At length he folded it up,
drew from his pocket an old black leather book, laid it carefully in the
innermost pocket, and rose. I led the way from the church, and he followed
me.
Outside the church, he laid his hand on my arm, and said, groping with his
other hand in his trousers-pocket--
"She'll hae putten ye to some expense--for the coffin an' sic like."
"We'll talk about that afterwards," I answered. "Come home with me now, and
have some refreshment."
"Na, I thank ye. I hae putten ye to eneuch o' tribble already. I'll jist
awa' hame."
"We are going to lay them down this evening. You won't go before the
funeral. Indeed, I think you can't get away till Monday morning. My wife
and I will be glad of your company till then."
"I'm no company for gentle-fowk, sir."
"Come and show me in which of these graves you would like to have her
laid," I said.
He yielded and followed me.
Coombes had not dug many spadefuls before he saw what had been plain
enough--that ten such men as he could not dig the graves in time.
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