hat he was speaking of himself, and they rode on in silence,
each grave with a sense of mutual understanding and companionship. They
forded the stream, and trotted up the little village street, the
cottagers gazing admiringly after them till they disappeared within the
great arched gate-way. And Charles looked at his old house as they
paced up the wide drive, and wondered whether it were indeed possible
that the lonely years he had spent in it had come to an end at last--at
last.

Ruth had noticed that he had lost no opportunity of talking to her, and
when she heard him conversing with Lady Grace, or plunging into
fashionable slang with Miss Wyndham, found herself admiring the facility
with which he adapted himself to different people.

The following afternoon, as she was writing in the library, she was
amused to see that he found it incumbent on him to write too, even going
so far as to produce a letter from Molly, whose correspondence he said
he invariably answered by return.

"You seem very fond of giving Molly pleasure," said Ruth.

"I am glad to see, Miss Deyncourt, that you are beginning to estimate me
at my true worth."

"You have it in your power just now to give a great pleasure," said
Ruth, earnestly, laying down the pen which she had taken up.

"How?"

"It seems so absurd when it is put into words, but--by asking Mrs.
Alwynn some time to stay here. She has always longed to see Stoke
Moreton, because--well, because Mrs. Thursby has; and real, positive,
actual tears were shed that she could not come when you asked us."

"Is it possible?" said Charles. "It is the first time that any letter of
mine has caused emotion of that description."

"Ah! you don't know how important the smallest things appear if one
lives in a little corner of the world where nothing ever happens. If
Mrs. Alwynn had been able to come, her visit would have been an event
which she would have remembered for years. I assure you, I myself, from
having lived at Slumberleigh eight months, became quite excited at the
prospect of so much dissipation."

And Ruth leaned back in her chair with a little laugh.

Charles looked narrowly at her and his face fell.

"I am glad you told me," he said, after a moment's pause. "People
generally mention these things about ten years afterwards; when there is
probably no possibility of doing anything. Thank you."

Ruth was disconcerted by the sudden gravity of his tone, and almost
regretted the imp