’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。’