They turned into a lane. He helped her across a rivulet and felt her hand grow warm in his grasp. She looked up at him and his blood tingled. He felt a sense of gladness and then remembered that she had praised his book. It was a victory to know that it had broken through her father's hauberk of prejudice. He spoke of Sawyer. She had heard of his narrow escape from drowning; indeed, he had called at the house. "He did not hesitate to acknowledge everything," she said, "and I never liked him half so well as I did today." "But you couldn't like him well enough to marry him," Lyman was weak enough to say. "Oh, no; I liked him because he acknowledged your generosity," she frankly confessed. Lyman had weaknesses, and one of them was an under-appraisal of self. At times and in some men this is a virtue, but more often it is a crime committed against one's own chance of prosperity. The people's candidate is the man who loudest avows his fitness for the office. "You remember last Sunday as you were driving away from the church--" he said. "Yes--" she answered, walking close beside him. "I thought I saw your mother reprimand you for urging her to stay." "Yes. She was half inclined to yield and she was really scolding herself for her weakness." "You went away without congratulating the preacher." "That was thoughtless. We have sent him a letter of congratulation." "How stately your house looks from here; how cool and restful." "I used to take great pride in the fact that I lived there, as I looked at the humbler homes scattered about, but I haven't been so foolishly proud since I came to know you." "Then that is where we must have fallen apart. I have been prouder since I knew you." "I said foolishly proud," she replied, laughing. They came to the wooden bridge. "Well, I turn back here," he said, halting and leaning against the rail. "Surely there would be no harm in your coming to the house," she replied. "You are my protector," she added, with a smile. He was beginning to dislike the word, and now he felt a heaviness settle upon his heart. "When your father has invited me as a friend of the family, I will come," he said, leaning over and looking down into the water. He looked up and in her eyes he thought he saw a gentle rebuke, but it was gone in a moment. She must have had it in her mind to tell him that he ought to be bolder, but another feeling seemed swiftly to come, and she said: "Your instinct is right." She held out her hand. He grasped it, looked into her eyes, turned about and hastened toward the town. CHAPTER XXIX. GONE AWAY.