"Some few things might be improved," said Mrs. Gresham quietly. "Joseph, I wish you would bring up Mr. Kindred, and introduce him." "Now, ma'am?" "Yes, now. We can spare you so long as that." "Oh, with the greatest pleasure!" cried Miss Flirt, making a profound courtesy; while Miss Flyaway called after him: "Don't hurry yourself, we'll wait." "Tell him you wouldn't go away for _anything_," said the irrepressible Catty. "You saucy monkey!" said Miss Flirt. "You ought to be in bed and asleep." "I don't believe you were, at my age," said Catty, with better logic than she knew. "Hush, Catty!" said her aunt. "Mr. Carr, who is that officer talking with Mrs. Seaton?" "The arch-fiend, _we_ call him," said Carr, with a laugh. "He's the professor of confusion worse confounded, Mrs. Gresham. Do you want him brought up, too?" "Thank you, no: here comes Joseph. How do you do, Mr. Kindred?" And Mrs. Gresham gave Magnus a warm clasp of the hand that went to his heart. "Come and sit here by me," she said, making room for Magnus. "I suppose you enjoy these concerts very much?" "Sometimes," Magnus answered her. "They make a change." "Why don't you go to the hops, if you want a change?" said Catty, leaning her elbows on her aunt's lap, and gazing up at the new acquaintance. Magnus laughed in spite of himself. "How do you know but I do?" he said. "I never see you there when I go," said Catty. "I'll tell you, child," said Miss Flirt, coming to the rescue. "Mr. Kindred never goes to the hops in the hop room, because at this time of year he has no end of hops outdoors." Catty looked mystified. "I'm not talking to you," she said, turning her back. "But I never met you out walking either, Mr. Kindred. Don't you ever walk with anybody but your best girl? I never do, when my special cadet's on guard." Amid the little hubbub which this called forth, Mrs. Gresham rose up. "If you will give me your arm, Mr. Kindred," she said, "I should like to walk round the camp. The lights and shades show so differently from different points; it is pleasant to watch them. I have been in Europe for three years, and West Point is new to me. What is the band playing now?" "I'm not sure, ma'am. One of Moore's melodies comes next." "How lovely the shadows are! I used to be quite a painter in my young days," said Mrs. Gresham as they strolled along. "Is that one of your studies?" "Not this year, ma'am. Indeed we have no real studies 'in camp.'" "But still many things that deserve the name: I understand. What do you call the hardest thing you have to do?" "Sometimes, 'study to be quiet,'" said Magnus, with a look and tone at once so playful and so full of feeling that Mrs. Gresham opened her heart, and took him right in. "Ah, yes!" she said, "I can well believe it. And I am glad you have Bible words at hand for your hard places." "Do you care about them?" said Magnus quickly. "I thought nobody did, here."