d I ought to come. I believe he
was glad to think of my being here for another reason. He came with us
to Paris--it happened just then that he _could come_--and put us on
board the steamer. But we were three days in Paris first,--O such
pretty days!" she added smiling. "I'll tell you about them another
time."

The downcast eyes were lifted and rested for a minute on the sparkling
face before them. If a little warm light in their glance meant that all
was "pretty" about which those two had to do, it said part at least of
what was in Faith's mind.

"Now I am to be your neighbour for a while," said Miss Linden. "Aunt
Iredell was ordered out of town at once, and last night we came up to
Pequot,--so you must not wonder if you see me every other day after
this. O how good it is to see you! Do you know," she said, wrapping her
arms round Faith again, and resting the soft cheeks and lips upon hers,
"do you know how much I have to say of this sort, for somebody else?"

"You are not going back to Pequot to-day?" said Faith softly.

"May I stay in Pattaquasset till to-morrow?"

"If I can take good enough care of you!" said Faith, kissing her half
gladly, half timidly.

"And may I go home with you now?"

"Where are we going?" said Faith looking out.

"My dear, you ought to know! but I do not. I told them to drive about
till I gave contrary orders. Now you must give them." And the check
string brought the horses to a stand and the footman ditto. A half
minute's observation enabled Faith to give directions for reaching the
main Pattaquasset road and taking the right turn, and the carriage
rolled on again. There was a little pause then, till Faith broke it. A
rich preparatory colour rose in her cheeks, and the subject of her
words would certainly have laughed to see how gravely, with what
commonplace demureness, the question was put.

"Was Mr. Linden well, when you came from Germany?"

"Faith!" was his sister's prompt reply. Faith's glance, soft and
blushing, yet demanded reason. Whereupon Miss Linden's face went into a
depth of demureness that was wonderful. "Yes my dear, Mr. Linden was
well--looking well too, which is an uncommon thing with him."

"Is it?"--said Faith somewhat wistfully.

"Not in the way I mean," said her new sister smiling,--"I thought
nothing could have improved his appearance but--Mignonette. And I
suppose he thought so himself, for he was never seen without a sprig of
the little flowers."

Faith