one thinks so but me, and nobody ever minds what I say. _That's_
pretty, I suppose you'll allow," she said laughing, and bending down
closer to Faith's holly leaves,--"what is it, Faith? basswood?"

"Don't you know holly, Mrs. Stoutenburgh? And the berries are
winterberries."

"Yes my dear--I perceive. You mustn't get angry with me, child--I tell
you nobody does, not even your grave escort. At least not for anything
I do to _him_. Well I'll go down and electrify people with the news
that you're coming." And the crimson dress floated off to the tune of a
light step and a merry voice. And more slowly and more doubtfully the
black dress and winterberries followed her. Perhaps in very truth Faith
would have been willing that Mr. Stoutenburgh should have taken her
under his broad wing for that going down stairs. At least she was as
absolutely grave and quiet as anybody ever saw her, and a little more
inclined to be shrinking. But Mr. Linden was alone in the hall at that
minute, so there was no one else to shrink from; and if Faith wanted to
shrink from him, she hardly could,--there was such an absence of
anything to alarm her, both in his look and manner. Therefore, though
she had to go down stairs upon his arm, and pass sundry people on their
way up, Faith felt that he was a shield between her and the glances and
words which he so little regarded. Eyes and tongues indeed ventured hut
little in his presence; but that protection of course extended only to
the centre of the drawing-room, and the welcome which Faith received
from Mrs. Somers,--then she must shield herself. Then truly, for a
while, she was taken possession of by Squire Stoutenburgh, who walked
with her up and down, and said all manner of kind things.

Faith had no particular skill to shield herself from anything, and
indeed gave herself no thought about it. She took what came, in a
simple and quiet spirit, which was very apt to strike like a bee the
right part of every flower; or that perhaps carried its own honey
along. So she walked up and down with Mr. Stoutenburgh; and so she
afterwards entered into the demands of a posse of her old and young
friends who had not seen her for a good while.

Amidst a little group of these people, collected benignly around Faith,
Dr. Harrison presently intruded himself. Now Dr. Harrison was a lion,
and the smaller animals naturally fell off from him, which was
precisely what he expected them to do. The doctor had the field s