"I shall sit beside you and use the other oar," he answered nonchalantly,
smiling down at her.

With a half-pleased feeling of discomfiture Ruth seated herself in the
stern, whereupon Kemp sat in the contested throne.

"You will have to excuse my turning my back on you, Mrs. Levice," he said
pleasantly.

"That is no hindrance to my volubility, I am glad to say; a back is not
very inspiring or expressive, but Ruth can tell me when you look bored if I
wax too discursive."

It was a tiny boat; and seated thus, Kemp's knees were not half a foot from
Ruth's white gown.

"Will you direct me?" he said, as he swept around. "I have not rowed on
this river for two or three years."

"You can keep straight ahead for some distance," she said, leaning back in
her seat.

She could not fail to notice the easy motion of his figure as he rowed
lightly down the river. His flannel shirt, low at the throat, showed his
strong white neck rising like a column from his broad shoulders, and his
dark face with the steady gray eyes looked across at her with grave
sweetness. She would have been glad enough to be able to turn from the
short range of vision between them; but the stars and river afforded her
good vantage-ground, and on them she fixed her gaze.