That Gilbert of yours is a darling , Anne , but why does he go around so much with Goggle-eyes ? '' Anne stiffened . She had no great liking for Charlie Sloane ; but he was of Avonlea , so no outsider had any business to laugh at him . `` Charlie and Gilbert have always been friends , '' she said coldly . `` Charlie is a nice boy . He 's not to blame for his eyes . '' `` Do n't tell me that ! He is ! He must have done something dreadful in a previous existence to be punished with such eyes . Pris and I are going to have such sport with him this afternoon . We 'll make fun of him to his face and he 'll never know it . '' Doubtless , `` the abandoned P 's , '' as Anne called them , did carry out their amiable intentions . But Sloane was blissfully ignorant ; he thought he was quite a fine fellow to be walking with two such coeds , especially Philippa Gordon , the class beauty and belle . It must surely impress Anne . She would see that some people appreciated him at his real value . Gilbert and Anne loitered a little behind the others , enjoying the calm , still beauty of the autumn afternoon under the pines of the park , on the road that climbed and twisted round the harbor shore . `` The silence here is like a prayer , is n't it ? '' said Anne , her face upturned to the shining sky . `` How I love the pines ! They seem to strike their roots deep into the romance of all the ages .
It is so comforting to creep away now and then for a good talk XXXXX them .
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