Mr.Mayhewattendedchurchwithhisfamilythatmorning——athingthathehadnotdoneforyears——andintheafternoonIdatookhimtoseeherspiritualbirthplace,andtocallonherspiritualfather.ThewelcomethatoldMr.Eltingegave,andthewordshespoke,didmuchtowardsestablishinginthemanwhohadbeensodisheartened,hopethatanewandbetterfuturewasopeningbeforehim.
Whenabouttopartheputhisleftarmaroundhisdaughter,andgivinghishandtoMr.Eltinge,said,withavoicebrokenbyhisfeelings:
\"Iambewilderedyet.Ican\'tunderstandmyhappiness.YesterdayIwasperishinginaboundlessdesert.To-daythedeserthasvanished,andI\'minthissweetoldgarden.Therearenoflowersorfruitsinit,however,thatcancomparewiththeloveandtruthInowseeinthischild\'sface.Iwon\'tspeakoftheserviceyouhaverenderedusboth.It\'sbeyondallwords.\"
Itwasindeedgreaterthanheknew,forIdhadconcludednevertospeakagainofherterriblesecret.Godhadforgivenher,andnothingwastobegainedbyanyreferencetoasubjectthathadbecomeinexpressiblypainful.\"Remember,\"saidthestaunchandfaithfuloldmanastheywereabouttodriveaway,\"nothinggoodlastsunlessbuiltupfromtheAuthorofallgood.Unlessyouactonthistruthyou\'llfindyourselfinthedesertagain,andallyouarenowenjoyingwillseemlikeamirage.\"
PoorMr.Mayhewcouldnotenduretoloseamomentofhisdaughter\'ssociety,forthelongthirstofyearswastobeslaked.Theytookaround-aboutwayhome,andthesummereveningdeepenedintotwilightandduskbeforetheyapproachedthehotel.