her
age," said Mr. Linden. "Isn't that the origin of the phrase, Squire
Deacon?"

"Very like," said the Squire--who didn't care to be interrupted. "I
don't know much about originals,--when a man has a position to fill,
sir, he can't study knick-knacks. What a handsome book, Miss Faith!
such a becoming colour."

"Don't you like the inside of books too, Mr. Deacon?" said Faith.

"I daresay I should that one," said the Squire,--"the outside's like a
picture--or a view, as some people call it. Looks just like a grain
field in spring. What's the name of it, Miss Faith?"

Half prudently, half wickedly, Faith without answering took the book
from the table and put it in Mr. Deacon's hand.

The Squire's face looked like anything but a grain field in spring
then--it was more like a stubble in November; for opening the book
midway and finding no help there, he turned to the title page and found
the only English words in the book, in very legible black ink.

"So!" he said--"it's his'n, is it!"

"Yes, it is mine," said Mr. Linden,--"almost any man may have so much
of a library as that."

The Squire glanced suspiciously at Faith, as if he still believed she
had something to do with it; but he did not dare press the matter.

"Miss Faith," he said, calling up a smile that was meant to do
retrospective work, "have you heard tell of the queer things they've
found down to Mattabeeset?"

"What things, Mr. Deacon?"

"Some sort o' bird's been makin' tracks down there," said the Squire
leaning back in his chair, with the look of one who has now got the
game in his own hands; "makin' tracks criss-cross round; and they do
say the size on 'em might have come out of the ark, for wonder."

"How large are they, Mr. Deacon? and what sort of bird is it?"

"Well if I was a descendant of Noah, I s'pose I could tell you," said
the Squire with increased satisfaction,--"I'm sorry I can't, as it is.
But if you're curious, Miss Faith (and ladies always is in my
experience) I'll drive you down there any day or any time of day. I
want to see 'em myself, that's a fact, and so does Cilly. Now Miss
Faith, name the day!"

The shortest possible smile on Mr. Linden's face at this sudden and
earnest request, did not help Faith to an answer; but the Squire was
happily forgetful for the moment that there were more than two people
in the room, and leaning towards Faith he repeated,

"The sooner the quicker, always, in such cases! because folks can ne