o Faith's
neighbourhood.

"Miss Derrick, the road is getting too contracted for such a
procession--will you draw bridle?"

"I don't want to ride behind, Dr. Harrison," said Faith looking
laughingly back at him. "I'll go on in front." Which she did, so
briskly that the doctor had to bestir himself to come up with her.

"I didn't know," he said, and he spoke somewhat in earnest,--"I didn't
know that you cared anything about eminence or preeminence."

"Didn't you, Dr. Harrison?"

"_Do_ you?"

"I don't know--" said Faith gravely. "Eminence?--yes, I should care
very much for that, in some things. Not for preeminence, I think.
There's Mr. Simlins!--and I must speak to him." Faith's horse which had
been on an easy canter, came to a stand; and so must the doctor. Mr.
Simlins too was on horseback.

"Mr. Simlins," said Faith after giving him her hand, "will you have
half a day's leisure Monday or Tuesday?"

"Leisure?" said the farmer with his best growl--"no, I sha'n't have it
if you take it."

"Do you think I may take it?"

"I don't suppose there's anybody that can hinder you," said Mr.
Simlins--"without excepting my own identity. _I_ can't. Do you want to
go up yonder again?"

The doctor interposed to make offers of his father's horses, carriage,
and servants; but Faith quietly negatived them all.

"How did you get home the other night?" said the farmer. "Did you get
over the river?" Then shifting his ground as Miss Harrison and Stranger
came up into the group, he changed his question.

"I say Mr. Linden!--I heerd Quapaw creek was choked up the other
night--how did you get home?"

"The same way I expect to now," said Mr. Linden. "How did _you_, Mr.
Simlins."

"The harness was all right," said Mr. Simlins--"if anything else was in
a disorganized state, 'twas somebody's fault besides yourn. That
lynch-pin made trouble though; it didn't fit more places than one. Did
you get across Quapaw creek on your horses?"

"Do you suppose I crossed on foot?" said Mr. Linden smiling. "Do you
take me for a witch, Mr. Simlins?"

"I haven't just made up my mind about that," said the farmer. "I've a
temptation to think you air. What's that you're on?"

"Only a broomstick in disguise, Mr. Simlins. As he belongs to Dr.
Harrison, I am willing to own so much."

"He's as well-shaped a broomstick as ever I see," said the farmer
consideratively. "I shouldn't mind puttin' him in harness. Well
good-day! I'm glad this girl didn't