on her toes, did bestow on his
lips as dainty a kiss as ever Santa Claus brought in his box of New
Year curiosities. But she was overcome with confusion the moment she
had done it, and would have rushed off if that had been possible.

"Let me go"--she said hastily--"let me go!"--

In answer to which, she was held as securely fast as she ever had been
in her life. Covering and hiding all of her face that she could, Faith
renewed her request, in a comical tone of humility--as if she didn't
deserve it.

"I never felt less inclined to let you go!"

"There is all that work to be done," said Faith, by way of possibly
useful suggestion.

"Mignonette, will you remember your new lesson?"

She whispered softly, "No.--It was only Santa Claus."

"Not Campaspe?"

"No--Certainly not!"

"You remember," said Mr. Linden, "that when--'Cupid and Campaspe played
at cards for kisses, _Cupid paid_.'--I was unavoidably reminded of
that. But you may go on with your work,--you know what happens when
lessons are learned imperfectly." And liberty for her work she had; no
more.

"Child," said her mother coming in, "are you ready for your lunch?"

"Why no, mother," said Faith with a little laugh,--"of course not! but
I can take it as I go on. There's a good deal of 'sorting' to do yet. I
hope the sleigh is big."

"Take it as you go on, indeed!" said Mrs. Derrick. "You've got to stop
and eat, child,--you can't live till night with nothing but other
folk's dinners."

Faith however declared she could not _stop_ to eat; and she contrived
to carry on both the rival occupations together; and even to make right
sure that no one else should attempt to live upon anything more
etherial than sandwiches and pumpkin pie. She drank her coffee in the
intervals of tying packages and writing labels, and ran about with a
sandwich in one hand and a basket in the other; filling Mr. Linden's
cup and putting tempting platefuls in his way. But he was as busy as
she,--spending much of his time at the barn, where Squire
Stoutenburgh's pretty little box sleigh was in process of filling with
cloaks, buffalo robes, and commodities! At last everything was in, and
Mr. Linden came to announce that fact to Faith,--furs and hood were
donned, and the sleigh was off with its whole load.

Bright, bright the snow was, and blue the shadows, and fair the white
expanse of hill and meadow, all crisp and sparkling. Everybody was
out--which was not wonderful; but so well