Anne went upstairs with Dora and sat by her until she fell asleep . The next day Mirabel Cotton was kept in at recess and `` gently but firmly '' given to understand that when you were so unfortunate as to possess an uncle who persisted in walking about houses after he had been decently interred it was not in good taste to talk about that eccentric gentleman to your deskmate of tender years . Mirabel thought this very harsh . The Cottons had not much to boast of . How was she to keep up her prestige among her schoolmates if she were forbidden to make capital out of the family ghost ? September slipped by into a gold and crimson graciousness of October . One Friday evening Diana came over . `` I 'd a letter from Ella Kimball today , Anne , and she wants us to go over to tea tomorrow afternoon to meet her cousin , Irene Trent , from town . But we ca n't get one of our horses to go , for they 'll all be in use tomorrow , and your pony is lame ... so I suppose we ca n't go . '' `` Why ca n't we walk ? '' suggested Anne . `` If we go straight back through the woods we 'll strike the West Grafton road not far from the Kimball place . I was through that way last winter and I know the road . It 's no more than four miles and we wo n't have to walk home , for Oliver Kimball will be sure to drive us . He 'll be only too glad of the excuse , for he goes to see Carrie Sloane and they say his father will hardly ever let him have a horse . '' It was accordingly arranged that they should walk , and the following afternoon they set out , going by way of Lover 's Lane to the back of the Cuthbert farm , where they found a road leading into the heart of acres of glimmering beech and maple woods , which were all in a wondrous glow of flame and gold , lying in a great purple stillness and peace . `` It 's as if the year were kneeling to pray in a vast cathedral full of mellow stained light , is n't it ? '' said Anne dreamily . `` It does n't seem right to hurry through it , does it ? It seems irreverent , like running in a church . ''
`` We MUST hurry though , '' said XXXXX , glancing at her watch .
Anne Cotton Cottons Cuthbert Diana Grafton Sloane Trent graciousness years