The old man got stiffly down from his horse, and when he had removed saddle and bridle, and had turned the animal into the lot, the two walked toward the house.

But they did not enter the building.

Without a word they turned aside from the steps and followed the little path to the graves in the rude enclosure beneath the pines, where the sunshine fell only in patches here and there.
That night after supper Mr.Matthews went down into the Hollow to see the shepherd.

"It's goin' to be mighty hard on Mollie and me a leavin' the old place up yonder," said the big man, when he had told of his unsuccessful trip.

"It won't matter so much to the boy, 'cause he's young yet, but we've worked hard, Mr.Howitt, for that home--Mollie and me has.