al will get hold of ye, and carry ye off and ruin me.' He then
with some difficulty lowered the box into the hole, raked in the earth
upon it, and lowered the flagstone, which he was a long time in fixing to
his satisfaction. Miss Garland, who was romantically interested, helped
him to brush away the fragments of loose earth; and when he had scattered
over the floor a little of the straw that lay about, they again ascended
to upper air.

'Is this all, sir?' said Anne.

'Just a moment longer, honey. Will you come into the great parlour?'

She followed him thither.

'If anything happens to me while the fighting is going on--it may be on
these very fields--you will know what to do,' he resumed. 'But first
please sit down again, there's a dear, whilst I write what's in my head.
See, there's the best paper, and a new quill that I've afforded myself
for't.'

'What a strange business! I don't think I much like it, Mr. Derriman,'
she said, seating herself.

He had by this time begun to write, and murmured as he wrote--

'"Twenty-three and a half from N.W. Sixteen and three-quarters from
N.E."--There, that's all. Now I seal it up and give it to you to keep
safe till I ask ye for it, or you hear of my being trampled down by the
enemy.'

'What does it mean?' she asked, as she received the paper.

'Clk! Ha! ha! Why, that's the distance of the box from the two corners
of the cellar. I measured it before you came. And, my honey, to make
all sure, if the French soldiery are after ye, tell your mother the
meaning on't, or any other friend, in case they should put ye to death,
and the secret be lost. But that I am sure I hope they won't do, though
your pretty face will be a sad bait to the soldiers. I often have wished
you was my daughter, honey; and yet in these times the less cares a man
has the better, so I am glad you bain't. Shall my man drive you home?'

'No, no,' she said, much depressed by the words he had uttered. 'I can
find my way. You need not trouble to come down.'

'Then take care of the paper. And if you outlive me, you'll find I have
not forgot you.'

XXV. FESTUS SHOWS HIS LOVE

Festus Derriman had remained in the Royal watering-place all that day,
his horse being sick at stables; but, wishing to coax or bully from his
uncle a remount for the coming summer, he set off on foot for Oxwell
early in the evening. When he drew near to the village, or rather to the
hall, which was a mi