f a little (and but a little) to
take the cup from her hand.

"Pet would thank you better than I can now, Miss Faith."

She stood looking down at him, with a little sorrowing touch about the
lines of her mouth.

"Do you know how much better two cups of cocoa are than one?" said Mr.
Linden.

"I don't know how you can have two at once, Mr. Linden."

"Then I will bestow one upon you--and wait while you get it."

"I am well--" she said, looking amused through her gravity, and shaking
her head. "And besides, I couldn't take it, Mr. Linden." And to put an
end to that subject, Faith had recourse to the never failing wood fire;
and from thence went round the room finishing what she had failed to do
in the morning; coming back at the point of time to take Mr. Linden's
cup. He looked at her a little as he gave it back.

"You are too tired to go over all those lessons to-day--which do you
like best? will you bring it?"

"I am not tired at all," she said with some flitting colour,--"but
_you_ are, Mr. Linden. Won't you rest--sleep--till after dinner--and
then, if you like, let me come?"

"I will let you come then--and stay now," he said smiling.

"Let me stay and be silent then--or do something that will not tire
you. Please, Mr. Linden!"

"Your line of action lies all within that last bound," he said gently.
"But you may read French if you will--or write it and let me look over
you,--or another geographical chapter. Neither need make me talk much."

The hint about looking over her writing startled Faith amazingly, but
perhaps for that very reason she took it as the delicate expression of
a wish. That would be a trial, but then too it would call for the least
exertion on the part of her teacher. Faith was brave, if she was
fearful, and too really humble to have false shame; and after an
instant's doubt and hesitation, she said, though she felt it to her
fingers' ends,

"My exercise is all ready--it only wants to be copied--but how could
you look over me, Mr. Linden?"

"Could you do such an inconvenient thing as to use that small atlas for
a table? and bring it here by me--I am not quite fit to sit up just
now."

Faith said no more words, but went for her exercise and sat down to
write it, as desired, under an observing and she knew a critical eye.
It was well her business engrossed her very completely; for she was in
an extremely puzzled and disturbed state of mind. Dr. Harrison's words
about the occasion of Mr.