Mr. Carew.

Faith was quite sure that Esther would soon be as well as ever. She
did not want to talk about Esther. She wanted to hear more about her
friend Colonel Allen. "I heard him tell mother that he slept in a cave
one night on his way here," she said.

"Oh, yes; he can sleep anywhere. But you must talk of him no more
to-day, Faithie," answered Mr. Carew; "and here is 'Bounce' looking
for you," he added, as the little gray kitten jumped into Faith's lap.

CHAPTER IV

A NEW PLAN

Esther was much better the next morning, but she was not well enough
to come down-stairs for several days, and when her father appeared he
agreed with Mrs. Carew that the little girl was not fit to undertake
the journey on horseback along the rough trail to Brandon.

Mrs. Carew was able to assure him, however, that he need not be
anxious about his little daughter, and he decided to go directly home,
leaving Esther to regain health and strength in Mrs. Carew's charge.

"I will come for you the first Monday in October, three weeks from
to-day," he told Esther, "and you must mind Mrs. Carew in everything
she bids you."

Esther promised tearfully. She did not want to stay, but she resolved
to herself, as she watched her father ride away, that she would do
everything possible to please Mrs. Carew and make friends with Faith.
She could hardly bear to think of the first day of her visit.

As she lay on the settle comfortably bolstered up with the soft
pillows, and a little fire crackling on the hearth, Esther looked
about the sitting-room and began to think it a very pleasant place.
Faith brought all her treasures to entertain her little visitor. Chief
of these was a fine book called "Pilgrim's Progress," with many
pictures. There was a doll,--one that Faith's Aunt Priscilla had
brought her from New York. This doll was a very wonderful creature.
She wore a blue flounced satin dress, and the dress had real buttons,
buttons of gilt; and the doll wore a beautiful bonnet.

Faith watched Esther a little anxiously as she allowed her to take
Lady Amy, as the doll was named. But Esther was as careful as Faith
herself, and declared that she did not believe any little girl that
side of Bennington had such a beautiful doll.

"I think your Aunt Priscilla is the best aunt that ever was. She gave
you this lovely doll, and your blue beads----" Esther stopped
suddenly. She had lost the beads, and she did not want to tell Faith.
She had resol