two people in the course of the day more
thoroughly pleased than these two. The sources of pleasure were not
many in that house, and the expectation of pleasure not strong; and the
need of comforts had not died out with the supply; and old and alone as
they were, the looking forward to possible cold and hunger was a trial.
It was easy to see how that blanket warmed the room and promised a mild
winter, and how the socks be came liniment,--and it seemed doubtful
whether the old man would ever be sick enough for roast potatoes, with
the potatoes really in the house. So with other things,--they took a
childish pleasure even in the cakes and pie, and an order for wood was
a real relief. And what a dinner they were already eating in
imagination!

Mr. Linden had put Faith in the sleigh, with the last sunset rays
playing about her; and he stood wrapping her up in all sorts of ways,
and the old man and the old woman stood in the door to see. Then in a
voice which he supposed to be a whisper, Mr. Roscom said,--

"Be she his wife?"

"He didn't say--and I don' know _what_ he said," screamed Mrs. Roscom.

"Wal--she's handsome enough for it--and so's he," said the old man
contemplatively. "I hope he'll get one as good!"

Very merrily Mr. Linden laughed as they drove away.

"I hope I shall!" he said. "Faith, what do you think of that? And which
of us has the compliment?"

But Faith was engaged in pulling her furs and buffalo robes round her,
and did not appear to consider compliments even a matter of moonshine;
much less of sunshine. Her first words were to remark upon the
exceeding beauty of the last touch the sunlight was giving to certain
snowy heights and white cumuli floating above them; a touch so fair and
calm as if heaven were setting its own seal on this bright day.

"Is your heart in the clouds?" Mr. Linden said, bending down to look at
her with his laughing eyes. "How can you abstract your thoughts so
suddenly from all sublunary affairs! Do you want any more wrapping up?"

A little flashing glance of most naive appeal, and Faith's eyes went
down absolutely.

"You may as well laugh!" he said. "One cannot get through the world
without occasionally hearing frightful suggestions."

Faith did laugh, and gave him another _good_ little look, about which
the only remarkable thing was that it was afraid to stay.

"What were your cloudy remarks just now?" said Mr. Linden.

"I wanted you to look at the beautiful light