nquired one of the party.

"As far from the house as you can," said Mr. Linden, with a little
glance at Faith. "Come! be off!--great enterprises are never finished
till they are begun."

"I'd like to begin dinner, anyhow," said one, catching up his cap and
leading off.

As quick and more quick than it had been filled, the room was cleared;
and laughing Faith watched the busy swarm as they poured towards their
magazine. Then remembered her own and came back to offer it.

"You may as well rest, Mr. Linden," said Faith as she offered him a cup
of coffee. "I'm sure _they_ are all comfortable. Besides, you
particularly desired a fire and somebody in the house, you know."

"Miss Faith," he said, (taking the cup however) "I'm afraid your
notions of duty are very slack! What sort of a captain would you make
to a beleaguered city? I shall make you read the story of Catherine
Douglass."

"Will you?" said Faith looking very pleased. "And what is
'beleaguered,' Mr. Linden? in the meantime."

"'Beleaguered' means, to be beset with a swarm of invaders who want to
come in and ought to be kept out."

"I didn't know I ought to keep them out," said Faith laughing, "or I'd
have done it."

Mr. Linden shook his head doubtfully. "I saw you give way!" he
said,--"I doubt whether there was even a show of resistance. Now
Catherine Douglass--But I must go. No, don't tempt me with apple
pie--you have no idea of the pies in that wagon. Perhaps if I get
successfully through them, I'll come back and dispose of yours. What
are you reading to-day?--'Le Philosophe'?"

A little soberness came over Faith's smile as she shook her head and
said no.

"I can't stay to ask a question upon that--but I'll ask you two by and
by to pay for it."

And he went out to that little cluster of life that hung about the
great wagon, making himself at once the centre of pleasure and interest
and even fun, as Faith's eye and ear now and then informed her. It was
pretty, the way they closed in about him--wild and untutored as they
were,--pretty to see him meet them so easily on their own ground, yet
always enticing them towards something better. Mrs Derrick thought so
too, for she stood in the doorway and smiled very pleasantly.

"He's a real nice man, Faith," she said. "I don't wonder the boys like
him."

Faith did not wonder at it, but she did not answer, though she too
stood looking.

The ladies had finished their lunch, and Mr. Linden had perhaps _not