As it caught the breeze and swelled gallantly out above her , Susan lifted her hand and saluted it , as she had seen Shirley do . `` We 've all given something to keep you flying , '' she said . `` Four hundred thousand of our boys gone overseas -- fifty thousand of them killed . But -- you are worth it ! '' The wind whipped her grey hair about her face and the gingham apron that shrouded her from head to foot was cut on lines of economy , not of grace ; yet , somehow , just then Susan made an imposing figure . She was one of the women -- courageous , unquailing , patient , heroic -- who had made victory possible . In her , they all saluted the symbol for which their dearest had fought . Something of this was in the doctor 's mind as he watched her from the door . `` Susan , '' he said , when she turned to come in , `` from first to last of this business you have been a brick ! '' CHAPTER XXXI MRS. MATILDA PITTMAN Rilla and Jims were standing on the rear platform of their car when the train stopped at the little Millward siding . The August evening was so hot and close that the crowded cars were stifling . Nobody ever knew just why trains stopped at Millward siding . Nobody was ever known to get off there or get on . There was only one house nearer to it than four miles , and it was surrounded by acres of blueberry barrens and scrub spruce-trees . Rilla was on her way into Charlottetown to spend the night with a friend and the next day in Red Cross shopping ; she had taken Jims with her , partly because she did not want Susan or her mother to be bothered with his care , partly because of a hungry desire in her heart to have as much of him as she could before she might have to give him up forever . James Anderson had written to her not long before this ; he was wounded and in the hospital ; he would not be able to go back to the front and as soon as he was able he would be coming home for Jims . Rilla was heavy-hearted over this , and worried also . She loved Jims dearly and would feel deeply giving him up in any case ; but if Jim Anderson were a different sort of a man , with a proper home for the child , it would not be so bad . But to give Jims up to a roving , shiftless , irresponsible father , however kind and good-hearted he might be -- and she knew Jim Anderson was kind and good-hearted enough -- was a bitter prospect to Rilla . It was not even likely Anderson would stay in the Glen ; he had no ties there now ; he might even go back to England .
She might never see her dear , sunshiny , carefully brought-up little XXXXX again .
Anderson Cross England Glen Jims Millward Rilla barrens first night