She had more than once hazarded a guess on why a man of Sanderson’s tastes should care to remain in so quiet a neighborhood, but could arrive at no solution of the case.  In discussing him, she had heard the Bartletts quote his reason, that he was studying practical farming, and later on intended to take it up, on a large scale.  When she had first seen him at the Squire’s, she had made up her mind that it would be better for her to go away, but the memory of the homeless wanderings she had endured after her mother’s death, filled her with terror, and after the first shock of seeing Sanderson, she concluded that it was better to remain where she was, unless he should attempt to force his society on her, in which case she would have to go, if she died by the wayside.

Dave was coming across the fields late one autumn afternoon when he saw Anna at the well, trying with all her small strength to draw up a bucket of water.  The well—­one of the old-fashioned kind that worked by a “sweep” and pole, at the end of which hung “the old oaken bucket” which Anna drew up easily till the last few feet and then found it was hard work.  She had both hands on the iron bale of the bucket and was panting a little, when a deep, gentle voice said in her ear:  “Let go, little woman, that’s too heavy for you.”  And she felt the bucket taken forcibly out of her hand.

“Never mind me, Mr. David,” she said, giving way reluctantly.

“Always at some hard work or other,” he said; “you won’t quit till you get laid up sick.”

He filled the water-pail from the bucket for her, which she took up and was about to go when he found courage to say: 

“Won’t you stay a minute, Anna, I want to talk to you.

“Anna, have you any relatives?”

“Not now.”

“But have you no friends who knew you and loved you before you came to us?”

“I want nothing of my friends, Mr. David, but their good will.”

“Anna, why will you persist in cutting yourself off from the rest of the world like this?  You are too good, too womanly a girl, to lead this colorless kind of an existence forever.”

She looked at him pleadingly out of her beautiful eyes.  “Mr. David, you would not be intentionally cruel to me, I know, so don’t speak to me of these things.  It only distresses me—­and can do you no good.”

“Forgive me, Anna, I would not hurt you for the world—­but you must know that I love you.  Don’t you think you could ever grow to care for me?”

“Mr. David, I shall never marry any one.  Do not ask me to explain, and I beg of you, if you have a feeling of even ordinary kindness for me. that you will never mention this subject to me again.  You remember how I promised your father that if he would let me make my home with you, he should never live to regret it?  Do you think that I intend to repay the dearest wish of his heart in this way?  Why, Mr. David, you are engaged to marry Kate.”  She took up the water-pail to go.