A messenger was despatched for Mrs Willders, and Willie remained to watch beside him while his comrades went out to continue the fight.
Chapter Thirty Three.
The Last.
For many months Frank Willders lay upon his bed unable to move, and scarcely able to speak. His left leg and arm had been broken, his face and hands were burned and cut, and his once stalwart form was reduced to a mere wreck.
During that long and weary time of suffering he had two nurses who never left him—who relieved each other day and night; smoothed his pillow and read to him words of comfort from God’s blessed book. These were, his own mother and Emma Ward.
For many weeks his life seemed to waver in the balance, but at last he began to mend. His frame, however, had been so shattered that the doctors held out little hope of his ever being anything better than a helpless cripple, so, one day, he said to Emma:
“I have been thinking, Emma, of our engagement.” He paused and spoke sadly—as if with great difficulty.
“And I have made up my mind,” he continued, “to release you.”