The Woodlanders

"Why, yes, of course," he said, awakening anew to her existence.

"Though I was just thinking what a mild day it is for the season. Now I

warrant that cold of yours is twice as bad as it was. You had no

business to chop that hair off, Marty; it serves you almost right.

Look here, cut off home at once."

"A run down the lane will be quite enough."

"No, it won't. You ought not to have come out to-day at all."

"But I should like to finish the--"

"Marty, I tell you to go home," said he, peremptorily. "I can manage

to keep the rest of them upright with a stick or something."

She went away without saying any more. When she had gone down the

orchard a little distance she looked back. Giles suddenly went after

her.

"Marty, it was for your good that I was rough, you know. But warm

yourself in your own way, I don't care."

When she had run off he fancied he discerned a woman's dress through

the holly-bushes which divided the coppice from the road. It was Grace

at last, on her way back from the interview with Mrs. Charmond. He

threw down the tree he was planting, and was about to break through the

belt of holly when he suddenly became aware of the presence of another

man, who was looking over the hedge on the opposite side of the way

upon the figure of the unconscious Grace. He appeared as a handsome

and gentlemanly personage of six or eight and twenty, and was quizzing

her through an eye-glass. Seeing that Winterborne was noticing him, he

let his glass drop with a click upon the rail which protected the

hedge, and walked away in the opposite direction. Giles knew in a

moment that this must be Mr. Fitzpiers. When he was gone, Winterborne

pushed through the hollies, and emerged close beside the interesting

object of their contemplation.