on them and those far-off
ridges of hill--it is not gone yet."

"Yes, they are very beautiful. But I believe I am not in a meditative
mood to-day,--or else the rival colours distract me. Faith, I mean to
put you in the witness-box again."

"In the witness-box?"--she said with a mental jump to Neanticut, and a
look to suit.

"Yes--but we are not on the banks of Kildeer river, and need not be
afraid," he said with a smile. "Faith--what ever made you take such an
aversion to Phil Davids?"

"I don't dislike him,"--she said softly.

"I did not mean to doubt your forgiving disposition! But what did he do
to displease you?"

Did Mr. Linden know? or did he _not_ know! Faith looked up to see. He
was just disentangling one of the lines from Jerry's tail, but met her
look with great composure.

"It's an old thing,"--said Faith. "It's not worth bringing up."

"But since I have brought it--won't you indulge me?"

The red on Faith's cheeks grew brilliant. "It isn't anything you would
like,--if I told it to you.--Won't you let me let it alone?"

"I should like to hear you tell it."

"He made one or two rude speeches"--said Faith in very great doubt and
confusion;--"that was all."

"_That_ I knew before."

"Did you?" said Faith looking at him. "How did you know it, Endecott?"

There was a curious gentle, almost tender, modulation of tone in this
last sentence, which covered a good deal of possible ground. Mr. Linden
drew up one of her mufflers which had fallen off a little, giving her
as he did so a silent though laughing answer, as comprehensive as her
question.

"You are just the dearest and most precious little child in the whole
world!" he said. "But why are you afraid to tell me _now?_--and why did
Phil's insinuation cause you such dismay?"

Faith's confusion would have been, as her rosy flush was, extreme,--if
something in Mr. Linden's manner had not met that and rebuked it,
healing the wound almost before it was made. Between the two Faith
struggled for a standing-ground of equanimity,--but words, though she
struggled for them too, in her reason or imagination she could not find.

"I want an answer to one of these questions,"--Mr. Linden said, in a
playful sort of tone. "Dr. Harrison used to ask me if you lived upon
roses--but do you think I can?"

Faith made an effort. "What do you want me to say?"

"What was it in Phil's words that troubled you so much?"

The crimson rush came back overwhelmingly. "Oh