It had an agonizing strain to it, and Hugh could plainly make out the words:

Only a slight gulping and hesitation as he began betrayed the agonizing strain he had been through.

Laboriously, with the full prospect of yet another week's agonizing strain and suspense, Stanton wrote again to Cornelia.

Would she herself ever be happy, she wondered, ever have a time free from some agonizing strain or care?