orry--and
proud--and humble! It's beautiful to have my mother think that about
me--but I don't deserve it quite. I'm not as good and strong as all
that. There are heaps of times when I have felt cross and impatient and
woeful and despairing. It is mother and Susan who have been this
family's backbone. But I have helped a little, I believe, and I am so
glad and thankful.

"The war news has been good right along. The French and Americans are
pushing the Germans back and back and back. Sometimes I am afraid it is
too good to last--after nearly four years of disasters one has a
feeling that this constant success is unbelievable. We don't rejoice
noisily over it. Susan keeps the flag up but we go softly. The price
paid has been too high for jubilation. We are just thankful that it has
not been paid in vain.

"No word has come from Jem. We hope--because we dare not do anything
else. But there are hours when we all feel--though we never say
so--that such hoping is foolishness. These hours come more and more
frequently as the weeks go by. And we may never know. That is the most
terrible thought of all. I wonder how Faith is bearing it. To judge
from her letters she has never for a moment given up hope, but she must
have had her dark hours of doubt like the rest of us."

20th August 1918

"The Canadians have been in action again and Mr. Meredith had a
cable today saying that Carl had been slightly wounded and is in
the hospital. It did not say where the wound was, which is unusual,
and we all feel worried. There is news of a fresh victory every
day now."

30th August 1918

"The Merediths had a letter from Carl today. His wound was "only a
slight one"--but it was in his right eye and the sight is gone for
ever!

"'One eye is enough to watch bugs with,' Carl writes cheerfully. And we
know it might have been oh so much worse! If it had been both eyes! But
I cried all the afternoon after I saw Carl's letter. Those beautiful,
fearless blue eyes of his!

"There is one comfort--he will not have to go back to the front. He is
coming home as soon as he is out of the hospital--the first of our boys
to return. When will the others come?

"And there is one who will never come. At least we will not see him if
he does. But, oh, I think he will be there--when our Canadian soldiers
return there will be a shadow army with them--the army of the fallen.
We will not see them--but they will be there!"

1st September 1918

"Mot