y Miss Bezac and Mr. Linden
jointly. He brought her a footstool too, and with persuasive fingers
untied and took off her bonnet--which supplementary arrangements Miss
Bezac surveyed with folded hands and great admiration. Which also made
the pale cheeks flush again, but that was pretty to look upon. Faith
betook herself to the old-fashioned spoon and the milk, then gave Mr.
Linden something to do in the shape of a piece of cake; and then
resigning herself to circumstances broke brown bread into the milk and
eat it with great and profitable satisfaction, leaving the conversation
in the hands of the other two. The sun sank lower and lower, sending
farewell beams into the valleys, and shaking out gold pieces in Miss
Bezac's little brown sitting-room like the Will-o'-wisps in the "Tale
of tales". Through the open door her red cow might be seen returning
home by a winding and circuitous path, such as cows love, and a little
sparrow hopped in and out, from the doorstep, looking for "One, two,
three, four", crumbs. Faith from her seat near the fire could see it
all--if her eyes chose to pass Mr. Linden,--what he saw, she found out
whenever they went that way. It was not wonderful that Faith turned
from the table at last with a very refreshed face.

"Miss Bezac, you have made me up," she said smiling.

"Have I?" said her little hostess,--"well that comes pretty near it. Do
you know when I saw you--I mean when I saw _both_ of you, I really
thought you had come for me to make up something else? And I must say,
I wish you had,--not that I haven't dresses enough, and too
many--unless I had a new pair of eyes--but I always did set my heart on
making that one. And I haven't set my heart upon many things for a good
while, so of course I ain't used to being disappointed. You won't
begin, will you, Faith?"

Faith kissed her, hastily expressing the unsentimental hope that her
tea would be as good as her bread and milk; and ran out, leaving Mr.
Linden to follow at his leisure. Faith was found untying Jerry.

"What do you mean?" said Mr. Linden staying her hands and lifting her
in the most summary manner into the wagon. "Bread and milk is too
stimulating for you, child,--we must find something less exciting. What
will you see fit to do next?"

"I can untie a bridle," said Faith.

"Or slip your head through one. But you should have seen the delight
with which Miss Bezac entered upon the year of patience that I
prescribed to her!--and