How long it must have seemed to her ! And at last there came a letter -- but not from Alan . Alan was DEAD . He had died in California and had been buried there . While Margaret had been thinking of him and longing for him and praying for him he had been lying in his lonely , faraway grave . '' Cecily sprang up , shaking with sobs . `` Oh , do n't -- do n't go on , '' she implored . `` I CA N'T bear any more . '' `` There is no more , '' said the Story Girl . `` That was the end of it -- the end of everything for Margaret . It did n't kill HER , but her heart died . '' `` I just wish I 'd hold of those fellows who would n't let the Captain take his wife , '' said Peter savagely . `` Well , it was awful said , '' said Felicity , wiping her eyes . `` But it was long ago and we ca n't do any good by crying over it now . Let us go and get something to eat . I made some nice little rhubarb tarts this morning . '' We went . In spite of new disappointments and old heartbreaks we had appetites . And Felicity did make scrumptious rhubarb tarts ! CHAPTER IX .
MAGIC SEED When the time came to hand in our collections for the library fund XXXXX had the largest -- three dollars .
Alan CA California Captain Cecily Felicity Margaret Peter heartbreaks tarts