"Not all so brilliantly as I do, by any means, but in the same general way." "Then I think they need a professor of common sense at West Point." "And I think you had better go to bed and to sleep," said Violet. "We'll walk home with Cherry. Your brain is getting overexcited." "Silence and solitude will calm it down," said Magnus. "If you all go, there will be a chatter, but Cherry and I know each other so well that there is no need to speak. She will not try to keep me, mammy; I'll be right back." There is no doubt but Cherry was laughing when they set out, partly for nervousness, but also in part for the mere infectious atmosphere of frolic. She gave no sign, however, being much under the spell of the tall, erect figure at her side. Whenever she looked up and tried to throw off the glamour, one glint of the bell buttons brought it on worse than before. "Aren't we walking very fast?" said Magnus mildly. "But you told your mother you would be right back," said Cherry. "From your front door--not from ours." The laugh rippled out at that, as Cherry moderated her pace. "No use, you see," said Magnus, falling into an easy saunter. "I can do the double faster than you can. I knew you meant to scoot away by yourself, the minute I went to change myself into a cit." "Who told you?" said Cherry. "You." Silence fell upon this; then Magnus began again: "You see, I really wanted to have you alone awhile--I wanted to ask tidings of an old friend of mine. I thought perhaps you could tell me where to find her; girls always seem to know about girls." "Oh, I do not!" said Cherry hastily, running over in her mind all the girls she had ever heard of. "You should ask Rose." "Rose doesn't know everything. I dare say you can tell me if she has moved off. I thought so much of her!" said Magnus pensively, gazing up at the stars. "We used to be very intimate. I left my heart in her keeping--whatever she did with it. Why--you will hardly believe me--but she used to live here, in your house. And when I was going away to West Point she kissed me right at this very gate." "She didn't!" cried Cherry hotly, and then hung her head. "Oh, you do know her then?" said Magnus. "Why didn't you say so before? And where do you suppose she probably is now?" Cherry resolutely stopped and faced him; what though the full moonlight effect well nigh swept off her self-possession. "Magnus," she said, "you are talking great nonsense. It may be the West Point fashionable way of talking sense, but we are plain folks out here and have not had your advantages." And here Magnus made a bow so profound that it sent Cherry's words to the right-about. "What next?" said Magnus. "That is all more or less true, so far, but well begun is only half done." "Oh, it is no use to talk to you!" said Cherry. "And it never was, for that matter."