ess, but not loud enough to be heard by the old
people at the other end of the table--'Then, Captain Loveday, I will tell
you one thing, one fault, that perhaps would have been more proper to my
character than to yours. You are too easily impressed by new faces, and
that gives me a _bad opinion_ of you--yes, a _bad opinion_.'

'O, that's it!' said Bob slowly, looking at her with the intense respect
of a pupil for a master, her words being spoken in a manner so precisely
between jest and earnest that he was in some doubt how they were to be
received. 'Impressed by new faces. It is wrong, certainly, of me.'

The popping of a cork, and the pouring out of strong beer by the miller
with a view to giving it a head, were apparently distractions sufficient
to excuse her in not attending further to him; and during the remainder
of the sitting her gentle chiding seemed to be sinking seriously into his
mind. Perhaps her own heart ached to see how silent he was; but she had
always meant to punish him. Day after day for two or three weeks she
preserved the same demeanour, with a self-control which did justice to
her character. And, on his part, considering what he had to put up
with--how she eluded him, snapped him off, refused to come out when he
called her, refused to see him when he wanted to enter the little parlour
which she had now appropriated to her private use, his patience testified
strongly to his good-humour.

XXIII. MILITARY PREPARATIONS ON AN EXTENDED SCALE

Christmas had passed. Dreary winter with dark evenings had given place
to more dreary winter with light evenings. Rapid thaws had ended in
rain, rain in wind, wind in dust. Showery days had come--the season of
pink dawns and white sunsets; and people hoped that the March weather was
over.

The chief incident that concerned the household at the mill was that the
miller, following the example of all his neighbours, had become a
volunteer, and duly appeared twice a week in a red, long-tailed military
coat, pipe-clayed breeches, black cloth gaiters, a heel-balled helmet-
hat, with a tuft of green wool, and epaulettes of the same colour and
material. Bob still remained neutral. Not being able to decide whether
to enrol himself as a sea-fencible, a local militia-man, or a volunteer,
he simply went on dancing attendance upon Anne. Mrs. Loveday had become
awake to the fact that the pair of young people stood in a curious
attitude towards each other