e?"

"Well, how do they do that?"

"I must take some other time to tell you,--it would be too long a
matter to-night. And I doubt whether you ought to sit here any longer."

"But _this_ Faith don't do as you say," she said, as she slowly and
rather unwillingly rose from her seat. "And I don't understand how any
faith can."

"This Faith must study the Bible then, and do what _that_ says." The
tone was encouraging though the voice was grave.

He was not answered; and the homeward walk was begun. But Faith stopped
and turned again to look before she had gone three paces.

"I am in no hurry," Mr. Linden said,--"take your own time--only do not
take cold."

Faith turned away silently again, and began trudging along the sandy
road which led back to the lane. The moonlight shewed the way better
now. Passing on, as they neared home one house after another shewed its
glimmer of light and gave forth its cheerful sound of voices. From one,
however, the sound was _not_ cheerful. It was Squire Deacon's.

"Well, you'll see to-morrow, Cilly--if the sky don't fall,--you'll see.
Folks thinks the water down to the shore's mighty deep--'way over their
heads--till they've made its acquaintance; and then they find out they
can wade round in it 'most anywheres."--

"What's the matter with the Squire?" said Faith with a slight laugh, as
these strange statements reached her ears.

"I should think--to use his own phraseology--he must be 'over his head'
somewhere," replied Mr. Linden.

Whereat Faith's laugh deepened, but the low sweet tone of it only
sounded an instant.

"My dear!" said Mrs. Derrick, running out as they entered the gate,
"ain't you very imprudent? Wasn't she very imprudent, Mr. Linden?"

"Very prudent, ma'am, for she wore a shawl."

"And didn't want that, mother," said Faith.

CHAPTER IV.

The illumination lasted through the night--until

"Night's candles were burnt out, and jocund day
Stood tip-toe on the misty mountain tops."

Very jocund she looked, with her light pink veils wreathing about the
horizon, and the dancing white clouds which hurried up as the sun rose,
driven by a fresh wind. Mr. Linden declared, when he came in to
breakfast, that the day promised to equal the preceding night.

"And whoever wants more," he added, "must wait; for I think it will not
surpass it."

With which, Mr. Linden stirred his coffee, and told Miss Danforth with
a little look of defiance, "it was partic