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my picture； Phil？〃
〃It seems a very dull one；〃 said Phil； with a grimace。
〃Oh； but I've left out the transforming thing；〃 said Anne softly。
〃There'll be love there； Phil faithful； tender love； such as
I'll never find anywhere else in the world love that's waiting
for me。 That makes my picture a masterpiece； doesn't it； even if
the colors are not very brilliant？〃
Phil silently got up； tossed her box of chocolates away； went up
to Anne； and put her arms about her。
〃Anne； I wish I was like you；〃 she said soberly。
Diana met Anne at the Carmody station the next night； and they
drove home together under silent； star…sown depths of sky。 Green
Gables had a very festal appearance as they drove up the lane。
There was a light in every window； the glow breaking out through
the darkness like flame…red blossoms swung against the dark
background of the Haunted Wood。 And in the yard was a brave
bonfire with two gay little figures dancing around it； one of
which gave an unearthly yell as the buggy turned in under the poplars。
〃Davy means that for an Indian war…whoop；〃 said Diana。 〃Mr。
Harrison's hired boy taught it to him； and he's been practicing
it up to welcome you with。 Mrs。 Lynde says it has worn her
nerves to a frazzle。 He creeps up behind her； you know； and then
lets go。 He was determined to have a bonfire for you； too。 He's
been piling up branches for a fortnight and pestering Marilla to
be let pour some kerosene oil over it before setting it on fire。
I guess she did； by the smell； though Mrs。 Lynde said up to the last
that Davy would blow himself and everybody else up if he was let。〃
Anne was out of the buggy by this time； and Davy was rapturously
hugging her knees； while even Dora was clinging to her hand。
〃Isn't that a bully bonfire； Anne？ Just let me show you how to
poke it see the sparks？ I did it for you； Anne； 'cause I was
so glad you were coming home。〃
The kitchen door opened and Marilla's spare form darkened against
the inner light。 She preferred to meet Anne in the shadows； for
she was horribly afraid that she was going to cry with joy
she； stern； repressed Marilla； who thought all display of deep
emotion unseemly。 Mrs。 Lynde was behind her； sonsy； kindly；
matronly； as of yore。 The love that Anne had told Phil was
waiting for her surrounded her and enfolded her with its blessing
and its sweetness。 Nothing； after all； could compare with old ties；
old friends； and old Green Gables！ How starry Anne's eyes were
as they sat down to the loaded supper table； how pink her cheeks；
how silver…clear her laughter！ And Diana was going to stay all
night； too。 How like the dear old times it was！ And the
rose…bud tea…set graced the table！ With Marilla the force of
nature could no further go。
〃I suppose you and Diana will now proceed to talk all night；〃
said Marilla sarcastically； as the girls went upstairs。
Marilla was always sarcastic after any self…betrayal。
〃Yes；〃 agreed Anne gaily； 〃but I'm going to put Davy to bed first。
He insists on that。〃
〃You bet；〃 said Davy； as they went along the hall。 〃I want somebody
to say my prayers to again。 It's no fun saying them alone。〃
〃You don't say them alone； Davy。 God is always with you to hear you。〃
〃Well； I can't see Him；〃 objected Davy。 〃I want to pray to somebody
I can see； but I WON'T say them to Mrs。 Lynde or Marilla； there now！〃
Nevertheless； when Davy was garbed in his gray flannel nighty； he
did not seem in a hurry to begin。 He stood before Anne；
shuffling one bare foot over the other； and looked undecided。
〃Come； dear； kneel down；〃 said Anne。
Davy came and buried his head in Anne's lap； but he did not kneel down。
〃Anne；〃 he said in a muffled voice。 〃I don't feel like praying after all。
I haven't felt like it for a week now。 I I DIDN'T pray last night nor
the night before。〃
〃Why not； Davy？〃 asked Anne gently。
〃You you won't be mad if I tell you？〃 implored Davy。
Anne lifted the little gray…flannelled body on her knee and
cuddled his head on her arm。
〃Do I ever get ‘mad' when you tell me things； Davy？〃
〃No…o…o； you never do。 But you get sorry； and that's worse。
You'll be awful sorry when I tell you this； Anne and you'll
be 'shamed of me； I s'pose。〃
〃Have you done something naughty； Davy； and is that why you can't
say your prayers？〃
〃No； I haven't done anything naughty yet。 But I want to do it。〃
〃What is it； Davy？〃
〃I I want to say a bad word； Anne；〃 blurted out Davy； with a
desperate effort。 〃I heard Mr。 Harrison's hired boy say it one
day last week； and ever since I've been wanting to say it ALL the
time even when I'm saying my prayers。〃
〃Say it then； Davy。〃
Davy lifted his flushed face in amazement。
〃But； Anne； it's an AWFUL bad word。〃
〃SAY IT！〃
Davy gave her another incredulous look； then in a low voice he
said the dreadful word。 The next minute his face was burrowing
against her。
〃Oh； Anne； I'll never say it again never。 I'll never WANT to
say it again。 I knew it was bad； but I didn't s'pose it was so
so I didn't s'pose it was like THAT。〃
〃No； I don't think you'll ever want to say it again； Davy or
think it； either。 And I wouldn't go about much with Mr。 Harrison's
hired boy if I were you。〃
〃He can make bully war…whoops；〃 said Davy a little regretfully。
〃But you don't want your mind filled with bad words； do you； Davy
words that will poison it and drive out all that is good and manly？〃
〃No；〃 said Davy； owl…eyed with introspection。
〃Then don't go with those people who use them。 And now do you
feel as if you could say your prayers； Davy？〃
〃Oh； yes；〃 said Davy； eagerly wriggling down on his knees； 〃I can
say them now all right。 I ain't scared now to say ‘if I should
die before I wake；' like I was when I was wanting to say that word。〃
Probably Anne and Diana did empty out their souls to each other
that night； but no record of their confidences has been preserved。
They both looked as fresh and bright…eyed at breakfast as only
youth can look after unlawful hours of revelry and confession。
There had been no snow up to this time； but as Diana crossed
the old log bridge on her homeward way the white flakes were
beginning to flutter down over the fields and woods； russet
and gray in their dreamless sleep。 Soon the far…away slopes
and hills were dim and wraith…like through their gauzy scarfing；
as if pale autumn had flung a misty bridal veil over her hair
and was waiting for her wintry bridegroom。 So they had a white
Christmas after all； and a very pleasant day it was。 In the
forenoon letters and gifts came from Miss Lavendar and Paul；
Anne opened them in the cheerful Green Gables kitchen； which was
filled with what Davy； sniffing in ecstasy； called 〃pretty smells。〃
〃Miss Lavendar and Mr。 Irving are settled in their new home now；〃
reported Anne。 〃I am sure Miss Lavendar is perfectly happy
I know it by the general tone of her letter but there's a
note from Charlotta the Fourth。 She doesn't like Boston at all；
and she is fearfully homesick。 Miss Lavendar wants me to go
through to Echo Lodge some day while I'm home and light a fire to
air it； and see that the cushions aren't getting moldy。 I think
I'll get Diana to go over with me next week； and we can spend the
evening with Theodora Dix。 I want to see Theodora。 By the way；
is Ludovic Speed still going to see her？〃
〃They say so；〃 said Marilla； 〃and he's likely to continue it。
Folks have given up expecting that that courtship will ever
arrive anywhere。〃
〃I'd hurry him up a bit； if I was Theodora； that's what；〃 said
Mrs。 Lynde。 And there is not the slightest doubt but that she would。
There was also a characteristic scrawl from Philippa； full of
Alec and Alonzo； what they said and what they did； and how they
looked when they saw her。
〃But I can't make up my mind yet which to marry；〃 wrote Phil。
〃I do wish you had come with me to decide for me。 Some one
will have to。 When I saw Alec my heart gave a great thump and I
thought； ‘He might be the right one。' And then； when Alonzo came；
thump went my heart again。 So that's no guide； though it should be；
according to all the novels I've ever read。 Now； Anne； YOUR heart
wouldn't thump for anybody but the genuine Prince Charming； would it？
There must be something radically wrong with mine。 But I'm having a
perfectly gorgeous time。 How I wish you were here！ It's snowing
today； and I'm rapturous。 I was so afraid we'd have a green
Christmas and I loathe them。 You know； when Christmas is a dirty
grayey…browney affair； looking as if it had been left over a hundred
years ago and had been in soak ever since； it is called a GREEN Christmas！
Don't ask me why。 As Lord Dundreary says； ‘there are thome thingth no
fellow can underthtand。'
〃Anne；