JohnDouglasSpeaksatLastAnnewasnotwithoutafeeblehopethatsomethingmightcomeofitafterall。Butnothingdid。JohnDouglascameandtookJanetdriving，andwalkedhomefromprayer-meetingwithher，ashehadbeendoingfortwentyyears，andasheseemedlikelytodofortwentyyearsmore。Thesummerwaned。Annetaughtherschoolandwrotelettersandstudiedalittle。Herwalkstoandfromschoolwerepleasant。Shealwayswentbywayoftheswamp；itwasalovelyplace——aboggysoil，greenwiththegreenestofmossyhillocks；asilverybrookmeanderedthroughitandsprucesstooderectly，theirboughsa-trailwithgray-greenmosses，theirrootsovergrownwithallsortsofwoodlandlovelinesses。
Nevertheless，AnnefoundlifeinValleyRoadalittlemonotonous。
Tobesure，therewasonedivertingincident。
Shehadnotseenthelank，tow-headedSamuelofthepeppermintssincetheeveningofhiscall，saveforchancemeetingsontheroad。
ButonewarmAugustnightheappeared，andsolemnlyseatedhimselfontherusticbenchbytheporch。Heworehisusualworkinghabiliments，consistingofvaripatchedtrousers，abluejeanshirt，outattheelbows，andaraggedstrawhat。HewaschewingastrawandhekeptonchewingitwhilehelookedsolemnlyatAnne。Annelaidherbookasidewithasighandtookupherdoily。ConversationwithSamwasreallyoutofthequestion。