grave comic mien;--"and the other
Roman mother that saved Rome and lost her son! Or that lady of Sparta
who made the affectionate request to _her_ son about coming home from
the battle on his shield! I thought the race had died out."

Faith could not help laughing. He had not been sure that she would
understand his allusions, but his watchful eye saw that she did.

"Were you educated in Pattaquasset?" he said. "Pardon me!"--

All Faith's gravity returned, and all her colour too. "No, sir," she
said, "I have never been educated. I am studying now."

"Studying!" said he gently. "You have little need to study."

"Why, sir?"

"There are minds and natures so rich by their original constitution,
that their own free growth is a fuller and better harvest than all the
schoolmasters in the world can bring out of other people."

Again Faith's cheek was dyed. "I was poor enough," she said bowing her
head for a moment. "I am poor now,--but I am studying."

In which last words lay perhaps the tiniest evidence of an intention
not to be poor always. A suspicious glance of thought shot from the
doctor's mind. But as it had happened more than once before, the
simplicity of Faith's frankness misled him, and he dismissed suspicion.

"If you want an illustration of my meaning," he went on without change
of manner, "permit me to remind you that your paragon of
character,--the Rhododendron--does no studying. My conclusion is plain!"

"The Rhododendron does all it can."

"Well--" said the doctor,--"it is impossible to trace the limits of the
influences of mignonette."

Faith looked grave. She was thinking how very powerless her influences
had been.

"Don't you see that I have made out my position?"

"No."

"What sort of studying--may I ask it?--do you favour most?" he said
with a smile.

"I like all kinds--every kind!"

"I believe that. I know you have a love for chymistry, and Shakspeare,
and natural history. But I should like to know Mignonette's favourite
atmosphere."

"The study I like best of all is the one you like least, Dr. Harrison."

"What may that be, Miss Faith?"

"The study of the Bible."

"The Bible! Surely you know that already," he said in an interested
voice.

"Did you think so?" said Faith quickly and with secret humbleness. "You
made a great mistake, Dr. Harrison. But there is nothing I take such
deep lessons in;--nor such pleasant ones."

"You mistake me too, Miss Faith. I do like it. You are s