The personality that had expressed itself in that last letter , written on the eve of Courcelette , could not be snuffed out by a German bullet . It must carry on , though the earthly link with things of earth were broken . `` We 're going over the top tomorrow , Rilla-my-Rilla , '' wrote Walter . `` I wrote mother and Di yesterday , but somehow I feel as if I must write you tonight . I had n't intended to do any writing tonight -- but I 've got to . Do you remember old Mrs. Tom Crawford over-harbour , who was always saying that it was ` laid on her ' to do such and such a thing ? Well , that is just how I feel . It 's ` laid on me ' to write you tonight -- you , sister and chum of mine . There are some things I want to say before -- well , before tomorrow . `` You and Ingleside seem strangely near me tonight . It 's the first time I 've felt this since I came . Always home has seemed so far away -- so hopelessly far away from this hideous welter of filth and blood . But tonight it is quite close to me -- it seems to me I can almost see you -- hear you speak . And I can see the moonlight shining white and still on the old hills of home . It has seemed to me ever since I came here that it was impossible that there could be calm gentle nights and unshattered moonlight anywhere in the world . But tonight somehow , all the beautiful things I have always loved seem to have become possible again -- and this is good , and makes me feel a deep , certain , exquisite happiness . It must be autumn at home now -- the harbour is a-dream and the old Glen hills blue with haze , and Rainbow Valley a haunt of delight with wild asters blowing all over it -- our old `` farewell-summers . '' I always liked that name better than ` aster ' -- it was a poem in itself . `` Rilla , you know I 've always had premonitions . You remember the Pied Piper -- but no , of course you would n't -- you were too young .
One evening long ago when Nan and Di and Jem and the Merediths and I were together in Rainbow Valley I had a queer vision or presentiment -- whatever you like XXXXX call it .
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