ette? would it 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,
Mignonette."

"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. Linden, "that Pet and I called respectively, 'Good,'
'Better,' and 'Best,' this is Best. Hers was a name in earnest, for we
never called her anything else; and it was always the desire 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 Faith. "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. Linden 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 upo