her, but when
she suddenly noticed the silence and turned towards Mr. Linden, the
smile was on his lips too.

"I thought I should go right to work," she said,--"to study--to make up
for lost time. Can't I do that too?"

"As much as you like! But don't you know there is a lost holiday to be
made up, as well?"

"It is made up,"--she said gently, after a minute's hesitation.

"How that grieved me when I went away!" said Mr. Linden,--"to take from
you what I might never be able to replace. But sit down, dear child--I
want to consult you about various things."

Faith sat down and looked--like a grave child indeed. Her journey for
the present forgotten, and all her mind bent on something more weighty
and worthy.

"I told you I had three letters for you to read," said Mr. Linden. "One
reached me in Germany, two I found waiting for me here. They are all
about the same subject, Mignonette: where you and I shall establish
ourselves."

A flush rose, but she looked steadily.

"You told me once," Mr. Linden went on, "that in such a case I should
choose the place where I was most needed--where there was most work for
me to do. Now you shall judge. The pastor of a large manufacturing town
in Pennsylvania (I may say of the town--it is so in effect) has
accepted a call to Baltimore. I knew him formerly, and I suppose it is
through his influence that the people have applied to me." Faith
thought it very likely.

"How large is the town, Endy?"

"Ten or fifteen thousand--I do not know precisely."

"And no other churches?"

"Yes, but this is so much the leading one that the others hardly hold
their ground; and by the way, I think I would rather have a call from
one of them. Apparently the churchgoers are in the minority."

Faith thought there must be work enough to do in that place; but she
only listened more gravely.

"An old friend of my father's writes the second letter. He lives at
Newport, and has pleased himself with building a new church in a part
of the island not much adorned with spires. Climate and society are
good, scenery picturesque, and he is quite sure if I will only
bring--Mrs. Linden!--to his house, she will decide in favour of Newport
at once."

Faith's eyes went down, and rouge of the richest and frankest coloured
her cheeks.

"Do you think she will?" said Mr. Linden demurely.

"What is the other, Endy?--You said three."

"The other, love, is from those very White Mountains you are going to
see.