on her face or behaviour. The simplicity
of both, unchanged in a whit, testified for her that her modesty would
not take such hints from other people's testimony, and that there was
no folly in her to be set fluttering at the suggestion.

The next Wednesday morning was one of great promise,--fair and soft and
quiet, with November's sunshine softening November's brown dress.

"I think, Miss Faith," Mr. Linden said before he went off after
breakfast, "that you should take a short run or two, before you try
that long one to Mattabeeset."

"A run, Mr. Linden? Didn't I have one last night?"

"Truly yes,--but I mean on horseback. Will you take such a one to-day?"

"Yes!" said Faith, looking different things, especially pleasure,--"but
Mr. Linden, I don't know where I am to get a horse. Crab can't go now."

"Well, as I am to play the part of page, and run by your side," said
Mr. Linden, "I am rather glad he can't!--no disrespect to his other
good qualities. When will you be ready, Miss Faith?"

The hour fixed upon had need to be early, for the days were short; so
though books had a little time after dinner, it was but a little. Then
the horses came; and Mr. Linden took Faith in charge, with words from
her mother that might have been very useful if they had been
needed,--which in his case they hardly were. A fact which his reply, or
the manner of it, seemed to impress upon Mrs. Derrick's mind, for she
saw them ride off with nothing but pleasure.

Other people saw them with a variety of emotions All the boys they met
(except Sam) looked unqualified delight,--from her window Mrs.
Stoutenburgh gave them a gay wave of her hand; Miss Bezac on the
sidewalk absolutely turned to look again. They rode leisurely up the
grassy road, hardly beyond a walk at first, and it was not till the
houses grew few and the road more open, that Faith had her promised
run: which was but an easy trot, after all.

"You must begin very gently, Miss Faith," said her companion as they
walked their horses up a little hill. "Look how those topsails mark the
water line!"

"Yes--don't you like to see the white sails peeping over the trees? I
always do. But Mr. Linden, I don't get tired easily--you needn't be
afraid. I can go just as fast as you like." She looked enough in the
mood.

"You know I am interested in the matter,--if I should come home
to-morrow and find you gone to sleep at midday--I should lose my French
lesson! Now you may have another