Miss Faith.

She found Ruth keeping watch by Leonard's troubled sleep; but when
she saw Miss Faith she rose up, and threw herself on her neck and
clung to her, without speaking. After a while Miss Benson said:

"You must go to bed, Ruth!" So, after she had kissed the sleeping
boy, Miss Benson led her away, and helped to undress her, and brought
her up a cup of soothing violet tea--not so soothing as tender
actions and soft loving tones.

CHAPTER XXVIII

An Understanding Between Lovers

It was well they had so early and so truly strengthened the spirit
to bear, for the events which had to be endured soon came thick and
threefold.

Every evening Mr and Miss Benson thought the worst must be over;
and every day brought some fresh occurrence to touch upon the raw
place. They could not be certain, until they had seen all their
acquaintances, what difference it would make in the cordiality of
their reception: in some cases it made much; and Miss Benson was
proportionably indignant. She felt this change in behaviour more than
her brother. His great pain arose from the coolness of the Bradshaws.
With all the faults which had at times grated on his sensitive
nature (but which he now forgot, and remembered only their kindness),
they were his old familiar friends--his kind, if ostentatious,
patrons--his great personal interest, out of his own family; and he
could not get over the suffering he experienced from seeing their
large square pew empty on Sundays--from perceiving how Mr Bradshaw,
though he bowed in a distant manner when he and Mr Benson met face to
face, shunned him as often as he possibly could. All that happened in
the household, which once was as patent to him as his own, was now
a sealed book; he heard of its doings by chance, if he heard at all.
Just at the time when he was feeling the most depressed from this
cause, he met Jemima at a sudden turn of the street. He was uncertain
for a moment how to accost her, but she saved him all doubt; in an
instant she had his hand in both of hers, her face flushed with
honest delight.

"Oh, Mr Benson, I am so glad to see you! I have so wanted to know all
about you! How is poor Ruth? dear Ruth! I wonder if she has forgiven
me my cruelty to her? And I may not go to her now, when I should be
so glad and thankful to make up for it."

"I never heard you had been cruel to her. I am sure she does not
think so."

"She ought; she must. What is she doing? Oh! I have s