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noble； work as a teacher； and the success her little sketches were
beginning to meet with in certain editorial sanctums augured well
for her budding literary dreams。 But but Anne picked up her
green dress and sighed again。
When Gilbert came the next afternoon he found Anne waiting for him；
fresh as the dawn and fair as a star； after all the gaiety of the
preceding night。 She wore a green dress not the one she had
worn to the wedding； but an old one which Gilbert had told her
at a Redmond reception he liked especially。 It was just the shade
of green that brought out the rich tints of her hair； and the starry
gray of her eyes and the iris…like delicacy of her skin。 Gilbert；
glancing at her sideways as they walked along a shadowy woodpath；
thought she had never looked so lovely。 Anne； glancing sideways
at Gilbert； now and then； thought how much older he looked since
his illness。 It was as if he had put boyhood behind him forever。
The day was beautiful and the way was beautiful。 Anne was almost
sorry when they reached Hester Gray's garden； and sat down on the
old bench。 But it was beautiful there； too as beautiful as it
had been on the faraway day of the Golden Picnic； when Diana and
Jane and Priscilla and she had found it。 Then it had been lovely
with narcissus and violets； now golden rod had kindled its fairy
torches in the corners and asters dotted it bluely。 The call of
the brook came up through the woods from the valley of birches
with all its old allurement； the mellow air was full of the purr
of the sea； beyond were fields rimmed by fences bleached silvery
gray in the suns of many summers； and long hills scarfed with the
shadows of autumnal clouds； with the blowing of the west wind old
dreams returned。
〃I think；〃 said Anne softly； 〃that ‘the land where dreams come true'
is in the blue haze yonder； over that little valley。〃
〃Have you any unfulfilled dreams； Anne？〃 asked Gilbert。
Something in his tone something she had not heard since that
miserable evening in the orchard at Patty's Place made Anne's
heart beat wildly。 But she made answer lightly。
〃Of course。 Everybody has。 It wouldn't do for us to have all
our dreams fulfilled。 We would be as good as dead if we had
nothing left to dream about。 What a delicious aroma that
low…descending sun is extracting from the asters and ferns。
I wish we could see perfumes as well as smell them。 I'm sure
they would be very beautiful。〃
Gilbert was not to be thus sidetracked。
〃I have a dream；〃 he said slowly。 〃I persist in dreaming it；
although it has often seemed to me that it could never come true。
I dream of a home with a hearth…fire in it； a cat and dog； the
footsteps of friends and YOU！〃
Anne wanted to speak but she could find no words。 Happiness was
breaking over her like a wave。 It almost frightened her。
〃I asked you a question over two years ago； Anne。 If I ask it
again today will you give me a different answer？〃
Still Anne could not speak。 But she lifted her eyes； shining
with all the love…rapture of countless generations； and looked
into his for a moment。 He wanted no other answer。
They lingered in the old garden until twilight； sweet as dusk in
Eden must have been； crept over it。 There was so much to talk
over and recall things said and done and heard and thought and
felt and misunderstood。
〃I thought you loved Christine Stuart；〃 Anne told him； as
reproachfully as if she had not given him every reason to
suppose that she loved Roy Gardner。
Gilbert laughed boyishly。
〃Christine was engaged to somebody in her home town。 I knew it
and she knew I knew it。 When her brother graduated he told me
his sister was coming to Kingsport the next winter to take music；
and asked me if I would look after her a bit； as she knew no one
and would be very lonely。 So I did。 And then I liked Christine
for her own sake。 She is one of the nicest girls I've ever
known。 I knew college gossip credited us with being in love with
each other。 I didn't care。 Nothing mattered much to me for a
time there； after you told me you could never love me； Anne。
There was nobody else there never could be anybody else for me
but you。 I've loved you ever since that day you broke your slate
over my head in school。〃
〃I don't see how you could keep on loving me when I was such a
little fool；〃 said Anne。
〃Well； I tried to stop；〃 said Gilbert frankly； 〃not because I
thought you what you call yourself； but because I felt sure there
was no chance for me after Gardner came on the scene。 But I
couldn't and I can't tell you； either； what it's meant to me
these two years to believe you were going to marry him； and be
told every week by some busybody that your engagement was on the
point of being announced。 I believed it until one blessed day
when I was sitting up after the fever。 I got a letter from Phil
Gordon Phil Blake； rather in which she told me there was
really nothing between you and Roy； and advised me to ‘try again。'
Well； the doctor was amazed at my rapid recovery after that。〃
Anne laughed then shivered。
〃I can never forget the night I thought you were dying； Gilbert。
Oh； I knew I KNEW then and I thought it was too late。〃
〃But it wasn't； sweetheart。 Oh； Anne； this makes up for
everything； doesn't it？ Let's resolve to keep this day sacred to
perfect beauty all our lives for the gift it has given us。〃
〃It's the birthday of our happiness；〃 said Anne softly。
〃I've always loved this old garden of Hester Gray's；
and now it will be dearer than ever。〃
〃But I'll have to ask you to wait a long time； Anne；〃
said Gilbert sadly。 〃It will be three years before
I'll finish my medical course。 And even then there
will be no diamond sunbursts and marble halls。〃
Anne laughed。
〃I don't want sunbursts and marble halls。 I just want YOU。
You see I'm quite as shameless as Phil about it。 Sunbursts and
marble halls may be all very well； but there is more ‘scope for
imagination' without them。 And as for the waiting； that doesn't
matter。 We'll just be happy； waiting and working for each other
and dreaming。 Oh； dreams will be very sweet now。〃
Gilbert drew her close to him and kissed her。 Then they walked
home together in the dusk； crowned king and queen in the bridal
realm of love； along winding paths fringed with the sweetest
flowers that ever bloomed； and over haunted meadows where winds
of hope and memory blew。
End