deceive me. Poor fellows, they must be hungry! Good day t'ye,
ma'am.' And the miller went away.

All that afternoon Overcombe continued in a ferment of interest in
the military investment, which brought the excitement of an invasion
without the strife. There were great discussions on the merits and
appearance of the soldiery. The event opened up, to the girls
unbounded possibilities of adoring and being adored, and to the
young men an embarrassment of dashing acquaintances which quite
superseded falling in love. Thirteen of these lads incontinently
stated within the space of a quarter of an hour that there was
nothing in the world like going for a soldier. The young women
stated little, but perhaps thought the more; though, in justice,
they glanced round towards the encampment from the corners of their
blue and brown eyes in the most demure and modest manner that could
be desired.

In the evening the village was lively with soldiers' wives; a tree
full of starlings would not have rivalled the chatter that was going
on. These ladies were very brilliantly dressed, with more regard
for colour than for material. Purple, red, and blue bonnets were
numerous, with bunches of cocks' feathers; and one had on an
Arcadian hat of green sarcenet, turned up in front to show her cap
underneath. It had once belonged to an officer's lady, and was not
so much stained, except where the occasional storms of rain,
incidental to a military life, had caused the green to run and
stagnate in curious watermarks like peninsulas and islands. Some of
the prettiest of these butterfly wives had been fortunate enough to
get lodgings in the cottages, and were thus spared the necessity of
living in huts and tents on the down. Those who had not been so