then he grew bitter.
Then Walters came, with his cadet's deep experience in life, and the
youth learned from him, and re-appeared on the surface again with a
tinge of cynicism which filled Anne with wonder. For he had never told
her the story of the summer; it was almost the only event in his life
which she had not shared. But it was not that he feared to tell her,
they were as frank with each other as two children; it was because he
thought she would not understand it.

"I do not like Mr. Walters," she said, one day.

"He was very much liked at the Point, I assure you," said Rast, with
significant emphasis. "By the ladies, I mean, who come there in the
summer."

"How could they like him, with that important, egotistical air?"

"But it is to conquer him they like," said Tita, looking up from her
corner.

"Hear the child!" said Rast, laughing. "Are _you_ going to conquer,
Tita?"

"Yes," said Tita, stroking the cat which shared the corner with her--a
soft coated yellow pussy that was generally sleepy and quiet, but which
had, nevertheless, at times, extraordinary fits of galloping round in a
circle, and tearing the bark from the trees as though she was
possessed--an eccentricity of character which the boys attributed to the
direct influence of Satan.

Miss Lois lived in the church-house. It was an ugly house; but then, as
is often said of a plain woman, "so good!" It did not leak or rattle, or
fall down or smoke, or lean or sag, as did most of the other houses in
the village, in regard to their shingles, their shutters, their
chimneys, their side walls, and their roof-trees. It stood straightly
and squarely on its stone foundation, and every board, nail and latch
was in its proper position. Years before, missionaries had been sent
from New England to work among the Indians of this neighborhood, who had
obtained their ideas of Christianity, up to that time, solely from the
Roman Catholic priests, who had succeeded each other in an unbroken line
from that adventurous Jesuit, the first explorer of these inland seas,
Father Marquette. The Presbyterians came, established their mission,
built a meeting-house, a school-house, and a house for their pastor, the
buildings being as solid as their belief. Money was collected for this
enterprise from all over New England, that old-time, devout,
self-sacrificing community whose sternness and faith were equal; tall
spare men came westward to teach the Indians, earnest women wit