Miss Charity gave her an odd little push.
"No; I am dreadfully cross, and give heaps of trouble. One's pain gets into one's temper. Faith's been a good girl to me all these years; I don't know what I should have done without her."
"Oh, Cara! please don't speak so," whispered poor Faith with tears in her eyes.
It was Dr. Stewart who said "Humph!" now. He glanced curiously at the two women before him. Faith was considered quite a girl still by her sisters.
"I have a temper myself; I believe every one has, though he or she will not always own to it," he remarked coolly, as he placed himself by Miss Prudence, and helped himself liberally to seed cake.
It was getting quite dark when he rose at last to take leave. Faith accompanied him to the door.
"Well, is your headache better? you are not quite so pale," he asked, not unkindly, as they stood together.
"Yes; the walk and the tea has done it good," she answered evasively. What if he should guess at her sleepless night?
"I hoped I should have come in for a compliment, and that my conversation might have helped to charm it away. You used not to be so matter-of-fact, Miss Faith."
Such a rush of color answered him. "I wonder you recollect so long ago," she returned somewhat unsteadily.