Hold thine own path, howeverward it tendeth;
For, somewhere, underneath the eternal sky,
Thou, too, shalt find the Rivers, by-and-by!'"

Faith's voice trembled with earnestness as she finished. When she looked
up from the paper as she refolded it, tears were running down Glory's
cheeks.

"Why, the little brook has overflowed!" cried Faith, playfully. If she
had not found this to say, she would have cried, herself.

"Miss Faith!" said Glory, "I ain't sure whether I was meant to tell; but
do you know what the minister has asked Miss Henderson? Perhaps she
won't; I'm afraid not; it would be _too_ good a time! but he wants her
to let him come and board with her! Just think what it would be for him
to be in the house with us all the time! Why, Miss Faith, it would be
just as if one of those great Rivers had come rolling along through the
dark woods, right among the little lonely brooks!"

Faith made no answer. She was astonished. Miss Henderson had said
nothing of it. She never did make known her subjects of deliberation
till the deliberations had become conclusions.

"Why, you don't seem glad!"

"I _am_ glad," said Faith, slowly and quietly. She was strangely
conscious at the moment that she said so, glad as she would be if Mr.
Armstrong were really to come so near, and she might see him daily, of a
half jealousy that Glory should be nearer still.

It was quite true that Mr. Armstrong had this wish. Hitherto, he had
been at the house of the elder minister, Mr. Holland. A unanimous
invitation had been given to Mr. Armstrong by the people to remain among
them as their settled pastor. This he had not yet consented to do. But
he had entered upon another engagement of six months, to preach for
them. Now he needed a permanent home, which he could not conveniently
have at Mr. Holland's.

There was great putting of heads together at the "Dorcas," about it.

Mrs. Gimp "would offer; but then--there was Serena, and folks would
talk."

Other families had similar holdbacks--that is the word, for they were
not absolute insuperabilities--wary mothers were waiting until it should
appear positively necessary that _somebody_ should waive objection, and
take the homeless pastor in; and each watched keenly for the critical
moment when it should be just late enough, and not too late, for her to
yield.

Meanwhile, Mr. Armstrong quietly left all this seething, and walked off
out of the village, one day, to Cross Corners, and ask