She said she 'd love to but she really did n't see how she could when Rilla Blythe was running the programme , after the strange way Rilla had behaved to her . So there it is and here we are , and a nice failure our concert will be . '' Rilla went home and shut herself up in her room , her soul in a turmoil . She would not humiliate herself by apologizing to Irene Howard ! Irene had been as much in the wrong as she had been ; and she had told such mean , distorted versions of their quarrel everywhere , posing as a puzzled , injured martyr . Rilla could never bring herself to tell her side of it . The fact that a slur at Walter was mixed up in it tied her tongue . So most people believed that Irene had been badly used , except a few girls who had never liked her and sided with Rilla . And yet -- the concert over which she had worked so hard was going to be a failure . Mrs. Channing 's four solos were the feature of the whole programme . `` Miss Oliver , what do you think about it ? '' she asked in desperation . `` I think Irene is the one who should apologize , '' said Miss Oliver . `` But unfortunately my opinion will not fill the blanks in your programme . '' `` If I went and apologized meekly to Irene she would sing , I am sure , '' sighed Rilla . `` She really loves to sing in public . But I know she 'll be nasty about it -- I feel I 'd rather do anything than go . I suppose I should go -- if Jem and Jerry can face the Huns surely I can face Irene Howard , and swallow my pride to ask a favour of her for the good of the Belgians . Just at present I feel that I can not do it but for all that I have a presentiment that after supper you 'll see me meekly trotting through Rainbow Valley on my way to the Upper Glen Road . '' Rilla 's presentiment proved correct .
After supper she dressed herself carefully in her blue , beaded crepe -- XXXXX vanity is harder to quell than pride and Irene always saw any flaw or shortcoming in another girl 's appearance .
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