shot or poison had descended on him--except Susan, who believed
and continued to affirm that he had merely "gone to his own place."
Rilla lamented him, for she had been very fond of her stately golden
pussy, and had liked him quite as well in his weird Hyde moods as in
his tame Jekyll ones.

"And now, Mrs. Dr. dear," said Susan, "since the fall house-cleaning is
over and the garden truck is all safe in cellar, I am going to take a
honeymoon to celebrate the peace."

"A honeymoon, Susan?"

"Yes, Mrs. Dr. dear, a honeymoon," repeated Susan firmly. "I shall
never be able to get a husband but I am not going to be cheated out of
everything and a honeymoon I intend to have. I am going to
Charlottetown to visit my married brother and his family. His wife has
been ailing all the fall, but nobody knows whether she is going to die
not. She never did tell anyone what she was going to do until she did
it. That is the main reason why she was never liked in our family. But
to be on the safe side I feel that I should visit her. I have not been
in town for over a day for twenty years and I have a feeling that I
might as well see one of those moving pictures there is so much talk
of, so as not to be wholly out of the swim. But have no fear that I
shall be carried away with them, Mrs. Dr. dear. I shall be away a
fortnight if you can spare me so long."

"You certainly deserve a good holiday, Susan. Better take a month--that
is the proper length for a honeymoon."

"No, Mrs. Dr. dear, a fortnight is all I require. Besides, I must be
home for at least three weeks before Christmas to make the proper
preparations. We will have a Christmas that is a Christmas this year,
Mrs. Dr. dear. Do you think there is any chance of our boys being home
for it?"

"No, I think not, Susan. Both Jem and Shirley write that they don't
expect to be home before spring--it may be even midsummer before
Shirley comes. But Carl Meredith will be home, and Nan and Di, and we
will have a grand celebration once more. We'll set chairs for all,
Susan, as you did our first war Christmas--yes, for all--for my dear
lad whose chair must always be vacant, as well as for the others,
Susan."

"It is not likely I would forget to set his place, Mrs. Dr. dear," said
Susan, wiping her eyes as she departed to pack up for her "honeymoon."

CHAPTER XXXV

"RILLA-MY-RILLA!"

Carl Meredith and Miller Douglas came home just before Christmas and
Glen St. Mary met them at the