The miller had borrowed a cart in which
he was to drive himself and his daughter to the Bullhampton road
station, and, when he went to bed, he expressed his determination of
starting at nine, so as to catch a certain train into Salisbury. They
had been told that it would be sufficient if they were in the city
that day at one o'clock.

On the next morning the miller was in his mill as usual in the
morning. He said nothing about the work, but the women knew that it
must in the main stand still. Everything could not be trusted to one
man, and that man a hireling. But nothing was said of this. He went
into his mill, and the women prepared his breakfast, and the clean
shirt and the tidy Sunday coat in which he was to travel. And Carry
was ready dressed for the journey;--so pretty, with her bright curls
and sweet dimpled cheeks, but still with that look of fear and sorrow
which the coming ordeal could not but produce. The miller returned,
dressed himself as he was desired, and took his place at the table in
the kitchen; when the front door was again opened,--and Sam Brattle
stood among them!

"Father," said he, "I've turned up just in time."

Of course the consternation among them was great; but no reference
was made to the quarrel which had divided the father and son when
last they had parted. Sam explained that he had come across the
country from the north, travelling chiefly by railway, but that he
had walked from the Swindon station to Marlborough on the preceding
evening, and from thence to Bullhampton that morning. He had come by
Birmingham and Gloucester, and thence to Swindon.

"And now, mother, if you'll give me a mouthful of some'at to eat, you
won't find that I'm above eating of it."

He had been summoned to Salisbury, he said, for that day, but nothing
should induce him to go there till the Friday. He surmised that he
knew a thing or two, and as the trial wouldn't come off before Friday
at the earliest, he wouldn't show his face in Salisbury before that
day. He strongly urged Carry to be equally sagacious, and used some
energetic arguments to the same effect on his father, when he found
that his father was also to be at the assizes; but the miller did not
like to be taught by his son, and declared that as the legal document
said Wednesday, on the Wednesday his daughter should be there.

"And what about the mill?" asked Sam. The miller only shook his head.
"Then there's only so much more call for me to stay