me every morning." 
 
 "O that s not necessary!" Reuben said with a relieved 
 face, "thank you very much, Miss Faith." 
 
 "It is necessary," said Faith gravely; "and you are 
 not to thank me for what you don t like." 
 
 "It was partly for what I do like, ma am," said Reuben. 
 softly pitching up a stick of hickory. 
 
 "It s so pleasant to have you do this, Reuben," said 
 FaUh, watching him, "that I can t tell you how pleasant it. 
 is ; but you must drink my coffee, Reuben, or I will not 
 burn your wood ! You know what Mr. Linden would 
 make you do, Reuben." Faith s voice lowered a little. 
 Reuben did not dispute the commands so urged, though a 
 quick glance said that her wish was enough. 
 
 "But dear Reuben, who s coming when you re gone?" 
 
 "Would you like Dromy Tuck, Miss Faith ? but I don t 
 know that you ever saw him. He s strong, and honest 
 he s not very bright. I ll find somebody." And so the 
 matter ended. 
 
 August went on, Reuben sawed his last stick of wood 
 and eat his last breakfast at Mrs. Derrick s, and then set 
 forth for Quilipeak, to begin his new life there. The little 
 settlement at Quapaw was not alone in feeling his loss, 
 Mrs. Derrick and Faith missed him every day. One of Reu 
 ben s last doings in Pattaquasset, was the giving Dromy 
 Tuck in charge to Phil Davids. 
 
 "Look after him a little, Phil," he said, "and see that 
 he don t go to sleep too much daytimes. He means to go 
 straight, but he wants help about it; and I don t want 
 Mrs. Derrick to be bothered with him." Which request, en 
 forced as it was by private considerations, favoured Dromy 
 with as strict a censorship as he desired. 
 
 From Germany news came at last, but it was of the 
 sort that one can bear to wait for. Mrs. Iredell was not 
 able to be moved nor certain to get well. Mr. Linden 
 could neither come with his sister nor from her. And thus, 
 hindered from getting home to his Seminary duties in 
 America, there was but one thing he could do finish hia 
 course in a German University. But that ensured his 
 being in Europe the whole year I No question now of fall 
 
368 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 or winter or spring, summer was the first time that could 
 be even thought of; and in this fair September, when Faith 
 had been thinking of the possibility of his sudden appear 
 ance, he was beginning his work anew in a foreign land. 
 
 It came heavily at first upon her. Faith had not known 
 how much she counted on that hope or possibility. But 
 now when it was gone she found she had lost a large piece 
 of her sunlight. She had read her letter alone as usual, 
 and alone she struggled with her sorrow. It cost Faith 
 for once a great many tears. Prayer was always her 
 refuge. But at last after the tears and the signs of them 
 were gone, Faith went into her mother s company again, 
 looking wistful and as gentle and quiet. 
 
 Perhaps it was well for Faith that her mother knew what 
 this quiet meant it saved her countless little remarks of 
 wonder and comment and sorrow. More devoted to her Mrs. 
 Derrick could not be, but she had her own strong box of 
 feeling, and there locked up all her sorrow and anxiety out 
 of sight. Yet it was some time before the little sitting- 
 room, with its scattered bits of work, could look bright 
 again. 
 
 "And I sha n t see him again till ." It gave Faith 
 
 a great pang. That "next year" she never looked at 
 much. She would have liked a little more of those inno 
 cent play days which had been so unexpectedly broken off. 
 "Next year" looked serious, as well as glad. "But it is 
 good for me," she said to herself. "It must be good for 
 me, to be reminded to live on what cannot fail. I suppose 
 I was getting to be too very happy." And after a few 
 such talks with herself Faith went straight on, for all that 
 appeared, as peacefully as ever, and as cheerfully. 
 
 It was not long after this, that passing Mr. Simlins gate 
 one afternoon, as she was coming home from a walk, Faith 
 was hailed by the farmer. She could not but stop to speak 
 to him, and then she could not prevent his carrying her off 
 into the house. 
 
 " Twont hurt you to rest a minute and twont hurt 
 
 me," said he. "Why I haint seen you since How 
 
 long do you s pose folks can live and not see moonshine ? 
 Now you pull off your bonnet, and I ll tell Mrs. Hummius 
 to give us something good for tea." 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 369 
 
 V 
 
 "What would mother do for hers, Mr. Simlins?" said 
 Faith resisting this invitation. 
 
 "Well you can sit down anyhow, and read to me," said 
 Mr. Simlins, who had already taken a seat himself in pre 
 paration for it. "People can t get along without light from 
 one phenomenon or the other, you know, Faith." 
 
 She took off her bonnet, and brought the Bible. "What 
 do you want, Mr. Simlins?" her sweet voice said mean 
 ingly. 
 
 "Fact is," said the farmer rather sorrowfully, "I s pose 
 I want about everything! I don t feel to know much 
 more n a baby and there aint more n three grains of corn 
 to the bushel in our minister s preachin . I go to meetin 
 and come home with my head a little more like a bell than 
 twas ; for there s nothing more in it but a ringin of the 
 words I ve heerd. Do you mind, Faith, when somebody 
 I don t know whether you or I like him best wanted me 
 to try a new kind of farming ? you mind it ? I guess you 
 do. It never went out o my head again, till I set out to 
 try; and now I find I don t know nothin at all how to 
 work it I" 
 
 "What is the trouble, dear Mr. Simlins?" said Faith 
 looking up. 
 
 The farmer hesitated, then said low and huskily, " I don t 
 know what to do about joinin the church." 
 
 " The Bible says, If a man love God, the same is known 
 of him, " Faith answered softly. 
 
 " Well, but can t it be known of him without that ? Fact 
 is, Faith, I m afeard !" and a rough hand was drawn across 
 the farmer s eyes " I m afeard, if I do, I ll do something I 
 hadn t ought to do, and so only just dishonour the profes 
 sion and I d better not have anything to do with it I" 
 
 Faith turned back the leaves of the Bible. 
 
 " Listen to what God said to Joshua, Mr. Simlins, when 
 he was going to lead the people of Israel over into a land 
 full of enemies. 
 
 " Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a 
 good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed." 
 
 "It s easy to say be strong ," said the farmer after 
 pausing a minute, "but how are you going to contrive 
 it?" 
 
370 fcAY AND SEAL. 
 
 Faith read from the Psalms ; and her words fell sweetei 
 every one. " In the day when T cried thou answeredst me, 
 and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul. That is 
 what David says, Mr. Simlins; and this is Isaiah s testi 
 mony. They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their 
 strength ; they shall mount up with wings as eagles ; they 
 shall run and not be weary ; and they shall walk, and not 
 faint. " 
 
 " Go ahead, Faith !" said the farmer, who was sitting with 
 his head down in his hands. "You aint leavin me much of 
 a corner to hide in. Turn down a leaf at them places." 
 
 Faith was still again, turning over leaves. 
 
 " Paul was in trouble once, Mr. Simlins, and prayed ear 
 nestly about something ; and this is what he says of the 
 Lord s answer to him. And he said unto me, My grace is 
 sufficient for thee : for my strength is made perfect in weak 
 ness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my in 
 firmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 
 When I am weak, then am I strong. And in another 
 place I can do all things through Christ which strength- 
 eneth me. " 
 
 "But he wa n t much like me," said Mr. Simlins "he 
 was an apostle and had inspiration. I hain t none." 
 
 " He was a man, though," said Faith, " and a weak one, as 
 you see he calls himself. And he prays for the Christians 
 at Ephesus, that God would grant them to be strengthened 
 with might by his Spirit; and they were common people. 
 And the Bible says Be strong in the Lord and in the power 
 of his might ; we aren t bid to be strong in ourselves ; but 
 here again, Strengthened with might, according to his glo 
 rious power, unto all patience and long-suffering with joy- 
 fulness. Won t that do ?" said Faith softly. 
 
 " Have you put marks in all them places ?" said the farmer. 
 
 "I will." 
 
 "If that don t do, I s pose nothing will," said Mr. Sim 
 lins. " They re mighty words ! And they ve stopped my 
 mouth." 
 
 Faith was silently marking the places. The farmer sat 
 looking at her. 
 
 " You do know the Scriptures I can say that for you 1" 
 he remarked. 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 3T1 
 
 " No, Mr. Simlins ! " said Faith looking up suddenly, 
 "I don t know this string of passages of myself. Mr. Lin 
 den shewed them to me," she said more softly and blushing. 
 She went on with what she was about. 
 
 " Well don t he say you like to speak truth rayther than 
 anything else ?" said the farmer. " If he don t, I wouldn t 
 give much for his discretion. When s he going to have 
 leave to take you away, Faith?" It was half sorrowfully 
 spoken, and though Faith rose up and blushed, she did not 
 answer him quickly. 
 
 " My business must take me away now, sir ; good night." 
 
 But Mr. Simlins shouted to Jem Waters, had the wagon 
 up, put Faith in with infinite care and tenderness, and sent 
 her home so. 
 
 One rainy, stormy, wild equinoctial day in the end of Sep 
 tember not long after that letter had come, Squire Stout- 
 enburgh came to the door. Faith heard him parleying with 
 her mother for a minute heard him go off, and then Mrs. 
 Derrick entered the sitting-room, with her. eyes full of tears 
 and her heart, at least, full of a little package, it did not 
 quite fill her hands. 
 
 "Pretty child!" she said, "I m so thankful!" and she 
 went straight off to the kitchen, and the little package lay 
 in Faith s lap. The thick brown paper and wax and twine 
 said it had come a long way. The rest the address told. 
 It was a little square box, the opening of which revealed 
 at first only soft cotton ; except, in one corner, there was an 
 indication of Faith s infallible blue ribband. Fastened to 
 that, was a gold locket. Quite plain, alike on both sides, 
 the tiny hinge at one edge spoke of a corresponding spring. 
 That touched, Faith found Mr. Linden. Admirably well 
 done and like, even to the expression, which had probably 
 struck the artist s fancy ; for he had contrived to represent 
 well both the pleasure and the pain Mr. Linden had felt in 
 sitting for this picture, for such a reason. The dress was 
 that of the German students such as he was then wearing. 
 
 Faith had never guessed till her wondering fingers had 
 persuaded the locket to open she had never guessed what 
 she should find there; at the utmost she looked to find a 
 lock of hair; and the joy was almost as overwhelming as a 
 little while ago pain had been. Faith could hardly see the 
 
372 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 picture for a long time ; she called herself foolish, but she 
 cried and laughed the harder for joy ; she reproached her 
 self for past ungratefulness and motions of discontent, which 
 made her not deserve this treasure ; and the joy and the 
 tears were but enhanced that way. Faith could hardly 
 believe her eyes, when they were clear enough to see ; it 
 seemed, what they looked at, too good to be true ; too 
 precious to be hers. But at last she was fain to believe it ; 
 and with blushes that nobody saw, and a tiny smile that it 
 was a pity somebody didn t see, she put the blue ribband 
 round her neck and hid the locket where she knew it was 
 expected to find its place. But Faith forgot her work, and 
 her mother found her sitting there doing nothing, looking 
 with dreamy happy thoughtfulness into distance, or into 
 herself; all Miss Bezac s silks and stuffs neglected around 
 her. 
 
 And work, diligent, happy, contented, continued, was the 
 order of the day, and of many days and weeks after. Miss 
 Bezac giving out that she would take as much work as was 
 offered her, she and Faith soon had both their hands com 
 pletely full. The taste and skill of the little dressmaker 
 were so well acknowledged that even from Pequot there was 
 now many an application for her services ; and many a lady 
 from there and from Pattaquasset, came driven in a wagon 
 or a sleigh to Miss Bezac s cottage door. 
 
i 
 
 CHAPTER XXXII. 
 T was the month 
 
 " When beechen buds begin to swell, 
 And woods the blue bird s warble know, 
 
 the month of the unbending of Nature of softening 
 skies and swelling streams and much underground spring 
 work. As for instance, by the daffodils; which by some 
 unknown machinery pushed their soft, pliant leaves up 
 through frozen clods into the sunshine. Blue birds flut 
 tered their wings and trilled their voices through the air, 
 song sparrows sang from morning to night, and waxwings 
 whistled for cherries in the bare tree tops. There the wind 
 whistled too, "whiles," with the fall approbation of snow 
 birds and chickadees, the three going out of fashion 
 together. 
 
 It was a busy month at Miss Bezac s two weddings at 
 Pequot and one in Pattaquasset kept her hands full, and 
 Faith s too, Just now the great point of interest was the 
 outfit of Miss Maria Davids the wedding dress, especially, 
 being of the most complicate and ornamented description. 
 Miss Bezac and Faith needed their heads as well as their 
 hands, Miss Maria s directions with regard to flowers and 
 furbelows being somewhat like the Vicar of Wakefield s in 
 respect of sheep only Miss Maria was willing to pay for 
 all that went on, whereas the Vicar wanted the sheep for 
 nothing. 
 
 Thus they stood, the two friends and co-workers, with 
 the dress spread out on a table, contriving where the 
 flowers should go and how many it would be possible to 
 put on. Miss Maria s box of Pequot flowers on a chair 
 near by, was as full as her directions. 
 
 "It would be better to take the box and turn it right 
 over her after she s dressed, and let em stick where they 
 would!" said Miss Bezac in some disgust. Whereupon, 
 
 VOL. i* 32 (373) 
 
874 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 dropping her grave look of thought, Faith s laugh bidke 
 up the monotony of the occasion. 
 
 "Well that s good any way," said Miss Bezao. "And 
 I m sure everything s any way about this dress But I 
 won t have you about it a bit longer, you re tired to death 
 standing up." 
 
 "I m not much tired. Miss Bezac, let the lilacs have the 
 bottom of the dress, and the roses and lilies of the valley 
 trim the body. And it will be like a spotted flower-garden 
 then !" said Faith laughing anew. 
 
 How little like her occupation she looked, with her 
 brown stuff dress, to be sure, as plain as possible ; her soft 
 brown hair also plain ; her quaint little white ruffles ; and 
 that brilliant diamond ring flashing wherever her hand 
 went ! N.B. A plain dress on a pretty person has not the 
 effect of plainness, since it lets that better be seen which is 
 the highest beauty." 
 
 Up Miss Bezac s mountain road came a green coach 
 drawn by two fat grey horses; the coachman in front and 
 the footman behind being in the same state of plethoric 
 comfort. They addressed themselves to the hill with no 
 hasty approbation yet with much mind to have their own 
 way, and the hill yielded the ground step by step. At Miss 
 Bezac s door hill and horses made a pause. 
 
 "Coaches already!" said Miss Bezac, "that s a sign of 
 summer, as good as wild geese. And you d think, Faith, 
 not having had much experience, that it was the sign of 
 another wedding dress but nothing worse than a calico 
 wrapper ever comes out of a coach like that." 
 
 "Why?" said Faith looking amused. 
 
 " The people that drive such coaches drive em to town 
 for a wedding dress," said Miss Bezac sagely. "There s a 
 blue bird getting out of this one, to begin with." 
 
 While she spoke, a tiny foot emerged from the coach, 
 and after it a dress of blue silk, which so far from "stand 
 ing alone " followed softly every motion of the wearer. A 
 simply plain shirred spring bonnet of blue and white silk, 
 made the blue bird comparison not altogether unapt, the 
 bird was hardly more fair and dainty in his way than the 
 lady in hers. She stood still for a minute, shading her 
 eyes with her hand, and looking off down the road ; a 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 375 
 
 slight, delicate figure, with that sort of airy grace which 
 has a natural poise for every position, then she turned 
 abruptly and knocked at the door. 
 
 Now it was Miss Bezac s custom to let applicants open 
 and shut for themselves, her hands being often at a critical 
 point of work; so in this case, with a refractory flower 
 half adjusted while Faith was in the intricacies of a knot 
 of ribband, she merely cried, "Come in !" And the young 
 lady came so far as across the threshold, there she 
 stopped. A quick, sudden stop, one little ungloved hand 
 that looked as if it had never touched -anything harsher 
 than satin, clasped close upon its gloved companion; the 
 shawl falling from her shoulders and shewing the bunch of 
 crocuses in her belt; the fair, sweet, high bred face spark 
 ling, withal flushing like a June rose. For a minute she 
 stood, her bright eyes seeing the room, the work, and Miss 
 Bezac, but resting on Faith with a sort of intenseness of 
 look that went from face to hand. Then her own eyes fell, 
 and with a courteous inclination of her head, she came for 
 ward and spoke. 
 
 " I was told," she said, advancing slowly to the table, and 
 still with downcast eyes, "I was told that I mean Can 
 you make a sunbonnet for me, Miss Bezac ?" She looked 
 up then, but only at the little dressmaker, laying one hand 
 on the table as if to support herself, and with a face grave 
 enough to suit a nun s veil instead of a sunbonnet. 
 
 Faith s eyes were held on this delicate little figure with a 
 sort of charm ; she was very unlike the Pattaquasset models. 
 At the antipodes from Miss Essie De Staff etherial com 
 pared to the more solid proprieties of Sophy Harrison, 
 Faith recognized in her the type of another class of crea 
 tures. She drew back a little from the table, partly to 
 leave the field clear to Miss Bezac, partly to please herself 
 with a better view. 
 
 "A sunbonnet?" Miss Bezac repeated, "I should be 
 sorry if 1 couldn t, and badly off too But I m afraid you ll 
 be, for a pattern, all I ve got are as common as grass. 
 Not that I wish grass was uncommon, either but what s 
 the htuff?" 
 
 "When I came out this morning," said the lady, glancing 
 at Faith and then down again, "I did not expect to come 
 
3T6 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 liere. And I have brought no stuff. Can you send some 
 one down to the village? -this young lady, perhaps. May 
 [ take her with me now ?" 
 
 "Why of course you may !" said Miss Bezac delightedly. 
 " Just as much as if I was glad to get rid of her which 
 I aint, and am too, for she s tired to death, and I was 
 just wishing somebody that wasn t would take her home. 
 Or some horses." 
 
 There was a sweet amused play of the lips in answer to 
 this lucid statement of facts, and then turning towards 
 Faith, the stranger said, "Will you go?" the words were 
 in the lowest of sweet tones. 
 
 " Where do you wish me to go ?" said Faith, coming a 
 Btep forward. 
 
 "With me down into the village." 
 
 "I will go," said Faith. "Then I will take these two 
 mantillas, Miss Bezac, and you shall have them the day 
 after to-morrow." 
 
 The straw bonnet and shawl were put on in another 
 minute, and not waiting for her gloves she followed the 
 "blue bird" to the carriage, rather pleased with the adven 
 ture. 
 
 The little ungloved hand took firm hold of hers as they 
 stepped out of Miss Bezac s door, and but that the idea 
 was absurd Faith would have thought it was trembling. 
 Once in the carriage, the two side by side on the soft 
 cushions, the orders given to the footman, the coach rolling 
 smoothly down the hill, the stranger turned her eyes full 
 upon Faith ; until the tears came too fast, quenching the 
 quivering smile on her lips. Her head dropped on Faith s 
 shoulder, with a little cry of, " Faith, do you know who 
 I am ?" 
 
 A sort of whirlwind of thoughts swept over Faith 
 nothing definite ; and her answer was a doubtful, rather 
 troubled, "No." 
 
 "I know who you are!" said the stranger. "You are 
 Mignonette." 
 
 " Who told you so ?" said Faith, drawing back from her 
 to look. 
 
 "Some one who knew!" the face was lovely in its April 
 of mischief and tears. 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 377 
 
 Faith s face grew very grave, with doubt, and bewilder 
 ment, and growing certainty, and drew yet further off. 
 Rosy blushes, more and more witchingly shy, chased in and 
 out of her cheeks ; till obeying the certainty which yet was 
 vague, Faith s head stooped and her two hands covered 
 her face. She was drawn back into the stranger s arras, and 
 her hands and face (what there could) were covered with 
 kisses. 
 
 "Faith, is it strange your sister should know? and why 
 don t you let me have the rest of your face to kiss ? I 
 haven t half seen it yet. And I m sure Endy would not 
 like to have his message delivered in these out of the way 
 places." 
 
 Even as she spoke, the hands quitted the face, veiled only 
 by the rosiest consciousness; and laying both hands on the 
 stranger Faith gave her warm kisses on cheeks and lips ; 
 and then looked at her, with eyes alternately eager and shy, 
 that rose and fell at every new stir of feeling. 
 
 " How did you come here ?" she said with a sort of 
 soft breathlessness. The eyes that looked at her were as 
 intent, a little laughing, a little moved. 
 
 "How did I come here? Faith, I knew you at the first 
 glance, how came you not to know me ?" 
 
 "I could not!" said Faith. "How came you here?" 
 
 "Here? in Pattaquasset how I love the name ! Faith, 
 I shall expect you to take me to every place where Ende- 
 cott set his foot when he was here." 
 
 Faith s eye gave a little answering flash. "I don t be 
 lieve I know them all. Then " she checked herself . 
 "But how did you come here? You were in Germany." 
 
 "Then what? please answer me first." 
 
 How Faith blushed ! and laughed ; but she grew very 
 grave almost immediately. 
 
 "Please answer me !" she said. 
 
 "Yes, I was there and I could not help coming here," 
 Miss Linden answered. "To leave him there, after all! 
 But I could not help it, Faith. When he determined to 
 spend the year there and I never saw him look so grave 
 over a determination it was for one reason alone. You 
 know what ?" 
 
 32* 
 
3T8 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 Faith did not assent nor dissent, but her eyes were swal 
 lowing every word. 
 
 "It seemed then as if it might not much lengthen his 
 absence, and would ensure its being the last. And by-the- 
 by, fair ladye, Endecott said I might make the most of you 
 before he got home ; for then he meant to have you all to 
 himself for six months, and nobody else should have a sight 
 of you." 
 
 As far as they could go, Faith s eyes fell ; and her new 
 sister might study the fair face and figure she had not had 
 so good an opportunity of studying before. Perfectly 
 grave, and still to her folded hands. 
 
 "After he was fairly launched in his work," Miss Linden 
 went on, "Aunt Iredell began slowly to grow better; and 
 as the winter passed she took the most earnest desire to 
 come home to America. Nothing could shake it; and 
 the doctors approved and urged that there should be no 
 delay. Then, Faith, / would have stayed, but she was 
 exceedingly dependent upon me, and most of all, Endecott 
 said I ought to come. I believe he was glad to think of 
 my being here for another reason. He came with us to 
 Paris it happened just then that he could come and put 
 us on board the steamer. But we were three days in Paris 
 first, such pretty days!" she added smiling. "I ll tell 
 you about them another time." 
 
 The downcast eyes were lifted and rested for a minute on 
 the sparkling face before them. If a little warm light in 
 their glance meant that all was "pretty" about which those 
 two had to do, it said part at least of what was in Faith s 
 mind. 
 
 " Now I am to be your neighbour for a while," said Miss 
 Linden. "Aunt Iredell was ordered out of town at once, 
 and last night we came up to Pequot, so you must not 
 wonder if you see me every other day after this. how 
 good it is to see you ! Do you know," she said, wrapping 
 her arms round Faith again, and resting the soft cheeks 
 and lips upon hers, "do you know how much I have to say 
 of this sort, for somebody else ?" 
 
 "You are not going back to Pequot to-day ?" said Faith 
 softly. 
 
 "May I stay in Pattaquasset till to-morrow?" 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 379 
 
 "If I can take good enough care of you!" said Faith, 
 kissing her half gladly, half timidly. 
 
 "And may I go home with you now ?" 
 
 " Where are we going ?" said Faith looking out. 
 
 " My dear, you ought to know ! but I do not. I told 
 them to drive about till I gave contrary orders. Now you 
 must give them." And the check string brought the horses 
 to a stand and the footman ditto. A half minute s observa 
 tion enabled Faith to give directions for reaching the main 
 Pattaquasset road and taking the right turn, and the car 
 riage rolled on again. There was a little pause then, till 
 Faith broke it. A rich preparatory colour rose in her 
 cheeks, and the subject of her words would certainly have 
 laughed to see how gravely, with what commonplace de- 
 mureness, the question was put. 
 
 "Was Mr. Linden well, when you came from Ger 
 many ?" 
 
 "Faith !" was his sister s prompt reply. Faith s glance, 
 soft and blushing, yet demanded reason. Whereupon Miss 
 Linden s face went into a depth of demureness that was 
 wonderful. " Yes my dear, Mr. Linden was well looking 
 well too, which is an uncommon thing with him." 
 
 "Is it?" said Faith somewhat wistfully. 
 
 "Not in the way I mean," said her new sister smiling, 
 "I thought nothing could have improved his appearance 
 but Mignonette. And I suppose he thought so himself, 
 for he was never seen without a sprig of the little flowers." 
 
 Faith s look in answer to that was given to nothing but 
 the ground, and indeed it was worthy to have been seen by 
 only one person. 
 
 "Faith," said Miss Linden suddenly, "are there many 
 French people in Pattaquasset ?" 
 
 "No, not any. Why?" 
 
 " Because Endecott gave me a message to you, part ot 
 which I did not understand. But I suppose you will, and 
 that is enough." 
 
 "What is it?" said Faith eagerly. 
 
 "You would not understand the other part, to-day." 
 
 Faith went back to her thoughtfulness But as the car 
 riage turned into the Pattaquasset high street she suddenly 
 faced round on Miss Linden, flushing again before she spoke. 
 
380 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "Pet," she said a little timidly it was winning, this air 
 of timidity that was about her, "don t say don t tell Mr. 
 Linden where you found me." 
 
 "Faith! does he not know? is it something new? 
 dear child, I am very sorry !" and Miss Linden s other 
 hand came caressingly upon the one she held. 
 
 "Don t be sorry! " said Faith, looking as fearless and 
 sonsy as any real piece of mignonette that ever shook its 
 brown head in the wind; "I wouldn t tell you, only you 
 must see it. You know, perhaps, that mother lived by a 
 farm. Last summer the farm was taken away and we had 
 nothing left but the house. We had to do something, and 
 I took to dressmaking with Miss Bezac where you found 
 me. And it has been very pleasant and has done very well," 
 said Faith, smiling at Miss Linden as honestly as if the 
 matter had been of music lessons or any other accomplish 
 ment. Miss Linden looked at her grave and bright too. 
 Then with a sparkle of her eyes " I won t tell Endecott 
 now, but some time I will tell him over what sort of a wed 
 ding-dress I found you poring. But my dear child ! " 
 and she stopped with a look of sudden thought that was 
 both grave and gay. Faith s eyes asked what the matter 
 was. 
 
 "No, I will not tell him now," Miss Linden repeated, 
 "it is so little while he could not know it in time for any 
 thing but his own sorrow. But Faith ! I am going to make 
 one of those mantillas !" and she looked a pretty piece of 
 defiant resolution. 
 
 " You shall do what you please," Faith said gayly. "But 
 will you stop them ? there is the house." 
 
 The coach came to a stand before Mrs. Derrick s little 
 gate and the two ladies alighted. Miss Linden had been 
 looking eagerly out as they drove up at the house, the 
 fence, the little garden courtyard, the steps, but she turned 
 now to give her orders, and taking Faith s hand again, fol 
 lowed her in, looking at every inch of the way. Faith 
 drew the easy-chair out before the fire, put Miss Linden in 
 it, and took off her bonnet and shawl. She staid but to 
 find her mother and introduce her to the parlour and her 
 guest; and she herself ran away to Mr. Linden s room. 
 She knew that the brown woodbox was near full of wood 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 381 
 
 which had been there since his sudden departure nine months 
 ago. It was well dried by this time. Faith built a fire 
 and kindled it; made the bed, and supplied water and tow 
 els ; opened the blinds of one or two windows, laid books 
 on the table, and wheeled up the couch. The fire was blaz 
 ing by that time and shone warm and glowingly on the 
 dark wood and furniture, and everything wore the old pleas 
 ant look of comfort and prettiness. Then Faith went for 
 her guest. 
 
 "You will know where you are," she said a little vaguely. 
 "when you open the cupboard doors." 
 
 Miss Linden stood still for a moment, her hands folded, 
 her lips again taking their mixed expression. 
 
 "And that is where he lay for so long," she said. It 
 was a mixed remembrance to Faith; she did not like to 
 answer. A moment s silence, and she turned her bright 
 face to Miss Linden. 
 
 "Let me do what I can for you, "she said with that mix 
 ture of grace and timidity. "It isn t much. What may I 
 now, Pet?" 
 
 "You did a lifetime s work then, yon dear child! and 
 how I used to hear of it." And putting her arm round 
 Faith s waist Miss Linden began to go slowly about the 
 room, looking at everything out of the windows and into 
 the cupboards. "If you could have known, Faith if you 
 could have seen Endecott in some of the years before that, 
 you would have known a little how very, very glad I was. 
 1 hardly believed that he would ever find any one who could 
 charrn him out of the solitary life into which sorrow had 
 led him." 
 
 "I didn t do it!" said Faith simply. 
 
 "What do you suppose did ?" 
 
 "I think he charmed himself out of it," Faith said 
 blushing. 
 
 Miss Linden laughed, holding her very fast. "You are 
 clear from all charge of malice prepense," she said. "And I 
 will not deny his powers of charming, but they are power 
 less upon himself." 
 
 "Do you think so?" said Faith. " A charm comes at 
 the rebound, doesn t it sometimes ?" 
 
 "Does it ? How do I know ?" 
 
382 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 Faith laughed a little, but very softly. "Now shall I 
 leave you for a little while?" she said. 
 
 "Will you be busy, or may I come down when I like?" 
 
 "I am going into the kitchen, You wouldn t like to 
 follow me there ?" 
 
 "If I have leave I am in the mind to follow you every 
 where." 
 
 "Come then!" said Faith joyously. 
 
 Miss Linden might not be accustomed to seeing kitchens, 
 or she might 1 there was no telling from her manner. Cer 
 tainly that kitchen was a pleasant one to see. And she fol 
 lowed, as she had said, wherever Faith went and watched 
 her whatever she did, conversation going on meanwhile amus 
 ingly enough. Faith was making some cakes again ; and 
 then concocting coffee, the Pattaquasset fete dish in ordi 
 nary ; while Mrs. Derrick broiled the chicken With a great 
 white apron enveloping her brown stuff dress, and her arms 
 bared, running about the kitchen and dairy in her quick still 
 way, Faith was a pretty contrast to the bluebird who 
 smiled on her and followed her and talked to her throughout. 
 Then the cakes were baking, and Faith came back to the 
 sitting-room ; to set the table and cover it with all dainty 
 things that farm materials can produce. And if ever i et 
 had been affectionately served, she was that night, and if 
 ever a room was fresh and sweet and warm and glowing, the 
 fire-lit room where she went to sleep afterwards was such a 
 one. 
 
 But before that, when they had done tea, and talk and 
 motion had subsided a little, Miss Linden brought a low 
 seat to Faith s side, and taking that left hand in hers looked 
 silently at the ring for a few minutes, then laid her cheek 
 down upon it in Faith s lap. Faith slip trembled; but she 
 only sat still as a statue till the cheek was lifted up. 
 
CHAPTER XXXIII. 
 
 | N the early morning which Faith and her mother enjoyed 
 1 next day together, Mrs. Derrick was in a contemplative 
 and abstracted state of mind ; assenting indeed to all Faith s 
 words of pleasure and praise, but evidently thinking of 
 something else. At last the matter came out. 
 
 "Faith, how much money have we? I mean, to last 
 how long, suppose you didn t do anything else but the 
 butter?" 
 
 "Why, mother?" 
 
 "Why child, I ve been thinking do you know how much 
 you ve got to do for yourself? it won t do to put that off 
 for Miss Bezac." 
 
 Faith s lips softly touched Mrs. Derrick s. 
 
 " Hush, mother, please ! Don t you think Dromy could 
 find some water-cress at the foot of the Savin hill ?" 
 
 "Yes like enough," said Mrs. Derrick, "Reuben 
 could if he was here. And child, you may say hush, but 
 things won t hush, after all." With which sentiment Mrs. 
 Derrick gave attention to the tea-kettle, just then a practi 
 cal illustration of her remark. 
 
 About as bright and fresh and sweet as the morning Miss 
 Linden looked when she came down, but warmer and gentler 
 than March in his best mood. Her interest in everything 
 about the house and its two tenants was unbounded, and 
 without being really like her brother, there was enough 
 family likeness in manner and voice to give a pleasant 
 reminder now and then. While they were at breakfast the 
 man came from Fequot according to order, but she went 
 out alone to attend to him, coming back to the table with a 
 sort of gleeful face that spoke of pleasure or mischief in 
 prospect. 
 
 "Faith," she said, "we cannot touch those mantillas this 
 morning." 
 
 "Can t we?" said Faith. "Which part of Pattaquasset 
 shall we go to see?" 
 
 (383) 
 
384 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "Suppose we go up to my room and discuss matters." 
 
 Faith was ready. Ready as a child, or as the "bird" 
 she used to be called, for any innocent play or work. 
 
 "My dear little sister," said Miss Linden as they ran up 
 stairs, the glee working out at the dainty finger ends that 
 were on Faith s belt, "don t you know that I promised you 
 a message ? and don t you want to have it? how 
 lovely this room is ! That trunk is not lovely, standing 
 just there. Dear Faith, you need not think all my bag 
 gage is coming after it !" 
 
 "I wish it could," said Faith, looking after her mes 
 sage. 
 
 " I want to shew you the key of this it has something 
 peculiar about it," said Miss Linden searching in her bag. 
 "Endecott said, Faith, that as you and he had been to 
 gether so much in a French atmosphere, you must let him 
 do one thing in the French style. To which message, as 
 well as to the trunk, you will find this the key." 
 
 Now attached to the key was a little card, on which was 
 written simply the word, "Trousseau." 
 
 Faith understood the word well enough, and it seemed 
 to turn her into a pretty petrifaction with internal life at 
 work indeed, as the rising and falling colours witnessed. 
 She stood with bended head looking at the mysterious 
 key; then making a swift transit to the window she opened 
 it and threw back the blinds and stood looking out, the key 
 in one hand giving little impatient or abstracted taps 
 against the fingers of the other. It was a pretty landscape 
 certainly, but Faith had looked at it often before. 
 
 Miss Linden on her part followed Faith to the window 
 with her eyes and a smile, then sat looking at the great 
 leathern trunk in its travelling cover, which it wore still. 
 Once she made a motion to take this off then laid her 
 hands back in their former position and waited for Faith to 
 come. 
 
 "Pet," said Faith presently, "have you looked out of 
 the window this morning ?" Which question brought two 
 hands round her shoulders in no time. 
 
 "Yes my dear, I have. What new beauties have you 
 discovered ?" 
 
 "It looks pretty in the spring light. But I wasn t think 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 385 
 
 ing of it, either," said Faith blushing. And without rais 
 ing her eyes, looking distressed, she softly insinuated the 
 key with its talismauic card back into Miss Linden s hand. 
 
 "Well? what, dear Faith?" 
 
 "I don t know," said Faith softly. "You know." 
 
 "I know," said Miss Linden, "that Endecott locked 
 the trunk and tied the label to the key, and it is a great 
 mistake to suppose that I will unlock the one or take 
 charge of the other. In the second place, I need not even 
 look on unless you wish. It can go to another room, or I 
 will leave you in undisturbed possession of this. So speak," 
 she said, kissing her. 
 
 Faith did not immediately. She wound her arras round 
 her new sister and hid her face in Miss Linden s neck, and 
 stood so clasping her silently for a few minutes. But when 
 she raised her head she went straight to the "trousseau" 
 trunk; pulled off, business fashion, the travelling cover; 
 set the key in the lock, and lifted the lid. 
 
 " I should tell you, dear," said Miss Linden while this 
 was doing she had seated herself a little way off from 
 Faith and the trunk, " I should tell you, that if it had been 
 possible to get a pattern dress and so forth, you would have 
 found nothing here to do but look. As it is, there is some 
 work for your fingers, and I hope for mine." The lid was 
 now open, and between the two next protecting covers lay 
 a letter. A recognizing flash of eye greeted that ; Faith 
 put it out of sight and lifted the second cover. From 
 where she sat Miss Linden could see her hand tremble. 
 
 There were two or three characteristics that applied to 
 the whole arrangement, choice, and filling of the "trous 
 seau." The absence of things useless was not more notable 
 thun the abundance of things useful ; and let not useful be 
 understood to mean needful, for of the little extras which 
 are so specially pleasant to those who never buy them for 
 themselves, there was also a full supply. The daintiness 
 of everything was great, but nothing was out of Faith s 
 line: the stuffs might be finer than she had always worn, 
 but the colours were what she had always liked, and in any 
 one- of those many dresses she might feel at home in five 
 minutes they suited her so well. She could see, well 
 enough, that Mr. Linden not only remembered "her style" 
 
 VOL. ii. 33 
 
386 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 but loved it, in the very top rack, that was first laid open, 
 she had proof of this for besides the finest of lawn and 
 cambric, there were dainty bands of embroidery and pieces 
 of lace with which Faith could ruffle herself to her heart s 
 content. 
 
 At this point Faith drew a rather quick breath. She 
 was on her knees before the trunk, and shielding her face a 
 little from Miss Linden, she sat looking in steadfastly at 
 bits of French needlework and lappings of the daintier 
 texture, lifting now and then, also daintily the end or fold 
 of something to see what lay underneath. There was so 
 much food for meditation, as well as for industry, in this 
 department, that Faith seemed not likely to get through it. 
 How clearly she saw any one thing might be doubted. 
 She made no progress. 
 
 "You may see Endecott in everything, Faith," said Miss 
 Linden. "In the matter of quantity I could sometimes 
 give him help, but every colour and style had to be matched 
 with the particular pattern in his mind. I wish you could 
 have seen it ! it was one of the prettiest things I ever 
 saw. Those three days in Paris ! I told you they were 
 pretty days." 
 
 Faith gave her a swift look, very flushed and very 
 grave. A pretty picture of wonder and humility she 
 was ; and something more was borne witness to by 
 those soft eyes, but Miss Linden had only a second s 
 look of them. 
 
 The racks seemed to hold the light varieties, each done 
 up by itself. There was the little French parasol in its 
 box ; the fan box, with most pretty contents. There was 
 the glove box, beautifully filled, and holding among the 
 rest the prettiest of riding gauntlets all of just the right 
 size, by some means. At the other end to keep this in 
 countenance, was a little French riding hat in its own 
 pasteboard container. The riding whip Mr. Linden had 
 given her long before. There were stockings in pretty 
 variety; and handkerchiefs not laced and embroidered, 
 but of fine material and dainty borders. The various 
 minor things were too many to mention. 
 
 Faith was in an overwhelmed state, though she hardly 
 shewed that. Her fingers made acquaintance almost fear- 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 38t 
 
 fully with the various items that lay in sight ; finally sha 
 laid both hands upon the edge of the rack. 
 
 " It is exactly like him ! " she said in profound gravity. 
 His sister laughed a gay, pleased little laugh. 
 
 "He said they were all like you, Faith. His fear of 
 touching your individuality was comical. Do you know he 
 says he shall expect you always to have a brown merino? 
 so you will find one there." 
 
 But first, at the bottom of the rack, under all the others, 
 was the flat mantilla box ; and its contents of muslin and 
 silk, in their elegant simpleness, left Miss Bezac s "no 
 where". How Faith would have liked to shut up the 
 trunk then and run away nobody knew ! For she only 
 quietly lifted out the rack and took the view of what came 
 next. It was not the brown merino ! it was something 
 made up, the gayest, prettiest, jauntiest dressing gown; 
 with bunches of tiny carnations all over it, as bright as 
 Faith s own. Though that be saying much, for at this hers 
 reached their acme. 
 
 "How beautiful! " she said gravely, while her poor 
 fluttering thoughts were saying everything else. "How 
 perfectly beautiful ! " 
 
 And as delicately as if it had been made of silver tissue, 
 Faith laid it off on the rack. Laid it off to find the next 
 staprc in the shape of morning wrappers, also made up. 
 " They fit so loosely at best " Miss Linden explained, 
 "and Endecott knew your height." 
 
 Now neither in these nor in what lay beneath was there 
 such profusion as would furnish a new dress every day (for 
 an indefinite number) at a watering place ; but there was 
 just such as befitted a young lady, who being married in 
 summer-days yet looked forward to winter, and was to be 
 the delight of somebody s eyes summer and winter. 
 
 They were downcast and wonderfully soft eyes that 
 looked at those morning dresses now, as Miss Linden 
 could see when by chance they were lifted. But that was 
 not generally ; with lowered eyelids and unsteady lips Faith 
 went on taking out one after the other. Below, the pack 
 ages were more solid and compact, some close at both ends, 
 others shewing shawl fringes. Dress after dress lay in close 
 order muslin and silk and stuff ; under them pieces of 
 
388 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 linen and flannel such as Pattaquasset could hardly have 
 furnished. One particular parcel, long and soft, was tied 
 with white ribband. Faith looked at it doubtfully. 
 
 "Must I open this, Pet?" 
 
 "It is tied up for that express purpose." 
 
 A little suspicious of each new thing, Faith pulled the 
 easy knot of white ribband and uncovered what lay within. 
 It was a white embroidered muslin, fine and beautiful in its 
 clear texture, as was the wrought tracery upon it. No 
 colour relieved this white field, a pair of snowy gloves 
 lay upon it, with the lace and sash for its finish of adorn 
 ment; with them a folded handkerchief, plain like the rest 
 but particularly fine. Separately wrapped up in soft paper 
 that but half hid them, were the little resetted slippers. 
 
 " He said you must have none but real flowers," Miss 
 Linden said too softly to call for a look in answer. 
 
 That dress was what not even Miss Bezac had been able 
 to make Faith look at in imagination and there it lay be 
 fore her! Perhaps, to tell the truth, she had been hardly 
 willing to realize to herself the future necessity of such a 
 thing. The blood came deeper to her cheeks, then left 
 them in another moment pale. Faith laid her face in her 
 hands on the edge of the trunk, for once overcome. 
 Again Miss Linden s quick impulse was to come to Faith s 
 side, and again she checked herself; thinking perhaps that 
 she was too new a friend to have her words pleasant just 
 then feeling that there was but one person who could say 
 what ought to be said So she sat quite still, nor even 
 turned her eyes towards Faith except now and then in a 
 quick glance of sympathy and interest ; both which were 
 shewn in her folded hands and averted head. But very 
 soon Faith was softly doing the parcel up again in its white 
 ribbands ; and then she began to lay the things back in the 
 trunk, with quick hands but dainty. Half way through, 
 Faith suddenly stopped. 
 
 "Shall I put these back here for the present?" she 
 said, looking towards Miss Linden. 
 
 " For the present, dear ? I am not sure that I under 
 stand." 
 
 "Just now till I can arrange some other place to put 
 them." 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 389 
 
 "I have nothing to do with this place ," said Miss Lin 
 den smiling;, "it came with my trunks, that is all." 
 
 Faith coloured again and went on with what she was 
 doing. Miss Linden watched her. 
 
 "Faith," she said, "don t finish that work just now, sit 
 still there and read Endy s letter won t you, darling? I 
 am going down to pay your mother a visit." And with a 
 kiss and embrace she was gone. 
 
 Faith s hands stopped their work as the door closed, and 
 she sat still, looking at the voiceless messages of love, care, 
 thought, and anticipation, which surrounded her. Looking 
 dreamily, and a little oppressed ; and when she moved her 
 hand it was not first to get her letter, but to draw out the 
 locket from her bosom and see Mr. Linden s face; as if she 
 wanted his look to authenticate all these messages, or to 
 meet her own heart s answer. At any rate it was not till 
 after a good study of the little picture that Faith put it 
 away and took out her letter. 
 
 It was not just like having him there to talk or caress 
 away her discomfort and yet it was like it, though the 
 pages were well on ther way before the trousseau was even 
 alluded to. But the words, the atmosphere of the letter 
 made Faith breathe easier, it was like the wand of the 
 Fairy Order, smoothing out the little tangled skeins of 
 silk. And when that subject came up, it was touched so 
 lightly, so delicately, yet with such evident pleasure, there 
 was such mingling of play and earnest in the charge given 
 her to be ready before he came, and such a strong wish that 
 he could have saved her all the work, the terror of the 
 trousseau could not stand before it. And at the hope that 
 her taste would be suited, Faith s heart made a spring the 
 other way. She drank in every word of the letter; and 
 then feeling healed, though tender-spirited yet, she finished 
 putting away her riches and went down stairs. 
 
 Mrs. Derrick having gone off to attend to dinner pre 
 parations, Miss Linden sat alone, singing to herself softly 
 in company with the March wind and the fire, and (of all 
 things !) at work upon one of Miss Bezac s mantillas. Faith s 
 two hands were laid upon the one which held the needle. 
 "Not to-day "said the silver voice which Miss Linden 
 must learn to know. 
 
 33* 
 
390 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "Yes unless you ll give me somewhat else to do!" she 
 said leaning her sunshiny head back against Faith. " I was 
 out of patience with myself because I could not do what 
 no one but Endecott could so in my woman s pride I took 
 up something which he couldn t. What are you going to 
 do, darling ?" 
 
 Faith thought she knew why she was called " Pet" but 
 she only kissed her. " I shall have to ask you a great deal 
 about those things up stairs," she said; "but to-day I 
 want to see you What would you like ?" 
 
 The thing Miss Linden liked best, was to see some of 
 her brother s old haunts; and a notable drive the two had 
 that afternoon. Wherein, under the light of a Spring day, 
 Miss Linden saw Pattaquasset, the .Quapaw people, (part 
 of them) and not least of all, Faith herself, who shewed 
 herself very much as the Spring day. And of Mr. Linden 
 his sister talked the while, to her heart s content, and Faith s 
 in the full joy of that affection which can never say enough, 
 speaking to that which can never hear too much. 
 
 It would be long to tell how the trousseau was made up. 
 Mrs. Iredell came from Pequot and established herself in a, 
 farmhouse at Pattaquasset; and the two future sisters put 
 their heads and their hands a good deal of their hearts 
 too into the work that was done in Faith s blue-wain- 
 scotted white room. There they sat and sewed, day after 
 day; while the days grew warm, and the apple blossoms 
 burst, and the robins whistled. They whistled of Mr. Lin 
 den s coming home, to Faith, and sent her needle with a 
 quicker impulse. She never spoke of it. 
 
 But Miss Linden knew whither the look went, that seemed 
 to go no further than the apple trees ; and what was the 
 pressure that made a quick breath now and then and a 
 hurried finger. Perhaps her own pulses began to move 
 with accelerated beat. And when towards the end of May 
 Mrs. Iredell found business occasion for being in Quilipeak 
 a fortnight, Pet so urged upon Mrs. Derrick the advan 
 tages of the scheme, that she carried off Faith with her. 
 It would break the waiting and watching, and act as L 
 diversion, she said, and Faith did not contradict her. 
 
CHAPTER XXXIV. 
 
 T7STABLISHED fairly in that great Quilipeak hotel, 
 _!Tj Faith found her way of life very pleasant. Mrs. Ire- 
 dell was much in her own room, coming out now and then 
 for a while to watch the two young things at their work. 
 A pretty sight ! for some of the work had been brought 
 along, fast getting finished now, under the witching of 
 sweet counsel. Miss Linden declared that for her part 
 she was sorry it was so near done, what Faith thought 
 about it she did not say. 
 
 Meantime, June was using her rosy wings day by day, 
 and in another week Mr. Linden might be looked for. Just 
 what steamer he would take was a. little uncertain, but from 
 that time two people at least would begin to hope, and a 
 day or two before that time they were to go back to Patta- 
 quasset. 
 
 The week was near the ending so was the work, and 
 in their pretty parlour the two ladies wrought on as usual. 
 The morning had been spent in explorations with Reuben 
 Taylor and Sam Stoutenburgh, and now it was afternoon 
 of a cool June day, with a fresh breeze scouting round to 
 see what sweets it could pick up, and coming in at the open 
 window to report. On the table was a delicate tinted sum 
 mer muslin spread out to receive its trimming, over which 
 Faith and Miss Linden stood and debated and laughed, 
 then Faith went back to her low seat in the window and 
 the hem of a pocket handkerchief. So half looking out 
 and half in, the quiet street sounds murmuring with the 
 rustle of the many elm leaves, Faith sat, the wind playing 
 Cupid to her Psyche; and Miss Linden stood by the table 
 and the muslin dress. 
 
 " Faith," she said contemplatively, " What flowers do you 
 suppose Endecott would get you to wear with this out of 
 a garden full ?" 
 
 "It is difficult to tell" said Faith; "he finds just what 
 he wants, just where I shouldn t look for it." And a vision 
 
 (391) 
 
392. SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 of red oak-leaves, and other illustrations, flitted across Faith s 
 fancy. 
 
 "Very true," said Miss Linden, " precisely what Aunt 
 Iredell said when she first saw you, but I am inclined to 
 think, that the first day you appear in this you will see him 
 appear with a bunch of white roses probably Lamarques ; 
 if " 
 
 " Why Lamarques ?" said Faith sewing away. " Pet, how 
 pleasant this wind is." 
 
 Miss Linden did not immediately answer. She stood 
 resting her finger tips on the muslin dress, looking down 
 at it with an intentness that might have seen through thicker 
 stuff, the colour in her cheeks deepening and deepening. 
 "Why?" she said abstractedly, "they re beautiful don t 
 you think so? Oh Faith! 1 With a joyous clasp of the 
 hands she sprang to the window, and dropped the curtain 
 like a screen before her. There was no time to ask ques 
 tions nor need. Faith heard the opening door, the word 
 spoken to the waiter, saw Mr. Linden himself come in. 
 
 Pet sprang towards him with a joyful exclamation an 
 unselfish one, as it seemed ; for after a moment s concen 
 trated embrace which embodied the warmth of half a dozen, 
 she disappeared out of the room. Mr. Linden came for 
 ward, looking after her at first with surprise, then as if a 
 possible explanation occurred to him, he stood still by the 
 mantelpiece, watching the door by which she had gone. 
 Faith had waited behind her screen she could not have 
 told why utterly motionless for that minute ; then a little 
 quick push sent the curtain aside, and she came to him, 
 
 "Faith!" he exclaimed "are you hiding from me? 
 My dear Mignonette " 
 
 She hid from him then, all her face could ; for her glad 
 ness was of that kind which banishes colour instead of bring 
 ing it. He let her stand so a few minutes, himself very 
 silent and still; then one hand brought her face within 
 reach. 
 
 "Little bird!" he said, "I have you safe now, you need 
 not flutter any more I" 
 
 Perhaps that thought was hardly composing, for Faith s 
 head drooped yet, in a statue-like stillness. Not very 
 unlike a bird on its rest however, albeit her gravity was 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 393 
 
 profound. And rest to speak it fairly is a serious thing 
 to anybody, when it has been in doubt or jeopardy, or long 
 withheld. What could be done to bring the colour back, 
 that Mr. Linden tried. 
 
 "Faith," he said, "is this all I am to have from your 
 lips of any sort ? Where did you get such pale cheeks, 
 precious one ? did I frighten you by coming so suddenly ? 
 You have not been ill again ?" 
 
 "No," she said, raising her eyes for the first time to 
 look fairly in his face. But that look brought Faith back 
 to herself; and though she drooped her head again, it was 
 for another reason, and her words were in a different key. 
 "We didn t expect you. for a week more." 
 
 "No because I didn t want you to be watching the 
 winds. Mignonette, look up !" 
 
 Which she did, frankly, her eyes as delicious a com 
 pound of gravity and gladness as any man need wish to have 
 bestowed upon him. " Pet brought me here, " she said. 
 
 "Well do you suppose / have brought an invoice of 
 Dutch patience?" 
 
 "I don t think you are particularly patient," said Faith 
 demurely, "except when you choose. Oh Endy! " 
 
 That last note had the true ring of joy. Her forehead 
 touched his shoulder again ; the rest of her sentence was 
 unspoken. 
 
 " I do not choose, to-day. Mignonette, therefore tell me 
 do you think I have had all I am fairly entitled to ?" 
 
 She flushed all over, but lifted up her head and kissed 
 him. Mr. Linden watched her, smiling then though she 
 mit -ht not see it. 
 
 "My little beauty," he said, "you have grown afraid of 
 me do you know that?" 
 
 "Not very " she said. Certainly Faith was not good 
 at defending herself. 
 
 . " No, not very. Just enough to give us both something 
 to do. Mignonette, are you ready for me ?" 
 
 Faith s face was bowed again almost out of sight. " Don t 
 you think," she half whispered, "that Pet must be ready to 
 see you, by this time ?" 
 
 For all answer except a smile she was led across the 
 room to a seat near the window. But just there, was the 
 
394 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 table and its muslin dress I Mr. Linden stopped short, and 
 Faith felt and understood the clasp of his arm about her 
 waist, of his hand upon hers. But he only said laughingly, 
 " Faith, was that what made you hide away ?" 
 
 " Pet hid me," Faith said very much abashed ; " not I. 
 She let fall the curtain." 
 
 Mr. Linden let it fall again, in effect, for he quitted all 
 troublesome subjects, and sat down by her side ; not loosing 
 his hold of her, indeed, nor taking his eyes from her, but 
 in the gravity of his own deep happiness there was not 
 much to disturb her quiet. 
 
 " I sent you a telegraphic despatch this morning to Pat- 
 taquasset, dear Faith, I did not mean to take you quite 
 by surprise. And my stopping anywhere short of that was 
 merely because the arrangement of trains forced me to lose 
 an hour here on the way. I thought it lost." 
 
 "It hasn t proved so." 
 
 " There was such a doubt of my being in time for this 
 steamer, that I would not even speak of it. Faith, I have 
 not often heard such music as the swash of the water about 
 her paddle-wheels as we set off." 
 
 " Didn t you hear the swash of her paddle-wheels as you 
 came in ?" said Faith merrily. 
 
 "No!" The wistful gladness of her eye was a pretty 
 commentary. 
 
 "Is Miss Reason in full activity yet?" said Mr. Linden 
 smiling, his comment. 
 
 " She has had no interruption, you know, for a great 
 while." 
 
 "Take care of her, Faith, she has a great deal of work 
 before her." The look that answered this was a little con 
 scious, but shewed no fear. 
 
 There was nothing very unreasonable in the face that 
 bent over hers ; the eyes with their deep look, lit up now 
 and then with flashes of different feelings ; the mouth wear-, 
 ing its sweet changeable expression. A little browner than 
 usual, from the voyage, a little thinner, perhaps, with hard 
 work; Mr. Linden still looked remarkably well and like 
 himself; though Faith felt that nameless change that 
 mingling of real and unreal, of friend and stranger, which 
 a long absence always brings. One minute he was himself. 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 395 
 
 as he had been in Pattaquasset, giving her lessons, riding 
 with her, reading to her, going off to school with one of 
 Mrs. Stoutenburgh s white roses. The next he was a 
 gentleman just arrived from Europe! from whom she 
 could not get away. Perhaps the last impression was the 
 most remarkable. But in spite of this, Faith was herself, 
 every inch of her; with the exception of that one little dif 
 ference which Mr. Linden had pointed out and which was 
 not to be denied. 
 
 Some time had passed, when Faith felt Pet s little hand 
 come round her neck the other was round Mr. Linden. 
 Faith s start was instant; springing up she went to the 
 window where behind the curtain lay the work her hand 
 had dropped. Faith gathered it up. She would have put 
 that muslin dress out of the way then ! but there it lay in 
 plain sight and close neighbourhood. Yet somebody must 
 do it, and it was her business; and with cheeks of a very 
 pretty deep rose that set off her white drapery, Faith ap 
 plied herself to the due folding of the troublesome muslin. 
 In two minutes Pet came to help her, but in a different 
 mood, though her eyelashes were glittering. 
 
 "Endy, come here and look at this I think it is so 
 pretty. What flowers must Faith wear with it?" 
 
 "Carnations look very well." 
 
 I said white roses." 
 
 "Which will you wear, Mignonette?" said Mr. Linden. 
 
 He was favoured with a glance from two gentle eyes, 
 which it was worth a little wickedness to get. It was only 
 a flash. "I think Pet is right," she answered with great 
 gravity. 
 
 He came close to her side, the low-spoken "you shall 
 have them " touched more things than one. 
 
 "What do you suppose I found her doing?" said Pet, 
 folding down a sleeve. 
 
 Pet !" said Faith. " Don t touch that I Not to-night. " 
 
 "Do you wish me to leave it unfolded? the servants 
 will perhaps sweep in the morning." 
 
 "Pet," said Faith softly, "don t you raise a dust! We 
 might not lay it so soon." 
 
 "Endy," said his sister, "how do you do? you haven t 
 told me." 
 
396 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "Perfectly well, dear Pet." 
 
 "Turn "round to the light and let me see You ve grown 
 thin, child!" 
 
 He laughed giving her a kiss and embrace to make up 
 for that; which was only half successful. But she spoke 
 in her former tone. 
 
 "He looks pretty strong, Faith, I think I might tell 
 him." 
 
 "Mr. Linden," said Faith, "won t you please ask Pet 
 not to tell you something?" 
 
 "I will ask you" he said softly, laying his hands lightly 
 on her shoulders. "Faith I think we may dispense with 
 Mr. Linden now, even before people." 
 
 She was oddly abashed ; glanced up at him and glanced 
 down, with the grave air of a rebuked child. There was 
 nothing about it that was not pretty; and the next thing 
 her eyes went to Pet. How lovely and precious she looked 
 as she stood there ! with her sweet shy face and changing 
 colours. Mr. Linden held her to his breast and kissed her 
 more than once, but in a way that was beyond chiding. 
 
 "Why must I ask Pet not to tell me something?" 
 
 "It is nothing great!" said Faith stammering over her 
 words "Only you won t like it very well but you will 
 have to hear it. I thought another time that s all." 
 
 " He ll never hear it from you what I mean," said Miss 
 Linden, "so he shall from me. We ll see whether he likes 
 it. Know then, Endecott, that I found this child absorbed 
 in wedding dresses !" 
 
 "Wedding dresses !" he repeated. " More than one ?" 
 
 "Oh Endy," said his sister with a sort of laughing im 
 patience, "what a boy you are! I mean other people s." 
 Faith stood smiling a little, letting her manage it her own 
 way. 
 
 "Imagine it," Miss Linden went on, "imagine this one 
 little real flower bending over a whole garden of muslin 
 marigolds and silk sunflowers and velvet verbenas, growing 
 unthriftily in a bed of white muslin !" Mr. Linden laughed, 
 as if the picture were a pleasant one. 
 
 " Mignonette," he said, " how could you bear the sight ?" 
 
 "I was trying to make the best of it." 
 
 " In whose behalf were you so much interested ?" 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 397 
 
 "Maria Davids," said Faith glancing up at him. "But 
 I was not interested, only so far as one is in making the 
 best of anything." 
 
 "Who is trying to make the best of her?" 
 
 Faith looked down and looked grave as she answered 
 "Jonathan Fax" Mr. Linden s face was grave too, 
 then, with the recollections that name brought up. 
 
 "There is one place in the house she cannot touch," he 
 said. "Faith, I am glad she is not to take care of him." 
 
 " I have thought that so often !" 
 
 "Do you like my story, Endy?" said Miss Linden pres 
 ently. 
 
 "Very much the subject. I am less interested in the 
 application. Who next is to be married in Pattaquasset ?" 
 
 "I don t know." 
 
 "Aunt Iredell says she wishes you would be married 
 here," observed Pet demurely. To which insinuation Faith 
 opposed as demure a silence. 
 
 "Oh Enclecott," said his sister changing her tone and 
 speaking in that mixed mood which so well became her, 
 " I m so happy that you are here ! This week Faith has 
 been pretty quiet, by dint of being away from home ; but 
 nothing would have kept her here next week and I had 
 been thinking what we should do, if the week should run 
 on into two or if the wind should blow!" She spoke 
 laughingly, yet with a voice not quite steady. 
 
 " So he bringeth them to the haven where they would 
 be !" Mr. Linden said. But his voice was clear as the 
 very depth of feeling of which it told. "Aunt Iredell cannot 
 have her wish, Pet," he added presently, "there would be 
 at least three negative votes." 
 
 "I suppose that! But I shall come down Saturday to 
 hear what wishes are in progress." 
 
 "Won t you go with us, Pet, to-morrow?" said Faith 
 earnestly. She had been standing in a sort of abstracted 
 silence. 
 
 " No, pretty sister, 1 will not. But I shall keep all those 
 ruffles here to finish, and Saturday Reuben Taylor shall 
 escort them and me to Pattaquasset." 
 
 VOL. ii. 34 
 
CHAPTER XXXY. 
 
 were yet in their morning light and shadow 
 JL when Faith set off on this her first real journey with 
 Mr. Linden. She felt the strangeness of it, in the early 
 breakfast, the drive alone with him to the station, to stand 
 by and see him get her ticket, to sit with him alone in the 
 cars (there seemed to be no one else there !) were all new. 
 The towers of Quilipeak rose up in the soft distance, shin 
 ing in the morning sun : over meadow and hillside and In 
 dian-named river the summer light fell in all its beauty. 
 Dewdrops glittered on waving grain and mown grass ; 
 labourers in their shirtsleeves made another gleaming line 
 of scythe blades, or followed the teams of red and brindled 
 oxen that bowed their heads to the heavy yoke. Through 
 all this, past all this, the Pequot train flew on towards Pat- 
 taquasset ; sending whole lines of white smoke to scour the 
 country, despatching the shrill echoes of its whistle in swift 
 pursuit. 
 
 Faith saw it all with that vividness of impression which 
 leaves everything sun-pictured on the memory forever. In 
 it all she felt a strange something new ; which gave the 
 sunlight such a marked brilliancy, and made dewdrops 
 fresher than ordinary, and bestowed on mown grass and 
 waving grain such rich tints and gracious motion. It was 
 not merely the happiness of the time; Faith s foot had a 
 little odd feeling that every step was on new ground. It 
 was a thoughtful ride to Pattaquasset, though she was in 
 nocently busy with all pleasant things that came in her way, 
 and the silveriest of tones called Mr. Linden s attention to 
 them. He did not leave her thoughts too much chance to 
 muse : the country, the various towns, gave subject enough 
 for the varied comment and information Faith loved so 
 much. Mr. Linden knew the places well, and their history 
 and legends, and the foreign scenes that were like or unlike 
 . them, or perhaps a hayfield brought up stories of foreign 
 agriculture, or a white sailing cloud carried them both off 
 (398) 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 399 
 
 to castles in the air. One thing Mr. Linden might have 
 made known more fully than he did and that was his com 
 panion. For several times in the course of the morning, 
 first in the station at Quilipeak, then in the cars, some friend 
 or acquaintance of his own came to greet or welcome him. 
 And Faith could see the curiosity that glanced a,t so much 
 of her as her veil left in view, Mr. Linden saw it too, with 
 some amusement. And yet though all this was a little 
 rouging, it was interesting to her in another way, shew 
 ing her Mr. Linden as she had never seen him, among the 
 rest of the world. giving her little glimpses of his formei 
 life ; for the bits of talk were sometimes quite prolonged. 
 
 "Mignonette," he said after one of these occasions, 
 " some people here are very anxious to make your acquaint 
 ance." 
 
 "I am glad you don t want to gratify them." 
 
 "Why? In the first place, I do." 
 
 "Do you !" said Faith, somewhat fearfully. 
 
 "Certainly. I, like you, am a little proud of my carna 
 tions . How do you like this way of travelling ?" 
 
 "I like it such a morning as this," said Faith. "I don t 
 think it s the pleasautest. But to-day it s delicious." 
 
 "Yes to-day," he repeated. "What way of travelling 
 do you like best?" 
 
 "You know I never travelled at all, except to Quilipeak 
 and Pequot. I believe I like a wagon or a sleigh better 
 than this, in general." 
 
 "That is our last whistling post!" said Mr. Linde^ 
 "Faith, I shall be glad to get rid of that veil. And I 
 have so many things to say to you that cannot be said here. 
 Is Mr. Somers in Pattaquasset still ?" 
 
 "Everybody s there " Faith answered. 
 
 The little shake of the head with which this intelligence 
 (so far as regarded Mr. Somers) was received, Faith might 
 understand as she pleased, for in another minute they were 
 at the Pattaquasset station ; the train was puffing off, and 
 she standing there on the platform with Mr. Linden. A 
 little way back was Jerry and the wagon that Faith saw 
 at a glance ; but there too, and much nearer, was Squire 
 Stoutenburgh in doubt whether to handle the new corners 
 separately or together, in his great delight. 
 
400 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 From all this Mr. Linden rescued Faith with most 
 prompt skill ; carried her off to the wagon, shook hands 
 with Dromy and dismissed him, and then with the reiLs in 
 his own hands had her all to himself once more. Aid 
 Jerry dashed on as if he knew his driver. 
 
 "Mignonette, please pat back your veil," were the first 
 words. Which Faith did, and looked at him, laughing, 
 blushing and a little shy, all in one pleasant combination. 
 
 "What have you been doing to make yourself lovelier, 
 little Sunbeam ?" 
 
 "I have been a year without seeing you," said Faith 
 with excellent seriousness. 
 
 " My presence seems to have no counteracting effect. By 
 the same rule, I should be marvellous ! T)o you perceive 
 it?" 
 
 Her eye gave one of its little flashes, but Faith imme 
 diately looked away. 
 
 "Do you know," said Mr. Linden, "I can hardly believe 
 that this year of exile is over and that there are none 
 others to follow it. What do you suppose will be the first 
 subject you and I shall consider ?" 
 
 "Mr. Skip," said Faith gravely. 
 
 "Mr. Skip merits no consideration whatever. Is Miss 
 Bezac at work on that dress ?" 
 
 "Because he don t live with us any longer, Endecott." 
 
 "Does he not? Unfortunate man!" 
 
 "And Dromy is in his place." 
 
 "My dear, my own place is the only one I can think of 
 with any intense interest. Except yours." 
 
 " Because we have had no farm to manage this winter," 
 said Faith; "so Dromy could do what we wanted." 
 
 "I am glad to hear it," said Mr. Linden, "he never used 
 to be able to do what I wanted. Who has managed for 
 you? Mr. Simlius? And has Mr. Skip gone off in a 
 pumpkin with Cinderella? Faith, there is the door where 
 I had the first sight of you my Rose of delight!" he 
 added softly, as if all the days since then were passing 
 through his mind in sweet procession. 
 
 Faith was silent, for she too had something to think of; 
 ant! there was no more time to finish either train of conver- 
 sa "jn that had been started. Both dropped, even before 
 
SAY AND SEAL. . 401 
 
 Jerry drew np at the gate ; and if she had not gained one 
 object she had the other. 
 
 By this time it was about eleven o clock. It was rarely 
 very hot in Pattaquasset ; and now though under a sunny 
 sky there were summer breezes rustling in the trees. Both 
 mingled in Faith s senses with the joy of going into that 
 house again so accompanied. That gladness of getting 
 home in a pleasant hour! No one was in the cool sitting- 
 room Faith pushed open the door between and went into 
 the eating-room, followed by Mr. Linden. There was Mrs. 
 Derrick ; and what of all things doing but doing up some 
 of Faith s new ruffles! It was a glad meeting, what 
 though Mrs. Derrick had no hand to give anybody. Then she 
 went to get rid of the starch, and the two others to their 
 respective rooms. But in a very few minutes indeed Faith 
 was by her side again. 
 
 " Mother has Cindy come ?" 
 
 " She s coming to-morrow, child. But there s not much 
 to do for dinner, that s all under way." 
 
 Faith bared her arms and plunged into dairy and kitchen 
 to do all that her mother characterized as not much, and 
 a little more. When every possible item had been cared 
 for the strawberries looked over the cream made ready 
 the table set the lettuce washed the dishes warming 
 for the vegetables the pickles and bread on the table and 
 Faith had through all this delighted Mrs. Derrick as much 
 as possible with her company, sight and presence at least, 
 for Faith s words were a trifle less free than usual; when 
 it was all done and the eating-room in a state of pleasant 
 shady summer readiness, Faith went ben , as they say in Scot 
 land. She came into the sitting-room, as quietly as usual, 
 and coming up to Mr. Linden laid a hand on his shoulder. 
 
 "My own dear little Mignonette! Do you feel less 
 afraid of me, now I am here ?" 
 
 She hesitated to answer at first, then spoke with a very 
 dainty shy look " I don t think I ever had fear enough of 
 you to hurt anything." 
 
 " See that you do not begin now ! What have you been 
 about, all these long months ? You were as chary of 
 details as if I had no right to them." 
 
 Faith looked gravely out of the window before she 
 
402 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 said, "I have not been studying tins year, Endecott." 
 There was so clearly some reason for it, that Mr. Linden >s 
 first thought was one of anxiety. 
 
 " What has been the matter ?" 
 
 "You know I told you Mr. Skip had gone away?" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "And that he went because we hadn t any farm to 
 manage ?" 
 
 " What has the farm to do with your studies ?" 
 
 "What shall I do if I make you very angry with me ?" 
 said Faith, the least touch of seriousness mingling with her 
 words, 
 
 "You had better ask what I shall do. Has Mr. Deacon 
 come back and taken possession ?" 
 
 " Yes And you know, Endy, we used to live by the farm 
 When that was gone we had to live by something else 
 I wouldn t tell you if I could help your knowing it." 
 
 "Mignonette, what have you been doing?" 
 
 "You know what Pet found me at?" 
 
 "Yes." She could not tell whether he saw the whole, 
 he was clearly in the mind to hear it, taking both her 
 hands in his. 
 
 ; I did that," said Faith. 
 Did what?" 
 : I got work from Miss Bezac. She gave me lessons." 
 
 For how long ?" 
 
 ginee about a fortnight after you went away. It was* 
 then Squire Deacon took away the farm. From that time 
 until Pet came " she added with a little rise of colour 
 in her cheeks.. 
 
 "And that all the daylight and candlelight hours of each 
 day?" 
 
 " no, not that. I had long walks to Miss Bezac s, you 
 know or rides every day or two ; for we kept Jerry ; and 
 I never sewed before breakfast. And in the evening I used 
 to write letters part of the evening." 
 
 "Child! child!" He dropped her hands, and began to 
 pace up and down the moderate limits of Mrs. Derrick s 
 best carpet. Until after a few turns Faith put herself 
 straight in his way and intercepted him, with a very inno 
 cent face. 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 403 
 
 " Faith, did no one protest against this for me ?" 
 
 "Yes, sir." 
 
 "And you knew that I had guarded that I had tried to 
 guard you against any such possibility?" 
 
 Faith paused. " Yes, I knew, but Endy, that couldn t 
 make any difference." 
 
 " It did notHow, could not ?" 
 
 " It ought not," she said softly and colouring. 
 
 "Canyon tell why?" 
 
 "You know, Endy, it was better, it was right, it was 
 better that I should work for myself." 
 
 "Never, Mignonette while I could work for you. How 
 do you expect to manage when you are my wife ? And do 
 you think I had no right even to know about it ?" 
 
 "I thought now was the best time " Faith said. 
 
 "Am I to learn from this and similar instances what my 
 wife will expect of me if I chance to be sick or in trouble ?" 
 
 It touched her. She coloured again to the roots of her 
 hair. 
 
 "Do you think I did wrong, Endy ?" she said doubtfully, 
 yet in an appealing fashion. 
 
 " I cannot say you did right." 
 
 " But when you could do me no good," said Faith very 
 gently, "and I should only have given you pain for 
 nothing?" 
 
 "It would not have given me pain to have you tell it 
 and the thing does now. Besides, in a great many cases 
 the thought that it is pain for nothing 1 is a mistake. I might 
 know some remedy when you did not. Self sacrifice will 
 never run wild in my nature as it is inclined to do in 
 yours, but just imagine it once in the ascendant and me 
 with a bad headache (which I never have), it can only 
 give you pain to hear of it so I tell you of it the next, 
 day. But if I had told you at the time what conjurations 
 of your little fingers ! what quick-witted alleviations ! till 
 the headache becomes almost a pleasure to both of us." 
 
 Faith was very near the unwonted demonstration of 
 tears. She stood still, looking down, till she could look up 
 safely. 
 
 " I will not do so again, Endy. About important things, 
 I mean," 
 
404 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "You know, Faith, I am speaking less of this one case, 
 than of the daily course of future action. Is not perfect 
 frankness, as well as perfect truth, best? And if I call for 
 your sympathy in all manner of small and great things, will 
 you let mine lie idle ?" 
 
 "I might like it," said Faith honestly. "But in great 
 things I will not again, Endecott." 
 
 " Take care you get the right measure for things," said 
 Mr. Linden smiling. " Frankness makes a deliciously plain 
 way for one s feet." 
 
 Faith looked sober again, at the idea that she should 
 have failed in frankness. Then put her hand in his and 
 looked smiling up at him. 
 
 "There is one thing I will not keep from you any longer," 
 she said. 
 
 "What is that? the seal of this little compact of plain 
 speaking ?" 
 
 "Strawberries!" 
 
 "Only another style of nomenclature," said Mr. Lin 
 den. 
 
 " You must take the trouble to go into the other room 
 for them." 
 
 And light-heartedly Faith preceded him into the other 
 room, where the dinner was ready. A very simple dinner, 
 but Mrs. Derrick would not have had anything less than a 
 roast chicken for Mr. Linden, and the lettuce and potatoes 
 did very well for a summer day ; and Faith s waiting on 
 table made it only more pleasant. Talk flowed all the 
 while ; of a thousand and one things ; for Mrs. Derrick s 
 sympathies had a wider range since Mr. Linden had been 
 in Germany. Indeed the talk was principally between 
 those two. It was a remarkably long dinner, without mul 
 tiplication of courses there was so much to say ! Many 
 were the pleasant things swallowed with the strawberries 
 It is said hunger is the best sauce ; it s not true ; happiness 
 is a better. 
 
 And then what came then ? Truly, the same over again 
 looking and talking, without the strawberries. Which 
 were not wanted ; especially when Faith was dressed out 
 with roses, as she was presently after dinner. As she would 
 wash the tumblers and spoons in the dining-room, spite of 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 405 
 
 all Mrs. Derrick could say, so Mr. Linden would stay there 
 too ; not indeed to do anything but look on, and bestow 
 the roses as aforesaid. Talking to her sometimes in En 
 glish, sometimes in French, with preliminary instructions 
 in German. 
 
 "Mignonette," he said, "I have three letters for you to 
 read." 
 
 " Letters,. Endecott ! Who has written to me ?" 
 
 "Through me three regions of country." 
 
 "What do you mean?" 
 
 Just as she spoke the words, Faith paused and set down 
 the tumbler she was wiping. Her ears had caught the 
 sound of a modest knock at the front door. She looked at 
 Mr. Linden. 
 
 "Stay here, Endy please !" she said as she threw down 
 her towel and ran off. But Faith s hope of a chance was 
 disappointed. She ushered somebody into the sitting-room 
 and came back gravely and flushed to Mr. Linden. 
 
 "It s Mr. Somers and he wants to see you, Ende 
 cott!" 
 
 Faith went at her tumblers, and simultaneously, greatly 
 to the dismay of one party as to the surprise of the other, 
 in walked Mr. Somers after her. 
 
 "Miss Derrick told me you were in this room, sir," said 
 the clergyman shaking Mr. Linden s hand, "so I came 
 in. Ha ! I am glad to be one of the first to welcome you 
 back. How do you do, Mr. Linden ? You ve been a great 
 while from Pattaquasset ! and you ve been missed, I don t 
 doubt." 
 
 Apparently not by Mr. Somers ! But Mr. Linden met 
 all the advances as he should, merely stating his belief in 
 the general proposition that there is always somebody to 
 miss everybody." 
 
 "Will you take a seat here, sir?" he said "or may I go 
 with you to the next room ?" 
 
 " I have no choice," said Mr. Somers looking benig- 
 nantly around ; " it is very pleasant here, very ! cool ; 
 perhaps Miss Derrick will have no objection to our taking 
 our seats here ?" 
 
 Faith did not say, but as Mr. Somers had taken her leave 
 for granted, and his seat consequently, she was saved that 
 
406 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 trouble. How she reddened at the thought of the roses 
 with which she was dressed ! And there she stood in full 
 view, washing her spoons ! But Mr. Soiners looked the 
 other way. 
 
 "I I am very happy to see you again, Mr. Linden . 
 very happy indeed, sir I I heard from Squire Stoutenburgh 
 that you were expected, and I lost no time. How have you 
 enjoyed your health, sir, this year ? A year s a long time ! 
 isn t it?" 
 
 Mr. Linden, taking his seat as in duty bound, looked 
 abstractedly at Faith and the spoons and the roses, and 
 answered according to the evidence 
 
 " Yes, Mr. Somers, and yet it depends very much upon 
 how far the two ends of the year are apart in other re 
 spects. The Voyage autour de ma chambre could never 
 seem very long, whatever time it took." 
 
 "Ha!" said Mr. Somers blandly, he hadn t the re 
 motest idea what this speech might mean, "no. Did you 
 have a good passage coming over? We had every sign 
 of it." 
 
 "Very good," said Mr. Linden smiling, "and very 
 stormy. " 
 
 "Ah ?" said Mr. Somers, " very good and very stormy ? 
 Well I shouldn t have thought that. But I suppose you 
 have got to be such a traveller that you don t mind which 
 way the wind blows, if it blows you on, ha? like Dr. 
 Harrison. He never minds the weather. Dr. Harrison s 
 a great loss to Pattaquasset too," said Mr. Somers looking 
 at Faith and smiling a little more openly ; " all our ha ! 
 our pleasantest members of society seem to be running 
 away fro.m us! That s what Mrs. Somers says." 
 
 " One more spoon and put them up," thought Faith, 
 "and then I ll be away!" 
 
 "But I ve come to see if I can t get you to do me a 
 favour, Mr. Linden," said Mr. Somers withdrawing his eyes 
 and mind from her. " I should be very much obliged to 
 you indeed ! t I m almost afraid to ask, for fear I sha n t 
 get it." 
 
 Faith wiped her spoon slowly. 
 
 "I like to do favours," said Mr. Linden, "at least I 
 think I should. But I cannot imagine how you can give 
 me a chance, Mr. Somers." 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 407 
 
 "Don t you think it would be a great gratification to all 
 your old friends in Pattaquasset, if you would consent to 
 fill ray pulpit next Sunday ? They I believe they d come 
 from all over the country ! and it would be a it would 
 be a very great gratification indeed to me. Can t I prevail 
 with you ?" 
 
 Faith had ceased her work and was standing quite still, 
 with bended head, and cheeks which had gathered their 
 colour into two vivid spots. On .those carnations Mr. 
 Linden s eyes rested for a moment, with a strange feeling 
 of pleasure, of emotion. The sort of touched smile upon 
 his lips when he spoke, did not, it may be said, belong to 
 Mr. Sorners. His answer was very simple and straightfor 
 ward. 
 
 "I should like to see and speak to all my old friends 
 again, sir, more than I can tell you and I think they 
 would be glad to see me. I could do it so well in no other 
 way. Thank you, Mr. Somers ! it is you who confer the 
 favour." 
 
 " Then you ll do it ?" said Mr. Soraers, delighted. " I 
 am very happy very fortunate indeed ! It will be quite a 
 relief. And a pleasure a very great pleasure a I assure 
 you, sir. It s profitable for a people to have a change 
 they listen ha ! they hear the same things said in a dif 
 ferent way ; and it is often striking. And it is certainly 
 profitable to the pastor. Well, Mr. Linden, I shall make 
 a great many people happy, and Mrs. Somers, she ll set 
 off on her side to tell the news. How long are you going - 
 a to remain in Pattaquasset? But I don t know," added 
 he laughing, "as I ought to ask I" 
 
 Faith had carried her spoons summarily to the cup 
 board, and was sitting at an open window near it, looking 
 out. 
 
 "And I cannot answer," said Mr Linden. "I have hardly 
 got past my arrival yet, sir." 
 
 " No -certainly. I was a premature. You must ex 
 cuse me. And I have no right to take up any more of 
 your time, as you have so kindly a consented to give 
 me Sunday. What is the state of religion now, abroad, 
 sir?" 
 
 The answer to which comprehensive enquiry drew on 
 
408 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 into a talk of some length, although Mr. Somers had de 
 clared he mast go and had no right to stay. For a little 
 while Faith sat still by her window, but then she vanished 
 and appeared at Mrs. Derrick s side in the kitchen. The 
 dishes were all done there too, and Mrs. Derrick was 
 "ticing" about, talking to Faith and wishing Mr. Somers 
 would go, some time before he went. Faith heard the 
 closing door, and the light returning step, then a clear - 
 not loud-spoken "Mignonette where are you?" 
 
 Faith sprang back through the passage, and stood in the 
 eating-room again. With a very sweet sort of gravity. All 
 her mind and her face full of the thought that he was going 
 <vo preach for Mr. Somers. 
 
 What are you about, little Sunbeam? are you busy?" 
 
 "No." 
 
 "Then first I want a talk with you, and then a walk 
 with you, do you want the same with me ? or are you 
 tired?" 
 " No yes ; I m not tired a bit." 
 
 "Are you nervous?" he said, drawing her off into the 
 next room. 
 
 "No!" she said laughing a little, "did you ever think 
 I was, Endecott?" But Faith s heart beat somewhat 
 strangely. 
 
 " I am going to try you " he said as he sat down by 
 her; "so if you are, shut up your eyes." 
 
 There was no sign of shutting up in Faith s eyes. She 
 looked at him, not indeed assuredly, but steadily, and with 
 a wee smile. Eye and smile were met and held, until he 
 had taken her left hand and held that too ; but then look 
 ing down at it, Mr. Linden gravely took out a little gold 
 ring and proceeded to try how well its dimensions agreed 
 with those of the finger for which it was destined. 
 
 Nothing moved of Faith but her eyes, which followed 
 his, and the fluttering colour which fluttered indeed! went 
 and came like the lights on a wreath of vapour. 
 
 Silently the hand, with both rings on, was looked at for 
 a few moments then held to his lips, with special greeting 
 of those two fingers ; and then, as he took off the second 
 ring, Mr. Linden looked up at her. 
 
 "Mignonette, when may I put it on again?" 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 409 
 
 There seemed to be difficulty in Faith s answering. Pro 
 bably she was making up her mind to speak, but he had to 
 wait for her words to be ready. He waited quietly, as if 
 he expected it; looking down at the hand he held, and 
 saying nothing unless by the clasp of its little fingers. 
 
 "Do you know where you are going, yet Endy?" she 
 said in a very low voice." 
 
 " No, darling not certainly." 
 
 "Then do you want to know this yet?" 
 
 "Very much." 
 
 Faith had expected no less ; she had had fair warning ; 
 and besides in her heart could not but confess that Mr. 
 Linden had reason Little as she might care to disturb 
 the existing state of things, which to her mind was pleasant 
 enough, it was clear that his mind on the subject was differ 
 ent ; and she could not find fault with that. There was a 
 pause again, of quiet waiting on one side and great diffi 
 culty of utterance on the other, and the words when they 
 came were in the lowest possible key. 
 
 What do you wish?" 
 
 What I have been waiting for all these years. " 
 
 But as to time?" 
 
 As little as possible." 
 
 I know, but what is that, Endy ?" she said with very 
 timid intonation. 
 
 " As little as possible ?" he said, raising his eyes with a 
 laughing look to her face, "the words hardly need ex 
 planation I might have stayed Mr. Soraers this afternoon. 
 It cannot be too soon for me, Mignonette but I do not 
 know what is possible for you." 
 
 What was possible for her! It almost took Faith s 
 breath away. Because she acknowledged Mr. Linden s 
 right to his wish. She was in great confusion, besides. 
 
 "I will do what you please!" she said at length. "You 
 may arrange it with mother." 
 
 " No, with you," said Mr. Linden, " what do you please ? 
 Am I to repeat the passage of Quapaw creek ?"- 
 
 She looked up and looked at him, and said yes. It was 
 a look any man would have liked to have given him. Not 
 without a little fear of what he might say, those eyes put 
 >uch a pure faith in him and were so ready to answer his 
 
 VOL. ii. 35 
 
410 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 pleasure. She waited for his answer, though her eyes did 
 not. 
 
 "You know, dear Faith, I sent you word to be ready for 
 me, is that done ?" 
 
 "Yes nearly." 
 
 " Nearly is soon despatched," said Mr. Linden, "and 
 this is the month when, if ever, come perfect days Shall 
 we say a week from to-day ?" 
 
 She looked very startled, soft though the glance was that 
 again met his face. And for a moment the roses fairly fled 
 away. "As soon as possible" this was, sure enough. They 
 came back however, first stealthily and then swiftly, till 
 Faith s face was bowed and her right hand with futile intent 
 of concealment was interposed between it and Mr. Linden. 
 But whether Faith meant to speak or meant not to speak, 
 certain it is that words were none. 
 
 " I cannot have this !" said Mr. Linden, as he took the 
 shielding hand into his own possession, "Faith, you shall 
 not look pale about it. This is the second time I have 
 banished the colour in the first twenty-four hours I have 
 been home. And these roses I see now, seem to me to 
 come from the same tree as the white ones. If you would 
 look more boldly at the subject it would appear much less 
 terrific and the same might be said of me. What sort of 
 a face have I down there in the carpet?" 
 
 There was a little clasp of his hand which answered that ; 
 but though he could see Faith s lips give way he did not 
 hear them speak. 
 
 "Mignonette, the treaty waits your signature." 
 
 "Yes, Endy," she said quaintly enough. Mr. Linden 
 brought her face round within sight, saying much as he 
 had done at Quapaw creek "Are you afraid, dear child?" 
 
 " No " she said timidly, and yet "no" it was. 
 
 "Then it only needs my seal. In one of the northern 
 
 countries of Europe, Mignonette, the bride and bridegroom 
 are expected to stand at the open window for an hour or 
 two, in full dress, so you see things are not so bad as they 
 might be. Now my little beauty are you ready for youi 
 walk?" 
 
CHAPTER XXXVI. 
 
 IT was the pretty time of a summer afternoon. The sun, 
 in the last quarter of almost his longest journey of the 
 year, but high yet, sent warm rays to rest in the meadows 
 and dally with the tree tops and sparkle on the Mong and 
 its salt outlet. The slight rustle of leaves now and then 
 was as often caused by a butterfly or a kildeer as by the 
 breeze ; sometimes by a heavy damask rose that suddenly 
 sent down its rosy shower upon the ground. It was the 
 very pastime of birds and insects and roses, with that 
 slight extra stir which told the time of day and that the 
 afternoon siesta was at an end. 
 
 Gathering roses as he went along, fastening them in her 
 belt or her bonnet, Mr. Linden led Faith down the farm 
 road by which he had driven her to the shore that first day 
 after her illness. There was small danger of meeting any 
 one, it was not the time for loads of hay and grain, and 
 little else passed that way: the labourers in the fields were 
 seen and heard only at a distance Mr. Linden himself 
 was in as gay and gladsome a mood as the day, more 
 lively indeed, and active taking the "dolce far" without 
 the "niente;" witnessing what "the year of exile "-had 
 been, by his joy in being at home, with June and Mignon 
 ette. The afternoon s talk had added something even to 
 both their perfections he could not forget it though he 
 talked of other things. Neither did Faith forget it. Yet 
 she laughed at Mr. Linden and with him; though as far 
 as conversation was concerned she took a secondary part. 
 She started no subject whatever, of the least moment. 
 
 Subjects started of themselves in numbers somewhat like 
 the little butterflies that roused out of the clover as the 
 intruding feet came by, about as airy, about as flitting, 
 not quite so purposeless. And thus in a way more sum 
 mery than summary, Mr. Linden and Faith arrived at the 
 *hore. He found a shady seat for her, and with no " by 
 
 (411) 
 
412 BAY AND SEAL. 
 
 your leave" except in manner, transferred her bonnet to an 
 airy situation on a wild thorn. 
 
 " Mignonette, do you know what I mean to do with you 
 after Thursday ?" 
 
 "No, Endecott." 
 
 " I shall put you before me on the wooden horse spoken 
 of in the fairy tale, turn the pin under his right ear, and 
 be off." 
 
 "What s that story!" said Faith, looking round at him 
 (he was standing behind her) with the prettiest of bright 
 flushed faces. 
 
 "An authentic account of how a prince carried off a 
 princess." 
 
 " How did he ?" 
 
 " Got her consent first (couldn t get anybody s else, but 
 that did not matter) ordered some one to bring the wooden 
 horse to the front of the palace, placed her and himself as 
 aforesaid, turned the pin, and disappeared from the curious 
 eyes of the-whole court. The story goes on to state that 
 they both enjoyed the ride." 
 
 " Was that what you meant when you asked me if I liked 
 travelling in cars ? " said Faith, a very little laugh speak 
 ing her sense of the application. 
 
 "Quick witted little princess!" said Mr. Linden. "The 
 horse that refuses to carry double for your service, shall be 
 dismissed from mine." 
 
 "But I don t see much, yet," said Faith. "I don t under 
 stand the story nor you. I think you have taken me a great 
 many rides on that horse." 
 
 "Not en princesse," said Mr. Linden smiling. "The 
 story is very simple, my dear. After shewing his wife 
 various places of interest, and letting his friends see her, 
 the prince arrives at home. It is said that he then finds 
 his fortune but I think that part of the story is fabulous, 
 so don t set your heart upon it." 
 
 "That s the story but what do you mean, Endy ?" 
 
 "To give you such a ride. I mean that I am the prince, 
 and that you (will be) the princess, who shall do all these 
 things." 
 
 Faith jumped up. " Do you !" 
 
 "Truly I do, dear Mignonette." 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 413 
 
 Faith s face was changing. The undoubted joy in her 
 eye had yet a check somewhere. 
 
 "But Endecott " 
 
 "Qu est ce qne c est, Mademoiselle?" 
 
 "You haven t a wooden horse!" she said with a 
 delicious and most delicate mixture of frankness and 
 timidity. 
 
 "Are you sure of the fact? and after all, Mademoiselle, 
 what then ?" 
 
 The same look almost answered him without words. "I 
 am not sure " she said. "I thought so." 
 
 "What is the point of the remark ?" 
 
 She hesitated between the two feelings. But frankness, 
 or duty, carried it. "Because, Endy if that were so, 
 I don t want to go !" 
 
 " How did your royal pride get turned about ? that you 
 will look at none but a wooden horse?" 
 
 She smiled at him, a little puzzled as of old, and not 
 choosing to venture any further. 
 
 "I suppose I know what you mean, my dear one," Mr 
 Linden said, taking both her hands in his, and smiling too; 
 "but as I do not intend to be John Gilpin, you need not b^ 
 his wife, not yet. Besides, the horse of whatever sort 
 will require less than you suppose ; and for the prince and 
 princess, they, 
 
 Being in the air, 
 Will not care 
 
 How they fare!" 
 
 Which words had an overcoming effect not only upon 
 Faith s nascent scruples, but upon Faith herself; and a 
 perfect series of little laughs of the most musical descrip 
 tion rolled along a very limited extent of the shore, kept 
 company by flushing colours as fair as the lights which were 
 just then playing in the clouds overhead. Mr. Linden, 
 holding her hands still, watched his princess with the most 
 perfect satisfaction. 
 
 "Is your mind at rest?" he said. "You know I threat 
 ened to keep you all to myself for six months though I m 
 afraid four will be as near as I can come to it." 
 
 "But where are you going, Endy?" 
 35* 
 
414 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 " That waits partly on your choice. In general, to hills, 
 cities, and rivers, the Falls, the White Mountains, Wash 
 ington, and the pictured rocks of Lake Superior. Then 
 to some shore where you can see real surf and to delight 
 the eyes of some of my old friends by the way. - 
 
 Faith s eye went gravely over to the sunny Long Island 
 shore, but her mind had made a perfect leap. The only 
 outward token of which was the unconsciously playing line 
 of her lips. Such a journey! with him! The breeze 
 from the White Mountains seemed to blow in her face 
 already, and the capital of the country rose before her in a 
 most luminous cloud-view. With Mr. Linden to guide 
 her and to tell her everything ! She did not see the eyes 
 that were watchiLg her, but when she suddenly noticed the 
 silence and turned towards Mr. Linden, the smile was on 
 his lips too. 
 
 "I thought I should go right to work," she said, 
 "to study to make up for lost time. Can t I do that 
 too ?" 
 
 "As much as you like ! But don t you know there is a 
 lost holiday to be made up, as well?" 
 
 " It is made up," she said gently, after a minute s hesi 
 tation. 
 
 "How that grieved me when I went away!" said Mr, 
 Linden, "to take from you what I might never be able to 
 replace. But sit down, dear child I want to consult you 
 about various things." 
 
 Faith sat down and looked like a grave child indeed. 
 Her journey for the present forgotten, and all her mind 
 bent on something more weighty and worthy. 
 
 "I told you I had three letters for you to read," said 
 Mr. Linden. "One reached me in Germany, two I found 
 waiting for me here. They are all about the same subject, 
 Mignonette: where you and I shall establish ourselves." 
 
 A flush- rose, but she looked steadily. 
 
 "You told me once," Mr. Linden went on, "that in such 
 a case I should choose the place where I was most needed 
 where there was most work for me to do. Now you 
 shall judge. The pastor of a large manufacturing town in 
 Pennsylvania (I may say of the town it is so in effect) has 
 accepted a call to Baltimore. I knew him formerly, and I 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 415 
 
 suppose it is through his influence that the people have 
 applied to me." Faith thought it very likely. 
 
 " How large is the town, Endy ?" 
 
 "Ten or fifteen thousand I do not know precisely." 
 
 "And no other churches ?" 
 
 "Yes, but this is so much the leading one that the others 
 hardly hold their ground ; and by the way, I think I would 
 rather have a call from one of them. Apparently the 
 churchgoers are in the minority." 
 
 Faith thought there must be work enough to do in that 
 place ; but she only listened more gravely. 
 
 "An old friend of my father s writes the second letter. 
 He lives at Newport, and has pleased himself with building 
 a new church in a part of the island not much adorned with 
 spires. Climate and society are good, scenery picturesque, 
 and he is quite sure if I will only bring Mrs. Linden ! to 
 his house, she will decide in favour of Newport at once." 
 
 Faith s eyes went down, and rouge of the richest and 
 frankest coloured her cheeks. 
 
 "Do you think she will?" said Mr. Linden demurely. 
 
 " What is the other, Endy? You said three." 
 
 " The other, love, is from those very White Mountains 
 you are going to see. Another friend writes the letter, 
 one who has built himself a nest there for summer migra 
 tions. It is a strange place, Faith, by all accounts I have 
 never been to that part of the mountains. A scattered 
 population, sprinkled about on the hills like their own dew 
 berries, and to be found in much the same manner. Neither 
 church nor chapel, but only an unused schoolhouse of 
 which Mr. Olyphant prays I will come and take possession. 
 Snow and frost, the valleys and the everlasting hills that 
 would be your society." 
 
 Faith s eyes were raised now and met Mr. Linden s. 
 Grave, as one who felt the weight of the question to be 
 settled ; but with a brow unshadowed, and eyes unfearing. 
 A child s look still ! 
 
 "Mr. Olyphant says there could not be better air for my 
 bird to sing in," he went on with a smile, "there was one 
 great objection to the place in Pennsylvania. How does 
 this seem to you, dear Faith ? it is rather on a spur of the 
 mountains not absolutely shut in. Then I am not sur 
 
416 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 how much society you would have but mine, what do you 
 think of it, in comparison with Newport ?" 
 
 She answered at first with a rare little smile, so happy in 
 its grave trust, and which withal a little significantly 
 deferred the question. 
 
 "I know you will go where you think you ought to go. 
 Endy I don t know about places." 
 
 "I doubt whether I shall grant more than half of Mr. 
 Alcott s request," said Mr. Linden. "I suppose if George 
 has not got home I may venture to grant that. Faith, it, 
 is a very singular fact that everybody falls in love with 
 you. " 
 
 To judge by Faith s blush, it was a somewhat painful 
 fact. "Whom are you talking of?" she said doubtfully. 
 
 "The present occasion of my remark is George Alcott 
 said to be absent on a crusade of search after a pair of eyes 
 he saw in Pattaquasset. " 
 
 "I don t know him," said Faith laughing a little; but 
 instantly recurring to business she asked very earnestly, 
 "Then, Endy, you think you will go to that place in the 
 mountains ? or haven t you made up your mind ?" 
 
 "I am inclined to that one, of the three I cannot say 
 my mind is absolutely made up. It has had so much else 
 to do since I came home 1 Faith, do you mean to have any 
 bridesmaids ?" 
 
 Faith jumped up off her rock. "Endy, I want to run 
 down and look at these little fish. And it s growing late, 
 besides !" 
 
 "Yes, but, you must answer me first," said Mr. Linden 
 laughing and holding her fast. "It is needful I should 
 know beforehand, because they will want supporters, if I 
 do not." 
 
 "I don t want any, Endy," said Faith with cheeks like 
 two pink roses, but standing very still now. 
 
 " Then come and shew me the fish. Don t you think it 
 would be gladsome work to seek out those untaught and 
 uncared for people up in the mountains ?" 
 
 They had come down to the rocks between and among 
 which at. low tide the shell fish played in an inch or two of 
 water ; and sitting on one of the mossy stones Faith was 
 watching the mimic play of evil passions which was going 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 417 
 
 on among that tribe of Mollusca below her ; but her mind 
 was on something else. 
 
 "I read the other day," she said, "those words of Paul, 
 where he says to the Thessalonians we were allowed of God 
 to be put in trust with the gospel*. They made me very 
 happy they make me happy now. What I thought of in 
 connexion with them, I mean." 
 
 "And what was that ?" 
 
 "That they are your words too," she said after looking 
 up as if she thought her meaning must be known. "And 
 that even I have something to do," she added lower. 
 
 Mr. Linden stood by her, looking off at the rippling 
 waves, then down at his fair little helper. "Yes, Faith 
 it is a glorious thing to have any part of that work in 
 trust, and the part which makes least show may be no less 
 in reality. In trust !" he repeated, looking off again. 
 "Such beautiful words ! such terrible." 
 
 "No !" she said with a smile, "I don t think so." 
 
 "Nor I, dear, from your point of view. But in the 
 world, Faith, where you have been so little, I have seen the 
 words of the trust to be boundless the faithfulness of the 
 trustees within very narrow limits. And to be always 
 ready to sow beside all waters who is ? Freely ye have 
 received, freely give , .is the command but what Christian 
 sees with half perception what he has received !" 
 
 Faith paused and looked thoughtful, and then smiled 
 again. " I always think of the words you read to me one 
 day, Only be thou strong and very courageous, for the 
 Lord, thy God is with thee, whithersoever thou goest ." 
 
 The answering look told that if Mr. Linden s words had 
 not been said for the purpose of drawing her out, they had 
 at least served that purpose. 
 
 "You are a dear little Sunbeam !" he said. "Acting out 
 your name, as I told you long ago. There is nothing 
 needful to get you ready for the White Mountains but a fur 
 cloak. Now come it is growing late, as you say." 
 
 It was a late tea-time when they got home. They sat 
 down to tea and Faith had not told her mother yet ! which 
 she remembered with a somewhat uneasy mind. There was 
 nothing uneasy about the third member of the family ! the 
 poise and balance of the white strawberries upon each 
 
418 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 other was not more complete than the resting adjustment 
 of all his thoughts. 
 
 "Mrs. Derrick," he said as she handed him his cup of 
 tea, " what do you consider the prettiest time of day ?" 
 
 "The prettiest time of day?" Mrs. Derrick repeated, 
 "do you mean when the day looks best or the people? 
 I m sure I don t know, Mr. Linden, I never watch any 
 body from morning to night but Faith." 
 
 "I am talking of Faith or what concerns her." 
 
 "O well all times of day are alike to her," said her 
 mother fondly, "she s just as pretty one time as another, 
 and one day as another. Only the days when she used 
 to get letters." 
 
 "Mignonette," said Mr. Linden, "when should I have 
 heard such a piece of news from you ?" 
 
 "I never knew it before," said Faith. 
 
 " How many hours does she need for a morning toilette ?" 
 said he, pursuing his researches. 
 
 "Hours!" said Mrs. Derrick "you d better say minutes. 
 It s less than an hour, commonly." 
 
 "But I mean uncommonly." 
 
 Mrs. Derrick looked thoroughly puzzled. But Faith 
 had got the key, and hopeless of stopping Mr. Linden shp 
 thought the next best thing was to expedite matters. 
 
 "When I take longest, mother," she suggested in alow 
 voice. 
 
 "-How long would she need to arrange orange flowers to 
 ner satisfaction " said Mr. Linden, " or white muslin ?" 
 
 " ! " said Mrs. Derrick setting down the teapot with 
 her cup half filled. "I didn t know what you were talking 
 about." 
 
 "I am talking about next Thursday," said Mr. Linden, 
 with a gay gentleness of manner. "Because we have de 
 cided or I have that Thursday is to be the prettiest day 
 of the week, and now we want to choose the prettiest time 
 of day." 
 
 A little flush came into Mrs. Derrick s quiet face, sLe 
 gaid not a word. 
 
 "You are willing it should be then?" Mr. Linden said. 
 
 The mother s "yes" was very firm and clear, and yet 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 419 
 
 not in just her usual tone. That came back a minute after 
 with the relief which a thought of business always brings. 
 
 "That dress isn t made!" she said. Mr. Linden s 
 " Faith ! " was expressive. 
 
 " I knew that it could be done in a day at any time, 
 Endecott," said Faith, very grave and flushed. "It is 
 up stairs in my drawer, mother." 
 
 "Kept there by what piece of superstition?" he said 
 smiling. "Did you think if you made it up that I would 
 never come back ?" 
 
CHAPTER XXXYII. 
 
 T? RID AY passed all too swiftly. Not in much work, so 
 Jj far as Faith was concerned unless so far as Mr. Lin 
 den gave her work. Apparently she had been out of his 
 sight long enough he was not in the mood to let her be 
 so any more. Saturday followed close in Friday s steps 
 until after dinner, then came a move. For Pet and Reu 
 ben were to come in the afternoon train ; and Mr. Linden 
 going with Jerry to the station to meet them, summoned 
 Faith to give "her sweet company." 
 
 So far as the station, Faith gave it ; but there she drew 
 back into the furthest corner of the wagon, and waited, 
 while Mr. Linden walked up and down between the wagon 
 and the front platform. Waited, and watched, furtively, 
 everything ; him and the people that spoke to him ; with 
 those strange eyes that saw everything new. Then came 
 the whistle ! the rush and roar of the train the moment s 
 lull ; and then Faith saw the three she looked for coming 
 towards her. Reuben a little in advance with Miss Linden s 
 travelling bag, she with one hand on her brother s shoulder 
 and he r eyes on his face, coming rather slowly after, talk 
 ing, asking questions, some of which Faith could almost 
 guess from the look and smile with which they were an 
 swered. It was a pretty picture ; she felt as if she knew 
 them both better for seeing it. Before they had quite 
 reached the wagon, Pet received an answer which made her 
 quit Mr. Linden with a little spring and leave him to follow 
 with Reuben. And Faith had opened the wagon door. 
 
 "Faith! you dear child!" said Miss Linden, "what have 
 you been doing with yourself or what has anybody done 
 with you, to stow you away here like a forgotten parcel?" 
 She had entered the wagon no further than to rest one 
 knee there holding both Faith s hands and looking at her 
 with full, bright, loving eyes. "How came Endecott to 
 leave you here, alone ?" 
 
 " Two people must be alone if they are not together," 
 said Mr. Linden. "Pet, shall I put you in or out?" 
 (420) 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 421 
 
 She laughed, jumping into the wagon then and twining 
 one arm about Faith s waist, much like a spray of wood 
 bine. 
 
 "What do you think I have asked him?" she whispered, 
 "and what do you think he has told me ?" 
 
 "I don t know," said Faith; "but I guess." 
 
 A significant clasp of the woodbine answered that then 
 the hand rested in a quiet embrace. 
 
 "How well he looks!" she said, her eyes taking glad 
 note of one figure on the seat before them. " Faith, how 
 are you ?" 
 
 "I am well." Nothing could be quieter in its kind. 
 "Did he tell you what he is going to do to-morrow, Pet?" 
 
 "No " she said looking her quick inquiry. Faith s 
 face might have told her before she spoke ; such a joy sat 
 gravely on her brow and in the depth of her eyes. 
 
 "If you go to church to-morrow, you will know." 
 
 A sudden flush, both of cheeks and eyes, bore witness to 
 the interest of this news. The look met Faith s for a mo 
 ment then rested on Mr. Linden, and then with that little 
 tide of feeling deepening its sweet flow, the eyes fell, the 
 unbent lips wavered and trembled. Faith ventured only a 
 silent act of free- masonry ; a fast clasp of her fingers round 
 Miss Linden s hand that rested on her waist; but maybe 
 never yet in their short friendship had they felt their hearts 
 beat so close together. With one, there was perhaps some 
 old recollection or association some memory of the time 
 when such a day had been first talked of, that made self- 
 command a hard matter; for though the lips presently grew 
 still, and the eyes quiet, the gravity that remained was easily 
 stirred, and the voice spoke doubtfully. 
 
 There was more discussion of various things that evening 
 than Faith cared for, but it could not be helped. Sunday 
 brought a lull of discussions. But the gravity which sat 
 on Faith s face that morning was not the less but the 
 more. If a guardian angel had shewn himself bodily, his 
 face might have worn such a pure distance from low and 
 trifling things and like kindred with the blue sky and the 
 truth it emblematizes. That day was the first of her new 
 life to Faith. Not such to Mr. Linden ; but it was the 
 first of her seeing him publicly take the office to which his 
 
422 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 life was to be given, and in which hers was to be by his 
 side. She was a very grave "sunbeam" when she set out 
 to walk to church and as clear ! 
 
 There were sunbeams in plenty of the literal kind abroad ; 
 it was a perfect day ; and everybody was glad of that, though 
 some people remarked it would have made no difference if 
 it had rained cannon-balls. Never did Pattaquasset see 
 such a coming to church! never in the remembrance of 
 Mr. Somers. They came from all over; the country was 
 gleaned; and many a fire was raked up on the hearthstone 
 that day which most Sundays got leave to burn and some 
 body to watch it. The fishermen came from Quapaw, and 
 the labourers from the farms all over the country; those 
 who did riot directly know Mr. Linden, knew of him ; and 
 knew such things of him that they would not have missed 
 this opportunity of hearing him speak, for a week s wages. 
 The fathers and mothers of the boys he had taught, they 
 knew him ; and they came in mass, with all their uncles, 
 aunts and cousins to the remotest degree, provided they 
 were not geographically too remote. The upper society 
 of Pattaquasset lost not a man nor a woman ; they were 
 all there, some with great love, others with great curiosity. 
 The Stoutenburghs had plumed themselves. Mr. Simlins 
 was as upright as his new beaver. Miss Essie De Staff 
 with magnified black eyes ; Judge Harrison with benevo 
 lent anticipation. Mr. Stephens the fisherman had driven 
 his little lame child down to the Pattaquasset church, "for 
 once;" Jonathan Ling was there with his wife, having left 
 the eldest child to keep house, and both being in great 
 smartness and expectation. Jonathan Fax was there and 
 his new wife ; the one with a very grave head, the other 
 with a very light one, and faces accordingly. Mrs. Derrick 
 and Pet had long ago been quietly seated ; when through 
 that full house, after* her Sunday school duties were over, 
 Faith came in. Her colour was very bright, and she trem 
 bled ; but it was not because many saw in her an object of 
 curiosity; though Faith remembered it, at that minute she 
 did not care. She felt the stillness of expectation that 
 filled the house, with which the little murmur of sound now 
 and then chimed so well; the patter of childish feet that 
 followed her up the aisle spoke so keenly to her wrought 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 423 
 
 ip feeling of the other one of her class, who used to follow 
 him with such delight, that Faith felt as if the happy little 
 spirit long since received in at the golden gates, was evep 
 th&re in the church, to hear once more his beloved teacher. 
 Who else ? what other angel wings stirred in the soft 
 breeze that -floated through from door to door? what 
 other unseen, immortal senses waited on those dear mortal 
 lips ? Faith s step grew lighter, her breath more hushed ; 
 eyes might look at her she looked not at them. 
 
 And eyes did look, from all sorts of motives ; perhaps in 
 the whole church there was not a person who did not try 
 to see her, except the one who next to herself was the most 
 interested Pet never moved. Her head was bent, her 
 hand half supporting half concealing in its position, like any 
 statue she sat there, nor even stirred when the stir of every 
 one else told who had come in. If she held her breath to 
 bear every one of her brother s steps as he passed by, she 
 did not look at him ; did not raise her head till his first 
 prayer was ended ; then her rapt gaze was as unwavering. 
 
 The service which followed could not be measured by the 
 ordinary line and rule of pulpit eloquence , and power, 
 could not be described by most of the words which buzz 
 down the aisles after a popular sermon. There was not 
 the "newness of hand" of a young preacher for almost 
 from boyhood Mr. Linden had been about his Master s 
 work. To him it was as simple a thing to deliver his mes 
 sage to many as to one, many, many of those before him 
 had known his private ministrations, and not a few had 
 through them first known the truth; and now to all these 
 assembled faces he was just what each had seen him aldne; 
 as humble, as earnest, as affectionate, as simply speaking 
 not his own words, for "Who hath made man s mouth 
 have not I, the Lord ?" No one who heard the ambassador 
 that day, doubted from what court he had received his cre 
 dentials. " In trust with the gospel !" Yes, it was that ; but 
 that with a warm love for the truth and the people that 
 almost outran the trust. As the traveller in the fountain 
 shade of the desert calls to the caravan thaf passes by 
 through the sand, as one of the twelve of old, when 
 Christ "blessed and brake and gave to his disciples, and 
 
 41* 
 
424 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 the disciples to the multitude"; so did he speak from the 
 words 
 
 "Eat, friends! drink, yea drink abundantly, be 
 loved !" 
 
 There were some there who would never forget that day 
 There were many to whom it seemed, that not the warm 
 summer breeze that floated in was gentler or sweeter than 
 the feeling that filled the place. The little lame girl, and 
 her older and rougher father and mother, listened alike to 
 their dear friend with moveless eyes; and drank such a 
 draught of those sweet waters as it was long, long since 
 either of them had tasted in a church. It was a white day 
 for all the fishing population; and nothing would have 
 kept them from coming in the afternoon. Miss Essie s 
 black eyes lost all their fire. Farmer Simlins, unknown to 
 himself, sat and smiled. And the one who listened most 
 tenderly and joyfully, listened indeed quietly to the last 
 word, or till her face had leave to bow itself from sight ; 
 quietly then no longer, only that such tears come from no 
 broken-up fountains of unrest. They came freely, as Faith 
 recalled and applied the whole of her quoted sentence of 
 Paul to the Thessalonians 
 
 "For as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with 
 the gospel, SQ WE SPEAK." 
 
 She was very quiet when the benediction was spoken, but 
 she drew her veil closely as they left the church. 
 
 It was a lingering getting out, even for them, because 
 others would linger. Some turned to look, some stopped 
 to speak ; and if Mr. Linden had had twenty hands they 
 would all have found employment. Part of this the two 
 veiled figures saw as they made their way to the door, and 
 there Miss Linden paused and looked back. The broad 
 stream of sunlight that lay across the church, the shadowy 
 background figures, in that very spot of light, Mr. Lin 
 den, made a never-to-be-forgotten picture. Reuben Tay 
 lor stood close behind him, a step back, looking down ; little 
 Ency Stephens perched up on the pew cushions had one 
 hand; Robbie Waters far down below the other. Phil 
 Davids and his father, Squire Stoutenburgh, and some of 
 the Quapaw fishermen made up the group. Pet gave one 
 look, and then she went swiftly down the steps and on. 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 425 
 
 Slowly the people scattered away, up and down the road ; 
 not with the brisk steps and busy voices that give token the 
 church service has but interrupted not suspended the 
 current of everyday thought and behaviour. It was a fair 
 picture of a Sunday in a New England village ; the abso 
 lute repose of nature copied and followed by hands that 
 other days let nothing stand still. Before Faith and Pet 
 got home the road was almost empty. Mr. Linden had 
 overtaken them, but all his greeting was to put Faith s 
 hand on his arm then he walked as silent as they. It was 
 a little thing, and yet it touched the very feeling she had 
 had all day the beginning of her new way of life, with 
 him. 
 
 The afternoon was like the morning. Not a creature 
 was missing of all who from far and near had filled the 
 house in the former part of the day! and doubtless it was 
 well that Mr. Somers could not hear the spoken and un 
 spoken wishes that would have unseated him and caused 
 him to relinquish for ever his charge in Pattaquasset. 
 
 The afternoon air was enticing, the afternoon walk home 
 very lingering; then standing in the hall to look and taste 
 it still, the sweet peace of everything seemed to enter every 
 heart. Even Pet, who all day had been unheard and almost 
 unseen, stood with clasped hands looking out ; and only the 
 heavy eyes spoke of the oppression that had been. But as 
 she looked the tears came back again, and then she turned 
 to Mr. Linden wrapping her arms round his neck. 
 
 " Endy, Endy ! do you remember the first time we talked 
 of this day ?" 
 
 Mr. Linden gave back her caresses without a word, but 
 with a look of pain that Faith had rarely seen on his face. 
 It was some minutes before he spoke. "Dear Pet she 
 knows it now!" 
 
 Miss Linden looked up then, mastering her tears, and 
 with a broken "Forgive me, Endy " she kissed him and 
 went away up stairs. But Mr. Linden did not look out 
 any more. He went into the sitting-room, and resting his 
 face on his hand sat there alone and still, until Faith came 
 to call him to tea. 
 
 36* 
 
CHAPTER XXXVIII. 
 
 ** 1VTOW my two pets," said Mr. Linden as they left the 
 
 1.M tabje Monday morning, "what are you going 
 to do ?" 
 
 "I am going to work," said his sister. " Mrs. Derrick and 
 I have business on hand. You can have Faith." 
 
 "There is an impression of that sort on my own mind." 
 
 "But I mean to-day. Except for about five minutes 
 every half hour." 
 
 "It would be needless for me to say what I am going to 
 do," observed Faith quietly. 
 
 "If that is a little piece of self assertion," said Mr. Lin 
 den, "allow me respectfully to remark that my impression 
 had no reference to the present time. Do you feel molli 
 fied?" 
 
 "No," said Faith laughing. "You are wide of the 
 mark." 
 
 " Then will you please to state your intentions ? So far 
 from being needless, it will be what Mr. Somers would call 
 gratifying. " 
 
 "I don t know," said Faith merrily. "I understand that 
 if I tell you, you will say I have no time*for them !" 
 
 " For them ! enigmatical. Who told you what I would 
 say ? Ask me." But Faith laughed. 
 
 "I am going to make Pet and you some waffles for tea." 
 
 "Do they require more time than shortcakes?" 
 
 Faith stood before him quietly as if she had a great deal 
 to say. "I am going to make bread, for mother and all 
 of us." 
 
 "What else?" 
 
 "Sponge cake, I think." 
 
 "And after that ?" 
 
 "Crust for pot-pie." 
 "De plus?" 
 
 "Curds," said Faith, looking down now. 
 
 (426) 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 427 
 
 " Pourquoi, Mademoiselle ?" 
 
 "To eat," said Faith demurely. "You like them." 
 
 "Mademoiselle, I prefer you." 
 
 "Each in its way," replied Faith admirably well, but 
 with a glance, nevertheless. 
 
 " There is only one in my way," said Mr. Linden. " WelJ 
 does that complete the circuit? I suppose nothing need gc 
 between cheese and bread but waffles ?" 
 
 "I shall wish and I suppose you would wish that I 
 should, look over strawberries." 
 
 "Where do you commonly do all these things?" 
 
 "The sponge cake and the strawberries in the other 
 room other things in the kitchen." 
 
 " We may as well begin as we are to go on 1" said Mr. 
 Linden. "If you will not come and keep me company 
 I must do that for you. Faith, I think Miss Essie s state 
 ment of facts was much like the artistic representation 
 of lions and men, in the fable !" 
 
 Faith did not at all dislike this compounding of matters; 
 and so the strawberries were looked over, and the sponge 
 cake beaten in the dining-room; with various social enliven- 
 ings. For besides Mr. Linden s calls upon her attention, 
 and the subjects by him presented to be looked over along 
 with the strawberries, Faith made now and then a run into 
 the kitchen to see Mrs. Derrick or Cindy there ; and if the 
 runs up stairs were less frequent, they took more time. For 
 Miss Bezac had arrived, and she and Miss Linden were 
 deep in the white folds of Faith s muslin dress. There too 
 was Mrs. Derrick, for the touch and the making of that 
 dress stirred her very heart. Faith was often in demand, 
 not to use her needle, but her taste or to be fitted, or tried 
 on, as Miss Bezac said. 
 
 Coming back from one of these "trying" visits to the 
 three workers, Faith found Mr. Linden by the sitting-room 
 table ; before him a package, in his hands a letter. 
 
 "Faith," he said, "come and look at this." Faith ran in 
 from the strawberries. 
 
 "Rosy fingers are not needed," said Mr. Linden, "but as 
 eyes are first called for they may pass. Sit down here by 
 me, Mignonette, and take off this wrapping paper." 
 
 Which very curiously and amusedly, and now with a little 
 
428 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 suspicious tinge in her cheeks, Faith did ; remarking that 
 she could not help her fingers being rosy. 
 
 Keep the roses to their chosen location," said Mr. Lin 
 den gravely, as the first paper parted right and left and 
 shewed a second, which bore this inscription. "For Mrs. 
 Endecott Linden with the warmest regards and respects 
 of W. and L. Olyphant." Faith suddenly jumped up, pushed 
 back her chair and whisked back to the strawberries, where 
 she was found diligently putting the hulls into a dish by 
 themselves. 
 
 "Mignonette, your fingers will be more rosy than ever." 
 Mr. Linden spoke from the doorway where he stood watch - 
 mg her. Then coming forward he laid a key on the table. 
 "That belongs to you." 
 
 " Wouldn t you be so good as to take care of it ? You 
 see I am busy." 
 
 "No my dear, I will not be so good. You shall have 
 that pleasure as a reward for running away. Would you 
 like to hear this letter ?" 
 
 "If you please "Faith said with a little hesitation. 
 
 " You shall read it to yourself if you like better " but 
 he read it to her, after all. It was a pretty letter, shewing 
 so well Mr. Linden s place in the writer s affection thai 
 Faith could not but enjoy it. Neither could she dislike the 
 messages to herself though they did cost her a few roses. 
 As to the contents of the package the letter gave no hint. 
 
 " What is that the key of, Endy ?" she said, glancing up 
 after the letter was finished. 
 
 "I don t know!" Faith went on with her strawberries. 
 
 Through the open hall door came little uneven steps, 
 tracking on through other open doors even to the dining- 
 room, there the steps and Charles twelfth came to a pause. 
 
 " Ma said," he began, then fixed his eyes and mind on 
 Mr. Linden with a concentration that was marvellous. The 
 general attire and appearance of the little potentate were 
 as usual, but both hands were in use to support a heavy 
 mass of red coral, hugged up to his blue apron in the most 
 affectionate manner. With a sigh of relief Charles twelfth 
 withdrew his attention. from Mr. Linden long enough to set 
 the coral on the floor, then gazed anew, with his hands 
 behind him. 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 429 
 
 " Charley !" said Faith laughing, " what are you doing ! 
 and what have you done ?" 
 
 "Ma said " began the child, stopping short as before. 
 
 "Charles twelfth," said Mr. Linden holding out his hand 
 "do you never use anything but your eyes ? Come here and 
 speak to me. Who is prime minister now ?" 
 
 "You," was the very prompt reply. "Ma said so yes 
 terday." 
 
 The laugh in Mr. Linden s eyes as he looked at Faith, 
 was a thing to see. "Faith," he said, "the conversation 
 is in your hands !" 
 
 Faith was in doubtful readiness to speak. " Charley I" 
 she said as soon as she could, "come here. Was that all 
 your ma said ?" 
 
 " No," said the boy, "she said a heap more." 
 
 "Well what did you come here for to-day?" 
 
 "I came to fetch that " said Charles twelfth with 
 another sigh. 
 
 "Poor child I What did you bring it for, Charley?" 
 
 "Why for you," said Charley. " Ma said she didn t know 
 when it oughter come and she guessed you d like it, 
 cause it used to live off in the place where you said they 
 eat up babies and people !" and Charles twelfth s eyes grew 
 large and round with the announcement. "And ma said 
 she s sorry twarnt more. I aint." 
 
 Faith s eyes went to Mr. Linden with a flash and a burst of 
 the uncontrollable little laugh ; but after that they were sus 
 piciously downcast, and Faith busied herself in providing 
 little Charles twelfth with the refreshment of a good saucer 
 of sugared strawberries, with which he sat down in a cor 
 ner much consoled. And when he was setting off again, 
 Faith gave him a whispered message to ask his mother to 
 come and see her Thursday. Just what Mr. Linden saw 
 in the piece of red coral he did not declare, but when 
 Faith came back to the table he was looking at it very 
 fixedly. 
 
 "Faith," he said, that is not the worst token, nor the 
 worst envoy that might be. What a shy child you were 
 that first time I took you down there ! And you have not 
 changed any too much," he added, carrying her off to the 
 
430 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 other room. " I am not sure that you ought to be indulged 
 suppose you open this box." 
 
 "You do it, please, Endecott !" she said with a crimson 
 rush to her cheeks. 
 
 "I do not believe there is any explosive material under 
 such an address, however, if there is I prefer that my 
 hands should fire the train. Stand back, Faith I" and with 
 cautious and laughing deliberation the key was turned and 
 the lid raised. It was a very plain lid, by the way mere 
 white pine. 
 
 " There is nothing here (that appears) but silk paper and 
 cotton, not gun cotton, probably," said Mr. Linden. 
 "Faith, do you wish me to risk my safety any further?" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "My dear, you must have more courage. If I am to 
 open all your boxes I shall have my hands full, and ne 
 vous en deplaise I would rather see the work in yours." 
 And she was seated before the portentous pine box, Mr. 
 Linden keeping his stand at her side. Faith blushed and 
 didn t like it; but applied her fingers with a sort of fear 
 ful delicacy to the silk paper and cotton, removing one after 
 the other. 
 
 The box had interior divisions, by way of help to the 
 silk paper, its different contents being thus more securely 
 separated. Faith s fingers exploring among the papers 
 brought out first a silver chocolate pot, then the dainty 
 china cups for the same, then the spoons, in size and shape 
 just suiting the cups. Spoons and chocolatiere were marked 
 with the right initials; the cups chocolate colour them 
 selves, that no drop of the dark beverage might hurt their 
 beauty had each a delicate gilt F. L. twining about the 
 handle. 
 
 If the givers could have seen the gift uncovered and in 
 spected ! the rosy delight in Faith s cheeks, the pleasure 
 in her eye ! They would have considered themselves re 
 warded. She looked and bent over the pretty things, her 
 attitude and blush half veiling her admiration and satisfac 
 tion, but there was no veiling them when she looked up at 
 Mr. Linden. " I am so glad you like chocolate I" she said 
 naively. But it was worth a hundred remarks of aesthetic 
 criticism. 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 431 
 
 "I am so glad I do!" he said, stooping to kiss her. 
 "Faith, one would almost imagine some bird of the air had 
 told them our chocolate associations." 
 
 "Now won t you put these back for me ?" said Faith, 
 "because, if that sponge cake is to get done to-day I 
 haven t two minutes to lose !" 
 
 The pretty chocolatiere was but the beginning, as Faith 
 soon found. Found to her most utter and unbounded 
 astonishment though to that of no one else. 
 
 Tuesday arrived a packet from Madame Danforth, accom 
 panied by a note of affection and congratulation. The 
 present was peculiar. A satin sachet, embroidered after 
 the little Frenchwoman s desire, and to do it justice very 
 exquisitely scented, was the first thing. A set of window 
 curtains and toilet cover, of a curious and elaborate pattern 
 of netting, made of very fine thread, a manufacture in 
 which Madame Danforth delighted and on which she prided 
 herself, was the second thing. The third was a pretty 
 breakfast service of French china. 
 
 Faith enjoyed them all, with some amusement and some 
 pleasure of possession, and not a little affectionate remem 
 brance. Even the sachet, in this view, was particularly pre 
 cious ; that was the only use Faith saw in it. But the next 
 arrival gave her a great start. 
 
 It was again this time a deal box, but immensely heavy ; 
 and it was a strong box that Faith did not attempt to open ; 
 marked only Grover & Baker , which told her nothing 
 There was no occasion indeed. A note was delivered with 
 the box, and a small covered basket. The note conveyed 
 the assurance of Sophy Harrison s 4ove and a request that 
 Faith would let her shew it on the present occasion. It, 
 went on. 
 
 "Papa has sent you, dear Faith, an odd thing for a pre 
 sent for such a present but I haven t been able to put it 
 out of his head. He insists it is what you ought to have, 
 and that he shall have the pleasure of giving it to you 
 To save you the trouble of opening the box before you 
 want it, I will state that it contains a sewing machine. 
 Papa has taken great pains to satisfy himself and it 
 is certainly the best or one of the best. My offering, 
 
432 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 dear Faith, is in the basket, and may be looked at with less 
 difficulty." 
 
 Miss Sophy s offering was a kindly one. She had sent a 
 little invoice of silver spoons and forks. Faith was 
 pleased; and yet she looked grave, and very grave, over 
 these things. She made no remark whatever to say 
 why. 
 
 If no one else knew there was to be a wedding, at least 
 the express man did! and probably in his mind joined 
 these new packages with those he had so often brought 
 before, very comfortably. The next arrival was a delicate 
 pair of silver salt-cellars and spoons from Mr. Alcott, then 
 a little framed sketch from the Captain of the Vulcan, por 
 traying the meeting of two steamers at sea, with these words 
 underneath The despatch post . At which Mr. Linden 
 looked with much amusement. Faith was delighted. 
 
 First on Wednesday morning came Miss Bezac, bring 
 ing the well assorted tokens of an elaborate needlebook 
 and a simple bread trencher and knife ; and staying only 
 long enough to say, "You see, Faith, what made me think 
 of this, was that the first time I heard of that, was when 
 you came in for bread and milk. And now you ll have to 
 think of me, whether you sew or eat!" with which tri 
 umphant sentiment Miss Bezac departed. 
 
 They say ill news flies fast, in this case so did the good : 
 certainly people are quick to hear and understand what 
 pleases them. The friends who had heard from Pet or 
 Mrs. Iredell what was to be, had spread the information : 
 and in the same" sort of way, from two or three old family 
 dependants another class of Mr. Linden s friends had heard 
 it. Perhaps among all her presents the little tokens from 
 these people touched her most. They came queerly done 
 up and directed, sometimes the more formal Mrs. Linden 
 changed into an ill-spelled For Mr. Endecotfs wife or 
 For the, young lady, in care of Mr. Linden 1 . She knew 
 the names thereto appended as little as they knew hers, 
 could only guess the vocations, the tokens were various. 
 A pair of elaborately carved brackets, a delicate rustic 
 footstool, trimmed with acorns and cones, a wooden screw 
 pincushion, with a flaming red velvet top, a case of 
 scissors, pretty enough to have come from anybody, declared 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 433 
 
 the trade of the sender by the black finger marks on the 
 brown wrapper, and a most mysteriously compiled address. 
 One of the old sailors who had crossed with Mr. Linden, 
 long ago, sent by Pet s hands a stuffed tropical bird of gor 
 geous colours ; a woman who had once been upper servant 
 in his mother s house, sent by the same messenger a white 
 toilet cushion, made exactly after one that had belonged to 
 her mistress and which she had been allowed to keep. It 
 was worth while to see Mr. Linden examine these things, 
 every name was familiar to him, every one called up some 
 story or recollection. Alternating with these, came richer 
 presents, books and vases and silver ; then from the poor 
 people in and about Pattaquasset, a couple of corn husk 
 mats, a nest of osier baskets. The children brought wild 
 flowers and wild strawberries, the fishermen brought fish, 
 till Mrs. Derrick said, " Child, we might as well begin to 
 lay down for winter!" 
 
 Ency Stephens, having got Reuben to bring her two fine 
 long razor shells, had transformed them into a pincushion. 
 Tlis she sent, with a kiss, by Mr. Linden. 
 
 "I half promised her that she might come before the rest 
 of the world to-morrow, Faith," he said. "She never saw 
 any one married, and has the greatest desire to see you 
 and I said if you were willing, Reuben should bring her 
 here at one o clock." . Faith was just then exploring the 
 contents of a new package or rather two : one of as many 
 spools of white thread as she had scholars in her little 
 class, (presented by Robbie Waters) the other a wee far- 
 sent carved box of curled maple. She looked up with 
 wet eyes. 
 
 "Oh let her come, Endecott I should like to have her 
 here." 
 
 Faith had been living in a strange atmosphere this week. 
 The first presents that came simply pleased and amused her 
 to a great degree; Judge Harrison s and his daughter s she 
 saw with a strong admixture of painful feeling. But as 
 tokens from rich and poor began to throng in not of re 
 spect for her wedding-day so much as of respect and love 
 Tor Mr. Linden, Faith s mood grew very tender and 
 touched. Never perhaps, since the world stood, did any 
 body receive wedding presents from friends known and un- 
 
 VOL. ii. 37 
 
434 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 known with a more gentle and humble heart-return to the 
 senders. There was no least thing of them all that Faith 
 did not dearly value; it told her of something so much 
 better than the gifts, and it signified of a link that bound 
 her with that. How beautiful to her eyes the meanest of 
 all those trifles did seem ! and for the rest, she was as 
 quick to be delighted with what was really beautiful and 
 glad of what would be really useful, as any sensible child 
 could have been. So the amusement with which the week 
 began changed into a grave, loving, and somewhat timid 
 appreciation of each new arrival. 
 
 Meanwhile, on Faith s table stood a little silver saucepan 
 sent by Mrs. Somers with the sage remark that she would 
 want it for others if not for herself; and near by, a beauti 
 ful butter cup and knife from Mrs. Stoutenburgh. With the 
 butter cup trotted down a little mountain pony, with the 
 daintiest saddle and bridle that the Squire could find for 
 money. 
 
 Miss Linden s love had chosen for itself sundry channels ; 
 from the silver knives of all sorts which made their 
 appearance now, to various comforts, great and small, 
 which were to await her brother and sister in their new 
 home. In those Mrs. Iredell too had a share ; her present 
 token was a silver tea-service, whereon the chacing devel 
 oped itself in sprays of mignonette. A mark of attention 
 which Mr. Linden at least appreciated. 
 
CHAPTER XXXIX. 
 
 IT was very early indeed in the still sweet morning ot 
 Thursday, when Faith threw open the windows and 
 blinds of the sitting-room. Xo one was abroad, and not 
 even a wind moving. The leaves of the trees hung mo 
 tionless; except where a bird stirred them; the dawn was 
 growing slowly into day ; sweet odours called forth by the 
 dew, floated up to the windows, and the twitter and song 
 of the birds floated in. The freshness and stillness and 
 calmness of all the earth was most sweet. Faith could not 
 read ; she knelt upon a low cushion at the open window 
 and leaned her arms upon the sill to look out, and breathe, 
 and think and pray. The morning was not unlike her. 
 She was as fresh, and as grave, and as still; and there was 
 a little flutter now and then too in her heart, that went with 
 nothing worse than the song of the birds, though it stirred 
 something more than the leaves of the branches. So Mr. 
 Linden found her. 
 
 So she met them all at breakfast ; with the same unready 
 eyes and lips that Mr. Linden had seen before. It was 
 odd how Faith seemed to have put off the full realization 
 of Thursday till Thursday came. After breakfast she wag 
 making her escape, but was detained before she reached the 
 staircase. What it was that Mr. Linden fastened in her 
 dress, Faith could not have told ; neither dd his words tell 
 her. 
 
 "You must not think me extravagant, Mignonette, 
 these are some old gems of mine which I want you to wear 
 in this form." He gave her one grave kiss and let her go. 
 Faith sped up stairs; and with a fluttering heart went to 
 see what Mr. Linden had done. Yes, they were gems, 
 clear, steadfast, as the eternal truth which they signified, 
 the blue sapphires shone upon Faith s white dress. 
 
 Faith was alone ; and she sat before the glass an odd 
 long while, studying the brooch where Mr. Linden had 
 placed it. Her head upon her hand, and with much the 
 
 (435) 
 
<36 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 same sort </ face with which she used long ago to study 
 Pet s letters, or some lesson that Pet s brother had set her. 
 From the sapphires Faith turned to her Bible. She was 
 not or would not be interrupted, till it was time to attend 
 to business. 
 
 The first business was presented for her attention by Miss 
 Linden, who came in, basket in hand. There was no need 
 to ask what it was, such a breath of orange flowers and 
 roses filled the room. She found Faith ready ; her hair 
 dressed as it always was; her mind too, to judge by appear 
 ances. Only Faith was a little more quiet than usual. 
 With the very quietness of love and sympathy Pet did her 
 part; with the swiftest fingers, the most noiseless steps. 
 Silent as Mrs. Derrick or Faith herself, only a sparkle of 
 the eyes, a pretty flush on the cheeks, said that she viewed 
 the matter from a greater distance. And yet hardly that, 
 so far as one of the parties was concerned. Never putting 
 her hand forward where Mrs. Derrick s liked to be, it was 
 most efficient in other places. Both used their skill to put 
 the soft muslin safely over Faith s smooth hair, but then 
 Mrs. Derrick was left to fasten and adjust it Pet applied 
 herself to adjusting the flowers. How dainty they were ! 
 those tiny bunches ! sprays of mrytle and orange flowers, or 
 a white rosebud and a more trailing stem of ivy geranium ; 
 the breast-knot just touched with purple heliotrope and 
 one blush rose. Kneeling at her feet to put on the roset- 
 ted slippers, Pet looked up at her new sister with all her 
 heart in her eyes. And Faith looked down at her like 
 a child. 
 
 She had been dressed in Pet s room her own as being 
 larger and more commodious than the one where Faith had 
 stowed herself lately ; and when the dressing was done she 
 sat down by the open window, and with the odd capricious- 
 riess of the mind at certain times, thought of the day when 
 Mr. Linden had thrown her up the cowslip ball, and in 
 the same breath wondered who was going to take her down 
 stairs ! 
 
 But she sat quiet, looking as fair in her soft robe with 
 its orange flowers as if they and she had been made for 
 each other. Faith s hair in its rich colour was only dark 
 enough to set off the tender tints of her flowers and dress ; 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 437 
 
 it wanted neither veil nor adornment. The very outlines 
 of her figure betokened, as outlines are somewhat apt to 
 do, the spirit within ; without a harsh angle or line. And 
 nothing could be too soft, or strong, or pure, to go with 
 those eyes. She sat looking out into the orchard, where 
 now the noonday of summer held its still reign nothing 
 there but the grass and the trees and the insects. The cow 
 slips were gone; and Mr. Linden 
 
 Pet finished all that had been left unfinished of her own 
 dress, then in her rose-coloured summer silk, white gloves 
 in her hand, white -flowers on her breast, she c-ame and 
 stood by Faith. Mrs. Derrick had gone down stairs. It 
 was close upon one o clock now; the shadows were losing 
 their directness and taking a slant line, the labourers were 
 coming back to their work, standing about and taking off 
 their coats, waiting for the clack to strike. Miss Linden 
 stood drawing on her gloves. Faith gave her one swift 
 glance, which rested for a second on her face with a look 
 of loving gratitude. A flush rose to her cheek, as if it 
 might have been the reflection of Miss Linden s dress; but 
 it was not that, for it paled again. 
 
 One o clock ! 
 
 It would have seemed a less weird sort of thing if the 
 clock had made a little more fuss, twelve strokes, or even 
 eleven, would have been something tangible ; but that one 
 clang scarce heard before it was gone, dying away on the 
 June breeze, what a point of time it seemed ! The waves 
 of air were but just at rest, when Mrs. Derrick opened the 
 door and came in ; her black dness and white cap setting 
 off a face and demeanour which with all their wonted sweet 
 placidness, and amid all the tender influences of the day, 
 kept too their wonted energy. 
 
 " Come, pretty child !" she said. 
 
 Faith was ready, and followed her mother without a 
 question. In the hall Mr. Linden stood waiting for her, 
 and she was given into his care; though again Faith lost 
 the look which passed between the two, she saw only the 
 startling white of Mr. Linden s gloves. He handed her 
 down stairs, then gave her his arm and took her in ; Mrs. 
 Derrick going first and Pet following. 
 
 There were but six or eight people there. On one side 
 37* 
 
438 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 sat Mrs. Iredell in her rich dress ; the rest were standing, 
 except little Ency Stephens who was in one of her perched 
 up positions by the window. Mr. Somers was lingering 
 about his position, his wife and Mr. and Mrs. Stoutenburgh 
 were opposite to Mrs. Iredell. Reuben Taylor furthest back 
 of all, in the shadow of Ency s window. JEIer little cry was 
 the only sound as they came in, and that hardly louder than 
 a sigh of delight. 
 
 Faith did not hear it nor look at anybody. Yet she 
 did not look dismayed at all nor abashed. A piece of 
 very timid gravity the person nearest her knew her to 
 be ; but hardly any person further off. A very lovely 
 mingling of shy dignity and humility was in her face and 
 air as she stood before Mr. Somers; those who saw it never 
 forgot. 
 
 Except, I must, that same Mr. Somers ! He saw only a 
 pretty bride whose orange flowers and roses were very 
 sweet. He had seen many pretty brides before, and orange 
 flowers were not new to him. And he pronounced his part 
 of the service which followed, with gratification, certainly ; 
 Mr. Somers was always gracious and to-day he was ad 
 miring ; but yet with no more sense of what he was about 
 than when a hundred times before he had pronounced it for 
 very different people ! 
 
 However there is a great system of compensations in 
 this world ; and on this occasion there was in other mem 
 bers of the party so much sense of what was doing, that it 
 mattered little about Mr. Somers want of it. It mattered 
 nothing to Faith, how his words were spoken ; nobody that 
 heard them forgot how hers were the sweet clear sounds 
 of every syllable; only that once or twice she said "yes" 
 where by established formula she should have said the more 
 dignified "I do." Perhaps "yes" meant as much. Those 
 who heard it thought it did. 
 
 For Mr. Linden his senses not being troubled by shy 
 nessjust because his own heart was so thoroughly in what 
 he was about he did perceive the want of heart, in Mr. 
 Somers. And, in the abstract, it did not suit his notions 
 that even a man who had married five hundred other peo 
 ple should put such questions to Mignonette, or to him, in 
 a commonplace way. So far his senses perceived, but 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 439 
 
 Mr. Somers could reach no further. One touch of Faith s 
 hand had banished the officiate to another planet; and the 
 vow to love, cherish, and honour, was taken, word for word, 
 deep in his own heart ; the grave, deliberate accents of 
 assent seeming to dwell upon each specification. Yes, 
 he took her " for better for worse, m sickness or health, for 
 richer for poorer"! every word was like the counting over 
 of gold to him, it was all "richer." Even the last words 
 the limit fixed, shone with light from another world. " Till 
 death shall you part"; yes, but to them death would be 
 but a short parting. And standing side by side there with 
 the blessing of his earthly life, Mr. Linden thanked God in 
 his heart for the future "life and immortality" to which he 
 had called them both. 
 
 Mysterious is the way in which events are telegraphed 
 from the inside of a house to the exterior thereof! Hardly 
 were Mr. Somers last words spoken, Faith was not yet out 
 of Mr. Linden s hands, when there came a peal from the 
 little white church as if the bell-ringing of two or three 
 Sundays were concentrated in one. Much to the surprise 
 of Mr! Somers; who to speak truth rather thought the 
 bells were his personal property, and as sucli playing truant. 
 But in two seconds the other bell chimed in ; and all that 
 could ever be known, was, that Phil Davids and Joe Dea 
 con had been seen in closer attendance on the two churches 
 than they were wont to be week days. Meantime, the bells 
 rang. 
 
 It was done ; and those downcast eyes mu^t be lifted up, 
 if they could. But Faith was not unlike her usual man 
 ner. The slight air of timidity which sat with such grace 
 upon her was not so very unusual; and that besides touched 
 only or mainly one person. With blushing quietness she 
 let her friends kiss and congratulate her. It was rather 
 kiss and caress her; for they came about her, that little 
 bevy of friends, with a warmth that might have thawed Mi. 
 Somers. Mrs. Derrick and Pet glad and silent, Reuben 
 Taylor very shy, the Stoutenburghs in a little furor of in 
 terest which yet did not break pretty bounds. And then 
 Faith went up to Ency where she sat by the window, and 
 gave her two kisses, very grave and sweet. 
 
440 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 " How beautiful you are, ma am !" was the child s truth 
 ful comment. 
 
 "Do you know who Miss Faith is now, Ency ?" 
 
 "Yes sir," the child said then shy of speaking it out 
 "Stoop down and I ll tell you." 
 
 Mr. Linden bent his head to hear the whisper, giving 
 her a kiss in return, and then carried Faith off to the next 
 room ; where presently too the little lame girl was perched 
 up at such a table as she had never dreamed of before. 
 
 It was a pretty gathering, both on the table and around 
 it. The party of friends, few enough to be choice, were 
 good and different enough to be picturesque; and had 
 among them a sufficient amount of personal advantages to 
 be, as Eucy said, "beautiful." The table itself was .very 
 plain with regard to china and silver ; but fruit is beauti 
 ful, and there was an abundance of that. Coffee of course ; 
 and cream, yellow as gold, for coffee and fruit both. There 
 were more substantial things, to serve as substitutes for din 
 ner, attesting Mrs. Derrick s good housekeeping at once, 
 and the loving remembrance of friends. There had been 
 little need to do much in the house. Mrs. Iredell had taken 
 the wedding cake into her charge, which Mrs. Stoutenburgh 
 not knowing had taken it into hers, and into her hands as 
 well ; so Faith had both the bought cake, of the richest 
 and best ornamented to a point, and the homemade; 
 with plain icing indeed, but wherein every raisin had been 
 put with a sweet thought. 
 
 "This is ha! a very agreeable occasion!" said Mr. 
 Somers, smiling at the ornamented plum cake which was 
 before him. "I a really, I don t see, Mrs. Derrick, how 
 anything could be improved for the pleasure of the party. 
 We have done a good thing, and to good people, and 
 it s been well done;" (Mr. Soraers vaunted himself) "and 
 in a good time, ha this is the prettiest month in the 
 year, Mr. Linden; and now we are all enjoying a pleasant 
 sight, before us and around us ! and I enjoy my coffee 
 also very much, Mrs Derrick. The only bad thing about 
 it is ha that it rather spoils one for the next occasion. 
 I assure you I haven t seen anything like it in Pattaquas- 
 set since I have lived here ! I wasn t married here, Mrs. 
 Stoutenburgh, take notice !" 
 
SAY AND SEAL 441 
 
 "I hope you don t mean to say you saw anything that 
 was on the table the day you were married, Mr. Somers !" 
 said Mrs. Stoutenburgh irreverently. 
 
 "Let s hear what you mean by well done, let s hear, 
 Mr. Somers," said the Squire. 
 
 "He means securely," said Mrs. Somers. 
 
 " I feel sure," said Mr. Somers with exquisite signifi- 
 cancy, "I feel sure that part of my audience were at no 
 loss for the meaning of ray words. Experience, somebody 
 says, is the best commentary hey, Mr. Linden ? is it 
 not so?" 
 
 "What, sir?" 
 
 Mr. Somers laughed, gently. "I see you coincide with 
 me in opinion, sir." 
 
 " I coincide with him in the opinion that it was well done 
 to ring the bells," said Mrs. Stoutenburgh. "Ileubeu. I 
 guess that was your doing." 
 
 "Never mind whose it was," said the Squire, "the bells 
 were never put to a better use, week days, I ll venture. 
 Mr. Linden, won t that lady by you let me give her another 
 piece of chicken?" 
 
 "No, sir," came in a low voice that had a private chime 
 of its own. 
 
 "Little bird," said Mr. Linden softly, "do you know 
 that all your compeers live by eating?" 
 
 "Crumbs" said Faith with equal softness. 
 
 "But of proportionate size!" 
 
 " Yes," said Faith. 
 
 "You know/ 1 he said in the same low voice, "to go back 
 to our old maxim, those bells may stand for the music, and 
 we have certainly spoken a few sensible words ; but if you 
 do not look up how will you find the picture ?" 
 
 She raised her eyes, but it was for a swift full glance up 
 into his face; she looked nowhere else, and her eyes went 
 back to her plate again. The involuntary, unconscious sig- 
 nih cance of the action made Mr. Linden smile. 
 
 "1 have had mine now, Mignonette, and Eucy spoke 
 true !" 
 
 " How long does it take people to get married *r" came 
 in a good-humoured kind of a growl from the room they 
 had left, the door to which was ajar. "Aint it done yet? 
 
442 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "There s Mr. Siralins, Endecott " whispered Faith 
 colouring. 
 
 "Come in and see!" said Squire Stoutenburgh. "Who 
 wants to know?" Wherewith the door was pushed open 
 and Mr. Simlins long figure presented itself, and stood 
 still. 
 
 "What are you uneasy about, Mr. Siralins?" the Squire 
 went on. "You may go and shake hands with Mr. Linden, 
 but don t congratulate anybody else." The farmer s eye 
 rested for a moment on Faith ; then he went round and 
 shook hands with the bridegroom. 
 
 "Is it done?" he asked again in the midst of this cere 
 mony. 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "Past all. help, Mr. Simlins," said Mrs. Somers. 
 
 "I am glad, for one !" Mr. Simlins answered. "Mayn t 
 I see this cretur here ? I wish you d stand up and let me 
 look at you. T 
 
 Faith rose up, he had edged along to her. He sur 
 veyed her, profoundly. "Be you Faith Derrick?" he said. 
 
 "Yes sir." 
 
 He shook her hand then, holding it fast. "It s the true, 
 and not a counter !" he remarked to Mr. Linden. "Now 
 if you d only take Neanticut ! I could die content, only 
 for liking to live and see you. Where are you going to 
 take her to ?" 
 
 "I am not sure yet." 
 
 "I guess I don t want you at Neanticut," said the far 
 mer, taking a cup of coffee which Faith gave him. "Last 
 Sunday fixed that. But there ll a bushel of Neanticut nuts 
 follow you every year as long as I m a Simlins ! if you go 
 to the Antipathies! No, I don t want anythin to eat 
 I ve done my eatiii till supper-time." 
 
 The door-knocker warned the party that they must not 
 tarry round the lunch-table, and before Mr. Simlins had a 
 chance to say anything more he had on his mind, the prin 
 cipal personages of the day were receiving Judge Harrison 
 and his daughter in the other room. Mr. Simlins looked 
 on, somewhat grimly, but with inward delight and exulta 
 tion deep and strong. Miss Sophy was affectionate, the 
 Judge very kind ; the congratulations of both very hearty ; 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 443 
 
 though Judge Harrison complained that Mr. Linden was 
 robbing Pattaquasset and Sophy echoed the sorrow if not 
 the complaint. In the midst of this came in Miss Essie de 
 Staff with a troop of brothers and sisters ; and they had 
 scarcely paid their compliments when they were obliged to 
 stand aside to make room for some new-comers. Miss 
 Essie s eyes had full employment and were rather earnest 
 about it. 
 
 "She s beautifully dressed!" she remarked to Mrs. 
 Stoutenburgh, evidently meditating a good deal more than 
 her words carried. 
 
 "Why of course!" was Mrs. Stoutenburgh s quick 
 response, "so is he. Don t be partial in your examina 
 tions. " 
 
 "Oh he, of course!" said Miss Essie, in the same 
 mariner. 
 
 "I never saw two people set each other off better," said 
 Mrs. Stouteuburgh. 
 
 " Set each other off?" repeated Miss Essie. " Why he d 
 set anybody off! I always admired him. Look at her! 
 she hasn t an idea how to be ceremonious." Faith had been 
 speaking to Mrs. Iredell. Just then a rosebud having de 
 tached itself from her dress, she went round the room to 
 Ency by her window and gave it to her. Near this window 
 Miss Linden had placed herself; the table before her cov 
 ered with wedding cake and white ribband, Reuben Taylor 
 at her side to cut and fold, her little fingers daintily wrap 
 ping and tying up. Ency already held her piece of cake 
 and white ribband, and with the promise of other pieces to 
 take home watched Miss Linden s proceedings with interest. 
 It was a busy table, for thither came everybody else after 
 cake and white ribband. Thither came Mrs. Stoutenburgh 
 now, quitting Miss Essie. 
 
 " Faith, what do you think Mr. Stoutenburgh asked me 
 Sunday ?" 
 
 "I don t know. What?" asked Faith with her half 
 shy, half free, very happy face. 
 
 " You should*have heard him !" said Mrs. Stoutenburgh 
 laughing, but speaking in the softest of whispers. "You 
 should have heard the dismal way in which he asked me jf 
 
 VOL. ii. 43 
 
444 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 Mr. Somcrs would go anywhere else, if he could get a 
 chance." 
 
 Faith smiled, but evidently to her the question whether 
 Mr. Linden should stay in Pattaquasset had lost its 
 interest. 
 
 "0 lean find her never fear!" said Miss Bezac, fol 
 lowed by Mr. Linden in Faith s direction. " Though I 
 don t suppose you ever did fear anything. And I do sup 
 pose, if I ve thought once I have fifty times how she d look 
 to-day and I was right every time. Don t she look ! I 
 always told her she didn t know what she wanted and I m 
 sure she don t now !" With whr.k Miss Bezac gave Faith as 
 hearty a congratulation as she had yet received. " Well " 
 she* said, turning to Mr. Linden, "do you wonder I 
 wanted to make it ?" 
 
 "Not in the least!" 
 
 But what do I want, Miss Bezac?" said Faith laughing 
 and looking affectionately at her old friend and fellow work 
 woman. 
 
 " Why I should think, nothing V said Miss Bezac. " So 
 it seems to me. And talking of seams didn t I do yours ! 
 Do you know I should have come before, but I never can 
 see two people promise to love each other forever without 
 crying and crying always makes rusty needles, so I 
 wouldn t come till now, when everybody s laughing." Faith 
 was an exception, for her amusement grew demure. And 
 Miss Essie approached 
 
 Now Miss Essie s black eyes, although bright enough, 
 were altogether gracious and in a certain way even propi 
 tiatory. They were bent upon the gentleman of the 
 group. 
 
 "Mr. Linden," said the lady with her most flattering 
 manner, "I want to know if you have forgiven me all my 
 dreadful speeches that I made once !" 
 
 " Miss Essie, I never questioned your right to make them 
 therefore you see my forgiveness has no place." Miss 
 Essie looked as if her study of Mr. Linden hadn t been 
 thorough. 
 
 "That s very polite," she said; "too polite. But do 
 you think Mrs. Linden will ever let me come into her 
 house ?" 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 445 
 
 "Why not? It cannot be worse than you imagined." 
 
 "Because," said Miss Essie earnestly, " I want to come, 
 and I am afraid she will not ask me. I go everywhere, and 
 wherever you are I shall be sure to come there some time ; 
 and then I want to see you and see how you live and see 
 if my theory was mistaken. But I drew it from experi 
 ence !" 
 
 " Did you ever hear of the ice palace the little brook 
 built for himself?" said Mr. Linden. 
 
 "Lowell oh yes !" 
 
 "Mrs. Linden thinks she would like to try that." 
 
 If ever black eyes were thoroughly puzzled, that were 
 Miss Essie s ! She glanced from Mr. Linden to Faith, who 
 had fallen back towards another part of the room, but 
 whose cheek gave token of her having heard and noticed. 
 Miss Essie s eyes came back; she looked a little mortified. 
 
 " I see you have not forgiven me," she said. " But, Mr. 
 Linden, I only spoke of what I had seen. I had been un 
 fortunate and I am sure I needn t confine myself to the 
 past tense ! I knew nothing, you know." 
 
 " Miss Essie," he said smiling, "your frame for the picture 
 may be correct but the picture will be different. As you 
 will see when you come." 
 
 "Then you will let me come?" 
 
 "I will let you come.. Only if you hear that Faith is not 
 at home, do not feel sure of the fact till you have looked in 
 my study." 
 
 Miss Essie s face for a moment was notable ; she was in 
 a certain way satisfied, and yet it wore a sort of compound 
 morti fixation inexplicable very likely to the lady herself; 
 and perhaps that only an acute eye of another would have 
 read. 
 
 Before this dialogue had reached so much of a culmina 
 tion, Mr. Simlins, who had been standing looking at every 
 thing like a good-humoured bear, made his way across the 
 room and through the people to Faith, where she had 
 shrunk back out of the way. 
 
 "I can t stay here all the afternoon !" said he, "and I 
 s pose it aint expected of me. Can t you step over yonder 
 and let a man have a chance to say a word to you before 
 I go?" 
 
 VOL. IT. 38 
 
446 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 Faith agreed to this proposition, not knowing that it was 
 going to take her literally into a corner ; but to one of the 
 further corners of the room Mr. Simlins strode, and Faith 
 went after him ; and there he sat down and she was fain to 
 do likewise. Then he wasn t ready. 
 
 " I had somethin to say to you," said he, " but I don t 
 know how to say it!" 
 
 "Try, Mr. Simlins," said Faith smiling. 
 
 "How does the dominie manage to talk to you?" said 
 he looking at her. "/don t see how he can get on with it." 
 
 Faith grew crimson, and grave. 
 
 "Well," said the farmer, smiling a bit, "I s pose I ll 
 have to get it out somehow. You see, Faith, the thing 
 is, in my mind, I want you to have something that ll make 
 you you and him too think of Pattaquasset and me 
 once in a while. Now I m goin to give you that black 
 heifer. If you can, I hope you ll take her with you where- 
 ever you re goin if you can t, why you may turn her into 
 cash but I guess you can. She s a real Simlins she ll 
 run, if you don t keep a fence round her ; but if you treat 
 her right, she ll give you all your dairy 11 want for some 
 time to come ; and the very plague you ll be at to keep her 
 shut up will make you think of me." 
 
 "Dear Mr. Simlins!" Faith said with her eyes full 
 "there is no danger about that!" 
 
 "No!" said he rising, "and when you think of me I 
 know you ll do something else for me. Good-bye till you 
 get back again." Off he went. Other people followed. 
 The room had thinned a little, when Pet left her table in 
 Reuben s charge and came to Faith s corner. 
 
 "Poor child," she said, "you must be tired. Faith I shall 
 defy ceremony and put you in Aunt Iredell s chair she is 
 going to lie down. Oh ! how did that man get here ! 
 and George Alcott !" Pet faced round upon Faith, folding 
 her hands with an air of dismayed resignation. 
 
 " What s the matter, Pet ?" 
 
 "I thought 1 was safe here, "said Miss Linden. "Faith, 
 I did not suppose ubiquitous people found their way to 
 Pattaquasset. You ll have to run the gauntlet of that 
 man s compliments, child however, Endy is a pretty good 
 safeguard." 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 447 
 
 Before Faith could see much of what was going on, Mr. 
 Linden was at her side. " Mrs. Linden Mr. Motley, 11 was 
 all he said ; and Faith found herself face to face with one of 
 those two well remembered strangers. So well remembered 
 that her slight glance at him was arrested, by what at first 
 she did not recognize, and unconsciously she gave Mr. Mot 
 ley for a second a look sufficiently like what he had seen 
 before to identify her. That second brought it all back. 
 A blush of most rosy beauty came upon Faith s face, and 
 her eyes fell as if no one was ever to see them again. Mr. 
 Motley s eyes, on the contrary, expanded. But the whistle 
 which rose politely to his lips, was held in polite check 
 by Mr. Linden s presence or some other consideration and 
 with no further sign than an under breath "Linden !" Mr. 
 Motley gave the bride his hand, claiming that privilege iu 
 easy, musky words, on the score of old acquaintanceship 
 with the bridegroom. 
 
 " I trust Mrs. Linden has been well since I last (and 
 first!) had the pleasure of seeing her? Apart from the 
 occasion it seems to me that she is looking even better 
 than then though then I should not have believed that 
 possible." 
 
 "It is a long time, sir," Faith said gravely. 
 
 "Linden," said Mr. Motley in a sort of aside, "even your 
 symmetrical taste must be satisfied !" 
 
 " With what?" said Mr. Linden. Which rather shortly 
 put question brought Mr. Motley to a stand. Much as 
 when one pushes on into daylight, through the filmy fine 
 spun work of a spider, that respectable insect looks about, 
 considering where he shall begin anew. 
 
 "It is so long," said Mr. Motley with soft emphasis, 
 "that I could hardly have hoped to be remembered." 
 
 " If I recollect right," said Mr. Linden, "if you did not 
 misstate the case it was the charms of your conversation 
 that made the impression." 
 
 " You are the most inconvenient person to talk to !" said 
 Mr. Motley with a glance at the handsome face. "Like a 
 quicksand closing around one. Mrs. Linden, do you not 
 find it so ? Ah George ! talking to Miss Pet as usual. 
 "Permit me Mrs. Linden, Mr. Alcott. George, you cannot 
 
448 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 have forgotten Mrs. Linden ?" That George had not was 
 very clear. 
 
 And that Faith had not forgotten, was very clear. She 
 lifted her eyes once more, to see if the second was the 
 second; and then stood with the most exquisite cheeks, 
 though perfectly quiet. Her gloves had not been put on 
 again since the lunch, and the hand that held them bore 
 also the ring which had been the gentlemen s admiration. 
 
 "Now what do you think, George," said Mr. Motley, 
 "of Linden s letting me tell Julius Harrison that whole 
 story, and never giving the least hint that he knew the 
 lady referred to ? Except yes once indeed, I do remember, 
 Mrs. Linden, his face took a warm reflection of the sub 
 ject, but I thought that was due to my powers as a 
 colourist." 
 
 "You couldn t high colour that picture," said Mr. Alcott, 
 in a tone Faith remembered well. " Mrs. Linden, I hope 
 we are to see you at Newport." 
 
 Faith felt in a tumult with all these Mrs. Lindens. But 
 all that seemed unquiet about her, besides her cheeks, was 
 the flashing ring. 
 
 " Well, we must tear ourselves away from this place of 
 fascination," said Mr. Motley. "I believe, Mrs. Linden, 
 we ought to apologize for our intrusion but it was an old 
 saying among this gentleman s friends that he never would 
 submit to bonds and imprisonments (there goes the 
 Bible again !) and some of them had a long standing per 
 mission to come and believe their eyes if such an event ever 
 should take place. I can hardly, now !" 
 
 " Why do you, sir ?" Faith asked simply. 
 
 "Really madam, because I can t help it! One look at 
 you, Mrs. Linden, is enough. In some circumstances all a 
 man can do is to surrender I" 
 
 "He needn t till he s summoned " said George Alcott 
 shortly. Though whether he had acted so wisely himself, 
 was a question as Mr. Linden said amusedly after they 
 were gone. 
 
 Faith turned away, feeling as if she had rather more than 
 enough, and occupied herself with Reuben and Ency again. 
 Then came in Farmer Davids and his wife, and Phil. Phil 
 was forthwith in a state of glamour ; but Faith brought 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 449 
 
 him to the table and gave him cake and discoursed to him 
 and Reuben ; while Mrs. Davids talked to Mrs. Derrick in 
 wonderful delighted admiration ; and the farmer as usual 
 fixed upon Mr. Linden. 
 
 "We had the uncommon pleasure of hearin you speak 
 last Sunday, sir," said Mr. Davids with great seriousness. 
 "I sha n t forget it, what you said. And you don t know 
 where you re going to fix yourself, sir?" 
 
 "Not certainly." 
 
 "I would rather than half what I sell off the farm, that 
 it was going to be where I could be within reach of you, 
 sir ! But wherever tis Phil and I, we consulted how we 
 could contrive to shew our sense of this day we re plain 
 folks, Mr. Linden, and we didn t know how to fit But if 
 you ll let us know where you re goin to be, Mrs. Davids 
 she wants to send your wife a cheese, and there s some of 
 Phil s apples, and I want you to have some Pattaquasset 
 flour to make you think of us. And if you ll only think of 
 us every year as long as they come, it s all I ask !" It was 
 said with the most honest expression of struggling regard, 
 and respect, that wanted to shew itself. 
 
 Then Mr. Linden was claimed by a new comer. Sam 
 Stoutenburgh, fresh from College, Quilipeak, and the tailor, 
 presented himself. Now it was rather a warm day and 
 trains are not cool, and haste is not a refrigerator, never 
 theless Sam s cheeks were high coloured I His greeting of 
 Mr. Linden was far less off-hand ajid dashing than was 
 usual with this new Junior ; and when carried off to Mrs. 
 Linden, Sam (to use an elegant word) was flustered. 
 
 "Miss Faith," he began. "No I don t mean that! I 
 beg your pardon but I m very glad to see you again, and 
 I wish you were going to stay here always." 
 
 Faith laughed. " Will you stay here always yourself, Sam ?" 
 
 "01 don t know," said Sam. "It s a while before I ve 
 got to do anything yet. But Miss Faith I mean ! since 
 you will go, won t you please take this?" and Sam pre 
 sented a tiny box containing a pretty gold set cornelian 
 seal, engraved with a spirited Jehu chariot running away ! 
 " It ll remind you of a day / shall never forget," said Sam 
 both honestly and sentimentally. If Mr. Linden could 
 have helped Faith answer, he would ! 
 
450 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 Faith s face was in a quiver, between laughter and very 
 much, deeper and stronger feeling. But she shook Sam s 
 hand again gratefully. 
 
 " I shall never forget it, Sara, nor what you did for me 
 that day. And I hope you ll come and see me somewhere 
 else some time." Then Mr. Linden spoke. 
 
 " No one can owe you so much for that day s work as I, 
 Sam, and since she is running away again, you must do 
 as you did then and find her." 
 
 Sam was somewhat touched and overwhelmed, and went 
 off to talk to Reuben about Miss Linden s dress. A little 
 while longer and the room was cleared. The two collegi 
 ans came last of all to say good-bye, Reuben lingering 
 behind his friend. 
 
 "You know," said Mr. Linden, holding the boy s hand, 
 "you are coming to study with me, Reuben, if I live: we 
 will not call it good-bye. And I shall expect to see you 
 before that in vacation." 
 
 "And you know, Reuben," said Faith very low, "you 
 have been a brother to me this great while. " 
 
 Reuben looked down, trying for words. Then meeting 
 Faith s eyes as he had done that very first time what 
 though his own were full, he said, "I am not sorry, ma am 
 I am glad! So glad," he repeated, looking from her 
 face to Mr. Linden s. But his eyes fell then ; and hastily 
 clasping the hand she held out to him, he bent his face to 
 Mr. Linden s and turned away. One quick step Mr. Lin 
 den took after him, and they left the room arm in arm, 
 after the old fashion. 
 
 With Mr. Linden when he came back, was an oldish gen 
 tleman, silver-haired, with a fresh ruddy face ; not very tall, 
 very pleasant-looking. Pet s exclamation was of joy this 
 time, and she ran forward to meet him. Then Mr. Linden 
 brought him up to Faith. " Mignonette, this is my dear 
 friend, Mr. Olyphant." And Mr. Olyphant took both her 
 hands and kissed her on both cheeks, as if he meant to be 
 her friend too. Then looked at her without letting go. 
 
 "Endecott!" he said turning to Mr. Linden, "whatever 
 you undertake you always do well !" And he shook Faith ? 
 hands again, and told her he could wish her joy wfth a clear 
 conscience. 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 451 
 
 The timid little smile which this remark procured him, 
 might have confirmed the old gentleman in his first expressed 
 opinion. Mr. Olyphant studied her a minute, not con- 
 fusingly but with a sort of touched kindliness. 
 
 What do you call her, Endecott?" he said. 
 
 "Any sweet name I can think of," said Mr. Linden smil 
 ing, "just now, Mignonette." Which remark had a mer 
 ciless effect upon Faith s cheeks. 
 
 "It suits her, Mr. Olyphant," said Pet. 
 
 " So I see, Miss Pet do you think I have lost my eyes ? 
 Endecott, are you going to bring her to the White Moun 
 tains?" 
 
 "I think so, sir: that is my present inclination." 
 
 "How would you like it, Mrs. Linden ?" 
 
 "I think I should like it, sir." 
 
 "Not afraid of the cold?" 
 
 Faith s smile clearly was not afraid of anything. So was 
 her answer. 
 
 " You must have a house midway on the slope," said Mr. 
 Olyphant; "half your parish above your heads, half at 
 your feet : and you will have plenty of snow, and plenty of 
 work, and not much else but each other. Endecott s face 
 says that is being very rich but he always was an unworldly 
 sort of fellow, Mrs. Linden, I don t think he ever saw the 
 real glitter of gold, yet." 
 
 Did her eyes? But they were unconsciously looking at 
 riche*s of some kind; there was no poverty in them. "I 
 like work, sir." 
 
 "Do you think she could bear the cold, Mr. Olyphant? 
 how are the winters there ? That is what I have thought 
 of most." 
 
 " I am no more afraid of the cold than you are, Ende 
 cott." How gently the last word was spoken ! But Faith 
 clearly remembered her lesson. Mr. Linden smiled. 
 
 "She is a real little Sunbeam," he said. "You know 
 they make light of cold weather." 
 
 " Light of it in two ways," said Mr. Olyphant. "No 
 I don t think you need fear the winters for her, we d try 
 and protect her." 
 
 " Do you see how much good the Sunbeam has done him. 
 Mr. Olyphant?" said Pet. 
 
452 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "I see it, Miss Pet, it does me good. I meant to have 
 been here to see you married, Endecott, and missed the 
 train. I shall miss it again now, if I am not careful. But 
 you must come up and stay with us, and we ll arrange mat 
 ters. Such neighbours may tempt me to winter in the 
 mountains myself and then I shall take charge of you, 
 Miss Pet," 
 
 "I should like that," said Pet. 
 
 "I see, my dear Mrs. Linden," said Mr. Olyphant smil 
 ing at her, "I see you follow one of the old Jewish laws." 
 
 "What is that, sir?" 
 
 "You know it was required of the Jews that they should 
 bear the words of the law as frontlets between the eyes , 
 ^ow if you will forgive me for saying so in your eyes 
 is written one of the proverbs." 
 
 *"Look up, Mignonette, and let me see," said Mr. Lin 
 den. But oddly, Faith looked down first; then the eyes 
 were lifted. 
 
 "Is truth a proverb ?" said Pet laughing. 
 
 "0 you see too many things there 1" said Mr. Olyphant, 
 "this is what I see, Endecott The heart of her husband 
 doth safely trust in herV 
 
 A little veil of shyness and modesty suddenly fell around 
 Faith. Even her head drooped. But Mr. Linden s lips 
 touched the fair brow between those very fair eyes. 
 
 "I cannot praise your discernment, sir," he said. " It is 
 not more true than evident." 
 
 "I cannot half congratulate either of you," said Mr. 
 Olyphant smiling, "so I ll go. Good-bye, Miss Pet re 
 member next winter. Mrs. Linden we shall expect to see 
 you long before that time. Let me have a word with you, 
 Endecott." And Faith was again left alone, entirely 
 this time, for Miss Linden went up stairs to attend Mrs. 
 Iredell. 
 
 As they turned to go out, Faith turned the other way 
 and sat down, feeling overwhelmed. Everything was very 
 still. Pet s light steps passed off in the distance; through 
 the open windows came the song of kildeers and robins, 
 the breath of roses, the muslin-veiled sunshine. Then she 
 heard Mr. Olyphant s carriage drive off and Mr. Linden 
 came back. Faith started up. And very lovely she looked, 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 453 
 
 with the timid grace of those still dyed cheeks and vailed 
 brow. 
 
 "My poor little tired Mignonette !" he said as he came 
 up to her. Then lifted her face, and looking at it a moment 
 with a half smile pressed his lips again where they had 
 been so lately. But this time that did not satisfy him. 
 
 "Endy " she said presently, "please don t praise me 
 before other people 1" 
 
 "What dreadful thing did I say?" inquired Mr. Linden 
 laughing. "Do you know I have hardly seen my wife yet?" 
 To judge by Faith s face, neither had she. 
 
 " If I speak of her at all I must speak the truth. But 
 Mr. Olyphant knows me of old he will not take my words 
 for more than they are worth." 
 
 A slight commentary of a smile passed, but Faith did 
 not adventure any repartee. 
 
 "Are you very tired?" 
 
 "Oh no!" 
 
 " Little bird !" said Mr. Linden holding her close. " What 
 sort of a sweet spirit was it that said those words at my side 
 this morning?" 
 
 There was no answer at first ; and then, very quaint and 
 soft the words, "Only Faith Derrick." 
 
 " Only. Faith, did you hear my parting direction to 
 Miss Essie?" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "Do you agree to it, Mrs. Linden?" 
 
 He had spoken that name a good many times that day, 
 and to be sure her cheeks had more or less acknowledged 
 it; but this time it brought such a rush of colour that she 
 stooped her face to be out of sight. 
 
 " Do you want Miss Reason to answer that question, sir ?" 
 
 "No, nor Miss anybody." 
 
 "Prudence would say, there are shortcakes," said Faith. 
 
 "Where?" 
 
 "In hypothesis." 
 
 " If your shortcakes outweigh my study, Faith, they will 
 be heavier than I ever saw them !" 
 
 "You wouldn t take Reason s answer," said Faith. 
 
 "What would it have been?" 
 
 She looked up, a swift little laughing glance into his face. 
 
454 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "Parlez, Madame s il vous plait." 
 
 Her look changed. "You know, Endy, I would rather 
 be there than anywhere else in the world !" 
 
 It moved him ; the happiness to which his look bore wit 
 ness was of a kind too deep for words. 
 
 "Do you know, love, if we had been going, at once to 
 our work in the mountains, I should have asked a great 
 many people to come here to-day." 
 
 "Would you? Why, Endy?" 
 
 " To let them see my wife. Now, I mean to take her to 
 see them. " 
 
 Faith was willing he should take her where he pleased, 
 though she made no remark. Her timidity moved in a 
 small circle and touched principally him. Mingling with 
 this, and in all she did, ever since half past one o clock to 
 day, there had been a sort of dignity of grave happiness ; 
 very rare, very beautiful. 
 
 "I wonder if you know half how lovely and dear you 
 are ?" said Mr. Linden, studying the fair outlines of char 
 acter as well as of feature. But Faith s eye went all down 
 the pattern of embroidery on her white robe, and never 
 dared meet his. "Have you any idea, little Mignonette of 
 sweetness, after what fashion that proverb is true ?" 
 
 She looked up, uncertain what proverb he meant; but 
 then immediately certain, bent her head again. Faith never 
 thought of herself as Mr. Linden thought of her. Movings 
 of humility and determination were in her heart now, but 
 she knew he would not bear to hear her speak them, and 
 her own voice was not just ready. So she was only silent 
 still. 
 
 "What will make you speak?" said Mr. Linden smiling. 
 "I am like AH Baba before the storehouse of hid 
 treasure. Is this the Sesame you are waiting for?" he 
 added, raising her face and trying two or three persuasive 
 kisses. 
 
 " There was nothing in the storehouse," said Faith laugh 
 ingly. "No words, I mean." 
 
 "I am willing to take thoughts." 
 
 "How?" 
 
 "Which way you like !" 
 
 "Then you will have to wait for them, Endy. w 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 455 
 
 "Mignonette, I am of an impatient disposition." 
 
 "Yes I know it." 
 
 " Is it to be your first wifely undertaking to cure me ?" 
 he said laughing. 
 
 "It takes time to put thoughts into action," said Faith 
 blushing. 
 
 "Not all thoughts, Mignonette." 
 
 She coloured beautifully; but anything more pure and 
 sweet than those first wifely kisses of Faith, could not be 
 told. Did he know, had he felt, all the love and allegiance 
 they had so silently and timidly spoken? She had reason 
 to think so. 
 
CHAPTER XL. 
 
 IN a low whitewashed room, very clean though little and 
 plain, where the breeze blew in fresh from the sea, Faith 
 found herself established Friday afternoon. Mr. Linden 
 had promised to shew her the surf, and so had brought her 
 down to a little village, long ago known to him, on the 
 New England shore ; where the people lived by farming 
 and fishing, and no hotel attracted or held an influx of city 
 life. It was rather late in the day, for the journey had 
 been in part off the usual route of railway and steam, and 
 therefore had been longer if not wearier. But when Faith 
 had got rid of the dust, Mr. Linden came to her door to 
 say that it would be half an hour to supper and ask if she 
 was too tired to walk down to the beach. 
 
 The shore was but a few hundred yards from the little 
 farmhouse; green grass, with interrupting rocks, extending 
 all the way. Faith hardly knew what she was corning to, 
 till she reached the brink. There the precipitous rocks 
 rose sheer a hundred feet from the bottom, and at the bot 
 tom, down below her, a narrow strip of beach was bordered 
 with the billowy crest and foam of the sea. Nothing but 
 the dark ocean and the. illimitable ocean line beyond ; there 
 was not even a sail in sight this evening ; in full uninter 
 rupted power and course, from the broad east, the swells 
 of the sea rolled in and broke broke, with their graceful, 
 grand monotony. 
 
 The beach was narrow at height of tide ; now the tide 
 was out. Fishermen s boats were drawn up near to the 
 rocks, and steep narrow pathways along and down the face 
 of them allowed the fishermen to go from the top to the 
 bottom. 
 
 "Can t we get down there?" said Faith when she had 
 stood a minute looking silently. Her face shewed an eager 
 readiness for action. 
 
 ".Can you fly, little bird?" 
 
 "Yes As well as the fishermen can !" 
 
 "If you cannot I can carry you," said Mr. Linden. 
 (456) 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 457 
 
 And doubtless he would have found some way to make 
 his words good had there been need, as it was, he only 
 guarded her down the steep rocky way, going before her 
 and holding her hand in a grasp she would have been puz 
 zled to get away from. But Faith was light and free of 
 foot and gave him no trouble. Once at the bottom, she 
 went straight towards those in-coming big waves, and in 
 front of them stood still. The sea breeze blew in her face, 
 the roar of the breakers made music in her ears. Faith 
 folded one hand upon the other and stood motionless. 
 Now and then the wind caught the spray from some 
 beaten rock and flung it in her face, and wave after wave 
 rose up and donned its white crest; the upstanding green 
 water touched with sunlight and shadow and changing 
 tints of amber arid olive, down which the white foam came 
 curling and rushing sweeping in knots of seaweed and 
 leu vino: all the pebbles with wet faces. Mr. Linden let her 
 look without the interruption of a word, but he presently 
 put his arm round her, and drew her a little into shelter 
 from the strong breeze. It was a while before she moved 
 from her steady gaze at the water, then she looked up, the 
 joy of her face breaking into a smile. 
 
 " Kndecott, will you shew me anything more grand than 
 this ?" 
 
 "You shall tell me, when you have seen the uprising 
 mists of Niagara," he answered smiling, "or the ravines 
 between snow-caps five thousand summers old ." 
 
 Her eye went back to the sea. "It brings before me, 
 somehow," she said slowly, "all time, and all eternity! - 
 I have been thinking here of myself as I was a little child, 
 and as I shall be, and as I am," she added with her in 
 veterate exactness, and blushing. "I seem to see only the 
 great scale of everything." 
 
 "Tell mo a little more clearly what you see," said Mr. 
 Linden. 
 
 It isn t worth telling. I see everything here as belong 
 ing: to God. The world seems his great work-place, and 
 life his time for doing the work, and I and you," she 
 said with a flash of light coming across her face, "his 
 work people. And those great breaking waves, somehow, 
 seem to me like the resistless sure beautiful doings of 
 
 VOL. u. 39 
 
458 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 his providence." She spoke very quietly, because she was 
 bidden, evidently. 
 
 " Do you know how many other things they are like ? 
 or rather how many are likened to them in the Bible ?" 
 
 " No ! I don t know the Bible as you do." 
 
 "They seem to be a never failing image an illustration 
 suiting very different things. The wicked are like the 
 troubled sea, when it cannot rest, and then that thou 
 hadst hearkened to me I then had thy peace been as a river, 
 and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea. 
 
 "There is the endless struggle of human will and pur 
 pose against the divine The floods have lifted up, O 
 Lord, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift 
 up their waves. The Lord on high is mightier than the 
 noise of many waters, yea, than the mighty waves of the 
 sea. Fear ye not me ? saith the Lord : will ye not trem 
 ble at my presence, which have placed the sand for the 
 bound of the sea by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass 
 it : and though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can 
 they not prevail : though they roar, yet can they not pass 
 over it? And so in another place the image is reversed, 
 and God says, Behold I am against- thee, Tyrus, and 
 will cause many nations to come up against thee, as the 
 sea causeth his waves to come up. Could anything be 
 more forcible ?" 
 
 A look was Faith s answer ; it spoke the kindled thoughts 
 at work. 
 
 "Then you know," Mr. Linden went on, "how often the 
 troubles of God s children are compared to the ocean; as 
 David says, All thy waves are gone over me. But then 
 the Lord answers to that, When thou passest through the 
 waters I will be with thee, and through the floods, they 
 shall not overwhelm thee; and David himself in another 
 place declares it to be true Lord God of hosts, who is 
 a strong Lord like unto thee ? or to thy faithfulness round 
 about thee? Thou ruiest the raging of the sea: when the 
 waves thereof arise, thou stillest them. I suppose," he 
 added thoughtfully, taking both her hands in his, "this is 
 one sense in which by and by there shall be no more sea 
 except that sea of glass, upon which they stand who 
 have gotten the victory !" 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 459 
 
 Another look, a grave, full look, came to him from 
 Faith ; and grave and soft her eye went back to the sea. 
 The sunbeams were all off it; it was dark arid foamy. 
 Speaking rather low, half to her half to himself, Mr. Lin 
 den went on 
 
 "And they overcame by the blood of the Lamb and by 
 the word of their testimony : and they loved not their lives 
 unto the death ." 
 
 Her look did not move. Mr. Linden s went with it for 
 a minute or two, but then it- came back to her differently. 
 
 " My darling, I am afraid to have you stay here any 
 longer." 
 
 "We can come again !" said Faith gleefully as she turned 
 away. "I want to look at them a great deal." 
 
 " We will come again and try how far a ladder can 
 reach from this low sand." 
 
 She looked back for another glance as she began to 
 mount the rocky way. The mounting was an easy matter, 
 for Mr. Linden came close and took hold of her in such 
 fashion that she was more than half carried up. 
 
 "Do you feel as if you had wings now?" he asked her, 
 after a somewhat quick "flight" up half the way. 
 
 "Folded ones," said Faith laughing and breathless. "I 
 don t know what sort yours can be ! I can go up by my 
 self, Endecott." 
 
 "With folded wings, as you remark, Mrs. Linden. Do 
 you remember that infallible way of recognizing earth s 
 angels, when they are not pluming themselves?" 
 
 "They never do plume themselves ," said Faith stopping 
 to look at him. 
 
 " Xot when they are carried !" 
 
 Faith s laugh rolled down the rocks ; and then as they 
 reached the top she grew timid and quiet, a mood which 
 came over her whenever she remembered her new position 
 and name in the world. 
 
 There is no room to tell all the seaside doings of those 
 days; the surf bathing, and fishing beyond the surf. A 
 week passed there, or rather more; then, Mr. Linden 
 having business in New York, the "wooden horse" went 
 that way. We cannot follow all its travels. But we must 
 stay with it a day in the city. 
 
CHAPTER XLI. 
 
 TWERYBODY who has travelled on the great route 
 I J from Pattaquasset to New York, knows that the 
 scenery is not striking. Pleasant it is, and fresh, in fresh 
 seasons of the year, cornfields and hayfields and spark 
 ling little rivers always make up a fair prospect: but until 
 the towers of Quilipeak rise upon the sight, with their leafy 
 setting of green, there is nothing to draw much notice. 
 And less, afterwards. The train flies on, past numberless 
 stopping posts, over bridges, through towns ; regaling its 
 passengers with hay, salt water, bony fish, and (in the sea 
 son) dust; until the matchless flats marshes pools 
 sights and smells, crowd thick about Haarlem river, and 
 lure the traveller on through the sweet suburbs of New 
 York. Hither business demanded that the " wooden horse " 
 should come for a day or two ; here they were to be re 
 ceived by one of the many old friends who were claiming 
 all over the country a visit from Mr. Linden and his 
 bride. Through the dark tunnel the train puffed on, the 
 passengers winking and breathing beneath the air-holes, 
 dark and smothered where air-holes were not; then the 
 cars ran out into the sunlight, and in a minute more two 
 of the passengers were transferred to the easy rolling coach 
 which was in waiting for them, and drove away. Past 
 warm brick fronts and pavements; past radish boys and 
 raspberry girls; past oranges, pineapples, vegetables, in 
 every degree of freshness except fresh. Of all which, even 
 the vegetables, Faith s eyes took most curious and intent 
 notice for one minute ; then the Avenue and fruit stalls 
 were left behind ; the carriage had turned a corner, and in 
 another minute or two drew up before an imposing front 
 in Madison Square. And there, at the very steps, was a 
 little raspberry girl. How Faith looked at her ! 
 
 "Raspberries to-day, ma am?" said the child, encour 
 aged by the look, or the sweet face. 
 (460) 
 
SAY AN. SEAL. 461 
 
 "No, dear, I don t want any." 
 
 Faith went gravely up the steps. It was her first intro 
 duction to New York. But Mr. Linden s face wore a smile. 
 There was no time to remark on it, for the door opened 
 and a second introduction awaited her. An introduction 
 to another part of the world. A magnificent house, every 
 square yard of which perhaps, taken with its furniture and 
 adornments, had cost as much as the whole of Faith s old 
 home. A palace of luxury, where no want of any kind, 
 material, could be known or fancied. In this house they 
 were welcomed with a great welcome by a stately lady, Mr. 
 Linden s old friend and his mother s; and by her family of 
 sons and daughters, who were in another style, arid whose 
 vivacious kindness seemed disposed to take up Faith bodily 
 and carry her off. It was a novel scene for Faith, and she 
 was amused. Amused too with the overpowering curiosity 
 which took the guise or the veil of so much kindness, 
 and beset her because Mr. Linden had married her. Yet 
 Faith did not see the hundredth part of their curiosity; 
 Mr. Linden whose eyes were more open, was proportionably 
 amused, both with that and with Faith s simplicity, which 
 half gratified and at least half baffled it. The young 
 ladies at last took Faith up to her room ; and after lav 
 ishing all sorts of attentions upon her, and making vari 
 ous vain efforts to understand her, gave her the informa 
 tion that a good deal of company was expected to dinner, 
 and left her; baffled and attracted almost in an equal 
 degree. 
 
 They did not seem to have as puzzling an effect on 
 Faith; for when Mr. Linden came out of his own dressing 
 room, he found her ready and looking as fresh and cool as 
 if she had just come up from the sands at Baukhead. She 
 was dressed in a light muslin, but no more elaborately than 
 she used to be at Pattaquasset ; only that this time her 
 ruffles were laces. She was a little more dainty for the 
 dinner-party. Mr. Linden came with a knot of glowing 
 geraniums "Jewess" and "Perfection" and "Queen of 
 the Fairies;" which, bound together as they were with 
 white ribband, he first laid against her dress to try the 
 effect (well deserving his smile of comment) then put in 
 her hand to make fast. They set off all the quiet ele- 
 
 3 ( J* 
 
462 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 gance of her figure after their own style, which was not 
 quiet. 
 
 "Now Mignonette," he said, "I suppose you know that 
 I am to have the pleasure of introducing my wife to sundry 
 people?" 
 
 "I heard they were coming," said Faith. 
 
 " If you will only stand by and look on, it will amuse 
 you very much." 
 
 "It will amuse me anyway," said Faith, "if " and 
 what a rose colour came up into her face, "if, Endy, you 
 are satisfied." 
 
 Mr. Linden folded his arms and looked at her. "If you 
 Bay anything against my wife, Mrs. Linden, her husband 
 will not like it neither will yours." 
 
 " That is all I care about not pleasing those two gen 
 tlemen," said Faith laughing. 
 
 "Is that all? I shall report your mind at rest. Come 
 it is time this little exotic should appear." Faith thought 
 as she went with him, that she was anything but an exotic ; 
 she did not speak her thoughts. 
 
 There was a large dinner company gathered and gather 
 ing; and the "pleasure." Mr. Linden had spoken of intro 
 ducing his wife was one enjoyed, by him or somebody, a 
 great many times in the course of the evening. This was 
 something very unlike Pattaquasset or anything to be found 
 there; only in Judge Harrison s house little glimpses of 
 this sort of society might be had ; and these people seemed 
 to Faith ratlier in the sphere of Dr. Harrison than of his 
 father and sister. People who had rubbed off every parti 
 cle of native simplicity that ever belonged to them, and 
 who if they were simple at all as some of them were had 
 a different kind of simplicity, made after a most exquisite 
 and refined worldly fashion. How it was made or worn, 
 Faith could not tell; she had an instinctive feeling of the 
 difference. If she had set on foot a comparison, she would 
 soon have come to the conclusion that "Mr. Linden s 
 wife" was of another pattern altogether. But Faith never 
 thought of doing that. Her words were so true that she 
 had spoken, she cared so singly to satisfy one person 
 there, and had such an humble confidence of doing it, 
 that other people gave her little concern. She nad little 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 468 
 
 need, for no word or glance fell upon Faith that did not 
 shew the eye or the speaker won or attracted. The words 
 and glances were very many, but Faith never found out or 
 suspected that it was to see her all this party of grand 
 people had been gathered together. She thought they 
 were curious about "Mr. Linden s wife;" and though their 
 curiosity made her shy, and her sense of responsibility gave 
 an exquisite tenderness to her manner, both effects only set 
 a grace upon her usual free simplicity. That was not dis 
 turbed, though a good deal of the time Faith was far from 
 Mr. Linden s kelp or protection. A stranger took her in 
 to dinner, and among strangers she made her way most of 
 the evening. But though she was shy, Faith was afraid 
 never but of one person nor much of him. 
 
 For him among old acquaintances, beset with all man 
 ner of inquiries and congratulations he yet heard her 
 voice whenever it was possible, and knew by sight as well 
 as hearing all the admiration she called forth. He might 
 have said as at Kildeer river, that he found "a, great deal 
 of Mignonette." What he did tell her, when the evening 
 was over, was that people were at a loss how to name the 
 new exotic. 
 
 "How to name me, Endecott?" 
 
 "As an exotic." 
 
 "I don t wonder!" said Faith with her merry little 
 laugh. "Don t philosophers sometimes get puzzled in that 
 way, Endecott? 
 
 "Scientific philosophers content themselves with the 
 hardest names they can find, but in this case such will not 
 suit. Though Dr. Campan may write you in his books as 
 Lindenethia Pattaquassetensis exotic, very rare. The 
 flower is a double star colour wonderful! " 
 
 Faith stopped to laugh. 
 
 " What a blunder he will make if he does !" she said. 
 "It will shew as Mr. Simlins says that he don t under 
 stand common vegetables." 
 
 "Well translated, Mignonette. How will it shew that, 
 if you please ?" 
 
 " He has mistaken one for a trumpet creeper." 
 
 "A scarlet runner, I suppose." 
 
 " Was I ?" said Faith seriously. 
 
464 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "According to you. I am in Dr. Campan s predica 
 ment." 
 
 "I should think you needn t be," said Faith simply. 
 "Because you know, Endy I never knew even how to 
 climb, till you shewed me." 
 
 Mr. Linden faced round upon her, the quick flashing eyes 
 answering even more than his " Faith ! what do you mean !" 
 But his lips played then in a rare little smile, as he said, 
 very quietly, in his former position, "Imagine Mignonette, 
 with its full sweetness and more than its full colour sud 
 denly transplanted to the region where Monkeys and Gera 
 niums grow, I like to think of the effect." 
 
 "I can t think of any effect at all," said Faith, "/should 
 look at the Monkeys and Geraniums !" 
 
 "Of course being Mignonette. And clearly that you 
 are ; but then how can Mignonette so twine itself round 
 things ?" 
 
 Faith thought it did not, and also thought of Pet s charge 
 about "charming;" but she left both points. 
 
 " Most climbers," said Mr. Linden with a glance at her, 
 "have but one way of laying hold but this exotic has all. 
 There are the tendrils when it wants support, and the close 
 twining that makes of two lives one, and the clasp of a 
 hundred little stems that give a leaf or a flower wherever 
 they touch." 
 
 "Endecott!" said Faith with a look of astonished 
 remonstrance and amusement in one. 
 
 "What?" 
 
 But the smile and blush with which Faith turned away 
 bespoke her not very much displeased ; and she knew bet 
 ter by experience than to do battle with Mr. Linden s words. 
 She let him have it his own way. 
 
 The next day business claimed him. Faith was given up 
 to the kindness and curiosity of her new friends. They 
 made good use of their opportunity, and their opportunity 
 was a good one ; for it was not till late in the day, a little 
 while before the late dinner hour, that Mr. Linden came 
 home. He found Faith in her room ; a superbly appointed 
 chamber, as large as any three of those she had been accus 
 tomed to. She was standing at the window, thoughtfully 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 465 
 
 looking out; but turned joyfully to meet Mr. Linden. 
 Apparently he was glad too. 
 
 "My dear little Mignonette I I feel as if I had not seen 
 you for a week." 
 
 "It has been a long day," said Faith; who looked 
 rather, it may be remarked, as if the day had freshly 
 begun. 
 
 " Mignonette, you are perfectly lovely I Do you think 
 you will condescend to wear these flowers ?" said Mr. Lin 
 den, drawing her to a seat by the table, and with one arm 
 still round her beginning to arrange the flowers he had 
 thrown down there as he came in. 
 
 Faith watched him, and then looked up. 
 
 "Endecott you shouldn t talk to me so. You wouldn t 
 like me to believe you." 
 
 Mr. Linden finished setting two or three ruby carnations 
 in the green and purple of heliotrope and sweet-scented 
 verbena then laid the bunch lightly upon her lips and 
 gravely inquired if they were sweet. 
 
 "Yes," Faith said, laughing behind them. "You are 
 not hungry?" 
 
 "Why? and what of it?" 
 
 "You don t seem to remember it is near dinner time." 
 
 "Dinner time is a myth. My dear I am sorry I give 
 you so much uneasiness. I wish you could feel as com 
 posed about me as I do about you. What have I done 
 with that white ribband ! don t stir, it is in so-me pocket 
 or other." And the right one being found, Mr. Linden 
 unwrapped the piece of ribband and cut off what he wanted, 
 remarking that he could not get used to giving her anything 
 but blue. 
 
 " Well, why do you then ?" said Faith. 
 
 "I feel in a subdued state of mind owing to reproofs," 
 said Mr. Linden, with the white satin curling round his 
 fingers. "I may not tell anybody what I think of my 
 wife!" 
 
 Faith "looked amused, and yet a soft glance left the 
 charge and the reproof standing. 
 
 " I feel so composed about you" Mr. Linden went on, 
 drawing his white bows Faith did think the eyes flashed 
 under the shading lashes, "so sure that you will never 
 
466 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 over-estimate me much less speak of it. But then you 
 know, Mignonette, I never did profess to follow Reason." 
 
 He was amused to see the little stir his words called up 
 in Faith. He could see it in thu changing colour and rest 
 less eye, and in one look of great beauty which Faith 
 favoured him with. Apparently the shy principle pre 
 vailed, or Faith s wit got the better of her simplicity; for 
 she rose up gravely and laying her hand on the bunch of 
 flowers asked if she should put them on. 
 
 "Unless you prefer my services." 
 
 She sat down again immediately, with a face that very 
 plainly preferred them. Half smiling, with fingers that 
 were in no haste about their work, Mr. Linden adjusted 
 the carnations ; glancing from them to her, trying them in 
 different positions, playing over his dainty .task as if he 
 liked it. The flowers in place, his full smiling look met 
 hers, and she was carried otf to the glass "to see his wife." 
 Hardly seen, after all, but by himself. 
 
 "She looks ready for dinner," said Faith. 
 
 "Your eyes are only to look at!" said Mr. Linden with 
 a laughing endorsement of his thoughts, and putting her 
 back in the dormeuse. "Suppose you sit there and tell 
 me what efforts they have made in the way of seeing, to 
 day." 
 
 "Efforts to see all before them which was more than 
 they could," said Faith. 
 
 "What- did they see? not me, nor I them, that 1 
 know." 
 
 " That was another sort of effort they made," said Faith 
 smiling "efforts to see what was not before them. I 
 watched whenever I thought there was a chance but 1 
 couldn t see anything that looked like you. We must 
 have gone half over the city, Endecott; Mrs. Pulteney 
 took me all the morning, and her daughters and Mr. Pul 
 teney all the afternoon." 
 
 "Know, little Mignonette," said Mr. Linden, "that in 
 New York it is morning till those people who (Tine at six 
 have had their dinner. 
 
 "Like the swell of some sweet tune 
 Morning rises into noon," 
 
 was written of country hours. " 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 467 
 
 "I guess that is true of most of the other good things 
 that ever were written," said Faith. 
 
 Mr. Linden looked amused. "What do you think of 
 this ? 
 
 And when the hours of rest 
 
 Come, like a calm upon the mid-sea brine, 
 Hushing its billowy breast 
 
 The quiet of that moment too is thine; 
 It breathes of Him who keeps 
 The vast and helpless city while it sleeps. " 
 
 "I never saw the city when it was asleep," said Faith 
 smiling. "It didn t look to-day as if it could sleep. But, 
 Endecott, I am sure all the pretty part of those words 
 comes from, where we have been." 
 
 "The images, yes. But connect any spot of earth with 
 heaven by any tie and it must have a certain sort of 
 grandeur. You have been working in brick and mortar 
 to-day, Mignonette, to-morrow I must give you a bird s- 
 eye view." 
 
 Faith was silent a minute; and then said, "It don t look 
 a happy place to me, Endecott." 
 
 "No it is too human. You want an elm tree or a 
 patch of dandelions between every two houses." 
 
 "That wouldn t do," said Faith, "unless the people 
 could be less ragged and dirty and uneasy; and then- 
 houses too. There s nothing like it in Pattaquasset. " 
 
 " I have great confidence in the comforting and civilizing 
 power of elm trees and green grass," said Mr. Linden. 
 "But Carlyle says Man is not what you can call a happy 
 animal his appetite for sweet victual is so enormous ; and 
 perhaps New York suffers as much from the fact that 
 everybody wants more, as that some have too little and 
 others too much." 
 
 "Do these people want more?" said Faith softly. 
 
 "Without doubt 1 So does everybody in New York 
 but me." 
 
 "But why must people do that in New York, when they 
 don t do it in Pattaquasset?" said Faith, who was very 
 like mignonette at the moment. 
 
 " The appetite grows with indulgence, or the possibility 
 
468 SAF AND SEAL. 
 
 of it. Besides, little bird, in Pattaquasset you take all 
 this breeze of humanity winnowed through elm branches. 
 There, you know, My soul into the boughs does glide. " 
 
 "No," said Faith, "it is not that. When my soul 
 glides nowhere, and there are no branches, either ; in the 
 Roscoms house, Endecott and poor Mrs. Dow s, and 
 Sally Lowndes , people don t look as they look here. I 
 don t mean here, in Madison Square, though yes I do, 
 too; there was that raspberry girl; and others, worse, I 
 have seen even here. But I have been in other places 
 Mr. Pulteney and his sisters took me all the way to the 
 great stone church, Endecott." 
 
 "Well, Sunbeam, it has been a bright day for every 
 raspberry girl that has come in your way. What else did 
 you see there." 
 
 "I saw the church." 
 
 "Not the invisible" said Mr. Linden smiling, "re 
 member that." 
 
 "Invisible! no," said Faith. "There was a great deal 
 of this visible." 
 
 " What thoughts did it put in your head ?" 
 
 "It was very wonderfully beautiful," said Faith 
 thoughtfully." 
 
 "What else?" 
 
 "I cannot tell. You would laugh at me if I could. 
 Endecott, it didn t seem so much like a church to me as the 
 little white church at home." 
 
 " I agree with you there, the less show of the instru 
 ment the sweeter the music, to me. But the street in front 
 of the church so specially filled with beggars and cripples 
 I never go by there, Faith, without a feeling of joy : 
 remembering the blind man who sat at the Beautiful gate 
 of the temple; knowing well that there is as safe, .expe 
 ditious, and easy a way to heaven from that dusty side 
 walk, as from any other spot of earth. The triumph of 
 grace ! how glorious it is ! / cannot speak to all of them 
 together, nor even one by one, but grace is free ! Not 
 by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit saith the Lord 
 of Hosts. Faith, I have been thinking of that all 
 day !" 
 
 She could see it in his face in the flush on the cheek 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 469 
 
 and the flash in the eye as he came and stood before her. 
 She could see what had been all day before his eyes and 
 mind; and how pain and sympathy and longing desire had 
 laid hold of the promise and rested there "Ask and ye 
 shall receive." Unconsciously Faith folded her hands, and 
 the least touch of a smile in the corners of her mouth was 
 in no wise contradictory of her eyes sweet gravity. 
 
 "I saw them too," she said in a low tone. "Bndecott, 
 I would rather speak to them out there, under the open 
 sky, if it wasn t a crowd, than in the church ?" 
 
 "I should forget where I was, after I began to speak," 
 said Mr. Linden; "though I do love that dome most 
 catholic and solemn. better than all others." 
 
 "Mr. Pulteney asked me how I liked the church," said 
 Faith. 
 
 "He did not understand your answer," said Mr. Linden 
 smiling, " I know that beforehand. What was it ?" 
 
 "I think he didn t like it," said Faith. "I told him it 
 seemed to me a great temple that men had built for their 
 own glory and pleasure, not for the glory and pleasure of 
 God." 
 
 " Since when, you have been to Mr. Tom Pulteney like 
 a fable in ancient Greek to one who has learned the modern 
 language at school and forgotten it. 7 
 
 "He did not understand me," said Faith laughing and 
 blushing a little. "And I was worse off; for I asked him 
 several questions he could not answer me. I wanted to go 
 to the top, but lie was certain I would be too tired if I did. 
 But I heard the chime, Endecott ! that was beautiful. 
 Beautiful! I am very glad I was there." 
 
 "I ll take you to the top" said Mr. Linden, "it will 
 not tire me. Faith, I have brought you another wedding 
 present talking of ancient things." 
 
 "What is that, Endecolt?" she said with a bright 
 amused face. 
 
 "Only a fern leaf. One that waved a few thousand 
 years before the deluge, and was safely bedded in stone 
 when the children of Israel passed through the Red Sea. 
 1 went to see an old antiquarian friend this morning, and 
 out of his precious things he chose one for mine." And 
 Mr Linden laid in her hand the little rough stone ; rough 
 
 VOL. ii. 40 
 
470 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 on one side, but on the other where the hammer had split 
 it through, the brown face was smooth, and the black leaf 
 lay marked out in all its delicate tracery. 
 
 "Eudecott ! what is this ?" Faith exclaimed in her low 
 tcnes of delight. 
 
 "A fossil leaf." 
 
 "Of a fern I How beautiful ! Where did it come from ?" 
 She had risen in her delight, and stood by Mr. Linden at 
 the dressing-table. 
 
 " This one from Bohemia. Do you see the perfection of 
 every leafet ?" 
 
 " How wonderful how beautiful," Faith repeated, study 
 ing the fossil. "It brings up those words, Endecott, A 
 thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is 
 past; or as a watch in -the night. " 
 
 "Yes, and these The counsel of the Lord, that shall 
 stand. Compare this fern leaf, with the mighty palaces 
 of Babylon and Nineveh. Through untold ages this has 
 kept its wavy fragile outline, they are marked only by the 
 line of confusion and the stones of emptiness. " 
 
 Faith looked up, with such an eye of intelligence and 
 interest as again would have puzzled Mr. Pulteney. 
 
 " Did your old antiquary send this to me, Endecott ?" she 
 said looking down at it again. 
 
 "To you, darling." 
 
 "I have seen nothing so good to-day, Endy. I am very 
 glad of it." 
 
 "Do you remember, Sunbeam, the time when I told you 
 I liked stones ? and you looked at me. I remember the 
 look now !" So did Faith, by the conscious light and 
 colour that came into her face, different from those of three 
 minutes ago, and the grateful recognition her eyes gave to 
 Mr. Linden. 
 
 "I don t know much more now," she said, in very 
 lowliness, "about stones but you can teach me, Ende 
 cott." 
 
 "Yes, I will leave no stone unturned for your amuse 
 ment," he said laughing. " Faith, if I were not so much 
 afraid of you, I should tell you what you are like. What 
 else have you seen ?" 
 
 "Tell me what I am like, Endecott." 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 471 
 
 "What sort of consistency is that to coax me when I 
 don t tell you, and scold me when I do?" 
 
 "It s curiosity, I suppose," said Faith. "But it s no 
 matter. I saw all that strange place, Broadway, EndeooU; 
 we drove through the whole length of it." 
 
 "Well?" said Mr. Linden, throwing himself down in 
 the arm-chair and looking gravely up at her. But then 
 the lips parted, not only to smile but to sing a wild 
 Scotch tune. 
 
 "0 wat ye wha that lo es me, 
 
 And has my heart in keeping ? 
 sweet is she that lo es me, 
 
 As dews o summer weeping, 
 
 In tears the rosebuds steeping; 
 that s the lassie o my heart, 
 
 My lassie ever dearer ; 
 that s the queen o womankind, 
 
 And ne er a ane to peer her ! 
 
 " If thou hast heard her talking, 
 
 And thy attention s plighted, 
 That ilka body talking 
 
 But her by thee is slighted, 
 
 And thou art all delighted: 
 that s the lassie o my heart, 
 
 My lassie ever dearer ; 
 that s the queen o womankind, 
 
 And ne er a ane to peer her!" 
 
 "Did you see anybody like that in Broadway, Faith ?" 
 
 Blushing how she blushed! but she would not say a 
 word, nor stir, to interrupt the singing ; so she stood there 
 casting a shy look at him now and then till he had stopped, 
 and then coming round behind him she laid her head down 
 upon his shoulder. Mr. Linden laughed, caressing the 
 pretty head in various ways. 
 
 "My dear little bird!" he said. Tljen presently "Mig 
 nonette, 1 have been looking at fur cloaks !" 
 
 "Don t do such a thing again, Endy." 
 
 "I shouldn t if I could have quite suited myself to 
 day." 
 
 "I don t want it. I can bear the cold as well as 
 you." 
 
472 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "Let it make up for something which you do want and 
 haven t got, then, you must bear the cold Polar fashion. 
 But at present, there is the dinner bell." 
 
 They went down ; but with the fossil and the fur, Faith 
 was almost taken out of New York ; and astonished Mr. 
 Pulteney once or twice more in the course of the evening, 
 to Mr. Linden s amusement, 
 
CHAPTER XLII. 
 
 THE Hudson river railway, on a summer Saturday after 
 noon. Does everybody know it? if not, let me tell 
 the people who have not tried it or those more unfortu 
 nate ones who are tried by it, and driven into the depths of 
 newspapers and brown literature by the steam pressure of 
 mountains, clouds, and river, that it is glorious. Not on 
 a dusty afternoon, but when there has been or is a shower. 
 ]S T ot the locomotive, or the tender, or the cars though the 
 long chain has a sort of grandeur, as its links wind into the 
 bays and round the promontories, express. But get a river 
 side seat, and keep your patience up the lumbered length 
 of Tenth Avenue, and restrain your impatience as the 
 train goes at half stroke along that first bit of road where 
 people are fond of getting on the track, watch the other 
 shore, meantime, or the instructive market gardens on this, 
 then feel the quickened speed, as the engine gets her 
 "head," then use your eyes! Open your windows boldly 
 people don t get cold from our North river air, never 
 mind the sun hold up a veil or a fan ; only look. See 
 how the shore rises into the Palisades, up which the 
 March of Improvement finds such uncertain footing: how 
 the rising points of hill are rounded with shadow and sun 
 light, and green from river to crown. See how the clouds 
 roll softly up on the further side giving showers here and 
 there; how the white-winged vessels sail and careen and 
 float. Look up the river from Peekskill, and see how 
 the hills lock in and part: think of the train of circum 
 stances that rushed down Arnold s point that long ago 
 morning, where a so different train now passes. Mark the 
 rounding outlines of the green Highlands, and as you near 
 Garrisons let your eye follow the sunbeam that darts down 
 the little mill creek just opposite the tunnel. Then on 
 through those beloved hills, till they fall off right and 
 left, and you are out upon Newburgh bay in the full glory 
 of the sunset. After this, (if you are tired looking,) you 
 
 40* (473) 
 
474 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 may talk for a while, till the blue heads of the Catskill 
 catch yonr eye and hold it. 
 
 The blue range was a dim outline hardly that when 
 Faith reached her journey s end that night. She could 
 hear the dash of the river, and see the brilliant stars, but 
 all details waited for morning. And the morning was 
 Sunday. Balmy, cloudless, the very air put Faith almost 
 in Elysium; and between dreamy enjoyment, and a timid 
 sense of her own new name and position, she would have 
 liked for herself an oriole s nest on one of the high branches. 
 Failing that, she seemed as her hostess and again an old 
 friend of Mr. Linden s told him "like a very rosebud; as 
 sweet, and -as much shut up to herself." 
 
 Truth to tell, she kept something of the same manner 
 ind seeming next day. The house was very full, and of a 
 very gay set of people ; of whom Faith s friend, Mr. Mot 
 ley, was one. Faith met their advances pleasantly, but she 
 nas daintily shy. And besides, the scene and the time 
 were full of temptations to dream over the out of door 
 beauty. The people amused her, but often she would 
 rather have lost them in the hills or the sunset; and was 
 for various reasons willing that others should talk while she 
 looked. 
 
 So passed the first two days; and the third brought an 
 excursion which kept the whole party out till lunch time. 
 But towards the end of the day Mr. Linden was witness to 
 a little drama which let him know something more of Faith 
 than he had just seen before. 
 
 It was near the time of dressing for dinner. Mr. Linden 
 was already dressed and had come to the library, where in 
 a deep recess on one side of the window he was busy with 
 a piece of study. The window was very large and opened 
 upon a green terrace ; and on the terrace in a garden chair, 
 just outside the open window, sat Faith ; quietly and in 
 tensely, he knew, enjoying the broad river and the mountain 
 range that lay blue in the sunlight a few miles beyond ; all 
 in the soft still air of the summer day. She distracted Mr. 
 Linden s thoughts from his study. He could see her per 
 fectly though he was quite out of her view. She was in 
 one of the dainty little morning dresses he had sent her 
 from the place of pretty things; nothing could be mure 
 
SAY ANT) SEAL. 475 
 
 simple, and it suited her; and she looked about as soft and 
 still as the day. Meanwhile some gentlemen had entered 
 the library and drew near the window. Faith was just out 
 of their range and Mr. Linden was completely hid in his 
 recess, or doubtless their remarks would have had a different 
 bearing The remarks turned upon Faith, who was here 
 as well as in New York an object of curiosity to those who 
 had known Mr. Linden ; and one of the speakers expressed 
 himself as surprised that Linden should have married her. 
 
 "Wouldn t have thought it? would you," said Mr. 
 Motley. "To be sure, he s able to do all the talking." 
 
 "She does very well for the outside," said another. 
 "Might satisfy anybody. Uncommon eyes." 
 
 "Eves!" said Mr. Motley. "Yes, she has eyes! and a 
 mouth. I suppose Linden gets some good of it if no 
 body else does. And after all, to find a woman that is all 
 eyes and no tongue, is, as you remark, uncommon." 
 
 " She s not quite stylish enough for him," said a third. 
 "I thought Linden would have married a brilliant woman." 
 
 "He ll be a brilliant man, if you tell him that," said Mr. 
 Motley. "Corruscations and so forth. I never thought 
 I should see him bewitched, even by a rose leaf monop 
 oly." 
 
 The conversation was interrupted. It had not been one 
 which Mr. Linden could very well break ; all he could do 
 was to watch Faith. He could see her slightly bent head 
 and still face, and the colour which grew very bright upon the 
 cheek nearest him. She was motionless till the last words 
 were broken off; then, with a shy movement of one hand 
 to her cheek, covering it, she sprang away, as lightly as any 
 bird she was ever named after. 
 
 Mr. Linden was detained in the library, where as the 
 dinner hour drew near other members of the family began 
 to gather. A group of these were round the table, dis 
 cussing an engraving; when Mr. Linden saw Faith come 
 in. He was no longer in the dangerous recess; but Faith 
 did not come near him ; she joined the party at the table. 
 Mr. Linden watched her. Faith s dressing was always a 
 quiet affair; to-day somehow the effect was very lovely. 
 She wore a soft muslin which flowed about her in full 
 draperies ; with a breast-knot of roses on its white folds. 
 
476 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 Faith rarely put on flowers that Mr. Linden had not given 
 her. To-day was an exception ; and jier white robe with no 
 setting off but those roses and her rich hair, was faultless. 
 Not merely that ; the effect was too striking to be abso 
 lutely quiet ; all eyes were drawn to her. 
 
 The gentlemen whom she had heard speak were among 
 the party ; and no eyes were more approving. Mr. Linden 
 watched, as he might, without being seen to watch. Faith 
 joined not only the party, but the conversation; taking her 
 place in it frankly ; shewing no unwillingness to give opin 
 ions or to discuss them, and no desire to avoid any subject 
 that came up. She was taking a new stand among these 
 strangers, Mr. Linden saw it, and he could guess the secret 
 reason ; no one else could guess that there was anything to 
 give a reason for, so coolly, so naturally, it was done. But 
 the stand was taken. Faith had not stepped in the least 
 out of her own bounds ; she had abated not a whit of her 
 extreme modesty. She was never more herself, only it was 
 as if she had laid down a self-indulgent shyness which she 
 had permitted herself before, and allowed Mr. Linden s 
 friends to become acquainted with Mr. Linden s wife. But 
 with herself! Her manner to-day was exceedingly like her 
 dress ; the plainest simplicity, the purest quality, and the 
 roses blushing over all. It fascinated the gentlemen, every 
 one of them. They found that the little demure piece of 
 gravity could talk ; and talk with a truth and freshness of 
 thought too, which was like the rest of her, uncommon and 
 interesting, soft and free at once. Faith went off to dinner 
 on the arm of one of her maligners, and was very busy with 
 company all the evening after, having little to do with Mr. 
 Linden. 
 
 She had escaped to her room earlier than he, however; 
 and when he came in she was sitting thoughtfully before the 
 open window. She rose up directly and came to him, with 
 the usual smile, and with a little hidden triumph dancing in 
 her eyes, and an odd wistful look besides of affection and 
 humility. She only came close to him for a caress, without 
 speaking. Mr. Linden took her face in both hands and 
 looked at it a beautiful smile mingling with the somewha* 
 moved look of his own. 
 
 "What a child you are 1" 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 477 
 
 The colour rushed all over Faith s cheeks. 
 
 "Why? " she whispered. The answer to which, 
 cheeks and brow and lips might spell out as best they 
 could. 
 
 "Do you know why I did not come with your flowers, 
 Mignonette?" 
 
 "Before dinner? no. I got some for myself." 
 
 " I was on my way for them, and was entrapped and held 
 fast. My little Mignonette ! I never thought to have you 
 put your hand to your cheek in that way again I" 
 
 "Again, Endecott! Who told you?" said Faith, as 
 usual jumping to conclusions. 
 
 "Who told me what, my beauty?" 
 
 Faith s eye fell in doubt, then looked up searchingly. 
 
 I believe you know everything; but you don t look dis 
 pleased. How did you know, Endecott?" 
 
 "I saw and heard. And have seen and heard since," he 
 added smiling. 
 
 A question or two found out exactly how it had been ; 
 and then Faith put the inquiry, simple to quaintness, "Did 
 I do better to-day ?" 
 
 " If you are so anxious for me " he said stroking back 
 her hair. "They did not deserve to have one of my wife s 
 words, but her words were admirable." 
 
 It was worth while to see Faith s cheeks. 
 
 " Will you trust me to ride with Mr. Middleton to-mor 
 row?" she asked presently, smiling. 
 
 "No Yes I will trust you but not him." 
 
 " Does that mean that you will trust me to go ?" 
 
 "Not with him." 
 
 " But what shall I do ?" said Faith flushing after a dif 
 ferent fashion half laughing too " I told him I would go, 
 or that I thought I would go." 
 
 "Tell him that you think you will not." 
 
 Faith looked a little troubled ; she foresaw a charge of 
 questions she did not like to meet. 
 
 "Are you afraid of the horse, Eudy ?" she said after a 
 pause, a little timidly. 
 
 " No, darling." 
 
 Faith was pretty just now, as she stood with her eyes 
 cast down ; like a generous tempered horse first feeling the 
 
478 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 bit ; you can see that the creature will be as docile as pos* 
 sible, yet he is a little shy of your curb. Anything like 
 control was absolutely new to her; and though her face 
 was never more absolutely sweet, there was with that a 
 touch of embarrassment which made an inexpressibly pretty 
 mixture. Mr. Linden might well be amused and touched, 
 and charmed too, all in one. 
 
 "Mr. Motley asked me to ride too," she said after a 
 minute, blushing a little deeper, and speaking as if it were 
 a supplement to her former words. "He wanted to shew 
 me the Belle Spring. I had better give them both the 
 same answer." 
 
 "Has nobody else preferred his request? they are just 
 the two people with whom I do not want you to ride," said 
 Mr. Linden smiling. "I shall have to ask you myself or 
 claim you. Mrs. Linden, may I have the honour?" Faith 
 gave him a very bright answer of a smile, but with a little 
 secret wish in her heart that the other people had not asked 
 her. 
 
 Her denial however was perfectly well taken by Mr. 
 Motley; not indeed without a little bantering talk and 
 raillery upon the excessive care Mr. Linden bestowed on 
 her. But Mr. Middleton, she saw, was not pleased that she 
 disappointed him. Within two or three days Faitli had 
 become unmistakeably the centre of attraction to all the 
 gentlemen of the neighbourhood. To walk with her, to 
 talk to her, to attend upon her, were not a coveted honour 
 merely, but a coveted pleasure. It was found wonderfully 
 refreshing to talk to Faith : her eyes were something pleas 
 ant to look at, for more than George Alcott ; and the truth 
 of her enjoyment and gratitude made it a captivating thing 
 to be the means of exciting them. 
 
 Mr. Middleton was one of those men who think very much 
 indeed of the value of their approbation, and never bestow 
 it but where they are sure the honour of their taste and 
 judgment is like to be the gainer. One of those men who 
 in ordinary keep their admiration for themselves, and be 
 stow in that quarter a very large amount. Faith s refusal 
 to ride with him touched him very disagreeably. It was 
 impossible to be offended with her. But perhaps all the 
 more he was offended with somebody; and it happened un- 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 479 
 
 luckily that some reported light words of Mr. Motley about 
 M*\ Linden s care of his wife arid especial distrust of the 
 gentlemen who had asked her to ride, reached Mr. Middle- 
 ton s ear in a very exaggerated and opprobrious form. Mr. 
 Middleton did not know Mr. Linden, nor know much of 
 him ; his bottled-up wrath resolved that Mr. Linden should 
 not continue long in his reciprocal ignorance. And so it 
 fell out, that as this week began with shewing Mr. Linden 
 something of Faith that he had not seen before, it did not 
 end without giving her a new view of him. 
 
 It was a captivating summer morning when the cavalcade 
 set forth from Rye House, on a picnic to Alderney one of 
 the show places in the neighbourhood. It seemed fairyland 
 to Faith. The beautiful country over which they travelled, in 
 summer s luxuriance of grass and grain; the river rolling 
 below at a little distance, sometimes hidden only to burst 
 upon the view again ; and towering above all, unchanged 
 beyond the changing lights and shades of the nearer 
 landscape, the long mountain range. The air was perfec 
 tion ; the sounds of voice and laughter and horses brisk 
 feet helped the exhilaration, and the lively colours and 
 fashion of caps and habits and feathers made pretty work 
 for the eye. Faith s ears and eyes were charmed. At a 
 cross road the party was joined by Mr. Middleton; whose 
 good-humour, at present in a loose-jointed state, was nowise 
 improved at the sight of Faith. She rode then, at any 
 rate ; and she sut well and rode fearlessly, that he could see ; 
 and his eye, keen for such things, noted too the neat ap 
 pointments of her dress, and saw that they were all right 
 and lilted her and she fitted them; and that her figure alto 
 gether was what no man might dislike to have beside him, 
 even a man so careful of his appearance as Mr. Middleton. 
 Not near Faith did he come ; but having noted all these 
 things with gathering ire, he sheered off to another part 
 of the troop. 
 
 It was a pretty day to Faith, the whole first part of it. 
 The ride, and the viewing the grounds they went to see. 
 These were indeed naturally very noble; and to Faith s 
 eyes every new form of natural beauty, of which her range 
 had hitherto been so- very sinall, was like a fresh draught 
 of water to thirsty lips. It was a great draught sho 
 
430 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 had this morning, and enjoyed almost to the forgetful- 
 ness of everything else. Then came the lunch. And that 
 was picturesque too, certainly; on such a bank, under such 
 trees, with such a river and mountains in front; and Faith 
 enjoyed it and them so far. But it was splendid too, and 
 noisy; and her thoughts went at one time away very far, to 
 Kildeer river, and remembered a better meal taken under 
 the trees, with better talk, and only Bob Tuck to look at 
 them. She stole a glance at Mr. Linden. He was doing 
 his part and making somebody very comfortable indeed 
 Faith half smiled to see it. 
 
 Mr. Middleton at another part of the assembled com 
 pany, had been getting his temper up with wine and his ill 
 humour with the various suggestions and remarks of some 
 careless gossipers at his side. Finding that he winced 
 under the mention of Mrs. Linden and the ride, they gave 
 him that subject with as many variations as the Katydid 
 polka, the simple "She did" (or rather "She didn t") 
 skilfully diversified and touched up, which brought Mr. 
 Middleton s heavy piece of displeasure, already primed, 
 loaded, and at full cock, to the very point where his temper 
 struck fire. He left the table and drew towards Mr. Lin 
 den, who was talking in the midst of a group of ladies 
 and gentlemen. Middleton knew which was he that 
 was all. 
 
 "You, sir!" he said like a surly bull-dog which term 
 describes both his mental and physical features, "my 
 name s Middleton I want you to take back what you ve 
 said about me !" 
 
 Mr. Linden at the moment was in the full tide of Ger 
 man talk with one of his old fellow students from abroad ; his 
 excellent poise and play of conversation and manner setting 
 off the gesticulations of the foreigner. With a look of 
 more surprise than anything else he brought eyes and 
 attention to bear upon Mr. Middleton. 
 
 "What, sir?" he said. 
 
 "Will you take back what you ve said about me?" The 
 dogged wrath of the man was beyond the use of many 
 words, to which indeed he was never given. 
 
 "I have not said anything, sir, which requires that." 
 And with abend of the head cool and courteous as his 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 4<U 
 
 words Mr. Linden dismissed the subject; and placing 
 himself on the grass with his friend and some others, fell 
 back into the German. Middleton followed fuming. 
 
 "I ve cpme to speak to you!" he said, beginning with 
 an execration, "and you must get up and answer me. 
 Will you take back what you said ?" Stooping down, he 
 had thrown these words into Mr. Linden s ear in a way to 
 leave no doubt whom they were meant for. 
 
 "I have answered yon, sir." 
 
 "That is to tell you what I think of it !" said Middle- 
 ton, dashing in his face the remains of a glass of wine 
 which he had brought with him from the board on purpose. 
 
 He was on his feet then ! with what a spring ! as in 
 the fairy tale the beautiful princess of a sudden became a 
 sword. Just such eyes of fire Mr. Middletoii had never 
 been privileged to see. But Faith saw the hands drop and 
 grasp each other, she saw the eyes fall, and the colour go 
 and come and go again, with a rush and swiftness that was 
 startling to see. Absolutely motionless the very breath 
 kept down, so he stood. And even his assailant gazed, 
 in a sort of spell-bound wonder. The twittering birds 
 overhead, how they carolled ; how softly the leaves rustled, 
 and the river sent up its little waves : and the sunshine and 
 shadow crept on, measuring off the seconds. The pure 
 peace and beauty of everything the hush of human voices 
 were but the setting of the deep human struggle. The 
 victory came. 
 
 With a face from which at last the colour had taken its 
 permanent departure, Mr. Linden looked up and spoke : 
 and something made the very low tones ring in the air. 
 
 "I have said nothing about you which needed apology, 
 Mr. Middleton. You have been misinformed, sir." And 
 with that same bend of dismissal Mr. Linden drew himself 
 up and walked away, bareheaded as he was. The trees hid 
 him in a moment. 
 
 Then there came a stir. 
 
 "What a coward!" cried George Alcott, pressing for 
 ward, "to do that to a man who you knew wouldn t knock 
 you down !" 
 
 The young German had started up, sputtering strange 
 things in his native tongue. 
 
 VOL. II. 41 
 
482 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "Mr. Linden is an excellent commentator!" said one 
 young lady, who took the liberty of speech pretty freely. 
 "How clear he makes it that The discretion of a man 
 deferreth his anger ; and it is his glory to pass by a trans 
 gression ! " 
 
 "I really thought," said Mr. Motley in a make-believe 
 whisper, "when Middleton first came up, that he had been 
 taking a glass too much, but now I see that he took just 
 half a glass too little !" 
 
 "Sir," said Colonel Rye stepping forward, a man of 
 most noble character and presence both, "Mr. Linden is 
 my guest and friend you must answer this to me." 
 
 Before Mr. Middleton could make answer, Faith had 
 come in between and laid hold of the Colonel s hand. She 
 was white, and quiet, but she could not at once speak. All 
 around stood still. 
 
 " Sir," she said, in words that were well heard for every 
 body held his breath, " Colonel Rye this is Mr. Linden s 
 affair." 
 
 "I beg your pardon, my dear young lady it is mine." 
 
 "No sir," said Faith he felt how eagerly her fingers 
 Gasped his "it is in Mr. Linden s hands. He forgives 
 Mr. Middleton entirely." 
 
 "I don t forgive him !" said the Colonel shortly. 
 
 "Sir," said Faith, "Colonel Rye this is not what Mr. 
 Linden would wish. Endecott will tell you, sir, that he has 
 passed it by. Don t undo what he has done! No true 
 friend of Mr. Linden will make any more of this." 
 
 "I am willing to answer it to anybody," said Middleton 
 gruffly, but as if half ashamed of himself. 
 
 "There is nothing to answer to any one," said Faith 
 quitting the Colonel and turning to him; her face was so 
 white and gentle that it smote him, and those very steady 
 sweet eyes had a power in them just now that broke his 
 doggedness. "There is nothing to answer to any one . 
 unless, Mr. Middleton " (how soft her voice was) "un 
 less you find you were wrong, and choose to tell Mr. 
 Linden which I daresay you will. Colonel Rye will 
 you see for Mr. Linden s honour ^that this goes to no 
 harm ?" 
 
 The extreme ge.ntleness and the steady firmness of Faith 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 48 b 
 
 ruled them all ; and at her last appeal the Colonel s only 
 answer was to take her in his arms ;md kiss her an ac 
 knowledgment Faith would willing]) have gone without. 
 But it was good for a promise. 
 
 "Mr. Alcott," she said seeking him in the group, 
 
 "you said we would go down the bank " Faith did not 
 
 finish her sentence, but he saw her wish to finish it by 
 action. 
 
 She went wilh him till they were out of sight and away 
 from everybody ; then slipped her arm from his and begging 
 him not to wait for her sat down on the grass. For a while 
 she sat very still, whether her heart was fuller of petition 
 or thanksgiving she hardly knew. She would have rejoined 
 Mr. Alcott much sooner if she had guessed he was waiting 
 for her like an outpost among the trees ; but all the time 
 had not brought back Faith s colour. After a .while, other 
 steps came swiftly over^the turf as she sat there, and before 
 she had raised her head it was lifted up for her. 
 
 "My precious wife I what are you doing here?" Very 
 low the tones were, very grave, very tender. 
 
 Faith sprang, and after an exploring glance into his 
 face, knelt on the grass beside him, and threw her arms 
 round his neck, pressing her cheek very close as if she would 
 take off or share the affront that had been offered to his. 
 That for a minute and then changing characters she 
 raised her head and pushing the hair back from his brow 
 with her soft hurried fingers, she covered that and his face 
 with kisses with a kind of eager tenderness that could not 
 say enough nor put enough love and reverence into every 
 touch. All this while she was still ; she did riot shed tears 
 at all, as some women would have done ; and she said not 
 one word. 
 
 Perhaps surprise made him passive : perhaps the sooth 
 ing of her caresses was too sweet and too much needed to 
 be interrupted, even by a return. He let her have her way, 
 nor even raised his eyes. One arm indeed was round her, 
 but it left her free to do what she liked. If Faith needed 
 any light on what the morning s work had been, it was fur 
 nished by those few minutes. Only at last, with a sudden 
 motion Mr. Linden brought her lips to his, and gave her 
 back principal and interest. 
 
484 SAY ANI) SEAL - 
 
 You blessed child!" he said. "Are you a veritable 
 angel already ?" 
 
 "I should have brought you a palm-branch, Endy" 
 For almost the first time he had ever heard it so, Faith s 
 voice was unsteady. 
 
 Had she not done it ? Mr. Linden did not say so, as he 
 took grave note of her pale cheeks Presently rising up 
 he passed his arm round her, and took her up the bank to 
 the rest of the party, nor let go his hold till she was seated 
 between Mrs. Rye and himself. Then from the fern leaf in 
 his hand, he proceeded to give them both an account of 
 ferns in general living and fossil, extant and extinct ; with 
 his usual happy skill and interest, and except that the lips 
 never broke into a smile with just his usual manner. And 
 never had the grave depth of eye been more beautiful, more 
 clear. Not Faith alone watched it with loving admiration, 
 but no one any more than she ventured word or look of 
 sympathy. 
 
 When at last the various groups began to draw in 
 towards a centre, and ladies put on their riding hats, and 
 grooms were buckling girths again, Mr. Middleton with 
 two or three others was seen advancing towards Mr. Lin 
 den s quarter. Mrs. Rye rose hastily. 
 
 "I am sorry to find that I made a mistake, sir," said 
 Middleton with a sort of unwilling courtesy. " I was under 
 misinformation and I was not aware of your profession. 
 I beg your pardon for what has occurred." 
 
 Mr. Linden had risen too, and with folded arms and 
 the most unmoved face stood watching the party as they 
 came up. 
 
 " It is granted " he said offering his hand. "But permit 
 me to say, Mr. Middleton, that you made a third mistake, 
 equally great if the other two had not existed." 
 
 Mr. Middleton s private thoughts were perhaps not 
 clearly disentangled. At all events he had no desire to 
 multiply words, and turned off. 
 
 "So, he has spoken, has he I" said Colonel Rye coming 
 up. "Like a bear, T dare say. Why do you think I didn t 
 fight him, Endecott?" 
 
 A smile came over Mr. Linden s face then bright and 
 stirred. 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 485 
 
 " I think, sir, you yielded to Mignonette s power,- 
 did long ago." 
 
 "You? Did he?" said the Colonel turning. 
 
 "No, sir never!" said Faith, laughing and blushing 
 till her cheeks were brilliant. The Colonel smiled at her. 
 
 "My dear," said he, "you conquered me! and I don t 
 believe any other man more invincible than myself. Is this 
 your horse? No, Motley no, George she is going to 
 have an old cavalier for her ride home." 
 
 And much to Faith s pleasure, so she had. 
 
 41* 
 
CHAPTER XLIII. 
 
 OCTOBER S foliage had lost its distinct red and purple 
 and brown, and had grown merely sunburnt ; but the 
 sky overhead still kept its wonderful blue. Down the 
 ravines, over their deep shadow, October breathed softly; 
 up the mountain road, past grey boulders and primeval 
 trees and wonderful beds of moss, went the stage wagon. 
 The travellers were going by a somewhat long and irre 
 gular route, first up one of the great highways, then 
 across to that spur of the mountains where they were to 
 live. Mrs. Derrick was to follow in a few weeks with Mr. 
 Stoutenburgh. 
 
 It was late and dusky when the stage wagon transferred 
 the travellers to Mr. Olyphant s carriage which was waiting 
 for them at a certain turn of the road. Mr. Olyphant 
 himself was there, with extra wrappings for Faith ; and 
 muffled in them she sat leaning in the corner of the 
 carriage, tired enough to make the rest pleasant, awake 
 enough to hear the conversation ; feeling more like a bird 
 than ever, with that unwonted night air upon her face, and 
 the wild smell of woods and evergreens and brooks floating 
 about her. 
 
 At Mr. Olyphant s they were received with warm wood 
 fires and excellent supper, the welcome spending itself in 
 many other ways. But though Mr. Linden did take her to 
 the door for one minute to hear a pouring mountain tor 
 rent, she could see nothing that night. The stars overhead 
 were brilliant, the dark hill outline dim, the rushing of 
 that stream how it sounded 1 Faith s whisper was glee 
 ful. 
 
 "Endy I can t see much but it feels lovely ! I am so 
 glad to be here !" 
 
 The morning was wonderful. Such a sunlight, such arc 
 air, such rejoicings of birds and brook and leaves. Mr. 
 Olyphant s house stood on one sido of a woody slope rocks 
 (486) 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 487 
 
 and trees crowned to the very top; in the ravine below, the 
 brook Faith had heard. She could see it now, foaming 
 along, quieting itself as it came into smoother circum 
 stances. The most of its noise indeed seemed to be made 
 in some place out of sight, higher up. This slope was not 
 very high, other ridges before and beyond it looked down 
 not frowningly, in their October dress. Not much else 
 could be seen, it was a mere leafy nest. A little faint line 
 of snoke floated over the opposite ridge, glimpses of moun 
 tain paths here and there caught the sunlight, below Faith s 
 window Mr. Linden stood, like some statue, with folded 
 arms. 
 
 Faith hastily finished her dressing. As soon as that 
 was done she knelt at her window again, to look and to 
 pray. Those hills looked very near the sky; life-work 
 there seemed almost to touch heaven. Nay, did it not? 
 Heaven bent over the glorious earth and over the work to 
 be done there, with the same clear, fair, balmy promise and 
 truth. Faith could almost have joined the birds in their 
 singing; her heart did; and her heart s singing was as 
 pure and as grave as theirs. Not the careless glee that 
 sees and wants nothing but roses in the way; but the deep 
 love and gladness, both earthly and heavenly, that makes 
 roses grow out of every soil. So she looked, when Mr. 
 Linden first discerned her, venturing from the hall door 
 and searching round for him. 
 
 "0 little Sunbeam!" he said, "how you glint upon 
 everything ! there is a general illumination when you 
 come out of the door. How do you feel this morning ? 
 rested ?" 
 
 "As if I never had been tired." And Faith might have 
 said, as if she never would be tired again ; but only her 
 eye revelled in such soft boasting. "Where is our home, 
 now, Endecott?" 
 
 The ridge before them, on the other side of the ravine, 
 rose up with swifter ascent into the blue air and looked 
 even more thick set with forest trees : but where it slanted 
 down towards the more open country, a little break in the 
 trees spoke of clearing and meadow and cultivation. The 
 rlearing was for the most part on the other side, but a bit 
 
488 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 of one green field, dotted with two or three dark objects, 
 swept softly over the ridge line. 
 
 "Are you in the sight-seeing mood ?" said Mr. Linden, 
 with a look as gladsome as her own. 
 
 "Yes! and seeing sights too. But where is that, 
 Eudy ?" 
 
 "I shall take you there by degrees wait a moment," 
 and he went in for the glass. "Now, Mignonette," he said, 
 adjusting it for her, "I wish to ask your notice for a little 
 black spot on that bit of clearing. But first what does it 
 look like to you a hut or a summerhouse?" 
 
 "It s too far off it looks like nothing but a black 
 spot." 
 
 "Now look " said Mr. Linden smiling. O wondrous 
 power of the glass! the black spot remained indeed a 
 black spot still, but with the improvements of very de 
 cided horns, black tail, and four feet. 
 
 "Somebody lives there," said Faith. "It s a cow. 
 
 "Most true! What cow do you suppose it is, Mrs. 
 Linden ?" 
 
 Faith put down her glass to laugh at him. " It s no 
 friend of mine," she said. "I have a few friends among 
 cows, but not many." 
 
 "My dear Mrs. Linden, you always were rather quick at 
 conclusions. If you look again, you will see that the cow 
 has a surrounding fence of primeval roots, which will keep 
 even her from running away." 
 
 Faith obeyed directions, carefully. "Endy " she said 
 in an oddly changed tone, "is it my black heifer?" 
 
 "It is not mine," said Mr. Linden. 
 
 "But I didn t know she had come!" said Faith; then 
 putting up her glass again to scan the far-off black spot 
 and all around it, with an intenseness of feeling which 
 shewed itself in two very different spots on her cheeks. 
 
 "Put down your glass, Faith," said Mr. Linden, "and 
 look up along the ridge to that faint blue wreath over the 
 yellow tree-tops, that is your first welcome from my 
 study." 
 
 She looked eagerly, and then a most delighted bright 
 smile broke over her face as it turned to Mr. Linden 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 489 
 
 "How do you know it is in your study, Endecott? and 
 who has lighted it ?" 
 
 "Some one! We ll go over after breakfast and see." 
 
 At breakfast many things were discussed besides broiled 
 chicken. And afterwards there came to the door two 
 of the rugged, surefooted, mountain horses, saddled and 
 bridled for the expedition. On the porch steps a great 
 lunch basket told of Mrs. Olyphant s care Faith was up 
 stairs donning her habit. Mr. Linden ran up to meet 
 her. 
 
 "Faith," he said laughingly, "Malthus has just confided 
 to me, that if Mrs. Endecott has any things to take over, 
 they would make the way wonderfully pleasant to him." 
 
 "Who is Malthus?" 
 
 The shy blush on Faith s cheek was pretty to see. 
 
 "He is an old servant of mine, who has been with Mr. 
 Olyphant arid is coming to me again." 
 
 Faith thought it was good news, and as good for Mal 
 thus as anybody ! An important little travelling bag was 
 committed to him, and the cavalcade set forth. 
 
 The way was far longer than the distance seemed to pro 
 mise, having to follow the possibilities of the ground. A wild 
 way through the forest and over the brook ; a good bridle 
 path, but no better. The stillness of nature everywhere ; 
 rarely a human habitation near enough to afford human 
 sounds. Frost and dew lay sparkling yet on moss and 
 stone, in the dells where the sun had not looked; though 
 now and then a sudden opening or turn shewed a reach or 
 a gorge of the mountains all golden with sunlight. Trees 
 such as Faith had never seen stood along the path in many 
 places, and under them the horses footfalls frightened the 
 squirrels from tree to tree. 
 
 "Is this the only way of getting about here, Ende 
 cott?" 
 
 "This or on foot in many directions That part of 
 our parish which lies below us, as Mr. Olyphant says, 
 can be reached with wheels. But look, Mignonette ! " 
 
 The road turned sharply round a great boulder, and they 
 were almost home ! There it lay before them, a little 
 below, an irregular, low, grey stone cottage, fitting itself 
 to the ground as if fitting the ground to it had been aD 
 
490 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 impossibility. It was not on a ravine; the slope went 
 down, down, till it swept off into the stubble fields and 
 cleared land below. There was the sound of a great 
 waterfall in the distance, close by the house a little branch 
 stream went bounding down, and spread itself out peace 
 ably in the valley. Dark hemlocks guarded the cottage 
 from too close neighbourhood of the cliffs at the back, but 
 in front the subsiding roughness of nature kept only a few 
 oaks and maples here and there. The cleared ground was 
 irregular, like the house, running up and down, as might 
 be. No moving thing in sight but the blue smoke and the 
 sailing clouds and cloud shadows. The tinkle of a cow 
 bell made itself heard faintly the breeze rushed through 
 the pines, then slowly the black heifer came over the brow 
 of her meadow and surveyed the prospect. 
 
 Faith had checked her horse, and looking at it all, up 
 and down, turned to Mr. Linden. There was a great deal 
 in her look, more than words could bear the burden of, and 
 she said none. He held out his hand and clasped hers 
 speakingly, the lips unbent then, though they went back to 
 the grave lines of thought and interest and purpose. It 
 was not merely his home he was looking at it was the one 
 to which he was bringing her. Was it the place for Mig 
 nonette ? would ft be too lonely, too cold ? or was the 
 whole scene that lay before them, in its wild beauty, the 
 roughness covered and glorified by that supreme sunlight, 
 a fair picture of their life together wherever it might be? 
 So he believed ; the light grew and deepened in his own 
 eyes as he looked, the grave purpose, the sure hope ; and 
 Mignonette s little hand the while was held as she had 
 rarely felt him hold it before. 
 
 Presently she bent down so that she could look up in 
 his face, answering him then with a smile. 
 
 "Endy what are you thinking of? I am very happy." 
 The last words were lowered a little. 
 
 Mr. Linden s eyes came to her instantly, with something 
 of their former look but very bright; and bending off his 
 horse he put one arm round her, with as full and earnest a 
 kiss as she had ever had from him. "That is what I was 
 thinking of," he said. "I was thinking of my wife, Mig 
 nonette. " 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 491 
 
 "Aren t you satisfied?" she said in her former tone. 
 
 " Perfectly ! " 
 
 The look made a very personal application. 
 
 Faith shook her head a little and they rode on. 
 
 The cottage door was very near presently ; Faith could 
 see all the minor points of interest. Malthus who had got 
 there by a short cut, waited to take their horses then a 
 white cap and apron appeared in the doorway for a second 
 and vanished again. 
 
 "You will find another of our old dependants here, 
 Faith," said Mr. Linden. 
 
 "Who is that?" she said quickly. 
 
 "There were three women in our house," said Mr. Lin 
 den, "that Pet and I called respectively, Good, Better, 
 1 Best, this is Best. Hers was a name in earnest, for we 
 never called her anything else ; and it was always the de 
 sire of her heart first to see my wife and then to live with 
 her. And I was sure she would please you." 
 
 "What must I call her? Mrs. Best?" said Faitn. 
 
 "No, you must call her nothing but Best. " 
 
 "That s excellent!" said Faith gleefully. "I thought 
 there was nobody here but one friend of yours, Endecott. 
 Now I shall get in order directly." 
 
 "That is what you thought you were coming to!" he 
 said coming to her side to lift her down. "How would 
 you like to be taken right back to Mr. Olyphant s ?" 
 
 "Not at all!" 
 
 In answer to which she was lightly jumped down from 
 the saddle and carried off into the house ; where Mr. Lin 
 den and Best shook hands after a prolonged fashion, and 
 the old servant not that she was very old neither turned 
 glad and eager and respectful eyes upon her new mistress, 
 touching that little hand with great satisfaction of heart. 
 
 " It s warmer in the study, sir," she said, "and there s a 
 fire in the kitchen if Mrs. Eudecott would like to see 
 that. Arid shall I make one anywhere else, ma am?" 
 
 Best s white cap and apron were very attractive ; and so 
 on the other hand were Faith s blush and smile. 
 
 The hall in which they stood rather a wide one, cut 
 the house from front to back, with no break of stair 
 way. Through the open back door Faith could see the 
 
402 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 dark cliff and hear the brook. Mr. Linden asked where 
 "she would go first?" Faith whispered, "To the study." 
 He smiled, and opened the one door at her left hand and 
 led her in. 
 
 Not yet in perfect order, the book shelves yet unfur 
 nished, it looked a very abode of comfort. For there were 
 basking sunbeams and a blazing fire, there were shelves 
 and cupboards of various size and shape, there were win 
 dows not very large, it is true, but giving such views ! 
 of the fair country below, and the brook, and the ascent, 
 and the distant blue peaks of the range. Warm-coloured 
 curtains and carpet and couch had been put here under Mr. 
 Olyphant s orders, and here were things of Mr. Linden s 
 which Faith had never seen, his escritoire and study table 
 among others. Her table, with a dainty easy-chair, at the 
 prettiest of all the windows, she knew at a glance un 
 known as it was before ; but the desk which she had had 
 lon^ ago stood on the study table, nearer his. Mr. Linden 
 brought her up to the fire, and stood silent with his arms 
 wrapped about her for a minute. Then he stooped and 
 kissed her. 
 
 "How does it look, Sunbeam?" 
 
 Faith was grave, and her eye went silently from one 
 thing to another even after he spoke ; then turned its full 
 sunny answer upon him. Faith certainly thought he did 
 too much for her ; but she spoke no such thought, leaving 
 it as she had once meant to leave other thoughts, for 
 action. 
 
 "You can put your books right in, and then it will be 
 beautiful," she remarked. "And look down the mountain, 
 out of that window, Endecott ! " 
 
 She was taken over to the window for a nearer view and 
 placed in her easy-chair to take the good of it. 
 
 "Do you see that little red speck far down at the foot 
 of the hill?" Mr. Linden said "in that particularly rough 
 steep place ?" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "That is the best thing we can get for a church at 
 present." 
 
 Faith thought it would be a very good sort of a "thing" 
 when he was in it ; but as usual, she did not tell all her 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 493 
 
 thoughts. They came back to her easy-chair and table, 
 and from them to Mr. Linden s face, with a look which said 
 "How could you?" But he only smiled, and asked her if 
 she felt disposed to go over the rest of the house. 
 
 For a house that was not in order, this one was singu 
 larly put to rights. Boxes and packages and trunks there 
 were in plenty, rolls of carpet and pieces of bedsteads, and 
 chairs and tables and everything else ; but they were all 
 snugly disposed by the wall, so that the rooms could be 
 entered and the windows reached. The inside of the cot 
 tage was, like the outside, irregular, picturesque, and with 
 sufficient capabilities of comfort. The kitchen was in a 
 state of nicety to match that of Best; in a piece of ground 
 behind the house, partly prepared for a garden, Malthus was 
 at work as composedly as if they had all been settled in the 
 White Mountains for the last ten years. 
 
 Lunch was taken somewhat informally ; then the riding 
 habit being changed for a working dress, Faith set about 
 reducing the rebellion among boxes and furniture. Best 
 had reason presently to be satisfied not only with the man 
 ners but the powers of her new mistress; though she also 
 judged in her wisdom that the latter needed some restric 
 tion in their exercise. Gentleness was never more efficient. 
 The sitting-room began to look like a sitting-room ; tables 
 and bookshelves and chairs marched into place. Mean 
 while Faith had been getting into pleasant order one of 
 the rooms up stairs, which with what Mrs. Olyphant had 
 done was easy; enjoying the mountain air that came in 
 through the window, and unpacking linen and china. Mr. 
 Linden on his part had been as busy with some of the 
 rougher and heavier work, opening boxes and unpacking 
 books, and especially taking care of Faith which last 
 work was neither rough nor heavy. She was amused (edi 
 fied too) at the new commentary on his former life which 
 this day gave her : to call upon servants when they were 
 present, seemed as natural as to do without them when they 
 were absent. Faith mused and wondered a little over the 
 old habit which shewed itself so plainly thinking too of 
 his life in Pattaquasset. 
 
 The day had worn on and faded, and Faith was still 
 busy, in a hunt for some of her wedding presents which she 
 
 VOL. u. 42 
 
4 J4 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 wanted to have on the tea-table. But Mr. Linden for some 
 time had missed her; and entering upon a tour of search, 
 found her in a large closet near the kitchen, with a great 
 deal chest on one side and a trunk on the other. Between 
 them, on her knees, Faith was laying out package after 
 package, and pile after pile of naperies lay on the floor 
 around her. In the very height of rummaging, though 
 with cheeks evidently paled since the morning. Mr. Linden 
 took an expressive view of the subject. 
 
 "Mignonette, I want my tea." 
 
 " Yes !" said Faith eagerly looking up and then at her 
 work again, "just so soon as I find some things". 
 
 "I don t want things I want tea." 
 
 "Yes but you can t have tea without things." 
 
 "I will be content with six napkins and ten tablecloths 
 just for to-night, as we are in confusion." 
 
 "And no spoons?" said Faith. "Here they are !" 
 
 "Yes here they are," said Mr. Linden, "and here is 
 everything else! Just look at the state of the floor for 
 me to walk over." 
 
 "Not at all," said Faith, "please keep out. J will 
 have tea ready very soon, Endy." 
 
 "You shall not have anything ready," and Faith tound 
 herself lifted from her kneeling position and placed in a 
 not uncomfortable nest of packages, "Now, Mrs. Linden, 
 whatever of these things your hands may touch, shall lie 
 on the floor all night. But as you see, my hands have a 
 different effect." And swiftly and surely the "things" 
 began to find corner room in the closet. 
 
 "Endy!" said Faith catching his hands, "please don t! 
 Just go away, and leave me here for three minutes." 
 
 "Not for one. I ll turn them all out again in the morn 
 ing, after the most approved fashion." 
 
 Faith sat down, the swift colour in her cheeks testifying 
 to a little rebellion. It was swift to go, however, .as it had 
 been to come ; and she sat still, looking on at Mr. Linden s 
 work, with a little soberness of brow. That broke too, when 
 she met his eye, in a very frank and deep smile. 
 
 "Well?" he said, laughing and leaning back against the 
 closet door. 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 495 
 
 "Will yon let me go and get tea now?" she said with 
 the same look. 
 
 "You pretty child! No, I want Best to get tea and 
 YOU to be quiet." 
 
 " I ll come and be quiet in three minutes, Endy, after I 
 get rid of the dust," she said winningly. 
 
 "Genuine minutes? If Ariel put a girdle round the 
 earth in forty, you should be able to put one round your 
 waist in three I suppose that is included in a feminine 
 getting rid of the dust ." 
 
 Faith s face promised faithfulness, as she ran off towards 
 the kitchen; where in less than three minutes she and Best 
 had proved the (sometimes) excellence of women s business 
 faculties. Meantime a strange man lifted the latch of the 
 kitchen door, and carefully closing it after him remained 
 upon the scene of action. 
 
 "How d ye do," he said. "Is the new man come?" 
 
 "Everybody s new here," said Faith. "Whom do you 
 mean ?" 
 
 " Couldn t tell ye the first word ! But I ve been after 
 him better n three times, if he aint," the man spoke as if 
 it was "worse" instead of better. 
 
 "Whom do you mean?i said Faith more gravely; "the 
 minister?" 
 
 "Now that s what I call hitting the nail," said her visi- 
 ter. "Well if he s here, just tell him to come up the 
 mounting, will ye?" 
 
 "When?" 
 
 "Moon sets close on to nine and its lighter afore 
 that." 
 
 "Where is the place ?" said Faith, now very serious in 
 deed ; "and what do you want the minister for?" 
 
 " I don t want him, bless you !" said the man. "If I did, 
 I shouldn t be standin here. It s an old soul up our way 
 He s got to go up to the bridge and over the bridge and 
 tother side of the bridge and so on till he comes to it. 
 And the bridge is slippy." With which summing up, the 
 man turned to the door, rattling the latch in a sort of pre 
 paratory way, to give Faith a chance for remarks. 
 
 "But who wants him there and what for? you haven t 
 told me." 
 
496 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 "Why it s old Uncle Bias. Sen he s sick he s got 
 something on his mind never seemed to afore and he s 
 iii a takin to tell it. That s all." And he opened the 
 door. 
 
 "Why won t to-morrow do as well as to-night?" 
 
 "Wai " said the man slowly, "s pose it might. Nev 
 ertheless, to-morrow aint worth much to him. Nobody d 
 give much for it." 
 
 "Why?" 
 
 " Taint certain he d get what he paid for." 
 
 "Is he very sick?" 
 
 "Very enough " said the man with a nod and opening 
 the door. 
 
 Faith sprang forward. " Stop a minute will you, friend 
 and see Mr. Linden." 
 
 "That s his name! as sure as guns," said he of the 
 mounting. "No, thank ee, I don t care about seein 
 him now next time ll do just as well, and it s time he 
 was off." 
 
 "Then wait and shew him the way, will you? how is he 
 to find it ?" 
 
 "Do tell !" said th^ man slowly, "if he can t find his way 
 round in the moonlight?" . 
 
 "Better than most people," said Faith; "but I think he 
 would like to see you." 
 
 The man however chose to defer that pleasure also to 
 "next time," and went off. Faith went to the study. 
 Coming up behind Mr. Linden wheve he was sitting, and 
 laying both hands on his shoulders, she said in a very low 
 and significant voice, "Endy some one wants you." 
 
 "Only that you never assert your claims," he said, bring 
 ing the hands together, "I should suppose it must be the 
 very person whom I want." 
 
 Her head stooped lower, till the soft cheek and hair lay 
 against his. But she only whispered, "Endy it is some 
 one up the mountain." 
 
 "Is it?" he said, rousing up; but only turning his lips 
 to her cheek. "Well people up the mountain must have 
 what they want. Is it now, Faith ?" 
 
 "Endy they say it s a dying man." 
 
 "Where? Is the messenger here?" 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 497 
 
 "I couldn t make him wait he thought he had business 
 somewhere else. The place is I dare say Malthus knows 
 . up the mountain, beyond the bridge you are to go over 
 the bridge and on till you come to the house. And he says 
 the bridge is slippery." Only a fine ear could detect the 
 little change in Faith s voice. But she knew it was no 
 ticed, from the smile on the lips that kissed her, two or 
 three times. Then Mr. Linden disengaged himself and 
 rose up. 
 
 "Faith," he said, "you are to wait tea for me, and 
 in the mean time you must take one of Miss Bezac s 
 cups of comfort and lie down on the sofa and go to sleep. 
 Your eyes will be just as good guiding stars sleeping as 
 waking." 
 
 She said not another word, but watched him go off and 
 out into the half dark wilderness. The moon shone bright 
 indeed, but only touched the tops of many a woody outline, 
 and many a steep mountain side rose up and defied her. 
 Faith smelled the wild sweet air, looked up and down at 
 the gleams of light and bands of shadow ; and then came 
 back to the study where the fire blazed, and sat down on 
 the floor in front of it. Gazing into the red coals, and fol 
 lowing in fancy Mr. Linden ou his walk and errand. It 
 took him away from her, and so many such an errand 
 would, often; but to speak comfort to the dying and tell 
 the truth to the ignorant. Faith gloried in it. He was an 
 ambassador of Christ; and not ^o have him by her side 
 would Faith keep him from his work. That he might do 
 his work well that he might be blessed in it, both to 
 others and himself, her very heart almost fused itself in 
 prayer. So thinking, while every alternate thought was a 
 petition for him, weariness and rest together at last put her 
 to sleep ; and she slept a dreamless sweet sleep with her 
 head on Mr. Linden s chair. 
 
 She awoke before he got back, though the evening was 
 long set in. Feeling refreshed, Faith thought herself at 
 liberty to reverse orders and went to the forbidden closet 
 again, and to further conjurations with Best. They could 
 not have taken long ; for when, some hour later, Mr. Lin 
 den was nearing the house on his return, he had a pretty 
 view of her, standing all dressed before the fire in his study. 
 
 42* 
 
498 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 The glow shone all over her he could see her well, a.. 1 
 her fresh neatness. He could see more. Faith Linden to 
 night was n)t just the Faith Derrick of old time ; nor even 
 of six months ago. The old foundations of character were 
 all there, intact; but upon them sat a nameless grace, not 
 simply of cultivation, nor of matured intelligence, nor even 
 of happiness. A certain quiet elegance, a certain airy dig 
 nity which had belonged to her only since she had been 
 Mr. Linden s wife. She stood there, waiting now for him 
 to come home. 
 
 The firelight caught behind her the gleam of silver, 
 whether Mr. Linden could see it or not, where the little 
 chocolatiere stood brilliant. Faith had found that in her 
 last rummaging. Miss Bezac s new trencher and bread 
 knife were on the table too, with a loaf of Mrs. Olyphant s 
 bread; and the fireshine gleamed on Mr. Alcott s salt 
 cellars, and on the Mignonette tea service. Faith evidently 
 had pleased her fancy. But now her fancy had forgotten it 
 or left it in the background ; and for what, was well shewn 
 by her spring as she caught the sound of the coming step. 
 She met Mr. Linden at the door, gladness in every line and 
 movement, and yet the same grace over all her action now, 
 that a minute before was in all her repose. She said 
 nothing at all. 
 
 " Watching for me, my dear child I" he said. " Faith, you 
 have been on my heart all these hours." 
 
 She waited till he had come up to the fire, and then 
 softly inquired, "What for?" 
 
 " What for no ?" he said smiling, but giving her face a 
 somewhat earnest consideration. " Have you been asleep ?" 
 
 "Yes. And then I thought I might go after my choco 
 late pot, in the closet." 
 
 " Sensible child ! What did you think upon the great 
 question of setting forth to see me safe over the bridge ?" 
 
 Her face changed, though smiling. She whispered, 
 "I did see you safe over it." But his lips were grave in 
 stantly, and the eyes even flushed. And Faith could see 
 then that he was exceedingly tired. Gently her hands 
 rather insinuated than pushed him into the chair, and she 
 ran away to give an order; coming back to do two or 
 three other things for his comfort. Still silent, standing 
 
SAY AND SEAL. 499 
 
 there beside his chair, she presently stooped and put her 
 fresh sweet lips to his. Roses full of dew are not sweeter ; 
 and if roses were sentient things their kisses could not give 
 sympathy more fragrantly, nor with more pure quiet. 
 Holding her fast, Mr. Linden asked what she thought of 
 her share of clerical duties, on the whole ? 
 
 Faith answered somewhat quaintly, "Not much." 
 
 "You don t! What a triumph for Miss Essie. Were 
 you lonely, Faith ?" 
 
 She was going to answer, then sprang away from him, 
 for Malthus came to the door. And the table was spread, 
 with as dainty exactness as if there were no disorder any 
 where in Mr. Linden s household. The little chocojatiere 
 steamed out its welcome, Malthus was gone, and Faith 
 stood by Mr. Linden s chair again. 
 
 "It is ready, Endecott." 
 
 He had watched her from under the shadow of his hand, 
 her soft arranging steps and touches. " Faith," he said 
 looking up, "is this the night when I am to have sugarless 
 tea to remind me of the over-sweetened cup of long 
 ago ?" 
 
 Her smile and flash of the eye were conscious as well as 
 bright. "I guess sugar is potent yet, Endy." 
 
 " You are I " he said. " Have you been lonely, my dear 
 child? You don t answer me." 
 
 She hesitated a very little. "I felt you were away, 
 Endy but I didn t wish you here. No, I wasn t lonely." 
 His eyes spoke a full understanding of both parts of her 
 sentence. But his words touched somewhat else. 
 
 "Those poor people up on the mountain ! poor as un 
 belief could make them. Faith, I must go there again in 
 the morning." 
 
 Is it far ?" 
 
 Pretty far. On the crest of the ridge." 
 
 What about them, Endy?" 
 
 What were you looking for, here in the embers?" 
 
 I ? " she said, the colour instantly starting as she un 
 derstood his question. "I was lookin-g for you, then." 
 
 "I was sure of it. I saw myself distinctly portrayed in 
 a piece of charcoal." 
 
 She laughed, gaily and softly. "Wouldn t you like to 
 
500 SAY AND SEAL. 
 
 have some tea, and then tell me what you saw up on the 
 mountain?" she whispered. 
 
 "Ah little Sunbeam," he said, "I spent some weary hours 
 there. No, I don t want to tell you about it to-night. And 
 so at last I came home, thinking of the scene I had been 
 through, and of you left alone here in this strange place. 
 And then I had that vision of my wife." 
 
 She was silent, her face shewing certainly a grave con 
 Hciousness that he was tired and a full entering into the 
 feeling of his work ; but for herself, a spirit as strong in its 
 foundations of rest, as full of joy both in his work and in 
 him as a spirit could be. So till her eyes met his, then 
 the look broke in a winsome little confessing smile, and the 
 eyes fell. 
 
 "Don t you want something better than visions?" she 
 said. 
 
 "Is that a challenge ?" He laughed and rose up, carry 
 ing her off to her place at the table, and installing her with 
 all the honours; and still holding her by the shoulders 
 asked "if she felt like the head of the house?" 
 
 "No indeed!" said Faith. 
 
 "What then?" 
 
 "You know " said Faith colouring "What I am." 
 
 " Mrs. Endecott, I suppose. I have noticed, Mignonette," 
 said Mr. Linden as he went round to his chair, "that when 
 ever you see fit to agree with me it is always in your own 
 words 1" 
 
 Which remark Faith benevolently answered with a cup 
 of cocoa, which was good enough to answer anything. 
 
 END OF VOL. II 
 
PUBLICATIONS OF J. B. LIPPINCOTT & CO. 
 
 "OUIDA S" LATER WORKS. 
 
 IN MAREMMA. 
 
 A. Story of Italian Life. 
 
 12mo. Extra cloth, $1.23; Paper cover, 6O cents. 
 
 " Ouida s pen is a graphic one, 
 and page after page of gorgeous word- 
 painting flows from it in a smooth, 
 melodious rhythm that often has the 
 
 perfect measure of blank verse, and 
 needs only to be broken into lines." 
 Philadelphia Evening Bulletin, 
 
 A VIULAGE COMMUNE. 
 
 A Story. 
 
 12mo. Extra cloth, $1.23; Paper cover, 6O cents. 
 
 " It is a book which claims and will 
 repay a careful reading." Philadel 
 phia North American. 
 
 " It is deeply interesting with ex 
 cellent character portrayal, the whole 
 being written in the witty, sparkling 
 style for which Ouida is famous." 
 Boston Post. 
 
 " Consists of a passionate protest 
 against the application to regenerated 
 Italy of the Code Napoleon. The 
 author draws a strong picture of the 
 kind of oppression to which the peas 
 ants are now subjected." Neiu York 
 Times. 
 
 MOTHS. 
 
 A Novel. 
 
 12mo. Extra cloth, $1.25; Paper cover, 6O cents. 
 
 " The present work is marked by 
 all the bold originality in conception 
 and quaint brilliancy of diction that 
 characterizes all of * Ouida s books." 
 Sunday Dispatch. 
 
 "This is the latest contribution of 
 the prolific and brilliant Ouida to 
 the literature of romantic fiction. The 
 story moves more rapidly than that 
 of Ariadne or Signa, and carries 
 the reader s interest with it irresisti 
 bly to the end." Harrisburg Patriot. 
 
 " Deserves to take rank by the side 
 
 of the best of her previous novels. 
 Ouida s power of characterization, 
 and her ability to sustain the interest 
 of her stories from the beginning to 
 the end, cause her books to be eagerly 
 sought after by readers of fiction. 
 She is a novelist of the intense school, 
 with great descriptive and word- 
 painting ability. Her plots aie unique, 
 yet not unnatural, and they are al 
 ways skilfully developed, and the 
 climax happily reached." Chicage 
 Evening Journal. 
 
 These Novels are universally acknowledged to be among the 
 most powerful and fascinating works of fiction which -the present 
 century, so prolific in light reading, has produced. 
 
PUBLICATIONS OF J. B. LIPPINCOTT & CO. 
 
 OUIDA S"POPULAR NOVELS. 
 
 13 mo. 
 
 Extra tloth, $1,25 per volume; Paper covers, 50 and 60 cents each. 
 
 GRANVILLE DE VIGNE ; 
 
 Or, Held in Bondage. A Tale of the Day. 
 
 " This i* Hie of the most powerful | present century, so prolific in light 
 and spicy works of fiction which the | literature, has produced." 
 
 STRATHMORE ; 
 
 Or, Wrought by His Own Hand. 
 
 "It is a romance of the intense works of MissBraddon and Mrs. Wood, 
 chool, but it is written with more while itsscenesandcharactersare taken 
 power, fluency, and brilliancy than the | from high life." Boston Transcript. 
 
 CHANDOS. 
 
 " Those who have read Granville de 
 Vigne and Strathmore will be sure to 
 read Chandos. It is characterized by 
 the same gorgeous coloring of style 
 
 and somewhat exaggerated portraiture 
 of scenes and characters, but it is a 
 story of surprising power and interest." 
 Pittsburgh Evening Chronicle. 
 
 PUCK. 
 
 His Vicissitudes, Adventures, Observations, Conclusions, Friend 
 ships, and Philosophies. 
 
 " Its quaintness will provoke 
 r, while the interest in the 
 
 laugh- 
 central 
 
 character is kept up unabated." Al 
 bany Journal. 
 
 ID ALIA. 
 
 It is a story of love and hatred, 
 of affection and jealousy, of intrigue 
 and devotion. . . We think this novel 
 will attain a wide popularity, especially 
 
 among those whose refined taste en 
 ables them to appreciate and enjoy 
 what is truly beautiful in literature." 
 Albany Evening Journal. 
 
 TRICOTRIN. 
 
 With Portrait of the Author from an Engraving on Steel. 
 
 " The book abounds in beautiful sen 
 timent, expressed in a concentrated, 
 compact style which cannot fail to be 
 
 attractive, and will be read with pleas 
 ure in every household." San Fran 
 cisco Times. 
 
 FRIENDSHIP. 
 
 " Like all her books, it is intense and 
 
 passionate ; absorbing in plot and mas- Journal. 
 
 IN A WINTER CITY. 
 
 terly in characterization." Boston 
 
 " It is brilliant and characteristic." 
 -Philadelphia Press. 
 
 " This is one of the most fascinating 
 
 of the recent works of this undent- 
 ably powerful novelist." New Haven 
 Journal and Courier. 
 
 UNDER TWO FLAGS. 
 
 A Story of the Household and the Desert. 
 
 "This is probably the most popular I most eloquent and graphic writers oi 
 work of Ouida. It is enough of itself fiction now living." Chicago Journal 
 to establish her fame as one of the | of Commerce. 
 
PUBLICATIONS OF J. B. LIPPINCOTT &> CO. 
 
 OUIDA S" POPULAR NOVELS. 
 
 13mo. 
 
 Extra cloth, $1,25 per volume ) Paper covers, 50 and 60 cents each, 
 
 BEATRICE BOVILLE, 
 
 And Other Stories. 
 
 " The many works already in print 
 by this Versatile authoress have estab 
 lished her reputation as a novelist, and 
 these short stories contribute largely 
 
 to the stock of pleasing narratives and 
 adventures alive to the memories of all 
 who are given to romance and fiction." 
 New Haven Journal. 
 
 PASCAREL. 
 
 " A charming novel, far in advance 
 of Ouida s earlier novels." London 
 Athenaum. 
 
 "It is masterly as a romance. 
 London Spectator. 
 
 ARIADNE. 
 
 " As full of charm as any of its pre 
 decessors. It is equal in style and 
 interest to Under Two Flags/ which 
 
 is about the highest praise that can be 
 given to a novel." St. Louis Globe- 
 Democrat. 
 
 SIGNA. 
 
 " Signa is a very exciting and I pathy of a lover of the warmer order 
 
 absorbing novel." Boston Saturday 
 Evening Gazette. 
 
 " The story is intensely dramatic, 
 and most vividly appeals to the sym- 
 
 of literature. It is sufficient to say that 
 it s Ouida s, for no one ever wrote 
 as she wrote." Boston Traveller. 
 
 BEBEE; 
 
 Or, Two Little Wooden Shoes. 
 
 : One of the most tenderly beautiful 
 
 stories we ever read." Boston Liter 
 ary World. 
 
 "Simplicity and pure nature, un- 
 
 marred by sensationalism of any kind, 
 
 make the story as excellent as anything 
 Uuida has written." Philadelphia 
 North American. 
 
 FOLLE-FARINE. 
 
 "This work fully sustains the writer s | bered among the best of her works." 
 
 previous reputation, and maybe num- | Troy Times. 
 
 RANDOLPH GORDON, 
 
 And Other Stories. 
 
 " Our word for it, it is full of sparkle, 
 dramatic situation, and sharp charac 
 terization. We have never yet seen a 
 
 dull page from Ouida. " Neiu Or 
 leans Picayune. 
 
 CECIL CASTLEMAINE S GAGE, 
 
 And Other Stories. 
 
 " One of the most popular of her 
 books . " Louisville Commercial. 
 " Has all the peculiar character 
 
 istics which delight so large an army 
 of readers of this novelist." New 
 York Evening Mail. 
 
 A LEAF IN THE STORM, 
 
 And Other Novelettes, With Two Illustrations, 8vo, Papercover. 50 cents, 
 " Those who look upon light litera- | pleasure and satisfaction-" Baltimore 
 ture as an art will read these tales with Gazette. 
 
PUBLICATIONS OF J. B. LIPPINCOTT & CO. 
 
 The " Wide, Wide World" Series. 
 
 The Works of the Misses Warner, 
 
 THE WIDE, WIDE WORLD. lamo. Two Steel Plates. 694 
 pages. Fine cloth. $1.75. 
 
 QUEECHY. i2mo. Two Illustrations. 806 pages. Fine cloth. $1.73. 
 
 THE HILLS OF THE SHATEMUC. i2mo. 516 pages. 
 Fine cloth. $1.75. 
 
 MY BROTHER S KEEPER. xamo. 385 pages. Fine cloth. 
 $1.50. 
 
 DOLLARS AND CENTS, xamo. 515 pages. Fine cloth. $1.75. 
 
 DAISY. i2mo. 815 pages. Fine cloth. $1.75. 
 
 SAY AND SEAL. i2mo. 1013 pages. Fine cloth. $1.75. 
 
 omplete sets of the above volumes, bound in uniform style, can be 
 obtained, put up in neat boxes. 
 
 The sale of thousands of the above volumes attests their popularity. They 
 are stories of unusual interest, remarkably elevated and natural in tone and 
 sentiment, full of refined and healthy thought, and exhibiting an intimate and 
 accurate knowledge of human nature. 
 
 Three Powerful Romances, 
 
 By Wilhelmine Von Hillern, 
 
 ONLY A GIRL. From the German. By Mrs. A. L. WISTER. 
 i2mo. Fine cloth. $1.50. 
 
 This is a charming work, charmingly written, and no one who reads it 
 can lay it down without feeling impressed with the superior talent of its 
 gifted author. 
 
 BY HIS OWN MIGHT. From the German. By M. S. xamo. 
 Fine cloth. $1.25. 
 
 "A story of intense interest, well wrought." Boston Commonwealth. 
 
 A TWOFOLD LIFE. From the German. By M. S. izmo. 
 Fine cloth. $1.25. 
 
 " It is admirably written, the plot is interesting and well developed, the style 
 vigorous and healthy." Boston Saturday Evening Gazette. 
 
 Two Charming Novels^ 
 
 By the Author of " The Initials," 
 
 QUITS. By the BARONESS TAUTPHCEUS. i2mo. Fine cloth. $1.50. 
 AT ODDS. By the BARONESS TAUTPHCEUS. 12010. Fine cloth. $1.50. 
 
 72396 
 

 CO 
 
 
 CM 
 
 10 
 
 8s 
 
 
 fn "J 
 
 
 5 
 
 
 zO 
 
 
 ri I 
 
 
 y 
 
 
 \/ 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 LU 
 
 CD 
 < 
 
 -Z- 
 
 cz 
 
 < 
 
 U 
 
 Ll_ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 g 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 LU 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 > 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ~z. 
 
 ID 
 
 
 .J 
 
 G 
 
 i 
 
 : j 
 
 5 
 
 u 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 UJ 
 
 a 
 
 > 
 
 > i 
 i 
 
 t 
 
 < 
 
 Z 
 c 
 
 3 , 
 > 
 
 eo 
 
 M 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 CO 
 
 s 
 
 
 ) 
 
 LJ