rse than blindness or
mutilation or any of the things I've feared."

"You may--be--killed," Rilla hated herself for saying it--she knew it
was a weak and cowardly thing to say--but she had rather gone to pieces
after the tension of the evening.

"'Comes he slow or comes he fast
It is but death who comes at last.'"

quoted Walter. "It's not death I fear--I told you that long ago. One
can pay too high a price for mere life, little sister. There's so much
hideousness in this war--I've got to go and help wipe it out of the
world. I'm going to fight for the beauty of life, Rilla-my-Rilla--that
is my duty. There may be a higher duty, perhaps--but that is mine. I
owe life and Canada that, and I've got to pay it. Rilla, tonight for
the first time since Jem left I've got back my self-respect. I could
write poetry," Walter laughed. "I've never been able to write a line
since last August. Tonight I'm full of it. Little sister, be brave--you
were so plucky when Jem went."

"This--is--different," Rilla had to stop after every word to fight down
a wild outburst of sobs. "I loved--Jem--of course--but--when--he
went--away--we thought--the war--would soon--be over--and you
are--everything to me, Walter."

"You must be brave to help me, Rilla-my-Rilla. I'm exalted
tonight--drunk with the excitement of victory over myself--but there
will be other times when it won't be like this--I'll need your help
then."

"When--do--you--go?" She must know the worst at once.

"Not for a week--then we go to Kingsport for training. I suppose we'll
go overseas about the middle of July--we don't know."

One week--only one week more with Walter! The eyes of youth did not see
how she was to go on living.

When they turned in at the Ingleside gate Walter stopped in the shadows
of the old pines and drew Rilla close to him.

"Rilla-my-Rilla, there were girls as sweet and pure as you in Belgium
and Flanders. You--even you--know what their fate was. We must make it
impossible for such things to happen again while the world lasts.
You'll help me, won't you?"

"I'll try, Walter," she said. "Oh, I will try."

As she clung to him with her face pressed against his shoulder she knew
that it had to be. She accepted the fact then and there. He must
go--her beautiful Walter with his beautiful soul and dreams and ideals.
And she had known all along that it would come sooner or later. She had
seen it coming to her--coming--coming--as one sees the shadow o