"But you told your mother you would be right back," said Cherry.
"From your front door—not from ours." The laugh rippled out at that, as Cherry moderated her pace.
"No use, you see," said Magnus, falling into an easy saunter. "I can do the double faster than you can. I knew you meant to scoot away by yourself, the minute I went to change myself into a cit."
"Who told you?" said Cherry.
"You."
Silence fell upon this; then Magnus began again:
"You see, I really wanted to have you alone awhile—I wanted to ask tidings of an old friend of mine. I thought perhaps you could tell me where to find her; girls always seem to know about girls."
"Oh, I do not!" said Cherry hastily, running over in her mind all the girls she had ever heard of. "You should ask Rose."
"Rose doesn't know everything. I dare say you can tell me if she has moved off. I thought so much of her!" said Magnus pensively, gazing up at the stars. "We used to be very intimate. I left my heart in her keeping—whatever she did with it. Why—you will hardly believe me—but she used to live here, in your house. And when I was going away to West Point she kissed me right at this very gate."