Oneafternoonitwasrainingintorrents。Suchleavesastherewereontreesatthistimeofyear——thoseofthelaurelandotherevergreens——staggeredbeneaththehardblowsofthedropswhichfelluponthem，andafterwardscouldbeseentricklingdownthestemsbeneathandsilentlyenteringtheground。Thesurfaceofthemill-pondleaptupinathousandspirtsunderthesamedownfall，andcluckedlikeahenintherat-holesalongthebanksasitundulatedunderthewind。Theonlydryspotvisiblefromthefrontwindowsofthemill-housewastheinsideofasmallshed，ontheoppositesideofthecourtyard。WhileMrs。Lovedaywasnoticingthethreadsofraindescendingacrossitsinteriorshade，FestusDerrimanwalkedupandentereditforshelter，which，owingtothelumberwithin，itbutscantilyaffordedtoamanwhowouldhavebeenamatchforoneofFrederickWilliam’sPatagonians。
Itwasanexcellentopportunityforhelpingonherscheme。Annewasinthebackroom，andbyaskinghimintilltherainwasovershewouldbringhimfacetofacewithherdaughter，whom，asthedayswenton，sheincreasinglywishedtomarryotherthanaLoveday，nowthattheromanceofherownalliancewiththemillethadinsomerespectswornoff。Shewasbetterprovidedforthanbefore；shewasnotunhappy；buttheplainfactwasthatshehadmarriedbeneathher。ShebeckonedtoFestusthroughthewindow-pane；heinstantlycompliedwithhersignal，havinginfactplacedhimselfthereonpurposetobenoticed；forheknewthatMissGarlandwouldnotbeout-of-doorsonsuchaday。
’Goodafternoon，Mrs。Loveday，’saidFestusonentering。’Therenow——ifIdidn’tthinkthat’showitwouldbe！’Hisvoicehadsuddenlywarmedtoanger，forhehadseenadoorcloseinthebackpartoftheroom，alithefigurehavingpreviouslyslippedthrough。
Mrs。Lovedayturned，observedthatAnnewasgone，andsaid，’Whatisit？’asifshedidnotknow。
’O，nothing，nothing！’saidFestuscrossly。’Youknowwellenoughwhatitis，ma’am；onlyyoumakepretenceotherwise。ButI’llbringhertobookyet。Youshalldropyourhaughtyairs，mycharmer！ShelittlethinksIhavekeptanaccountof’emall。’