’Well，no，’sheanswered，withasuddencarelessnessoftone。Itwasindispensablethatheshouldbeundeceived，andtobegintheprocessbytakinganaffectedlylightviewofhispersonalriskswasperhapsasgoodawaytodoitasany。Wherefriendlinesswasconstruedaslove，anassumedindifferencewasthenecessaryexpressionforfriendliness。
Soshelethimgo；and，biddinghimhastenbackassoonashecould，wentdownthehill，whileJohn’sfeetretracedtheupland。
Thetrumpet-majorspentthewholeafternoonandeveninginthatlonganddifficultsearchforFestusDerriman。CrossingthedownattheendofthesecondhourhemetMollyandMrs。Loveday。Thegighadbeenrepaired，theyhadlearntthegroundlessnessofthealarm，andtheywouldhavebeenproceedinghappilyenoughbutfortheiranxietyaboutAnne。Johntoldthemshortlythatshehadgotalifthome，andproceededonhisway。
Theworthyobjectofhissearchhadinthemeantimebeenploddinghomewardonfoot，sulkyatthelossofhischarger，encumberedwithhissword，belts，highboots，anduniform，andinhisowndiscomfiturecarelesswhetherAnneGarland’slifehadbeenendangeredornot。
AtlengthDerrimanreachedaplacewheretheroadranbetweenhighbanks，oneofwhichhemountedandpacedalongasachangefromthehardtrackway。Aheadofhimhesawanoldmansittingdown，witheyesfixedonthedustoftheroad，asifrestingandmeditatingatoneandthesametime。Beingprettysurethatherecognizedhisuncleinthatvenerablefigure，Festuscameforwardstealthily，tillhewasimmediatelyabovetheoldman’sback。Thelatterwasclothedinfadednankeenbreeches，speckledstockings，adrabhat，andacoatwhichhadoncebeenlightblue，butfromexposureasascarecrowhadassumedthecomplexionandfibreofadriedpudding-cloth。Thefarmerwas，infact，returningtothehall，whichhehadleftinthemorningsometimelaterthanhisnephew，toseekanasyluminahollowtreeabouttwomilesoff。Thetreewassosituatedastocommandaviewofthebuilding，andUncleBenjyhadmanagedtoclamberupinsidethisnaturalfortificationhighenoughtowatchhisresidencethroughaholeinthebark，till，gatheringfromthewordsofoccasionalpassers-bythatthealarmwasatleastpremature，hehadventuredintodaylightagain。
Hewasnowengagedinabstractedlytracingadiagraminthedustwithhiswalking-stick，andmutteredwordstohimselfaloud。
Presentlyhearoseandwentonhiswaywithoutturninground。
Festuswascuriousenoughtodescendandlookatthemarks。Theyrepresentedanoblong，withtwosemi-diagonals，andalittlesquareinthemiddle。Uponthediagonalswerethefigures20and17，andoneachsideoftheparallelogramstoodalettersignifyingthepointofthecompass。
’Whatcrazythingisrunninginhisheadnow？’saidFestustohimself，withsuperciliouspity，recollectingthatthefarmerhadbeensingingthoseverynumbersearlierinthemorning。Beingabletomakenothingofit，helengthenedhisstrides，andtreadingontiptoeovertookhisrelative，salutinghimbyscratchinghisbacklikeahen。Thestartledoldfarmerdancedroundlikeatop，andgasping，said，asheperceivedhisnephew，’What，Festy！notthrownfromyourhorseandkilled，then，afterall！’
’No，nunc。Whatmadeyethinkthat？’
’Championpassedmeaboutanhourago，whenIwasinhiding——poortimidsoulofme，forIhadnothingtolosebytheFrenchcoming——
andhelookedawfulwiththestirrupsdanglingandthesaddleempty。
’Tisagloomysight，Festy，toseeahorsecanteringwithoutarider，andIthoughtyouhadbeen——fearedyouhadbeenthrownoffandkilledasdeadasanit。’
’Blessyourdearoldheartforbeingsoanxious！Andwhatprettypicturewereyoudrawingjustnowwithyourwalking-stick！’
’O，that！ThatisonlyawayIhaveofamusingmyself。ItshowedhowtheFrenchmighthaveadvancedtotheattack，youknow。Suchtriflesfilltheheadofaweakoldmanlikeme。’
’Ortheplacewheresomethingishidaway——money，forinstance？’
’Festy，’saidthefarmerreproachfully，’youalwaysknowIusetheoldgloveinthebedroomcupboardforanyguineaortwoIpossess。’
’OfcourseIdo，’saidFestusironically。
Theyhadnowreachedalonelyinnaboutamileandahalffromthehall，and，thefarmernotrespondingtohisnephew’skindinvitationtocomeinandtreathim，Festusenteredalone。Hewasdusty，draggled，andweary，andheremainedatthetavernlong。Thetrumpet-major，inthemeantime，havingsearchedtheroadsinvain，heardinthecourseoftheeveningoftheyeoman’sarrivalatthisplace，andthathewouldprobablybefoundtherestill。Heaccordinglyapproachedthedoor，reachingitjustastheduskofeveningchangedtodarkness。
Therewasnolightinthepassage，butJohnpushedonathazard，inquiredforDerriman，andwastoldthathewouldbefoundinthebackparlouralone。WhenLovedayfirstenteredtheapartmenthewasunabletoseeanything，butfollowingtheguidanceofavigoroussnoring，hecametothesettle，uponwhichFestuslayasleep，hispositionbeingfaintlysignifiedbytheshineofhisbuttonsandotherpartsofhisuniform。Johnlaidhishandupontherecliningfigureandshookhim，andbydegreesDerrimanstoppedhissnoreandsatup。
’Whoareyou？’hesaid，intheaccentsofamanwhohasbeendrinkinghard。’Isityou，dearAnne？Letmekissyou；yes，I
will。’
’Shutyourmouth，youpitifulblockhead；I’llteachyougenteelermannersthantopersecuteayoungwomaninthatway！’andtakingFestusbytheear，hegaveitagoodpull。Festusbrokeoutwithanoath，andstruckavagueblowintheairwithhisfist；whereuponthetrumpet-majordealthimaboxontherightear，andasimilaroneonthelefttoartisticallybalancethefirst。Festusjumpedupandusedhisfistswildly，butwithoutanydefiniteresult。
’Wanttofight，doye，eh？’saidJohn。’Nonsense！youcan’tfight，yougreatbaby，andnevercould。Youareonlyfittobesmacked！’
andhedealtFestusaspecimenofthesameonthecheekwiththepalmofhishand。
’No，sir，no！O，youareLoveday，theyoungmanshe’sgoingtobemarriedto，Isuppose？Dashme，Ididn’twanttohurther，sir。’
’Yes，mynameisLoveday；andyou’llknowwheretofindme，sincewecan’tfinishthisto-night。Pistolsorswords，whicheveryoulike，myboy。Takethat，andthat，sothatyoumaynotforgettocalluponme！’andagainhesmackedtheyeoman’searsandcheeks。’Doyouknowwhatitisfor，eh？’
’No，Mr。Loveday，sir——yes，Imean，Ido。’
’Whatisitfor，then？Ishallkeepsmackinguntilyoutellme。
Gad！ifyouweren’tdrunk，I’dhalfkillyouhereto-night。’
’ItisbecauseIservedherbadly。DamnedifIcare！I’lldoitagain，andbehangedto’ee！Where’smyhorseChampion？Tellmethat，’andhehitatthetrumpet-major。
Johnparriedthisattack，andtakinghimfirmlybythecollar，pushedhimdownintotheseat，saying，’HereIhold’eetillyoubegpardonforyourdoingsto-day。Doyouwantanymoreofit，doyou？’
Andheshooktheyeomantoasortofjelly。
’Idobegpardon——no，Idon’t。Isaythis，thatyoushallnottakesuchlibertieswitholdSquireDerriman’snephew，youdirtymiller’sson，youflour-worm，yousmutinthecorn！I’llcallyououtto-morrowmorning，andhavemyrevenge。’
’Ofcourseyouwill；that’swhatIcamefor。’Andpushinghimbackintothecornerofthesettle，Lovedaywentoutofthehouse，feelingconsiderablesatisfactionathavinggothimselfintothebeginningofasniceaquarrelaboutAnneGarlandasthemostjealouslovercoulddesire。
Butofonefeatureinthiscuriousadventurehehadnottheleastnotion——thatFestusDerriman，misledbythedarkness，thefumesofhispotations，andtheconstantsightofAnneandBobtogether，neveroncesupposedhisassailanttobeanyothermanthanBob，believingthetrumpet-majormilesaway。
TherewasamoonduringtheearlypartofJohn’swalkhome，butwhenhehadarrivedwithinamileofOvercombetheskycloudedover，andrainsuddenlybegantofallwithsomeviolence。Nearhimwasawoodengranaryontallstonestaddles，andperceivingthattherainwasonlyathunderstormwhichwouldsoonpassaway，heascendedthestepsandenteredthedoorway，wherehestoodwatchingthehalf-obscuredmoonthroughthestreamingrain。Presently，tohissurprise，hebeheldafemalefigurerunningforwardwithgreatrapidity，nottowardsthegranaryforshelter，buttowardsopenground。Whatcouldsheberunningforinthatdirection？TheanswercameintheappearanceofhisbrotherBobfromthatquarter，seatedonthebackofhisfather’sheavyhorse。Assoonasthewomanmethim，Bobdismountedandcaughtherinhisarms。Theystoodlockedtogether，therainbeatingintotheirunconsciousforms，andthehorselookingon。
Thetrumpet-majorfellbackinsidethegranary，andthrewhimselfonaheapofemptysackswhichlayinthecorner:hehadrecognizedthewomantobeAnne。Herehereclinedinastuportillhewasarousedbythesoundofvoicesunderhim，thevoicesofAnneandhisbrother，who，havingatlastdiscoveredthattheyweregettingwet，hadtakenshelterunderthegranaryfloor。
’Ihavebeenhome，’saidshe。’MotherandMollyhavebothgotbacklongago。Wewereallanxiousaboutyou，andIcameouttolookforyou。O，Bob，Iamsogladtoseeyouagain！’
Johnmighthaveheardeverywordoftheconversation，whichwascontinuedinthesamestrainforalongtime；buthestoppedhisears，andwouldnot。Stilltheyremained，andstillwashedeterminedthattheyshouldnotseehim。Withtheconservedhopeofmorethanhalfayeardashedawayinamoment，hecouldyetfeelthatthecrueltyofaprotestwouldbeevengreaterthanitsinutility。Itwasabsolutelybyhisowncontrivancethatthesituationhadbeenshaped。Bob，lefttohimself，wouldlongerethishavebeenthehusbandofanotherwoman。
Theraindecreased，andtheloverswenton。Johnlookedafterthemastheystrolled，aqua-tintedbytheweakmoonandmist。Bobhadthrustoneofhisarmsthroughthereinofthehorse，andtheotherwasroundAnne’swaist。Whentheywerelostbehindthedeclivitythetrumpet-majorcameout，andwalkedhomewardevenmoreslowlythanthey。Ashewenton，hisfaceputoffitscomplexionofdespairforoneofsereneresolve。Forthefirsttimeinhisdealingswithfriendsheentereduponacourseofcounterfeiting，sethisfeaturestoconcealhisthought，andinstructedhistonguetodolikewise。Hethrewfictitiousnessintohisverygait，evennow，whentherewasnobodytoseehim，andstruckatstemsofwildparsleywithhisregimentalswitchashehadusedtodowhensoldieringwasnewtohim，andlifeingeneralacharmingexperience。
Thuscloakinghissicklythought，hedescendedtothemillastheothershaddonebeforehim，occasionallylookingdownuponthewetroadtonoticehowcloseAnne’slittletracksweretoBob’sallthewayalong，andhowpreciselyacurveinhiscoursewasfollowedbyacurveinhers。Butafterthisheerectedhisheadandwalkedsosmartlyuptothefrontdoorthathisspursrangthroughthecourt。
Theyhadallreachedhome，butbeforeanyofthemcouldspeakhecriedgaily，’Ah，Bob，Ihavebeenthinkingofyou！ByGod，howareyou，myboy？NoFrenchcut-throatsafterall，yousee。Hereweare，wellandhappytogetheragain。’
’AgoodProvidencehaswatchedoverus，’saidMrs。Lovedaycheerfully。’Yes，inalltimesandplacesweareinGod’shand。’
’Sowebe，sowebe！’saidthemiller，whostillshoneinallthefiercenessofuniform。’Well，nowwe’llha’eadropo’drink。’
’There’snone，’saidDavid，comingforwardwithadrawnface。
’What！’saidthemiller。
’AforeIwenttochurchforapiketodefendmynativecountryfromBoney，Ipulledoutthespigotsofallthebarrels，maister；for，thinksI——damnhim！——sincewecan’tdrinkitourselves，heshan’thaveit，nornoneofhismen。’
’Butyoushouldn’thavedoneittillyouwassurehe’dcome！’saidthemiller，aghast。