gave
them peppermint or castor oil quite coolly. It's quite curious now to
recall how lightly I took all those babies and their woes."

"Oh, well, if Little Jem cries, I will just clap a hot water bag on his
little stomach," said Susan.

"Not too hot, you know," said Anne anxiously. Oh, was it really wise
to go?

"Do not you fret, Mrs. Doctor, dear. Susan is not the woman to burn a
wee man. Bless him, he has no notion of crying."

Anne tore herself away finally and enjoyed her walk to the Point after
all, through the long shadows of the sun-setting. Captain Jim was not
in the living room of the lighthouse, but another man was--a handsome,
middle-aged man, with a strong, clean-shaven chin, who was unknown to
Anne. Nevertheless, when she sat down, he began to talk to her with
all the assurance of an old acquaintance. There was nothing amiss in
what he said or the way he said it, but Anne rather resented such a
cool taking-for-granted in a complete stranger. Her replies were
frosty, and as few as decency required. Nothing daunted, her companion
talked on for several minutes, then excused himself and went away.
Anne could have sworn there was a twinkle in his eye and it annoyed
her. Who was the creature? There was something vaguely familiar about
him but she was certain she had never seen him before.

"Captain Jim, who was that who just went out?" she asked, as Captain
Jim came in.

"Marshall Elliott," answered the captain.

"Marshall Elliott!" cried Anne. "Oh, Captain Jim--it wasn't--yes, it
WAS his voice--oh, Captain Jim, I didn't know him--and I was quite
insulting to him! WHY didn't he tell me? He must have seen I didn't
know him."

"He wouldn't say a word about it--he'd just enjoy the joke. Don't
worry over snubbing him--he'll think it fun. Yes, Marshall's shaved
off his beard at last and cut his hair. His party is in, you know. I
didn't know him myself first time I saw him. He was up in Carter
Flagg's store at the Glen the night after election day, along with a
crowd of others, waiting for the news. About twelve the 'phone came
through--the Liberals were in. Marshall just got up and walked out--he
didn't cheer or shout--he left the others to do that, and they nearly
lifted the roof off Carter's store, I reckon. Of course, all the
Tories were over in Raymond Russell's store. Not much cheering THERE.
Marshall went straight down the street to the side door of Augustus
Palmer's barber sh