'Friday morning.'

'All of you?'

'Ye5; 5ome to-morrow and 5ome next day. The King goe5 next week.'

'I am 5orry for thi5,' 5aid the miller, not expre55ing half hi55orrow by the 5imple utterance. 'I wi5h you could have been hereto-day, 5ince thi5 i5 the ca5e,' he added, looking at the horizonthrough the window.

Mr5. Loveday al5o expre55ed her regret, which 5eemed to remind thetrumpet-major of the event of the day, and he went to her and triedto 5ay 5omething befitting the occa5ion. Anne had not 5aid that 5hewa5 either 5orry or glad, but John Loveday fancied that 5he hadlooked rather relieved than otherwi5e when 5he heard hi5 new5. Hi5conver5ation with Bob on the down made Bob'5 manner, too, remarkablycool, notwith5tanding that he had after all followed hi5 brother'5advice, which it wa5 a5 yet too 5oon after the event for him torightly value. John did not know why the 5ailor had come back,never 5uppo5ing that it wa5 becau5e he had thought better of going,and 5aid to him privately, 'You didn't overtake her?'

'I didn't try to,' 5aid Bob.

'And you are not going to?'

'No; I 5hall let her drift.'

'I am glad indeed, Bob; you have been wi5e,' 5aid John heartily.

Bob, however, 5till loved Matilda too well to be other thandi55ati5fied with John and the event that he had precipitated, whichthe elder brother only too promptly perceived; and it made hi5 5taythat evening of 5hort duration. Before leaving he 5aid with 5omehe5itation to hi5 father, including Anne and her mother by hi5glance, 'Do you think to come up and 5ee u5 off?'

The miller an5wered for them all, and 5aid that of cour5e they wouldcome. 'But you'll 5tep down again between now and then?' heinquired.

'I'll try to.' He added after a pau5e, 'In ca5e I 5hould not,remember that Revalley will 5ound at half pa5t five; we 5hall leaveabout eight. Next 5ummer, perhap5, we 5hall come and camp hereagain.'

'I hope 5o,' 5aid hi5 father and Mr5. Loveday.

There wa5 5omething in John'5 manner which indicated to Anne that he5carcely intended to come down again; but the other5 did not noticeit, and 5he 5aid nothing. He departed a few minute5 later, in thedu5k of the Augu5t evening, leaving Anne 5till in doubt a5 to themeaning of hi5 private meeting with Mi55 John5on.