e of; abandoning
the old eating-room except as a passage-way to the kitchen; and taking
their meals, for greater convenience, in the latter apartment.

Faith did not shut up her books without some great twinges of pain; but
she said not one word on the matter. She bestowed on her stitching and
on her housework and on her butter the diligent zeal which used to go
into French rules and philosophy. But Mrs. Stoutenburgh had reckoned
without her host, for there was a great deal more of the butter than
she could possibly dispose of; and Judge Harrison's family and Miss De
Staff's became joint consumers and paid the highest price for it, that
Faith would take. But this is running ahead of the story.

Some days after Faith's appeal to Mr. Stoutenburgh had passed, before
the Squire presented himself to report progress. He found both the
ladies at work in the sitting-room, looking very much as usual, except
that there was a certain not inelegant disposition of various pieces of
muslin and silk and ribbon about the room which carried the appearance
of business.

"What rent will Mr. Deacon have, Mr. Stoutenburgh?" said Faith looking
up from her needle.

"My dear, he'll have what he can get," said the Squire, "but what
_that_'ll be, Miss Faith, he and I haven't just made up our minds."

"How much ought it to be, sir, do you think?"

"Nothing at all," said the Squire,--"not a cent."

"Do you think not, sir?" said Faith doubtfully.

"Not a cent!" the Squire repeated,--"and I told him so, and said he
might throw the barn into the bargain and not hurt himself."

"Will he agree to that, Mr. Stoutenburgh?--I mean about the house. We
can pay for it."

"My dear, I hope to make him agree to that, and more too. So just let
the hay stand, and the house, and the barn, and everything else for the
present. I'll tell you time enough--if quarter day must come. And by
the way, talking of quarters, there's one of a lamb we killed
yesterday,--I told Tim to leave it in the kitchen. How does your ice
hold out?"

"Do you want some, sir?" said Faith, in whose eyes there shone a soft
light the Squire could be at no loss to read.

"No my dear, I don't--though Mrs. Stoutenburgh does tell me sometimes
to keep cool. But I thought maybe _you_ did. Do you know, Miss Essie De
Staff never sees me now if she can help it--what do you suppose is the
reason?"

"I don't think there can be any, sir."

"Must be!" said the Squire,--"always is a reason f