'Where there is no space For the glow-worm to lye; Where there is no space For receipt of a fly; Where the midge dares not venture, Lest herself fast she lay; If love come he will enter, And soon find out his way!' So, Miss Faith, you may expect to see me appear some time in the shape of a midge!--Endecott will tell you I am not much better than that now." So far Faith got in reading the letter, and it was a long while before she got any further; that message to herself she went over again and again. It was incomprehensible, it was like one of Mr. Linden's own puzzles for that. It was so strange, and at the same time it was such a beautiful thing, that Mr. Linden's sister should have heard of _her_ and in such fashion as to make her wish to send a message! Faith's head stooped lower and lower over the paper, from her mother and the lamp. It was such a beautiful message too--the gracious and graceful wording of it Faith felt in every syllable; and the lines of the old ballad were some of the prettiest she had ever seen. But that Faith should have _love_ sent her from Italy--and from that person in Italy of all others!--that Mr. Linden's sister should wish to see _her_ and threaten to do it in the shape of a midge!--and what ever _could_ Mr. Linden have told her to excite the wish? And what of this lady's precious things had Faith taken care of?--'such care' of! "Mother!"--Faith began once by way of taking counsel, but thought better of it, and went on pondering by herself. One thing was undoubted--this message in this letter was a matter of great pleasure and honour! as Faith felt it in the bottom of her heart; but in the midst of it all, she hardly knew whence, came a little twinge of something like pain. She felt it--yes, she felt it, even in the midst of the message; but if Faith herself could not trace it out, of course it can be expected of nobody else. CHAPTER XXII. Phil Davids, taking his morning walk through the pleasant roads of Pattaquasset, engaged in his out-of-school amusements of hunting cats and frightening children, was suddenly arrested in the midst of an alarming face ('got up' for the benefit of Robbie Waters) by the approach of Sam Stoutenburgh. In general this young gentleman let Phil alone, 'severely,' but on the present occasion he stopped and laid hold of his shoulder. "Phil Davids! I've a warrant against you." "Hands off, Sam! and let a man alone, will you! What do you mean by that?" said Phil gruffly. "Yes--I'll let him alone--when I find him, if he's like you," said Sam with great coolness and some little contempt. "But if you're tired of your own face, Phil, why don't you make up a handsome one, while you're about it? Keep out of his way, Robbie! can't you?" "Guess you don't know what folks says o' yourn! Do you?" said Phil, wriggling his shoulder from under Sam's hand, "_I_ do!"