d been unfortunate; 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 mortification
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 culmination, Mr. Simlins,
who had been standing looking at everything 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?"

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.
"_I_ 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 whereever 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'll 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