"Keen after it!" said Mrs. Derrick,--"la, child, I don't pretend to be keen. But I never could bear to see a thing half done,--I'd rather do it twice over." There was something else running in Faith's mind; for after abstractedly setting down one after another several saucers, polished from the hot water and huckaback, she dropped her towel and flung both arms round her mother's neck. "Mother!--there is one thing I want you to do--I want you to be a Christian!" There was persuasion in the soft head that nestled against her, if Faith's words lacked it. To the words her mother gave no answer, but she returned the caress with interest; wrapping Faith in her arms, and drawing her down to the next chair, as if--literally--she could not stand that. "Pretty child!" she said--and more than one tear fell upon Faith's bright hair,--"you're the best child that ever was!--and always were!" "No, mother," said Faith kissing her.--"But will you?" "I don't know!" said Mrs. Derrick,--"that's what your father used to say, Faith,--and I used to think I'd like to, to please him,--but somehow I never did." "Never wished it for your own sake, dear mother?" "Yes--sometimes--when I saw him die--" said Mrs. Derrick. "Hush child--don't say another word to me now, for I can't bear it." And giving Faith an embrace which took off all thought of roughness from her words, Mrs. Derrick rose up and went about her dishes again. And Faith tried to do as much; but the dropping tears were too fast for her towel; her hand sought in vain to forbid their coming; she laid down her work and went away. Truth however is always at one with itself, and so is right feeling, and so is duty. Faith as well as her mother had plenty of business on hand that morning; and it was not long before she was as hard at work in the kitchen as if there were no other interests in the world. There was bread to make. That was done. There was an elaborate chicken pie to concoct for dinner, which Faith would not leave to her mother to-day. There was a certain kind of muffins which Mrs. Derrick suggested Mr. Linden would be apt to like, and which they had never had since he was in Pattaquasset. To hear was to obey, and Faith compounded the muffins. Then fresh yeast must be made, and Faith always did that. Let it not be thought that Mrs. Derrick was idle while thus indicating floury fields of exertion to her daughter. Very far from it. There was all the house and all the rest of the dinner to see to; besides Cindy, who was one woman's work. The butcher was to be met, and farm questions settled with the farmer; and Mrs. Derrick was still deep in vegetables when Faith quitted the kitchen. How much time she had left for study before dinner it doesn't appear.