Youd better nerve yourself to bearthe worst,
Annie.
But togo to Lowbridge for two whole weeks, among
strangers, was a verydifferent matter. Of course, if people WILL go about on bare
feet .
Do you think he could have gone to the Harbour
Mouth with theboys, after all, Susan? She always seems to be smellinga bad smell,
Aunt Susan.
Whyhadnt she saved some of the gingerbread and
cream for him? Everybody in the Glen called Bertie Shakespearesmother Mrs. Fred
turned to the others with a well-done air of amazement.
However, it seemed to be a settled thing. Anne bent
from her window for a thankful goodnight look at theworld before going to bed.
Sposin henever washed behind his ears again?
Susan HAD looked in the coal-bin but nobody had
thought of theclock.
Hes so very sensitive and imaginative, she said
wistfully. Susan gathered herself together and stoppedwringing her hands. Walter is
notcoming home tonight, Leslie asked if he might stay there.
She kissed Walter good-bye rather casually and
hurriedly . But now the shadows were so black and sharp theymight fly up at you. He
wondered what itwould be like not to be afraid of anything . The other fellowscan go
to the Harbour Mouth but you go to bed. They sat down on an apple log and looked
shyly and contentedly ateach other.
Isnt a dead fish better than a live one, Mummy? But
there was no company visible when Anne hurried into the house. Who cared about
seeing an old snaketattooed, anyhow? Walter did not like his looks from the first .
And a nice laugh he will have on me, said Susan happily.
Just by way of a little celebration, so to speak.
See that Jem goes to bed in good time, will you, Susan? Perhaps she couldnot be
blamed for failing to see that little Walter Blythe was thetenth. Walterhated to be
moistly kissed on the forehead . It might bethat the old soul knew too much for the
young brain to understandalways. Aunt Jen was easy-going, butwhen she DID get
riled!
It was very silly of me not to remember the
window-seat, saidAnne. Ab Sawyer died last week and Sam Clarks mother died the
weekbefore, said Andy.
Evidently something dreadful hadhappened and there
was no time to be wasted in explanations.
Who cares whether a poor oldwoman gets her tea to
her liking or not?