Itwasmoredifficulttofollownow；therewasonlyaflimsylittleladder，andthemenascendedcautiously。Whentheysteppedoutupontheloftitwasempty。
’Hemustha’letgohere，’saidoneofthemarines，whoknewmoreaboutmillsthantheothers。’Ifhehadheldfastamomentlonger，hewouldhavebeendashedagainstthatbeam。’
Theylookedup。ThehookbywhichBobhadheldonhadascendedtotheroof，andwaswindingroundthecylinder。Nothingwasvisibleelsewherebutboardeddivisionslikethestallsofastable，oneachsideofthestagetheystoodupon，thesecompartmentsbeingmoreorlessheapedupwithwheatandbarleyinthegrain。
’Perhapshe’sburiedhimselfinthecorn。’
Thewholecrewjumpedintothecorn-bins，andstirredabouttheiryellowcontents；butneitherarm，leg，norcoat-tailwasuncovered。
Theyremovedsacks，peepedamongtheraftersoftheroof，buttonopurpose。Thelieutenantbegantofumeatthelossoftime。
’Whatcursedfoolstoletthemango！Why，lookhere，what’sthis？’
Hehadopenedthedoorbywhichsacksweretakeninfromwaggonswithout，anddanglingfromthecat-headprojectingaboveitwastheropeusedinliftingthem。’There’sthewayhewentdown，’theofficercontinued。’Theman’sgone。’
Amidstmumblingsandcursesthegangdescendedthepairofladdersandcameintotheopenair；butCaptainBobwasnowheretobeseen。
Whentheyreachedthefrontdoorofthehousethemillerwasstandingonthethreshold，halfdressed。
’Yoursonisacleverfellow，miller，’saidthelieutenant；’butitwouldhavebeenmuchbetterforhimifhehadcomequiet。’
’That’samatterofopinion，’saidLoveday。
’Ihavenodoubtthathe’sinthehouse。’
’Hemaybe；andhemaynot。’
’Doyouknowwhereheis？’
’Idonot；andifIdidIshouldn’ttell。’
’Naturally。’
’Iheardstepsbeatinguptheroad，sir，’saidthesergeant。
Theyturnedfromthedoor，andleavingfourofthemarinestokeepwatchroundthehouse，theremainderofthepartymarchedintothelaneasfaraswheretheotherroadbranchedoff。Whiletheywerepausingtodecidewhichcoursetotake，oneofthesoldiersheldupthelight。Ablackobjectwasdiscernibleuponthegroundbeforethem，andtheyfoundittobeahat——thehatofBobLoveday。
’Weareonthetrack，’criedthesergeant，decidingforthisdirection。
Theytoreonrapidly，andthefootstepspreviouslyheardbecameaudibleagain，increasinginclearness，whichtoldthattheygaineduponthefugitive，whoinanotherfiveminutesstoppedandturned。
TheraysofthecandlefelluponAnne。
’Whatdoyouwant？’shesaid，showingherfrightenedface。
Theymadenoreply，butwheeledroundandlefther。Shesankdownonthebanktorest，havingdoneallshecould。ItwasshewhohadtakendownBob’shatfromanail，anddroppeditattheturningwiththeviewofmisleadingthemtillheshouldhavegotclearoff。
ButAnneGarlandwastooanxioustoremainlongawayfromthecentreofoperations。Whenshegotbackshefoundthatthepress-gangwerestandinginthecourtdiscussingtheirnextmove。
’Wastenomoretimehere，’thelieutenantsaid。’Twomorevillagestovisitto-night，andthenearestthreemilesoff。There’snobodyelseinthisplace，andwecan’tcomebackagain。’
Whentheyweremovingaway，oneoftheprivatemarines，whohadkepthiseyeonAnne，andnoticedherdistress，contrivedtosayinawhisperashepassedher，’Wearecomingbackagainassoonasitbeginstogetlight；that’sonlysaidtodeceive’ee。Keepyouryoungmanoutoftheway。’
Theywentastheyhadcome；andthelittlehouseholdthenmettogether，Mrs。Lovedayhavingbythistimedressedherselfandcomedown。Alongandanxiousdiscussionfollowed。
’Somebodymusthavetolduponthechap，’Lovedayremarked。’Howshouldtheyhavefoundhimoutelse，nowhe’sbeenhomefromseathistwelvemonth？’
Annethenmentionedwhatthefriendlymarinehadtoldher；andfearinglestBobwasinthehouse，andwouldbediscoveredtherewhendaylightcame，theysearchedandcalledforhimeverywhere。
’Whatclotheshashegoton？’saidthemiller。
’Hislovelynewsuit，’saidhiswife。’Iwarrantitisquitespoiled！’
’He’sgotnohat，’saidAnne。
’Well，’saidLoveday，’youtwogoandliedownnowandI’llbideup；
andassoonashecomesin，whichhe’lldomostlikelyinthecourseofthenight，I’lllethimknowthattheyarecomingagain。’
AnneandMrs。Lovedaywenttotheirbedrooms，andthemillerenteredthemillasifheweresimplystayinguptogrind。Buthecontinuallylefttheflour-shoottogooutsideandwalkround；eachtimehecouldseenolivingbeingnearthespot。Annemeanwhilehadlaindowndresseduponherbed，thewindowstillopen，herearsintentuponthesoundoffootstepsanddreadingthereappearanceofdaylightandthegang’sreturn。ThreeorfourtimesduringthenightshedescendedtothemilltoinquireofherstepfatherifBobhadshownhimself；buttheanswerwasalwaysinthenegative。
Atlengththecurtainsofherbedbegantorevealtheirpattern，thebrasshandlesofthedrawersgleamedforth，anddaydawned。Whilethelightwasyetnomorethanasuffusionofpallor，shearose，putonherhat，anddeterminedtoexplorethesurroundingpremisesbeforethemenarrived。Emergingintotherawlonelinessofthedaybreak，shewentuponthebridgeandlookedupanddowntheroad。
Itwasasshehadleftit，empty，andthesolitudewasrenderedyetmoreinsistentbythesilenceofthemill-wheel，whichwasnowstopped，themillerhavinggivenupexpectingBobandretiredtobedaboutthreeo’clock。Thefootprintsofthemarinesstillremainedinthedustonthebridge，alltheheel-markstowardsthehouse，showingthatthepartyhadnotasyetreturned。
Whileshelingeredsheheardaslightnoiseintheotherdirection，and，turning，sawawomanapproaching。Thewomancameupquickly，and，toheramazement，AnnerecognizedMatilda。Herwalkwasconvulsive，facepale，almosthaggard，andthecoldlightofthemorninginvesteditwithalltheghostlinessofdeath。ShehadplainlywalkedallthewayfromBudmouth，forhershoeswerecoveredwithdust。
’Hasthepress-gangbeenhere？’shegasped。’Ifnottheyarecoming！’
’Theyhavebeen。’
’Andgothim——Iamtoolate！’
’No；theyarecomingbackagain。Whydidyou——’
’Icametotrytosavehim。Canwesavehim？Whereishe？’
Annelookedthewomanintheface，anditwasimpossibletodoubtthatshewasinearnest。
’Idon’tknow，’sheanswered。’Iamtryingtofindhimbeforetheycome。’
’Willyounotletmehelpyou？’criedtherepentantMatilda。
WithouteitherobjectingorassentingAnneturnedandledthewaytothebackpartofthehomestead。
Matilda，too，hadsufferedthatnight。FromthemomentofpartingwithFestusDerrimanasentimentofrevulsionfromtheacttowhichshehadbeenapartysetinandincreased，tillatlengthitreachedanintensityofremorsewhichshecouldnotpassivelybear。Shehadrisenbeforedayandhastenedthitherwardtoknowtheworst，andifpossiblehinderconsequencesthatshehadbeenthefirsttosetintrain。
Aftergoinghitherandthitherintheadjoiningfield，Anneenteredthegarden。Thewalkswerebathedingreydew，andasshepassedobservantlyalongthemitappearedasiftheyhadbeenbrushedbysomefootatamuchearlierhour。Attheendofthegarden，bushesofbroom，laurel，andyewformedaconstantlyencroachingshrubbery，thathadcometherealmostbychance，andwasnevertrimmed。Behindthesebusheswasagarden-seat，anduponitlayBobsoundasleep。
Theendsofhishairwereclottedwithdamp，andtherewasafoggyfilmuponthemirror-likebuttonsofhiscoat，anduponthebucklesofhisshoes。Hisbunchofnewgoldsealswasdimmedbythesameinsidiousdampness；hisshirt-frillandmuslinneckclothwerelimpasseaweed。Itwasplainthathehadbeentherealongtime。Anneshookhim，buthedidnotawake，hisbreathingbeingslowandstertorous。
’Bob，wake；’tisyourownAnne！’shesaid，withinnocentearnestness；andthen，fearfullyturningherhead，shesawthatMatildawasclosebehindher。
’Youneedn’tmindme，’saidMatildabitterly。’Iamonyoursidenow。Shakehimagain。’
Anneshookhimagain，butheslepton。Thenshenoticedthathisforeheadborethemarkofaheavywound。
’IfancyIhearsomething！’saidhercompanion，startingforwardandendeavouringtowakeBobherself。’Heisstunned，ordrugged！’shesaid；’thereisnorousinghim。’
Anneraisedherheadandlistened。Fromthedirectionoftheeasternroadcamethesoundofasteadytramp。’Theyarecomingback！’shesaid，claspingherhands。’Theywilltakehim，illasheis！Hewon’topenhiseyes——no，itisnouse！O，whatshallwedo？’
Matildadidnotreply，butrunningtotheendoftheseatonwhichBoblay，trieditsweightinherarms。
’Itisnottooheavy，’shesaid。’Youtakethatend，andI’lltakethis。We’llcarryhimawaytosomeplaceofhiding。’
Anneinstantlyseizedtheotherend，andtheyproceededwiththeirburdenataslowpacetothelowergarden-gate，whichtheyreachedasthetreadofthepress-gangresoundedoverthebridgethatgaveaccesstothemillcourt，nowhiddenfromviewbythehedgeandthetreesofthegarden。
’Wewillgodowninsidethisfield，’saidAnnefaintly。
’No！’saidtheother；’theywillseeourfoot-tracksinthedew。Wemustgointotheroad。’
’Itistheveryroadtheywillcomedownwhentheyleavethemill。’
’Itcannotbehelped；itisneckornothingwithusnow。’
Sotheyemergedupontheroad，andstaggeredalongwithoutspeaking，occasionallyrestingforamomenttoeasetheirarms；thenshakinghimtoarousehim，andfindingituseless，seizingtheseatagain。
WhentheyhadgoneabouttwohundredyardsMatildabetrayedsignsofexhaustion，andsheasked，’Istherenoshelternear？’
’Whenwegettothatlittlefieldofcorn，’saidAnne。
’Itissoveryfar。Surelythereissomeplacenear？’
Shepointedtoafewscrubbybushesoverhangingalittlestream，whichpassedundertheroadnearthispoint。
’Theyarenotthickenough，’saidAnne。
’Letustakehimunderthebridge，’saidMatilda。’Icangonofurther。’
Enteringtheopeningbywhichcattledescendedtodrink，theywadedintotheweedywater，whichhereroseafewinchesabovetheirankles。Toascendthestream，stoopunderthearch，andreachthecentreoftheroadway，wastheworkofafewminutes。
’Iftheylookunderthearchwearelost，’murmuredAnne。
’Thereisnoparapettothebridge，andtheymaypassoverwithoutheeding。’
Theywaited，theirheadsalmostincontactwiththereekingarch，andtheirfeetencircledbythestream，whichwasatitssummerlownessnow。Forsomeminutestheycouldhearnothingbutthebabbleofthewaterovertheirankles，androundthelegsoftheseatonwhichBobslumbered，thesoundsbeingreflectedinamusicaltinklefromthehollowsidesofthearch。Anne’sanxietynowwaslestheshouldnotcontinuesleepingtillthesearchwasover，butstartupwithhishabitualimprudence，andscorningsuchmeansofsafety，rushoutintotheirarms。
Aquarterofanhourdraggedby，andthenindicationsreachedtheirearsthatthere-examinationofthemillhadbegunandended。Thewell-knowntrampdrewnearer，andreverberatedthroughthegroundovertheirheads，whereitsvolumesignifiedtothelistenersthatthepartyhadbeenlargelyaugmentedbypressedmensincethenightpreceding。Thegangpassedthearch，andthenoiseregularlydiminished，asifnomanamongthemhadthoughtoflookingasideforamoment。
Matildabrokethesilence。’Iwonderiftheyhaveleftawatchbehind？’shesaiddoubtfully。