with this mrs. rachel stepped out of the lane into the backyard of green gables. very green and neat and precise was that yard, set about on one side with great patriarchal willows and the other with prim lombardies. not a stray stick nor stone was to be seen, ofr mrs. rachel would have seen it if there had been. Privately she was of the opinion that marilla cutbert swept that yard over as often as sher swept her house. one could have eaten a meal off the without overbrimming the proverbial peck of dirะ.