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is over。 It is not likely to rain so heavily very long。〃
The words were very commonplace； but oh； the tone！ And the smile
which accompanied them！ Anne felt her heart beating strangely。
Together they scurried to the pavilion and sat breathlessly down
under its friendly roof。 Anne laughingly held up her false umbrella。
〃It is when my umbrella turns inside out that I am convinced of
the total depravity of inanimate things；〃 she said gaily。
The raindrops sparkled on her shining hair； its loosened rings
curled around her neck and forehead。 Her cheeks were flushed；
her eyes big and starry。 Her companion looked down at her
admiringly。 She felt herself blushing under his gaze。
Who could he be？ Why； there was a bit of the Redmond white and
scarlet pinned to his coat lapel。 Yet she had thought she knew；
by sight at least； all the Redmond students except the Freshmen。
And this courtly youth surely was no Freshman。
〃We are schoolmates； I see；〃 he said； smiling at Anne's colors。
〃That ought to be sufficient introduction。 My name is Royal Gardner。
And you are the Miss Shirley who read the Tennyson paper at the
Philomathic the other evening； aren't you？〃
〃Yes； but I cannot place you at all；〃 said Anne； frankly。
〃Please； where DO you belong？〃
〃I feel as if I didn't belong anywhere yet。 I put in my Freshman
and Sophomore years at Redmond two years ago。 I've been in
Europe ever since。 Now I've come back to finish my Arts course。〃
〃This is my Junior year； too；〃 said Anne。
〃So we are classmates as well as collegemates。 I am reconciled
to the loss of the years that the locust has eaten；〃 said her
companion； with a world of meaning in those wonderful eyes of his。
The rain came steadily down for the best part of an hour。 But
the time seemed really very short。 When the clouds parted and a
burst of pale November sunshine fell athwart the harbor and the
pines Anne and her companion walked home together。 By the time
they had reached the gate of Patty's Place he had asked
permission to call； and had received it。 Anne went in with
cheeks of flame and her heart beating to her fingertips。 Rusty；
who climbed into her lap and tried to kiss her； found a very
absent welcome。 Anne； with her soul full of romantic thrills；
had no attention to spare just then for a crop…eared pussy cat。
That evening a parcel was left at Patty's Place for Miss Shirley。
It was a box containing a dozen magnificent roses。 Phil pounced
impertinently on the card that fell from it； read the name and
the poetical quotation written on the back。
〃Royal Gardner！〃 she exclaimed。 〃Why； Anne； I didn't know you
were acquainted with Roy Gardner！〃
〃I met him in the park this afternoon in the rain；〃 explained Anne
hurriedly。 〃My umbrella turned inside out and he came to my rescue
with his。〃
〃Oh！〃 Phil peered curiously at Anne。〃 And is that exceedingly
commonplace incident any reason why he should send us longstemmed
roses by the dozen； with a very sentimental rhyme？ Or why we
should blush divinest rosy…red when we look at his card？ Anne；
thy face betrayeth thee。〃
〃Don't talk nonsense； Phil。 Do you know Mr。 Gardner？〃
〃I've met his two sisters； and I know of him。 So does everybody
worthwhile in Kingsport。 The Gardners are among the richest；
bluest； of Bluenoses。 Roy is adorably handsome and clever。
Two years ago his mother's health failed and he had to leave
college and go abroad with her his father is dead。 He must
have been greatly disappointed to have to give up his class； but
they say he was perfectly sweet about it。 Fee fi fo fum；
Anne。 I smell romance。 Almost do I envy you； but not quite。
After all； Roy Gardner isn't Jonas。〃
〃You goose！〃 said Anne loftily。 But she lay long awake that night；
nor did she wish for sleep。 Her waking fancies were more alluring
than any vision of dreamland。 Had the real Prince come at last？
Recalling those glorious dark eyes which had gazed so deeply into
her own； Anne was very strongly inclined to think he had。
Chapter XXVI
Enter Christine
The girls at Patty's Place were dressing for the reception which
the Juniors were giving for the Seniors in February。 Anne surveyed
herself in the mirror of the blue room with girlish satisfaction。
She had a particularly pretty gown on。 Originally it had been
only a simple little slip of cream silk with a chiffon overdress。
But Phil had insisted on taking it home with her in the Christmas
holidays and embroidering tiny rosebuds all over the chiffon。
Phil's fingers were deft； and the result was a dress which was
the envy of every Redmond girl。 Even Allie Boone； whose frocks
came from Paris； was wont to look with longing eyes on that rosebud
concoction as Anne trailed up the main staircase at Redmond in it。
Anne was trying the effect of a white orchid in her hair。
Roy Gardner had sent her white orchids for the reception；
and she knew no other Redmond girl would have them that night
when Phil came in with admiring gaze。
〃Anne； this is certainly your night for looking handsome。
Nine nights out of ten I can easily outshine you。 The tenth
you blossom out suddenly into something that eclipses me altogether。
How do you manage it？〃
〃It's the dress； dear。 Fine feathers。〃
〃‘Tisn't。 The last evening you flamed out into beauty you
wore your old blue flannel shirtwaist that Mrs。 Lynde made you。
If Roy hadn't already lost head and heart about you he certainly
would tonight。 But I don't like orchids on you； Anne。 No； it
isn't jealousy。 Orchids don't seem to BELONG to you。 They're
too exotic too tropical too insolent。 Don't put them in
your hair； anyway。〃
〃Well； I won't。 I admit I'm not fond of orchids myself。 I don't
think they're related to me。 Roy doesn't often send them he
knows I like flowers I can live with。 Orchids are only things
you can visit with。〃
〃Jonas sent me some dear pink rosebuds for the evening but
he isn't coming himself。 He said he had to lead a prayer…meeting
in the slums！ I don't believe he wanted to come。 Anne； I'm
horribly afraid Jonas doesn't really care anything about me。 And
I'm trying to decide whether I'll pine away and die； or go on and
get my B。A。 and be sensible and useful。〃
〃You couldn't possibly be sensible and useful； Phil； so you'd
better pine away and die；〃 said Anne cruelly。
〃Heartless Anne！〃
〃Silly Phil！ You know quite well that Jonas loves you。〃
〃But he won't TELL me so。 And I can't MAKE him。 He LOOKS it；
I'll admit。 But speak…to…me…only…with…thine…eyes isn't a really
reliable reason for embroidering doilies and hemstitching
tablecloths。 I don't want to begin such work until I'm really
engaged。 It would be tempting Fate。〃
〃Mr。 Blake is afraid to ask you to marry him； Phil。 He is poor
and can't offer you a home such as you've always had。 You know
that is the only reason he hasn't spoken long ago。〃
〃I suppose so；〃 agreed Phil dolefully。 〃Well〃 brightening up
〃if he WON'T ask me to marry him I'll ask him； that's all。
So it's bound to come right。 I won't worry。 By the way；
Gilbert Blythe is going about constantly with Christine Stuart。
Did you know？〃
Anne was trying to fasten a little gold chain about her throat。
She suddenly found the clasp difficult to manage。 WHAT was the
matter with it or with her fingers？
〃No；〃 she said carelessly。〃 Who is Christine Stuart？〃
〃Ronald Stuart's sister。 She's in Kingsport this winter studying
music。 I haven't seen her； but they say she's very pretty and
that Gilbert is quite crazy over her。 How angry I was when you
refused Gilbert； Anne。 But Roy Gardner was foreordained for you。
I can see that now。 You were right； after all。〃
Anne did not blush； as she usually did when the girls assumed
that her eventual marriage to Roy Gardner was a settled thing。
All at once she felt rather dull。 Phil's chatter seemed trivial
and the reception a bore。 She boxed poor Rusty's ears。
〃Get off that cushion instantly； you cat； you！ Why don't you
stay down where you belong？〃
Anne picked up her orchids and went downstairs； where Aunt Jamesina
was presiding over a row of coats hung before the fire to warm。
Roy Gardner was waiting for Anne and teasing the Sarah…cat while
he waited。 The Sarah…cat did not approve of him。 She always
turned her back on him。 But everybody else at Patty's Place liked
him very much。 Aunt Jamesina； carried away by his unfailing and
deferential courtesy； and the pleading tones of his delightful voice；
declared he was the nicest young man she ever knew； and that Anne
was a very fortunate girl。 Such remarks made Anne restive。 Roy's
wooing had certainly been as romantic as girlish heart could desire；
but she wished Aunt Jamesina and the girls would not take things
so for granted。 When Roy mu