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’Iamreadytogo，’saidAnne，assoonashearrived。
Hepausedasiftakenabackbyherreadiness，andrepliedwithmuchuncertainty，’Wouldit——wouldn’titbebettertoputitofftillthereislesssun？’
Theveryslightestsymptomofsurprisearoseinherassherejoined，’Buttheweathermaychange；orhadwebetternotgoatall？’
’Ono！——itwasonlyathought。Wewillstartatonce。’
Andalongthevaletheywent，Johnkeepinghimselfaboutayardfromherrighthand。Whenthethirdfieldhadbeencrossedtheycameuponhalf-a-dozenlittleboysatplay。
’Whydon’theclasphertohisside，likeaman？’saidthebiggestandrudestboy。
’Whydon’theclasphertohisside，likeaman？’echoedalltherudesmallerboysinachorus。
Thetrumpet-majorturned，and，aftersomerunning，succeededinsmackingtwoofthemwithhisswitch，returningtoAnnebreathless。
’Iamashamedtheyshouldhaveinsultedyouso，’hesaid，blushingforher。
’Theysaidnoharm，poorboys，’sherepliedreproachfully。
PoorJohnwasdumbwithperception。Thegentlehintuponwhichhewouldhaveeagerlyspokenonlyoneshortdayagowasnowlikefiretohiswound。
Theypresentlycametosomestepping-stonesacrossabrook。Johncrossedfirstwithoutturninghishead，andAnne，justliftingtheskirtofherdress，crossedbehindhim。Whentheyhadreachedtheothersideavillagegirlandayoungshepherdapproachedthebrinktocross。Annestoppedandwatchedthem。Theshepherdtookahandoftheyounggirlineachofhisown，andwalkedbackwardoverthestones，facingher，andkeepingheruprightbyhisgrasp，bothofthemlaughingastheywent。
’Whatareyoustayingfor，MissGarland？’askedJohn。
’Iwasonlythinkinghowhappytheyare，’shesaidquietly；andwithdrawinghereyesfromthetenderpair，sheturnedandfollowedhim，notknowingthattheseemingsoundofapassingbumble-beewasasuppressedgroanfromJohn。
Whentheyreachedthehilltheyfoundfortynavviesatworkremovingthedarksodsoastolaybarethechalkbeneath。TheequestrianfigurethattheirshovelswereformingwasscarcelyintelligibletoJohnandAnnenowtheywereclose，andafterpacingfromthehorse’sheaddownhisbreasttohishoof，backbywayoftheking’sbridle-arm，pastthebridgeofhisnose，andintohiscocked-hat，Annesaidthatshehadhadenoughofit，andsteppedoutofthechalkclearinguponthegrass。Thetrumpet-majorhadremainedallthetimeinamelancholyattitudewithintherowelofhisMajesty’srightspur。
’Myshoesarecakedwithchalk，’shesaidastheywalkeddownwardsagain；andshedrewbackherdresstolookatthem。’HowcanIgetsomeofitclearedoff？’
’Ifyouwastowipetheminthelonggrassthere，’saidJohn，pointingtoaspotwherethebladeswererankanddense，’someofitwouldcomeoff。’Havingsaidthis，hewalkedonwithreligiousfirmness。
Annerakedherlittlefeetontherightside，ontheleftside，overthetoe，andbehindtheheel；butthetenaciouschalkhelditsown。
Pantingwithherexertion，shegaveitup，andatlengthovertookhim。
’Ihopeitisrightnow？’hesaid，lookinggingerlyoverhisshoulder。
’No，indeed！’saidshe。’Iwantedsomeassistance——someonetosteadyme。Itissohardtostandononefootandwipetheotherwithoutsupport。Iwasindangeroftopplingover，andsogaveitup。’
’Mercifulstars，whatanopportunity！’thoughtthepoorfellowwhileshewaitedforhimtoofferhelp。Buthislipsremainedclosed，andshewentonwithapoutingsmile——
’Youseeminsuchahurry！Whyareyouinsuchahurry？Afterallthefinethingsyouhavesaidabout——aboutcaringsomuchforme，andallthat，youwon’tstopforanything！’
ItwastoomuchforJohn。’Uponmyheartandlife，mydea——’hebegan。HereBob’slettercrackledwarninglyinhiswaistcoatpocketashelaidhishandasseveratinglyuponhisbreast，andhebecamesuddenlyscaleduptodumbnessandgloomasbefor
