The ill and
the weak gradually recovered. In a few more weeks the Angels of Death
and Disease retired from the field, and the island was not depopulated.
Whether another outbreak might or might not occur they could not tell;
but knowing the thoroughness of the work which they had done, they were
ready to hope that the victory was complete. Gradually their work
ceased, for there was no one in all the happy island who needed nursing
or medical attendance. Caius found then how wonderfully free the place
was from all those ailments which ordinarily beset humanity.
This was in the middle of February, when the days were growing long, and
even the evening was bright and light upon the islands of snow and the
sea of ice.
It appeared to Caius that Madame Le Maitre had grown years older during
the pestilence. Deep lines of weariness had come in her face, and her
eyes were heavy with want of sleep and sympathetic tears. Again and
again he had feared that the disease would attack her, and, indeed, he
knew that it had only been the constant riding about the island hills in
the wonderful air that had kept the little band of workers in health. As
it was, O'Shea had lost a child, and three of the girls in the house of
Madame Le Maitre had been ill. Now that the strain was over, Caius
feared prostration that would be worse than the disease itself for the
lady who had kept up so bravely through it all; but, ever feeling an
impossibility in her presence of speaking freely of anything that
concerned herself, he had hardly been able to express the solicitude he
felt before it was relieved by the welcome news that she had travelled
across the bay to pay a visit to Pembroke's wife.
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