"I must go!" she murmured, and as if afraid lest she should change her mind, she put on her hat, and went down the path with a quick step. But she turned back at the gate, and called to Mrs. Penfold. "I am going for a stroll," she said, with a sudden blush. "If uncle returns while I am away, tell him I shall not be long." And then she went across the meadows to the river bank. All was silent save the thrushes in the woods and the nightingale with its long liquid note and short "jug, jug," and she sank down upon the grassy bank and waited. The clock struck the hour of appointment, and her heart beat fast. Suppose he did not come! Her cheek paled, and a faint sickening feeling of disappointment crept over her. The minutes passed, hours they seemed, and then with a sudden resolution she rose. "He will not come," she murmured. "I will go back; it is better so!" But even as the words left her lips sadly, a light skiff shot from the shadow of the opposite bank and flew across the river. It was Lord Leycester, she knew him though his back was turned toward her and he was dressed in a suit of boating flannel, and her heart leapt. With practiced ease he brought the skiff alongside the bank and sprang up beside her, both hands outstretched. "My darling!" he murmured, his eyes shining with a greeting as passionate as his words--"have you been waiting long? Did you think I was not coming?" Stella put her hands in his and glanced up at him for a moment; her face flushed, then paled. "I--I--did not know," she said, shyly, but with a little smile lurking in the corner of her red lips. "You knew I should come," he went on. "What should, what could, prevent me? Stella! I was here before you. I have been lying under that tree, watching you; you looked so beautiful that I lay there feasting my eyes, and reluctant to move lest I should dispel the beautiful vision." Stella looked across and her eyes drooped. "You where there while I--I was thinking that you had perhaps--forgotten!" "Forgotten!" and he laughed softly. "I have been looking forward to this hour; I dreamt of it last night. Can you say the same, Stella?" She was silent for a moment, then she looked up at him shyly, as a soft "Yes" dropped from her lips. He would have drawn her close to him, but she shrank back with a little frightened gesture. "Come," he said, and he drew her gently toward the boat. Stella hesitated. "Suppose," she said, "someone saw us," and the color flew to her face. "And if!" he retorted, with a sudden look of defiance, which melted in a moment. "There is no fear of that, my darling; we will go down the back water. Come." There was no resisting that low-voiced mingling of entreaty and loving command. With the tenderest care he helped her into the boat and arranged the cushion for her. "See," he said, "if we meet any boat you must put up your sunshade, but we shall not where we are going."