heart went to see what Mr. Linden had done.--Yes, they were
gems,--clear, steadfast, as the eternal truth which they signified, the
blue sapphires shone upon Faith's white dress.

Faith was alone; and she sat before the glass an odd long while,
studying the brooch where Mr. Linden had placed it. Her head upon her
hand, and with much the same sort of face with which she used long ago
to study Pet's letters, or some lesson that Pet's brother had set her.
From the sapphires Faith turned to her Bible. She was not, or would not
be interrupted, till it was time to attend to business.

The first business was presented for her attention by Miss Linden, who
came in, basket in hand. There was no need to ask what it was, such a
breath of orange flowers and roses filled the room. She found Faith
ready; her hair dressed as it always was; her mind too, to judge by
appearances. Only Faith was a little more quiet than usual. With the
very quietness of love and sympathy, Pet did her part; with the
swiftest fingers, the most noiseless steps. Silent as Mrs. Derrick or
Faith herself, only a sparkle of the eyes, a pretty flush on the
cheeks, said that she viewed the matter from a greater distance. And
yet hardly that, so far as one of the parties was concerned. Never
putting her hand forward where Mrs. Derrick's liked to be, it was most
efficient in other places. Both used their skill to put the soft muslin
safely over Faith's smooth hair, but then Mrs. Derrick was left to
fasten and adjust it--Pet applied herself to adjusting the flowers. How
dainty they were: those tiny bunches! sprays of myrtle and orange
flowers, or a white rose-bud and a more trailing stem of ivy geranium;
the breast-knot just touched with purple heliotrope and one blush rose.
Kneeling at her feet to put on the rosetted slippers, Pet looked up at
her new sister with all her heart in her eyes. And Faith looked down at
her--like a child.

She had been dressed in Pet's room--her own, as being larger and more
commodious than the one where Faith had stowed herself lately; and when
the dressing was done she sat down by the open window, and with the odd
capriciousness of the mind at certain times, thought of the day when
Mr. Linden had thrown her up the cowslip ball,--and in the same breath
wondered who was going to take her down stairs!

But she sat quiet, looking as fair in her soft robe with its orange
flowers as if they and she had been made for each other. Faith's hai