face; as if she wanted his look to authenticate all these messages, or
to meet her own heart's answer. At any rate it was not till after a
good study of the little picture that Faith put it away and took out
her letter.

It was not _just_ like having him there to talk or caress away her
discomfort--and yet it was like it, though the pages were well on their
way before the trousseau was even alluded to. But the words, the
atmosphere of the letter made Faith breathe easier,--it was like the
wand of the Fairy Order, smoothing out the little tangled skeins of
silk. And when that subject came up, it was touched so lightly, so
delicately, yet with such evident pleasure,--there was such mingling of
play and earnest in the charge given her to be ready before he came,
and such a strong wish that he could have saved her all the work,--the
terror of the trousseau could not stand before it. And at the hope that
her taste would be suited, Faith's heart made a spring the other way.
She drank in every word of the letter; and then feeling healed, though
tender-spirited yet, she finished putting away her riches and went down
stairs.

Mrs. Derrick having gone off to attend to dinner preparations, Miss
Linden sat alone, singing to herself softly in company with the March
wind and the fire, and (of all things!) at work upon one of Miss
Bezac's mantillas. Faith's two hands were laid upon the one which held
the needle. "Not to-day--" said the silver voice which Miss Linden must
learn to know.

"Yes--unless you'll give me somewhat else to do!" she said leaning her
sunshiny head back against Faith. "I was out of patience with myself
because I could not do what no one but Endecott could--so in my woman's
pride I took up something which he couldn't. What are _you_ going to
do, darling?"

Faith thought she knew why she was called "Pet"--but she only kissed
her. "I shall have to ask you a great deal about those things up
stairs," she said;--"but to-day I want to see you What would you like?"

The thing Miss Linden liked best, was to see some of her brother's old
haunts; and a notable drive the two had that afternoon. Wherein, under
the light of a Spring day, Miss Linden saw Pattaquasset, the Quapaw
people, (part of them) and not least of all, Faith herself, who shewed
herself very much as the Spring day. And of Mr. Linden his sister
talked the while, to her heart's content, and Faith's--in the full joy
of that affection which can never say