t let me say for you what I should
for my sister or my wife."

How Faith wished to know why. The rouge grew bright; but forbidden to
ask, she dared not ask. "Would you care if we did not go out to-day?"
she said with some timid hesitation.

"Very much."

She was silenced. That Mr. Linden had some strong reason it was plain;
not the less the thought of Dr. Harrison grieved her. But she said
nothing. Nor did he, upon that subject,--threw it to the winds
apparently. The first move was to take her up stairs again and bestow
her daintily among cushions, then to sit by her and spice her cup of
chicken broth with pepper and talk, till both it and Faith were warm,
and Mrs. Derrick in a state of delight. The good, sweet effect of which
mode of treatment, was shewn in the way "the fringed curtains" of
Faith's eyes were by and by dropped by sleep herself. When she awoke
Mr. Linden was gone; and Mrs. Derrick sat there keeping watch.

"Has the doctor been here, mother?"

"Why child," said her mother, "he's slipped off Stranger, in some of
his capers, and hurt his ancle,--so Reuben says he won't come till
to-morrow. Shall I tell Mr. Linden he may come up?"

"Yes." Faith felt it a relief.

Mr. Linden came to tell her the carriage was ready.

It seemed to Faith as if Jerry knew his old driver, with such good will
did he set forth, with such little snorts of high spirit and tossings
of head and mane. Down the old farm road, among fields of fresh grain
and fresh ploughing, where blue birds sat on the fences, and jocund
dandelions sunned themselves by the wayside. The breeze came fresh into
Faith's face, tossing back her hair; and presently with the scent of
buds and flowers and ploughed land came a mingling of the sea breeze,
for Mr. Linden was driving that way. He was right to make her
come!--Faith felt it in her heart, and so did he. There had been few
words spoken hitherto, but now he turned to her with a smile of great
satisfaction, saying,

"Mignonette, this breeze is telling upon your cheeks."

"It is going all through me!" said Faith, drawing an eager breath of
appreciation. Mr. Linden gave her shawls and cushions some arranging
touches, and to her a glad word or two of answer, then drove on down to
the shore. Not at their usual bathing and picnic place, but at the
further out Barley Point; where the breeze came in its full freshness
and the waves rolled in white-crested. There he made Jerry stand still
for a while, a