s and give us a
wedding present too. Jack and I would have far rather had him drop the
present, but could not see how to tell him. He sent us that lovely
ice-cream set, you know,--one of the prettiest of all my presents.
Everybody thought Ray must have been studying up on art, it was so
graceful and pretty. Mr. Gleason, I believe it was, said that Ray wrote
to Colonel Thayer of the lieutenant-general's staff and had him buy it:
he was in Chicago when we were married,--you know that was Grandmother
De Ruyter's stipulation,--and that Colonel Thayer, not Ray, was entitled
to the credit for taste; but Jack says that there is far more to Ray
than most people give him credit for. He's a loyal friend anyway!"

"What was the name of that droll creature who was here last
April,--Drake? Blake?"

"Mr. Blake? Oh, yes! He is one of the characters of the regiment. He is
the book of nonsense on two very long legs, but he is full of fun and
full of goodness. He is not at all Mr. Ray's kind, however. Jack says
that Mr. Ray is the man of all others whom he would most expect to come
to the front in a general war, and that nothing could shake his faith in
him. Ray could never do or say a dishonorable thing."

"And wasn't it Mr. Ray who saved you when your horse was running away?"

"The very man. You glory so in daring horsemanship, Marion, I just wish
you could see Ray ride. Jack is splendid, of course, but he is so much
larger, heavier, you know. Ray rides as lightly as a bird flies; he
seems just part of a horse, as indeed Jack does, but then there's this
difference: Mr. Ray rides over hurdles and ditches and prairie-dog holes
and up and down hill just like an Indian, and the wonder is he isn't
killed. Jack is a fine horseman,--nobody looks better in the saddle than
he,--but then Jack rarely rides at top speed,--never, unless there's
some reason for it.

"See, Marion, it's almost dark. Shall we go in the parlor and light the
lamps?"

"Grace, wasn't Mr. Ray just a little bit in love with you once?"

"Honestly, Marion, no! I know he admired me, and I liked him, and had
reason to like him greatly, for he was a true friend to me when I wanted
one at Sandy. Once he was a wee bit sentimental," and even in the dusk
Grace could feel that Marion saw the flush that mounted to her very
brows, "but that was when I fainted after the runaway; never before,
never since. Don't talk nonsense, Maidie."

"I think I should like to know him," said M