was working, and
welcomed them joyfully. In the searching light of the spring evening
he looked older than Anne had ever seen him. His hair had grown much
grayer, and the strong old hand shook a little. But his blue eyes were
clear and steady, and the staunch soul looked out through them gallant
and unafraid.

Captain Jim listened in amazed silence while Gilbert said what he had
come to say. Anne, who knew how the old man worshipped Leslie, felt
quite sure that he would side with her, although she had not much hope
that this would influence Gilbert. She was therefore surprised beyond
measure when Captain Jim, slowly and sorrowfully, but unhesitatingly,
gave it as his opinion that Leslie should be told.

"Oh, Captain Jim, I didn't think you'd say that," she exclaimed
reproachfully. "I thought you wouldn't want to make more trouble for
her."

Captain Jim shook his head.

"I don't want to. I know how you feel about it, Mistress Blythe--just
as I feel meself. But it ain't our feelings we have to steer by
through life--no, no, we'd make shipwreck mighty often if we did that.
There's only the one safe compass and we've got to set our course by
that--what it's right to do. I agree with the doctor. If there's a
chance for Dick, Leslie should be told of it. There's no two sides to
that, in my opinion."

"Well," said Anne, giving up in despair, "wait until Miss Cornelia gets
after you two men."

"Cornelia'll rake us fore and aft, no doubt," assented Captain Jim.
"You women are lovely critters, Mistress Blythe, but you're just a mite
illogical. You're a highly eddicated lady and Cornelia isn't, but
you're like as two peas when it comes to that. I dunno's you're any
the worse for it. Logic is a sort of hard, merciless thing, I reckon.
Now, I'll brew a cup of tea and we'll drink it and talk of pleasant
things, jest to calm our minds a bit."

At least, Captain Jim's tea and conversation calmed Anne's mind to such
an extent that she did not make Gilbert suffer so acutely on the way
home as she had deliberately intended to do. She did not refer to the
burning question at all, but she chatted amiably of other matters, and
Gilbert understood that he was forgiven under protest.

"Captain Jim seems very frail and bent this spring. The winter has
aged him," said Anne sadly. "I am afraid that he will soon be going to
seek lost Margaret. I can't bear to think of it."

"Four Winds won't be the same place when Capt