hat might do you good."

Faith looked dubious at the cup of tea; but then rose up and said it
would disturb her mother, and she would just go and sleep.

"It won't disturb her a bit,"--Mr. Linden said, reseating her,--"sit
still--I'll send Reuben up to see."

He left her there a very few minutes, apparently attending to more than
one thing, for he came back through the eating-room door; bringing word
to Faith that her fire and room were in nice order, and her mother fast
asleep there in the rocking-chair to keep guard; and that she should
have a cup of tea in no time. And with a smile at her, he went back
into the eating-room, and brought thence her cup and plate, and
requested to be told just how the tea should be made to please her, and
whether he might invade the dairy for cream.

"If I could put this cloak over my shoulders, I would get some myself.
Will you put it on for me? please.--Is there fire in the kitchen? I'll
go and make the tea."

"Is there nothing else you would like to do?" he said standing before
her,--"you shall not stir! Do you think I don't know cream when I see
it?"--and he went off again, coming back this time in company with
Reuben and the tea-kettle, but the former did not stay. Then with
appeals to her for directions the tea was made and poured out, and
toast made and laid on her plate; but she was not allowed to raise a
finger, except now to handle her cup.

"It's very good!" said Faith,--"but--don't you remember you once told
me two cups of cocoa were better than one?"

It is to be noted in passing, that all Faith's _nameless_ addresses
were made with a certain gentle, modulated accent, which invariably
implied in its half timid respect the "Mr. Linden" which she rarely
forgot now she was not to say.

"Dear child! I do indeed," he said, as if the remembrance wore a bright
one. "But I remember too that my opinion was negatived. Faith, I used
to wish then that I could wait upon you--but I would rather have you
wait upon me, after all!"

Faith utterly disallowed the tone of these last words, and urged her
request in great earnest. He laughed at her a little--but brought the
cup and drank the tea,--certainly more to please her than himself;
watching her the while, to see if the refreshment were telling upon her
cheeks. She was very little satisfied with his performance.

"Now I'll go and wake up mother," she said at last rising. "Don't think
of this evening again but to be glad of eve