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living…room； where by a cheery little fire sat two other ladies；
both of whom were also grim and ancient。 Except that one looked
to be about seventy and the other fifty； there seemed little
difference between them。 Each had amazingly big； light…blue eyes
behind steel…rimmed spectacles； each wore a cap and a gray shawl；
each was knitting without haste and without rest； each rocked
placidly and looked at the girls without speaking； and just
behind each sat a large white china dog； with round green spots
all over it； a green nose and green ears。 Those dogs captured
Anne's fancy on the spot； they seemed like the twin guardian
deities of Patty's Place。
For a few minutes nobody spoke。 The girls were too nervous to
find words； and neither the ancient ladies nor the china dogs
seemed conversationally inclined。 Anne glanced about the room。
What a dear place it was！ Another door opened out of it directly
into the pine grove and the robins came boldly up on the very step。
The floor was spotted with round； braided mats； such as Marilla
made at Green Gables； but which were considered out of date
everywhere else； even in Avonlea。 And yet here they were on
Spofford Avenue！ A big； polished grandfather's clock ticked
loudly and solemnly in a corner。 There were delightful little
cupboards over the mantelpiece； behind whose glass doors gleamed
quaint bits of china。 The walls were hung with old prints and
silhouettes。 In one corner the stairs went up； and at the first
low turn was a long window with an inviting seat。 It was all
just as Anne had known it must be。
By this time the silence had grown too dreadful； and Priscilla
nudged Anne to intimate that she must speak。
〃We we saw by your sign that this house is to let；〃 said Anne
faintly； addressing the older lady； who was evidently Miss Patty Spofford。
〃Oh； yes；〃 said Miss Patty。 〃I intended to take that sign down today。〃
〃Then then we are too late；〃 said Anne sorrowfully。 〃You've let it
to some one else？〃
〃No； but we have decided not to let it at all。〃
〃Oh； I'm so sorry；〃 exclaimed Anne impulsively。 〃I love this place so。
I did hope we could have got it。〃
Then did Miss Patty lay down her knitting； take off her specs；
rub them； put them on again； and for the first time look at Anne
as at a human being。 The other lady followed her example so
perfectly that she might as well have been a reflection in a mirror。
〃You LOVE it；〃 said Miss Patty with emphasis。 〃Does that mean
that you really LOVE it？ Or that you merely like the looks of it？
The girls nowadays indulge in such exaggerated statements that one
never can tell what they DO mean。 It wasn't so in my young days。
THEN a girl did not say she LOVED turnips； in just the same tone
as she might have said she loved her mother or her Savior。〃
Anne's conscience bore her up。
〃I really do love it；〃 she said gently。 〃I've loved it ever since
I saw it last fall。 My two college chums and I want to keep house
next year instead of boarding； so we are looking for a little place
to rent； and when I saw that this house was to let I was so happy。〃
〃If you love it； you can have it；〃 said Miss Patty。 〃Maria and I
decided today that we would not let it after all； because we did
not like any of the people who have wanted it。 We don't HAVE to
let it。 We can afford to go to Europe even if we don't let it。
It would help us out； but not for gold will I let my home pass
into the possession of such people as have come here and looked
at it。 YOU are different。 I believe you do love it and will be
good to it。 You can have it。〃
〃If if we can afford to pay what you ask for it；〃 hesitated Anne。
Miss Patty named the amount required。 Anne and Priscilla looked
at each other。 Priscilla shook her head。
〃I'm afraid we can't afford quite so much；〃 said Anne； choking
back her disappointment。 〃You see； we are only college girls
and we are poor。〃
〃What were you thinking you could afford？〃 demanded Miss Patty；
ceasing not to knit。
Anne named her amount。 Miss Patty nodded gravely。
〃That will do。 As I told you； it is not strictly necessary that
we should let it at all。 We are not rich； but we have enough to
go to Europe on。 I have never been in Europe in my life； and never
expected or wanted to go。 But my niece there； Maria Spofford； has
taken a fancy to go。 Now； you know a young person like Maria can't
go globetrotting alone。〃
〃No I I suppose not；〃 murmured Anne； seeing that Miss Patty
was quite solemnly in earnest。
〃Of course not。 So I have to go along to look after her。 I expect to
enjoy it； too； I'm seventy years old； but I'm not tired of living yet。
I daresay I'd have gone to Europe before if the idea had occurred to me。
We shall be away for two years； perhaps three。 We sail in June and we
shall send you the key； and leave all in order for you to take
possession when you choose。 We shall pack away a few things we
prize especially； but all the rest will be left。〃
〃Will you leave the china dogs？〃 asked Anne timidly。
〃Would you like me to？〃
〃Oh； indeed； yes。 They are delightful。〃
A pleased expression came into Miss Patty's face。
〃I think a great deal of those dogs；〃 she said proudly。 〃They are
over a hundred years old； and they have sat on either side of this
fireplace ever since my brother Aaron brought them from London
fifty years ago。 Spofford Avenue was called after my brother Aaron。〃
〃A fine man he was；〃 said Miss Maria； speaking for the first time。
〃Ah； you don't see the like of him nowadays。〃
〃He was a good uncle to you； Maria；〃 said Miss Patty； with evident emotion。
〃You do well to remember him。〃
〃I shall always remember him；〃 said Miss Maria solemnly。 〃I can see him；
this minute； standing there before that fire； with his hands under his
coat…tails； beaming on us。〃
Miss Maria took out her handkerchief and wiped her eyes； but Miss Patty
came resolutely back from the regions of sentiment to those of business。
〃I shall leave the dogs where they are； if you will promise to be
very careful of them；〃 she said。 〃Their names are Gog and Magog。
Gog looks to the right and Magog to the left。 And there's just
one thing more。 You don't object； I hope； to this house being
called Patty's Place？〃
〃No； indeed。 We think that is one of the nicest things about it。〃
〃You have sense； I see；〃 said Miss Patty in a tone of great satisfaction。
〃Would you believe it？ All the people who came here to rent the house
wanted to know if they couldn't take the name off the gate during their
occupation of it。 I told them roundly that the name went with the house。
This has been Patty's Place ever since my brother Aaron left it to me in
his will； and Patty's Place it shall remain until I die and Maria dies。
After that happens the next possessor can call it any fool name he likes；〃
concluded Miss Patty； much as she might have said； 〃After that the deluge。〃
〃And now； wouldn't you like to go over the house and see it all before we
consider the bargain made？〃
Further exploration still further delighted the girls。 Besides the
big living…room； there was a kitchen and a small bedroom downstairs。
Upstairs were three rooms； one large and two small。 Anne took an
especial fancy to one of the small ones； looking out into the big pines；
and hoped it would be hers。 It was papered in pale blue and had a
little； old…timey toilet table with sconces for candles。 There was
a diamond…paned window with a seat under the blue muslin frills that
would be a satisfying spot for studying or dreaming。
〃It's all so delicious that I know we are going to wake up and find
it a fleeting vision of the night；〃 said Priscilla as they went away。
〃Miss Patty and Miss Maria are hardly such stuff as dreams are
made of；〃 laughed Anne。 〃Can you fancy them ‘globe…trotting'
especially in those shawls and caps？〃
〃I suppose they'll take them off when they really begin to trot；〃
said Priscilla； 〃but I know they'll take their knitting with
them everywhere。 They simply couldn't be parted from it。
They will walk about Westminster Abbey and knit； I feel sure。
Meanwhile； Anne； we shall be living in Patty's Place and on
Spofford Avenue。 I feel like a millionairess even now。〃
〃I feel like one of the morning stars that sang for joy；〃 said Anne。
Phil Gordon crept into Thirty…eight； St。 John's； that night and
flung herself on Anne's bed。
〃Girls； dear； I'm tired to death。 I feel like the man without a country
or was it without a shadow？ I forget which。 Anyway； I've been packing up。〃
〃And I suppose you are worn out because you couldn't decide which
things to pack first； or where to put them；〃 laughed Priscilla。
〃E…zackly。 And when I had got everything jammed in somehow； and
my landlady and her maid had both sat on it while I locked it；