est of your face to kiss?--I haven't half seen it yet. And
I'm sure Endy would not like to have his message delivered in these out
of the way places."

Even as she spoke, the hands quitted the face, veiled only by the
rosiest consciousness; and laying both hands on the stranger Faith gave
her warm kisses--on cheeks and lips; and then looked at her, with eyes
alternately eager and shy, that rose and fell at every new stir of
feeling.

"How did you come here?"--she said with a sort of soft breathlessness.
The eyes that looked at her were as intent, a little laughing, a little
moved.

"How did I come here?--Faith, I knew you at the first glance,--how came
you not to know me?"

"I--could not!" said Faith. "How came you here?"

"Here? in Pattaquasset--how I love the name! Faith, I shall expect you
to take me to every place where Endecott set his foot when he was here."

Faith's eye gave a little answering flash. "I don't believe I know them
all. Then--" she checked herself--"But how did you come here? You--were
in Germany."

"Then what?--please answer me first."

How Faith blushed!--and laughed; but she grew very grave almost
immediately.

"Please answer me!" she said.

"Yes, I was there--and I could not help coming here," Miss Linden
answered. "To leave him there, after all! But I could not help it,
Faith. When he determined to spend the year there--and I never saw him
look so grave over a determination--it was for one reason alone. You
know what?"

Faith did not assent nor dissent, but her eyes were swallowing every
word.

"It seemed then as if it might not much lengthen his absence, and would
ensure its being the last. And by-the-by, fair ladye, Endecott said I
might make the most of you before he got home; for _then_ he meant to
have you all to himself for six months, and nobody else should have a
sight of you."

As far as they could go, Faith's eyes fell; and her new sister might
study the fair face and figure she had not had so good an opportunity
of studying before. Perfectly grave, and still to her folded hands.

"After he was fairly launched in his work," Miss Linden went on, "Aunt
Iredell began slowly to grow better; and as the winter passed she took
the most earnest desire to come home--to America. Nothing could shake
it; and the doctors approved and urged that there should be no delay.
Then, Faith, _I_ would have stayed,--but she was exceedingly dependent
upon me, and most of all, Endecott sai