led round to the side of the fire
all ready for her. How bright the room looked!--its red curtains within
and its white curtains without, and everything so noiseless and sweet
and in order. Even the coffeepot was there by this time, and Mrs.
Derrick arranged the cups and looked at Faith on the sofa, with eyes
that lost no gladness when they went from her to the person who stood
at her side. Faith's eyes fell, and for a moment she was very sober. It
was only for a moment.

"What a beautiful storm!" she said. "I am glad it snows. I am going to
do a great deal of work to-day."

Mr. Linden looked at her. "Wouldn't you just as lieve be talked to
sleep?"

She smiled. "You--couldn't--do that, Mr. Linden."

"Mr. Linden can do more than you think--and will," he said with a
little comic raising of the eyebrows.

For a while after breakfast Faith sat alone, except as her mother came
in and out to see that she wanted nothing,--alone in the soft snowy
stillness, till Mr. Linden came in from the postoffice and sat down by
her, laying against her cheek a soft little bunch of rosebuds and
violets.

"Faith," he said, "you have been looking sober--what is the reason?"

"I haven't been looking _too_ sober, have I? I didn't know I was
looking sober at all."

She was looking quaint, and lovely; in the plain wrapper she had put on
and the soft thoughtful air and mien, in contrast with which the
diamonds jumped and flashed with every motion of her hand. A study book
lay in her lap.

"How did all that happen last night?" said Mr. Linden abruptly.

"Why!"--said Faith colouring and looking down at her ring--"I was
standing in the doorway and Nero was coming out with that great lamp;
and when he got opposite the screen something fell on it, I believe,
from the burning bookcases, and it was thrown over against him--I
thought the lamp and he would all go over together--and I jumped;--and
in putting up my hand to the lamp I suppose, for I don't remember, the
fluid must have run down my arm and on my shoulder--I don't know how it
got on fire, but it must have been from some of the burning wood that
fell. The next I knew, you were carrying me to the drawing-room--I have
a recollection of that."

He listened with very grave eyes.

"Were you trying to take the lamp from Nero?"

"O no. I thought it was going to fall over."

"What harm would it have done the floor?"

The tinge of colour on Faith's cheek deepened considerably, and her