They had just finished
eating and he had settled back to have a smoke before going home,
admiring a new dress that Bessie had made for Emily's doll, and
talking to the child, while Mrs. Gray and Bessie cleared away the
dishes, when the door opened and Ed Matheson appeared on the
threshold.
Ed stood in the open door speechless, his face haggard and drawn, and
his tall thin form bent slightly forward like a man carrying a heavy
burden upon his shoulders.
It was not necessary for Ed to speak. The moment Mrs. Gray saw him she
knew that he was the bearer of evil news. She tottered as though she
would fall, then recovering herself she extended her arms towards him
and cried in agony:
"Oh, my lad! My lad! What has happened to my lad!"
"Bob--Bob"--faltered Ed, "th'--wolves--got--un."
He had nerved himself for this moment, and now the spell was broken he
sat down upon a bench, and with his elbows upon his knees and his face
in his big weather-browned hands, cried like a child.
Emily lay white and wild-eyed. She could not realize it all or
understand it. It seemed for a moment as though Mrs. Gray would faint,
and Bessie, pale but self-possessed, supported her to a seat and tried
gently to soothe her.
Douglas, too, did what he could to comfort, though there was little
that he could do or say to relieve the mother's grief.
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