Anne’sconvictionofherlossincreasedwiththedarkeningoftheearlywintertime。Bobwasnotacautiousmanwhowouldavoidneedlessexposure，andahundredandfiftyoftheVictory’screwhadbeendisabledorslain。AnybodywhohadlookedintoherroomatthistimewouldhaveseenthatherfavouritereadingwastheofficefortheBurialoftheDeadatSea，beginning’Wethereforecommithisbodytothedeep。’InthesefirstdaysofDecemberseveralofthevictoriousfleetcameintoport；butnottheVictory。Manysupposedthatthatnobleship，disabledbythebattle，hadgonetothebottominthesubsequenttempestuousweather；andthebeliefwasperseveredintillitwastoldinthetownandportthatshehadbeenseenpassinguptheChannel。TwodayslatertheVictoryarrivedatPortsmouth。
ThenlettersfromsurvivorsbegantoappearinthepublicprintswhichJohnsoregularlybroughttoAnne；butthoughhewatchedthemailswithunceasingvigilancetherewasneveraletterfromBob。
ItsometimescrossedJohn’smindthathisbrothermightstillbealiveandwell，andthatinhiswishtoabidebyhisexpressedintentionofgivingupAnneandhomelifehewasdeliberatelylaxinwriting。Ifso，Bobwascarryingouttheideatoothoughtlesslybyhalf，ascouldbeseenbywatchingtheeffectsofsuspenseuponthefairfaceofthevictim，andtheanxietyoftherestofthefamily。
ItwasacleardayinDecember。Thefirstslightsnowoftheseasonhadbeensiftedovertheearth，andonesideoftheapple-treebranchesinthemiller’sgardenwastouchedwithwhite，thoughafewleaveswerestilllingeringonthetopsoftheyoungertrees。A
shortsailoroftheRoyalNavy，whowasnotBob，noranythinglikehim，crossedthemillcourtandcametothedoor。Themillerhastenedoutandbroughthimintotheroom，whereJohn，Mrs。