Nor,
when Owen Ford came next day, to ask her to go with him to the shore,
did she say him nay.

CHAPTER 37

MISS CORNELIA MAKES A STARTLING ANNOUNCEMENT

Miss Cornelia sailed down to the little house one drowsy afternoon,
when the gulf was the faint, bleached blue of the August seas, and the
orange lilies at the gate of Anne's garden held up their imperial cups
to be filled with the molten gold of August sunshine. Not that Miss
Cornelia concerned herself with painted oceans or sun-thirsty lilies.
She sat in her favorite rocker in unusual idleness. She sewed not,
neither did she spin. Nor did she say a single derogatory word
concerning any portion of mankind. In short, Miss Cornelia's
conversation was singularly devoid of spice that day, and Gilbert, who
had stayed home to listen to her, instead of going a-fishing, as he had
intended, felt himself aggrieved. What had come over Miss Cornelia?
She did not look cast down or worried. On the contrary, there was a
certain air of nervous exultation about her.

"Where is Leslie?" she asked--not as if it mattered much either.

"Owen and she went raspberrying in the woods back of her farm,"
answered Anne. "They won't be back before supper time--if then."

"They don't seem to have any idea that there is such a thing as a
clock," said Gilbert. "I can't get to the bottom of that affair. I'm
certain you women pulled strings. But Anne, undutiful wife, won't tell
me. Will you, Miss Cornelia?"

"No, I shall not. But," said Miss Cornelia, with the air of one
determined to take the plunge and have it over, "I will tell you
something else. I came today on purpose to tell it. I am going to be
married."

Anne and Gilbert were silent. If Miss Cornelia had announced her
intention of going out to the channel and drowning herself the thing
might have been believable. This was not. So they waited. Of course
Miss Cornelia had made a mistake.

"Well, you both look sort of kerflummexed," said Miss Cornelia, with a
twinkle in her eyes. Now that the awkward moment of revelation was
over, Miss Cornelia was her own woman again. "Do you think I'm too
young and inexperienced for matrimony?"

"You know--it IS rather staggering," said Gilbert, trying to gather his
wits together. "I've heard you say a score of times that you wouldn't
marry the best man in the world."

"I'm not going to marry the best man in the world," retorted Miss
Cornelia. "Marshall Elliott is a l