s happiness and as keenly interested in
all the dainty details of Anne's trousseau as if it could rival her own
silken and bejewelled splendors. Jane was not brilliant, and had
probably never made a remark worth listening to in her life; but she
never said anything that would hurt anyone's feelings--which may be a
negative talent but is likewise a rare and enviable one.

"So Gilbert didn't go back on you after all," said Mrs. Harmon Andrews,
contriving to convey an expression of surprise in her tone. "Well, the
Blythes generally keep their word when they've once passed it, no
matter what happens. Let me see--you're twenty-five, aren't you, Anne?
When I was a girl twenty-five was the first corner. But you look quite
young. Red-headed people always do."

"Red hair is very fashionable now," said Anne, trying to smile, but
speaking rather coldly. Life had developed in her a sense of humor
which helped her over many difficulties; but as yet nothing had availed
to steel her against a reference to her hair.

"So it is--so it is," conceded Mrs. Harmon. "There's no telling what
queer freaks fashion will take. Well, Anne, your things are very
pretty, and very suitable to your position in life, aren't they, Jane?
I hope you'll be very happy. You have my best wishes, I'm sure. A
long engagement doesn't often turn out well. But, of course, in your
case it couldn't be helped."

"Gilbert looks very young for a doctor. I'm afraid people won't have
much confidence in him," said Mrs. Jasper Bell gloomily. Then she shut
her mouth tightly, as if she had said what she considered it her duty
to say and held her conscience clear. She belonged to the type which
always has a stringy black feather in its hat and straggling locks of
hair on its neck.

Anne's surface pleasure in her pretty bridal things was temporarily
shadowed; but the deeps of happiness below could not thus be disturbed;
and the little stings of Mesdames Bell and Andrews were forgotten when
Gilbert came later, and they wandered down to the birches of the brook,
which had been saplings when Anne had come to Green Gables, but were
now tall, ivory columns in a fairy palace of twilight and stars. In
their shadows Anne and Gilbert talked in lover-fashion of their new
home and their new life together.

"I've found a nest for us, Anne."

"Oh, where? Not right in the village, I hope. I wouldn't like that
altogether."

"No. There was no house to be had in the