"_My_ talking is of some use, however," said Magnus. "I have quite succeeded in bringing myself back to your recollection. What more did you want to say, pretty girl?" "That you are extremely silly," said Cherry, with the laugh getting into her voice. "There is no contenting these women of sense!" said Magnus. "If I fib, she scolds: if I tell truth, she flouts me. If Derby drill will only handle this line of approaches, I shall learn how, in time. Don't walk so fast, wise damsel." "Will you come in and see papa to-night?" said Cherry, not slackening her pace in the least. "Well, hardly," said Magnus. "I like to make it all safe with the daughter before I rush into the paternal presence." If Cherry had been that sort of a girl, I think she would have lent him a very earnest and hearty little cuff. As it was, she gave him one hopeless glance and slipped through the little gate, as her next neighbour would have said, "spryer'n an eel." But quick steps were play to Magnus, and before Cherry's foot had touched the doorstone he was beside her. His hands met round but not touching her, putting the girl in a charmed circle of space; and the strong, clear voice chanted out an old playtime couplet: "Open the ring and let her in, And kiss her when you get her in." "Oh, Magnus! do hush!" Cherry said desperately. "You are altogether wild to-night. And everybody will find it out!" she added, as if that doubled the case. She made a quick motion to dive under "the ring" and get away, which was quite fruitless. "Stand still," Magnus admonished her. "Unless you want the prison walls to converge, as in that old tale of the Inquisition. I am going to put you straight through the catechism. First of all, will you confess that you are a humbug and a fraud?" "I am only myself," Cherry faltered, but standing so still now that she hardly dared breathe. "Only yourself--a very good answer. Well, I never want you to be anything else, more or less. Do you understand?" "The words are tolerably plain," said Cherry. "Then if you are 'only yourself,' why didn't you welcome me home?" "What did you want me to say?" said Cherry, with again a little break in her voice. "Say?" repeated Magnus. "You should have thrown up your hands and eyes, and then taken down the dictionary and used every word there was in it." But now Cherry laughed. "You would have had a pretty mixed dose, if I had," she said. "Well, that is past," said Magnus; "you can't do it now. So you must have the catechism. Are you glad to see me?" "Very." "You are delighted?" "Yes"--a little slower. "Out of your wits with joy?" "No," said Cherry; "you are the only person out of his wits." "Ready to do anything I ask you?" "In reason"--again slowly. "Out of reason?" "No." "You will dream of me to-night?" "I hope not." "You will go wherever I want you to while I am here?" "I--think so." "And you will walk with me three times a day at West Point and with nobody else?"