mode of procedure; and confined her present
attentions to the dinner preparations. In which and other matters she
became so engaged that she forgot her fears; and going into the dining
room some time after with a dish in her hands and finding Mr. Linden
there, Faith asked him earnestly and with great simplicity, "how he
felt after his morning's work." Then remembering, or reminded by
something in his face, she started away like a deer before any answer
could be given; and only came back demurely with her mother,--to
receive his grave reverence and "Me voici, mademoiselle!"--given just
as if he had not seen her before. The half grave half laughing flash of
Faith's eye spoke as much of amusement as of fear; yet afraid she
certainly was, for she did not so much as speak English to her mother.
The language of the eye was all she ventured; nor that boldly. It had
to come, however, fear or no fear, the English might be dispensed with
but not the French. She could not but try to understand the remarks or
bits of in formation which were given her--sometimes gravely sometimes
laughing; and if Mr. Linden was evidently waiting for an answer--what
could she do but try that too! He was an admirable dictionary, very
quick at seeing and supplying her want of a word, and giving his
corrections of her phraseology and pronunciation so gently and by the
way, that fear partly lost itself in interest. His own speech was
singularly smooth and perfect; and whenever Faith found herself getting
frightened, she was sure to be assailed with such a volley of swift
flowing syllables, that she could do nothing but laugh,--after which
Mr. Linden would come back to the slower utterance which she could
better understand. After all, Faith's words that first time were few,
and it may safely be asserted that she did not in the least know what
she was eating, and made no sort of a dinner. Of that last fact her
instructor was well aware, but as his first "Mais mademoiselle,
mangez!" received but little attention, he postponed that point till
just as he was going away, and then made a rather stringent request to
the same effect.

So the afternoon passed on, and blew itself out, and the sun went to
bed and night began to light her candles. Faith, standing at the window
(it was too cold to be out) saw the red gleam fading from earth and
sky, and the cold bright stars coming one by one into view. Then the
boys began to pass by,--some together and some alone; w