Even if they broke through they were fifty miles from Paris at the nearest point and how could they get their artillery close enough to shell it in so short a time ? Depend upon it , girls , that part of the message ca n't be true . I 'm going to try to try a long-distance call to town myself . '' The doctor was no more successful than Rilla had been , but his point of view cheered them all a little , and helped them through the evening . And at nine o'clock a long-distance message came through at last , that helped them through the night . `` The line broke only in one place , before St. Quentin , '' said the doctor , as he hung up the receiver , `` and the British troops are retreating in good order . That 's not so bad . As for the shells that are falling on Paris , they are coming from a distance of seventy miles -- from some amazing long-range gun the Germans have invented and sprung with the opening offensive . That is all the news to date , and Dr. Holland says it is reliable . '' `` It would have been dreadful news yesterday , '' said Gertrude , `` but compared to what we heard this morning it is almost like good news . But still , '' she added , trying to smile , `` I am afraid I will not sleep much tonight . '' `` There is one thing to be thankful for at any rate , Miss Oliver , dear , '' said Susan , `` and that is that Cousin Sophia did not come in today . I really could not have endured her on top of all the rest . '' CHAPTER XXIX `` WOUNDED AND MISSING '' `` Battered but Not Broken '' was the headline in Monday 's paper , and Susan repeated it over and over to herself as she went about her work . The gap caused by the St. Quentin disaster had been patched up in time , but the Allied line was being pushed relentlessly back from the territory they had purchased in 1917 with half a million lives . On Wednesday the headline was `` British and French Check Germans '' ; but still the retreat went on . Back -- and back -- and back ! Where would it end ? Would the line break again -- this time disastrously ? On Saturday the headline was `` Even Berlin Admits Offensive Checked , '' and for the first time in that terrible week the Ingleside folk dared to draw a long breath .
`` Well , we have got one week over -- now XXXXX the next , '' said Susan staunchly .
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