’Verywell，then！’exclaimedBob，withsuddendetermination。’NowI
　　knowmydoom！Andwhateveryouhearofashappeningtome，mindthis，youcruelgirl，thatitisallyourcausing！’Sayingthishestrodewithahastytreadacrosstheroomintothepassageandoutatthedoor，slammingitloudlybehindhim。
　　Annesuddenlylookedupfromherhandkerchief，andstaredwithroundweteyesandpartedlipsatthedoorbywhichhehadgone。Havingremainedwithsuspendedbreathinthisattitudeforafewsecondssheturnedround，bentherheaduponthetable，andburstoutweepinganewwiththricetheviolenceoftheformertime。Itreallyseemednowasifhergriefwouldoverwhelmher，alltheemotionswhichhadbeensuppressed，bottledup，andconcealedsinceBob’sreturnhavingmadethemselvesasluiceatlast。
　　Butsuchthingshavetheirend；andlefttoherselfinthelarge，vacant，oldapartment，shegrewquieter，andatlastcalm。Atlengthshetookthecandleandascendedtoherbedroom，whereshebathedhereyesandlookedintheglasstoseeifshehadmadeherselfadreadfulobject。Itwasnotsobadasshehadexpected，andshewentdownstairsagain。
　　Nobodywasthere，and，sittingdown，shewonderedwhatBobhadreallymeantbyhiswords。Itwastoodreadfultothinkthatheintendedtogostraightawaytoseawithoutseeingheragain，andfrightenedatwhatshehaddoneshewaitedanxiouslyforhisreturn。
　　Hersuspensewasinterruptedbyaverygentletappingatthedoor，andthentherustleofahandoveritssurface，asifsearchingforthelatchinthedark。Thedooropenedafewinches，andthealabasterfaceofUncleBenjyappearedintheslit。
　　’O，SquireDerriman，youfrightenme！’
　　’Allalone？’heaskedinawhisper。
　　’MymotherandMr。Lovedayaresomewhereaboutthehouse。’
　　’Thatwilldo，’hesaid，comingforward。’Ibewherritedoutofmylife，andIhavethoughtofyouagain——youyourself，dearAnne，andnotthemiller。IfyouwillonlytakethisandlockitupforafewdaystillIcanfindanothergoodplaceforit——ifyouonlywould！’
　　Andhebreathlesslydepositedthetinboxonthetable。
　　’What，obligedtodigitupfromthecellar？’
　　’Ay；mynephewhathascentoftheplace——how，Idon’tknow！butheandayoungwomanhe’smetwitharesearchingeverywhere。Iworkedlikeawire-drawertogetitupandawaywhiletheywerescrapinginthenextcellar。Nowwherecouldyeputit，dear？’Tisonlyafewdocuments，andmywill，andsuchlike，youknow。Poorsoulo’me，I’mwornoutwithrunningandfright！’
　　’I’llputitheretillIcanthinkofabetterplace，’saidAnne，liftingthebox。’Dearme，howheavyitis！’
　　’Yes，yes，’saidUncleBenjyhastily；’theboxisiron，yousee。
　　However，takecareofit，becauseIamgoingtomakeitworthyourwhile。Ah，youareagoodgirl，Anne。Iwishyouwasmine！’
　　AnnelookedatUncleBenjy。Shehadknownforsometimethatshepossessedalltheaffectionhehadtobestow。
　　’Whydoyouwishthat？’shesaidsimply。
　　’Nowdon’tyearguewithme。Whered’yeputthecoffer？’
　　’Here，’saidAnne，goingtothewindow-seat，whichroseasaflap，disclosingaboxedreceptaclebeneath，asinmanyoldhouses。
　　’’Tisverywellforthepresent，’hesaiddubiously，andtheydroppedthecofferin，Annelockingdowntheseat，andgivinghimthekey。’NowIdon’twantyetobeonmysidefornothing，’hewenton。’Ineverdidnow，didI？Thisisforyou。’Hehandedheralittlepacketofpaper，whichAnneturnedoverandlookedatcuriously。’Ialwaysmeanttodoit，’continuedUncleBenjy，gazingatthepacketasitlayinherhand，andsighing。’Come，openit，mydear；Ialwaysmeanttodoit！’
　　Sheopeneditandfoundtwentynewguineassnuglypackedwithin。
　　’Yes，theyareforyou。Ialwaysmeanttodoit！’hesaid，sighingagain。
　　’Butyouowemenothing！’returnedAnne，holdingthemout。
　　’Don’tsayit！’criedUncleBenjy，coveringhiseyes。’Put’emaway……Well，ifyouDON’Twant’em——Butput’emaway，dearAnne；theyareforyou，becauseyouhavekeptmycounsel。
　　Good-nightt’ye。Yes，theyareforyou。’
　　Hewentafewsteps，andturningbackaddedanxiously，’Youwon’tspend’eminclothes，orwaste’eminfairings，orornamentsofanykind，mydeargirl？’
　　’Iwillnot，’saidAnne。’Iwishyouwouldhavethem。’
　　’No，no，’saidUncleBenjy，rushingofftoescapetheirshine。Buthehadgotnofurtherthanthepassagewhenhereturnedagain。
　　’Andyouwon’tlend’emtoanybody，orput’emintothebank——fornobankissafeinthesetroubloustimes？……IfIwasyouI’dkeepthemEXACTLYastheybe，andnotspend’emonanyaccount。ShallI
　　lockthemintomyboxforye？’
　　’Certainly，’saidshe；andthefarmerrapidlyunlockedthewindow-bench，openedthebox，andlockedthemin。
　　’’Tismuchthebestplan，’hesaidwithgreatsatisfactionashereturnedthekeystohispocket。’Theretheywillalwaysbesafe，yousee，andyouwon’tbeexposedtotemptation。’
　　Whentheoldmanhadbeengoneafewminutes，themillerandhiswifecamein，quiteunconsciousofallthathadpassed。Anne’sanxietyaboutBobwasagainuppermostnow，andshespokebutmeagrelyofoldDerriman’svisit，andnothingofwhathehadleft。
　　ShewouldfainhaveaskedthemiftheyknewwhereBobwas，butthatshedidnotwishtoinformthemoftherupture。Shewasforcedtoadmittoherselfthatshehadsomewhattriedhispatience，andthatimpulsivemenhadbeenknowntododarkthingswiththemselvesatsuchtimes。
　　Theysatdowntosupper，theclocktickedrapidlyon，andatlengththemillersaid，’Bobislaterthanusual。Wherecanhebe？’
　　Astheybothlookedather，shecouldnolongerkeepthesecret。
　　’Itismyfault，’shecried；’Ihavedrivenhimaway！WhatshallI
　　do？’
　　Thenatureofthequarrelwasatonceguessed，andhertwoelderssaidnomore。Anneroseandwenttothefrontdoor，whereshelistenedforeverysoundwithapalpitatingheart。Thenshewentin；thenshewentout:andononeoccasionsheheardthemillersay，’IwonderwhathathpassedbetweenBobandAnne。Ihopethechapwillcomehome。’
　　Justaboutthistimelightfootstepswereheardwithout，andBobbouncedintothepassage。Anne，whostoodbackinthedarkwhilehepassed，followedhimintotheroom，wherehermotherandthemillerwereonthepointofretiringtobed，candleinhand。
　　’Ihavekeptyeup，Ifear，’beganBobcheerily，andapparentlywithoutthefaintestrecollectionofhistragicexitfromthehouse。
　　’Butthetruthon’tis，ImetwithFessDerrimanatthe“DukeofYork“asIwentfromhere，andtherewehavebeenplayingPuteversince，notnoticinghowthetimewasgoing。Ihaven’thadagoodchatwiththefellowforyearsandyears，andreallyheisanoutandoutgoodcomrade——aregularhearty！Poorfellow，he’sbeenverybadlyused。Ineverheardtherightsofthestorytillnow；butitseemsthatolduncleofhistreatshimshamefully。Hehasbeenhidingawayhismoney，sothatpoorFessmightnothaveafarthing，tillatlasttheyoungmanhasturned，likeanyotherworm，andisnowdeterminedtoferretoutwhathehasdonewithit。Thepooryoungchaphadn’tafarthingofreadymoneytillIlenthimacoupleofguineas——athingIneverdidmorewillinglyinmylife。Butthemanwasveryhonourable。“No；no，“sayshe，“don’tletmedepriveye。“He’sgoingtomarry，andwhatmayyouthinkheisgoingtodoitfor？’
　　’Forlove，Ihope，’saidAnne’smother。
　　’Formoney，Isuppose，sincehe’ssoshort，’saidthemiller。
　　’No，’saidBob，’forSPITE。Hehasbeenbadlyserved——deucedbadlyserved——byawoman。Ineverheardofamoreheartlesscaseinmylife。Thepoorchapwouldn’tmentionnames，butitseemsthisyoungwomanhastrifledwithhiminallmannerofcruelways——pushedhimintotheriver，triedtostealhishorsewhenhewascalledouttodefendhiscountry——inshort，servedhimrascally。SoIgavehimthetwoguineasandsaid，“Nowlet’sdrinktothehussy’sdownfall！“’
　　’O！’saidAnne，havingapproachedbehindhim。
　　Bobturnedandsawher，andatthesamemomentMr。andMrs。Lovedaydiscreetlyretiredbytheotherdoor。
　　’Isitpeace？’heaskedtenderly。
　　’Oyes，’sheanxiouslyreplied。’I——didn’tmeantomakeyouthinkI
　　hadnoheart。’AtthisBobinclinedhiscountenancetowardshers。
　　’No，’shesaid，smilingthroughtwoincipienttearsasshedrewback。’Youaretoshowgoodbehaviourforsixmonths，andyoumustpromisenottofrightenmeagainbyrunningoffwhenI——showyouhowbadlyyouhaveservedme。’
　　’Iamyoursobedient——inanything，’criedBob。’ButamIpardoned？’
　　Youthisfoolish；anddoesawomanoftenletherreasoninginfavouroftheworthierstandinthewayofherperversedesireforthelessworthyatsuchtimesasthese？Shemurmuredsomesoftwords，endingwith’Doyourepent？’
　　ItwouldbesuperfluoustotranscribeBob’sanswer。
　　Footstepswereheardwithout。
　　’Obegad；Iforgot！’saidBob。’He’swaitingoutthereforalight。’
　　’Who？’
　　’MyfriendDerriman。’
　　’But，Bob，Ihavetoexplain。’
　　ButFestushadbythistimeenteredthelobby，andAnne，withahasty’Getridofhimatonce！’vanishedupstairs。
　　Hereshewaitedandwaited，butFestusdidnotseeminclinedtodepart；andatlast，forebodingsomecollisionofinterestsfromBob’snewfriendshipforthisman，shecreptintoastoreroomwhichwasovertheapartmentintowhichLovedayandFestushadgone。Bylookingthroughaknot-holeintheflooritwaseasytocommandaviewoftheroombeneath，thisbeingunceiled，withmouldedbeamsandrafters。
　　Festushadsatdownonthehollowwindow-bench，andwascontinuingthestatementofhiswrongs。’Ifheonlyknewwhathewassittingupon，’shethoughtapprehensively，’howeasilyhecouldtearuptheflap，lockandall，withhisstrongarm，andseizeuponpoorUncleBenjy’spossessions！’Buthedidnotappeartoknow，unlesshewereacting，whichwasjustpossible。Afterawhileherose，andgoingtothetableliftedthecandletolighthispipe。Atthemomentwhentheflamebegandivingintothebowlthedoornoiselesslyopenedandafigureslippedacrosstheroomtothewindow-bench，hastilyunlockedit，withdrewthebox，andbeataretreat。AnneinamomentrecognizedtheghostlyintruderasFestusDerriman’suncle。
　　BeforehecouldgetoutoftheroomFestussetdownthecandleandturned。
　　’What——UncleBenjy——haw，haw！Hereatthistimeofnight？’
　　UncleBenjy’seyesgrewparalyzed，andhismouthopenedandshutlikeafrog’sinadrought，theactionproducingnosound。
　　’Whathavewegothere——atinbox——theboxofboxes？Why，I’llcarryitfor’ee，uncle！——Iamgoinghome。’
　　’N——no——no，thanky，Festus:itisn——n——notheavyatall，thanky，’
　　gaspedthesquireen。
　　’ObutImust，’saidFestus，pullingatthebox。
　　’Don’tlethimhaveit，Bob！’screamedtheexcitedAnnethroughtheholeinthefloor。
　　’No，don’tlethim！’criedtheuncle。’’Tisaplot——there’sawomanatthewindowwaitingtohelphim！’
　　Anne’seyesflewtothewindow，andshesawMatilda’sfacepressedagainstthepane。
　　Bob，thoughhedidnotknowwhenceAnne’scommandproceededobeyedwithalacrity，pulledtheboxfromthetworelatives，andplaceditonthetablebesidehim。
　　’Now，lookhere，hearties；what’sthemeaningo’this？’hesaid。
　　’He’stryingtorobmeofallIpossess！’criedtheoldman。’Myheart-stringsseemasiftheyweregoingcrack，crack，crack！’
　　Atthisinstantthemillerinhisshirt-sleevesenteredtheroom，havinggotthusfarinhisundressingwhenheheardthenoise。BobandFestusturnedtohimtoexplain；andwhenthelatterhadhadhissayBobadded，’Well，allIknowisthatthisbox’——herehestretchedouthishandtolayituponthelidforemphasis。Butasnothingbutthinairmethisfingerswheretheboxhadbeen，heturned，andfoundthattheboxwasgone，UncleBenjyhavingvanishedalso。