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the rack the last turn of possible endurance。 She felt sure he
must be ill and hurried poor blushing Janet away。
〃Isn't old Mrs。 Douglas a sweet woman？〃 asked Janet； as they
went down the road。
〃M m；〃 answered Anne absently。 She was wondering why John
Douglas had looked so。
〃She's been a terrible sufferer；〃 said Janet feelingly。
〃She takes terrible spells。 It keeps John all worried up。
He's scared to leave home for fear his mother will take a
spell and nobody there but the hired girl。〃
Chapter XXXIII
〃He Just Kept Coming and Coming〃
Three days later Anne came home from school and found Janet crying。
Tears and Janet seemed so incongruous that Anne was honestly alarmed。
〃Oh； what is the matter？〃 she cried anxiously。
〃I'm I'm forty today；〃 sobbed Janet。
〃Well； you were nearly that yesterday and it didn't hurt；〃
comforted Anne； trying not to smile。
〃But but；〃 went on Janet with a big gulp； 〃John Douglas won't
ask me to marry him。〃
〃Oh； but he will；〃 said Anne lamely。 〃You must give him time； Janet
〃Time！〃 said Janet with indescribable scorn。 〃He has had twenty years。
How much time does he want？〃
〃Do you mean that John Douglas has been coming to see you for
twenty years？〃
〃He has。 And he has never so much as mentioned marriage to me。
And I don't believe he ever will now。 I've never said a word to
a mortal about it； but it seems to me I've just got to talk it
out with some one at last or go crazy。 John Douglas begun to go
with me twenty years ago； before mother died。 Well； he kept
coming and coming； and after a spell I begun making quilts and
things； but he never said anything about getting married； only
just kept coming and coming。 There wasn't anything I could do。
Mother died when we'd been going together for eight years。
I thought he maybe would speak out then； seeing as I was left
alone in the world。 He was real kind and feeling； and did
everything he could for me； but he never said marry。 And that's
the way it has been going on ever since。 People blame ME for it。
They say I won't marry him because his mother is so sickly and I
don't want the bother of waiting on her。 Why； I'd LOVE to wait on
John's mother！ But I let them think so。 I'd rather they'd blame
me than pity me！ It's so dreadful humiliating that John won't
ask me。 And WHY won't he？ Seems to me if I only knew his reason
I wouldn't mind it so much。〃
〃Perhaps his mother doesn't want him to marry anybody；〃 suggested Anne。
〃Oh； she does。 She's told me time and again that she'd love to see
John settled before her time comes。 She's always giving him hints
you heard her yourself the other day。 I thought I'd ha' gone through
the floor。〃
〃It's beyond me；〃 said Anne helplessly。 She thought of Ludovic Speed。
But the cases were not parallel。 John Douglas was not a man of
Ludovic's type。
〃You should show more spirit； Janet；〃 she went on resolutely。
〃Why didn't you send him about his business long ago？〃
〃I couldn't；〃 said poor Janet pathetically。 〃You see； Anne； I've
always been awful fond of John。 He might just as well keep coming
as not； for there was never anybody else I'd want； so it didn't matter。〃
〃But it might have made him speak out like a man；〃 urged Anne。
Janet shook her head。
〃No； I guess not。 I was afraid to try； anyway； for fear he'd
think I meant it and just go。 I suppose I'm a poor…spirited
creature； but that is how I feel。 And I can't help it。〃
〃Oh； you COULD help it； Janet。 It isn't too late yet。 Take a
firm stand。 Let that man know you are not going to endure his
shillyshallying any longer。 I'LL back you up。〃
〃I dunno；〃 said Janet hopelessly。 〃I dunno if I could ever get up
enough spunk。 Things have drifted so long。 But I'll think it over。〃
Anne felt that she was disappointed in John Douglas。 She had
liked him so well； and she had not thought him the sort of man who
would play fast and loose with a woman's feelings for twenty years。
He certainly should be taught a lesson； and Anne felt vindictively
that she would enjoy seeing the process。 Therefore she was delighted
when Janet told her； as they were going to prayer…meeting the next night；
that she meant to show some 〃sperrit。〃
〃I'll let John Douglas see I'm not going to be trodden on any longer。〃
〃You are perfectly right；〃 said Anne emphatically。
When prayer…meeting was over John Douglas came up with his usual request。
Janet looked frightened but resolute。
〃No； thank you；〃 she said icily。 〃I know the road home pretty well alone。
I ought to； seeing I've been traveling it for forty years。 So you needn't
trouble yourself； MR。 Douglas。〃
Anne was looking at John Douglas； and； in that brilliant moonlight；
she saw the last twist of the rack again。 Without a word he turned
and strode down the road。
〃Stop！ Stop！〃 Anne called wildly after him； not caring in the least
for the other dumbfounded onlookers。 〃Mr。 Douglas； stop！ Come back。〃
John Douglas stopped but he did not come back。 Anne flew down
the road； caught his arm and fairly dragged him back to Janet。
〃You must come back；〃 she said imploringly。 〃It's all a mistake；
Mr。 Douglas all my fault。 I made Janet do it。 She didn't
want to but it's all right now； isn't it； Janet？〃
Without a word Janet took his arm and walked away。 Anne followed
them meekly home and slipped in by the back door。
〃Well； you are a nice person to back me up；〃 said Janet sarcastically。
〃I couldn't help it； Janet；〃 said Anne repentantly。 〃I just felt
as if I had stood by and seen murder done。 I HAD to run after him。〃
〃Oh； I'm just as glad you did。 When I saw John Douglas making
off down that road I just felt as if every little bit of joy and
happiness that was left in my life was going with him。 It was an
awful feeling。〃
〃Did he ask you why you did it？〃 asked Anne。
〃No； he never said a word about it；〃 replied Janet dully。
Chapter XXXIV
John Douglas Speaks at Last
Anne was not without a feeble hope that something might come of
it after all。 But nothing did。 John Douglas came and took Janet
driving； and walked home from prayer…meeting with her； as he had
been doing for twenty years； and as he seemed likely to do for
twenty years more。 The summer waned。 Anne taught her school and
wrote letters and studied a little。 Her walks to and from school
were pleasant。 She always went by way of the swamp； it was a
lovely place a boggy soil； green with the greenest of mossy
hillocks； a silvery brook meandered through it and spruces stood
erectly； their boughs a…trail with gray…green mosses； their roots
overgrown with all sorts of woodland lovelinesses。
Nevertheless； Anne found life in Valley Road a little monotonous。
To be sure； there was one diverting incident。
She had not seen the lank； tow…headed Samuel of the peppermints
since the evening of his call； save for chance meetings on the road。
But one warm August night he appeared； and solemnly seated himself
on the rustic bench by the porch。 He wore his usual working
habiliments； consisting of varipatched trousers； a blue jean shirt；
out at the elbows； and a ragged straw hat。 He was chewing a straw
and he kept on chewing it while he looked solemnly at Anne。 Anne
laid her book aside with a sigh and took up her doily。 Conversation
with Sam was really out of the question。
After a long silence Sam suddenly spoke。
〃I'm leaving over there；〃 he said abruptly； waving his straw in
the direction of the neighboring house。
〃Oh； are you？〃 said Anne politely。
〃Yep。〃
〃And where are you going now？〃
〃Wall； I've been thinking some of gitting a place of my own。
There's one that'd suit me over at Millersville。 But ef I rents
it I'll want a woman。〃
〃I suppose so；〃 said Anne vaguely。
〃Yep。〃
There was another long silence。 Finally Sam removed his straw
again and said；
〃Will yeh hev me？〃
〃Wh a t！〃 gasped Anne。
〃Will yeh hev me？〃
〃Do you mean MARRY you？〃 queried poor Anne feebly。
〃Yep。〃
〃Why； I'm hardly acquainted with you；〃 cried Anne indignantly。
〃But yeh'd git acquainted with me after we was married；〃 said Sam。
Anne gathered up her poor dignity。
〃Certainly I won't marry you；〃 she said haughtily。
〃Wall； yeh might do worse；〃 expostulated Sam。 〃I'm a good worker
and I've got some money in the bank。〃
〃Don't speak of this to me again。 Whatever put such an idea into
your head？〃 said Anne； her sense of humor getting the better of
her wrath。 It was such an absurd situation。
〃Yeh're a likely…looking girl and hev a right…smart way o' stepping；〃
said Sam。 〃I don't want no lazy woman。 Think it over。 I won't change
my mind yit awhile。 Wall； I must be gitting。 Gotter milk the cows。〃
A