n this
queenly garb. I stole gently behind his chair. 'Oh, king, live
forever,' I said, laughing, and then he turned round; and as I dropped
him a mocking courtesy he tried to suppress the exclamation that rose
to his lips.

"'Shall I do?' I continued, mischievously; 'shall I do, Raby?' and I
made a sweeping obeisance to him, such as Esther might have made to
Ahasuerus, but no like scepter of favor was extended to me.

"'Yes, you will do very nicely,' he said, curtly, and then he went
back to his folios. But I had seen the expression in his eyes, the
long, wistful look he had cast at me, and I triumphed.

"But my triumph was of brief duration. The next morning Raby treated
me with almost chilling reserve. In vain I laughed, and talked, and
strove to win him to merriment; his manner repelled all such attempts,
and I was obliged to chat with Margaret.

"'Where are you going?' I asked, presently, when he had closed his
books and was preparing to leave the room.

"'I am going up to West Point to see poor Lettie White,' he returned;
'her mother has been down this morning and tells me she is worse. You
had better not accompany me, Crystal,' for I had started up from my
chair.

"'And why not?" I exclaimed, in a hurt voice; 'it is such a delicious
morning, and there is no such place as the West Point for a breeze; it
will freshen me up for the evening.'

"'Well, do as you like,' he returned, coldly, and closed the door. The
indifference of his tone wounded me. What could I have done to offend
him; but I was never proud where Raby was concerned, so I put on my
hat and accompanied him.

"For the first mile or two we were very silent. Raby walked on with
his shoulders slightly bent, and his eyes fixed on the ground, a habit
of his when he was thinking very deeply.

"'Raby,' I said at last, rather timidly, 'I wish you would walk a
little slower, I want to talk to you;' and then he looked at me with
some surprise.

"'I was only thinking of my next Sunday's sermon,' he replied, as if
in apology for his want of attention. 'I told you you had better not
come with me, Crystal.'

"'Oh, I know you did not want me,' I answered, lightly; 'your manner
made that fact very apparent; but you see I wanted to come, and so I
had my own way. Of course I know the text you will choose, Raby. What
a pity that it is too far for me to come and hear that sermon. To
think that neither Margaret nor I have ever heard you preach, and to
lose