g persuaded to try one, Mrs. Derrick avowed that
she could not eat it and wondered how Faith could; declaring that in
her judgment if a thing was sweet at all, it ought to be sweeter.

If Dr. Harrison could have seen the atmosphere of peace and delight his
knit brows had left behind them!

As soon as he was gone, Reuben brought up the letters. And with
sunshine all round her, Faith read them and went to sleep, which she
did with the little case that held her knife clasped in her hand. Sleep
claimed her while fever took its turn and passed away for the day.
Faith woke up towards evening, weak and weary in body, unable to make
much lively shew of the "merry heart" which "doeth good like a
medicine".

"My studies don't get on very fast at this rate, mother," she remarked
as she sat in the easy-chair at her tea, unable to hold her head up.

"This has been a hard day," her mother said sadly as she looked at her.
"Faith, I won't let Dr. Harrison pay any more such long visits! he
tires you to death."

"It wasn't that. Mother--I think I'll have one of those things out of
my basket--I wish Mr. Linden had told me what to call them."

Mrs. Derrick brought the basket and looked on intently.

"When is he coming, child?" she said.

Faith did not certainly know. Under the influence of a plantain and the
silver knife she revived a little.

"Mother--what made you wish Dr. Harrison might meet Mr. Linden here?"

"It would save him a world of trouble," said Mrs. Derrick kindly. "And
besides, child, I'm tired seeing him buzz round you, myself. Faith, Mr.
Linden would say that _he_ ought to be told you're sick."

"I can judge for him once in a while," Faith said with a little bit of
a triumphing smile.

"Well--" said her mother,--"you'll see what he'll say. I guess he'd
rather you'd judge for him about something else."

From that time letters went and came through the Patchaug post-office.

CHAPTER XXIV.

Faith rallied somewhat from the prostration that succeeded those days
of anxiety; but then the fever again asserted its empire, and strength,
little by little but daily, lost ground rather than gained it. Though
not ever very high, the fever came back with persevering regularity; it
would not be baffled; and such always recurring assaults are trying to
flesh and blood and to spirit too, be they of what they may. Faith's
patience and happy quiet never left her; as the weeks went on it did
happen that the quiet grew