ith a great
deal chest on one side and a trunk on the other. Between them, on her
knees, Faith was laying out package after package, and pile after pile
of naperies lay on the floor around her; in the very height of
rummaging, though with cheeks evidently paled since the morning. Mr.
Linden took an expressive view of the subject.

"Mignonette, I want my tea."

"Yes!" said Faith eagerly, looking up and then at her work again, "just
so soon as I find some things--"

"I don't want 'things,' I want tea."

"Yes; but you can't have tea without things."

"I will be content with six napkins and ten tablecloths--just for
to-night, as we are in confusion."

"And no spoons?" said Faith. "Here they are."

"Yes; here they are," said Mr. Linden, "and here is everything else.
Just look at the state of the floor, for me to walk over."

"Not at all," said Faith; "please keep out. I will have tea ready very
soon, Endy."

"You shall not have anything ready," and Faith found herself lifted
from her kneeling position, and placed in a not uncomfortable nest of
things, "Now, Mrs. Linden, whatever of those packages your hands may
touch, shall lie on the floor all night. But as you see, my hands have
a different effect." And swiftly and surely the "things" began to find
corner room in the closet.

"Endy," said Faith, catching his hands, "please don't! Just go away,
and leave me here for three minutes."

"Not for one. I'll turn them all out again in the morning, after the
most approved fashion."

Faith sat down, the swift colour in her cheeks testifying to a little
rebellion. It was swift to go, however, as it had been to come; and she
sat still, looking on at Mr. Linden's work, with a little soberness of
brow. That broke too, when she met his eye, in a very frank and deep
smile.

"Well?" he said, laughing and leaning back against the closet door.

"Will you let me go and get tea now?" she said, with the same
look.--"You pretty child! No, I want Best to get tea--and you to be
quiet."

"I'll come and be quiet in three minutes, Endy, after I get rid of the
dust," she said, winningly.

"Genuine minutes? If Ariel 'put a girdle round the earth' in forty, you
should be able to put one round your waist in three--I suppose that is
included in a feminine 'getting rid of the dust.'"

Faith's face promised faithfulness, as she ran off towards the kitchen;
where in less than three minutes she and Best had proved the
(sometimes) excel