He just jumped at my offer . He said he 'd been used to making his own bread before he was married but he feared cake was beyond him , and yet he hated to disappoint his wife . He got me another apron , and Diana beat the eggs and I mixed the cake . Mr. Blair ran about and got us the materials . He had forgotten all about his apron and when he ran it streamed out behind him and Diana said she thought she would die to see it . He said he could bake the cake all right ... he was used to that ... and then he asked for our list and he put down four dollars . So you see we were rewarded . But even if he had n't given a cent I 'd always feel that we had done a truly Christian act in helping him . '' Theodore White 's was the next stopping place . Neither Anne nor Diana had ever been there before , and they had only a very slight acquaintance with Mrs. Theodore , who was not given to hospitality . Should they go to the back or front door ? While they held a whispered consultation Mrs. Theodore appeared at the front door with an armful of newspapers . Deliberately she laid them down one by one on the porch floor and the porch steps , and then down the path to the very feet of her mystified callers . `` Will you please wipe your feet carefully on the grass and then walk on these papers ? '' she said anxiously . `` I 've just swept the house all over and I ca n't have any more dust tracked in . The path 's been real muddy since the rain yesterday . '' `` Do n't you dare laugh , '' warned Anne in a whisper , as they marched along the newspapers . `` And I implore you , Diana , not to look at me , no matter what she says , or I shall not be able to keep a sober face . '' The papers extended across the hall and into a prim , fleckless parlor .
Anne and Diana sat down gingerly XXXXX the nearest chairs and explained their errand .
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