Jeffwrotebackthathehadbeensufferingwithasevereattackoferysipelas——hedecideduponerysipelasforthetimebeing，buthemeanttoletWestoverknowlaterthathehadbeeninarow——andthedoctorwouldnotlethimgooutyet。Hepromisedtocomeinassoonashepossiblycould。IfWestoverthoughtJacksonoughttobegothomeatonce，andwasnotfittotravelalone，heaskedhimtosendahospitalnursewithhim。
WestoverrepliedbyJeff’smessengerthatitwouldworryandalarmJacksontobeputinchargeofanurse；butthathewouldgohomewithhim，andtheywouldstartthenextday。HeurgedJefftocomeandseehisbrotherifitwasatallsafeforhimtodoso。Butifhecouldnot，Westoverwouldgivehismotherareassuringreasonforhisfailure。
Mrs。DurgindidnotwasteanyanxietyforthesicknesswhichpreventedJefffromcominghomewithhisbrother。Shesaidironicallythatitmustbeverybad，andshegaveallherthoughtandcaretoJackson。Thesickmanrallied，asheprophesiedheshould，inhisnativeair，andcelebratedthesenseandscienceofthelastdoctorhehadseeninEurope，whotoldhimthathehadmadeagreatgain，buthehadbetterhurryhomeasfastashecould，forhehadgotalltheadvantagehecouldexpecttohavefromhisstayabroad，andnowhomeairwasthebestthingforhim。
Itcouldnotbeknownhowmuchofthishebelieved；hehad，atanyrate，thepathetichopefulnessofhismalady；buthismotherbelieveditall，andshenursedhimwithafaithinhisrecoverywhichWhitwellconfidedtoWestoverwasaboutasmuchashewantedtosee，foronewhile。Sheseemedtogrowyoungerinthecareofhim，andtogetbacktoherself，moreandmore，fromthefactsofJeff’sbehavior，whichhadagedandbrokenher。ShehadtotellJacksonaboutitall，buthetookitwiththatindifferencetothethingsofthisworldwhichtheapproachofdeathsometimesbrings，andinthelightofhispassivityitnolongerseemedtohersoverybad。ItwasarelieftohaveJacksonsay，Well，perhapsitwasforthebest；anditwasacomforttoseehowheandCynthiatooktoeachother；itwasalmostasifthatdreadfultroublehadnotbeen。
ShetoldJacksonwhathardworkshehadhadtomakeCynthiastaywithher，andhowthegirlhadconsentedtostayonlyuntilJeffcamehome；