Susan considered him unsympathetic.
“Indeed, Walter dear, I do not know what you mean by thinking violets,” she responded stiffly, “and rheumatism is not a thing to be joked about, as you may some day realize for yourself. I hope I am not of the kind that is always complaining of their aches and pains, especially now when the news is so terrible. Rheumatism is bad enough but I realize, and none better, that it is not to be compared to being gassed by the Huns.”
“Oh, my God, no!” exclaimed Walter passionately. He turned and went back to the house.
Susan shook her head. She disapproved entirely of such ejaculations. “I hope he will not let his mother hear him talking like that,” she thought as she stacked her hoes and rakes away.
Rilla was standing among the budding daffodils with tear-filled eyes. Her evening was spoiled; she detested Susan, who had somehow hurt Walter; and Jem—had Jem been gassed? Had he died in torture?
“I can’t endure this suspense any longer,” said Rilla desperately.
But she endured it as the others did for another week. Then a letter came from Jem. He was all right.
“I’ve come through without a scratch, dad. Don’t know how I or any of us did it. ‘You'll have seen all about it in the papers—I can’t write of it. But the Huns haven’t got through—they won’t get through. Jerry was knocked stiff by a shell one time, but it was only the shock. He was all right in a few days. Grant is safe, too.”
Nan had a letter from Jerry Meredith. “I came
