assing that the result did credit to
both. The coffee served to Mr. Linden was faultless. Madame Danforth
however had hardly presented him his cup, when she was called off and
her guests were left alone.

"Faith," said Mr. Linden, "you must not forget that you have something
to do for me as well as for other people while you are here."

"I don't forget it. But what do you mean, Endecott?"

"To put it in the most effective way--I mean that you must take care of
me!" he said smiling.

"I will. As good care as you would take of yourself."

"That is a little ambiguous! But will you send me word very often of
your success?"

Faith looked up and looked at him, a little startled.

"Do you mean--"

"I mean that there is a postoffice in Pattaquasset--and another in
Pequot."

She coloured, and somewhat hastily busied herself with refilling Mr.
Linden's cup. Then she folded her hands and sat looking into the fire
with a face on which there was a touching expression of humbleness.

"My little Mignonette," he said, "what are you thinking of?"

"I am thinking of that,"--she said with a smile which did not change
the expression. "Of what you want me to do--and about it."

"What about it? Are you inditing a letter to me on the spot?"

"No."

"What then?"

Faith would have liked to have her face out of sight, but she couldn't,
conveniently.

"I am thinking, how I shall do it--and how you will not like it."

"_You_ don't know"--said Mr. Linden. "Let me tell you how I shall like
it. I shall read it, and love it, and answer it--will that satisfy you?
or do you want me to hang it round my neck by a blue ribband?--because
if you do, I will."

The laughing flash of Faith's eye contained nevertheless a protest.

"No, you will not like it, because it will not be fit for you to like;
but you will have patience with it,"--she said with a smile which did
in its loveliness bid good-bye to shadows.

Mr. Linden left the table, and standing before her as she had risen
too, took her face softly in both hands and raised it up for his
inspection.

"Do you know what a naughty child you are?"

A most quaint little "yes."

"Then why don't you behave better?" he said, enforcing his question but
not releasing her.

"I suppose you will teach me, in time"--she said, blushing and
sparkling under his hands. He seemed to like to study her face--or was
thinking that he should not see it again for some time,--the expression
on his ow