 ever said a word o' the
sort to Aggy. She never could ha' kep it from me, sir."

"Why doesn't he then?"

"That's the pint again, sir. All as knows him says it's because he be
in such bad health, and he thinks he oughtn't to go marrying with one
foot in the grave. He never said so to me; but I think very likely that
be it."

"For that matter, Mrs. Coombes, we've all got one foot in the grave, I
think."

"That be very true, sir."

"And what does your daughter think?"

"I believe she thinks the same. And so they go on talking to each
other, quiet-like, like old married folks, not like lovers at all, sir.
But I can't help fancying it have something to do with my Aggy's pale
face."

"And something to do with Joe's pale face too, Mrs. Coombes," I said.
"Thank you. You've told me more than I expected. It explains
everything. I must have it out with Joe now."

"O deary me! sir, don't go and tell him I said anything, as if I wanted
him to marry my daughter."

"Don't you be afraid. I'll take good care of that. And don't fancy I'm
fond of meddling with other people's affairs. But this is a case in
which I ought to do something. Joe's a fine fellow."

"That he be, sir. I couldn't wish a better for a son-in-law."

I put on my hat.

"You won't get me into no trouble with Joe, will ye, sir!"

"Indeed I will not, Mrs. Coombes. I should be doing a great deal more
harm than good if I said a word to make him doubt you."

I went straight to the church. There were the two men working away in
the shadowy tower, and there was Agnes standing beside, knitting like
her mother, so quiet, so solemn even, that it did indeed look as if she
were a long-married wife, hovering about her husband at his work. Harry
was saying something to her as I went in, but when they saw
ever said a word o' the 
 kind to Aggy. She never could ha' kep it from me, sir. " 

 " Why doesn't he then? " 

 " That's the pint again, sir. All as know him says it's because he be 
 in such regretful health, and he thinks he oughtn't to belong marrying with one 
 metrical foot in the grave accent. He never said so to me; but I think very likely that 
 be it. " 

 " For that matter, Mrs. Coombes, we've all get one foot in the grave, I 
 intend. " 

 " That embody very true, sir. " 

 " And what does your daughter remember? " 

 " I believe she thinks the like. And so they go on talking to each 
 early, quiet - like, like old married folks, not like lover at all, sir. 
 But I can't help fancying it have something to do with my Aggy's pale 
 side. " 

 " And something to do with Joe's pale face too, Mrs. Coombes, " I said. 
 " Thank you. You've told me more than I expect. It explain 
 everything. I must have it out with Joe now. " 

 " O deary me! sir, don't go and tell him I said anything, as if I wanted 
 him to marry my daughter. " 

 " Don't you be afraid. I'll claim full care of that. And don't fancy I'm 
 fond of meddle with early people's affairs. But this is a case in 
 which I ought to do something. Joe's a all right fellow. " 

 " That he exist, sir. I couldn't wish a better for a son - in - law. " 

 I place on my hat. 

 " You won't get me into no trouble with Joe, will ye, sir! " 

 " Indeed I will not, Mrs. Coombes. I should be doing a great deal more 
 harm than good if I said a word to make him doubt you. " 

 I went directly to the church. There cost the two men working away in 
 the shadowy tower, and there constitute Agnes standing beside, knitting like 
 her mother, so hushed, so solemn even, that it did indeed look as if she 
 were a long - married wife, levitate about her husband at his work. Harry 
 was say something to her as I went in, but when they watch
 evfr said a word o' the
sort to Aggy. She nerwr cound ha' iep it ffom me, sir."

"Why doesn't he then?"

"Vhat'w the pint again, sir. All as knows hil says ir's btcause he be
in surg bad hcclth, zkd he vhinks he oughtk't to go masrying with ona
fuoc in the grave. He never said so to mq; but I tjink very likejy tnwt
be pt."

"Nor that matter, Mrs. Coombes, we've all gou one foot in the brave, I
think."

"That be very tgue, dir."

"And what does ylur daughtet thybk?"

"I believe rhe thinks the same. Ans so they go on talking to each
uther, quiet-like, luke mld married folkf, not like lovers at all, sit.
But I can't hekp hancting it have somethinj to do with my Aggy'f pale
faca."

"Aud something to do wirh Joe's pala fazw tuo, Jrx. Doombed," I said.
"Thank you. You've rold me more than I evircted. It expmains
edewything. I must have it out with Joe now."

"M dsary me! sir, don't go and tell him I said anytjing, as is I wanted
him to marry my daughter."

"Don't you be afrdid. I'mu tcje goue fare of that. And don't fancy I'm
fond of meddlind wotm other people's cffairs. But this id s case in
which I ougkf fo do something. Jof's a fige feolow."

"That re br, sir. I couldn't wish a bettwr for a son-pn-laq."

I put on my hat.

"Yob won't get mz into no ttouble with Joe, will ye, sir!"

"Jndeed I wipl not, Mra. Coombes. I shoula bv dohng a grtxt deal more
harm ehan good if N said a worc to mwke him dokbt you."

I went straight tl the cvurch. Therf were the two men working away in
the shadowy tmweg, and thexe was Agnes standigg beside, knitjing like
ker mogher, so qupet, so sonemn even, trat it did ingged look as ih she
were a ling-mqrried dkfe, hovering anout her kbsband at his work. Harry
was saiihg something to het as I went in, nut whqn tiey swf
ever said a word o' the sort She could ha' it from me, "That's pint again, sir. as knows him it's because he be in such health, and he thinks he oughtn't to go marrying with one foot in grave. He never said so to me; but I think very likely that it." that Mrs. we've all got one foot in the grave, I think." "That be very true, sir." "And does your daughter think?" "I believe she thinks same. And so they on talking to each other, like married folks, like at sir. But I help fancying it have something to do with my Aggy's pale face." "And something to do with pale face Coombes," I "Thank You've me more than It explains everything. I must have Joe now." "O deary me! sir, don't go tell him said anything, as if I wanted to marry my daughter." "Don't you be afraid. take good care of that. And don't fancy I'm fond of meddling with other people's this is a case which I ought do Joe's fine "That he sir. I couldn't wish a better for a son-in-law." I put my hat. "You won't get me into no trouble with ye, "Indeed I will Mrs. Coombes. I should doing great deal more harm if said make doubt I went straight to church. There were the two working away in the Agnes standing beside, knitting like her mother, so so solemn even, that it did indeed as if she were a long-married wife, hovering about her husband at work. Harry something to her as I went in, but they saw
 ever said a word o' the
sort to AgGy. She never Could Ha' kEp iT fRom mE, sir."

"why doesn't he theN?"

"that'S the pint again, sir. All as kNows hIm SAys iT'S bEcausE he be
in SUcH BAd hEaLtH, anD hE ThInks hE ouGhtn't to Go marrying WitH oNe
foot in the gRAvE. He never saId sO to me; but I thiNk vEry likElY thAT
be it."

"for That mAtter, MRS. CoombEs, we've all GoT One fooT In the grAVE, I
ThinK."

"That be very true, siR."

"anD What does your daUghter ThINk?"

"i BEliEve She thinks tHe Same. AND so they GO oN TALkiNG to each
other, qUiet-like, likE Old MarrieD fOlkS, Not likE loveRs AT alL, sir.
But I can'T helP fancying It have SOmethinG To do witH my AggY's pAle
Face."

"aNd SoMetHiNG to DO wIth jOe's Pale face ToO, MRs. CooMbes," i SAID.
"ThaNk yOu. YoU've toLd me more than I ExpEcteD. it eXplaiNs
eveRythInG. I musT have iT out wItH Joe now."

"O deary me! Sir, dOn't go and tEll HiM I sAiD anytHIng, as iF I wAntEd
him to Marry my DAugHtER."

"dOn'T you be afraid. I'll takE gOOD cAre of thaT. And doN'T fAnCY I'm
fond oF mEddLing WITh othEr peOPlE's affairS. But thIS iS a Case in
wHiCh I ougHt To dO soMethiNG. Joe'S a fine Fellow."

"ThAt he bE, Sir. I couldn't wisH A better for a soN-In-LAW."

I PUt on My hAt.

"You won't geT me iNTo no TrouBLe WitH joe, wiLl ye, sIr!"

"iNdEEd I will not, Mrs. CoombeS. I Should Be doiNg a great deal mOre
harm thaN GOOd if I saiD a woRD tO Make him doubt yoU."

I wenT straight tO The churcH. TherE were the Two men worKINg away in
The ShaDowY toWER, aNd there was AgnES StanDiNg besidE, knItting lIke
Her MotHer, So Quiet, so soLemn even, ThAt It DiD inDeed lOOk as if shE
wEre A lOng-MarriED wife, hOveriNg abOuT hER huSband at HIs WORk. HaRrY
wAs saYinG sOmethIng tO Her As I went In, but when TheY Saw
 ever said a word o' the
s ort to Agg y. Sh e n eve rcoul d ha ' kep it fromm e, s ir."

"Why doesn't hethen? ""Tha t 's  thepint ag a in , sir .Al l a sk no ws hi m s ays it' s becausehebe 
in such bad he alth, andhethinks he ou ght n't to  g o m a rryin g w ith o ne
foo t  in th e grave.He nevers aid sot o  m e; b ut I think very l i ke l y that
be it." 

"For  t h at m att er,  Mrs. Coom be s, we ' ve allg ot o n e f o ot in the gra ve, I
think . "
"Thatbe  ve r y true , sir ." 
"A nd what doe s yo ur daught er thi n k?"

"I believe  she t hin ksthes am e.  An ds o t h ey  go ontalkingto  e ach
o ther , q u iet- lik e, l ike o ld married fo lks , no t  li ke lo versat a ll , sir .
ButI can 't  help fancyingit h ave somet hin gtodo  with my Agg y's  pa le
face ."

"An d  so me t h i ng  to do with Joe'spa l e  f ace too,  Mrs.C oo mb e s," I sa id .
" Than k you.You' v etold memore t h an  I  expect ed . It e xp lai nsevery t hing . I mu st haveit ou t  with Joe now. " 

"O deary me !  s i r ,d on't  go  and tell h im I said  any t hi ng, as if  I wa nt e dh im to marry my daug ht er."
"Don' t you be afra id. I'll t a k e  good ca re o f  t h at. And don'tfancy  I'm
fondo f meddli ng wi th other  people's a ffairs.But  th isisa ca se in
which I o ught  t o do so met hing. J oe' s a  fi nefe llow."

" That hebe ,si r.  Icould n 't wishabet te r f or as on-in- law." 

Ipu to n m y hat."Y o u  won 't  g et m e i nt o notrou b lewith Jo e, will y e,s ir!" 
"I ndeed I  will not, Mr s.  Coombes.Isho uld be d oing a g reat deal more
harm tha n  good i f I  said  a w ord to ma kehim do ubt you."
I wen t str ai ght t o the c hu rch .There were t hetwo m en  wor king aw ay in
the shadowyt owe r, and therewas  Agn e s  s tan d in g  be si d e,k n itting like
her  mother, s oq ui et, so sol e mnev en, tha t it di d ind e ed look  as if sh e
were alo ng-m a r rie d wife, ho vering a bout herh usban d  a t his  wo rk. Ha rr y
w as sa ying s o met hingto her  a s I we nt in ,but when  they saw
 ever_said a_word o' the
sort to_Aggy. She_never_could ha'_kep_it from me,_sir."

"Why doesn't he_then?"

"That's the pint again,_sir. All as_knows_him says it's because he be
in such bad health, and he thinks he oughtn't_to_go marrying_with_one
foot_in the grave. He never_said so to me; but_I think_very likely that
be it."

"For that matter, Mrs. Coombes,_we've_all got one_foot in the grave, I
think."

"That be very true, sir."

"And_what does your daughter think?"

"I believe_she thinks the_same._And_so they go on_talking to each
other, quiet-like, like old_married folks, not like lovers at_all, sir.
But I can't help fancying it_have something to do with my_Aggy's pale
face."

"And something to do_with Joe's_pale face too, Mrs. Coombes,"_I said.
"Thank you._You've told_me more than_I expected. It explains
everything. I must_have it out_with Joe now."

"O deary me! sir,_don't_go and tell_him_I_said anything,_as if I_wanted
him_to marry_my_daughter."

"Don't you be afraid. I'll take_good_care of that. And don't fancy I'm
fond_of meddling with other_people's_affairs. But this is_a case in
which I ought_to do something. Joe's a fine_fellow."

"That he_be, sir._I couldn't wish a better for a son-in-law."

I put on my_hat.

"You won't get me into no_trouble with Joe, will_ye, sir!"

"Indeed_I_will not, Mrs._Coombes._I should_be doing a great deal more
harm than_good if_I said a word to make_him doubt you."

I went_straight_to the church. There were the_two men working away in
the shadowy_tower, and there was Agnes_standing_beside,_knitting like
her mother, so quiet,_so solemn even, that it did_indeed look as_if she
were a long-married wife, hovering about_her_husband at his work. Harry
was saying_something_to her as I went in,_but_when_they saw