"It would have been far better for her and for me." Winterborne saw that something had gone wrong with his former friend, and throwing down the switch he was about to interweave, he responded only too readily to the mood of the timber-dealer.

"Is she ill ?" he said, hurriedly.
"No, no." Melbury stood without speaking for some minutes, and then, as though he could not bring himself to proceed, turned to go away.
Winterborne told one of his men to pack up the tools for the night and walked after Melbury.
"Heaven forbid that I should seem too inquisitive, sir," he said, "especially since we don't stand as we used to stand to one another; but I hope it is well with them all over your way ?" "No," said Melbury--"no." He stopped, and struck the smooth trunk of a young ash-tree with the flat of his hand.

"I would that his ear had been where that rind is!" he exclaimed; "I should have treated him to little compared wi what he deserves." "Now," said Winterborne, "don't be in a hurry to go home.

I've put some cider down to warm in my shelter here, and we'll sit and drink it and talk this over." Melbury turned unresistingly as Giles took his arm, and they went back to where the fire was, and sat down under the screen, the other woodmen having gone.

He drew out the cider-mug from the ashes and they drank together.
"Giles, you ought to have had her, as I said just now," repeated Melbury.