"Pretty child!" she said, coming up to her, "and so you're here? I couldn't rest any longer without seeing just where you were."
Faith put one hand on her shoulder as she stood, and then clasped the other upon that.
"Pretty child!" her mother repeated, in a tone that spoke more of pain than pleasure—and Faith could feel the shudder that passed over her then. But she controlled herself. "Do you know it's dinner time, Faith? How is Mr. Linden?"
"There he is," said Faith smiling. "I don't know, mother."
"He don't look to me as if he had ever been asleep," said Mrs. Derrick,—but whether that shewed want of sleep, or the reverse, was, as Mr. Linden remarked, quite doubtful.
Mrs. Derrick looked at him, met his smile—then her whole heart answered to something it said.
"Oh Mr. Linden! think of her being in such danger!" and there was a minute of deep silence.
"Nay!" he answered softly—and the face was beautiful in its changing expression,—"think of her being so safe!"
Mrs. Derrick could bear neither word nor look after that. The two ladies went down together, leaving Johnny to dine with his teacher.