`` Minnie May is awful sick -- she 's got croup . Young Mary Joe says -- and Father and Mother are away to town and there 's nobody to go for the doctor . Minnie May is awful bad and Young Mary Joe does n't know what to do -- and oh , Anne , I 'm so scared ! '' Matthew , without a word , reached out for cap and coat , slipped past Diana and away into the darkness of the yard . `` He 's gone to harness the sorrel mare to go to Carmody for the doctor , '' said Anne , who was hurrying on hood and jacket . `` I know it as well as if he 'd said so . Matthew and I are such kindred spirits I can read his thoughts without words at all . '' `` I do n't believe he 'll find the doctor at Carmody , '' sobbed Diana . `` I know that Dr. Blair went to town and I guess Dr. Spencer would go too . Young Mary Joe never saw anybody with croup and Mrs. Lynde is away . Oh , Anne ! '' `` Do n't cry , Di , '' said Anne cheerily . `` I know exactly what to do for croup . You forget that Mrs. Hammond had twins three times . When you look after three pairs of twins you naturally get a lot of experience . They all had croup regularly . Just wait till I get the ipecac bottle -- you may n't have any at your house . Come on now . '' The two little girls hastened out hand in hand and hurried through Lover 's Lane and across the crusted field beyond , for the snow was too deep to go by the shorter wood way . Anne , although sincerely sorry for Minnie May , was far from being insensible to the romance of the situation and to the sweetness of once more sharing that romance with a kindred spirit .
The night was clear and frosty , all ebony XXXXX shadow and silver of snowy slope ; big stars were shining over the silent fields ; here and there the dark pointed firs stood up with snow powdering their branches and the wind whistling through them .
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