The shadow of the Great Conflict had not yet made felt any forerunner of its chill . The lads who were to fight , and perhaps fall , on the fields of France and Flanders , Gallipoli and Palestine , were still roguish schoolboys with a fair life in prospect before them : the girls whose hearts were to be wrung were yet fair little maidens a-star with hopes and dreams . Slowly the banners of the sunset city gave up their crimson and gold ; slowly the conqueror 's pageant faded out . Twilight crept over the valley and the little group grew silent . Walter had been reading again that day in his beloved book of myths and he remembered how he had once fancied the Pied Piper coming down the valley on an evening just like this . He began to speak dreamily , partly because he wanted to thrill his companions a little , partly because something apart from him seemed to be speaking through his lips . `` The Piper is coming nearer , '' he said , `` he is nearer than he was that evening I saw him before . His long , shadowy cloak is blowing around him . He pipes -- he pipes -- and we must follow -- Jem and Carl and Jerry and I -- round and round the world . Listen -- listen -- ca n't you hear his wild music ? '' The girls shivered . `` You know you 're only pretending , '' protested Mary Vance , `` and I wish you would n't . You make it too real . I hate that old Piper of yours . '' But Jem sprang up with a gay laugh . He stood up on a little hillock , tall and splendid , with his open brow and his fearless eyes . There were thousands like him all over the land of the maple . `` Let the Piper come and welcome , '' he cried , waving his hand . `` I 'LL follow him gladly round and round the world . '' CHAPTER I GLEN `` NOTES '' AND OTHER MATTERS It was a warm , golden-cloudy , lovable afternoon .
In the big living-room at Ingleside Susan Baker sat down XXXXX a certain grim satisfaction hovering about her like an aura ; it was four o'clock and Susan , who had been working incessantly since six that morning , felt that she had fairly earned an hour of repose and gossip .
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