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AN EXPLANATION AND A DARE 123"Perhaps I do spoil them a little," said Anne contritely,"but, oh, Gilbert, when I think of ray ownchildhood before I came to Green Gables I haven't theheart to be very How strict. hungry for love and funI was an unloved littledrudge with never a chanceto play!They do have such good times with the mansechildren.""What about the poor pigs?" asked Gilbert.Anne tried to look sober and failed."Do you really think it hurt them?" she said. "Idon't think anything could hurt those animals. They'vebeen the plague of the neighbourhood this summer andthe Drews won't shut them up. But I'll talk to Walterif I can keep from laughing when I do it."Miss Cornelia came up to Ingleside that evening torelieve her feelings over Sunday night. To her surpriseshe found that Anne did not view Faith's performancein quite the same light as she did."I thought there was something brave and patheticin her getting up there before that churchful of people,to confess," she said."You could see she was frightenedto deathI loved her for it."yet she was bound to clear her father."Oh, of course, the poor child meant well," sighedMiss Cornelia, "but just the same it was a terriblething to do, and ismaking more talk than the housecleaningon Sunday. That had begun to die away, andthis has started it allup again.youRosemaryWest is likeshe said last night as she left the church that it