"I'm glad to hear it, child," she said. "Dr. Harrison's too smart for me--I can't get a bit of good out of _him_. My, Faith! I suppose Mr. Linden can manage him, but if I had that man buzzing round _me_, I shouldn't know whether I was sick or well. When is he coming back, child?" "I don't know, mother."--Then with the invincible instinct of truth, she added, "He wants my work to be ready for him Monday." "Reuben's got a great deal of gumption!" said Mrs. Derrick, her heart quite expanding with the pleasure of hearing Faith talk once more. "Now half the boys in town would have blurted that right out to me and Dr. Harrison together,--and I wouldn't trust _him_ for not asking questions. But I'm sure I'm glad, child--it seems as if he'd been gone a month. Do you think he'll come to morrow? Maybe he meant you should send your work down to him." "I sha'n't do that," said Faith, as she gave her mother at last a cup of tea that was to be drunk. But she had poured out none for herself. She sat before the tea-tray, still and pale. Her mother looked at her. "You must take some, child." "I don't want it, mother."--And she brought everything that was on the table round her mother's plate. "You must--" Mrs Derrick repeated. "I sha'n't, if you don't,--or else I'll get you a glass of wine. Why child," she said, with a half sober, half smiling look, which Faith for once did not read,--"he's better. You ought to eat and be thankful." "I am thankful,"--Faith said, her head sinking for a moment. Mrs Derrick deliberately got up, went to the pantry, and fetching thence a tiny cup and plate set them before Faith. "Eat, pretty child!" she said. "You know I'm right. If you don't look out, Mr. Linden 'll be worse scared when he comes home than he's been to-day, I guess." Faith gave her a look, both grateful and appealing, and very innocent of belief in her statement;--and did honour the little cup so far as to fill it with tea which she swallowed. But the plate she left clean. "I can't to-night, mother," she said in answer to Mrs. Derrick's look. "I'll eat breakfast." CHAPTER XIX. It cannot be said that sleep came to Faith's eyes unbidden,--yet once come, sleep rested there sweetly, even beyond her usual time; and the first disturbing sound, in that misty Sunday morning, was the stopping of a wagon at the front door. But if Faith ran to the window with any special expectations, they were disappointed,--there was nothing at the door but Crab, his companion the little wagon, and Mrs. Derrick composedly getting out of the same. Which was at least surprising enough. The good lady's next appearance was a very noiseless one in Faith's room. "Dear mother! where have you been?" "Why I've been trying to get ahead of Dr. Harrison," said her mother sitting down; "and I did it too. I should have been home before if I hadn't been afraid of meeting him--so I had to take a cross road." Mrs. Derrick seemed tired.