WhenAnneenteredandtookherseatshewasalwaysloudlyhailedbyMillerLovedayashewhettedhisknife；butfromBobshecondescendedtoacceptnosuchfamiliargreeting，andtheyoftensatdowntogetherasifeachhadablindeyeinthedirectionoftheother。Bobsometimestoldseriousandcorrectstoriesaboutsea-
　　captains，pilots，boatswains，mates，ableseamen，andothercuriousfaunaofthemarineworld；buttheseweredirectlyaddressedtohisfatherandMrs。Loveday，Annebeingincludedattheclinching-pointbyaglanceonly。Hesometimesopenedbottlesofsweetciderforher，andthenshethankedhim；buteventhisdidnotleadtoherencouraginghischat。
　　OnedaywhenAnnewasparinganappleshewasleftattablewiththeyoungman。’Ihavemadesomethingforyou，’hesaid。
　　Shelookedalloverthetable；nothingwastheresavetheordinaryremnants。
　　’OIdon’tmeanthatitishere；itisoutbythebridgeatthemill-head。’
　　Hearose，andAnnefollowedwithcuriosityinhereyes，andwithherfirmlittlemouthpouteduptoapuzzledshape。Onreachingthemossymill-headshefoundthathehadfixedinthekeendampdraughtwhichalwaysprevailedoverthewheelanAEolianharpoflargesize。
　　Atpresentthestringswerepartlycoveredwithacloth。Heliftedit，andthewiresbegantoemitaweirdharmonywhichmingledcuriouslywiththeplashingofthewheel。
　　’Imadeitonpurposeforyou，MissGarland，’hesaid。
　　Shethankedhimverywarmly，forshehadneverseenanythinglikesuchaninstrumentbefore，anditinterestedher。’Itwasverythoughtfulofyoutomakeit，’sheadded。’Howcameyoutothinkofsuchathing？’
　　’OIdon’tknowexactly，’hereplied，asifhedidnotcaretobequestionedonthepoint。’Ihavenevermadeoneinmylifetillnow。’
　　Everynightafterthis，duringthemournfulgalesofautumn，thestrangemixedmusicofwater，wind，andstringsmetherear，swellingandsinkingwithanalmostsupernaturalcadence。ThecharacteroftheinstrumentwasfarenoughremovedfromanythingshehadhithertoseenofBob’shobbies；sothatshemarvelledpleasantlyatthenewdepthsofpoetrythiscontrivancerevealedasexistentinthatyoungseaman’snature，andallowedheremotionstoflowoutyetalittlefurtherintheolddirection，notwithstandingherlatesevereresolvetobarthemback。
　　Onebreezynight，whenthemillwaskeptgoingintothesmallhours，andthewindwasexactlyinthedirectionofthewater-current，themusicsomingledwithherdreamsastowakeher:itseemedtorhythmicallysetitselftothewords，’Rememberme！thinkofme！’
　　Shewasmuchimpressed；thesoundswerealmosttootouching；andshespoketoBobthenextmorningonthesubject。
　　’Howstrangeitisthatyoushouldhavethoughtoffixingthatharpwherethewatergushes！’shegentlyobserved。’Itaffectsmealmostpainfullyatnight。Youarepoetical，CaptainBob。Butitistoo——
　　toosad！’
　　’Iwilltakeitaway，’saidCaptainBobpromptly。’Itcertainlyistoosad；Ithoughtsomyself。Imyselfwaskeptawakebyitonenight。’
　　’Howcameyoutothinkofmakingsuchapeculiarthing？’
　　’Well，’saidBob，’itishardlyworthsayingwhy。Itisnotagoodplaceforsuchaqueernoisymachine；andI’lltakeitaway。’
　　’Onsecondthoughts，’saidAnne，’Ishouldlikeittoremainalittlelonger，becauseitsetsmethinking。’
　　’Ofme？’heaskedwithearnestfrankness。
　　Anne’scolourrosefast。
　　’Well，yes，’shesaid，tryingtoinfusemuchplainmatter-of-factintohervoice。’OfcourseIamledtothinkofthepersonwhoinventedit。’
　　Bobseemedunaccountablyembarrassed，andthesubjectwasnotpursued。Abouthalf-an-hourlaterhecametoheragain，withsomethingofanuneasylook。
　　’TherewasalittlematterIdidn’ttellyoujustnow，MissGarland，’hesaid。’Aboutthatharpthing，Imean。Ididmakeit，certainly，butitwasmybrotherJohnwhoaskedmetodoit，justbeforehewentaway。Johnisverymusical，asyouknow，andhesaiditwouldinterestyou；butashedidn’taskmetotell，Ididnot。
　　PerhapsIoughttohave，andnothavetakenthecredittomyself。’
　　’O，itisnothing！’saidAnnequickly。’Itisaveryincompleteinstrumentafterall，anditwillbejustaswellforyoutotakeitawayasyoufirstproposed。’
　　Hesaidthathewould，butheforgottodoitthatday；andthefollowingnighttherewasahighwind，andtheharpcriedandmoanedsomovinglythatAnne，whosewindowwasquitenear，couldhardlybearthesoundwithitsnewassociations。JohnLovedaywaspresenttohermindallnightasanill-usedman；andyetshecouldnotownthatshehadill-usedhim。
　　Theharpwasremovednextday。Bob，feelingthathiscreditfororiginalitywasdamagedinhereyes，bywayofrecoveringitsethimselftopaintthesummer-housewhichAnnefrequented，andwhenhecameoutheassuredherthatitwasquitehisownidea。
　　’Itwanteddoing，certainly，’shesaid，inaneutraltone。
　　’Itisjustabouttroublesome。’
　　’Yes；youcan’tquitereachup。That’sbecauseyouarenotverytall；isitnot，CaptainLoveday？’
　　’Youneverusedtosaythingslikethat。’
　　’O，Idon’tmeanthatyouaremuchlessthantall！ShallIholdthepaintforyou，tosaveyoursteppingdown？’
　　’Thankyou，ifyouwould。’
　　Shetookthepaint-pot，andstoodlookingatthebrushasitmovedupanddowninhishand。
　　’IhopeIshallnotsprinkleyourfingers，’heobservedashedipped。
　　’O，thatwouldnotmatter！Youdoitverywell。’
　　’Iamgladtohearthatyouthinkso。’
　　’Butperhapsnotquitesomuchartisdemandedtopaintasummer-houseastopaintapicture？’
　　Thinkingthat，asapainter’sdaughter，andapersonofeducationsuperiortohisown，shespokewithaflavourofsarcasm，hefelthumbledandsaid——
　　’Youdidnotusetotalklikethattome。’
　　’Iwasperhapstooyoungthentotakeanypleasureingivingpain，’
　　sheobserveddaringly。
　　’Doesitgiveyoupleasure？’
　　Annenodded。
　　’Iliketogivepaintopeoplewhohavegivenpaintome，’shesaidsmartly，withoutremovinghereyesfromthegreenliquidinherhand。
　　’Iaskyourpardonforthat。’
　　’Ididn’tsayImeantyou——thoughIdidmeanyou。’
　　Boblookedandlookedathersidefacetillhewasbewitchedintoputtingdownhisbrush。
　　’Itwasthatstupidforgettingof’eeforatime！’heexclaimed。
　　’Well，Ihadn’tseenyouforsoverylong——considerhowmanyyears！
　　O，dearAnne！’hesaid，advancingtotakeherhand，’howwellweknewoneanotherwhenwewerechildren！Youwasaqueentomethen；
　　andsoyouarenow，andalways。’
　　PossiblyAnnewasthrilledpleasantlyenoughathavingbroughtthetruantvillageladtoherfeetagain；buthewasnottofindthesituationsoeasyasheimagined，andherhandwasnottobetakenyet。
　　’Verypretty！’shesaid，laughing。’AndonlysixweekssinceMissJohnsonleft。’
　　’Zounds，don’tsayanythingaboutthat！’imploredBob。’IswearthatInever——neverdeliberatelylovedher——foralongtimetogether，thatis；itwasasuddensortofthing，youknow。Buttowardsyou——Ihavemoreorlesshonouredandrespectfullylovedyou，offandon，allmylife。There，that’strue。’
　　Anneretortedquickly——
　　’Iamwilling，offandon，tobelieveyou，CaptainRobert。ButI
　　don’tseeanygoodinyourmakingthesesolemndeclarations。’
　　’Givemeleavetoexplain，dearMissGarland。Itistogetyoutobepleasedtorenewanoldpromise——madeyearsago——thatyou’llthinko’me。’
　　’NotawordofanypromisewillIrepeat。’
　　’Well，well，Iwon’turge’eetoday。Onlyletmebegofyoutogetoverthequitewrongnotionyouhaveofme；anditshallbemywholeendeavourtofetchyourgraciousfavour。’
　　Anneturnedawayfromhimandenteredthehouse，whitherinthecourseofaquarterofanhourhefollowedher，knockingatherdoor，andaskingtobeletin。Shesaidshewasbusy；whereuponhewentaway，tocomebackagaininashorttimeandreceivethesameanswer。
　　’Ihavefinishedpaintingthesummer-houseforyou，’hesaidthroughthedoor。
　　’Icannotcometoseeit。Ishallbeengagedtillsupper-time。’
　　Sheheardhimbreatheaheavysighandwithdraw，murmuringsomethingabouthisbadluckinbeingcutawayfromthestarnlikethis。Butitwasnotoveryet。Whensupper-timecameandtheysatdowntogether，shetookuponherselftoreprovehimforwhathehadsaidtoherinthegarden。
　　Bobmadehisforeheadexpressdespair。
　　’Now，Ibegyouthisonething，’hesaid。’Justletmeknowyourwholemind。ThenIshallhaveachancetoconfessmyfaultsandmendthem，orclearmyconducttoyoursatisfaction。’
　　Sheansweredwithquickness，butnotloudenoughtobeheardbytheoldpeopleattheotherendofthetable——’Then，CaptainLoveday，I
　　willtellyouonething，onefault，thatperhapswouldhavebeenmorepropertomycharacterthantoyours。Youaretooeasilyimpressedbynewfaces，andthatgivesmeaBADOPINIONofyou——yes，aBADOPINION。’
　　’O，that’sit！’saidBobslowly，lookingatherwiththeintenserespectofapupilforamaster，herwordsbeingspokeninamannersopreciselybetweenjestandearnestthathewasinsomedoubthowtheyweretobereceived。’Impressedbynewfaces。Itiswrong，certainly，ofme。’
　　Thepoppingofacork，andthepouringoutofstrongbeerbythemillerwithaviewtogivingitahead，wereapparentlydistractionssufficienttoexcuseherinnotattendingfurthertohim；andduringtheremainderofthesittinghergentlechidingseemedtobesinkingseriouslyintohismind。Perhapsherownheartachedtoseehowsilenthewas；butshehadalwaysmeanttopunishhim。Dayafterdayfortwoorthreeweeksshepreservedthesamedemeanour，withaself-controlwhichdidjusticetohercharacter。And，onhispart，consideringwhathehadtoputupwith——howsheeludedhim，snappedhimoff，refusedtocomeoutwhenhecalledher，refusedtoseehimwhenhewantedtoenterthelittleparlourwhichshehadnowappropriatedtoherprivateuse，hispatiencetestifiedstronglytohisgood-humour。
　　Christmashadpassed。Drearywinterwithdarkeveningshadgivenplacetomoredrearywinterwithlightevenings。Rapidthawshadendedinrain，raininwind，windindust。Showerydayshadcome——
　　theseasonofpinkdawnsandwhitesunsets；andpeoplehopedthattheMarchweatherwasover。
　　Thechiefincidentthatconcernedthehouseholdatthemillwasthatthemiller，followingtheexampleofallhisneighbours，hadbecomeavolunteer，anddulyappearedtwiceaweekinared，long-tailedmilitarycoat，pipe-clayedbreeches，blackclothgaiters，aheel-balledhelmet-hat，withatuftofgreenwool，andepaulettesofthesamecolourandmaterial。Bobstillremainedneutral。Notbeingabletodecidewhethertoenrolhimselfasasea-fencible，alocalmilitia-man，oravolunteer，hesimplywentondancingattendanceuponAnne。Mrs。Lovedayhadbecomeawaketothefactthatthepairofyoungpeoplestoodinacuriousattitudetowardseachother；butastheywereneverseenwiththeirheadstogether，andscarcelyeversateveninthesameroom，shecouldnotbesurewhattheirmovementsmeant。
　　Strangelyenoughorperhapsnaturallyenough，sinceenteringtheLovedayfamilyherself，shehadgraduallygrowntothinklessfavourablyofAnnedoingthesamething，andrevertedtoheroriginalideaofencouragingFestus；thismoreparticularlybecausehehadoflateshownsuchperseveranceinhauntingtheprecinctsofthemill，presumablywiththeintentionoflightingupontheyounggirl。Buttheweatherhadkepthermostlyindoors。