She begged him, with courteous authority, to hasten.
The houses were a good way apart.

After half an hour's fast walking, Caius came to the appointed place.

The house was large, of light-coloured wood, shingled all over roof and sides, and the light and shades in the lapping of the shingles gave the soft effect almost as of feathers in the lesser light of night.

It stood in a large compound of undulating grassy ground.
The whole lower floor of this house was one room.

In the middle of it, on a small pallet bedstead, lay the sick man.