Annewassoflurriedbythemilitaryincidentsattendingherreturnhomethatshewasalmostafraidtoventurealoneoutsidehermother’spremises。Moreover，thenumeroussoldiers，regularandotherwise，thathauntedOvercombeanditsneighbourhood，weregettingbetteracquaintedwiththevillagers，andtheresultwasthattheywerealwaysstandingatgardengates，walkingintheorchards，orsittinggossipingjustwithincottagedoors，withthebowlsoftheirtobacco-pipesthrustoutsideforpoliteness’sake，thattheymightnotdefiletheairofthehousehold。Beinggentlemenofagallantandmostaffectionatenature，theynaturallyturnedtheirheadsandsmiledifaprettygirlpassedby，whichwasratherdisconcertingtothelatterifshewereunusedtosociety。
Everybelleinthevillagesoonhadalover，andwhenthebelleswereallallottedthosewhoscarcelydeservedthattitlehadtheirturn，manyofthesoldiersbeingnotatallparticularabouthalf-an-inchofnosemoreorless，atriflingdeficiencyofteeth，oralargercropoffrecklesthaniscustomaryintheSaxonrace。
Thus，withoneandanother，courtshipbegantobepractisedinOvercombeonratheralargescale，andthedispossessedyoungmenwhohadbeenbornintheplacewerelefttotaketheirwalksalone，where，insteadofstudyingtheworksofnature，theymeditatedgrossoutragesonthebravemenwhohadbeensogoodastovisittheirvillage。
Annewatchedtheseromanticproceedingsfromherwindowwithmuchinterest，andwhenshesawhowtriumphantlyotherhandsomegirlsoftheneighbourhoodwalkedbyonthegorgeousarmsofLieutenantKnockheelmann，CornetFlitzenhart，andCaptainKlaspenkissen，ofthethrillingYorkHussars，whosworethemostpicturesqueforeignoaths，andhadawonderfulsortofestateorpropertycalledtheVaterlandintheircountryacrossthesea，shewasfilledwithasenseofherownloneliness。Itmadeherthinkofthingswhichshetriedtoforget，andtolookintoalittledraweratsomethingsoftandbrownthatlayinacurlthere，wrappedinpaper。Atlastshecouldbearitnolonger，andwentdownstairs。
’Whereareyougoing？’saidMrs。Garland。
’Toseethefolks，becauseIamsogloomy！’
’Certainlynotatpresent，Anne。’
’Whynot，mother？’saidAnne，blushingwithanindefinitesenseofbeingverywicked。
’Becauseyoumustnot。Ihavebeengoingtotellyouseveraltimesnottogointothestreetatthistimeofday。Whynotwalkinthemorning？There’syoungMr。Derrimanwouldbegladto——’
’Don’tmentionhim，mother，don’t！’
’Wellthen，dear，walkinthegarden。’
SopoorAnne，whoreallyhadnottheslightestwishtothrowherheartawayuponasoldier，butmerelywantedtodisplaceoldthoughtsbynew，turnedintotheinnergardenfromdaytoday，andpassedagoodmanyhoursthere，thepleasantbirdssingingtoher，andthedelightfulbutterfliesalightingonherhat，andthehorridantsrunningupherstockings。
ThisgardenwasundividedfromLoveday’s，thetwohavingoriginallybeenthesinglegardenofthewholehouse。Itwasaquaintoldplace，enclosedbyathornhedgesoshapelyanddensefromincessantclippingthatthemill-boycouldwalkalongthetopwithoutsinkingin——afeatwhichheoftenperformedasameansoffillingouthisday’swork。Thesoilwithinwasofthatintensefatblacknesswhichisonlyseenafteracenturyofconstantcultivation。Thepathsweregrassedover，sothatpeoplecameandwentuponthemwithoutbeingheard。Thegrassharbouredslugs，andonthisaccountthemillerwasgoingtoreplaceitbygravelassoonashehadtime；butashehadsaidthisforthirtyyearswithoutdoingit，thegrassandtheslugsseemedlikelytoremain。
Themiller’smanattendedtoMrs。Garland’spieceofthegardenaswellastothelargerportion，digging，planting，andweedingindifferentlyinboth，themillerobservingwithreasonthatitwasnotworthwhileforahelplesswidowladytohireamanforherlittleplotwhenhisman，workingalongside，couldtenditwithoutmuchadditiontohislabour。Thetwohouseholdswereonthisaccountevenmorecloselyunitedinthegardenthanwithinthemill。
Outtheretheywerealmostonefamily，andtheytalkedfromplottoplotwithazestandanimationwhichMrs。Garlandcouldneverhaveanticipatedwhenshefirstremovedthitherafterherhusband’sdeath。
Thelowerhalfofthegarden，farthestfromtheroad，wasthemostsnugandshelteredpartofthissnugandshelteredenclosure，anditwaswellwateredasthelandofLot。Threesmallbrooks，aboutayardwide，ranwithatinklingsoundfromsidetosidebetweentheplots，crossingthepathunderwoodslabslaidasbridges，andpassingoutofthegardenthroughlittletunnelsinthehedge。Thebrooksweresofaroverhungattheirbrinksbygrassandgardenproducethat，haditnotbeenfortheirperpetualbabbling，fewwouldhavenoticedthattheywerethere。ThiswaswhereAnnelikedbesttolingerwhenherexcursionsbecamerestrictedtoherownpremises；andinaspotofthegardennotfarremovedthetrumpet-majorlovedtolingeralso。
Havingbyvirtueofhisofficenostabledutytoperform，hecamedownfromthecamptothemillalmosteveryday；andAnne，findingthatheadroitlywalkedandsatinhisfather’sportionofthegardenwhenevershedidsointheotherhalf，couldnothelpsmilingandspeakingtohim。Sohisepaulettesandbluejacket，andAnne’syellowgipsyhat，wereoftenseenindifferentpartsofthegardenatthesametime；butheneverintrudedintoherpartoftheenclosure，nordidsheintoLoveday’s。Shealwaysspoketohimwhenshesawhimthere，andherepliedindeep，firmaccentsacrossthegooseberrybushes，orthroughthetallrowsoffloweringpeas，asthecasemightbe。Hethusgaveheraccountsatfifteenpacesofhisexperiencesincamp，inquarters，inFlanders，andelsewhere；ofthedifferencebetweenlineandcolumn，offorcedmarches，billeting，andsuch-like，togetherwithhishopesofpromotion。
Annelistenedatfirstindifferently；butknowingnooneelsesogood-naturedandexperienced，shegrewinterestedinhimasinabrother。Bydegreeshisgoldlace，buckles，andspurslostalltheirstrangenessandwereasfamiliartoherasherownclothes。
AtlastMrs。Garlandnoticedthisgrowingfriendship，andbegantodespairofhermotherlyschemeofunitingAnnetothemoneyedFestus。Whyshecouldnottakepromptstepstocheckinterferencewithherplansarosepartlyfromhernature，whichwasthereverseofmanaging，andpartlyfromanewemotionalcircumstancewithwhichshefounditdifficulttoreckon。ThenearneighbourhoodthathadproducedthefriendshipofAnneforJohnLovedaywasslowlyeffectingawarmerlikingbetweenhermotherandhisfather。
ThusthemonthofJulypassed。Thetroophorsescamewiththeregularityofclockworktwiceadaydowntodrinkunderherwindow，and，astheweathergrewhotter，kickeduptheirheelsandshooktheirheadsfuriouslyunderthemaddeningstingofthedun-fly。Thegreenleavesinthegardenbecameofadarkerdye，thegooseberriesripened，andthethreebrookswerereducedtohalftheirwintervolume。
Atlengththeearnesttrumpet-majorobtainedMrs。Garland’sconsenttotakeherandherdaughtertothecamp，whichtheyhadnotyetviewedfromanycloserpointthantheirownwindows。Sooneafternoontheywent，themillerbeingoneoftheparty。Thevillagerswerebythistimedrivingaroaringtradewiththesoldiers，whopurchasedofthemeverydescriptionofgardenproduce，milk，butter，andeggsatliberalprices。Thefiguresoftheseruralsutlerscouldbeseencreepinguptheslopes，ladenlikebees，toaspotintherearofthecamp，wheretherewasakindofmarket-placeonthegreensward。
Mrs。Garland，Anne，andthemillerwereconductedfromoneplacetoanother，andontothequarterwherethesoldiers’wiveslivedwhohadnotbeenabletogetlodgingsinthecottagesnear。Themostshelteredplacehadbeenchosenforthem，andsnughutshadbeenbuiltfortheirusebytheirhusbands，ofclods，hurdles，alittlethatch，orwhatevertheycouldlayhandson。Thetrumpet-majorconductedhisfriendsthencetothelargebarnwhichhadbeenappropriatedasahospital，andtothecottagewithitswindowsbrickedup，thatwasusedasthemagazine；thentheyinspectedthelinesofshiningdarkhorses(eachrepresentingthethenhighfigureoftwo-and-twentyguineaspurchasemoney)，standingpatientlyattheropeswhichstretchedfromonepicket-posttoanother，abankbeingthrownupinfrontofthemasaprotectionatnight。
TheypassedontothetentsoftheGermanLegion，awell-grownandratherdandysetofmen，withapoeticallookabouttheirfaceswhichrenderedtheminterestingtofeminineeyes。Hanoverians，Saxons，Prussians，Swedes，Hungarians，andotherforeignerswerenumberedintheirranks。Theywerecleaningarms，whichtheyleantcarefullyagainstarailwhentheworkwascomplete。
Ontheirreturntheypassedthemess-house，atemporarywoodenbuildingwithabrickchimney。AsAnneandhercompanionswentby，agroupofthreeorfourofthehussarswerestandingatthedoortalkingtoadashingyoungman，whowasexpatiatingonthequalitiesofahorsethatonewasinclinedtobuy。AnnerecognizedFestusDerrimanintheseller，andCripplestrawwastrottingtheanimalupanddown。Assoonasshecaughttheyeoman’seyehecameforward，makingsomefriendlyremarktothemiller，andthenturningtoMissGarland，whokepthereyessteadilyfixedonthedistantlandscapetillhegotsonearthatitwasimpossibletodosolonger。FestuslookedfromAnnetothetrumpet-major，andfromthetrumpet-majorbacktoAnne，withadarkexpressionofface，asifhesuspectedthattheremightbeatenderunderstandingbetweenthem。
’Areyouoffendedwithme？’hesaidtoherinalowvoiceofrepressedresentment。
’No，’saidAnne。
’Whenareyoucomingtothehallagain？’
’Never，perhaps。’
’Nonsense，Anne，’saidMrs。Garland，whohadcomenear，andsmiledpleasantlyonFestus。’Youcangoatanytime，asusual。’
’Lethercomewithmenow，Mrs。Garland；Ishouldbepleasedtowalkalongwithher。Mymancanleadhomethehorse。’
’Thankyou，butIshallnotcome，’saidMissAnnecoldly。
Thewidowlookedunhappilyinherdaughter’sface，distressedbetweenherdesirethatAnneshouldencourageFestus，andherwishtoconsultAnne’sownfeelings。
’Leaveheralone，leaveheralone，’saidFestus，hisgazeblackening。’NowIthinkofitIamgladshecan’tcomewithme，forIamengaged；’andhestalkedaway。
Annemovedonwithhermother，youngLovedaysilentlyfollowing，andtheybegantodescendthehill。
’Well，where’sMr。Loveday？’askedMrs。Garland。
’Father’sbehind，’saidJohn。
Mrs。Garlandlookedbehindhersolicitously；andthemiller，whohadbeenwaitingfortheevent，beckonedtoher。
’I’llovertakeyouinaminute，’shesaidtotheyoungerpair，andwentback，hercolour，forsomeunaccountablereason，risingasshedidso。Themillerandshethencameonslowlytogether，conversinginverylowtones，andwhentheygottothebottomtheystoodstill。
LovedayandAnnewaitedforthem，sayingbutlittletoeachother，fortherencounterwithFestushaddampedthespiritsofboth。Atlastthewidow’sprivatetalkwithMillerLovedaycametoanend，andshehastenedonward，themillergoinginanotherdirectiontomeetamanonbusiness。Whenshereachedthetrumpet-majorandAnneshewaslookingverybrightandratherflurried，andseemedsorrywhenLovedaysaidthathemustleavethemandreturntothecamp。
Theypartedintheirusualfriendlymanner，andAnneandhermotherwerelefttowalkthefewremainingyardsalone。
’There，I’vesettledit，’saidMrs。Garland。’Anne，whatareyouthinkingabout？Ihavesettledinmymindthatitisallright。’
’What’sallright？’saidAnne。
’ThatyoudonotcareforDerriman，andmeantoencourageJohnLoveday。What’salltheworldsolongasfolksarehappy！Child，don’ttakeanynoticeofwhatIhavesaidaboutFestus，anddon’tmeethimanymore。’
’Whataweathercockyouare，mother！Whyshouldyousaythatjustnow？’
’Itiseasytocallmeaweathercock，’saidthematron，puttingonthelookofagoodwoman；’butIhavereasoneditout，andatlast，thankGod，Ihavegotovermyambition。TheLovedaysareourtrueandonlyfriends，andMr。FestusDerriman，withallhismoney，isnothingtousatall。’
’But，’saidAnne，’whathasmadeyouchangeallofasuddenfromwhatyouhavesaidbefore？’
’Myfeelingsandmyreason，whichIamthankfulfor！’
Anneknewthathermother’ssentimentswerenaturallysoversatilethattheycouldnotbedependedonfortwodaystogether；butitdidnotoccurtoherforthemomentthatachangehadbeenhelpedoninthepresentcasebyaromantictalkbetweenMrs。Garlandandthemiller。ButMrs。Garlandcouldnotkeepthesecretlong。Shechattedgailyasshewalked，andbeforetheyhadenteredthehouseshesaid，’WhatdoyouthinkMrLovedayhasbeensayingtome，dearAnne？’
Annedidnotknowatall。
’Why，hehasaskedmetomarryhim。’
