But it will be many a long bitter day before your boyish comrade comes back to you . The doctor was away on a case that night and Susan stalked into Mrs. Blythe 's room on her way to bed to see if her adored Mrs. Dr. dear were `` comfortable and composed . '' She paused solemnly at the foot of the bed and solemnly declared , `` Mrs. Dr. dear , I have made up my mind to be a heroine . '' `` Mrs. Dr. dear '' found herself violently inclined to laugh -- which was manifestly unfair , since she had not laughed when Rilla had announced a similar heroic determination . To be sure , Rilla was a slim , white-robed thing , with a flower-like face and starry young eyes aglow with feeling ; whereas Susan was arrayed in a grey flannel nightgown of strait simplicity , and had a strip of red woollen worsted tied around her grey hair as a charm against neuralgia . But that should not make any vital difference . Was it not the spirit that counted ? Yet Mrs. Blythe was hard put to it not to laugh . `` I am not , '' proceeded Susan firmly , `` going to lament or whine or question the wisdom of the Almighty any more as I have been doing lately . Whining and shirking and blaming Providence do not get us anywhere . We have just got to grapple with whatever we have to do whether it is weeding the onion patch , or running the Government . I shall grapple . Those blessed boys have gone to war ; and we women , Mrs. Dr. dear , must tarry by the stuff and keep a stiff upper lip . '' CHAPTER VII A WAR-BABY AND A SOUP TUREEN `` Liege and Namur -- and now Brussels ! '' The doctor shook his head . `` I do n't like it -- I do n't like it . '' `` Do not you lose heart , Dr. dear ; they were just defended by foreigners , '' said Susan superbly . `` Wait you till the Germans come against the British ; there will be a very different story to tell and that you may tie to . '' The doctor shook his head again , but a little less gravely ; perhaps they all shared subconsciously in Susan 's belief that `` the thin grey line '' was unbreakable , even by the victorious rush of Germany 's ready millions . At any rate , when the terrible day came -- the first of many terrible days -- with the news that the British army was driven back they stared at each other in blank dismay .
`` It -- it ca n't be true , '' gasped Nan , taking a brief refuge XXXXX temporary incredulity .
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