"Sooth was my prophecy of fear
Believe it when it augurs cheer,"
quoted Gertrude, almost gaily. "I tell you I have no doubt."
Yet, in spite of the great Italian victory at the Piave that came a few
days later, she had doubt many a time in the hard month that followed;
and when in mid-July the Germans crossed the Marne again despair came
sickeningly. It was idle, they all felt, to hope that the miracle of the
Marne would he repeated. But it was: again, as in 1914, the tide turned
at the Marne. The French and the American troops struck their sudden
smashing blow on the exposed flank of the enemy and, with the almost
inconceivable rapidity of a dream, the whole aspect of the war changed.
"The Allies have won two tremendous victories," said the doctor on 20th
July.
"It is the beginning of the end--I feel it--I feel it," said Mrs.
Blythe.
"Thank God," said Susan, folding her trembling old hands, Then she
added, under her breath, "but it won't bring our boys back."
Nevertheless she went out and ran up the flag, for the first time since
the fall of Jerusalem. As it caught the breeze and swelled gallantly out
above her, Susan lifted her hand and saluted it, as she had seen Shirley
do. "We've all given something to keep you flying," she said. "Four
hundred thousand of our boys gone overseas--fifty thousand of them
killed. But--you are worth it!" The wind whipped her grey hair about
her face and the gingham apron that shrouded her from head to foot was
cut on lines of economy, not of grace; yet, somehow, just then Susan
made an imposing figure.
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