"Who is your friend, Mrs. Stoutenburgh?"
"Hush, child!" she answered—"your friend, if you like it better." And she added softly but seriously, "Don't vex him,—he doesn't deserve it."
Faith's lip was that touchingly sorrowful child's lip for an instant. She was beyond speaking. Then came up help, in the shape of Miss Essie; with questions about the forfeits and about Mr. Linden. All Mrs. Stoutenburgh's kindness made itself into a screen for Faith, on the instant,—neither eyes nor tongues were allowed to come near her.
"Mr. Linden!" said Miss Essie as he just then came up, "will you help us give out forfeits? Who do you think is best to do it?"
"Mr. Linden," said Mrs. Somers, "we are all very anxious to know whether all the reports about you are true."
Mr. Linden bowed to the anxiety, but gave it no further heed.
"Are they?" she repeated.
"Do all the reports agree, Mrs. Somers?"
"I must confess they are at swords' points."
"Then they cannot all be true,—let them fight it out."