“No darling, not for sure, but we are all of us afraid there is absolutely no chance for Danny to have been saved. Even Bob Dulaney has given up hope—and you know Bob would keep on hoping against hope. He came last night to tell me I should tell you. Dr. Coles telephoned this morning that it was hardly fair to keep you in ignorance any longer.”
“You are all of you very good to me. My words sound cold but I don’t mean them to. I know how hard this has been for you, my dear. It was just like you to take such a hard task on yourself. I—I do thank you, Irene.”
Never a tear, scarcely a falter in the clear voice! It was more tragic to have Mary Louise take the news that way than it would have been had she broken down and wept.
“You mustn’t feel too sorry for me, Irene. Tell the girls they mustn’t either. I can bear this trouble. Somehow I feel that I am not the one who has to bear it. I have been very happy with both Grandpa Jim and Danny and, now that they are gone, I can remember the happy times and be thankful for them. But oh, Irene, the dreary, dreary years to come!” She leaned back in her chair, for a moment she closed her eyes and her mouth looked weary and drawn.
CHAPTER X
A CONFERENCE OF FRIENDS
“It sounds just like poor old Job in the Bible,” said Elizabeth Wright.
“Doesn’t it, though?” sighed Irene.
“Yes, and I bet Job didn’t have a thing on our Mary Louise for patience,” put in Josie, “but, of course, Job had that bunch of hot air comforters who certainly must have tried his patience. At least, Mary Louise is spared them.”
“Don’t you think it,” corrected Irene. “There has been a stream of visitors from morning until night and some of them say the most terrible things. I don’t see how Mary Louise stands them but she always says they mean it for the best and she is as polite as can be to them. I’d send them all packing.”