ce added little to what Faith knew already about the strangers,
and she went on her way feeling as if a stricture had been bound tight
round her heart.

The words about Mr. Linden's fastidiousness she knew quite enough of
him to verify; and in the light of these people's talk it almost seemed
to Faith as if there had been some glamour about her--as if she should
some day prove to be "magician's coin" after all. But though the old
sense of unworthiness swept over her, Faith was not of a temper to
dwell long or heavily upon such a doubt. Her heart had been strangely
stirred besides by what was said of his mother, and his old way of
life, and his changes. She knew about them of course before; yet as a
trifle, the touching of a single ray, will often give a new view of an
old scene,--those side words of strangers set all Mr. Linden's time of
joy and sorrow with such vivid reality before her, that her heart was
like to break with it. That effect too, more or less, passed away from
her mind,--never entirely. Another thing staid.

"What he works so hard for now"--Then he was working hard! and doing
his own studies and correcting her French exercises, and giving her
lessons all the while, as well as to other people; and bringing her
gifts with the fruit of his work! And not an atom of it all could Faith
touch to change. She pondered it, and she knew it. She doubted whether
she could with any good effect venture so much as a remonstrance; and
the more Faith thought, the more this doubt resolved itself into
certainty. And all the while, he was working hard! Round that fact her
thoughts beat, like an alarmed bird round its nest; about as helplessly.

Mrs. Derrick thought Faith was more grave and abstracted than usual
that day, and sometimes thought so afterwards; that was all Faith made
known.

Dr. Harrison thought the same thing on the next occasion of his seeing
her, and on the next; or rather he thought she held off from him more
than usual; what the root of it might be he was uncertain. And
circumstances were unfavourable to the exactness of his observations
for some time thereafter.

It was yet early in March, when Mrs. Stoutenburgh took a very
troublesome and tedious fever, which lasted several weeks. It was
reckoned dangerous, part of the time, and Mrs. Derrick and Faith were
in very constant attendance. Faith especially, for Mrs. Stoutenburgh
liked no one else so well about her; and gratitude and regard made her
eage