e body trembled from head to foot; her
face flushed and her eyes dilated until they were almost black; she
clasped her hands tightly and said in an imploring voice:

"Oh, please, Miss Cuthbert, won't you tell me if you are going to send
me away or not? I've tried to be patient all the morning, but I really
feel that I cannot bear not knowing any longer. It's a dreadful feeling.
Please tell me."

"You haven't scalded the dishcloth in clean hot water as I told you to
do," said Marilla immovably. "Just go and do it before you ask any more
questions, Anne."

Anne went and attended to the dishcloth. Then she returned to Marilla
and fastened imploring eyes of the latter's face. "Well," said Marilla,
unable to find any excuse for deferring her explanation longer, "I
suppose I might as well tell you. Matthew and I have decided to keep
you--that is, if you will try to be a good little girl and show yourself
grateful. Why, child, whatever is the matter?"

"I'm crying," said Anne in a tone of bewilderment. "I can't think why.
I'm glad as glad can be. Oh, GLAD doesn't seem the right word at all. I
was glad about the White Way and the cherry blossoms--but this! Oh, it's
something more than glad. I'm so happy. I'll try to be so good. It
will be uphill work, I expect, for Mrs. Thomas often told me I was
desperately wicked. However, I'll do my very best. But can you tell me
why I'm crying?"

"I suppose it's because you're all excited and worked up," said Marilla
disapprovingly. "Sit down on that chair and try to calm yourself. I'm
afraid you both cry and laugh far too easily. Yes, you can stay here and
we will try to do right by you. You must go to school; but it's only a
fortnight till vacation so it isn't worth while for you to start before
it opens again in September."

"What am I to call you?" asked Anne. "Shall I always say Miss Cuthbert?
Can I call you Aunt Marilla?"

"No; you'll call me just plain Marilla. I'm not used to being called
Miss Cuthbert and it would make me nervous."

"It sounds awfully disrespectful to just say Marilla," protested Anne.

"I guess there'll be nothing disrespectful in it if you're careful
to speak respectfully. Everybody, young and old, in Avonlea calls me
Marilla except the minister. He says Miss Cuthbert--when he thinks of
it."

"I'd love to call you Aunt Marilla," said Anne wistfully. "I've never
had an aunt or any relation at all--not even a grandmother. It would
make me feel as if I