It will be years before the dance of death is over -- years , Mary . And in those years millions of hearts will break . '' `` Fancy now ! '' said Mary who always said that when she could n't think of anything else to say . She did n't know what Walter meant but she felt uncomfortable . Walter Blythe was always saying odd things . That old Piper of his -- she had n't heard anything about him since their playdays in Rainbow Valley -- and now here he was bobbing up again . She did n't like it , and that was the long and short of it . `` Are n't you painting it rather strong , Walter ? '' asked Harvey Crawford , coming up just then . `` This war wo n't last for years -- it 'll be over in a month or two . England will just wipe Germany off the map in no time . '' `` Do you think a war for which Germany has been preparing for twenty years will be over in a few weeks ? '' said Walter passionately . `` This is n't a paltry struggle in a Balkan corner , Harvey . It is a death grapple . Germany comes to conquer or to die . And do you know what will happen if she conquers ? Canada will be a German colony . '' `` Well , I guess a few things will happen before that , '' said Harvey shrugging his shoulders .
`` The British navy would have XXXXX be licked for one ; and for another , Miller here , now , and I , we 'd raise a dust , would n't we , Miller ?
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