“A tedious convalescence and Wing rose from his bed clean, not a mark left to indicate that he had ever been a leper. His gratitude knew no bounds, and with the dawning of the new year, Dr. Herschel pronounced us both cured. However, for surety, we were to remain indefinitely at Shushan, now no hardship surely. How different life looked with an incentive to live; but, knowing the nature of the disease, we gratefully accepted this respite, and I can truthfully say that the remaining years there were the happiest of my life.”
“And in six years you have learned the secret of happiness,” said Eletheer meditatively.
“Which is found through obedience to nature’s laws,” Hernando replied. Then, turning to Jack, he made minute inquiries regarding his mother’s last illness and death, again and again thanking him for his kindness, expressing a desire to show some means of appreciation of the part Miss Kurtz had taken in the vindication of his mother’s character.
“I reckon you don’t remember Tim Watson, Hernando,” Jack asked. Hernando replied in the negative, but his manner showed that they would not long be strangers.
“Why can’t you go back with us when we return?”
“I see no reason at present. It would give me great pleasure to do so.”
“Oh, don’t any one talk of going!” cried Celeste.
“Except to bed,” Eletheer laughed.