“God grant it!” Doctor Rupert replied earnestly, and he worked as well as prayed for the result he wished, having the verses ready each day, with other tokens that Doctor Bertrand always placed on the casement, ready for Eva’s eager waking eyes.
It was a unique way to cure insanity, but it was certainly succeeding. Eva improved so rapidly that the aberration of her mind was almost cured.
She took delight in the tokens of a lover’s kindness that came to her hands each day, and from her first childish confidences she relapsed into maidenly shyness, keeping her verses sacredly to herself, though she generously shared her sweets with all.
“This is very encouraging. We can soon discharge the young girl as cured,” said the superintendent cheerfully, but one bright morning they had an unpleasant shock of surprise.
Eva Somerville was missing from the asylum!
CHAPTER XI.
GRAN’THER HEARS FROM EVA.
During the winter that Eva had spent in the insane asylum at Weston, changes had come to the old home, Stony Ledge.
Grandfather Groves had never been as well and strong as before the night of the Hallowe’en tragedy, although fortune’s fickle wheel had begun to turn in his favor.
The long-hoped-for drill had been put down on his rocky farm by capitalists of his section to bore for oil. If the greasy fluid spouted as expected, old Mr. Groves would be a rich man.