"Rachel," said Susy, as in their own room the girls were dressing
after supper, "you are very hard to please to-night and you seem
nervous. What ails you?"
Rachel smiled. "I am thinking of old days, that is all," she said. But
she entered the little parlor, where Tom and the guest were seated, in
a perfectly self-possessed manner, saying, as she held out her hand:
"Good-evening, teacher. How goes the battle with Apollyon?"
And the young lawyer sprang to his feet, exclaiming: "Rachel! is it
possible?" and he retained her hand and looked into her eyes so long
that Susy, who had followed her into the room, and Tom declared that
he fell in love then and there. However that may be, it is certain Mr.
Gray showed a wonderful interest in Stillman's district. The trial in
progress at Meywood was tedious, but his patience did not give out;
and when some of the lawyers proposed to hold night sessions of
court he objected earnestly, saying: "It would be too hard on the old
judge."
But all things must end, and the case was at last decided in favor
of Mr. Gray's client. As Rachel congratulated him on his victory, he
said, with a look that brought the color to her face:
"How long must I stay in Doubting Castle, Rachel?"
"Why, dear me," she answered, saucily, "I did not think a promising
young lawyer, as father calls you, ever got into such a dismal place!"
Then Susy came in, and the young man bade her good-by, but he
whispered promise of speedy return to Rachel, and as he travelled
homeward those wonderful eyes of hers seemed to haunt him.
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