eye, lifted toward Faith in an attempt to reply, caught a glimpse of the
sharp, pronounced outlines of the nurse's face. Before Faith could
comprehend, or turn, or cry out, the paleness blanched ghastlier over
his features, and the strong man fell back, fainting.

With quick, professional instinct, Miss Sampson sprang forward,
seizing, as she did so, an ice-water pitcher from the table.

"There, take this!" said she to Faith, "and sprinkle him with it, while
I loosen his neckcloth! Gracious goodness!" she exclaimed, in an altered
tone, as she came nearer to him for this purpose, "do it, some of the
rest of you, and let me get out of his way! It was me!"

And she vanished out of the room.

CHAPTER XXII.

ROGER ARMSTRONG'S STORY.

"Even by means of our sorrows, we belong to the Eternal Plan."
HUMBOLDT.

"Go in there," said Nurse Sampson to Mr. Gartney, calling him in from
the porch, "and lay that man flat on the floor!"

Which Mr. Gartney did, wondering, vaguely, in the instant required for
his transit to the apartment, whether bandit or lunatic might await his
offices.

All happened in a moment; and in that moment, the minister's fugitive
senses began to return.

"Lie quiet, a minute. Faith, get a glass of wine, or a little brandy."

Faith quickly brought both; and Mr. Armstrong, whom her father now
assisted to the armchair again, took the wine from her hand, with a
smile that thanked her, and depreciated himself.

"I am not ill," he said. "It is all over now. It was the sudden shock. I
did not think I could have been so weak."

Mrs. Gartney had gone to find some hartshorn. Mrs. Etherege, seeing that
the need for it was passing, went out to tell her sister so, and to ask
the strange woman who had originated all the commotion, what it could
possibly mean. Mr. Gartney, at the same instant, caught a glimpse of his
horse, which he had left unfastened at the gate, giving indications of
restlessness, and hastened out to tie him.

Faith and Mr. Armstrong were left alone.

"Did I frighten you, my child?" he asked, gently. "It was a strange
thing to happen! I thought that woman was in her grave. I thought she
died, when--I will tell you all about it some day, soon, Miss Faith. It
was the sad, terrible page of my life."

Faith's eyes were lustrous with sympathy. Under all other thought was a
beating joy--not looked at yet--that he could speak to