"That was the first hard day," said Mr. Erskine; "and the letters did not come for a week. What was our next reading, love? Magnus would like to hear them all."
The father's hand came tenderly on her head.
"That is too much to ask," he said. "Those days are better out of sight. Go and get your hat, love, and we will try to reach our dear friends down the hill. Poor little girl!" he said, as Cherry sprang away; "it was a very hard time for her. And everybody looked to her for comfort. Violet would come up and cry on her shoulder, and Rose would beg her to go down and talk to your mother; and Cherry went and came, and reasoned and hunted up possible causes, and cheered everybody but herself. With a smile always ready, but pale as the winter sunshine. You see the lines were down, so that we could not telegraph, and when the first train broke through, even then there was no letter. She is a brave heart."
"She is the very dearest girl in all the world!" Magnus said eagerly.
"About that," her father answered--"well, love, here you are. Now we shall see what this brave young shoulder that is so ready to be useful, can do."
"Then, as you will not need me, papa, I will run on ahead," and Cherry slipped in among the trees, and was out of sight directly.
No man has complained that you have discoursed too long on any subject, for you leave us in an eagerness of hearing more.
The other two walked slowly on. They had always been cronies, as a man and even a small boy can be; and now Magnus found his old friend full of the keenest interest in all the new life and varying work of which the young cadet had so much to tell. Slowly down the pretty hill they went; Mr. Erskine taking from Magnus what help he could for his lame side, and the cadet trying to make the regulation step know its place. And it was so pleasant to see, so like the dear old times, that the four at the cottage dropped everything to watch them as they came. Then Mrs. Kindred hurried out to welcome her guest, the two sisters got hold of Magnus, and Cherry went quietly back to finish setting the table.
I doubt she was not minding her business too closely, smiling to herself over the words and laughter that came past the half-open door of the closet where she was sorting out spoons; for she never heard what stealthy steps drew near, and her first warning of danger was the sudden darkening of the closet by the shutting of the door. Cherry sprang towards it just in time to hear the bolt shot and the key withdrawn. Then came a struggle outside.