here, Mr. Linden."

"How do you know that I do, sir?"

There was a little pause at that--it was a puzzling question to answer;
not to speak of a slight warning which the Squire received from his
instinct. But the pause was pleasantly ended.

"Faith!" said a gentle voice in the passage--"open the door,
child--I've got both hands full."

Which call Mr. Linden appropriated to himself, and not only opened the
door but brought in the great dish of smoking chestnuts. Faith ran away
to get plates for the party, with one of which in defiance of etiquette
she served first Mr. Linden; then handed another to the Squire.

"I hope they are boiled right, Mr. Linden. Have you seen any chestnuts
yet this year, Mr. Deacon?"

"I've seen some--but they warn't good for nothing," said the Squire
rather sourly. "Thank you, Miss Faith, for your plate, but I guess I'll
go."

"Why stay and eat some chestnuts, Squire Deacon!" said Mrs. Derrick.
"Those are Neanticut chestnuts--firstrate too."

"I don't like Neanticut chestnuts--" said Squire Deacon rising--"never
did,--they're sure to be wormy. Good night, Miss Faith--good night, Mr.
Linden. Mrs. Derrick, this room's hot enough to roast eggs."

"Why the windows are open!" said Mrs. Derrick--"and we might have had
the curtains drawn back, too, but I always feel as if some one was
looking in."

Which remark did not delay the Squire's departure, and Mrs. Derrick
followed him to the door, talking all the way.

During which little 'passage' Faith's behaviour again transcended all
rules. For she stood before the dish of chestnuts, fingering one or
two, with a somewhat unsteady motion of the corners of her mouth; and
then put both her hands to her face and laughed, her low but very
merriment-speaking laugh.

"Miss Faith," Mr. Linden said, "I think Job was an extraordinary
man!--and the chestnuts are not so bad as they are reported, after all."

Faith became grave, and endeavoured to make trial of the chestnuts,
without making any answer.

"Child," said Mrs. Derrick returning, "I don't think the Squire felt
just comfortable--I wonder if he's well?"

Which remark brought down the house.

"By the way--" said Mr. Linden looking up,--"did you lose a bow of
ribband from your sunbonnet, the other day at Neanticut?"

Faith owned to having lost it somewhere.

"I found it somewhere--" said Mr. Linden with a rather peculiar look,
as he took out the bow of ribband.

"Where did you find it,