sometimes tearful.

Faith presently changed her position, and gave a very particular
attention to the smoothing of the hair over her mother's forehead. Then
pulling her cap straight, and giving her a finishing look and kiss, she
took a low seat close beside her, laid one of her study books on her
mother's lap, resting one arm there fondly, and went hard to work
remarking however that Mrs. Derrick might talk as much as she liked and
she would talk too. But Mrs. Derrick either did not want to talk, or
else she did not want to interrupt; for she watched Faith and smiled
upon her, and stroked her hair, and said very little.

Just at the end of the afternoon, when Faith was finishing her work by
firelight, Mr. Linden came in. She did not see the look that passed
between her mother and him--she only knew that they held each other's
hands for a minute silently,--then one of the hands was laid upon her
forehead.

"Little student--do you want to try the fresh air?"

She said yes; and without raising her eyes, ran off to get ready. In
another minute she was out in the cool freshness of the December
twilight.

CHAPTER IV.

The walk lasted till all the afterglow had faded and all the stars come
out, and till half Pattaquasset had done tea; having its own glow and
starlight, and its flow of conversation to which the table talk was
nothing.

Of course, Faith's first business on reaching home was to see about the
tea. She and Mrs. Derrick were happily engaged together in various
preparations, and Mr. Linden alone in the sitting-room, when the
unwelcome sound of a knock came at the front door; and the next minute
his solitude was broken in upon.

"Good evening!" said the doctor. "Three-quarters of a mile off 'I heard
the clarion of the unseen midge!' so I thought it was best to come to
close quarters with the enemy.--There is nothing so annoying as a
distant humming in your ears. How do you do?" He had come up and laid
his hand on Mr. Linden's shoulder before the latter had time to rise.

"What a perverse taste!" Mr. Linden said, laughing and springing up.
"All the rest of the world think a near-by humming so much worse."

"Can't distinguish at a distance," said the doctor;--"one doesn't know
whether it's a midge or a dragon-fly. How is Mignonette? and
Mignonette's mother?"

"They were both well the last time I saw them. In what sort of a calm
flutter are you, doctor?"

"Do you think that is my character?" said