again, followed her in, looking at every inch of the way. Faith drew
the easy-chair out before the fire, put Miss Linden in it, and took off
her bonnet and shawl. She staid but to find her mother and introduce
her to the parlour and her guest; and she herself ran away to Mr.
Linden's room. She knew that the brown woodbox was near full of wood
which had been there since his sudden departure nine months ago. It was
well dried by this time. Faith built a fire and kindled it; made the
bed, and supplied water and towels; opened the blinds of one or two
windows, laid books on the table, and wheeled up the couch. The fire
was blazing by that time and shone warm and glowingly on the dark wood
and furniture, and everything wore the old pleasant look of comfort and
prettiness. Then Faith went for her guest.

"You will know where you are," she said a little vaguely,--"when you
open the cupboard doors."

Miss Linden stood still for a moment, her hands folded, her lips again
taking their mixed expression.

"And _that_ is where he lay for so long," she said. It was a mixed
remembrance to Faith; she did not like to answer. A moment's silence,
and she turned her bright face to Miss Linden.

"Let me do what I can for you," she said with that mixture of grace and
timidity.--"It isn't much. What may I now, Pet?"

"You did a lifetime's work then, you dear child!--and how I used to
hear of it." And putting her arm round Faith's waist Miss Linden began
to go slowly about the room, looking at everything--out of the windows
and into the cupboards. "If you could have known, Faith--if you could
have seen Endecott in some of the years before that, you would have
known a little how very, very glad I was. I hardly believed that he
would ever find any one who could charm him out of the solitary life
into which sorrow had led him."

"I didn't do it!" said Faith simply.

"What do you suppose did?"

"I think he charmed himself out of it,"--Faith said blushing.

Miss Linden laughed, holding her very fast. "You are clear from all
charge of malice prepense," she said. "And I will not deny his powers
of charming,--but they are powerless upon himself."

"Do you think so?" said Faith. "A charm comes at the rebound, doesn't
it sometimes?"

"_Does_ it? How do I know?"

Faith laughed a little, but very softly. "Now shall I leave you for a
little while?" she said.

"Will you be busy, or may I come down when I like?"

"I am going into the kitch