utterance. "But I will confess this,--I would rather have _him_
preach to me than you."

"What sort of a bad reason have you got for that?" she said, looking at
him.

"Miss Faith," said the doctor with the mock air of being in a
dilemma,--"you are good at definitions, if I remember--what is the
proper character of a _bad reason!_"

Faith looked up--he had never seen her look prettier, with a little
hidden laughter both on and under her face and that colour she had
brought down stairs with her. But her answer was demure enough.

"I suppose, sir, one that ought not to be a reason at all,--or one that
is not reason enough."

"Do you consider it a bad reason for my not liking Mrs. Derrick's
preaching, that I am afraid of her?"

"I shouldn't think it was reason enough," said Faith.

"Do you like preaching from people that you are afraid of?"

"Yes. At least I think I should. I don't know that I ever really was
afraid of anybody."

These words, or the manner which went with them, quite obliterated the
idea of Mrs. Derrick from the doctor's head. But his manner did not
change. He only addressed his talk to Faith and altered the character
of it. Nothing could be more cool and disembarrassed. He had chosen his
tactics.

They were made to regulate likewise the length of his visit, though the
short summer evening had near run its course before he (in
parliamentary phrase) "was on his legs" not to speak but to go. Then
strolling on to the front door, he there met Reuben Taylor; flush in
the doorway. The boy stept back into the hall to let him cone out;
whence, as the doctor saw through the open window,--he went at once to
Faith's side. But either accidentally or of design, Reuben stood so
directly before her, that Dr. Harrison could see neither face--indeed
could scarce see her at all. The little business transaction that went
on then--the letter which Reuben took from his pocket and then again
from its outer enveloppe,--the simple respect and pleasure with which
he gave it to Faith--though colouring a little too,--all this was
invisible, except to Mrs. Derrick. Faith's face would have told the
doctor the whole. The pretty colour--the dropped eyes--and the
undertone of her grateful, "I am very much obliged to you, Reuben!"

Reuben made no verbal answer, and staid not a minute longer, but the
pleasure of his new trust was wonderful!

CHAPTER XVIII.

Faith did not have as uninterrupted a time for studies as