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I wouldn't say it； or even think it。 In the daytime； when people
were around me and everything was cheerful； it wasn't so hard to
keep from thinking of it。 But in the night； when I couldn't sleep
it was so dreadful； Anne。 I couldn't get away from it then。
Death just came and stared me in the face； until I got so frightened
I could have screamed。
〃But you won't be frightened any more； Ruby； will you？ You'll be brave；
and believe that all is going to be well with you。〃
〃I'll try。 I'll think over what you have said； and try to believe it。
And you'll come up as often as you can； won't you； Anne？〃
〃Yes； dear。〃
〃It it won't be very long now； Anne。 I feel sure of that。
And I'd rather have you than any one else。 I always liked you
best of all the girls I went to school with。 You were never
jealous； or mean； like some of them were。 Poor Em White was up
to see me yesterday。 You remember Em and I were such chums for
three years when we went to school？ And then we quarrelled the
time of the school concert。 We've never spoken to each other
since。 Wasn't it silly？ Anything like that seems silly NOW。
But Em and I made up the old quarrel yesterday。 She said she'd
have spoken years ago； only she thought I wouldn't。 And I never
spoke to her because I was sure she wouldn't speak to me。 Isn't
it strange how people misunderstand each other； Anne？〃
〃Most of the trouble in life comes from misunderstanding； I think；〃
said Anne。 〃I must go now； Ruby。 It's getting late and you
shouldn't be out in the damp。〃
〃You'll come up soon again。〃
〃Yes； very soon。 And if there's anything I can do to help you
I'll be so glad。〃
〃I know。 You HAVE helped me already。 Nothing seems quite so
dreadful now。 Good night； Anne。〃
〃Good night； dear。〃
Anne walked home very slowly in the moonlight。 The evening had
changed something for her。 Life held a different meaning； a
deeper purpose。 On the surface it would go on just the same； but
the deeps had been stirred。 It must not be with her as with poor
butterfly Ruby。 When she came to the end of one life it must not
be to face the next with the shrinking terror of something wholly
different something for which accustomed thought and ideal and
aspiration had unfitted her。 The little things of life； sweet
and excellent in their place； must not be the things lived for；
the highest must be sought and followed； the life of heaven must
be begun here on earth。
That good night in the garden was for all time。 Anne never saw
Ruby in life again。 The next night the A。V。I。S。 gave a farewell
party to Jane Andrews before her departure for the West。 And；
while light feet danced and bright eyes laughed and merry tongues
chattered； there came a summons to a soul in Avonlea that might
not be disregarded or evaded。 The next morning the word went
from house to house that Ruby Gillis was dead。 She had died in
her sleep； painlessly and calmly； and on her face was a smile
as if； after all； death had come as a kindly friend to lead her
over the threshold； instead of the grisly phantom she had dreaded。
Mrs。 Rachel Lynde said emphatically after the funeral that Ruby
Gillis was the handsomest corpse she ever laid eyes on。 Her
loveliness； as she lay； white…clad； among the delicate flowers
that Anne had placed about her； was remembered and talked of for
years in Avonlea。 Ruby had always been beautiful； but her beauty
had been of the earth； earthy； it had had a certain insolent
quality in it； as if it flaunted itself in the beholder's eye；
spirit had never shone through it； intellect had never refined it。
But death had touched it and consecrated it； bringing out delicate
modelings and purity of outline never seen before doing what life
and love and great sorrow and deep womanhood joys might have done
for Ruby。 Anne； looking down through a mist of tears； at her old
playfellow； thought she saw the face God had meant Ruby to have；
and remembered it so always。
Mrs。 Gillis called Anne aside into a vacant room before the
funeral procession left the house； and gave her a small packet。
〃I want you to have this；〃 she sobbed。 〃Ruby would have liked you
to have it。 It's the embroidered centerpiece she was working at。
It isn't quite finished the needle is sticking in it just where
her poor little fingers put it the last time she laid it down； the
afternoon before she died。〃
〃There's always a piece of unfinished work left；〃 said Mrs。 Lynde；
with tears in her eyes。 〃But I suppose there's always some one
to finish it。〃
〃How difficult it is to realize that one we have always known
can really be dead；〃 said Anne； as she and Diana walked home。
〃Ruby is the first of our schoolmates to go。 One by one； sooner
or later； all the rest of us must follow。〃
〃Yes； I suppose so；〃 said Diana uncomfortably。 She did not
want to talk of that。 She would have preferred to have discussed
the details of the funeral the splendid white velvet casket
Mr。 Gillis had insisted on having for Ruby 〃the Gillises must
always make a splurge； even at funerals；〃 quoth Mrs。 Rachel Lynde
Herb Spencer's sad face； the uncontrolled； hysteric grief of
one of Ruby's sisters but Anne would not talk of these things。
She seemed wrapped in a reverie in which Diana felt lonesomely
that she had neither lot nor part。
〃Ruby Gillis was a great girl to laugh；〃 said Davy suddenly。
〃Will she laugh as much in heaven as she did in Avonlea； Anne？
I want to know。〃
〃Yes； I think she will；〃 said Anne。
〃Oh； Anne；〃 protested Diana； with a rather shocked smile。
〃Well； why not； Diana？〃 asked Anne seriously。 〃Do you think
we'll never laugh in heaven？〃
〃Oh I I don't know〃 floundered Diana。 〃It doesn't seem
just right； somehow。 You know it's rather dreadful to laugh in
church。〃
〃But heaven won't be like church all the time；〃 said Anne。
〃I hope it ain't；〃 said Davy emphatically。 〃If it is I don't
want to go。 Church is awful dull。 Anyway； I don't mean to go
for ever so long。 I mean to live to be a hundred years old； like
Mr。 Thomas Blewett of White Sands。 He says he's lived so long
'cause he always smoked tobacco and it killed all the germs。
Can I smoke tobacco pretty soon； Anne？〃
〃No； Davy； I hope you'll never use tobacco；〃 said Anne absently。
〃What'll you feel like if the germs kill me then？〃 demanded Davy。
Chapter XV
A Dream Turned Upside Down
〃Just one more week and we go back to Redmond；〃 said Anne。
She was happy at the thought of returning to work； classes
and Redmond friends。 Pleasing visions were also being woven
around Patty's Place。 There was a warm pleasant sense of home
in the thought of it； even though she had never lived there。
But the summer had been a very happy one； too a time of glad living
with summer suns and skies； a time of keen delight in wholesome things；
a time of renewing a