a　woman；　that　she　would　not　make　life　a　solitude　for　fastidious
  reasons。　　More　than　all；　she　had　good　ground　for　thinking　that　the
  miller　secretly　admired　her；　and　this　added　a　piquancy　to　the
  situation。
  On　a　fine　summer　morning；　when　the　leaves　were　warm　under　the　sun；
  and　the　more　industrious　bees　abroad；　diving　into　every　blue　and　red
  cup　that　could　possibly　be　considered　a　flower；　Anne　was　sitting　at
  the　back　window　of　her　mother's　portion　of　the　house；　measuring　out
  lengths　of　worsted　for　a　fringed　rug　that　she　was　making；　which　lay；
  about　three…quarters　finished；　beside　her。　　The　work；　though
  chromatically　brilliant；　was　tedious：　　a　hearth…rug　was　a　thing
  which　nobody　worked　at　from　morning　to　night；　it　was　taken　up　and
  put　down；　it　was　in　the　chair；　on　the　floor；　across　the　hand…rail；
  under　the　bed；　kicked　here；　kicked　there；　rolled　away　in　the　closet；
  brought　out　again；　and　so　on　more　capriciously　perhaps　than　any
  other　home…made　article。　　Nobody　was　expected　to　finish　a　rug　within
  a　calculable　period；　and　the　wools　of　the　beginning　became　faded　and
  historical　before　the　end　was　reached。　　A　sense　of　this　inherent
  nature　of　worsted…work　rather　than　idleness　led　Anne　to　look　rather
  frequently　from　the　open　casement。
  Immediately　before　her　was　the　large；　smooth　millpond；　over…full；
  and　intruding　into　the　hedge　and　into　the　road。　　The　water；　with　its
  flowing　leaves　and　spots　of　froth；　was　stealing　away；　like　Time；
  under　the　dark　arch；　to　tumble　over　the　great　slimy　wheel　within。
  On　the　other　side　of　the　mill…pond　was　an　open　place　called　the
  Cross；　because　it　was　three…quarters　of　one；　two　lanes　and　a
  cattle…drive　meeting　there。　　It　was　the　general　rendezvous　and　arena
  of　the　surrounding　village。　　Behind　this　a　steep　slope　rose　high
  into　the　sky；　merging　in　a　wide　and　open　down；　now　littered　with
  sheep　newly　shorn。　　The　upland　by　its　height　completely　sheltered
  the　mill　and　village　from　north　winds；　making　summers　of　springs；
  reducing　winters　to　autumn　temperatures；　and　permitting　myrtle　to
  flourish　in　the　open　air。
  The　heaviness　of　noon　pervaded　the　scene；　and　under　its　influence
  the　sheep　had　ceased　to　feed。　　Nobody　was　standing　at　the　Cross；　the
  few　inhabitants　being　indoors　at　their　dinner。　　No　human　being　was
  on　the　down；　and　no　human　eye　or　interest　but　Anne's　seemed　to　be
  concerned　with　it。　　The　bees　still　worked　on；　and　the　butterflies
  did　not　rest　from　roving；　their　smallness　seeming　to　shield　them
  from　the　stagnating　effect　that　this　turning　moment　of　day　had　on
  larger　creatures。　　Otherwise　all　was　still。
  The　girl　glanced　at　the　down　and　the　sheep　for　no　particular　reason；
  the　steep　margin　of　turf　and　daisies　rising　above　the　roofs；
  chimneys；　apple…trees；　and　church　tower　of　the　hamlet　around　her；
  bounded　the　view　from　her　position；　and　it　was　necessary　to　look
  somewhere　when　she　raised　her　head。　　While　thus　engaged　in　working
  and　stopping　her　attention　was　attracted　by　the　sudden　rising　and
  running　away　of　the　sheep　squatted　on　the　down；　and　there　succeeded
  sounds　of　a　heavy　tramping　over　the　hard　sod　which　the　sheep　had
  quitted；　the　tramp　being　accompanied　by　a　metallic　jingle。　　Turning
  her　eyes　further　she　beheld　two　cavalry　soldiers　on　bulky　grey
  chargers；　armed　and　accoutred　throughout；　ascending　the　down　at　a
  point　to　the　left　where　the　incline　was　comparatively　easy。　　The
  burnished　chains；　buckles；　and　plates　of　their　trappings　shone　like
  little　looking…glasses；　and　the　blue；　red；　and　white　about　them　was
  unsubdued　by　weather　or　wear。
  The　two　troopers　rode　proudly　on；　as　if　nothing　less　than　crowns　and
  empires　ever　concerned　their　magnificent　minds。　　They　reached　that
  part　of　the　down　which　lay　just　in　front　of　her；　where　they　came　to
  a　halt。　　In　another　minute　there　appeared　behind　them　a　group
  containing　some　half…dozen　more　of　the　same　sort。　　These　came　on；
  halted；　and　dismounted　likewise。
  Two　of　the　soldiers　then　walked　some　distance　onward　together；　when
  one　stood　still；　the　other　advancing　further；　and　stretching　a　white
  line　of　tape　between　them。　　Two　more　of　the　men　marched　to　another
  outlying　point；　where　they　made　marks　in　the　ground。　　Thus　they
  walked　about　and　took　distances；　obviously　according　to　some
  preconcerted　scheme。
  At　the　end　of　this　systematic　proceeding　one　solitary　horsemana
  commissioned　officer；　if　his　uniform　could　be　judged　rightly　at　that
  distancerode　up　the　down；　went　over　the　ground；　looked　at　what　the
  others　had　done；　and　seemed　to　think　that　it　was　good。　　And　then　the
  girl　heard　yet　louder　tramps　and　clankings；　and　she　beheld　rising
  from　where　the　others　had　risen　a　whole　column　of　cavalry　in
  marching　order。　　At　a　distance　behind　these　came　a　cloud　of　dust
  enveloping　more　and　more　troops；　their　arms　and　accoutrements
  reflecting　the　sun　through　the　haze　in　faint　flashes；　stars；　and
  streaks　of　light。　　The　whole　body　approached　slowly　towards　the
  plateau　at　the　top　of　the　down。
  Anne　threw　down　her　work；　and　letting　her　eyes　remain　on　the　nearing
  masses　of　cavalry；　the　worsteds　getting　entangled　as　they　would；
  said；　'Mother；　mother；　come　here！　　Here's　such　a　fine　sight！　　What
  does　it　mean？　　What　can　they　be　going　to　do　up　there？'
  The　mother　thus　invoked　ran　upstairs　and　came　forward　to　the　window。
  She　was　a　woman　of　sanguine　mouth　and　eye；　unheroic　manner；　and
  pleasant　general　appearance；　a　little　more　tarnished　as　to　surface；
  but　not　much　worse　in　contour　than　the　girl　herself。
  Widow　Garland's　thoughts　were　those　of　the　period。　'Can　it　be　the
  French；'　she　said；　arranging　herself　for　the　extremest　form　of
  consternation。　　'Can　that　arch…enemy　of　mankind　have　landed　at
  last？'　　It　should　be　stated　that　at　this　time　there　were　two
  arch…enemies　of　mankindSatan　as　usual；　and　Buonaparte；　who　had
  sprung　up　and　eclipsed　his　elder　rival　altogether。　　Mrs。　Garland
  alluded；　of　course；　to　the　junior　gentleman。
  'It　cannot　be　he；'　said　Anne。　　'Ah！　there's　Simon　Burden；　the　man
  who　watches　at　the　beacon。　　He'll　know！'
  She　waved　her　hand　to　an　aged　form　of　the　same　colour　as　the　road；
  who　had　just　appeared　beyond　the　mill…pond；　and　who；　though　active；
  was　bowed　to　that　degree　which　almost　reproaches　a　feeling　observer
  for　standing　upright。　　The　arrival　of　the　soldiery　had　drawn　him　out
  from　his　drop　of　drink　at　the　'Duke　of　York'　as　it　had　attracted
  Anne。　　At　her　call　he　crossed　the　mill…bridge；　and　came　towards　the
  window。
  Anne　inquired　of　him　what　it　all　meant；　but　Simon　Burden；　without
  answering；　continued　to　move　on　with　parted　gums；　staring　at　the
  cavalry　on　his　own　private　account　with　a　concern　that　people　often
  show　about　temporal　phenomena　when　such　matters　can　affect　them　but
  a　short　time　longer。　　'You'll　walk　into　the　millpond！'　said　Anne。
  'What　are　they　doing？　　You　were　a　soldier　many　years　ago；　and　ought
  to　know。'
  'Don't　ask　me；　Mis'ess　Anne；'　said　the　military　relic；　depositing
  his　body　against　the　wall　one　limb　at　a　time。　　'I　were　only　in　the
  foot；　ye　know；　and　never　had　a　clear　understanding　of　horses。　　Ay；　I
  be　a　old　man；　and　of　no　judgment　now。'　　Some　additional　pressure；
  however；　caused　him　to　search　further　in　his　worm…eaten　magazine　of
  ideas；　and　he　found　that　he　did　know　in　a　dim　irresponsible　way。
  The　soldiers　must　have　come　there　to　camp：　　those　men　they　had　seen
  first　were　the　markers：　　they　had　come　on　before　the　rest　to　measure
  out　the　ground。　　He　who　had　accompanied　them　was　the　quartermaster。
  'And　so　you　see　they　have　got　all　the　lines　marked　out　by　the　time
  the　regiment　have　come　up；'　he　added。　　'And　then　they　will
  well…a…deary！　who'd　ha'　supposed　that　Overcombe　would　see　such　a　day
  as　this！'
  'And　then　they　will'
  'Then　Ah；　it's　gone　from　me　again！'　said　Simon。　　'O；　and　then　they
  will　raise　their　tents；　you　know；　and　picket　their　horses。　　That　was
  it；　so　it　was。'
  By　this　time　the　column　of　horse　had　ascended　into　full　view；　and
  they　formed　a　lively　spectacle　as　they　rode　along　the　high　ground　in
  marching　order；　backed　by　the　pale　blue　sky；　and　lit　by　the
  southerly　sun。　　Their　uniform　was　bright　and　attractive；　white
  buckskin　pantaloons；　three…quarter　boots；　scarlet　shakos　set　off
  with　lace；　mustachios　waxed　to　a　needle　point；　and　above　all；　those
  richly　ornamented　blue　jackets　mantled　with　the　historic　pelisse
  that　fascination　to　women；　and　encumbrance　to　the　wearers
  themselves。
  ''Tis　the　York　Hussars！'　said　Simon　Burden；　brightening　like　a　dying
  ember　fanned。　　'Foreigners　to　a　man；　and　enrolled　long　since　my
  time。　　But　as　good　hearty　comrades；　they　say；　as　you'll　find　in　the
  King's　service。'
  'Here　are　more　and　different　ones；'　said　Mrs。　Garland。
  Other　troops　had；　during　the　last　few　minutes；　been　ascending　the
  down　at　a　remoter　point；　and　now　drew　near。　　These　were　of　different
  weight　and　build　from　the　others；　lighter　men；　in　helmet　hats；　with
  white　plumes。
  'I　don't　know　which　I　like　best；'　said　Anne。　　'These；　I　think；　after
  all。'
  Simon；　who　had　been　looking　hard　at　the　latter；　now　said　that　they
  were　the　th　Dragoons。
  'All　Englishmen　they；'　said　the　old　man。　　'They　lay　at　Budmouth
  barracks　a　few　years　ago。'
  'They　did。　　I　remember　it；'　said　Mrs。　Garland。
  'And　lots　of　the　chaps　a