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At the moment when the flame began diving into the bowl the door noiselessly opened and a figure slipped across the room to the window-bench, hastily unlocked it, withdrew the box, and beat a retreat. Anne in a moment recognized the ghostly intruder as Festus Derriman's uncle. Before he could get out of the room Festus set down the candle and turned. 'What Uncle Benjy haw, haw!
The circumstances were such as to lead Bob to speak more frankly than he might have done on reflection, and he told Festus the direction in which the women had been sent. Then Festus informed the group that the report of invasion was false, upon which they all turned to go homeward with greatly relieved spirits. Bob walked beside Derriman's horse for some distance.
'Has anybody been hanging about Overcombe Mill except Loveday's son the soldier? he asked of a comrade. 'His son the sailor, was the reply. 'O his son the sailor, said Festus slowly. 'Damn his son the sailor! At this particular moment the object of Festus Derriman's fulmination was assuredly not dangerous as a rival.
The old man had at last apparently brought the tin box of private papers that he wished the miller to take charge of during Derriman's absence; and it being a calm night, John could hear, though he little heeded, Uncle Benjy's reiterated supplications to Loveday to keep it safe from fire and thieves.
Cripplestraw came up in a trot, moved a lock of his hair and replaced it, and said, 'Yes, Maister Derriman. He was old Mr. Derriman's odd hand in the yard and garden, and like his employer had no great pretensions to manly beauty, owing to a limpness of backbone and speciality of mouth, which opened on one side only, giving him a triangular smile.
'Her mother is very anxious to know what's become of her. She promised to come home. To her great relief Anne recognized the voice as John Loveday's, and not Festus Derriman's. 'Yes, I did, Mr. Loveday, said she, coming forward; 'but it rained, and I thought my mother would guess where I was.
While all wondered who the singer could be somebody entered the porch; the door opened, and in came a young man, about the size and weight of the Farnese Hercules, in the uniform of the yeomanry cavalry. ''Tis young Squire Derriman, old Mr. Derriman's nephew, murmured voices in the background.
'Come to see the King, hip-hip hurrah! cried a voice within, and turning they saw through the leaves the nose and face of Cripplestraw. The waggon contained all Derriman's workpeople. 'Is your master here? said John. 'No, trumpet-major, sir. But young maister is coming to fetch us at nine o'clock, in case we should be too blind to drive home. 'O! where is he now?
The trumpet-major replied civilly, though not without grimness, for he seemed hardly to like Derriman's motion towards Anne. 'Widow Garland's daughter! yes, 'tis! surely. You remember me? I have been here before. Festus Derriman, Yeomanry Cavalry. Anne gave a little curtsey. 'I know your name is Festus that's all.
Anne's anxiety about Bob was again uppermost now, and she spoke but meagrely of old Derriman's visit, and nothing of what he had left. She would fain have asked them if they knew where Bob was, but that she did not wish to inform them of the rupture.
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