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She lifted her head and stepped lightly along, her eyes fixed on the sunset sky and an air of subdued exhilaration about her.

Marilla beheld the change disapprovingly.

This was no meek penitent such as it behooved her to take into the presence of the offended Mrs. Lynde.

"What are you thinking of, Anne?" she asked sharply.

"I'm imagining out what I must say to Mrs. Lynde," answered Anne dreamily.

This was satisfactory-or should have been so. But Marilla could not rid herself of the notion that something in her scheme of punishment was going askew. Anne had no business to look so rapt and radiant.

Rapt and radiant Anne continued until they were in the very presence of Mrs. Lynde, who was sitting knitting by her kitchen window.

Then the radiance vanished.

Mournful penitence appeared on every feature.

Before a word was spoken Anne suddenly went down on her knees before the astonished Mrs. Rachel and held out her hands beseechingly.

"Oh, Mrs. Lynde, I am so extremely sorry," she said with a quiver in her voice.

"I could never express all my sorrow, no, not if I used up a whole dictionary.

You must just imagine it.

I behaved terribly to you-and I've disgraced the dear friends, Matthew and Marilla, who have let me stay at Green Gables although I'm not a boy.

I'm a dreadfully wicked and ungrateful girl, and I deserve to be punished and cast out by respectable people forever.

It was very wicked of me to fly into a temper because you told me the truth.

It WAS the truth; every word you said was true.

My hair is red and I'm freckled and skinny and ugly.

What I said to you was true, too, but I shouldn't have said it.

Oh, Mrs. Lynde, please, please, forgive me.

If you refuse it will be a lifelong sorrow on a poor little orphan girl, would you, even if she had a dreadful temper? Oh, I am sure you wouldn't.

Please say you forgive me, Mrs. Lynde."

Anne clasped her hands together, bowed her head, and waited for the word of judgment.

There was no mistaking her sincerity-it breathed in every tone of her voice.

Both Marilla and Mrs. Lynde recognized its unmistakable ring.

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