It was a never-to-be-forgotten afternoon . As the news spread excited people ran about the village and dashed up to Ingleside . The Merediths came over and stayed to supper and everybody talked and nobody listened . Cousin Sophia tried to protest that Germany and Austria were not to be trusted and it was all part of a plot , but nobody paid the least attention to her . `` This Sunday makes up for that one in March , '' said Susan . `` I wonder , '' said Gertrude dreamily , apart to Rilla , `` if things wo n't seem rather flat and insipid when peace really comes . After being fed for four years on horrors and fears , terrible reverses , amazing victories , wo n't anything less be tame and uninteresting ? How strange -- and blessed -- and dull it will be not to dread the coming of the mail every day . '' `` We must dread it for a little while yet , I suppose , '' said Rilla . `` Peace wo n't come -- ca n't come -- for some weeks yet . And in those weeks dreadful things may happen . My excitement is over . We have won the victory -- but oh , what a price we have paid ! '' `` Not too high a price for freedom , '' said Gertrude softly . `` Do you think it was , Rilla ? '' `` No , '' said Rilla , under her breath . She was seeing a little white cross on a battlefield of France . `` No -- not if those of us who live will show ourselves worthy of it -- if we ` keep faith . ' '' `` We will keep faith , '' said Gertrude . She rose suddenly .
A silence fell around the table , and XXXXX the silence Gertrude repeated Walter 's famous poem `` The Piper . ''
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