er world of ideas a little."

"Mr. Linden,"--said Faith looking at him now fearlessly--"I am going to
come myself."

"You are!" he said, looking at her--and then his eyes went from her to
the fire, and back again to her face. "Then if you faint away, Miss
Faith, and I jump up to take care of you (which I shall certainly do) I
may faint myself--at which stage of the proceedings Dr. Harrison will
have his hands full."

"I shall not faint--before nor after," she said, shaking her head.

"I should not like to count too much upon your unfeeling disposition,"
said Mr. Linden, in whose face different currents of thought seemed to
meet and mingle. "And then you see, my senses may be guilty of as great
a breach of politeness as the warder in a German story I was reading
yesterday."

"What was that?"

"It fell out," said Mr. Linden, "that a lady of surpassing beauty
arrived at a certain castle; and next day, the lord of the castle
brought before her his warder, bound in chains for a great breach of
politeness; he having failed to give his lord notice of the lady's
approach! The warder thus defended himself: he had indeed seen the
lady, but his dazzled eyes mistook her for another sun! So," added Mr.
Linden smiling, "if my eyes should mistake you for a sunbeam or a maple
leaf, I might forget myself, and not keep my patience so perfectly as I
ought under the hands of such a chirurgeon."

"What is going to try your patience, Mr. Linden?--I?"--said Faith, now
indubitably in a puzzle.

"Do you really want to do this for me?" he said in a different tone,
looking at her with that same grave, kind look which she had seen
before.

"I think I can--and I should like to do it, Mr. Linden, if you are
perfectly willing," Faith answered.

"I am willing, since you wish it,--and now you must get the doctor's
leave--or rather I must get it for you; but in the mean time, Miss
Faith, we may go on with some of our studies, if you are at leisure."

Faith went to get the books, but returned without them and with a
disturbed face.

"Mr. Linden, one of the boys wishes to see you."

"I suppose it never was heard that a boy came at the right time," said
Mr. Linden. "Well Miss Faith--I believe I must see him--will you write
another exercise for me? Here is your pen and paper--I will try not to
be hindered long."

Faith mutely took the pen and paper, and went out with a divided mind,
for the boy whom she let in, Cindy being nowhere visible