e,--yet let me see the
slipper. I want to be sure that all is right."

He persisted, and to stop the absurdity of the thing, Faith shewed him,
not indeed her slipper, but the most un-Chinese, un-French, neat little
shoe thick enough for walking, in which she had come to Judge
Harrison's party.

"Alarmingly near!" said the doctor peering at it--"but the proportions
are perfect. It is not Chinese. Thank you. I have seen so many odd
things in my life, Miss Derrick,--and people,--that I never know what
to expect; and _anything_ right from head to foot, is a marvel."

They moved on again and sauntered round and round in the paths of the
shrubbery, Faith hardly knew whither. In truth the doctor's
conversation was amusing enough to leave her little care. Very few
indeed were the words he drew from her; but with all their simplicity
and modesty, he seemed to be convinced that there was something behind
them worth pleasing; at least he laid himself out to please. He easily
found that what she knew of life and the world was very little, and
that she was very ready to take any glimpses he would give her into the
vast unknown regions so well known to him. Always in his manner
carelessly graceful, Faith never dreamed of the real care with which he
brought up subjects, and discussed them, that he thought would interest
her. He told of distant countries and scenes--he detailed at length
foreign experiences--he described people--he gave her pictures of
manners and customs,--all new to her ears, strange and delightful; and
so easily yet so masterly given, that she took it all in an easy full
flow of pleasure. So it happened that Faith did not very well know how
they turned and wound in and out through the walks; she was in
Switzerland and at Paris and at Rome, all the while.

She came back pretty suddenly to Pattaquasset. As they paused to watch
the glitter of one of the lamps on the shining leaves of a holly tree,
several of the boys, seeking their own pleasure, came sauntering by.
The last of these had time to observe her, and swaggering close up
under her face said, loud enough to be heard,

"You aint, neither!--I know you aint. Reuben Taylor says you aint."

The lamplight did not serve to reveal Faith's changes of face and
colour, neither did Dr. Harrison wait to observe them.

"What do you mean, sir?" he said, catching hold of the boy's arm. "Why
do you speak so to a lady?--_what_ isn't she?"

"Somebody's sweetheart," said