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。