"'This is terrible news, ain't it, Susan? We might as well prepare for
the worst for it is bound to come. You said once--and well do I
remember the words, Susan Baker--that you had complete confidence in
God and Kitchener. Ah well, Susan Baker, there is only God left now.'
"Whereat Cousin Sophia put her handkerchief to her eyes pathetically as
if the world were indeed in terrible straits. As for Susan, Cousin
Sophia was the salvation of her. She came to life with a jerk.
"'Sophia Crawford, hold your peace!' she said sternly. 'You may be an
idiot but you need not be an irreverent idiot. It is no more than decent
to be weeping and wailing because the Almighty is the sole stay of the
Allies now. As for Kitchener, his death is a great loss and I do not
dispute it. But the outcome of this war does not depend on one man's
life and now that the Russians are coming on again you will soon see a
change for the better.'
"Susan said this so energetically that she convinced herself and cheered
up immediately. But Cousin Sophia shook her head.
"'Albert's wife wants to call the baby after Brusiloff,' she said, 'but
I told her to wait and see what becomes of him first. Them Russians has
such a habit of petering out.'
"The Russians are doing splendidly, however, and they have saved Italy.
But even when the daily news of their sweeping advance comes we don't
feel like running up the flag as we used to do.
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