n 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. Endecott would like to see that. And 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 stairway. Through the open back door
Faith could see the 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 bookshelves yet unfurnished, 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 windows, 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--unknown as it was before; but
the desk which she had had long 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