Anyhow, the last sight he had of me I was smiling to my
limit. Gee, all the rest of the day my face felt as if it had been
starched and ironed into a smile."
In spite of Mary's advice and example Mrs. Blythe, who had sent Jem off
with a smile, could not quite manage one for Walter. But at least no one
cried. Dog Monday came out of his lair in the shipping-shed and sat down
close to Walter, thumping his tail vigorously on the boards of the
platform whenever Walter spoke to him, and looking up with confident
eyes, as if to say, "I know you'll find Jem and bring him back to me."
"So long, old fellow," said Carl Meredith cheerfully, when the good-byes
had to be said. "Tell them over there to keep their spirits up--I am
coming along presently."
"Me too," said Shirley laconically, proffering a brown paw. Susan heard
him and her face turned very grey.
Una shook hands quietly, looking at him with wistful, sorrowful,
dark-blue eyes. But then Una's eyes had always been wistful. Walter bent
his handsome black head in its khaki cap and kissed her with the warm,
comradely kiss of a brother. He had never kissed her before, and for a
fleeting moment Una's face betrayed her, if anyone had noticed. But
nobody did; the conductor was shouting "all aboard"; everybody was
trying to look very cheerful. Walter turned to Rilla; she held his hands
and looked up at him. She would not see him again until the day broke
and the shadows vanished--and she knew not if that daybreak would be on
this side of the grave or beyond it.
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