“There was great rejoicing when Valentine returned with the lost child. The bells were rung and salutes fired from the big cannon that commanded the approaches to the city. It turned out that the gentleman whose child Valentine had found was the ruler of the city, and you may depend upon it he was grateful to the unknown young man.
“But in all large cities there are some envious people, and these soon had it whispered about that Valentine was a mere adventurer who had stolen the child and hid it so that he might rescue it again when a big reward was offered. These whispers grew thicker and thicker until at last they reached the ears of every one. No one knew Valentine, and appearances were against him, but one day he was approached by an old man with a long white beard, who asked him from whence he came. The old man was so kind and agreeable in his manner that Valentine told him the story of the rescue of Geraldine.
“Much to his surprise the old man rose and embraced him. ‘Come with me!’ he cried. So saying, he carried Valentine to the marketplace, and there in the presence of a great crowd of people, the old man said:—
“‘Behold my rescuer! Behold the brave youth who conquered Rimrak, the Conjurer.’
“This closed the mouths of the envious, and when that happens, there is not much more to tell in any story.”
Here Mrs. Meadows paused and looked at Mr. Rabbit, who sat fast asleep in his chair.
“Did he get rich and marry Geraldine?” inquired Sweetest Susan.
“Why of course,” replied Mrs. Meadows. “Do you reckon he’d have gone through all these ups and downs if he wasn’t to marry and settle down and be happy in the end?”
“Well,” said Buster John, “it was a pretty good story.”
“I speck so,” remarked Drusilla, “but dey’s lots too much richness in it fer me.”