the road pretty much to
themselves.

"Faith," Mr. Linden said as they approached Judge Harrison's, "I cannot
spend all the evening here with you--that is, I ought not. I had a
message sent me this afternoon--too late to attend to then, which I
cannot leave till morning. But if I see you safe by the fire, I hope
Miss Harrison will take good care of you till I get back."

"Well," said Faith,--"I wouldn't meddle with your 'oughts,'--if I
could. I hope you'll take care of Jerry!"--

"What shall I do with him?"

"Don't you know?" said Faith demurely.

"I suppose I ought to drive him so fast that he'll keep warm," said Mr.
Linden. "What else?"

Faith's little laugh made a contrast with the rough night. "You had
better let me get out to the fire," she said joy fully,--"or _I_
sha'n't keep warm."

"You sha'n't?" he said bending down by her, as they reached the
door,--"your face has no idea of being cold!--I'll take care of Jerry,
child--if I don't forget him in my own pleasant thoughts."

Faith threw off her cloak and furs on the hall table where some others
lay, and pulled off one glove.

"Keep them both on!" Mr. Linden said softly and smiling,--"enact Portia
for once. Then if you are much urged, you can gracefully yield your own
prejudices so far as to take off one."

She looked at him, then amusedly pulled on her glove again; and the
door was opened for them into a region of warmth and brightness; where
there were all sorts of rejoicings over them and against the cold
night. Mr. Linden was by force persuaded to wait till after coffee
before braving it again; and the Judge and his daughter fairly involved
Faith in the meshes of their kindness. A very mouse Faith was to-night,
as ever wore gloves; and with a little of a mouse's watchfulness about
her, fancying cat's ears at every corner. A brown mouse too; she had
worn only her finest and best stuff dress. But upon the breast of that,
a bunch of snowy Laurustinus, nestling among green leaves, put forth a
secret claim in a way that was very beautifying. The Judge and Miss
Sophy put her in a great soft velvet chair and hovered round her, both
of them conscious of her being a little more dainty than usual. Sophy
thought perhaps it was the Laurustinus; her father believed it
intrinsic.

The coffee came, and the doctor.

"I have something better for you than Portia to-night"--he said as he
dealt out sugar,--"though not something better than muffins."

"Faith, my d