"It'll wear you--wear you out," said Miss Saucy. "You are at least two years older than you were last night. Oh, I don't know anything about religion, except the outside of course, don't you know; but that's enough. So the Chaplain has given you the points, and you're going to pose; Cadet Kindred, the serious man. Well, it'll be a variety. Come, let's go; I'll be the first to have a walk with him, anyhow. Will this do-o-o?" said the girl, drawling out her words, and bringing the corners of her little mouth as far down as they would go. "Mr. Kindred, what will be a profitable subject for us to discuss, as we take our solemn way under the brooding trees that shadow the path once called Flirtation? The low state of grace in the Corps, and what to do about it? Then when we've settled that we might turn our brilliant light upon the girls and go for them." "You said you wanted to walk on the plain," Magnus answered her. "Plain's too gay. Do you think, Mr. Kindred, you could lend me your lovely book just till to-morrow? It might do me no end of good. And you know how much I need it." "The book would do you no good at all," said Magnus, trying to keep cool. "If that is what you want, you had better read your own Bible." "Haven't one to my name,--so there!" said Miss Saucy. "Oh, I never dare read the Bible, for fear of what I might find. I suppose you see me there quite often, all done up in black, and labelled like old letters. 'To be----'" "Stop!" Magnus said, so sharply and suddenly that Miss Saucy did stop for sheer amazement. "Well, I vow!" she said. "I wonder what right you have to speak to me so, Mr. Cadet Kindred." "No right at all," said Magnus. "Only, if you play with Bible words, you will cut your own fingers; and I'm not going to stand by and see you do it. That is all. So if I should leave you and go back to camp, you'll know why." And Magnus strode on at a pace quite beyond the usual Flirtation saunter. "I never--was--so talked to--in all my--many years of existence," said Miss Saucy, pretending to whimper. "I know I'm an awfully bad girl--and it's awfully sweet of you to tell me so. Such a nice time, too, when there's nobody round to take my part. Really looks as if you _cared_," added she, with soft intonation. "Don't go so fast, Mr. Kindred, please! I won't say another word--not half a word. Not if we meet a procession of snakes. Or my best man with another girl. Or your best girl with another man." "You will not meet her," said Magnus. "She is too far away." "Well, that is abominable," said Miss Saucy, as a turn of the walk brought them face to face with another couple. "That is awfully, savagely cruel. Oh, Nina Dangleum! Here is Mr. Kindred telling me he is engaged to be married! How are we all to live on and smile?" "Excuse me; I said nothing of the sort," said Magnus. "Awfully of the sort, I should say," retorted Miss Saucy. "Ought to be, if you're not. With a faraway girl that hides all the rest of creation."