d some of his angularities, reddened his skin,
and given him a foreign look. It was interesting to see what years of
training and service had done for this man. Few would have supposed that
the white and the blue coats of miller and soldier covered the forms of
father and son.

Before the last troop of dragoons rode off they were welcomed in a body
by Miller Loveday, who still stood in his outer garden, this being a plot
lying below the mill-tail, and stretching to the water-side. It was just
the time of year when cherries are ripe, and hang in clusters under their
dark leaves. While the troopers loitered on their horses, and chatted to
the miller across the stream, he gathered bunches of the fruit, and held
them up over the garden hedge for the acceptance of anybody who would
have them; whereupon the soldiers rode into the water to where it had
washed holes in the garden bank, and, reining their horses there, caught
the cherries in their forage-caps, or received bunches of them on the
ends of their switches, with the dignified laugh that became martial men
when stooping to slightly boyish amusement. It was a cheerful, careless,
unpremeditated half-hour, which returned like the scent of a flower to
the memories of some of those who enjoyed it, even at a distance of many
years after, when they lay wounded and weak in foreign lands.

Then dragoons and horses wheeled off as the others had done; and troops
of the German Legion next came down and entered in panoramic procession
the space below Anne's eyes, as if on purpose to gratify her. These were
notable by their mustachios, and queues wound tightly with brown ribbon
to the level of their broad shoulder-blades. They were charmed, as the
others had been, by the head and neck of Miss Garland in the little
square window overlooking the scene of operations, and saluted her with
devoted foreign civility, and in such overwhelming numbers that the
modest girl suddenly withdrew herself into the room, and had a private
blush between the chest of drawers and the washing-stand.

When she came downstairs her mother said, 'I have been thinking what I
ought to wear to Miller Loveday's to-night.'

'To Miller Loveday's?' said Anne.

'Yes. The party is to-night. He has been in here this morning to tell
me that he has seen his son, and they have fixed this evening.'

'Do you think we ought to go, mother?' said Anne slowly, and looking at
the smaller features of the window-flo