Page 56 (1/2)

The ravestones, and the path, and the

front of the building Suddenly Mr Melbury paused, turned ill upon

the grass, and approached a particular headstone, where he read, "In

e It was

the grave of Giles's father

The timber-merchant laid his hand upon the stone, and was hued friend!" he said "I'll be faithful toamends to 'ee"

When he reached ho, he said to Grace and Mrs Melbury,

orking at a little table by the fire, "Giles wants us to go down and spend an hour with hi, that as 'tis Giles who asks us, we'll go"

They assented without dely the ti an answer in the affirmative

Winterborne, in his modesty, or indifference, had mentioned no

particular hour in his invitation; and accordingly Mr Melbury and his

fauests, chose their own time, which chanced

to be rather early in the afternoon, by reason of the somewhat quicker

despatch than usual of the timber-merchant's business that day To

show their sense of the unimportance of the occasion, they walked quite

slowly to the house, as if they werespecial at all; or atto pay a casual call

and take a cup of tea