She came in at once, noticing the peculiar tone of his voice.
"Alfred is dead!" He was saying the words quietly as he held out the telegram.
"Dead! And you left him getting better! How dreadful!" "Do you think so?
He is at rest.

I must go up there at once; they expect me." He still spoke quietly, stilling the tumult of his heart's anguish for his wife's sake.

This man, his old college chum, was very dear to him.

The news was terrible to him.
Nevertheless, he made his preparations to go back to his friend's home.
It is what either would have done in the event of the other's death.

And so he was gone from Milton until after the funeral, and did not return until Saturday.