But oh, I never felt so worried over anything in my life as I do over this.
It's spoiling the spring--it's spoiling everything." One evening Gilbert abruptly proposed that they go down and see Captain Jim.

With a sinking heart Anne agreed, and they set forth.

Two weeks of kind sunshine had wrought a miracle in the bleak landscape over which Gilbert's crow had flown.

The hills and fields were dry and brown and warm, ready to break into bud and blossom; the harbor was laughter-shaken again; the long harbor road was like a gleaming red ribbon; down on the dunes a crowd of boys, who were out smelt fishing, were burning the thick, dry sandhill grass of the preceding summer.
The flames swept over the dunes rosily, flinging their cardinal banners against the dark gulf beyond, and illuminating the channel and the fishing village.

It was a picturesque scene which would at other times have delighted Anne's eyes; but she was not enjoying this walk.
Neither was Gilbert.