’Itisnottobeknown，sir。Wedon’tbegintillhalfpastten。’
’Itisapityyoudon’tbeginnow。Icouldshow’eeexcellentgame。’
’What，thatlittlenestoffellowsatthe“OldRooms“inCoveRow？
Ihavejustheardof’em。’
’No——comehere。’Festus，withMissJohnsononhisarm，ledthesergeantquicklyalongtheparade，andbythetimetheyreachedtheNarrowsthelovers，whowalkedbutslowly，werevisibleinfrontofthem。’There’syourman，’hesaid。
’Thatbuckinpantaloonsandhalf-boots——alookinglikeasquire？’
’TwelvemonthsagohewasmateofthebrigPewit；buthisfatherhasmademoney，andkeepshimathome。’
’Faith，nowyoutellofit，there’sahintofsealegsabouthim。
What’stheyoungbeau’sname？’
’Don’ttell！’whisperedMatilda，impulsivelyclutchingFestus’sarm。
ButFestushadalreadysaid，’RobertLoveday，sonofthemilleratOvercombe。Youmayfindseverallikelyfellowsinthatneighbourhood。’
Themarinesaidthathewouldbearitinmind，andtheylefthim。
’Iwishyouhadnottold，’saidMatildatearfully。’She’stheworst！’
’Dashmyeyesnow；listentothat！Why，youchicken-heartedoldstager，youwasaswellagreedasI。Comenow；hasn’theusedyoubadly？’
Matilda’sacrimonyreturned。’Iwasdownonmyluck，orhewouldn’thavehadthechance！’shesaid。
’Well，then，letthingsbe。’
MissGarlandandLovedaywalkedleisurelytotheinnandcalledforhorse-and-gig。Whilethehostlerwasbringingitround，thelandlord，whoknewBobandhisfamilywell，spoketohimquietlyinthepassage。
’IsthisthenbecauseyouwanttothrowdustintheeyesoftheBlackDiamondchaps？’(withanadmiringglanceatBob’scostume)。
’TheBlackDiamond？’saidBob；andAnneturnedpale。
’Shehoveinsightjustafterdark，andatnineo’clockaboathavingmorethanadozenmarinesonboard，withcloakson，rowedintoharbour。’
Bobreflected。’Thenthere’llbeapressto-night；dependuponit，’
hesaid。
’Theywon’tknowyou，willthey，Bob？’saidAnneanxiously。
’Theycertainlywon’tknowhimforaseamannow，’remarkedthelandlord，laughing，andagainsurveyingBobupanddown。’ButifI
wasyoutwo，Ishoulddrivehome-alongstraightandquiet；andbeverybusyinthemillallto-morrow，Mr。Loveday。’
Theydroveaway；andwhentheyhadgotonwardoutofthetown，AnnestrainedhereyeswistfullytowardsPortland。Itsdarkcontour，lyinglikeawhaleonthesea，wasjustperceptibleinthegloomasthebackgroundtohalf-a-dozenships’lightsnearerathand。
’Theycan’tmakeyougo，nowyouareagentlemantradesman，canthey？’sheasked。
’Iftheywantmetheycanhaveme，dearest。IhaveoftensaidI
oughttovolunteer。’
’Andnotcareaboutmeatall？’
’Itisjustthatthatkeepsmeathome。Iwon’tleaveyouifIcanhelpit。’
’Itcannotmakesuchavastdifferencetothecountrywhetheronemangoesorstays！Butifyouwanttogoyouhadbetter，andnotmindusatall！’
Bobputaperiodtoherspeechbyamarkofaffectiontowhichhistoryaffordsmanyparallelsineveryage。ShesaidnomoreabouttheBlackDiamond；butwhenevertheyascendedahillsheturnedherheadtolookatthelightsinPortlandRoads，andthegreyexpanseofinterveningsea。
ThoughCaptainBobhadstatedthathedidnotwishtovolunteer，andwouldnotleaveherifhecouldhelpit，theremarkrequiredsomequalification。ThatAnnewascharmingandlovingenoughtochainhimanywherewastrue；buthehadbeguntofindthemill-workterriblyirksomeattimes。Oftenduringthelastmonth，whenstandingamongtherumblingcogsinhisnewmiller’ssuit，whichillbecamehim，hehadyawned，thoughtwistfullyoftheoldpea-jacket，andthewatersofthedeepbluesea。Hisdreadofdispleasinghisfatherbyshowinganythingofthischangeofsentimentwasgreat；
yethemighthavebraveditbutforknowingthathismarriagewithAnne，whichhehopedmighttakeplacethenextyear，wasdependententirelyuponhisadherencetothemillbusiness。Evenwerehisfatherindifferent，Mrs。Lovedaywouldneverintrustheronlydaughtertothehandsofahusbandwhowouldbeawayfromhomefive-sixthsofhistime。
Butthough，apartfromAnne，hewasnotaversetoseafaringinitself，tobesmuggledthitherbythemachineryofapress-gangwasintolerable；andtheprocessofseizing，stunning，pinioning，andcarryingoffunwillinghandswasonewhichBobasamanhadalwaysdeterminedtoholdoutagainsttotheutmostofhispower。Hence，astheywenttowardshome，hefrequentlylistenedforsoundsbehindhim，buthearingnoneheassuredhissweetheartthattheyweresafeforthatnightatleast。Themillwasstillgoingwhentheyarrived，thougholdMr。Lovedaywasnottobeseen；hehadretiredassoonasheheardthehorse’shoofsinthelane，leavingBobtowatchthegrindingtillthreeo’clock；whentheelderwouldrise，andBobwithdrawtobed——afrequentarrangementbetweenthemsinceBobhadtakentheplaceofgrinder。
Havingreachedtheprivacyofherownroom，Annethrewopenthewindow，forshehadnottheslightestintentionofgoingtobedjustyet。ThetaleoftheBlackDiamondhaddisturbedherbyaslow，insidiousprocessthatwasworsethansuddenfright。Herwindowlookedintothecourtbeforethehouse，nowwrappedintheshadowofthetreesandthehill；andsheleaneduponitssilllisteningintently。Shecouldhaveheardanystrangesounddistinctlyenoughinonedirection；butintheotheralllownoiseswereabsorbedinthepatterofthemill，andtherushofwaterdowntherace。
However，whatsheheardcamefromthehithertosilentside，andwasintelligibleinamomentasbeingthefootstepsofmen。ShetriedtothinktheyweresomelatestragglersfromBudmouth。Alas！no；
thetrampwastooregularforthatofvillagers。Shehastilyturned，extinguishedthecandle，andlistenedagain。Astheywereonthemainroadtherewas，afterall，everyprobabilitythatthepartywouldpassthebridgewhichgaveaccesstothemillcourtwithoutturninginuponit，orevennoticingthatsuchanentranceexisted。Inthisagainshewasdisappointed:theycrossedintothefrontwithoutapause。Thepulsationsofherheartbecameaturmoilnow，forwhyshouldthesemen，iftheywerethepress-gang，andstrangerstothelocality，havesupposedthatasailorwastobefoundhere，theyoungerofthetwomillersLovedaybeingneverseennowinanygarbwhichcouldsuggestthathewasotherthanamillerpure，likehisfather？Oneofthemenspoke。
’Iamnotsurethatweareintherightplace，’hesaid。
’Thisisamill，anyhow，’saidanother。
’There’slotsabouthere。’
’Thencomethiswayamomentwithyourlight。’
Twoofthegroupwenttowardsthecart-houseontheoppositesideoftheyard，andwhentheyreacheditadarklanternwasopened，theraysbeingdirecteduponthefrontofthemiller’swaggon。
’“LovedayandSon，OvercombeMill，“’continuedtheman，readingfromthewaggon。’“Son，“yousee，islatelypaintedin。That’sourman。’
Hemovedtoturnoffthelight，butbeforehehaddonesoitflashedovertheformsofthespeakers，andrevealedasergeant，anavalofficer，andafileofmarines。
Annewaitedtoseenomore。WhenBobstayeduptogrind，ashewasdoingto-night，heoftensatinhisroominsteadofremainingallthetimeinthemill；andthisroomwasanisolatedchamberoverthebakehouse，whichcouldnotbereachedwithoutgoingdownstairsandascendingthestep-ladderthatservedforhisstaircase。Annedescendedinthedark，clambereduptheladder，andsawthatlightstrayedthroughthechinkbelowthedoor。Hiswindowfacedtowardsthegarden，andhencethelightcouldnotasyethavebeenseenbythepress-gang。
’Bob，dearBob！’shesaid，throughthekeyhole。’Putoutyourlight，andrunoutoftheback-door！’
’Why？’saidBob，leisurelyknockingtheashesfromthepipehehadbeensmoking。
’Thepress-gang！’
’Theyhavecome？ByGod！whocanhaveblownuponme？Allright，dearest。I’mgame。’
Anne，scarcelyknowingwhatshedid，descendedtheladderandrantotheback-door，hastilyunboltingittosaveBob’stime，andgentlyopeningitinreadinessforhim。Shehadnosoonerdonethisthanshefelthandslaiduponhershoulderfromwithout，andavoiceexclaiming，’That’showwedoosit——quiteanobleegingyoungman！’
Thoughthehandsheldherratherroughly，Annedidnotmindforherself，andturningshecrieddesperately，intonesintendedtoreachBob’sears:’Theyareattheback-door；trythefront！’
ButinexperiencedMissGarlandlittleknewtheshrewdhabitsofthegentlemenshehadtodealwith，who，wellusedtothissortofpastime，hadalreadypostedthemselvesateveryoutletfromthepremises。
’Bringthelantern，’shoutedthefellowwhoheldher。’Why——’tisagirl！Ihalfthoughtso——Hereisawayin，’hecontinuedtohiscomrades，hasteningtothefootoftheladderwhichledtoBob’sroom。
’Whatd’yewant？’saidBob，quietlyopeningthedoor，andshowinghimselfstillradiantinthefulldressthathehadwornwithsucheffectattheTheatreRoyal，whichhehadbeenabouttochangeforhismillsuitwhenAnnegavethealarm。
’Thisgentlemancan’tbetherightone，’observedamarine，ratherimpressedbyBob’sappearance。
’Yes，yes；that’stheman，’saidthesergeant。’Nowtakeitquietly，myyoungcock-o’-wax。Youlookasifyoumeantto，and’tiswiseofye。’
’Whereareyougoingtotakeme？’saidBob。
’OnlyaboardtheBlackDiamond。Ifyouchoosetotakethebountyandcomevoluntarily，you’llbeallowedtogoashorewheneveryourship’sinport。Ifyoudon’t，andwe’vegottopinionye，youwillnothaveyourlibertyatall。Asyoumustcome，willy-nilly，you’lldothefirstifyou’veanybrainswhatever。’
Bob’stemperbegantorise。’Don’tyoutalksolarge，aboutyourpinioning，myman。WhenI’vesettled——’
’Nowornever，youngblow-hard，’interruptedhisinformant。
’Come，whatjabberisthisgoingon？’saidthelieutenant，steppingforward。’Bringyourman。’
Oneofthemarinessetfootontheladder，butatthesamemomentashoefromBob’shandhitthelanternwithwell-aimeddirectness，knockingitcleanoutofthegraspofthemanwhoheldit。Inspiteofthedarknesstheybegantoscrambleuptheladder。Bobthereuponshutthedoor，whichbeingbutofslightconstruction，wasasheknewonlyamomentarydefence。Butitgainedhimtimeenoughtoopenthewindow，gatheruphislegsuponthesill，andspringacrossintotheapple-treegrowingwithout。Healightedwithoutmuchhurtbeyondafewscratchesfromtheboughs，ashoweroffallingapplestestifyingtotheforceofhisleap。
’Hereheis！’shoutedseveralbelowwhohadseenBob’sfigureflyinglikearaven’sacrossthesky。
Therewasstillnessforamomentinthetree。Thenthefugitivemadehastetoclimboutuponalow-hangingbranchtowardsthegarden，atwhichthemenbeneathallrushedinthatdirectiontocatchhimashedropped，saying，’Youmayaswellcomedown，oldboy。’Twasaspryjump，andwegiveyecreditfor’t。’
ThelattermovementofLovedayhadbeenamerefeint。Partlyhiddenbytheleavesheglidedbacktotheotherpartofthetree，fromwhenceitwaseasytojumpuponathatch-coveredout-house。Thisintentiontheydidnotappeartosuspect，whichgavehimtheopportunityofslidingdowntheslopeandenteringthebackdoorofthemill。
’He’shere，he’shere！’themenexclaimed，runningbackfromthetree。
Bythistimetheyhadobtainedanotherlight，andpursuedhimcloselyalongthebackquartersofthemill。Bobhadenteredthelowerroom，seizedholdofthechainbywhichtheflour-sackswerehoistedfromstorytostorybyconnexionwiththemill-wheel，andpulledtheropethathungalongsideforthepurposeofthrowingitintogear。TheforemostpursuersarrivedjustintimetoseeCaptainBob’slegsandshoe-bucklesvanishingthroughthetrap-doorinthejoistsoverhead，hispersonhavingbeenwhirledupbythemachinerylikeanybagofflour，andthetrapfallingtobehindhim。
’He’sgoneupbythehoist！’saidthesergeant，runninguptheladderinthecornertothenextfloor，andelevatingthelightjustintimetoseeBob’ssuspendedfigureascendinginthesamewaythroughthesamesortoftrapintothesecondfloor。Thesecondtrapalsofelltogetherbehindhim，andhewaslosttoviewasbefore。
