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gave out and I permitted the ninth to live as a hopeless cripple。〃
While Stella read My Graves； punctuating its tragic paragraphs
with chuckles； and Rusty slept the sleep of a just cat who has
been out all night curled up on a Jane Andrews tale of a beautiful
maiden of fifteen who went to nurse in a leper colony of course
dying of the loathsome disease finally Anne glanced over the other
manuscripts and recalled the old days at Avonlea school when the members
of the Story Club； sitting under the spruce trees or down among the
ferns by the brook； had written them。 What fun they had had！
How the sunshine and mirth of those olden summers returned as she read。
Not all the glory that was Greece or the grandeur that was Rome could
weave such wizardry as those funny； tearful tales of the Story Club。
Among the manuscripts Anne found one written on sheets of wrapping paper。
A wave of laughter filled her gray eyes as she recalled the time and
place of its genesis。 It was the sketch she had written the day she
fell through the roof of the Cobb duckhouse on the Tory Road。
Anne glanced over it； then fell to reading it intently。 It was a
little dialogue between asters and sweet…peas； wild canaries in the
lilac bush； and the guardian spirit of the garden。 After she had
read it； she sat； staring into space； and when Stella had gone she
smoothed out the crumpled manuscript。
〃I believe I will；〃 she said resolutely。
Chapter XXXVI
The Gardners'Call
〃Here is a letter with an Indian stamp for you； Aunt Jimsie；〃
said Phil。 〃Here are three for Stella； and two for Pris； and a
glorious fat one for me from Jo。 There's nothing for you； Anne；
except a circular。〃
Nobody noticed Anne's flush as she took the thin letter Phil tossed
her carelessly。 But a few minutes later Phil looked up to see a
transfigured Anne。
〃Honey； what good thing has happened？〃
〃The Youth's Friend has accepted a little sketch I sent them a
fortnight ago；〃 said Anne； trying hard to speak as if she were
accustomed to having sketches accepted every mail； but not
quite succeeding。
〃Anne Shirley！ How glorious！ What was it？ When is it to be
published？ Did they pay you for it？〃
〃Yes； they've sent a check for ten dollars； and the editor writes
that he would like to see more of my work。 Dear man； he shall。
It was an old sketch I found in my box。 I re…wrote it and sent
it in but I never really thought it could be accepted because
it had no plot；〃 said Anne； recalling the bitter experience of
Averil's Atonement。
〃What are you going to do with that ten dollars； Anne？ Let's all
go up town and get drunk；〃 suggested Phil。
〃I AM going to squander it in a wild soulless revel of some sort；〃
declared Anne gaily。 〃At all events it isn't tainted money
like the check I got for that horrible Reliable Baking Powder story。
I spent IT usefully for clothes and hated them every time I put them on。〃
〃Think of having a real live author at Patty's Place；〃 said Priscilla。
〃It's a great responsibility；〃 said Aunt Jamesina solemnly。
〃Indeed it is；〃 agreed Pris with equal solemnity。 〃Authors are
kittle cattle。 You never know when or how they will break out。
Anne may make copy of us。〃
〃I meant that the ability to write for the Press was a great
responsibility；〃 said Aunt Jamesina severely。 〃and I hope Anne
realizes； it。 My daughter used to write stories before she went
to the foreign field； but now she has turned her attention to
higher things。 She used to say her motto was ‘Never write a line
you would be ashamed to read at your own funeral。' You'd better
take that for yours； Anne； if you are going to embark in literature。
Though； to be sure；〃 added Aunt Jamesina perplexedly； 〃Elizabeth
always used to laugh when she said it。 She always laughed so much
that I don't know how she ever came to decide on being a missionary。
I'm thankful she did I prayed that she might but I wish
she hadn't。〃
Then Aunt Jamesina wondered why those giddy girls all laughed。
Anne's eyes shone all that day； literary ambitions sprouted and
budded in her brain； their exhilaration accompanied her to Jennie
Cooper's walking party； and not even the sight of Gilbert and
Christine； walking just ahead of her and Roy； could quite subdue
the sparkle of her starry hopes。 Nevertheless； she was not so
rapt from things of earth as to be unable to notice that
Christine's walk was decidedly ungraceful。
〃But I suppose Gilbert looks only at her face。 So like a man；〃
thought Anne scornfully。
〃Shall you be home Saturday afternoon？〃 asked Roy。
〃Yes。〃
〃My mother and sisters are coming to call on you；〃 said Roy quietly。
Something went over Anne which might be described as a thrill； but
it was hardly a pleasant one。 She had never met any of Roy's family；
she realized the significance of his statement； and it had； somehow；
an irrevocableness about it that chilled her。
〃I shall be glad to see them；〃 she said flatly； and then wondered
if she really would be glad。 She ought to be； of course。 But
would it not be something of an ordeal？ Gossip had filtered to
Anne regarding the light in which the Gardners viewed the
〃infatuation〃 of son and brother。 Roy must have brought pressure
to bear in the matter of this call。 Anne knew she would be
weighed in the balance。 From the fact that they had consented to
call she understood that； willingly or unwillingly； they regarded
her as a possible member of their clan。
〃I shall just be myself。 I shall not TRY to make a good impression；〃
thought Anne loftily。 But she was wondering what dress she would
better wear Saturday afternoon； and if the new style of high
hair…dressing would suit her better than the old； and the walking
party was rather spoiled for her。 By night she had decided that she
would wear her brown chiffon on Saturday； but would do her hair low。
Friday afternoon none of the girls had classes at Redmond。
Stella took the opportunity to write a paper for the Philomathic
Society； and was sitting at the table in the corner of the
living…room with an untidy litter of notes and manuscript on the
floor around her。 Stella always vowed she never could write
anything unless she threw each sheet down as she completed it。
Anne； in her flannel blouse and serge skirt； with her hair rather
blown from her windy walk home； was sitting squarely in the
middle of the floor； teasing the Sarah…cat with a wishbone。
Joseph and Rusty were both curled up in her lap。 A warm plummy
odor filled the whole house； for Priscilla was cooking in the
kitchen。 Presently she came in； enshrouded in a huge work…apron；
with a smudge of flour on her nose； to show Aunt Jamesina the
chocolate cake she had just iced。
At this auspicious moment the knocker sounded。 Nobody paid any
attention to it save Phil； who sprang up and opened it； expecting
a boy with the hat sh