Charlotta the Fourth felt that some mystery pervaded the stone house that afternoon ... a mystery from which she was excluded . Miss Lavendar roamed about the garden in a distracted fashion . Anne , too , seemed possessed by a demon of unrest , and walked to and fro and went up and down . Charlotta the Fourth endured it till patience ceased to be a virtue ; then she confronted Anne on the occasion of that romantic young person 's third aimless peregrination through the kitchen . `` Please , Miss Shirley , ma'am , '' said Charlotta the Fourth , with an indignant toss of her very blue bows , `` it 's plain to be seen you and Miss Lavendar have got a secret and I think , begging your pardon if I 'm too forward , Miss Shirley , ma'am , that it 's real mean not to tell me when we 've all been such chums . '' `` Oh , Charlotta dear , I 'd have told you all about it if it were my secret ... but it 's Miss Lavendar 's , you see . However , I 'll tell you this much ... and if nothing comes of it you must never breathe a word about it to a living soul . You see , Prince Charming is coming tonight . He came long ago , but in a foolish moment went away and wandered afar and forgot the secret of the magic pathway to the enchanted castle , where the princess was weeping her faithful heart out for him . But at last he remembered it again and the princess is waiting still ... because nobody but her own dear prince could carry her off . '' `` Oh , Miss Shirley , ma'am , what is that in prose ? '' gasped the mystified Charlotta . Anne laughed . `` In prose , an old friend of Miss Lavendar 's is coming to see her tonight . '' `` Do you mean an old beau of hers ? '' demanded the literal Charlotta . `` That is probably what I do mean ... in prose , '' answered Anne gravely . `` It is Paul 's father ... Stephen Irving . And goodness knows what will come of it , but let us hope for the best , Charlotta . '' `` I hope that he 'll marry Miss Lavendar , '' was Charlotta 's unequivocal response .
`` Some women 's intended from the start to be old maids , and I 'm afraid I 'm one XXXXX them , Miss Shirley , ma'am , because I 've awful little patience with the men .
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