They wandered hand in hand about the lanes for an hour, while the horse contentedly nibbled at the grass at the bottom of the garden hedge, and during that hour Ralph told her who and what he was—told her everything, indeed, excepting his love for Leslie Lisle—and Lucy was still in 'love's amaze' as they made their way back to the house.
"You must come in, if only for a moment," she said as he was unfastening the reins. "I want to tell her—my fellow-teacher—to—to—to show you to her." Her eyes sunk and her voice trembled. "I know she will be so glad! Besides, I—I couldn't tell her about it all by myself. It is so sudden—so dreadfully sudden—that I should die of shame!" and her face grew crimson as she laughed.
"All right," he said; "I will come in; but it must be only for a moment, Lucy."
She opened the gate, and as she did so something glittering on the path caught her eye.
She stooped and picked it up.
"Why, it's a ring!" she exclaimed—"a gentleman's ring! You must have dropped it as you came in—Ralph."
"Not I!" he said, shaking his head.
He had not worn a ring since—since he had given his to Leslie.
"But you must have done," she said, with charming persistence. "No gentleman has passed this gate excepting you, sir."
He laughed.