The idle valleys were full of hazes . The woodways were pranked with shadows and the fields with the purple of the asters . Anne had given up a moonlight drive to the White Sands beach that she might spend the evening with Ruby . She had so spent many evenings that summer , although she often wondered what good it did any one , and sometimes went home deciding that she could not go again . Ruby grew paler as the summer waned ; the White Sands school was given up -- `` her father thought it better that she should n't teach till New Year 's '' -- and the fancy work she loved oftener and oftener fell from hands grown too weary for it . But she was always gay , always hopeful , always chattering and whispering of her beaux , and their rivalries and despairs . It was this that made Anne 's visits hard for her . What had once been silly or amusing was gruesome , now ; it was death peering through a wilful mask of life . Yet Ruby seemed to cling to her , and never let her go until she had promised to come again soon . Mrs. Lynde grumbled about Anne 's frequent visits , and declared she would catch consumption ; even Marilla was dubious . `` Every time you go to see Ruby you come home looking tired out , '' she said . `` It 's so very sad and dreadful , '' said Anne in a low tone . `` Ruby does n't seem to realize her condition in the least . And yet I somehow feel she needs help -- craves it -- and I want to give it to her and ca n't . All the time I 'm with her I feel as if I were watching her struggle with an invisible foe -- trying to push it back with such feeble resistance as she has . That is why I come home tired . '' But tonight Anne did not feel this so keenly . Ruby was strangely quiet . She said not a word about parties and drives and dresses and `` fellows . '' She lay in the hammock , with her untouched work beside her , and a white shawl wrapped about her thin shoulders .
Her long yellow braids XXXXX hair -- how Anne had envied those beautiful braids in old schooldays !
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