He could not see her face; nor could she see the dumb agony in his.
Presently she walked to a shelf-table on the veranda set against the wall; and from the litter of papers and work upon it, took up the cablegram she had lately received.
'I wanted to show you this,' she said stonily, and handed him the blue paper.
There was something significant in the way he steadied it upon the veranda railing, and stooped with his head down to pore over it.
The blow was at first almost staggering.

It was as though the high gods had shot down a bolt from heaven, shattering his world, and leaving him alone in Chaos.

They had taken him at his word--had registered on the instant his impious declaration.

It WAS the end of everything.

She was to quit....