No, dear," he said at last, "no dear, she is not worse, but the doctor
says it will be a long time before she is well again--well enough to walk
about and take up her old life. For a year, poor dear, she must lie on a
sofa, and live the life of an invalid. If she does, he says, she will
become her old strong self again in a year or two, but if she----"

"Oh, but she will, of course she will, that will be easy enough."
In the intensity of her relief, Faith spoke so gaily that her father
looked up at her in surprise, her tone and words sounded almost heartless.

"Easy! It will be a long and trying ordeal for her. Faith--just think of
it, a whole year in one room! You don't realise."

"Oh yes I do, daddy, but we will manage beautifully. I will look after
the house and the children, and--and see that mother isn't worried at all,
and she can read and write, and--and oh, father, father, I am so glad--I
don't know what to do!" and without any warning Faith broke down and began
to sob.

"Glad!" For a moment Mr. Carlyle looked at his little daughter as though
he feared she must be mad instead of glad. She spoke as though his news
had come as a relief. Relief from what? Then quite suddenly the truth
broke upon him.

"Oh, you poor little woman! What have you been thinking? What have you
been fearing, Faith dear--tell me. Did you think----?"

Faith nodded. "Yes--yes--I thought," but she could not put her dread into
words.

"You feared we might be going to lose her altogether. Oh, you poor child.
My poor little girl. Why didn't you tell me?"

"I couldn't, daddy."

Mr. Carlyle drew her to him. "No wonder my news came to you as a relief,"
he said softly, "instead of as the shock I feared. Why, Faith, how you
are trembling. You look ready to faint too. Look here, I believe you are
tired and famished. Come and have some supper. What have we got?
Something tempting?"

With either arm encircling a daughter, the vicar turned to survey the
supper table, but at sight of it his face fell a little. Neither the
food, nor the way in which it was placed before them would have tempted
any but the most healthy, even ravenous appetite. Mary, the only maid
they could afford to keep, was more willing than able. The china and
silver had certainly been washed, but they were smeared and unpolished,
the cloth was wrinkled and all askew, the food was dumped down anyhow.

Fortunately for her own comfort, but unfortunatel