d Mr. Simlins. "It's about all I'm good for!" (Which was
not at all Mr. Simlins' abstract judgment concerning himself--purely
comparative, on the present occasion.) "Well--you tell Reuben what you
want him to do, and he can take the brown mare--Jem'll have her
ready--and I'll send Sam to you; and after I get rid of all creation,
I'll come myself. You'd think all creation was just made, and the chips
about!"

After which setting forth of the state of his affairs Mr Simlins went
forth.

"I guess, sir," said Jem Waters when he had done his task with the
mare, "I guess I'd as good sleep in the front porch to-night. 'Cause if
there'll be one here, there'll be forty."

"What'll the forty do?"

"Knock the house down, sir, if there's nobody there to stop 'em. Bless
you, sir, all Pattaquasset 'll come to hear how Mr. Linden is, afore
day. There won't one on 'em wait two minutes after he hears the tale.
It's all about by this time--I made one gal mad by not tellin' her, and
I guess likely she's made it up for herself and other folks by now."

CHAPTER XVIII.

Dr. Harrison did not find anybody at Mrs. Derrick's gate. The two,
mother and daughter, had stood there, even after Cindy had come in with
her report; unconscious, or unregardful, of the chill thick mist which
enveloped everything and fell with steady heavy fall upon the bright
hair of one and the smooth cap of the other. They had not spoken to
each other all that while, unless an unfinished word or two of Mrs.
Derrick's reached ears that did not heed them. It was Faith herself who
first moved, perhaps reminded by the increasing dullness that her
mother was feeling it too. She took her hand from the gate, and passing
the other round Mrs. Derrick, led her into the house, and into the
sitting-room and to a chair; and then went for wood and kindling and
built up a fire. She went to the kitchen next. That fire was out too,
and that fire also Faith rebuilt, and coaxed till a blaze was going up
round the cold tea kettle. Cindy sat with her head on her arms on the
kitchen table, fast asleep. Faith did not wake her. In half an hour she
brought into the sitting-room a tray with tea made, and clams warmed,
and all things that should accompany the one teacup and saucer, and
mutely set it before her mother. She did not then ask her to eat,
except by this pantomime; and she herself immediately went again to
stand in the porch. But again her mother followed.

"Child," she