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of Friday evenings when college friends dropped in to talk of
grave and gay。
Anne was lonely； Diana； during the whole of the holidays； was
imprisoned at home with a bad attack of bronchitis。 She could
not come to Green Gables and it was rarely Anne could get to
Orchard Slope； for the old way through the Haunted Wood was
impassable with drifts； and the long way over the frozen Lake of
Shining Waters was almost as bad。 Ruby Gillis was sleeping in
the white…heaped graveyard； Jane Andrews was teaching a school on
western prairies。 Gilbert； to be sure； was still faithful； and
waded up to Green Gables every possible evening。 But Gilbert's
visits were not what they once were。 Anne almost dreaded them。
It was very disconcerting to look up in the midst of a sudden
silence and find Gilbert's hazel eyes fixed upon her with a quite
unmistakable expression in their grave depths； and it was still
more disconcerting to find herself blushing hotly and
uncomfortably under his gaze； just as if just as if well；
it was very embarrassing。 Anne wished herself back at Patty's
Place； where there was always somebody else about to take the
edge off a delicate situation。 At Green Gables Marilla went
promptly to Mrs。 Lynde's domain when Gilbert came and insisted
on taking the twins with her。 The significance of this was
unmistakable and Anne was in a helpless fury over it。
Davy； however； was perfectly happy。 He reveled in getting out in
the morning and shoveling out the paths to the well and henhouse。
He gloried in the Christmas…tide delicacies which Marilla and
Mrs。 Lynde vied with each other in preparing for Anne； and he
was reading an enthralling tale； in a school library book； of a
wonderful hero who seemed blessed with a miraculous faculty for
getting into scrapes from which he was usually delivered by an
earthquake or a volcanic explosion； which blew him high and dry
out of his troubles； landed him in a fortune； and closed the
story with proper ECLAT。
〃I tell you it's a bully story； Anne；〃 he said ecstatically。
〃I'd ever so much rather read it than the Bible。〃
〃Would you？〃 smiled Anne。
Davy peered curiously at her。
〃You don't seem a bit shocked； Anne。 Mrs。 Lynde was awful
shocked when I said it to her。〃
〃No； I'm not shocked； Davy。 I think it's quite natural that a
nine…year…old boy would sooner read an adventure story than the
Bible。 But when you are older I hope and think that you will
realize what a wonderful book the Bible is。〃
〃Oh； I think some parts of it are fine；〃 conceded Davy。 〃That
story about Joseph now it's bully。 But if I'd been Joseph _I_
wouldn't have forgive the brothers。 No； siree； Anne。 I'd have
cut all their heads off。 Mrs。 Lynde was awful mad when I said that
and shut the Bible up and said she'd never read me any more of it if
I talked like that。 So I don't talk now when she reads it Sunday
afternoons； I just think things and say them to Milty Boulter next
day in school。 I told Milty the story about Elisha and the bears
and it scared him so he's never made fun of Mr。 Harrison's bald
head once。 Are there any bears on P。E。 Island； Anne？ I want to know。〃
〃Not nowadays；〃 said Anne； absently； as the wind blew a scud of
snow against the window。 〃Oh； dear； will it ever stop storming。〃
〃God knows；〃 said Davy airily； preparing to resume his reading。
Anne WAS shocked this time。
〃Davy！〃 she exclaimed reproachfully。
〃Mrs。 Lynde says that；〃 protested Davy。 〃One night last week
Marilla said ‘Will Ludovic Speed and Theodora Dix EVER get
married〃 and Mrs。 Lynde said； ‘God knows' just like that。〃
〃Well； it wasn't right for her to say it；〃 said Anne； promptly
deciding upon which horn of this dilemma to empale herself。
〃It isn't right for anybody to take that name in vain or
speak it lightly； Davy。 Don't ever do it again。〃
〃Not if I say it slow and solemn； like the minister？〃 queried
Davy gravely。
〃No； not even then。〃
〃Well； I won't。 Ludovic Speed and Theodora Dix live in Middle
Grafton and Mrs。 Rachel says he has been courting her for a
hundred years。 Won't they soon be too old to get married； Anne？
I hope Gilbert won't court YOU that long。 When are you going to
be married； Anne？ Mrs。 Lynde says it's a sure thing。〃
〃Mrs。 Lynde is a 〃 began Anne hotly； then stopped。 〃Awful old
gossip；〃 completed Davy calmly。 〃That's what every one calls her。
But is it a sure thing； Anne？ I want to know。〃
〃You're a very silly little boy； Davy；〃 said Anne； stalking
haughtily out of the room。 The kitchen was deserted and she sat
down by the window in the fast falling wintry twilight。 The sun
had set and the wind had died down。 A pale chilly moon looked
out behind a bank of purple clouds in the west。 The sky faded
out； but the strip of yellow along the western horizon grew
brighter and fiercer； as if all the stray gleams of light were
concentrating in one spot； the distant hills； rimmed with
priest…like firs； stood out in dark distinctness against it。
Anne looked across the still； white fields； cold and lifeless
in the harsh light of that grim sunset； and sighed。 She was
very lonely； and she was sad at heart； for she was wondering
if she would be able to return to Redmond next year。 It did not
seem likely。 The only scholarship possible in the Sophomore year
was a very small affair。 She would not take Marilla's money；
and there seemed little prospect of being able to earn enough
in the summer vacation。
〃I suppose I'll just have to drop out next year；〃 she thought
drearily； 〃and teach a district school again until I earn enough
to finish my course。 And by that time all my old class will have
graduated and Patty's Place will be out of the question。 But there！
I'm not going to be a coward。 I'm thankful I can earn my way through
if necessary。〃
〃Here's Mr。 Harrison wading up the lane；〃 announced Davy； running out。
〃I hope he's brought the mail。 It's three days since we got it。
I want to see what them pesky Grits are doing。 I'm a Conservative； Anne。
And I tell you； you have to keep your eye on them Grits。〃
Mr。 Harrison had brought the mail； and merry letters from Stella
and Priscilla and Phil soon dissipated Anne's blues。 Aunt Jamesina；
too； had written； saying that she was keeping the hearth…fire alight；
and that the cats were all well； and the house plants doing fine。
〃The weather has been real cold；〃 she wrote； 〃so I let the cats sleep
in the house Rusty and Joseph on the sofa in the living…room； and
the Sarah…cat on the foot of my bed。 It's real company to hear her
purring when I wake up in the night and think of my poor daughter in
the foreign field。 If it was anywhere but in India I wouldn't worry；
but they say the snakes out there are terrible。 It takes all the
Sarah…cats's purring to drive away the thought of those snakes。
I have enough faith for everything but the snakes。 I can't think