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your umbrella； for I believe it's going to rain。 I've rheumatism
in my leg。〃
〃Only old people should have rheumatism； Aunty。〃
〃Anybody is liable to rheumatism in her legs； Anne。 It's only
old people who should have rheumatism in their souls； though。
Thank goodness； I never have。 When you get rheumatism in your
soul you might as well go and pick out your coffin。〃
It was November the month of crimson sunsets； parting birds；
deep； sad hymns of the sea； passionate wind…songs in the pines。
Anne roamed through the pineland alleys in the park and； as she
said； let that great sweeping wind blow the fogs out of her soul。
Anne was not wont to be troubled with soul fog。 But； somehow； since
her return to Redmond for this third year； life had not mirrored
her spirit back to her with its old； perfect； sparkling clearness。
Outwardly； existence at Patty's Place was the same pleasant
round of work and study and recreation that it had always been。
On Friday evenings the big； fire…lighted livingroom was crowded by
callers and echoed to endless jest and laughter； while Aunt Jamesina
smiled beamingly on them all。 The 〃Jonas〃 of Phil's letter came often；
running up from St。 Columbia on the early train and departing on the late。
He was a general favorite at Patty's Place； though Aunt Jamesina shook her
head and opined that divinity students were not what they used to be。
〃He's VERY nice； my dear；〃 she told Phil； 〃but ministers ought to be
graver and more dignified。〃
〃Can't a man laugh and laugh and be a Christian still？〃 demanded Phil。
〃Oh； MEN yes。 But I was speaking of MINISTERS； my dear；〃
said Aunt Jamesina rebukingly。〃 And you shouldn't flirt so with
Mr。 Blake you really shouldn't。〃
〃I'm not flirting with him；〃 protested Phil。
Nobody believed her； except Anne。 The others thought she was amusing
herself as usual； and told her roundly that she was behaving very badly。
〃Mr。 Blake isn't of the Alec…and…Alonzo type； Phil；〃 said Stella severely。
〃He takes things seriously。 You may break his heart。〃
〃Do you really think I could？〃 asked Phil。 〃I'd love to think so。〃
〃Philippa Gordon！ I never thought you were utterly unfeeling。
The idea of you saying you'd love to break a man's heart！〃
〃I didn't say so； honey。 Quote me correctly。 I said I'd like to think
I COULD break it。 I would like to know I had the POWER to do it。〃
〃I don't understand you； Phil。 You are leading that man on deliberately
and you know you don't mean anything by it。〃
〃I mean to make him ask me to marry him if I can；〃 said Phil calmly。
〃I give you up；〃 said Stella hopelessly。
Gilbert came occasionally on Friday evenings。 He seemed
always in good spirits； and held his own in the jests and
repartee that flew about。 He neither sought nor avoided Anne。
When circumstances brought them in contact he talked to her
pleasantly and courteously； as to any newly…made acquaintance。
The old camaraderie was gone entirely。 Anne felt it keenly；
but she told herself she was very glad and thankful that Gilbert
had got so completely over his disappointment in regard to her。
She had really been afraid； that April evening in the orchard；
that she had hurt him terribly and that the wound would be
long in healing。 Now she saw that she need not have worried。
Men have died and the worms have eaten them but not for love。
Gilbert evidently was in no danger of immediate dissolution。
He was enjoying life； and he was full of ambition and zest。
For him there was to be no wasting in despair because a woman
was fair and cold。 Anne； as she listened to the ceaseless badinage
that went on between him and Phil； wondered if she had only imagined
that look in his eyes when she had told him she could never care for him。
There were not lacking those who would gladly have stepped into
Gilbert's vacant place。 But Anne snubbed them without fear and
without reproach。 If the real Prince Charming was never to come
she would have none of a substitute。 So she sternly told herself
that gray day in the windy park。
Suddenly the rain of Aunt Jamesina's prophecy came with a swish
and rush。 Anne put up her umbrella and hurried down the slope。
As she turned out on the harbor road a savage gust of wind tore
along it。 Instantly her umbrella turned wrong side out。 Anne
clutched at it in despair。 And then there came a voice
close to her。
〃Pardon me may I offer you the shelter of my umbrella？〃
Anne looked up。 Tall and handsome and distinguished…looking
dark； melancholy； inscrutable eyes melting； musical；
sympathetic voice yes； the very hero of her dreams stood
before her in the flesh。 He could not have more closely
resembled her ideal if he had been made to order。
〃Thank you；〃 she said confusedly。
〃We'd better hurry over to that little pavillion on the point；〃
suggested the unknown。 〃We can wait there until this shower
is over。 It is not likely to rain so heavily very long。〃
The words were very commonplace； but oh； the tone！ And the smile
which accompanied them！ Anne felt her heart beating strangely。
Together they scurried to the pavilion and sat breathlessly down
under its friendly roof。 Anne laughingly held up her false umbrella。
〃It is when my umbrella turns inside out that I am convinced of
the total depravity of inanimate things；〃 she said gaily。
The raindrops sparkled on her shining hair； its loosened rings
curled around her neck and forehead。 Her cheeks were flushed；
her eyes big and starry。 Her companion looked down at her
admiringly。 She felt herself blushing under his gaze。
Who could he be？ Why； there was a bit of the Redmond white and
scarlet pinned to his coat lapel。 Yet she had thought she knew；
by sight at least； all the Redmond students except the Freshmen。
And this courtly youth surely was no Freshman。
〃We are schoolmates； I see；〃 he said； smiling at Anne's colors。
〃That ought to be sufficient introduction。 My name is Royal Gardner。
And you are the Miss Shirley who read the Tennyson paper at the
Philomathic the other evening； aren't you？〃
〃Yes； but I cannot place you at all；〃 said Anne； frankly。
〃Please； where DO you belong？〃
〃I feel as if I didn't belong anywhere yet。 I put in my Freshman
and Sophomore years at Redmond two years ago。 I've been in
Europe ever since。 Now I've come back to finish my Arts course。〃
〃This is my Junior year； too；〃 said Anne。
〃So we are classmates as well as collegemates。 I am reconciled
to the loss of the years that the locust has eaten；〃 said her
companion； with a world of meaning in those wonderful eyes of his。
The rain came steadily down for the best part of an hour。 But
the time seemed really very short。 When the clouds parted and a
burst of pale November sunshine fell athwart the harbor and the
pines Anne and her companion walked home together。 By the time
they had reached the gate of Patt