as Sara slammed the door . For the next fortnight gossip and rumor held high carnival in Avonlea and Newbridge , and Mrs. Eben grew to dread the sight of a visitor . `` They 're bound to talk about the Baxter failure and criticize Lige , '' she deplored to Mrs. Jonas . `` And it riles Sara up so terrible . She used to declare that she hated Lige , and now she wo n't listen to a word against him . Not that I say any , myself . I 'm sorry for him , and I believe he 's done his best . But I ca n't stop other people from talking . '' One evening Harmon Andrews came in with a fresh budget of news . `` The Baxter business is pretty near wound up at last , '' he said , as he lighted his pipe . `` Peter has got his lawsuits settled and has hushed up the talk about swindling , somehow . Trust him for slipping out of a scrape clean and clever . He do n't seem to worry any , but Lige looks like a walking skeleton . Some folks pity him , but I say he should have kept the run of things better and not have trusted everything to Peter . I hear he 's going out West in the Spring , to take up land in Alberta and try his hand at farming . Best thing he can do , I guess . Folks hereabouts have had enough of the Baxter breed . Newbridge will be well rid of them . '' Sara , who had been sitting in the dark corner by the stove , suddenly stood up , letting the black cat slip from her lap to the floor . Mrs. Eben glanced at her apprehensively , for she was afraid the girl was going to break out in a tirade against the complacent Harmon .
But XXXXX only walked fiercely out of the kitchen , with a sound as if she were struggling for breath .
Andrews Avonlea Baxter Eben Harmon Jonas Lige Peter Sara Spring