not quite understand it all. You must tell me, by and by. Armstrong
has told me what you have _done_. You have saved me half my property
here--do you know it, child? Can I ever thank you for your courage?"

"Oh, Mr. Rushleigh!" cried Faith, rising as he came to her, and holding
her hands to his, "don't thank me! and don't wait here! They'll want
you--and, oh! my kind friend! there will be nothing to thank me for,
when I have told you what I must. I have been very near to death, and I
have seen life so clearly! I know now what I did not know
yesterday--what I could not answer you then!"

"Let it be as it may, I am sure it will be right and true, and I shall
honor you, Faith! And we must bear what is, for it has come of the will
of God, and not by any fault of yours. Now, let me take you home."

"May I do that in your stead, Mr. Rushleigh?" asked Roger Armstrong, who
entered at this moment, with garments he had brought from somewhere to
wrap Faith.

"I must go home," said Faith. "To Aunt Henderson's."

"You shall do as you like," answered Mr. Rushleigh. "But it belongs to
us to care for you, I think."

"You do--you have cared for me already," said Faith, earnestly.

And Mr. Rushleigh helped to wrap her up, and kissed her forehead
tenderly, and Roger Armstrong lifted her into the chaise, and seated
himself by her, and drove her away from out the smoke and noise and
curious crowd that had begun to find out she was there, and that she had
been shut up in the mill, and had saved herself and stopped the fire;
and would have made her as uncomfortable as crowds always do heroes or
heroines--had it not been for the friend beside her, whose foresight and
precaution had warded it all off.

And the mill owner went back among the villagers and firemen, to direct
their efforts for his property.

Glory McWhirk had been up and watching the great fire, since Roger
Armstrong first went out.

She had seen it from the window of Miss Henderson's room, where she was
to sleep to-night; and had first carefully lowered the blinds lest the
light should waken her mistress, who, after suffering much pain, had at
length, by the help of an anodyne, fallen asleep; and then she had come
round softly to the southwest room, to call the minister.

The door stood open, and she saw him sitting in his chair, asleep. Just
as she crossed the threshold to come toward him, he started, and spoke
those words out of his restless dream:

"Faith! Faith