talking.

"There he comes!" said Miss Danforth.

"Who is that with him?" said Faith.

"Reuben Taylor, child," her mother answered.

Then as they came near the gate, and stopped and shook hands, Reuben
cried out (in answer to words which they did not hear)

"Let _me_ go! do, please, Mr. Linden!"--and went; while his teacher
opened the gate, picked one of the drooping roses, came up the steps
and taking off his hat bowed to the assembled ladies.

"Well, Mr. Linden," said Miss Danforth, "how do you find the
Pattaquasset diamonds?"

"I find, madam, that they shine--as is the custom of diamonds."

"Are you going to let Reuben Taylor go?"

"Whither?" said Mr. Linden.

"Why, where he asked you. Is _he_ one of Mr. Somers' precious stones?"

"He has gone," was the smiling reply. "Precious?--yes,--everybody is
precious in one sense."

"You haven't been to college for nothing," said Miss Danforth, who
would talk about anything. "I should like you to find out in what sense
_I_ am precious. I've a good many friends--but there isn't one of 'em
that wouldn't eat and drink just as well with me out of the world as in
it."

He smiled a little--though rather soberly, and stood watching the
changing colours of clouds and sky for a minute or two without
speaking. Then, half to himself as it were, low but very distinctly, he
repeated--

"'And they shall be mine, saith the Lord, in the day when I make up my
jewels.'"

The answer to this was only in pantomime, but striking. Miss Danforth
did not speak, and instead thereof turned her head over her shoulder
and looked away steadily over the meadows which stretched north of the
house into the distance. Faith's eyes fell to the floor and the lids
drooped over them; and as plain a veil of shadow fell upon her face.
Mrs. Derrick's eyes went from one to the other with a look which was
not unwonted with her, and a little sigh which said she thought
everybody was good but herself.

"Bain't ye never comin' in to supper?" said Cindy, framing herself in
the doorway. "I want to get out after supper, Miss Faith," she said
dropping her voice,--"I do, real bad."

"Is all ready, Cindy?"

"Yes marm," said Cindy. "I'm free to confess there's a pile o' cakes
baked."

"Miss Faith, when do you mean to shew me the shore?" said Mr. Linden
turning round.

"You have been so busy all the week," said Faith,--"and then you didn't
speak of it, Mr. Linden--I can go any time."

"My dear," said M