"Is the boy here now?"
"Why sakes no!" said Cindy. "He come while you was to supper. I s'pose I might ha' telled ye before, but then again I was busy bakin' cakes—and I'm free to confess I forgot. And prayers always does turn everything out of ray head. I can't guess how I thought of it now. Mr. Skip's away to-night, too," said Cindy in conclusion. Faith shut the door behind her.
"It's too far for you to go alone. Can you find somebody to go with you, Cindy? I'll put up a basket of things for her."
"Aint a soul in sight—" said Cindy. "I'd as lieves go the hull way alone as to snoop round, hunting folks."
"Then Cindy, if you'll get ready I'll go with you. She must have something."
Cindy looked at her. "Guess you better get fixed first, Miss Faith.
'Taint hardly worth my while, I reckon. Who shouldn't we have after us!"
"Just have your shawl and bonnet ready, Cindy, will you?" said Faith gravely,—"and I'll be ready in a very few minutes."
She went with business speed to pantry and cellar, and soon had a sizeable basket properly filled. Leaving that in Cindy's charge, Faith went back to the sitting-room, and came and stood by the table, and said quietly, "I can't do any more to-night, Mr. Linden. I must be busy in another way. I am going out for a little while."
"May I ask—not from curiosity—with whom?" he said looking up at her.
"With Cindy—to attend to some business she didn't tell me of in proper time." Faith had laid her books together and was going off. Mr. Linden rose from the table.