went away. But if Faith
anticipated a good long lesson that afternoon, to make up for the
morning and afternoon in which she had had none--albeit the morning had
been better than lessons--she was to be disappointed. Hardly was the
dinner over, and the muffins mixed which she was determined should make
amends for Mr. Linden's poor breakfast, when Miss Harrison came; full
of sorrow, and sympathy, and hope.

"Faith don't look a bit the worse, ma'am," she said to Mrs. Derrick.

"She couldn't look anyway but just so," her mother said with a fond
glance.

"Why she _could_ look pale, but I don't see that she does even
that;--unless, perhaps, just such a _tingy_ paleness as is rather
becoming than otherwise. Dear Mrs. Derrick, I hope you have forgiven
Julius?"

It was a sorrowful smile that met her words, and eyes that grew dim and
looked away.

"I suppose I could forgive the whole world--since he didn't do any more
harm," Mrs. Derrick said with her wonted gentleness. "But I wouldn't
see her go with him again, Miss Sophy--if that's what you call
forgiveness."

"Why not? Dear Mrs. Derrick!"--

"Why not?"--said the good lady--"why Faith's used to being taken care
of, Miss Sophy--and I'm used to seeing it."

"My dear Mrs. Derrick!"--Miss Harrison exclaimed out of breath,--"do
you think she was not taken care of? Julius knows his horses, and he is
a capital hand with them; he says himself he thinks he should have
brought them to, if that little wretch of a boy hadn't thrown op his
nat before their eyes. No horses would stand that, you know. And the
best man in the world, and the best driver, can't be _certain_ of his
horses, Mrs. Derrick. Not take care of her!--"

"I don't mean to say that he didn't mean to!" said Mrs Derrick quietly,
"but I don't think he knows how. You needn't look so, Miss Sophy--I'm
not saying a word against your brother. But Faith's only part of the
world to him--and she's the whole of it to me. He should have taken
horses he _was_ sure of," said Mrs. Derrick with a little flush on her
cheek.

"I don't know," said Miss Harrison softly, and looking at Faith,--"I
don't know just what part of the world she is to him--but I think, and
am very sure, he would have thrown himself oat rather than her. Can
anybody do more? Can any _man_ do more, Mrs. Derrick?" she said
smiling. "I know you are her mother; and though I am not her mother, I
think of her just as you do."

"I can't say what any man can do,"