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But her triumph was marred by the fact that Gilbert congratulated her heartily before the whole school.

It would have been ever so much sweeter to her if he had felt the sting of his defeat.

Mr. Phillips might not be a very good teacher; but a pupil so inflexibly determined on learning as Anne was could hardly escape making progress under any kind of teacher.

By the end of the term Anne and Gilbert were both promoted into the fifth class and allowed to begin studying the elements of "the branches"-by which Latin, geometry, French, and algebra were meant.

In geometry Anne met her Waterloo.

"It's perfectly awful stuff, Marilla," she groaned.

"I'm sure I'll never be able to make head or tail of it.

There is no scope for imagination in it at all.

Mr. Phillips says I'm the worst dunce he ever saw at it.

And Gil-I mean some of the others are so smart at it.

It is extremely mortifying, Marilla.

"Even Diana gets along better than I do.

But I don't mind being beaten by Diana.

Even although we meet as strangers now I still love her with an INEXTINGUISHABLE love.

It makes me very sad at times to think about her.

But really, Marilla, one can't stay sad very long in such an interesting world, can one?"

ALL things great are wound up with all things little. At first glance it might not seem that the decision of a certain Canadian Premier to include Prince Edward Island in a political tour could have much or anything to do with the fortunes of little Anne Shirley at Green Gables. But it had.

It was a January the Premier came, to address his loyal supporters and such of his nonsupporters as chose to be present at the monster mass meeting held in Charlottetown.

Most of the Avonlea people were on Premier's side of politics; hence on the night of the meeting nearly all the men and a goodly proportion of the women had gone to town thirty miles away.

Mrs. Rachel Lynde had gone too.

Mrs. Rachel Lynde was a red-hot politician and couldn't have believed that the political rally could be carried through without her, although she was on the opposite side of politics.

So she went to town and took her husband-Thomas would be useful in looking after the horse-and Marilla Cuthbert with her.

Marilla had a sneaking interest in politics herself, and as she thought it might be her only chance to see a real live Premier, she promptly took it, leaving Anne and Matthew to keep house until her return the following day.

Hence, while Marilla and Mrs. Rachel were enjoying themselves hugely at the mass meeting, Anne and Matthew had the cheerful kitchen at Green Gables all to themselves.

CHAPTER XVIII. Anne to the Rescue

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