lence of women's business faculties. Meantime a
strange man lifted the latch of the kitchen door, and carefully closing
it after him, remained upon the scene of action.

"How d'ye do?" he said. "Is the new man come?"--"Everybody's new here,"
said Faith. "Whom do you mean?"--"Couldn't tell ye the first word! But
I've been after him better'n three times, if he ain't," the man spoke
as if it was "worse" instead of better.

"Whom do you mean?" said Faith more gravely; "the minister?"--"Now
that's what I call hitting the nail," said her visitor. "Well if he's
here, just tell him to come up the mounting, will ye?"--"When?"

"Moon sets close on to nine, and its lighter afore that."

"Where is the place?" said Faith, now very serious indeed; "and what do
you want the minister for?"--"I don't want him, bless you!" said the
man. "If I did, I shouldn't be standin' here. It's an old soul up our
way. He's got to go up to the bridge and over the bridge and 'tother
side of the bridge, and so on till he comes to it. And the bridge is
slippy." With which summing up, the man turned to the door, rattling
the latch in a sort of preparatory way, to give Faith a chance for
remarks.

"But who wants him there and what for? you haven't told me."--"Why it's
old Uncle Bias. Sen he's sick he's got something on his mind, never
seemed to afore, and he's in a takin' to tell it. That's all." And he
opened the door.

"Why won't to-morrow do as well as to-night?"--"Wal," said the man
slowly, "s'pose it might. Nevertheless, to-morrow ain't worth much to
him. Nobody'd give much for it."

"Why?"--"'Taint certain he'd get what he paid for."

"Is he very sick?"--"Very enough," said the man with a nod, and opening
the door.

Faith sprang forward. "Stop a minute, will you, friend, and see Mr.
Linden."

"That's his name, as sure as guns," said he of the "mounting." "No,
thankee, I don't care about seein' him now, next time'll do just as
well, and it's time he was off."

"Then wait and show him the way, will you? how is he to find it?"--"Do
tell!" said the man slowly, "if he can't find his way round in the
moonlight?"--"Better than most people," said Faith; "but I think he
would like to see you."

The man however chose to defer that pleasure also to "next time," and
went off. Faith went to the study. Coming up behind Mr. Linden where he
was sitting, and laying both hands on his shoulders, she said in a very
low and significant voice, "Endy, some