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XVIII. An Adventure on the Tory Road
”AnnethrewherwhiteshawloverherheadandhastenedthroughtheHauntedWoodandacrossMr.Bell’spasturecornertoOrchardSlope.
“I’vegoodnewsforyou,Anne,”saidDiana.“MotherandIhavejustgothomefromCarmody,andIsawMarySentnerfromSpencervaleinMr.Blair’sstore.ShesaystheoldCoppgirlsontheToryRoadhaveawillow-wareplatterandshethinksit’sexactlyliketheonewehadatthesupper.Shesaysthey’lllikelysellit,forMarthaCopphasneverbeenknowntokeepanythingsheCOULDsell;butiftheywon’tthere’saplatteratWesleyKeyson’satSpencervaleandsheknowsthey’dsellit,butsheisn’tsureit’sjustthesamekindasAuntJosephine’s.”
“I’llgorightovertoSpencervaleafterittomorrow,”saidAnneresolutely,“andyoumustcomewithme.Itwillbesuchaweightoffmymind,forIhavetogototowndayaftertomorrowandhowcanIfaceyourAuntJosephinewithoutawillow-wareplatter?ItwouldbeevenworsethanthetimeIhadtoconfessaboutjumpingonthespareroombed.”
Bothgirlslaughedovertheoldmemory...concerningwhich,ifanyofmyreadersareignorantandcurious,ImustreferthemtoAnne’searlierhistory.
Thenextafternoonthegirlsfaredforthontheirplatterhuntingexpedition.ItwastenmilestoSpencervaleandthedaywasnotespeciallypleasantfortraveling.Itwasverywarmandwindless,andthedustontheroadwassuchasmighthavebeenexpectedaftersixweeksofdryweather.
“Oh,Idowishitwouldrainsoon,”sighedAnne.“Everythingissoparchedup.
