The　popping　of　a　cork；　and　the　pouring　out　of　strong　beer　by　the
  miller　with　a　view　to　giving　it　a　head；　were　apparently　distractions
  sufficient　to　excuse　her　in　not　attending　further　to　him；　and　during
  the　remainder　of　the　sitting　her　gentle　chiding　seemed　to　be　sinking
  seriously　into　his　mind。　　Perhaps　her　own　heart　ached　to　see　how
  silent　he　was；　but　she　had　always　meant　to　punish　him。　　Day　after
  day　for　two　or　three　weeks　she　preserved　the　same　demeanour；　with　a
  self…control　which　did　justice　to　her　character。　　And；　on　his　part；
  considering　what　he　had　to　put　up　withhow　she　eluded　him；　snapped
  him　off；　refused　to　come　out　when　he　called　her；　refused　to　see　him
  when　he　wanted　to　enter　the　little　parlour　which　she　had　now
  appropriated　to　her　private　use；　his　patience　testified　strongly　to
  his　good…humour。
  XXIII。　　MILITARY　PREPARATIONS　ON　AN　EXTENDED　SCALE
  Christmas　had　passed。　　Dreary　winter　with　dark　evenings　had　given
  place　to　more　dreary　winter　with　light　evenings。　　Rapid　thaws　had
  ended　in　rain；　rain　in　wind；　wind　in　dust。　　Showery　days　had　come
  the　season　of　pink　dawns　and　white　sunsets；　and　people　hoped　that
  the　March　weather　was　over。
  The　chief　incident　that　concerned　the　household　at　the　mill　was　that
  the　miller；　following　the　example　of　all　his　neighbours；　had　become
  a　volunteer；　and　duly　appeared　twice　a　week　in　a　red；　long…tailed
  military　coat；　pipe…clayed　breeches；　black　cloth　gaiters；　a
  heel…balled　helmet…hat；　with　a　tuft　of　green　wool；　and　epaulettes　of
  the　same　colour　and　material。　　Bob　still　remained　neutral。　　Not
  being　able　to　decide　whether　to　enrol　himself　as　a　sea…fencible；　a
  local　militia…man；　or　a　volunteer；　he　simply　went　on　dancing
  attendance　upon　Anne。　　Mrs。　Loveday　had　become　awake　to　the　fact
  that　the　pair　of　young　people　stood　in　a　curious　attitude　towards
  each　other；　but　as　they　were　never　seen　with　their　heads　together；
  and　scarcely　ever　sat　even　in　the　same　room；　she　could　not　be　sure
  what　their　movements　meant。
  Strangely　enough　（or　perhaps　naturally　enough）；　since　entering　the
  Loveday　family　herself；　she　had　gradually　grown　to　think　less
  favourably　of　Anne　doing　the　same　thing；　and　reverted　to　her
  original　idea　of　encouraging　Festus；　this　more　particularly　because
  he　had　of　late　shown　such　perseverance　in　haunting　the　precincts　of
  the　mill；　presumably　with　the　intention　of　lighting　upon　the　young
  girl。　　But　the　weather　had　kept　her　mostly　indoors。
  One　afternoon　it　was　raining　in　torrents。　　Such　leaves　as　there　were
  on　trees　at　this　time　of　yearthose　of　the　laurel　and　other
  evergreensstaggered　beneath　the　hard　blows　of　the　drops　which　fell
  upon　them；　and　afterwards　could　be　seen　trickling　down　the　stems
  beneath　and　silently　entering　the　ground。　　The　surface　of　the
  mill…pond　leapt　up　in　a　thousand　spirts　under　the　same　downfall；　and
  clucked　like　a　hen　in　the　rat…holes　along　the　banks　as　it　undulated
  under　the　wind。　　The　only　dry　spot　visible　from　the　front　windows　of
  the　mill…house　was　the　inside　of　a　small　shed；　on　the　opposite　side
  of　the　courtyard。　　While　Mrs。　Loveday　was　noticing　the　threads　of
  rain　descending　across　its　interior　shade；　Festus　Derriman　walked　up
  and　entered　it　for　shelter；　which；　owing　to　the　lumber　within；　it
  but　scantily　afforded　to　a　man　who　would　have　been　a　match　for　one
  of　Frederick　William's　Patagonians。
  It　was　an　excellent　opportunity　for　helping　on　her　scheme。　　Anne　was
  in　the　back　room；　and　by　asking　him　in　till　the　rain　was　over　she
  would　bring　him　face　to　face　with　her　daughter；　whom；　as　the　days
  went　on；　she　increasingly　wished　to　marry　other　than　a　Loveday；　now
  that　the　romance　of　her　own　alliance　with　the　millet　had　in　some
  respects　worn　off。　　She　was　better　provided　for　than　before；　she　was
  not　unhappy；　but　the　plain　fact　was　that　she　had　married　beneath
  her。　　She　beckoned　to　Festus　through　the　window…pane；　he　instantly
  complied　with　her　signal；　having　in　fact　placed　himself　there　on
  purpose　to　be　noticed；　for　he　knew　that　Miss　Garland　would　not　be
  out…of…doors　on　such　a　day。
  'Good　afternoon；　Mrs。　Loveday；'　said　Festus　on　entering。　　'There
  nowif　I　didn't　think　that's　how　it　would　be！'　　His　voice　had
  suddenly　warmed　to　anger；　for　he　had　seen　a　door　close　in　the　back
  part　of　the　room；　a　lithe　figure　having　previously　slipped　through。
  Mrs。　Loveday　turned；　observed　that　Anne　was　gone；　and　said；　'What　is
  it？'　as　if　she　did　not　know。
  'O；　nothing；　nothing！'　said　Festus　crossly。　　'You　know　well　enough
  what　it　is；　ma'am；　only　you　make　pretence　otherwise。　　But　I'll　bring
  her　to　book　yet。　　You　shall　drop　your　haughty　airs；　my　charmer！　　She
  little　thinks　I　have　kept　an　account　of　'em　all。'
  'But　you　must　treat　her　politely；　sir；'　said　Mrs。　Loveday；　secretly
  pleased　at　these　signs　of　uncontrollable　affection。
  'Don't　tell　me　of　politeness　or　generosity；　ma'am！　　She　is　more　than
  a　match　for　me。　　She　regularly　gets　over　me。　　I　have　passed　by　this
  house　five…and…fifty　times　since　last　Martinmas；　and　this　is　all　my
  reward　for't！'
  'But　you　will　stay　till　the　rain　is　over；　sir？'
  'No。　　I　don't　mind　rain。　　I'm　off　again。　　She's　got　somebody　else　in
  her　eye！'　　And　the　yeoman　went　out；　slamming　the　door。
  Meanwhile　the　slippery　object　of　his　hopes　had　gone　along　the　dark
  passage；　passed　the　trap　which　opened　on　the　wheel；　and　through　the
  door　into　the　mill；　where　she　was　met　by　Bob；　who　looked　up　from　the
  flour…shoot　inquiringly　and　said；　'You　want　me；　Miss　Garland？'
  'O　no；'　said　she。　　'I　only　want　to　be　allowed　to　stand　here　a　few
  minutes。'
  He　looked　at　her　to　know　if　she　meant　it；　and　finding　that　she　did；
  returned　to　his　post。　　When　the　mill　had　rumbled　on　a　little　longer
  he　came　back。
  'Bob；'　she　said；　when　she　saw　him　move；　'remember　that　you　are　at
  work；　and　have　no　time　to　stand　close　to　me。'
  He　bowed　and　went　to　his　original　post　again；　Anne　watching　from　the
  window　till　Festus　should　leave。　　The　mill　rumbled　on　as　before；　and
  at　last　Bob　came　to　her　for　the　third　time。　　'Now；　Bob'　she　began。
  'On　my　honour；　'tis　only　to　ask　a　question。　　Will　you　walk　with　me
  to　church　next　Sunday　afternoon？'
  'Perhaps　I　will；'　she　said。　　But　at　this　moment　the　yeoman　left　the
  house；　and　Anne；　to　escape　further　parley；　returned　to　the　dwelling
  by　the　way　she　had　come。
  Sunday　afternoon　arrived；　and　the　family　was　standing　at　the　door
  waiting　for　the　church　bells　to　begin。　　From　that　side　of　the　house
  they　could　see　southward　across　a　paddock　to　the　rising　ground
  further　ahead；　where　there　grew　a　large　elm…tree；　beneath　whose
  boughs　footpaths　crossed　in　different　directions；　like　meridians　at
  the　pole。　　The　tree　was　old；　and　in　summer　the　grass　beneath　it　was
  quite　trodden　away　by　the　feet　of　the　many　trysters　and　idlers　who
  haunted　the　spot。　　The　tree　formed　a　conspicuous　object　in　the
  surrounding　landscape。
  While　they　looked；　a　foot　soldier　in　red　uniform　and　white　breeches
  came　along　one　of　the　paths；　and　stopping　beneath　the　elm；　took　from
  his　pocket　a　paper；　which　he　proceeded　to　nail　up　by　the　four
  corners　to　the　trunk。　　He　drew　back；　looked　at　it；　and　went　on　his
  way。　　Bob　got　his　glass　from　indoors　and　levelled　it　at　the　placard；
  but　after　looking　for　a　long　time　he　could　make　out　nothing　but　a
  lion　and　a　unicorn　at　the　top。　　Anne；　who　was　ready　for　church；
  moved　away　from　the　door；　though　it　was　yet　early；　and　showed　her
  intention　of　going　by　way　of　the　elm。　　The　paper　had　been　so
  impressively　nailed　up　that　she　was　curious　to　read　it　even　at　this
  theological　time。　　Bob　took　the　opportunity　of　following；　and
  reminded　her　of　her　promise。
  'Then　walk　behind　me　not　at　all　close；'　she　said。
  'Yes；'　he　replied；　immediately　dropping　behind。
  The　ludicrous　humility　of　his　manner　led　her　to　add　playfully　over
  her　shoulder；　'It　serves　you　right；　you　know。'
  'I　deserve　anything；　but　I　must　take　the　liberty　to　say　that　I　hope
  my　behaviour　about　Matil；　in　forgetting　you　awhile；　will　not　make
  ye　wish　to　keep　me　ALWAYS　behind？'
  She　replied　confidentially；　'Why　I　am　so　earnest　not　to　be　seen　with
  you　is　that　I　may　appear　to　people　to　be　independent　of　you。
  Knowing　what　I　do　of　your　weaknesses　I　can　do　no　otherwise。　　You
  must　be　schooled　into'
  'O；　Anne；'　sighed　Bob；　'you　hit　me　hardtoo　hard！　　If　ever　I　do　win
  you　I　am　sure　I　shall　have　fairly　earned　you。'
  'You　are　not　what　you　once　seemed　to　be；'　she　returned　softly。　　'I
  don't　quite　like　to　let　myself　love　you。'　　The　last　words　were　not
  very　audible；　and　as　Bob　was　behind　he　caught　nothing　of　them；　nor
  did　he　see　how　sentimental　she　had　become　all　of　a　sudden。　　They
  walked　the　rest　of　the　way　in　silence；　and　coming　to　the　tree　read
  as　follows：
  ADDRESS　TO　ALL　RANKS　AND　DESCRIPTIONS　OF　ENGLISHMEN。
  FRIENDS　AND　COUNTRYMEN；The　French　are　now　assembling　the　largest
  force　that　ever　was　prepared　to　invade　this　Kingdom；　with　the
  professed　purpose　of　effecting　our　complete　Ruin　and　Destruction。
  They　do　not　disguise　their　intentions；　as　they　have　often　done　to
  other　Countries；　but　openly　boast　that　they　will　come　over　in　such
  Numbers　as　cannot　be　resisted。
  Wherever　the　French　have　lately　appeared　they　have　spared　neither
  Rich　nor　Poor；　Old　nor　Young；