She liked her very much and always enjoyed a visit to her house ; but to go and ask her to adopt Mary Vance seemed such a height of presumption that Una 's timid spirit quailed . When the Hopetown authorities wrote to Mr. Meredith to send Mary to them without delay Mary cried herself to sleep in the manse attic that night and Una found a desperate courage . The next evening she slipped away from the manse to the harbour road . Far down in Rainbow Valley she heard joyous laughter but her way lay not there . She was terribly pale and terribly in earnest -- so much so that she took no notice of the people she met -- and old Mrs. Stanley Flagg was quite huffed and said Una Meredith would be as absentminded as her father when she grew up . Miss Cornelia lived half way between the Glen and Four Winds Point , in a house whose original glaring green hue had mellowed down to an agreeable greenish gray . Marshall Elliott had planted trees about it and set out a rose garden and a spruce hedge . It was quite a different place from what it had been in years agone . The manse children and the Ingleside children liked to go there . It was a beautiful walk down the old harbour road , and there was always a well-filled cooky jar at the end . The misty sea was lapping softly far down on the sands . Three big boats were skimming down the harbour like great white sea-birds . A schooner was coming up the channel . The world of Four Winds was steeped in glowing colour , and subtle music , and strange glamour , and everybody should have been happy in it . But when Una turned in at Miss Cornelia 's gate her very legs had almost refused to carry her . Miss Cornelia was alone on the veranda . Una had hoped Mr. Elliott would be there . He was so big and hearty and twinkly that there would be encouragement in his presence . She sat on the little stool Miss Cornelia brought out and tried to eat the doughnut Miss Cornelia gave her . It stuck in her throat , but she swallowed desperately lest Miss Cornelia be offended .
She could not talk ; she was still pale ; and her big , dark-blue eyes looked so piteous XXXXX Miss Cornelia concluded the child was in some trouble .
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