d
judged her rightly there. But do you remember with whom her morning had
commenced? Do you know that all the day thus far she had seemed to
herself to be shadowed by a glorious presence, who walked steadily
beside her, before her, on either hand, to shield, and help and bless?

It was very sweet to Flossy, and she was very happy; happier than she
had ever been in her life. She smiled to herself as the others chatted,
she hummed in undertone the refrain of a hymn that she had caught in a
near tent that morning:

"I am so glad that Jesus loves me."

_Wasn't_ she glad! Was there anything better to find in all this world
than the assurance of this truth? She felt that the thought was large
enough to fill heaven itself. After that, what hope was there for
Charlie Flint and his small talk? Still, he tried it, and if ever he did
hard work it was during that talk. Flossy was sweet and cheery, but
preoccupied. There was a tantalizingly pleasant smile on her face, as if
her thoughts might be full of beauty, but none of them seemed to appear
in her words. She did not flush over his compliments, nor was she
disturbed at his bantering.

He got out of all patience.

"I beg pardon," he said, in his flippantly gallant way, "but I'm
inclined to think you are very selfish; you are having your enjoyment
all to yourself. To judge by the face which you have worn all day your
heart is bubbling over with it, and yet you think about it instead of
giving me a bit."

Flossy looked up with a shy, sweet smile that was very pleasant to see,
and the first blush he had been able to call forth that day glowed on
her cheeks. Was it true? she questioned within herself. Was she being
selfish in this, her new joy? Ought she to try to tell him about it?
Would he understand? and could she speak about such things, anyway? She
didn't know how. She shrank from it, and yet perhaps it would be so
pleasant to him to know. No, on the whole, she did not think it would be
pleasant. They had not talked of the meetings nor of religious matters
at all; but for all that the subtle magnetism that there is about some
people had told her that Charlie Flint would not sympathize in her new
hopes and joys.

Well, if that were so, ought she not all the more to tell him, so that
he might know that to one more person Christ had proved himself a
reality, and not the spiritual fancy that he used to seem to her?
Flossy, you see, was taking long strides that first day