about the other two persons I alluded to?"

One sparkling flash of Faith's soft eye, was all she gave him. "No, I
don't think I do," she said.

"You know enough already?--or too much? Faith--are Christmas roses to
be in season all the year round?"

"I don't know,--but tea is. Suppose I go and see about it--Monsieur?"

"Eh bien--Mademoiselle," he said gravely but holding her
fast,--"suppose you do!"

"Then we should have it."

"Undoubtedly, Mademoiselle! Vous avez raison."

"And what have you?" said Faith laughing.

"I have _you!_--Love and Reason did meet once, you know."

"Did they?" said Faith looking up. "How should I know?"

"You never found it out in your own personal experience?"

"You say it's a fact," said Faith. "I thought you referred to it as a
former fact."

"Like tea--" said Mr. Linden.

"Like tea, Endecott!--what are you talking of?"

"Former facts."--

"I wonder what I shall get you to-night, Endecott"--she said merrily
twisting round to look at him,--"you must want something! Is a thing
properly said to be former, as long as it is still present?"

"What is present?"

"Tea isn't past"--said Faith with another little flash of her eye.

"If you are going to set up for Reason," said Mr. Linden, "there is no
more to be done; but as for me, I may as well submit to my fate.
Shakspeare says, 'To love, and to be wise, exceeds man's might.'"

"I don't think I set up for reason," said Faith,--"only for tea; and
you obliged me to take reason instead. I guess--Shakspeare was right."

"Unquestionably!" said Mr. Linden laughing. "Faith, did you ever hear
of 'Love in a Cottage'?"

"I believe I have."

"I hope you don't think that includes tea?"

"I never thought it included much good," said Faith. "I always thought
it was something foolish."

"There spoke Reason!" said Mr. Linden,--"and I shall not dare to speak
again for ten minutes. Faith, you will have time to meditate." And his
eyes went to the fire and staid there. Faith meditated--or waited upon
his meditations; for her eyes now and then sought his face somewhat
wistfully to see if she could read what he was thinking of--which yet
she could not read. But her exploring looks in that direction were too
frequent to leave room for the supposition that Reason made much
progress.

"Faith," Mr. Linden said, suddenly intercepting one of these looks,
"now let us compare results--before we meditate any further. What have
you to shew?"

"No