Winthrop's face never shewed that there was anything at home to trouble him, unless at times when Winifred was not near; his voice never changed from its cool cheerfulness; and yet his voice had a great deal to say to her, and his face Winifred lived upon all the while he was at home.

He never seemed to know that she was weaker than she used to be; but his arm was always round her, or it might be under her, whenever need was; and to be helped by his strength was more pleasant to Winifred than to have strength of her own.
She was sitting on his knee one day, and they were picking out nuts together; when she looked up and spoke, as if the words could not be kept in.
"What _shall_ I do when you are gone!" "Help mother, and keep Asahel in spirits." Winifred could not help laughing a little at this idea.
"I wonder if anything could trouble Asahel much," she said.
"I suppose he has his weak point -- like the rest of us," said Winthrop.
"_You_ haven't." "How do you know ?" "I don't _know_, but I think so," said Winifred, touching her hand to his cheek, and then kissing him.
"What's your _weak_ point ?" "They're all over," said Winifred, with a little change of voice; "I haven't a bit of strength about anything.

I don't think anybody's weak but me." "Nobody ought to be weak but you," said her brother, with no change in his.
"I oughtn't to be weak," said Winifred; "but I can't help it." "It doesn't matter, Winnie," said her brother; "you shall have the advantage of the strength of all the rest." "That wouldn't be enough," said Winifred, gently leaning her head upon the broad breast which she knew was hers for strength and defence.
"Not, Winnie?
-- What will you have ?" "I'll have the Bible," said the child, her thin intelligent face looking at him with all its intelligence.
"The Bible, Winnie ?" said Winthrop cheerfully.
"Yes, because there I can get strength that isn't my own, and that is better than yours, or anybody's." "That's true, Winnie; but what do you want so much strength for ?" he said coolly.
She looked at him again, a look very hard indeed to bear.
"O I know, Winthrop," she said; -- "I want it.

-- I want it now for your going away." Her voice was a little checked, and again she leaned forward upon him, this time so as to hide her face.
Winthrop set down the nuts and drew her more close, and his lips kissed the little blue and white temple which was all of her face he could get at.
"It's best I should go, Winnie," he said.
"O I know you must." "I will have a house one of these days and you shall come and keep it for me." She sat up and shook away a tear or two, and laughed, but her speech was not as jocular as she meant it to be.
"What a funny housekeeper I should make!" "The best in the world.

You shall study, and I will knit the socks." "O Governor! What do you know about knitting socks ?" "I know who has knit mine ever since I have been at Shagarack." "Did mamma tell you ?" said the child with a bright sharp glance.
"I found it out." "And were they all right?
Because I am going to keep on doing it, Governor." "Till you come to be my housekeeper." "I don't believe that'll ever be," said Winifred.
"Why not ?" "It seems so funny, to think of your ever having a house in Mannahatta!" "Will you come, Winnie ?" "O Governor! -- I dont know," she said, her face full of a world of uncertainties.
"What don't you know ?" "I don't know any thing; and you don't.