walked over one plate and that had to be thrown away. But the making of
it was splendid fun. Then when I came home Mrs. Barry asked me to come
over as often as I could and Diana stood at the window and threw kisses
to me all the way down to Lover s Lane. I assure you, Marilla, that I
feel like praying tonight and I m going to think out a special brand-new
prayer in honor of the occasion.
CHAPTER XIX. A Concert, a Catastrophe, and a Confession
MARILLA, can I go over to see Diana just for a minute? asked Anne,
running breathlessly down from the east gable one February evening.
I don t see what you want to be traipsing about after dark for, said
Marilla shortly. You and Diana walked home from school together and
then stood down there in the snow for half an hour more, your tongues
going the whole blessed time, clickety-clack. So I don t think you re
very badly off to see her again.
But she wants to see me, pleaded Anne. She has something very
important to tell me.
How do you know she has?
Because she just signaled to me from her window. We have arranged a
way to signal with our candles and cardboard. We set the candle on the
window sill and make flashes by passing the cardboard back and forth. So
many flashes mean a certain thing. It was my idea, Marilla.
I ll warrant you it was, said Marilla emphatically. And the next
thing you ll be setting fire to the curtains with your signaling
nonsense.
Oh, we re very careful, Marilla. And it s so interesting. Two flashes
mean, Are you there? Three mean yes and four no. Five mean, Come
over as soon as possible, because I have something important to reveal.
Diana has just signaled five flashes, and I m really suffering to know
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