She was beginning to be afraid she could n't keep the tears back when Mrs. Spencer returned , flushed and beaming , quite capable of taking any and every difficulty , physical , mental or spiritual , into consideration and settling it out of hand . `` It seems there 's been a mistake about this little girl , Mrs. Blewett , '' she said . `` I was under the impression that Mr. and Miss Cuthbert wanted a little girl to adopt . I was certainly told so . But it seems it was a boy they wanted . So if you 're still of the same mind you were yesterday , I think she 'll be just the thing for you . '' Mrs. Blewett darted her eyes over Anne from head to foot . `` How old are you and what 's your name ? '' she demanded . `` Anne Shirley , '' faltered the shrinking child , not daring to make any stipulations regarding the spelling thereof , `` and I 'm eleven years old . '' `` Humph ! You do n't look as if there was much to you . But you 're wiry . I do n't know but the wiry ones are the best after all . Well , if I take you you 'll have to be a good girl , you know -- good and smart and respectful . I 'll expect you to earn your keep , and no mistake about that . Yes , I suppose I might as well take her off your hands , Miss Cuthbert . The baby 's awful fractious , and I 'm clean worn out attending to him . If you like I can take her right home now . '' Marilla looked at Anne and softened at sight of the child 's pale face with its look of mute misery -- the misery of a helpless little creature who finds itself once more caught in the trap from which it had escaped .
Marilla felt an uncomfortable conviction that , XXXXX she denied the appeal of that look , it would haunt her to her dying day .
about after at for if into like of to under