if you're all overturned, or if there's anything
left straight yet."

"It's _all_ straight," said Faith smiling up at him. "Sit down, Mr.
Simlins."

"What's the truth of it, Mrs. Derrick? This child ain't all straight,
is she?"

It followed that, bit by bit, Mr. Simlins got out the story of the
accident, for neither Faith nor Mrs. Derrick was forward to speak about
it. He then enquired, with an unsatisfied grunt, why Faith was "postin'
round with Dr. Harrison?" Whereat Mrs. Derrick felt justly indignant.

"Why she ain't! Mr. Simlins. She went down there on business, and there
was nobody else at hand to take her just then."

"What do you call bein' at hand?" said Mr. Simlins. "I've got two
hands, and more'n two horses--that won't run away neither. It's only my
cows do that!--Where's Mr. Linden?"

"O he's up stairs--" said Mrs. Derrick. "He's not been down yet. Faith,
don't you think he's some stronger to-day?"

"And so," said Mr. Simlins turning to her again reproachfully,--"while
he's lyin' up there and can't stir, you go drivin' over the country
with 'tother one!"

But that brought out Faith's round low laugh, so incontrovertibly merry
and musical that it changed Mr. Simlins' face on the instant. It came
to an end almost as soon, but short as it was it was better than the
warble of any nightingale; inasmuch as the music of a good sound human
heart is worth all the birds in creation.

"When's Mr. Linden going to be down stairs, where a body can get sight
of him?"

"The doctor says he mustn't go out for a long time yet," said Mrs.
Derrick. "When are you going to find the man that shot him?--that's
what I want to know."

"When I get a composition from the only witness," Mr Simlins answered.
"And as the witness ain't particular about testifying, I'm afeard it'll
be a spell o' time yet. It'll come out. _I _should think the fellow'd
ha' made tracks, fust thing; but I 'aint heerd of any one's bein'
missin' from town,--except--"

Mr. Simlins suddenly started, stopped, and gazed at Faith with a most
extraordinary expression.

"Did you look at my flowers, Mr. Simlins?" said Faith quite quietly,
though without meeting his eye.

"I've seen nosegays afore," growled Mr. Simlins in a very uninterested
manner. "I don't see as this is no more nor less than a nosegay. Do you
s'pose I might go up and see somebody up stairs for two minutes,
without creating any confusion?"

Mr. Simlins went up and shortly afterwards