ht person to give her
own reasons.'

'Ask her where young Mr. Nolan is gone to, and thou wilt hear. I have
seen Faith cry by the hour together about Mr. Nolan.'

'Hush, child, hush!' said Lois, for she heard Faith's approaching step,
and feared lest she should overhear what they were saying.

The truth was that, a year or two before, there had been a great
struggle in Salem village, a great division in the religious body, and
Pastor Tappau had been the leader of the more violent, and, ultimately,
the successful party. In consequence of this, the less popular
minister, Mr. Nolan, had had to leave the place. And him Faith Hickson
loved with all the strength of her passionate heart, although he never
was aware of the attachment he had excited, and her own family were too
regardless of manifestations of mere feeling to ever observe the signs
of any emotion on her part. But the old Indian servant Nattee saw and
observed them all. She knew, as well as if she had been told the
reason, why Faith had lost all care about father or mother, brother and
sister, about household work and daily occupation, nay, about the
observances of religion as well. Nattee read the meaning of the deep
smouldering of Faith's dislike to Pastor Tappau aright; the Indian
woman understood why the girl (whom alone of all the white people she
loved) avoided the old minister,--would hide in the wood-stack sooner
than be called in to listen to his exhortations and prayers. With
savage, untutored people, it is not 'Love me, love my dog,' they are
often jealous of the creature beloved; but it is, 'Whom thou hatest I
will hate;' and Nattee's feeling towards Pastor Tappau was even an
exaggeration of the mute unspoken hatred of Faith.

For a long time, the cause of her cousin's dislike and avoidance of the
minister was a mystery to Lois; but the name of Nolan remained in her
memory whether she would or no, and it was more from girlish interest
in a suspected love affair, than from any indifferent and heartless
curiosity, that she could not help piecing together little speeches and
actions, with Faith's interest in the absent banished minister, for an
explanatory clue, till not a doubt remained in her mind. And this
without any further communication with Prudence, for Lois declined
hearing any more on the subject from her, and so gave deep offence.

Faith grew sadder and duller as the autumn drew on. She lost her
appetite, her brown complexion became sallow