CHILL NEWS
The first news of trouble reached Carne in a brief letter from Colonel Carron to Sir Denzil.
Gracie and the Rev. Charles were sitting over their tea one afternoon in the quiet, hopeful despondency--if the expression may be permitted--which had become the natural state of all who had dear ones at the war. They were full of fears; they cherished hope; they waited with quiet resignation what each day might bring forth.
When Kennet rapped on the door of the cottage, Gracie's heart jumped and sank, and Eager incongruously thought of the old Latin Grammar tag: Mors æquo pede . . . ("Death with equal foot knocks at the door of rich and poor").
"Sir Denzil begs you will come and see him at once, sir."
"Bad news, Kennet?" asked Eager, as he reached down his hat.
"He didn't say, sir; but he's in a bad-enough humour. Not that that's much to go by, though, these days "--from which one gathers that even Sir Denzil's equanimity was not entirely unaffected by the disturbances of the times.
Gracie had slipped on her cloak and little fur turban. He looked at her doubtfully. But she shook her head with decision.
"I could not possibly wait here, fearing everything," she said; and they went along together.
Sir Denzil expressed no surprise at sight of her.