" said her mother, "I suppose his arm pains him a good
deal--and that tires one, you know. He didn't talk to you a bit more
than he wanted to, I'll warrant. Why he even talked to _me_ all
tea-time!" said Mrs. Derrick, as if she felt quite proud in consequence.

"Well mother, we must go to bed _now_, for I must be up very early to
finish that box."

CHAPTER XXIV.

Very early it was, when Faith's hammer was at work again on the brown
moreen, and short interruption did she give herself from anything that
could be spared, till the box was done. It suited her well when it was
done. The cover was stuffed, old-fashioned brown binding was lapped
over the edges and seams, and fastened off with rows of brass-headed
nails; which made it altogether an odd, handsome, antiquated-looking
piece of furniture. With this, when her morning work was done and her
exercise prepared, Faith went up to Mr. Linden's room; to see it
brought in and placed properly.

"I shall have to put a stop to this state of things!" he said,--"that
blue ribband will work me mischief yet. Miss Faith, how can you take
advantage of my disabled condition?"

"Are you better this morning, Mr. Linden?"

"The time has not quite come yet for me to be much better. But Miss
Faith, if I had known that you _would_ wake yourself up early this
morning, what do you think I should have done?"

"I can't think, Mr. Linden," she said looking merry.

"I should have invited you and Mrs Derrick up here to breakfast!--which
I only did not do, because I could not take the extra trouble upon
myself, and because I knew you ought to sleep, till this time."

Faith shook her head a little, perhaps sorry to have missed the
breakfast; then went off and brushed away the dust and chips left round
the wood-box. Then came and sat down.

"I saw almost everything, last night, Mr. Linden!"

"Well before you go off to last night--will you come to-morrow morning?
Now what did you see?"

The bright smile and flush and sparkle answered the invitation; and
perhaps Faith thought no other answer was needed; for she gave no other.

"I know now," she said after an instant, "what you were doing all
yesterday afternoon, Mr. Linden!"

"I know what you were, Miss Faith."

She smiled innocently and went on,

"All that just fitted me, as you meant it should, to take the good of
the evening--and I had a great deal," she said gravely. "I saw almost
everything you spoke of--and other things