"He's still brave, yes."
"That's good; that's good. Tom was always one who began by trembling and ended like iron."
Jo was at her loom, Donelle at her knitting, when the two men entered the sunny home-room of the little white house.
"This has come," said Law, and reverently held up the envelope.
They all knew what it was. In Point of Pines the bolt had fallen too often to be misunderstood. By that time every heart was waiting; waiting.
"It's Tom?" asked Donelle and her face shone like a frozen, white thing in the cheerful room.
Law read the few terrible words that could not soften the blow, though they tried hard to do so.
"The war office regrets to announce——"
Pierre staggered to his feet.
"It's a lie!" he said thickly, "a lie!" Then he began to weep aloud like a frightened child.