lay fast
and loose with a woman's feelings for twenty years. He certainly should
be taught a lesson, and Anne felt vindictively that she would enjoy
seeing the process. Therefore she was delighted when Janet told her, as
they were going to prayer-meeting the next night, that she meant to show
some "sperrit."

"I'll let John Douglas see I'm not going to be trodden on any longer."

"You are perfectly right," said Anne emphatically.

When prayer-meeting was over John Douglas came up with his usual
request. Janet looked frightened but resolute.

"No, thank you," she said icily. "I know the road home pretty well
alone. I ought to, seeing I've been traveling it for forty years. So you
needn't trouble yourself, MR. Douglas."

Anne was looking at John Douglas; and, in that brilliant moonlight,
she saw the last twist of the rack again. Without a word he turned and
strode down the road.

"Stop! Stop!" Anne called wildly after him, not caring in the least for
the other dumbfounded onlookers. "Mr. Douglas, stop! Come back."

John Douglas stopped but he did not come back. Anne flew down the road,
caught his arm and fairly dragged him back to Janet.

"You must come back," she said imploringly. "It's all a mistake, Mr.
Douglas--all my fault. I made Janet do it. She didn't want to--but it's
all right now, isn't it, Janet?"

Without a word Janet took his arm and walked away. Anne followed them
meekly home and slipped in by the back door.

"Well, you are a nice person to back me up," said Janet sarcastically.

"I couldn't help it, Janet," said Anne repentantly. "I just felt as if I
had stood by and seen murder done. I HAD to run after him."

"Oh, I'm just as glad you did. When I saw John Douglas making off down
that road I just felt as if every little bit of joy and happiness that
was left in my life was going with him. It was an awful feeling."

"Did he ask you why you did it?" asked Anne.

"No, he never said a word about it," replied Janet dully.

Chapter XXXIV

John Douglas Speaks at Last

Anne was not without a feeble hope that something might come of it after
all. But nothing did. John Douglas came and took Janet driving, and
walked home from prayer-meeting with her, as he had been doing for
twenty years, and as he seemed likely to do for twenty years more. The
summer waned. Anne taught her school and wrote letters and studied a
little. Her walks to and from school were pleasant. She always went by
way o