He stood for a second looking after her retreating figure, struggling sternly with the snow-drifts, meeting the buffets of the wind with her head up; then he went in, and put on his boots and his overcoat.
Barney had heard not one word of the village gossip, and the revelation in his mother's words had come to him with a great shock.
As he went up the hill to the old tavern he could hardly believe that he had understood her rightly.

Once he paused and turned, and was half inclined to go back.

He was as pure-minded as a girl, and almost as ignorant; he could not believe that he knew what she meant.
Barney hesitated again before the store; then he opened the great clanging door and went in.

A farmer, in a blue frock stiff with snow, had just completed his purchases and was going out.

William, who had been waiting upon him, was quite near the door behind the counter.