thing"--said Faith frankly.

"I on my part have made a great discovery, which will perhaps answer
for us both. It is very simple, as most great discoveries are, being
merely this: that I prefer other things than reproofs from the lips of
Reason. Will you have an illustration?"

"Can't I understand without?" said Faith laughing, but with also a
little rising colour. And very smilingly she had her answer--the only
answer she could expect.

"I believe you are principled against saying yes!" said Mr. Linden.
"The most encouraging thing you ever said to me was 'Oh no!'"

What swift recollection, what quick sympathy with that time, spoke in
the crimson of Faith's cheeks! It was something to see "the eloquent
blood." Eyes were not to be seen. Mr. Linden smiled, touching his hand
softly to her cheeks.

"O Mignonette!" he said--"or I should rather say, O Roses! or O
Carnation! Is there anything beyond that in your Flora?"

In the emergency Faith took possession of the hand that invaded her
carnations and turning the full display upon him asked if he would not
like to have something more substantial. Apparently "the display" was
approved, though there were no words to that effect.

"I suppose I must let you go," he said, "because if we are to study all
the evening after tea, it will not do to talk away the whole evening
before. You shall choose your own time for hearing my story, dear
child--only let me know when the time comes."

There was no shadow upon the tea hour, on Faith's part, nor on the
hours of study that followed. The wind swept round the house, March
fashion, but the fire and the open books laughed at him. There seemed
even a little more than usual of happy gayety in Faith's way of going
through her work; she and the fire played at which should get ahead of
the other; and between whiles she was obliged to use a little caution
to obviate Mr. Linden's surprise at finding how far she was getting
ahead of herself. For Faith's early morning studies were not now by any
means confined to the lessons he set for her and expected her to do;
her object and endeavour was to prevent his requirements, and so
prepare the ground _before_ his teachings that without finding out how
it came to be so ready, he should simply occupy more of it and
cultivate higher. It was rather a nice matter! not to let him see that
she had done too much, and yet to make him know that he might take what
harvests he pleased off the ground; with s