The Huns shall never set foot in Prince Edward Island as long as I can handle a pitchfork , '' declared Susan , looking , and feeling quite equal to routing the entire German army single-handed . `` No , Sophia Crawford , to tell you the plain truth I am sick and tired of your gloomy predictions . I do not deny that some mistakes have been made . The Germans would never have got back Passchendaele if the Canadians had been left there ; and it was bad business trusting to those Portuguese at the Lys River . But that is no reason why you or anyone should go about proclaiming the war is lost . I do not want to quarrel with you , least of all at such a time as this , but our morale must be kept up , and I am going to speak my mind out plainly and tell you that if you can not keep from such croaking your room is better than your company . '' Cousin Sophia marched home in high dudgeon to digest her affront , and did not reappear in Susan 's kitchen for many weeks . Perhaps it was just as well , for they were hard weeks , when the Germans continued to strike , now here , now there , and seemingly vital points fell to them at every blow . And one day in early May , when wind and sunshine frolicked in Rainbow Valley and the maple grove was golden-green and the harbour all blue and dimpled and white-capped , the news came about Jem . There had been a trench raid on the Canadian front -- a little trench raid so insignificant that it was never even mentioned in the dispatches and when it was over Lieutenant James Blythe was reported `` wounded and missing . '' `` I think this is even worse than the news of his death would have been , '' moaned Rilla through her white lips , that night . `` No -- no -- ` missing ' leaves a little hope , Rilla , '' urged Gertrude Oliver . `` Yes -- torturing , agonized hope that keeps you from ever becoming quite resigned to the worst , '' said Rilla . `` Oh , Miss Oliver -- must we go for weeks and months -- not knowing whether Jem is alive or dead ? Perhaps we will never know . I -- I can not bear it -- I can not . Walter -- and now Jem . This will kill mother -- look at her face , Miss Oliver , and you will see that . And Faith -- poor Faith -- how can she bear it ? '' Gertrude shivered with pain .
She looked up at the pictures hanging over Rilla 's desk and felt a sudden hatred XXXXX Mona Lisa 's endless smile .
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