you get through!" said Mr. Stoutenburgh
laughing. "Ask Mr. Linden if it's not waste."

Mr. Linden however entirely declined to assent to any such
proposition,--nay, even hinted that if any one was to be charged with
wasting roses just then, it was the Squire himself.

"Yes, I think so too!" said Mrs. Stoutenburgh,--"but how funnily you
always see through things and turn them about!"

"Roses are not very opaque things to see through," he answered smiling,
while Mrs. Stoutenburgh rescued Faith and putting her arm round her
drew her off towards the sofa. Where Faith was glad to get at a
distance from the rose-consumers. She felt rather nervous.

"Where is Sam?" she asked. "This is his day, isn't it?"

"He was here a minute ago," said his mother,--"I guess he ran off when
he heard you coming. He takes fits of being bashful once in a
while,--they don't last long. Your mother wasn't afraid to let you come
with our horses, was she?"

"No ma'am," Faith said,--"not at all. But she hasn't got back her old
trust in horses and carriages generally. I wish she had."

"I don't--" said Mrs. Stoutenburgh,--"they're not to be trusted
generally, child. Has your horse got well yet?"

"Not well. Mr. Skip says he's better, but we can't use him."

"Well I wanted to talk to you about that--Mr. Stoutenburgh's been at me
to do it this month. You know we've always got more horses on hand than
we can use--and there's one of 'em that would just suit you. Won't you
let him stand in your stable this winter?--and give Crab a chance."

"O no, Mrs. Stoutenburgh!--thank you!" said Faith. "I dare say Crab
will get better--it won't be necessary; and you know we don't ride much
in winter. You're very kind to think of it."

"There you are--as usual!" said Mrs. Stoutenburgh. "I'm always afraid
to ask you anything, you keep such magnifying glasses. But now Faith,
listen to reason. Not ride in winter!--why it's the very time for
riding, if there's snow; and you could drive Jerry, or your mother
could, just as well as Crab--he's as quiet as he can be. At the same
time," said Mrs. Stoutenburgh with a little dance in her eyes, "if
anybody else drives him, he _can_ go a little faster."

"I'll tell mother how good you are, Mrs. Stoutenburgh. It isn't my
business to give answers for her. But did you ever see me drive?"

"Not horses," said Mrs. Stoutenburgh laughing.

"Not anything else, I am sure? I used to want to go after the cows, but
mother never