She did not walk rapidly but lingered along the road.
She was thankful that neither of her aunts had been to the annual meeting.

She would not need to account for her time so closely.
Suddenly she heard a voice, quite a loud voice, a man's, with a music of gladness in it.

Annie knew instinctively whose it was, and she stepped quickly upon a lawn and stood behind a clump of trees.

A man and woman passed her--Margaret Edes and her husband--and Wilbur was saying in his glad, loving voice, "To think you should have done such a thing, Margaret, my dear, you will never know how proud I am of you." Annie heard Margaret's voice in a whisper hushing Wilbur.

"You speak so loud, dear," said Margaret, "everybody will hear you." "I don't care if they do," said Wilbur.