and I ask Mr. Linden. I want to know his
opinion."

"I will not say that it could," said Mr. Linden.--"Miss Essie, you know
Pattaquasset better than I do."

"Well do you think there is any harm in talking of them?"

"What do you think of the modern definition of a young lawyer, Miss
Essie--'a man who is where he has no business to be, because he has no
business where he ought to be'?"

Miss Essie laughed, and laughed.

"Don't Sam get along fast with his reading and writing. Mr.
Stoutenburgh?"

"Always did--" said the Squire; "and with everything else too. What are
you talking about? I lost that. I'd gone off to that rascal--"

Miss Essie's laugh rang out again and her eyes danced.

"That rascal! Now for shame, Mr. Stoutenburgh! You know better. I
wonder if you never had young horses yourself, and took Mrs.
Stoutenburgh to ride, too. Now I like him very much. Mr. Linden, you
know Dr. Harrison, don't you?"

"I should--a little."

"Well aren't you a judge of character? Do you think he deserves to be
called a rascal?"

But Squire Stoutenburgh prevented the answer. "I wish you'd just stop
and let me catch up with you, Miss Essie," he said. "Now before we go
any further, whoever said he _was_ a rascal?--_I_ didn't."

"Did you mean somebody else, Mr. Stoutenburgh?"

"That's the way you talk over pleasant things!" said the Squire. "If I
hadn't hallooed after you, Miss Essie, I should have had a challenge
from the doctor before morning--or a shot,--that's getting to be the
fashion."

"Do you think Dr. Harrison is that kind of man?" said Miss Essie. "Mr.
Linden, what kind of man do you think he is? You can tell better than
the Squire, and I want to know."

"Miss Essie!--he is my friend and I am his,--you cannot expect me to
give you Dr. Harrison's components--'each with its Latin label on'!"

"Not at all! but in general, how would you characterize him, if asked
what sort of a man he was!"

"I should perhaps decline."

Miss Essie had no chance to push her question, for Sam came with a
demand for Mr. Linden himself, which was at once obeyed.

A little while passed, and then Mr. Linden came back again; and walked
composedly round to the back of Faith's chair. "Mrs. Stoutenburgh," he
said, "will you let me take this lady away for five minutes?--Miss
Faith, will you come?"

Nothing loth, if the truth must be told, Faith rose up to follow his
leading; which was out of the parlour and through the hall.

"Mis