uch weather? No
wonder you're in a hurry, child!"--and Mrs. Derrick began to work in
earnest.

Faith gave her the word or two more that she could give, and went to
the dairy. It was Faith's domain; she was alone, and her industry fell
from her hands. Breakfast and all might wait. Faith set down her bowl
and spoon, sat down herself on the low dairy shelf before the window,
cold and November though it was, and let the tears come, of which she
had a whole heartful in store; and for a little while they fell faster
than the raindrops which beat and rattled against the panes. But this
was a gentler shower, and cleared the sky. Faith rose up from the shelf
entirely herself again.

So busy, skimming off the smooth cream, she felt the light touch of
hands on her shoulders--felt more than that on her cheek. Had the tears
left any trace there?--that Mr. Linden brought her face round into
view. He asked no such question, however, unless with his eyes.

"Mignonette, what are you about?"

"King Alfred's breakfast. I forgot you knew the way to the dairy!"

"Or could find it if I did not. What shape does my breakfast take in
these regions?"

"It takes the shape--Let us go back to the kitchen and we will see."

It was spry work in the kitchen now! How Faith's fingers went about.
But Mr. Linden could make nothing of the form his breakfast was
taking--nothing of Faith's mysterious bowl, in which the cream he had
seen her skim went into compound with the potatoes he had seen boiling
and with also certain butter and eggs. The mixture went into the oven,
and then Faith went off to set the table in the parlour. As they were
alone to-day the fire in the dining-room was not to be kindled.

The storm beat so differently upon the windows now!--now, when it was
only a barrier against people who were not wanted to come in. Mr.
Linden followed Faith in her motions, sometimes with eye and voice,
sometimes with his own steps; confusing both her and her arrangements,
making her laugh, and himself the cause of various irregularities in
the table-setting, which he was very quick to point out.

"Mignonette," he said, "I think it is a perfect day! Do you hear how it
storms?"

"And aren't you glad Cindy went to a wedding? And oh, Endy!--how many
people will be coming after you to-day?" Faith stopped, knife in hand.

"Did you suppose that I would come here to see you, and then be obliged
to see half Pattaquasset instead? I stopped at Patchaug st