wen Ford she
would have been undeceived by the furtive hunger in Leslie's eyes
whenever his name was mentioned. Pitiful to that hunger, Anne always
contrived to tell Captain Jim or Gilbert bits of news from Owen's
letters when Leslie was with them. The girl's flush and pallor at such
moments spoke all too eloquently of the emotion that filled her being.
But she never spoke of him to Anne, or mentioned that night on the
sand-bar.

One day her old dog died and she grieved bitterly over him.

"He's been my friend so long," she said sorrowfully to Anne. "He was
Dick's old dog, you know--Dick had him for a year or so before we were
married. He left him with me when he sailed on the Four Sisters.
Carlo got very fond of me--and his dog-love helped me through that
first dreadful year after mother died, when I was alone. When I heard
that Dick was coming back I was afraid Carlo wouldn't be so much mine.
But he never seemed to care for Dick, though he had been so fond of him
once. He would snap and growl at him as if he were a stranger. I was
glad. It was nice to have one thing whose love was all mine. That old
dog has been such a comfort to me, Anne. He got so feeble in the fall
that I was afraid he couldn't live long--but I hoped I could nurse him
through the winter. He seemed pretty well this morning. He was lying
on the rug before the fire; then, all at once, he got up and crept over
to me; he put his head on my lap and gave me one loving look out of his
big, soft, dog eyes--and then he just shivered and died. I shall miss
him so."

"Let me give you another dog, Leslie," said Anne . "I'm getting a
lovely Gordon setter for a Christmas present for Gilbert. Let me give
you one too."

Leslie shook her head.

"Not just now, thank you, Anne. I don't feel like having another dog
yet. I don't seem to have any affection left for another. Perhaps--in
time--I'll let you give me one. I really need one as a kind of
protection. But there was something almost human about Carlo--it
wouldn't be DECENT to fill his place too hurriedly, dear old fellow ."

Anne went to Avonlea a week before Christmas and stayed until after the
holidays. Gilbert came up for her, and there was a glad New Year
celebration at Green Gables, when Barrys and Blythes and Wrights
assembled to devour a dinner which had cost Mrs. Rachel and Marilla
much careful thought and preparation. When they went back to Four
Winds the little house was alm