ould sing psalms which, by choosing lively tunes and not thinking of
the words, would be almost as good as ballads.

This they did, the trumpet-major appearing to join in with the rest; but
as a matter of fact no sound came from his moving lips. His mind was in
such a state that he derived no pleasure even from Anne Garland's
presence, though he held a corner of the same book with her, and was
treated in a winsome way which it was not her usual practice to indulge
in. She saw that his mind was clouded, and, far from guessing the reason
why, was doing her best to clear it.

At length the Garlands found that it was the hour for them to leave, and
John Loveday at the same time wished his father and Bob good-night, and
went as far as Mrs. Garland's door with her.

He had said not a word to show that he was free to remain out of camp,
for the reason that there was painful work to be done, which it would be
best to do in secret and alone. He lingered near the house till its
reflected window-lights ceased to glimmer upon the mill-pond, and all
within the dwelling was dark and still. Then he entered the garden and
waited there till the back door opened, and a woman's figure timorously
came forward. John Loveday at once went up to her, and they began to
talk in low yet dissentient tones.

They had conversed about ten minutes, and were parting as if they had
come to some painful arrangement, Miss Johnson sobbing bitterly, when a
head stealthily arose above the dense hedgerow, and in a moment a shout
burst from its owner.

'Thieves! thieves!--my tin box!--thieves! thieves!'

Matilda vanished into the house, and John Loveday hastened to the hedge.
'For heaven's sake, hold your tongue, Mr. Derriman!' he exclaimed.

'My tin box!' said Uncle Benjy. 'O, only the trumpet-major!'

'Your box is safe enough, I assure you. It was only'--here the trumpet-
major gave vent to an artificial laugh--'only a sly bit of courting, you
know.'

'Ha, ha, I see!' said the relieved old squireen. 'Courting Miss Anne!
Then you've ousted my nephew, trumpet-major! Well, so much the better.
As for myself, the truth on't is that I haven't been able to go to bed
easy, for thinking that possibly your father might not take care of what
I put under his charge; and at last I thought I would just step over and
see if all was safe here before I turned in. And when I saw your two
shapes my poor nerves magnified ye to housebreakers, and Boneys, and I