Parliamentary etiquette , which was generally very strictly enforced in the A.V.I.S. , forbade them giving instant vent to their curiosity , but after the Society adjourned Anne was besieged for explanations . Anne had no explanation to give . Judson Parker had overtaken her on the road the preceding evening and told her that he had decided to humor the A.V.I.S. in its peculiar prejudice against patent medicine advertisements . That was all Anne would say , then or ever afterwards , and it was the simple truth ; but when Jane Andrews , on her way home , confided to Oliver Sloane her firm belief that there was more behind Judson Parker 's mysterious change of heart than Anne Shirley had revealed , she spoke the truth also . Anne had been down to old Mrs. Irving 's on the shore road the preceding evening and had come home by a short cut which led her first over the low-lying shore fields , and then through the beech wood below Robert Dickson 's , by a little footpath that ran out to the main road just above the Lake of Shining Waters ... known to unimaginative people as Barry 's pond . Two men were sitting in their buggies , reined off to the side of the road , just at the entrance of the path . One was Judson Parker ; the other was Jerry Corcoran , a Newbridge man against whom , as Mrs. Lynde would have told you in eloquent italics , nothing shady had ever been PROVED . He was an agent for agricultural implements and a prominent personage in matters political . He had a finger ... some people said ALL his fingers ... in every political pie that was cooked ; and as Canada was on the eve of a general election Jerry Corcoran had been a busy man for many weeks , canvassing the county in the interests of his party 's candidate . Just as Anne emerged from under the overhanging beech boughs she heard Corcoran say , `` If you 'll vote for Amesbury , Parker ... well , I 've a note for that pair of harrows you 've got in the spring . I suppose you would n't object to having it back , eh ? '' `` We ... ll , since you put it in that way , '' drawled Judson with a grin , `` I reckon I might as well do it . A man must look out for his own interests in these hard times . '' Both saw Anne at this moment and conversation abruptly ceased . Anne bowed frostily and walked on , with her chin slightly more tilted than usual . Soon Judson Parker overtook her . `` Have a lift , Anne ? '' he inquired genially . `` Thank you , no , '' said Anne politely , but with a fine , needle-like disdain in her voice that pierced even Judson Parker 's none too sensitive consciousness . His face reddened and he twitched his reins angrily ; but the next second prudential considerations checked him .
He looked uneasily at Anne , XXXXX she walked steadily on , glancing neither to the right nor to the left .
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