thinks her charming now. It all sounds as if it were made in heaven, but I have
my doubts. Make the most of that, Aunt Jamesina.”
Roy asked Anne to marry him in the little pavilion on the harbor shore where
they had talked on the rainy day of their first meeting. Anne thought it very
romantic that he should have chosen that spot. And his proposal was as
beautifully worded as if he had copied it, as one of Ruby Gillis’ lovers had done,
out of a Deportment of Courtship and Marriage. The whole effect was quite
flawless. And it was also sincere. There was no doubt that Roy meant what he
said. There was no false note to jar the symphony. Anne felt that she ought to be
thrilling from head to foot. But she wasn’t; she was horribly cool. When Roy
paused for his answer she opened her lips to say her fateful yes. And then—she
found herself trembling as if she were reeling back from a precipice. To her
came one of those moments when we realize, as by a blinding flash of
illumination, more than all our previous years have taught us. She pulled her
hand from Roy’s.
“Oh, I can’t marry you—I can’t—I can’t,” she cried, wildly.
Roy turned pale—and also looked rather foolish. He had—small blame to him
—felt very sure.
“What do you mean?” he stammered.
“I mean that I can’t marry you,” repeated Anne desperately. “I thought I could
—but I can’t.”
“Why can’t you?” Roy asked more calmly.
“Because—I don’t care enough for you.”
A crimson streak came into Roy’s face.
“So you’ve just been amusing yourself these two years?” he said slowly.
“No, no, I haven’t,” gasped poor Anne. Oh, how could she explain? She
COULDN’T explain. There are some things that cannot be explained. “I did
think I cared—truly I did—but I know now I don’t.”
“You have ruined my life,” said Roy bitterly.
“Forgive me,” pleaded Anne miserably, with hot cheeks and stinging eyes.
Roy turned away and stood for a few minutes looking out seaward. When he
came back to Anne, he was very pale again.
“You can give me no hope?” he said.
Anne shook her head mutely.
“Then—good-bye,” said Roy. “I can’t understand it—I can’t believe you are