[He here tied the marmalade up in his handkerchief.] I confess I
have sometimes thought I might, under provocation, be driven to
extreme measures for the good of the cause. I make no pretence to
leadership, but--"

"With you at the head of the army," broke in Thankful
enthusiastically, "peace would be declared within a fortnight."

There is no flattery, however outrageous, that a man will not
accept from the woman whom he believes loves him. He will perhaps
doubt its influence in the colder judgment of mankind; but he will
consider that this poor creature, at least, understands him, and in
some vague way represents the eternal but unrecognized verities.
And when this is voiced by lips that are young and warm and red, it
is somehow quite as convincing as the bloodless, remoter utterance
of posterity.

Wherefore the trooper complacently buttoned the compliment over his
chest with the pullets.

"I think you must go now, Allan," she said, looking at him with
that pseudo-maternal air which the youngest of women sometimes
assume to their lovers, as if the doll had suddenly changed sex,
and grown to man's estate. "You must go now, dear; for it may so
chance that father is considering my absence overmuch. You will
come again a' Wednesday, sweetheart; and you will not go to the
assemblies, nor visit Mistress Judith, nor take any girl pick-a-
back again on your black horse; and you will let me know when you
are hungry?"