ast bit of a smile upon a
mouth all unbent, and eyes that were full; a very happy, stirred face.
It quieted down as soon as he turned; except the smile which played
rather more.

"Tell you what, Mr. Linden?" she said not leaving her place.

"What have I done to make myself such an ogre?"

"What is an ogre, Mr. Linden?"

"A ferocious sort of anomaly that everybody is afraid of."

"I don't know what you've done, Mr. Linden," she said half laughing. "I
am not enough afraid to hurt anything."

"Enough to hurt me--I don't care about any other thing."

A grave glance of her eye was regretful enough.

"But it's true, Mr. Linden! I was a little afraid to ask what I wasn't
sure you would like--that was all."

"Well," he said with a reassuring smile, as he got up and took hold of
both her hands and brought her out of position, "I am not much hurt
yet--but I desire that the fear may not increase. And therefore, Miss
Faith, I want to have you sit here in the firelight, so that I can keep
watch of it."

She smiled, as if it were beyond his ken now, but her words went to
another point.

"What time would you like, Mr. Linden?"

"Whatever suits you."

She was silent for a minute or two, with a very happy face, till the
door opened. Then she sprang up and received and placed the tea and
things which Cindy had brought in. There was a dainty supply to-night,
perhaps in consideration of Mr. Linden's first day of out-door work,
and in delicate sympathy and reward thereof. And Faith, in her happiest
mood though as quiet as a mouse, was an excellent 'ministering spirit'
of the tea-table; to-night particularly, for every sense and affection
seemed to be on the alert.

"How do you find all the boys, after their month out of school, Mr.
Linden?" she said, when waffles and cups of tea were fairly under weigh.

"Very glad to see me--very much afraid I should tire myself; and some a
little afraid they might share the fatigue. So things correct each
other!--if they had not shewed the last fear, I might have felt the
first."

"How did that work?" said Faith laughing a little.

"It _worked_--" said Mr. Linden. "Is that intelligible, Miss Faith?"

Her smile and shake of the head said that it was.

"Is Joe Deacon staying home yet?" said Mrs. Derrick.

"No, he began school again to-day."

"I wonder whether the Squire is going off again," said Mrs.
Derrick,--"or whether _he's_ going to stay home."

"I have heard nothing of his