"What's the truth of it, Mrs. Derrick? This child ain't all straight, is she?" It followed that, bit by bit, Mr. Simlins got out the story of the accident, for neither Faith nor Mrs. Derrick was forward to speak about it. He then enquired, with an unsatisfied grunt, why Faith was "postin' round with Dr. Harrison?" Whereat Mrs. Derrick felt justly indignant. "Why she ain't! Mr. Simlins. She went down there on business, and there was nobody else at hand to take her just then." "What do you call bein' at hand?" said Mr. Simlins. "I've got two hands, and more'n two horses--that won't run away neither. It's only my cows do that!--Where's Mr. Linden?" "O he's up stairs--" said Mrs. Derrick. "He's not been down yet. Faith, don't you think he's some stronger to-day?" "And so," said Mr. Simlins turning to her again reproachfully,--"while he's lyin' up there and can't stir, you go drivin' over the country with 'tother one!" But that brought out Faith's round low laugh, so incontrovertibly merry and musical that it changed Mr. Simlins' face on the instant. It came to an end almost as soon, but short as it was it was better than the warble of any nightingale; inasmuch as the music of a good sound human heart is worth all the birds in creation. "When's Mr. Linden going to be down stairs, where a body can get sight of him?" "The doctor says he mustn't go out for a long time yet," said Mrs. Derrick. "When are you going to find the man that shot him?--that's what I want to know." "When I get a composition from the only witness," Mr Simlins answered. "And as the witness ain't particular about testifying, I'm afeard it'll be a spell o' time yet. It'll come out. _I _should think the fellow'd ha' made tracks, fust thing; but I 'aint heerd of any one's bein' missin' from town,--except--" Mr. Simlins suddenly started, stopped, and gazed at Faith with a most extraordinary expression. "Did you look at my flowers, Mr. Simlins?" said Faith quite quietly, though without meeting his eye. "I've seen nosegays afore," growled Mr. Simlins in a very uninterested manner. "I don't see as this is no more nor less than a nosegay. Do you s'pose I might go up and see somebody up stairs for two minutes, without creating any confusion?" Mr. Simlins went up and shortly afterwards went away. But if Faith anticipated a good long lesson that afternoon, to make up for the morning and afternoon in which she had had none--albeit the morning had been better than lessons--she was to be disappointed. Hardly was the dinner over, and the muffins mixed which she was determined should make amends for Mr. Linden's poor breakfast, when Miss Harrison came; full of sorrow, and sympathy, and hope. "Faith don't look a bit the worse, ma'am," she said to Mrs. Derrick. "She couldn't look anyway but just so," her mother said with a fond glance.