nd gave her his
hand with, "Miss Faith, are you better to-day?"

If a rosebud yesterday shut up in the cold had opened all its beams to
the sun,--that was Faith to-day, as she took Reuben's hand and held it.

"That is a very devoted servant of yours, Miss Faith," said the doctor
pointedly. "I notice he gives you homage in true chivalric style. Does
the transmuting philosophy extend thus far also?"

Faith turned the light of her face upon him as she answered, "I
shouldn't be worthy of one of those knights or of this, Dr. Harrison,
if I would change one for the other."

Reuben had risen to his feet as the doctor spoke, and as he quitted
Faith's hand laid his own, with the slightest possible gesture, upon
the left breast of his coat; which did not mean (as it would with Sam
Stoutenburgh) that there was his heart--but that there were the
letters! Then stepping back with a bow acknowledging Dr. Harrison's
presence, Reuben went over to the window to speak to Mrs. Derrick. The
doctor had seen him before that morning from the window, as with some
ordered fish Reuben entered Judge Harrison's gate, and his dress was
the same now as then,--how the different offices could be so different
and so reconciled--or what _this_ office was, were matters of study.
But clearly Faith was as strong for her knight as her knight was for
her.

"I didn't understand the transmuting philosophy in the former case,"
the doctor remarked.

"It is not that," said Faith with rising colour, for she had seen
Reuben's hand gesture. "It is just taking things as they are."

"That is a philosophy deeper than that of transmutation!" said the
doctor. "I give it up. But what is the philosophy in this case?--" and
he nodded slightly towards Reuben.

"If you ever know him, you'll know, Dr. Harrison," Faith said softly.

"Is he so trustworthy?" said the doctor thoughtfully looking at him;
but then he gave his attention to Faith, and talked of herself and what
she was to do for herself; until seeing no prospect of the doctor's
being out of his way, Reuben was again passing them on his way out. The
doctor arrested him by a slight but pleasant gesture.

"What are you doing now, Taylor?"

"Nothing new, sir,--a little for my father and a little for myself."

"I saw you doing something for your father, I think to-day. Doesn't
that hinder your studies?"

"Mr. Linden used to say that one duty never _really_ hinders another,
sir."

"Pleasant doctrine!" said