go with you. She must have
something."

Cindy looked at her. "Guess you better get fixed first, Miss Faith.
'Taint hardly worth my while, I reckon. Who shouldn't we have after us!"

"Just have your shawl and bonnet ready, Cindy, will you?" said Faith
gravely,--"and I'll be ready in a very few minutes."

She went with business speed to pantry and cellar, and soon had a
sizeable basket properly filled. Leaving that in Cindy's charge, Faith
went back to the sitting-room, and came and stood by the table, and
said quietly, "I can't do any more to-night, Mr. Linden. I must be busy
in another way. I am going out for a little while."

"May I ask--not from curiosity--with whom?" he said looking up at her.

"With Cindy--to attend to some business she didn't tell me of in proper
time." Faith had laid her books together and was going off. Mr. Linden
rose from the table.

"With me, if you please, Miss Faith. I will not intrude upon your
business."

"It's no business to be intruded upon!" she said with her simple look
into his face. "But Cindy and I can do it. Please do not let me take
you away! I am not afraid--much."

"Miss Faith, you want a great many lessons yet!--and I do not deserve
this. Don't you know that in Mrs. Derrick's absence I am guardian of
her house--and of you? I will go with you, or without you--just as you
choose," he added smiling. "If you would rather study than walk, you
shall. Is the business too intricate for me to manage?"

"It's only to carry some things to an old woman who is in great want of
them. They can't wait till to-morrow. If you will go, Mr. Linden,--I'll
be ready in a minute. I'd like to go."

She ran to get ready, and Mr. Linden went to the kitchen and took the
basket from Cindy, and then waited at the front door till Faith came,
and they went out into the moonlight together. A very bright moonlight,
and dark shadows--dark and still; only one of them seemed to move; but
that one made Faith glad of her change of companions. Perhaps it made
the same suggestion to Mr. Linden, for his first words looked that way.

"Miss Faith, you did not do quite right, to-night. Don't you know--"
with a gentle half smiling tone--"you must not let _anything_ make you
do wrong?"

Her look and tone were both very confiding, and touched with timidity.

"Did I, Mr. Linden? I didn't mean it."

"I know that--but you must remember for another time." And he went off
to other subjects, giving her talk and i