’Heismuchyoungerthanhisbrother？’saidMrs。Garland。
Aboutfouryears，themillertoldher。Hissoldiersonwastwo-and-thirty，andBobwastwenty-eight。WhenBobreturnedfromhispresentvoyage，hewastobepersuadedtostayandassistasgrinderinthemill，andgotoseanomore。
’Asailor-miller！’saidAnne。
’O，heknowsasmuchaboutmillbusinessasIdo，’saidLoveday；’hewasintendedforit，youknow，likeJohn。But，blessme！’hecontinued，’Iambeforemystory。I’mcomemoreparticularlytoaskyou，ma’am，andyou，Annemyhoney，ifyouwilljoinmeandafewfriendsataleetlehomelysupperthatIshallgi’etopleasethechapnowhe’scome？Icandonolessthanhaveabitofarandy，asthesayingis，nowthathe’sheresafeandsound。’
Mrs。Garlandwantedtocatchherdaughter’seye；shewasinsomedoubtaboutheranswer。ButAnne’seyewasnottobecaught，forshehatedhints，nods，andcalculationsofanykindinmatterswhichshouldberegulatedbyimpulse；andthematronreplied，’Ifsobe’tispossible，we’llbethere。Youwilltellustheday？’
Hewould，assoonashehadseensonJohn。’’Twillberatheruntidy，youknow，owingtomyhavingnowomenfolksinthehouse；andmymanDavidisapoordunder-headedfellerforgettingupafeast。
Poorchap！hissightisbad，that’strue，andhe’sverygoodatmakingthebeds，andoilingthelegsofthechairsandotherfurniture，orIshouldhavegotridofhimyearsago。’
’Youshouldhaveawomantoattendtothehouse，Loveday，’saidthewidow。
’Yes，Ishould，but。Well，’tisafineday，neighbours。Hark！I
fancyIhearthenoiseofpotsandpansupatthecamp，ormyearsdeceiveme。Poorfellows，theymustbehungry！Gooddayt’ye，ma’am。’Andthemillerwentaway。
AllthatafternoonOvercombecontinuedinafermentofinterestinthemilitaryinvestment，whichbroughttheexcitementofaninvasionwithoutthestrife。Thereweregreatdiscussionsonthemeritsandappearanceofthesoldiery。Theeventopenedup，tothegirlsunboundedpossibilitiesofadoringandbeingadored，andtotheyoungmenanembarrassmentofdashingacquaintanceswhichquitesupersededfallinginlove。Thirteenoftheseladsincontinentlystatedwithinthespaceofaquarterofanhourthattherewasnothingintheworldlikegoingforasoldier。Theyoungwomenstatedlittle，butperhapsthoughtthemore；though，injustice，theyglancedroundtowardstheencampmentfromthecornersoftheirblueandbrowneyesinthemostdemureandmodestmannerthatcouldbedesired。
Intheeveningthevillagewaslivelywithsoldiers’wives；atreefullofstarlingswouldnothaverivalledthechatterthatwasgoingon。Theseladieswereverybrilliantlydressed，withmoreregardforcolourthanformaterial。Purple，red，andbluebonnetswerenumerous，withbunchesofcocks’feathers；andonehadonanArcadianhatofgreensarcenet，turnedupinfronttoshowhercapunderneath。Ithadoncebelongedtoanofficer’slady，andwasnotsomuchstained，exceptwheretheoccasionalstormsofrain，incidentaltoamilitarylife，hadcausedthegreentorunandstagnateincuriouswatermarkslikepeninsulasandislands。Someoftheprettiestofthesebutterflywiveshadbeenfortunateenoughtogetlodgingsinthecottages，andwerethussparedthenecessityoflivinginhutsandtentsonthedown。Thosewhohadnotbeensofortunatewerenotrenderedmoreamiablebythesuccessoftheirsisters-in-arms，andcalledthemnameswhichbroughtforthretortsandrejoinders；tilltheendofthesealternativeremarksseemeddependentuponthecloseoftheday。
Oneofthesenewarrivals，whohadarosynoseandaslightthicknessofvoice，which，asAnnesaid，shecouldn’thelp，poorthing，seemedtohaveseensomuchoftheworld，andtohavebeeninsomanycampaigns，thatAnnewouldhavelikedtotakeherintotheirownhouse，soastoacquiresomeofthatpracticalknowledgeofthehistoryofEnglandwhichtheladypossessed，andwhichcouldnotbegotfrombooks。ButthenarrownessofMrs。Garland’sroomsabsolutelyforbadethis，andthehouselesstreasuryofexperiencewasobligedtolookforquarterselsewhere。
ThatnightAnneretiredearlytobed。Theeventsoftheday，cheerfulastheywereinthemselves，hadbeenunusualenoughtogiveheraslightheadache。Beforegettingintobedshewenttothewindow，andliftedthewhitecurtainsthathungacrossit。Themoonwasshining，thoughnotasyetintothevalley，butjustpeepingabovetheridgeofthedown，wherethewhiteconesoftheencampmentweresoftlytouchedbyitslight。Thequarter-guardandforemosttentsshowedthemselvesprominently；butthebodyofthecamp，theofficers’tents，kitchens，canteen，andappurtenancesintherearwereblottedoutbytheground，becauseofitsheightaboveher。
Shecoulddiscerntheformsofoneortwosentriesmovingtoandfroacrossthediscofthemoonatintervals。Shecouldhearthefrequentshufflingandtossingofthehorsestiedtothepickets；
andintheotherdirectionthemiles-longvoiceofthesea，whisperingaloudernoteatthosepointsofitslengthwherehamperedinitsebbandflowbysomejuttingpromontoryorgroupofboulders。Loudersoundssuddenlybrokethisapproachtosilence；
theycamefromthecampofdragoons，weretakenupfurthertotherightbythecampoftheHanoverians，andfurtheronstillbythebodyofinfantry。Itwastattoo。Feelingnodesiretosleep，shelistenedyetlonger，lookedatCharles’sWainswingingoverthechurchtower，andthemoonascendinghigherandhigherovertheright-handstreetsoftents，where，insteadofparadeandbustle，therewasnothinggoingonbutsnoresanddreams，thetiredsoldierslyingbythistimeundertheirpropercanvases，radiatinglikespokesfromthepoleofeachtent。
AtlastAnnegaveupthinking，andretiredliketherest。Thenightworeon，and，excepttheoccasional’All’swell’ofthesentries，novoicewasheardinthecamporinthevillagebelow。
ThenextmorningMissGarlandawokewithanimpressionthatsomethingmorethanusualwasgoingon，andsherecognizedassoonasshecouldclearlyreasonthattheproceedings，whatevertheymightbe，laynotfarawayfromherbedroomwindow。Thesoundswerechieflythoseofpickaxesandshovels。Annegotup，and，liftingthecornerofthecurtainaboutaninch，peepedout。
Anumberofsoldierswerebusilyengagedinmakingazigzagpathdowntheinclinefromthecamptotheriver-headatthebackofthehouse，andjudgingfromthequantityofworkalreadygotthroughtheymusthavebegunveryearly。Squadsofmenwereworkingatseveralequidistantpointsintheproposedpathway，andbythetimethatAnnehaddressedherselfeachsectionofthelengthhadbeenconnectedwiththoseaboveandbelowit，sothatacontinuousandeasytrackwasformedfromthecrestofthedowntothebottomofthesteep。
Thedownrestedonabedofsolidchalk，andthesurfaceexposedbytheroadmakersformedawhiteribbon，serpentingfromtoptobottom。
Thentherelaysofworkingsoldiersalldisappeared，and，notlongafter，atroopofdragoonsinwateringorderrodeforwardatthetopandbegantowinddownthenewpath。Theycamelowerandcloser，andatlastwereimmediatelybeneathherwindow，gatheringthemselvesuponthespacebythemill-pond。Anumberofthehorsesentereditattheshallowpart，drinkingandsplashingandtossingabout。Perhapsasmanyasthirty，halfofthemwithridersontheirbacks，wereinthewateratonetime；thethirstyanimalsdrank，stamped，flounced，anddrankagain，lettingtheclear，coolwaterdribbleluxuriouslyfromtheirmouths。MillerLovedaywaslookingonfromoverhisgardenhedge，andmanyadmiringvillagersweregatheredaround。
Gazinguphigher，Annesawothertroopsdescendingbythenewroadfromthecamp，thosewhichhadalreadybeentothepondmakingroomforthesebywithdrawingalongthevillagelaneandreturningtothetopbyacircuitousroute。
Suddenlythemillerexclaimed，asinfulfilmentofexpectation，’Ah，John，myboy；goodmorning！’Andthereplyof’Morning，father，’
camefromawell-mountedsoldiernearhim，whodidnot，however，formoneofthewateringparty。Annecouldnotseehisfaceveryclearly，butshehadnodoubtthatthiswasJohnLoveday。
Thereweretonesinthevoicewhichremindedherofoldtimes，thoseofherveryinfancy，whenJohnnyLovedayhadbeentopboyinthevillageschool，andhadwantedtolearnpaintingofherfather。Thedeepsandshallowsofthemill-pondbeingbetterknowntohimthantoanyothermaninthecamp，hehadapparentlycomedownonthataccount，andwascautioningsomeofthehorsemenagainstridingtoofarintowardsthemill-head。
SinceherchildhoodandhisenlistmentAnnehadseenhimonlyonce，andthenbutcasually，whenhewashomeonashortfurlough。Hisfigurewasnotmuchchangedfromwhatithadbeen；butthemanysunrisesandsunsetswhichhadpassedsincethatday，developingherfromacomparativechildtowomanhood，hadabstractedsomeofhisangularities，reddenedhisskin，andgivenhimaforeignlook。Itwasinterestingtoseewhatyearsoftrainingandservicehaddoneforthisman。Fewwouldhavesupposedthatthewhiteandthebluecoatsofmillerandsoldiercoveredtheformsoffatherandson。
BeforethelasttroopofdragoonsrodeofftheywerewelcomedinabodybyMillerLoveday，whostillstoodinhisoutergarden，thisbeingaplotlyingbelowthemill-tail，andstretchingtothewater-side。Itwasjustthetimeofyearwhencherriesareripe，andhanginclustersundertheirdarkleaves。Whilethetroopersloiteredontheirhorses，andchattedtothemilleracrossthestream，hegatheredbunchesofthefruit，andheldthemupoverthegardenhedgefortheacceptanceofanybodywhowouldhavethem；
whereuponthesoldiersrodeintothewatertowhereithadwashedholesinthegardenbank，and，reiningtheirhorsesthere，caughtthecherriesintheirforage-caps，orreceivedbunchesofthemontheendsoftheirswitches，withthedignifiedlaughthatbecamemartialmenwhenstoopingtoslightlyboyishamusement。Itwasacheerful，careless，unpremeditatedhalf-hour，whichreturnedlikethescentofaflowertothememoriesofsomeofthosewhoenjoyedit，evenatadistanceofmanyyearsafter，whentheylaywoundedandweakinforeignlands。
Thendragoonsandhorseswheeledoffastheothershaddone；andtroopsoftheGermanLegionnextcamedownandenteredinpanoramicprocessionthespacebelowAnne’seyes，asifonpurposetogratifyher。Thesewerenotablebytheirmustachios，andqueueswoundtightlywithbrownribbontotheleveloftheirbroadshoulder-blades。Theywerecharmed，astheothershadbeen，bytheheadandneckofMissGarlandinthelittlesquarewindowoverlookingthesceneofoperations，andsalutedherwithdevotedforeigncivility，andinsuchoverwhelmingnumbersthatthemodestgirlsuddenlywithdrewherselfintotheroom，andhadaprivateblushbetweenthechestofdrawersandthewashing-stand。
Whenshecamedownstairshermothersaid，’IhavebeenthinkingwhatIoughttoweartoMillerLoveday’sto-night。’
’ToMillerLoveday’s？’saidAnne。
’Yes。Thepartyisto-night。Hehasbeeninherethismorningtotellmethathehasseenhisson，andtheyhavefixedthisevening。’
’Doyouthinkweoughttogo，mother？’saidAnneslowly，andlookingatthesmallerfeaturesofthewindow-flowers。
’Whynot？’saidMrs。Garland。
’Hewillonlyhavementhereexceptourselves，willhe？Andshallweberighttogoaloneamong’em？’
AnnehadnotrecoveredfromtheardentgazeofthegallantYorkHussars，whosevoicesreachedherevennowinconversewithLoveday。
’La，Anne，howproudyouare！’saidWidowGarland。’Why，isn’theournearestneighbourandourlandlord？anddon’thealwaysfetchourfaggotsfromthewood，andkeepusinvegetablesfornexttonothing？’
’That’strue，’saidAnne。
’Well，wecan’tbedistantwiththeman。Andiftheenemylandnextautumn，aseverybodysaystheywill，weshallhavequitetodependuponthemiller’swaggonandhorses。He’souronlyfriend。’
’Yes，soheis，’saidAnne。’Andyouhadbettergo，mother；andI’llstayathome。Theywillbeallmen；andIdon’tlikegoing。’
Mrs。Garlandreflected。’Well，ifyoudon’twanttogo，Idon’t，’
shesaid。’Perhaps，asyouaregrowingup，itwouldbebettertostayathomethistime。Yourfatherwasaprofessionalman，certainly。’Havingspokenasamother，shesighedasawoman。
’Whydoyousigh，mother？’
’Youaresoprimandstiffabouteverything。’
’Verywell——we’llgo。’