Chapter XVI

"I Won't!" Said Mary

They found a great deal to do that morning
and Mary was late in returning to the house
and was also in such a hurry to get back to her
work that she quite forgot Colin until the last
moment.

"Tell Colin that I can't come and see him yet,"
she said to Martha. "I'm very busy in the garden."

Martha looked rather frightened.

"Eh! Miss Mary," she said, "it may put him
all out of humor when I tell him that."

But Mary was not as afraid of him as other
people were and she was not a self-sacrificing person.

"I can't stay," she answered. "Dickon's waiting
for me;" and she ran away.

The afternoon was even lovelier and busier than
the morning had been. Already nearly all the
weeds were cleared out of the garden and most of
the roses and trees had been pruned or dug about.
Dickon had brought a spade of his own and he

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v?