"Well, will you please stop practising your favourite wave motion, and keep out of my way?" said Cherry, much hindered in her progress by finding Magnus before her at every turn.
"Haven't studied it yet,—so there. Now, Cherry, you surely did not mind what I said about wave motion?"
"Why should I mind?"
"I mean what I said about women's not needing to learn it."
"If all the men understand it through and through, that might leave the women free for other work," said Cherry critically, as if she were weighing the case.
"Ah!" said Magnus; "now you are beginning to talk like yourself. I haven't half known you since I came home. Tease away, ma Chérie."
"Magnus, don't you want to run upstairs and get papa's tray? He must be done with it by this time."
"Why, of course," said Cadet Kindred. "Only—this is the second time you have sent me to him,—and as I remarked the other night——"
"I declare!" Cherry exclaimed, giving him a good sight of the fire sparks. But then she turned and darted away up some back staircase so fleetly and softly that he could not even tell by which way she had gone. And when the pursuer by ordinary routes had reached the room, Cherry was in calm conversation with her father.
Mr. Erskine was sitting by the window, and certainly looked rather surprised at the headlong style in which Magnus rushed in; but smiled and shook hands very cordially.