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〃You haven't told Anne the news about Jane；〃 suggested Marilla。
〃Oh； Jane；〃 sniffed Mrs。 Lynde。 〃Well；〃 she conceded grudgingly；
〃Jane Andrews is home from the West came last week and she's
going to be married to a Winnipeg millionaire。 You may be sure
Mrs。 Harmon lost no time in telling it far and wide。〃
〃Dear old Jane I'm so glad；〃 said Anne heartily。 〃She deserves
the good things of life。〃
〃Oh； I ain't saying anything against Jane。 She's a nice enough girl。
But she isn't in the millionaire class； and you'll find there's not
much to recommend that man but his money； that's what。 Mrs。 Harmon
says he's an Englishman who has made money in mines but _I_ believe
he'll turn out to be a Yankee。 He certainly must have money； for
he has just showered Jane with jewelry。 Her engagement ring is a
diamond cluster so big that it looks like a plaster on Jane's fat paw。〃
Mrs。 Lynde could not keep some bitterness out of her tone。
Here was Jane Andrews； that plain little plodder； engaged
to a millionaire； while Anne； it seemed； was not yet bespoken
by any one； rich or poor。 And Mrs。 Harmon Andrews did brag
insufferably。
〃What has Gilbert Blythe been doing to at college？〃 asked Marilla。
〃I saw him when he came home last week； and he is so pale and thin
I hardly knew him。〃
〃He studied very hard last winter；〃 said Anne。 〃You know he
took High Honors in Classics and the Cooper Prize。 It hasn't
been taken for five years！ So I think he's rather run down。
We're all a little tired。〃
〃Anyhow； you're a B。A。 and Jane Andrews isn't and never will be；〃
said Mrs。 Lynde； with gloomy satisfaction。
A few evenings later Anne went down to see Jane； but the latter
was away in Charlottetown 〃getting sewing done；〃 Mrs。 Harmon
informed Anne proudly。 〃Of course an Avonlea dressmaker wouldn't
do for Jane under the circumstances。〃
〃I've heard something very nice about Jane；〃 said Anne。
〃Yes； Jane has done pretty well； even if she isn't a B。A。；〃 said
Mrs。 Harmon； with a slight toss of her head。 〃Mr。 Inglis is worth
millions； and they're going to Europe on their wedding tour。
When they come back they'll live in a perfect mansion of marble
in Winnipeg。 Jane has only one trouble she can cook so well
and her husband won't let her cook。 He is so rich he hires
his cooking done。 They're going to keep a cook and two other
maids and a coachman and a man…of…all…work。 But what about YOU；
Anne？ I don't hear anything of your being married； after all
your college…going。〃
〃Oh；〃 laughed Anne； 〃I am going to be an old maid。 I really
can't find any one to suit me。〃 It was rather wicked of her。
She deliberately meant to remind Mrs。 Andrews that if she became
an old maid it was not because she had not had at least one
chance of marriage。 But Mrs。 Harmon took swift revenge。
〃Well； the over…particular girls generally get left； I notice。
And what's this I hear about Gilbert Blythe being engaged to a
Miss Stuart？ Charlie Sloane tells me she is perfectly beautiful。
Is it true？〃
〃I don't know if it is true that he is engaged to Miss Stuart；〃
replied Anne； with Spartan composure； 〃but it is certainly true
that she is very lovely。〃
〃I once thought you and Gilbert would have made a match of it；〃
said Mrs。 Harmon。 〃If you don't take care； Anne； all of your
beaux will slip through your fingers。〃
Anne decided not to continue her duel with Mrs。 Harmon。
You could not fence with an antagonist who met rapier thrust
with blow of battle axe。
〃Since Jane is away；〃 she said； rising haughtily； 〃I don't think
I can stay longer this morning。 I'll come down when she comes home。〃
〃Do；〃 said Mrs。 Harmon effusively。 〃Jane isn't a bit proud。
She just means to associate with her old friends the same as ever。
She'll be real glad to see you。〃
Jane's millionaire arrived the last of May and carried her off in
a blaze of splendor。 Mrs。 Lynde was spitefully gratified to
find that Mr。 Inglis was every day of forty； and short and thin
and grayish。 Mrs。 Lynde did not spare him in her enumeration of
his shortcomings； you may be sure。
〃It will take all his gold to gild a pill like him； that's what；〃
said Mrs。 Rachel solemnly。
〃He looks kind and good…hearted；〃 said Anne loyally； 〃and I'm
sure he thinks the world of Jane。〃
〃Humph！〃 said Mrs。 Rachel。
Phil Gordon was married the next week and Anne went over to
Bolingbroke to be her bridesmaid。 Phil made a dainty fairy of
a bride； and the Rev。 Jo was so radiant in his happiness that
nobody thought him plain。
〃We're going for a lovers' saunter through the land of Evangeline；〃
said Phil； 〃and then we'll settle down on Patterson Street。
Mother thinks it is terrible she thinks Jo might at least
take a church in a decent place。 But the wilderness of the
Patterson slums will blossom like the rose for me if Jo is there。
Oh； Anne； I'm so happy my heart aches with it。〃
Anne was always glad in the happiness of her friends； but it
is sometimes a little lonely to be surrounded everywhere by a
happiness that is not your own。 And it was just the same when
she went back to Avonlea。 This time it was Diana who was bathed
in the wonderful glory that comes to a woman when her first…born
is laid beside her。 Anne looked at the white young mother with a
certain awe that had never entered into her feelings for Diana
before。 Could this pale woman with the rapture in her eyes be
the little black…curled； rosy…cheeked Diana she had played with
in vanished schooldays？ It gave her a queer desolate feeling
that she herself somehow belonged only in those past years and
had no business in the present at all。
〃Isn't he perfectly beautiful？〃 said Diana proudly。
The little fat fellow was absurdly like Fred just as round；
just as red。 Anne really could not say conscientiously that she
thought him beautiful； but she vowed sincerely that he was sweet
and kissable and altogether delightful。
〃Before he came I wanted a girl； so that I could call her ANNE；〃
said Diana。 〃But now that little Fred is here I wouldn't exchange
him for a million girls。 He just COULDN'T have been anything but
his own precious self。〃
〃‘Every little baby is the sweetest and the best；' 〃 quoted
Mrs。 Allan gaily。 〃If little Anne HAD come you'd have felt
just the same about her。〃
Mrs。 Allan was visiting in Avonlea； for the first time since
leaving it。 She was as gay and sweet and sympathetic as ever。
Her old girl friends had welcomed her back rapturously。
The reigning minister's wife was an estimable lady； but she
was not exactly a kindred spirit。
〃I can hardly wait till he gets old enough to talk；〃 sighed Diana。
〃I just long to hear him say ‘mother。' And oh； I'm determined that
his first memory of me shall be a nice one。 The first memory I
have of my mother is of her slapping me for something I had done。
I am sure I deserved it； and m