Then Mrs. Mandeville became aware that Carol was looking up with anxiously expectant eyes, awaiting an answer to a question.
"Dear boy," she said, "if you told your cousins that Christian Science has made Eloise to walk, they would not understand what you meant. Indeed, I do not quite understand, myself--yet. I will come to the school-room with you, and perhaps we can explain to them that Eloise has been healed by faith in the power of God."
With that Carol had to be satisfied, though he longed to explain that it was not faith alone, but faith with understanding: the understanding of God as All-in-all, Omnipotent, Omnipresent Love.
[CHAPTER XXII.--THE RETURN OF ELOISE.]
When, the following week, Dr. Burton brought his wife and daughter home, both he and Mrs. Burton gratefully spoke of the Science which had healed her. The little girl, in her wheel-chair, had been so familiar an object of compassion to the villagers that, when they saw her walking, they wanted to know what had brought it about. Then Mr. Higgs triumphantly held up a little book.
"It's all in here, bless the Lord," he said. "What's become o' my rheumatiz, you ask. I don't know what's become o' it. I only know it's gone. What becomes o' the darkness when you let the sunshine in? I'm getting to understand it better every day. There's no need to trouble what's become o' error when you let the Truth in."
Then he told them of his little grand-daughter, and how she, too, had lost something. There was no need to say what. All the village had known of the little girl's sad affliction. Many listened to him, and looked curiously at the little book, but only a few believed. It was easier to attribute the healing to nature, or natural causes, than to spiritual laws. The return of Eloise was a great joy to Carol. She was able to tell him much that he wanted to know. He so seldom spoke of his home, Mrs. Mandeville would have been surprised to know how often he had to fight against a sick longing for the dear scenes of his childhood, and the cousin-friend who was now the representative of both father and mother.
The Burtons arrived home too late for Carol to meet them at the station, as he intended.
The next morning he was an early visitor at their house. Eloise had only just finished breakfast.
"Oh, Carol!"