That evening , with its hopes and fears and triumphs and humiliations , seemed like ancient history now . Could she really ever have cried just because she had been forgotten and had to walk home with Mary Vance ? Ah , thought Rilla sadly , how trivial and absurd such a cause of tears now appeared to her . She could cry now with a right good will -- but she would not -- she must not . What was it mother had said , looking , with her white lips and stricken eyes , as Rilla had never seen her mother look before , `` When our women fail in courage , Shall our men be fearless still ? '' Yes , that was it . She must be brave -- like mother -- and Nan -- and Faith -- Faith , who had cried with flashing eyes , `` Oh , if I were only a man , to go too ! '' Only , when her eyes ached and her throat burned like this she had to hide herself in Rainbow Valley for a little , just to think things out and remember that she was n't a child any longer -- she was grown-up and women had to face things like this . But it was -- nice -- to get away alone now and then , where nobody could see her and where she need n't feel that people thought her a little coward if some tears came in spite of her . How sweet and woodsey the ferns smelled ! How softly the great feathery boughs of the firs waved and murmured over her ! How elfinly rang the bells of the `` Tree Lovers '' -- just a tinkle now and then as the breeze swept by ! How purple and elusive the haze where incense was being offered on many an altar of the hills ! How the maple leaves whitened in the wind until the grove seemed covered with pale silvery blossoms ! Everything was just the same as she had seen it hundreds of times ; and yet the whole face of the world seemed changed . `` How wicked I was to wish that something dramatic would happen ! '' she thought . `` Oh , if we could only have those dear , monotonous , pleasant days back again ! I would never , never grumble about them again . '' Rilla 's world had tumbled to pieces the very day after the party .
As they lingered around the dinner table at Ingleside , talking XXXXX the war , the telephone had rung .
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