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Gilbert was a clever young fellow, with his own thoughts about things and a determination to get the best out of life and put the best into it.

Ruby Gillis told Jane Andrews that she didn't understand half the things Gilbert Blythe said; he talked just like Anne Shirley did when she had a thoughtful fit on and for her part she didn't think it any fun to be bothering about books and that sort of thing when you didn't have to.

Frank Stockley had lots more dash and go, but then he wasn't half as good-looking as Gilbert and she really couldn't decide which she liked best!

In the Academy Anne gradually drew a little circle of friends about her, thoughtful, imaginative, ambitious students like herself.

With the "rose-red" girl, Stella Maynard, and the "dream girl," Priscilla Grant, she soon became intimate, finding the latter pale spiritual-looking maiden to be full to the brim of mischief and pranks and fun, while the vivid, black-eyed Stella had a heartful of wistful dreams and fancies, as aerial and rainbow-like as Anne's own.

After the Christmas holidays the Avonlea students gave up going home on Fridays and settled down to hard work.

By this time all the Queen's scholars had gravitated into their own places in the ranks and the various classes had assumed distinct and settled shadings of individuality.

Certain facts had become generally accepted.

It was admitted that the medal contestants had practically narrowed down to three-Gilbert Blythe, Anne Shirley, and Lewis Wilson; the Avery scholarship was more doubtful, any one of a certain six being a possible winner.

The bronze medal for mathematics was considered as good as won by a fat, funny little up-country boy with a bumpy forehead and a patched coat.

Ruby Gillis was the handsomest girl of the year at the Academy; in the Second Year classes Stella Maynard carried off the palm for beauty, with small but critical minority in favor of Anne Shirley.

Ethel Marr was admitted by all competent judges to have the most stylish modes of hair-dressing, and Jane Andrews-plain, plodding, conscientious Jane-carried off the honors in the domestic science course.

Even Josie Pye attained a certain preeminence as the sharpest-tongued young lady in attendance at Queen's.

So it may be fairly stated that Miss Stacy's old pupils held their own in the wider arena of the academical course.

Anne worked hard and steadily.

Her rivalry with Gilbert was as intense as it had ever been in Avonlea school, although it was not known in the class at large, but somehow the bitterness had gone out of it.

Anne no longer wished to win for the sake of defeating Gilbert; rather, for the proud consciousness of a well-won victory over a worthy foeman.

It would be worth while to win, but she no longer thought life would be insupportable if she did not.

In spite of lessons the students found opportunities for pleasant times.

Anne spent many of her spare hours at Beechwood and generally ate her Sunday dinners there and went to church with Miss Barry.

The latter was, as she admitted, growing old, but her black eyes were not dim nor the vigor of her tongue in the least abated.

But she never sharpened the latter on Anne, who continued to be a prime favorite with the critical old lady.

"That Anne-girl improves all the time," she said.

"I get tired of other girls-there is such a provoking and eternal sameness about them.

Anne has as many shades as a rainbow and every shade is the prettiest while it lasts.

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