Chapter XXXIII
"He Just Kept Coming and Coming"
Three days later Anne came home from school and found Janet crying.Tears and Janet seemed so incongruous that Anne was honestly alarmed.
"Oh, what is the matter?" she cried anxiously.
"I'm--I'm forty today," sobbed Janet.
"Well, you were nearly that yesterday and it didn't hurt," comfortedAnne, trying not to smile.
"But--but," went on Janet with a big gulp, "John Douglas won't ask me tomarry him."
"Oh, but he will," said Anne lamely. "You must give him time, Janet
"Time!" said Janet with indescribable scorn. "He has had twenty years.How much time does he want?"
"Do you mean that John Douglas has been coming to see you for twentyyears?"
"He has. And he has never so much as mentioned marriage to me. And Idon't believe he ever will now. I've never said a word to a mortal aboutit, but it seems to me I've just got to talk it out with some one atlast or go crazy. John Douglas begun to go with me twenty years ago,before mother died. Well, he kept coming and coming, and after a spell Ibegun making quilts and things; but he never said anything about gettingmarried, only just kept coming and coming. There wasn't anything I coulddo. Mother died when we'd been going together for eight years. I thoughthe maybe would speak out then, seeing as I was left alone in the world.He was real kind and feeling, and did everything he could for me, buthe never said marry. And that's the way it has been going on ever since.People blame ME for it. They say I won't marry him because his mother isso sickly and I don't want the bother of waiting on her. Why, I'd LOVEto wait on John's mother! But I let them think so. I'd rather they'dblame me than pity me! It's so dreadful humiliating that John won't askme. And WHY won't he? Seems to me if I only knew his reason I wouldn'tmind it so much."
"Perhaps his mother doesn't want him to marry anybody," suggested Anne.
"Oh, she does. She's told me time and again that she'd love to see Johnsettled before her time comes. She's always giving him hints--you heardher yourself the other day. I thought I'd ha' gone through the floor."
"It's beyond me," said Anne helplessly. She thought of Ludovic Speed.But the cases were not parallel. John Douglas was not a man of Ludovic'stype.
"You should show more spirit, Janet," she went on resolutely. "Whydidn't you send him about his business long ago?"
"I couldn't," said poor Janet pathetically. "You see, Anne, I've alwaysbeen awful fond of John. He might just as well keep coming as not, forthere was never anybody else I'd want, so it didn't matter."
"But it might have made him speak out like a man," urged Anne.
Janet shook her head.
"No, I guess not. I was afraid to try, anyway, for fear he'd think Imeant it and just go. I suppose I'm a poor-spirited creature, but thatis how I feel. And I can't help it."
"Oh, you COULD help it, Janet. It isn't too late yet. Take a firm stand.Let that man know you are not going to endure his shillyshallying anylonger. I'LL back you up."
"I dunno," said Janet hopelessly. "I dunno if I could ever get up enoughspunk. Things have drifted so long. But I'll think it over."
Anne felt that she was disappointed in John Douglas. She had liked himso well, and she had not thought him the sort of man who would play fastand loose with a woman's feelings for twenty years. He certainly shouldbe taught a lesson, and Anne felt vindictively that she would enjoyseeing the process. Therefore she was delighted when Janet told her, asthey were going to prayer-meeting the next night, that she meant to showsome "sperrit."
"I'll let John Douglas see I'm not going to be trodden on any longer."
"You are perfectly right," said Anne emphatically.
When prayer-meeting was over John Douglas came up with his usualrequest. Janet looked frightened but resolute.
"No, thank you," she said icily. "I know the road home pretty wellalone. I ought to, seeing I've been traveling it for forty years. So youneedn't trouble yourself, MR. Douglas."
Anne was looking at John Douglas; and, in that brilliant moonlight,she saw the last twist of the rack again. Without a word he turned andstrode down the road.
"Stop! Stop!" Anne called wildly after him, not caring in the least forthe other dumbfounded onlookers. "Mr. Douglas, stop! Come back."
John Douglas stopped but he did not come back. Anne flew down the road,caught his arm and fairly dragged him back to Janet.
"You must come back," she said imploringly. "It's all a mistake, Mr.Douglas--all my fault. I made Janet do it. She didn't want to--but it'sall right now, isn't it, Janet?"
Without a word Janet took his arm and walked away. Anne followed themmeekly home and slipped in by the back door.
"Well, you are a nice person to back me up," said Janet sarcastically.
"I couldn't help it, Janet," said Anne repentantly. "I just felt as if Ihad stood by and seen murder done. I HAD to run after him."
"Oh, I'm just as glad you did. When I saw John Douglas making off downthat road I just felt as if every little bit of joy and happiness thatwas left in my life was going with him. It was an awful feeling."
"Did he ask you why you did it?" asked Anne.
"No, he never said a word about it," replied Janet dully.
Anne of the Island Page 33