"Can you bear some bad news--some bad, bad news?"
His heart sank. He had expected something like this--the day would come, he knew, when she would leave him. But was it not unusual? Should not Eades have spoken--should not he have asked him first? Her arms were stealing about his neck.
"Some bad news--some evil news. Something very--"
She had slipped around beside him and leaned over as if to protect him from the blow she was about to deliver. Her voice suddenly grew unnatural, tragic, sending a shudder through him as she finished her sentence with the one word:
"Horrible!"
"What is it?" he whispered.
"Be strong, dear, and brave; it's going to hurt you."
"Tell me, Bess," he said, sitting up now, his man's armor on.
"It's about Dick."
"Dick!"