’Itisdreadful！’saidAnne。’Idon’tliketoseeit。’
Shehadrecoveredfromheremotion，andwalkedalongbesidehimwithagrave，subduedface。Bobdidnotliketoassumetheprivilegesofanacceptedloveranddrawherhandthroughhisarm；for，consciousthatshenaturallybelongedtoapolitergradethanhisown，hefearedlestherexhibitionoftendernesswereanimpulsewhichcoolermomentsmightregret。AperfectPaul-and-Virginialifehadnotabsolutelysetinforhimasyet，anditwasnottobehastenedbyforce。Whentheyhadpassedoverthebridgeintothemill-fronttheysawthemillerstandingatthedoorwithafaceofconcern。
’Sinceyouhavebeengone，’hesaid，’aGovernmentmanhasbeenhere，andtoallthehouses，takingdownthenumbersofthewomenandchildren，andtheiragesandthenumberofhorsesandwaggonsthatcanbemustered，incasetheyhavetoretreatinland，outofthewayoftheinvadingarmy。’
Thelittlefamilygatheredthemselvestogether，allfeelingthecrisismoreseriouslythantheylikedtoexpress。Mrs。Lovedaythoughthowridiculousathingsocialambitionwasinsuchaconjunctureasthis，andvowedthatshewouldleaveAnnetolovewhereshewould。Anne，too，forgotthelittlepeculiaritiesofspeechandmannerinBobandhisfather，whichsometimesjarredforamomentuponhermorerefinedsense，andwasthankfulfortheirloveandprotectioninthisloomingtrouble。
OngoingupstairssherememberedthepaperwhichFarmerDerrimanhadgivenher，andsearchedinherbosomforit。Shecouldnotfinditthere。’Imusthaveleftitonthetable，’shesaidtoherself。Itdidnotmatter；sherememberedeveryword。Shetookapenandwroteaduplicate，whichsheputsafelyaway。