g, still as the
air; but Mr. Simlins got no more sight of Faith's face. They stood
still when the hymn was finished, as if they lingered where the last
vibrations had been. But as a general stir among the hymn party
proclaimed that they would soon be on the move, the two who had watched
them, as if by consent, turned short about and silently picked their
way back through the darkening wood to the nearest point of road they
could reach. It was far from home, and even out of the wood the light
was failing; they walked with quick steps. Mr. Simlins could get
glances now at Faith's face, but though it was quiet enough, he seemed
for some reason or other in a disagreeable state of mind. It made
itself manifest at length in a grunt of considerable power.

"Ugh!--this is a complexious sort of a world to live in!"--was his not
very clear remark. The contrast of the tone of the next words was
striking.

"Dear Mr. Simlins, there is something better."

"What do you call me 'dear' for?" growled he. "You never did before."

"I don't know," said Faith. "Because I want you to be as happy as I am."

"Be you so happy?" said the farmer inquisitively.

Faith said yes. It was a calm and clear yes; a confident yes; one that
felt its foundations strong and deep; yet Faith's mother or dearest
friend, if gifted with quick apprehensions, would hardly have been
satisfied with it. Was Mr. Simlins so gifted?

"Not so happy you couldn't be happier?" he said in a tone that assumed
it.

"No," said Faith, looking at him with a sunshiny smile;--"I want to be
better, Mr. Simlins."

"Better!"--growled Mr. Simlins. "You go hang yourself!--I wish you
_was_ better. If you aint happy--I wish the Simlins' may be--an extant
race!"

The extraordinary combination of wishes in this speech took away
Faith's breath for an answer. She waited for something more.

"What was that fellow doing there?" growled the farmer after a while.

"I suppose he was teaching Sunday school," Faith said after a little
hesitation.

"Why, is one to be forever teaching Sunday school?" said the farmer in
a discontented tone.

"Why not?" said Faith,--"as long as there are people to be taught?"

"Don't you want to take hold and teach me now?" said Mr. Simlins.

Faith did not know at all what to make of this question; and before she
had found an answer that would do, she was saved making any. For Mr.
Linden, with even brisker steps than theirs, came up behind them; and
a