"Well," said his friend slowly, "you are a good persuader, Magnus. Cherry, you are going, of course." "If you do, papa." "Not else? Then I must try. I know you want to see all you can of your old playmate. It is better than letters, isn't it, love? I can tell you, Magnus, there was no keeping her at home letter day, no matter what the weather was." If Cherry sighed inwardly, "Oh, papa!" she gave no sign. "I am very happy to hear it, sir," said Magnus, in his stateliest tones. "It was beautiful filial devotion in Cherry. Of course she knew how anxious you were to know that, as yet, I was out of light prison. I hope she never took cold, or injured her health in any way, going out in all weathers to relieve your anxiety." "Truly, it was not all for me," said Mr. Erskine. "Do you remember, love, the week when the track was snowed up? and the overdue letter that never came at all? Magnus, those were dark days. I believe Cherry went down to the other house six times between sunrise and sunset; and then when at last the mail-bag came, our letter did not." "It was very beautiful of her to take so much trouble to quiet your mind, sir," said Magnus, watching the swift, pulsating colour in Cherry's fair cheek. "Nay, I took very little of it to myself," said Mr. Erskine, going calmly on, as men will, through they know not what. "My heart ached for her that day when she came back with her pale face, and said so patiently, 'We must wait till to-morrow, papa.' Then at night they all came up here; and I had to say over everything I had ever known or heard about trains, letters, and--boys. You ought to be a good fellow, Magnus, with four such women-hearts watching over you." "Yes, sir. Don't you think it might further the cause if they told me a little more about it?" said Magnus, with an innocent face. "Papa--he knows quite enough for his good," Cherry remonstrated. "Yes, and he might not like to hear it all," Mr. Erskine went on, in the same unconscious fashion. "Poor little girl! How her voice shook when she began to read to me that morning!" "What did she read, sir?" Magnus questioned, with an odd change in his own. "I think we were in the Revelation just then. Were we not, love?" "Yes, papa,"--very low. "Yes, I remember. 'The sea of glass,' and 'them that had gotten the victory.' Cherry read it as if she was ready to have the time come." "Papa!"--it was almost a cry. "Why will you go back and bring that all up again? Cannot you find pleasanter things to tell him?" "No, he cannot, and you know it very well," said Magnus decidedly. "Leave fib-land to me. I wish you would show me the very chapter, please, Mr. Erskine." "Hand me the book--there it is, love, on my table." "I'll bring you another, papa,--" and Cherry went swiftly to the next room.