'
"'It isn't ladylike to talk like that,' said Cousin Sophia in a shocked
tone; and then Gertrude laughed right out, so wildly that Cousin Sophia
was really frightened. And when poor tortured Gertrude, unable to endure
it any longer, hurried out of the room, Cousin Sophia asked mother if
the blow hadn't affected Miss Oliver's mind.
"'I suffered the loss of two good kind partners,' she said, 'but it did
not affect me like that.'
"I should think it wouldn't! Those poor men must have been thankful to
die.
"I heard Gertrude walking up and down her room most of the night. She
walked like that every night. But never so long as that night. And once
I heard her give a dreadful sudden little cry as if she had been
stabbed. I couldn't sleep for suffering with her; and I couldn't help
her. I thought the night would never end. But it did; and then 'joy came
in the morning' as the Bible says. Only it didn't come exactly in the
morning but well along in the afternoon. The telephone rang and I
answered it. It was old Mrs. Grant speaking from Charlottetown, and her
news was that it was all a mistake--Robert wasn't killed at all; he had
only been slightly wounded in the arm and was safe in the hospital out
of harm's way for a time anyhow. They hadn't learned yet how the mistake
had happened but supposed there must have been another Robert Grant.
"I hung up the telephone and flew to Rainbow Valley.
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