ealth of sweetness and
bountiful beauty. One blossom would do for a comparison for ordinary
women; but you are like the whole tree."

"Suppose I were to find comparisons for you?"

"Ay, suppose you did. What would you liken me to?" said he with a
sparkle of the eyes, which quite indisposed Diana from giving any more
fuel to the fire that supplied it.

"What, Di? You might as well give me all the comfort you can to take
away with me. I shall need it. And it will be long before I can come
back for more. What am I like?"

"Would you feel any better for thinking yourself like a pine tree? or a
green hemlock? one of those up in our ravine of the brook?"

"Ah, our ravine of the brook! Those days are all gone. I wish I were a
green hemlock anywhere, with you a magnolia beside me; or better, a
climbing rose hanging upon me! If I could take you, Di!"

The pang of the wish was very keen in her; the leap of the will towards
impossibilities; but she said nothing and stood quite motionless.

"I cannot come back for you at Christmas, Di."

"Where are you going, Evan."

"Where I would not take you, anyhow. I am under orders to report myself
at a post away off on the Indian frontier, a long journey from here;
and a rough, wild place never fit for such as you. Of course we young
officers are the ones to be sent to such places; unless we happen to
have influence at headquarters, which I haven't. But I shall not stay
there for ever."

"Must you go just where they send you?"

"Yes," he said with a laugh. "A soldier cannot choose."

"Must you stay as long as they keep you there?"

"Yes, of course. But there is no use in looking at it gloomily, Di. The
months will pass, give them time; and years are made of months. The
good time will come at last. I'm not the first who has had to bear this
sort of thing."

"Will you have to stay _years_ there?"

"Can't tell. I may. It depends on what is doing, and how much I am
wanted. Probably I may have to stay two years at least; perhaps three."

"But you can get a furlough and come for a little while, Evan?" said
Diana; her voice sounded frightened.

"That's the worst of it!" said Knowlton. "I don't know whether I can or
not."

"Why, Evan? don't they always?"

"Generally it can be done if the distance is not too great, and you are
not too useful. You see, there are seldom too _many_ officers on hand,
at those out-of-the-way posts."

"Is there so much to do?" said Diana, half mec