modity to deal with!" he said looking at
her, but answering the smile too. "I think you are bewitching all mine
by degrees. Why cannot you confine your conjurations to the black cats
of the neighbourhood?--like some of the real, respectable Puritan
witches?"

Faith blushed very much at the beginning of this speech, and laughed at
the last.

"What have I done, Mr. Linden? there are no black cats in the
neighbourhood."

"Is that it?" said Mr. Linden--"I shall have to import a few. You give
me a great deal of trouble, Miss Faith."

"I, Mr. Linden? I am very sorry! What have I done?"

"I don't know!--or at least but partially. There is Sam Stoutenburgh,
making as much ado over his lessons as if his wits had forsaken
him--which perhaps they have. There is Reuben Taylor--I don't know what
is the matter with Reuben," he said, his tone changing, "but his last
words to me were a very earnest entreaty that I would persuade you to
see him for five minutes; and when I wanted to know why he did not
prefer his own request, all I could get was that he was not sure you
would let him. Which gave me very little clue to the sorrowful face he
has worn all day."

Once more, and this time with the keen tinge of pain, the blood rushed
in a flood to Faith's cheek and brow; and for a second she put her
hands to her face as if she would hide it. But she put them down and
looked up frankly to Mr. Linden.

"I am sure Reuben Taylor has done no wrong!" she said. "You may tell
him so, Mr. Linden."

"Wrong!" he said--"to you?"--and the tone was one Faith did not know.
Then with a manner that was like enough to the flinging of the little
stone into Kildeer river, he added, "Yes, I will tell him. Miss Faith,
I shall be down again directly, and then will you let me see that
book?" And he passed on upstairs.

The book was on the table in the parlour when he came down, but Faith
met him standing. With a little timid anxiousness, she said,

"I have done wrong now. Mr. Linden, I said I was sure Reuben had _not_
done any, and you will not speak to him as if he had? Please don't
speak to him at all--I will see him myself."

The answering smile broke through some little cloud of feeling, in
spite of him.

"You need not fear," he said,--"I know Reuben Taylor. But you have got
something else to think of just now." Then placing a chair for her at
the table, Mr. Linden took up the little book and began his work of
examination. And perhaps it is not