"Let us go back," said Lawrence, breaking from his moody silence into a laugh of forced merriment, "and enjoy ourselves while we can. Come, Ruth, one more dance," and he seized her by both hands. "No," she answered. "I must go, Lawrence; and at once. It will be almost dark now before I am home, and father will be angry." [Sidenote: On the River Lea.] Lee's brow fell again; but he only said, "As you will;" and they walked on till they reached the river's brink, where a small boat, newly painted, and decked with ribbon-tied cowslip and daisy posies, lay moored to a stout stake. Lawrence's customary mode of transplanting Ruth from dry land to his little craft, was to catch her light figure in his stalwart arms and seat her in the stern "before she knew where she was," as she would say with terrific frowns. To-night, however, he soberly--did she fancy it was even a trifle absently?--assisted her in with his right hand. That this new order of things had not escaped her notice, some look in her face made him uncomfortably conscious. "Is your majesty well placed?" he asked, affecting to laugh as he took the sculls and paddled out into mid-stream. "We should be so," she replied with mock gravity, drawing up the rudder cords. "Thanks to your lordship's ceremony in seating us." "That," returned he, breaking into a smile of unfeigned amusement at her lofty air, "is no more than what is due to your majesty's supreme rank from your majesty's most loyal subject." "We find that good hearing," said Queen Ruth, "since we are convinced that my Lord Lawrence Lee always feels in his heart what his speech professes." [Sidenote: A troubled heart.] Her words were jestingly uttered; but the young man bit his lip hard; and his cheek grew white, as if some sharp sudden pain had stung him. "Lawrence!" cried Ruth, starting and bending forward, "what is the matter? You are ill." "Not I, dear heart," replied he, sweeping one hand hurriedly across his face. "You are so pale," she insisted. "Tired," laconically said he, vigorously plying his oars. "With that last measure, you know," he added in explanatory tones, as she opened her eyes rather contemptuously. "For my part," she said, "I am not so delicate, and could have danced on till daylight again. Though in that case, 'tis clear, I should have had to be beholden to another partner," she added, with saucy composure. "Not while I had a leg to stand on," briskly returned he. "But the fact is--well, I must be getting old, eh Ruth?" "A whole quarter of a century. In four years more," interrupted she, with a ringing laugh. "And that is ever so far on towards the half of a lifetime," he murmured thoughtfully to himself, "even supposing one is let live it through in peace. Well," he added, in a louder key, "'tis certain age brings a peck of cares, Ruth." "Tell me some of yours," said she coaxingly, "so that I may share the burden of them. Shall I not?" she pleaded on in gentle earnest tones.