you?" he added to Alix, from whom an abrupt and startling laugh
had indeed escaped in good-natured scorn.

"Nobody does that any more!" the girl said, in self-defence. "It
sounded so old-fashioned!"

"Perhaps nobody does it any more, but I should have done it,"
Martin said briskly and seriously. "Except that it all came over
me with such a rush. A week ago Cherry was only a most attractive
child, to me. I'd spoken to my aunt about her and had said that I
envied the man that was some day to win her, and that was all!
Then the time came for me to get back to work--and I found I
couldn't go! I couldn't leave her. However, I expect to be back
here some time in the fall, and I thought to myself that I'd see
her then, and perhaps, THEN--And then came last night, when I
began to say good-byes, and--it happened! I know that you all
hardly know me, and I know that Cherry is pretty young to settle
down, but I think I can satisfy you, Doctor, that you give her
into safe hands, and I believe she'll never regret trusting me!"

He had gotten to his feet as he spoke, and was holding the back of
his chair, looking anxiously and eagerly into the old man's eyes.
His tone, in spite of his effort to keep it light, had taken on a
depth and gravity quite new to his hearers, and as Cherry, sitting
next him, and fired through all her girlish being by his
eloquence, turned to lay a small, warm hand on his own, the tears
came to his eyes.

"Well--" said the doctor, touched himself, and in his gentlest
tone, "well! It had to come, perhaps, I can't promise her to you