But Mark drew back pale and trembling.
"I tell you, wife," he said, "I love the boy so well that I could sooner take him out in the sunshine and plunge a dagger in his heart than tell him this."
A great calm seemed to come over Earle as he heard.
"My darling is dead," he said to himself, "she is dead, and they are afraid to tell me. I can die too!" and opening the door he went in.
At the sight of him Mark turned away, but Mattie went up to him with outstretched hands.
CHAPTER XXXII.
"I AM A MAN, AND I WILL HAVE JUSTICE."
"I know," said Earle, gently. "I know; you are afraid to tell me; Doris is dead."
"It would be better, perhaps," said Mrs. Brace; "death is not always the greatest trouble that can happen to us."
Then Earle drew nearer, and a more terrible fear came over him. There were troubles worse than death! Surely not for him. Great drops stood on his brow, the veins in his hands swelled like huge cords, his lips grew white as the lips of the dead.