vantage. She said nothing
more; only as she was quitting the room now in earnest to get tea, gave
him an odd, pleasant, half grateful, half grave little smile. Too many
things however had been at work to admit of her coming down into
quietness immediately. The red left her no more than the blue for the
rest of that evening.

CHAPTER XVI.

Saturday was but a half holiday to Mrs. Derrick's little family--unless
indeed they called their work play, which some of them did. It was
spent thus.

By Mrs. Derrick, in the kitchen, in the bed-rooms, all over the house
generally--with intervals at the oven door.

By Mr. Linden in the sitting-room, where Faith came from time to time
as she got a chance, to begin some things with him and learn how to
begin others by herself. The morning glided by very fast on such smooth
wheels of action, and dinner came with the first Natural Philosophy
lesson yet unfinished. It was finished afterwards however, and then Mr.
Linden prepared himself to go forth on some expedition, of which he
only said that it was a long one.

"I am going to petition to have tea half an hour later than usual
to-night, Miss Faith," he said.

"_Just_ half an hour later, Mr. Linden?" she said smiling. "You shall
have it when you like."

"I hope to be home by that time--if not don't wait for me. You will
find all the materials for your French exercise on my table."

Which intimation quickened Faith's steps about the little she had
beforehand to do, and also quickened a trifle the beating of her heart.
It was not quiet--timidity and pleasure were throbbing together, and
throbbing fast, when she turned her back upon the rest of the house and
went to Mr. Linden's room. She would have a good uninterrupted time
this afternoon, at any rate. And the materials were there, as he had
said,--all the materials; from books, open and shut, to the delicate
white paper, and a pen which might be the very one Johnny Fax thought
could write of itself. Faith stood and looked at them, and then sat
down to work, if ever such a determination was taken by human mind.

She had been a good while absorbed in her business when a knock came to
the front door, which Faith did not hear. Cindy however had ears to
spare, and presently informed Mrs. Derrick that a gentleman wished to
see her. And in the sitting-room Mrs. Derrick found Dr. Harrison.

"You haven't _forgotten to remember_ me, I hope, Mrs. Derrick," he said
as he took her