All this now happened to Lawrence.  Never before had he looked into the eyes of a woman who loved him; and, leaning over towards this one, he put his arm around her and drew her towards him.  “And never shall you be alone,” he said.

She looked up at him with tears starting to her eyes, and then she put her head against his breast.  She was too happy to say anything, and she did not try.

It was about a minute after this, that the sober sorrel, who took no interest in what had occurred behind him, and a great deal of interest in his stable at home, started in an uncertain and hesitating way; and, finding that he was not checked, began to move onward.  Lawrence looked up from the little head upon his breast, and called out, “Whoa!” To this, however, the sorrel paid no attention.  Lawrence then put forth his right hand to grasp the reins, but having lately forgotten all about them, they had fallen out of the spring-wagon, and were now dragging upon the ground.  It was impossible for him to reach them, and so, seizing the whip, he endeavored with its aid to hook them up.  Failing in this, he was about to jump out and run to the horse’s head; but, perceiving his intention, Annie seized his arm.  “Don’t you do it!” she exclaimed.  “You’ll ruin your ankle!”

Lawrence could not but admit to himself that he was not in condition to execute any feats of agility, and he also felt that Annie had a very charming way of holding fast to his arm, as if she had a right to keep him out of danger.  And now the sorrel broke into the jog-trot which was his usual pace.  “It is very provoking,” said Lawrence, “I don’t think I ever allowed myself to drop the reins before.”

“It doesn’t make the slightest difference,” said Annie, comfortingly.  “This old horse knows the road perfectly well, and he doesn’t need a bit of driving.  He will take us home just as safely as if you held the reins, and now don’t you try to get them, for you will only hurt yourself.”

“Very well,” said Lawrence, putting his arm around her again, “I am resigned.  But I think you are very brave to sit so quiet and composed, under the circumstances.”

She looked at him with a smile.  “Such a little circumstance don’t count, just now,” she said.  “You must stop that,” she added, presently, “when we get to the edge of the woods.”

Before long, they came out into the open country and found themselves in a lane which led by a wide circuit to the road passing Mrs Keswick’s house.  The old sorrel certainly behaved admirably; he held back when he descended a declivity; he walked over the rough places; and he trotted steadily where the road was smooth.

“It seems like our Fate,” said Annie, who now sat up without an arm around her, the protecting woods having been left behind, “he just takes us along without our having anything to do with it.”

“He is not much of a horse,” said Lawrence, clasping, in an unobservable way, the little hand which lay by his side, “but the Fate is charming.”