cause I'm angry, Miss Faith--and hurt too."

Faith's next words fell like pearls--

"It isn't worth the while."

"No, Miss Faith," he answered without looking up.

"It's too much honour to something that doesn't deserve
it,--and--Reuben--it's too little to something that does."

"O no, ma'am! it's not _that!_" Reuben said, raising his eyes to her
face with the old earnest look. "But Miss Faith, there are some things
he can't bear to hear said--and said _so_," he added a little lower,
and looking down again. "And then--he's Dr. Harrison, and I'm only a
poor boy and mayn't answer him--and that fretted me; and it isn't the
first time, neither," Reuben said, as if he were making a clean breast
of it. "Oh Miss Faith! I'd rather have had him knock me down, than
speak such words!" Tears were getting the upper hand in the boy's voice.

"Dear Reuben," said Faith, very quietly, though her cheeks were two
carnations,--"what I am most sorry for is Dr. Harrison."

Reuben drew a long breath, with his "Yes, ma'am--I'm sorry for him too,
very often--when he talks about other things. But I don't believe even
you know just--just how false that was." Reuben spoke as if the words
choked him. "It's maybe never come in your way to know all he did here
for everybody, and--for me."

There was a quick pulsation at that instant from Faith's heart to the
hand that held her letter,--but she only said, "Tell me!"

"I couldn't begin to tell you all, ma'am," Reuben said, a smile coming
over his face now,--"nobody could but himself--and _he_ wouldn't
remember. I couldn't even tell you all he's done for me; but one
thing"--Reuben's eyes and voice fell and he spoke very low. "You know,
Miss Faith, the rate of schooling here is fixed by the trustees. And
the first day I came father told me to say he didn't know that he could
find the money for more than one quarter, but he had so much all ready,
and he wanted me to have so much. I thought it would be hard to ask,
but it was so easy--of him," Reuben said with that same smile. "Mr.
Linden didn't say much about it--only yes--but then he spoke to father
(that very day we were at the shore Miss Faith) and told him I should
come all the time--for the pleasure of teaching me." (Reuben thought
the compliment went all to Mr. Linden, or he would not have told it.)
"But father wouldn't do that,--he said Mr. Linden should have the money
as fast as he could get it; and if he didn't take it I shouldn't come.