I might have had to urge him to go . '' Mrs. Drew did not understand but Rilla did . She flung up her head . Her brother did not have to be urged to go . Rilla found herself standing alone and listening to disconnected scraps of talk as people walked up and down past her . `` I told Mark to wait and see if they asked for a second lot of men . If they did I 'd let him go -- but they wo n't , '' said Mrs. Palmer Burr . `` I think I 'll have it made with a crush girdle of velvet , '' said Bessie Clow . `` I 'm frightened to look at my husband 's face for fear I 'll see in it that he wants to go too , '' said a little over-harbour bride . `` I 'm scared stiff , '' said whimsical Mrs. Jim Howard . `` I 'm scared Jim will enlist -- and I 'm scared he wo n't . '' `` The war will be over by Christmas , '' said Joe Vickers . `` Let them European nations fight it out between them , '' said Abner Reese . `` When he was a boy I gave him many a good trouncing , '' shouted Norman Douglas , who seemed to be referring to some one high in military circles in Charlottetown . `` Yes , sir , I walloped him well , big gun as he is now . '' `` The existence of the British Empire is at stake , '' said the Methodist minister . `` There 's certainly something about uniforms , '' sighed Irene Howard . `` It 's a commercial war when all is said and done and not worth one drop of good Canadian blood , '' said a stranger from the shore hotel . `` The Blythe family are taking it easy , '' said Kate Drew . `` Them young fools are just going for adventure , '' growled Nathan Crawford .
`` I have absolute confidence XXXXX Kitchener , '' said the over-harbour doctor .
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