"Will you let me be a circumstance to do it? I have an animal of that description--with almost the facility of motion possessed by Andrew Marvell's soul. Will you try him?" "Can he run?" said Mr. Linden with comic demureness. "Fleetly. Whether _away with you_ depends, you know, on what I have no knowledge of; but I should think not." "I should like to know beforehand--" said Mr. Linden in the same tone. "However--Is it to be on simple or compound interest, doctor?" "I never take simple interest," said Dr. Harrison. "I want all I can get." "Well if I take your horse, what will you ride alongside of me?" "That is easily arranged," said the doctor smiling. "This fellow is a new-comer, comparatively, and a pet of mine. I want to know what you think of him. When is your next time of leisure?" "My daylight leisure is pretty limited now. Part of Saturday I could take." "Then you'll hold yourself engaged to me for Saturday morning,--and I'll hold myself engaged to give you some thing pleasant to do with it. The roads hereabout are good for nothing _but_ riding--you can have the pleasure of motion, there isn't much to take your thoughts away from it." "Except emotion?" "If you're another Marvell of a man, and can send your soul into the boughs as you pass;--as good as stumbling on melons," said the doctor. "Unless your horse stumbles!" "I see his character is coming out by degrees," said Mr. Linden smiling. "He's as sure-footed--as you are! Here comes emotion--in the shape of my aunt Ellen. Isn't Mr. Linden a careful man?" he asked whimsically in a low voice, returning to his place by Faith. The question touched Faith's feeling of the ludicrous, and she only laughed at the doctor. Which he liked very well. Mrs. Somers' errand was to invite the younger portion of the company to spend Christmas evening with her. And having succeeded in her mission, she made the doctor take her home. CHAPTER XXXIII. The week thereafter passed with the usual quiet business of those days. Friday evening, however, when the lamp was lit, instead of opening her books at once, Faith took the doctor's station on the rug. "Dr. Harrison has been here this afternoon, Mr. Linden; and asked me to go with you and him in the ride to-morrow." "Well, Miss Faith?" "I was afraid at first that it might hinder the good of your ride, if I went; but Dr. Harrison said no; and he put it so that at last I said I would. But I am afraid of it still." "How did he put it?" "I don't know," said Faith half laughing;--"in a way that left me no excuse; as if he thought it would be more pleasure both to you and to him, to have me along." "Miss Faith, if you go, you must give me leave to keep very near you. I trust my own care better than Dr. Harrison's. You will understand why I do it?" Faith did not understand very well.