"Well, she ought, if she cares enough for you," said Mr. Erskine. "Boy, I'm afraid you have got yourself tangled up in a foolish thing." "What should you call 'enough,' sir?" "Well--all she can," said Mr. Erskine. "How much _could_ any first-best girl care for me, sir?" said Magnus, moving a step or two for a better view of Cherry. "Oh, you need not try the modest game here," said Mr. Erskine, laughing at him. "It is too late in the day for that. If she only cares a little, let her go; and find one who will love all there is in you, and a good deal more that she thinks is there. I wouldn't give a counterfeit five cents for a tepid girl." Mr. Erskine spoke with such disgustful energy that everybody laughed out. "But what girl is this?" Rose demanded. "Someone you never told us of?" "There are fifty girls I never told you of." "And besides, Rose, he is only attitudinising," said Mr. Erskine. "I do not believe the girl is in existence that could get him away. He is just young man enough to like the part of an easy-minded lover." Magnus remarked with some energy that it was better than the part of an _un_easy-minded lover, every time. But now the fun of the thing got hold of him, and sealed his lips in earnest. No, if really people could not see, they could wait. Several other things came in to further and abet the silence. First of all, the neighbourhood waked up to the fact that a prospective brigadier was among them, and the inroads to see Magnus, and to hear him tell his experience, were many--and "a nuisance." So he himself declared, making wry faces over his popularity. Then, Mr. Erskine had one of his suffering weeks, when troubling him with questions was not to be thought of. Magnus detailed himself as head nurse, taking all the night work, sending Cherry off to bed, and gathering up the reins generally in his own hands, proving himself most tender and efficient as well as strong. Of course, things must be talked over before he went back; but even Cherry herself could not think this a good time. On the back of all these hinderances, and just as Mr. Erskine began to be about again, came the other two cadets. XXXV OF COURSE Admire my daughter! Sir, you're very good. --_Tales of the Hall._ There followed such a round of teas on the hill and dinners at the cottage; of picnics, walks, drives, and berry-scouts, that the days gave up their ordinary rate of progress, and flew. June had long been out of sight; and now July was ending, and August close at hand. Magnus indeed closed his ears to the soft flutter, as the days winged by; but not so Mrs. Kindred, and not so Cherry. The girl began to look forward with absolute dismay to the drawing out from her daily life of this gold-twisted silken thread. What should she do, when Magnus was away again?