which it wore still. Once she made a motion to take this
off--then laid her hands back in their former position and waited for
Faith to come.

"Pet," said Faith presently,--"have you looked out of the window this
morning?" Which question brought two hands round her shoulders in no
time.

"Yes my dear, I have. What new beauties have you discovered?"

"It looks pretty in the spring light.--But I wasn't thinking of it,
either," said Faith blushing. And without raising her eyes, looking
distressed, she softly insinuated the key with its talismanic card back
into Miss Linden's hand.

"Well? what, dear Faith?"

"I don't know,"--said Faith softly. "You know."

"I know,"--said Miss Linden, "that Endecott locked the trunk and tied
the label to the key, and it is a great mistake to suppose that I will
unlock the one or take charge of the other. In the second place, I need
not even look on unless you wish. It can go to another room, or I will
leave you in undisturbed possession of this. So speak," she said,
kissing her.

Faith did not immediately. She wound her arms round her new sister and
hid her face in Miss Linden's neck, and stood so clasping her silently
for a few minutes. But when she raised her head she went straight to
the "trousseau" trunk; pulled off, business fashion, the travelling
cover; set the key in the lock, and lifted the lid.

"I should tell you, dear," said Miss Linden while this was doing--she
had seated herself a little way off from Faith and the trunk, "I should
tell you, that if it had been possible to get a pattern dress and so
forth, you would have found nothing here to do _but_ look. As it is,
there is some work for your fingers, and I hope for mine." The lid was
now open, and between the two next protecting covers lay a letter. A
recognizing flash of eye greeted that; Faith put it out of sight and
lifted the second cover. From where she sat Miss Linden could see her
hand tremble.

There were two or three characteristics that applied to the whole
arrangement, choice, and filling of the "trousseau." The absence of
things useless was not more notable than the abundance of things
useful; and let not useful be understood to mean needful,--for of the
little extras which are so specially pleasant to those who never buy
them for themselves, there was also a full supply. The daintiness of
everything was great, but nothing was out of Faith's line: the stuffs
might be finer than she had always worn,