’There，theybetinginginthepasson！’exclaimedDavid，MillerLoveday’sman，whoalsoformedoneofthecompany，asthebellschangedfromchimingallthreetogethertoaquickbeatingofone。
Thewholelinedrewabreathofrelief，threwdowntheirarms，andbeganrunningoff。
’Well，then，Imustdismissye，’saidthesergeant。’Comeback——
comeback！NextdrillisTuesdayafternoonatfour。And，mind，ifyourmasterswon’tletyeleaveworksoonenough，tellme，andI’llwritealinetoGover’ment！’Tention！Totheright——leftwheel，I
mean——no，no——rightwheel。Mar——r——r——rch！’
Somewheeledtotherightandsometotheleft，andsomeobligingmen，includingCripplestraw，triedtowheelbothways。
’Stop，stop；tryagain！’Cruitsandcomrades，unfortunatelywhenI’minahurryIcanneverremembermyrighthandfrommyleft，andnevercouldasaboy。Youmustexcuseme，please。Practicemakesperfect，asthesayingis；and，muchasI’velearntsinceI’listed，wealwaysfindsomethingnew。Nowthen，rightwheel！march！halt！
Standatease！dismiss！Ithinkthat’stheordero’t，butI’lllookintheGover’mentbookaforeTuesday。’*
*VidePrefaceManyofthecompanywhohadbeendrilledpreferredtogooffandspendtheirshillingsinsteadofenteringthechurch；butAnneandCaptainBobpassedin。Eventheinteriorofthesacrededificewasaffectedbytheagitationofthetimes。Thereligionofthecountryhad，infact，changedfromloveofGodtohatredofNapoleonBuonaparte；and，asiftoremindthedevoutofthisalteration，thepikesforthepikemen(allthoseacceptedmenwhowerenototherwisearmed)werekeptinthechurchofeachparish。There，againstthewall，theyalwaysstood——awholesheafofthem，formedofnewashstems，withaspikedriveninatoneend，thestickbeingpreservedfromsplittingbyaferule。Andtheretheyremained，yearafteryear，inthecorneroftheaisle，tilltheywereremovedandplacedunderthegallerystairs，andthenceultimatelytothebelfry，wheretheygrewblack，rusty，andworm-eaten，andweregraduallystolenandcarriedoffbysextons，parishclerks，whitewashers，window-menders，andotherchurchservantsforuseathomeasrake-stems，benefit-clubstaves，andpick-handles，inwhichdegradedsituationstheymaystilloccasionallybefound。
ButintheirnewandshiningstatetheyhadaterrorforAnne，whoseeyeswereinvoluntarilydrawntowardsthemasshesatatBob’ssideduringtheservice，fillingherwithbloodyvisionsoftheirpossibleusenotfarfromtheveryspotonwhichtheywerenowassembled。Thesermon，too，wasonthesubjectofpatriotism；sothatwhentheycameoutshebegantoharpuneasilyupontheprobabilityoftheirallbeingdrivenfromtheirhomes。
Bobassuredherthatwiththesixtythousandregulars，themilitiareserveofahundredandtwentythousand，andthethreehundredthousandvolunteers，therewasnotmuchtofear。
’ButIsometimeshaveafearthatpoorJohnwillbekilled，’hecontinuedafterapause。’Heissuretobeamongthefirstthatwillhavetofacetheinvaders，andthetrumpetersgetpickedoff。’
’Thereisthesamechanceforhimasfortheothers，’saidAnne。
’Yes——yes——thesamechance，suchasitis。YouhaveneverlikedJohnsincethataffairofMatildaJohnson，haveyou？’
’Why？’shequicklyasked。
’Well，’saidBobtimidly，’asitisaticklishtimeforhim，woulditnotbeworthwhiletomakeupanydifferencesbeforethecrashcomes？’
’Ihavenothingtomakeup，’saidAnne，withsomedistress。Shestillfullybelievedthetrumpet-majortohavesmuggledawayMissJohnsonbecauseofhisowninterestinthatlady，whichmusthavemadehisprofessionstoherselfamerepastime；butthatveryconducthadinitthecuriousadvantagetoherselfofsettingBobfree。
’SinceJohnhasbeengone，’continuedhercompanion，’Ihavefoundoutmoreofhismeaning，andofwhathereallyhadtodowiththatwoman’sflight。Didyouknowthathehadanythingtodowithit？’
’Yes。’
’Thathegothertogoaway？’
ShelookedatBobwithsurprise。HewasnotexasperatedwithJohn，andyetheknewsomuchasthis。
’Yes，’shesaid；’whatdiditmean？’
Hedidnotexplaintoherthen；butthepossibilityofJohn’sdeath，whichhadbeennewlybroughthometohimbythemilitaryeventsoftheday，determinedhimtogetpoorJohn’scharactercleared。
Reproachinghimselfforlettingherremainsolongwithamistakenideaofhim，Bobwenttohisfatherassoonastheygothome，andbeggedhimtogetMrs。LovedaytotellAnnethetruereasonofJohn’sobjectiontoMissJohnsonasasister-in-law。
’Shethinksitisbecausetheywereoldloversnewmet，andthathewantstomarryher，’heexclaimedtohisfatherinconclusion。
’ThenTHAT’SthemeaningofthesplitbetweenMissNancyandJack，’
saidthemiller。
’What，weretheyanymorethancommonfriends？’askedBobuneasily。
’Notonherside，perhaps。’
’Well，wemustdoit，’repliedBob，painfullyconsciousthatcommonjusticetoJohnmightbringthemintohazardousrivalry，yetdeterminedtobefair。’TellitalltoMrs。Loveday，andgethertotellAnne。’
TheresultoftheexplanationuponAnnewasbitterself-reproach。
Shewassosorryathavingwrongedthekindlysoldierthatnextmorningshewentbyherselftothedown，andstoodexactlywherehistenthadcoveredthesodonwhichhehadlainsomanynights，thinkingwhatsadnesshemusthavesufferedbecauseofheratthetimeofpackingupandgoingaway。Afterthatshewipedfromhereyesthetearsofpitywhichhadcomethere，descendedtothehouse，andwroteanimpulsivelettertohim，inwhichoccurredthefollowingpassages，indiscreetenoughunderthecircumstances:——
’Ifindalljustice，allrectitude，onyourside，John；andallimpertinence，allinconsiderateness，onmine。Iamsomuchconvincedofyourhonourinthewholetransaction，thatIshallforthefuturemistrustmyselfineverything。Andifitbepossible，wheneverIdifferfromyouonanypointIshalltakeanhour’stimeforconsiderationbeforeIsaythatIdiffer。IfIhavelostyourfriendship，Ihaveonlymyselftothankforit；butIsincerelyhopethatyoucanforgive。’
Afterwritingthisshewenttothegarden，whereBobwasshearingthespringgrassfromthepaths。’WhatisJohn’sdirection？’shesaid，holdingthesealedletterinherhand。
’ExonburyBarracks，’Bobfaltered，hiscountenancesinking。
Shethankedhimandwentindoors。Whenhecamein，laterintheday，hepassedthedoorofheremptysitting-roomandsawtheletteronthemantelpiece。Hedislikedthesightofit。Hearingvoicesintheotherroom，heenteredandfoundAnneandhermotherthere，talkingtoCripplestraw，whohadjustcomeinwithamessagefromSquireDerriman，requestingMissGarland，asshevaluedthepeaceofmindofanoldandtroubledman，togoatonceandseehim。
’Icannotgo，’shesaid，notlikingtheriskthatsuchavisitinvolved。
AnhourlaterCripplestrawshambledagainintothepassage，onthesameerrand。
’Maister’sverypoorly，andhehopesthatyou’llcome，Mis’essAnne。
Hewantstosee’eeveryparticularabouttheFrench。’
Annewouldhavegoneinamoment，butforthefearthatsomeonebesidesthefarmermightencounterher，andsheansweredasbefore。
Anotherhourpassed，andthewheelsofavehiclewereheard。
Cripplestrawhadcomeforthethirdtime，withahorseandgig；hewasdressedinhisbestclothes，andbroughtwithhimonthisoccasionabasketcontainingraisins，almonds，oranges，andsweetcakes。Offeringthemtoherasagiftfromtheoldfarmer，herepeatedhisrequestforhertoaccompanyhim，thegigandbestmarehavingbeensentasanadditionalinducement。
’Ibelievetheoldgentlemanisinlovewithyou，Anne，’saidhermother。
’Whycouldn’thedrivedownhimselftoseeme？’AnneinquiredofCripplestraw。
’Hewantsyouatthehouse，please。’
’IsMr。Festuswithhim？’
’No；he’sawaytoBudmouth。’
’I’llgo，’saidshe。
’AndImaycomeandmeetyou？’saidBob。
’There’smyletter——whatshallIdoaboutthat？’shesaid，insteadofansweringhim。’Takemylettertothepost-office，andyoumaycome，’sheadded。
Hesaidyesandwentout，Cripplestrawretreatingtothedoortillsheshouldbeready。
’Whatletterisit？’saidhermother。
’OnlyonetoJohn，’saidAnne。’Ihaveaskedhimtoforgivemysuspicions。Icoulddonoless。’
’DoyouwanttomarryHIM？’askedMrs。Lovedaybluntly。
’Mother！’
’Well；hewilltakethatletterasanencouragement。Can’tyouseethathewill，youfoolishgirl？’
Annedidseeinstantly。’Ofcourse！’shesaid。’TellRobertthatheneednotgo。’
Shewenttoherroomtosecuretheletter。Itwasgonefromthemantelpiece，andoninquiryitwasfoundthatthemiller，seeingitthere，hadsentDavidwithittoBudmouthhoursago。Annesaidnothing，andsetoutforOxwellHallwithCripplestraw。
’William，’saidMrs。LovedaytothemillerwhenAnnewasgoneandBobhadresumedhisworkinthegarden，’didyougetthatlettersentoffonpurpose？’
’Well，Idid。Iwantedtomakesureofit。Johnlikesher，andnow’twillbemadeup；andwhyshouldn’themarryher？I’llstarthiminbusiness，ifsobeshe’llhavehim。’
’ButsheislikelytomarryFestusDerriman。’
’Idon’twanthertomarryanybodybutJohn，’saidthemillerdoggedly。
’NotifsheisinlovewithBob，andhasbeenforyears，andhewithher？’askedhiswifetriumphantly。
’InlovewithBob，andhewithher？’repeatedLoveday。
’Certainly，’saidshe，goingoffandleavinghimtohisreflections。
WhenAnnereachedthehallshefoundoldMr。Derrimaninhiscustomarychair。Hiscomplexionwasmoreashen，buthismovementinrisingatherentrance，puttingachairandshuttingthedoorbehindher，weremuchthesameasusual。
’ThankGodyou’vecome，mydeargirl，’hesaidearnestly。’Ah，youdon’ttripacrosstoreadtomenow！Whydidyecostmesomuchtofetchyou？Fie！Ahorseandgig，andaman’stimeingoingthreetimes。AndwhatIsentyecostagooddealinBudmouthmarket，noweverythingissodearthere，and’twouldhavecostmoreifIhadn’tboughttheraisinsandorangessomemonthsago，whentheywerecheaper。Itellyouthisbecauseweareoldfriends，andIhavenobodyelsetotellmytroublesto。ButIdon’tbegrudgeanythingtoyesinceyou’vecome。’
’Iamnotmuchpleasedtocome，evennow，’saidshe。’Whatcanmakeyousoseriouslyanxioustoseeme？’
’Well，youbeagoodgirlandtrue；andI’vebeenthinkingthatofallpeopleofthenextgenerationthatIcantrust，youarethebest。’Tismybondsandmytitle-deeds，suchastheybe，andtheleases，youknow，andafewguineasinpackets，andmorethanthese，mywill，thatIhavetospeakabout。Nowdoyecomethisway。’
’O，suchthingsasthose！’shereturned，withsurprise。’Idon’tunderstandthosethingsatall。’
’There’snothingtounderstand。’Tisjustthis。TheFrenchwillbeherewithintwomonths；that’scertain。Ihaveitonthebestauthority，thatthearmyatBoulogneisready，theboatsequipped，theplanslaid，andtheFirstConsulonlywaitsforatide。Heavenknowswhatwillbecomeo’themeno’theseparts！Butmostlikelythewomenwillhespared。NowI’llshow’ee。’
Heledheracrossthehalltoastonestaircaseofsemi-circularplan，whichconductedtothecellars。
’Downhere？’shesaid。
’Yes；Imusttroubleyetocomedownhere。Ihavethoughtandthoughtwhoisthewomanthatcanbestkeepasecretforsixmonths，andIsay，“AnneGarland。“Youwon’tbemarriedbeforethen？’
’Ono！’murmuredtheyoungwoman。
’Iwouldn’texpectyetokeepaclosetongueaftersuchathingasthat。Butitwillnotbenecessary。’
