"From whom?"
"I don't know. But somebody that wondered what you were doing it for."
"Most enigmatical information! What 'it' did somebody say I was doing?"
"Working hard—giving lessons," said Faith dropping her voice.
"Well—what else was I doing when I was here? That should not shock you, dear child."
"You were not doing anything else when you were here—that is the very thing, Endecott."
"Mignonette—I have done nothing to hurt myself, as you may see. I am very strong to work."
She gave a little grave glance at him, grave with a background of regretfulness, and placed herself back in her former position; pushing her questions no further. But Mr. Linden did not look grave.
"I am quite willing to tell you all about my work," he said,—"that I did not long ago was for two or three reasons which you will understand. I told you once, dear Faith—upon a night which I shall never forget—that I had means enough to carry me through my studies; but two things made me take measures to earn a good deal more. One was, that I would always rather work than not to have what I want to spend in various good and pleasant ways."
"Yes—?" she said a little eagerly. He looked at her with that same smile coming over his face.