“If you fail, or if anything happens to you, what becomes of me?”
“You would be here alone, and in a very bad plight. For that reason I think I would better stay until we can start together.”
A slight gesture of resignation was her only 95reply. There was a pause; uncomfortable for Pats from his consciousness of her low opinion of him. However, he continued, in a somewhat perfunctory way, turning to the silent occupant of the bench.
“Now, as we take possession of this place, the least we can do is to give the owner a decent burial. Fortunately for us a grave is dug and a coffin ready.”
“Yes, his grave and his coffin,” and she regarded with a gentler expression the sitting figure. “And I think I know why he dug the grave.”
“To save somebody else the trouble?”
“To be sure of resting beside his companion.”
“Of course! that explains it all. He knew that strangers might bury him in the easiest place; that they would never chop through all those roots.”
He stepped around behind the body, placed his hands under the arms, and made an effort to raise it, but the weight was beyond his strength. Looking toward his companion with an apologetic smile, he said: “I am sorry to be so useless, but–together we can carry him, if you don’t mind.”
96At this suggestion Elinor, with a look of horror, took a backward step.