nking of her. From
her room Faith went straight to dairy and kitchen. She wanted her hands
full this morning. But her duties in the kitchen were done; breakfast
was only waiting, and her mother talking to the butcher. Faith stood
till he was dismissed and had turned his back, and then came into Mrs.
Derrick's arms.

"Mother!--why _didn't_ you call me!"

"Pretty child!" was the fond answer, "why should I?--I've been up to
look at you half a dozen times, Faith, to make sure you were not sick;
but Mr. Linden said he was in no hurry for breakfast--and of course I
wasn't. Did you have a good time last night?"

"I should think you _ought_ to be in a hurry for breakfast by this
time." And Faith busied herself in helping Cindy put the breakfast on
the table.

"You run and call Mr. Linden, child," said her mother, "and I'll see to
this. He was here till a minute ago, and then some of the boys wanted
to see him."

Faith turned away, but with no sort of mind to present herself before
the boys, and in tolerable fear of presenting herself before anybody.
The closing hall door informed her that one danger was over; and
forcing herself to brave the other, she passed into the sitting-room
just as Mr. Linden reentered it from the hall. Very timidly then she
advanced a few steps to meet him and stood still, with cheeks as rosy
as it was possible to be, and eyes that dared not lift themselves up.

The greeting she had did not help either matter very much, but that
could not be helped either.

"What colour are your cheeks under all these roses?" Mr. Linden said
smiling at her. "My dear Faith, were you quite tired out?"

"No--You must think so," she said with stammering lips--"but breakfast
is ready at last. If you'll go in--I'll come, Mr. Linden."

"Do you want me to go in first?"

"Yes. I'll come directly."

He let her go, and went in as she desired; and having persuaded Mrs.
Derrick that as breakfast was on the table it had better have prompt
attention, Mr. Linden engaged her with a lively account of the people,
dresses, and doings, which had graced the Christmas party; keeping her
mind pretty well on that subject both before and after Faith made her
appearance. How little it engrossed him, only one person at the table
could even guess. But she knew, and rested herself happily under the
screen he spread out for her; as quiet and demure as anything that ever
sat at a breakfast table yet. And all the attention she received wa