`` Oh , I hope nothing has happened to father , '' I exclaimed , springing anxiously to my feet , a sick , horrible feeling of fear running over me like a cool , rippling wave . `` It 's just as likely to be good news he is running for as bad , '' said the Story Girl , who was no believer in meeting trouble half way . `` He would n't be running so fast for good news , '' said Dan cynically . We were not left long in doubt . The orchard gate flew open and Felix was among us . One glimpse of his face told us that he was no bearer of glad tidings . He had been running hard and should have been rubicund . Instead , he was `` as pale as are the dead . '' I could not have asked him what was the matter had my life depended on it . It was Felicity who demanded impatiently of my shaking , voiceless brother : `` Felix King , what has scared you ? '' Felix held out the newspaper -- it was the Charlottetown Daily Enterprise . `` It 's there , '' he gasped . `` Look -- read -- oh , do you -- think it 's -- true ? The -- end of -- the world -- is coming to-morrow -- at two -- o'clock -- in the afternoon ! '' Crash ! Felicity had dropped the cup of clouded blue , which had passed unscathed through so many changing years , and now at last lay shattered on the stone of the well curb . At any other time we should all have been aghast over such a catastrophe , but it passed unnoticed now . What mattered it that all the cups in the world be broken to-day if the crack o ' doom must sound to-morrow ? `` Oh , Sara Stanley , do you believe it ? DO you ? ''
XXXXX Felicity , clutching the Story Girl 's hand .
Look dropped gasped happened hope mattered shaking shattered sound springing