Fanny was as greatly mystified as ever, only she remembered the names, and determined that some day she would find out who this Norine was that her husband talked about in his sleep. She would not tell him of it. That was not her way; but she would wait and some day she would know all. Elwell left the room no more that night, and early the next morning they went on board of the steamship, that was to carry them across the ocean. But it was not until after they had passed Sandy Hook that his fright left him, and not for many, many days after did he cease to wonder: How came she there? CHAPTER XXI. CONTENTMENT. The departure of his friends from Bright Farm created a great void in the life of Doctor Lester Conway, and he felt it sorely. They were his only friends, if we except good Mrs. Allan, and his naturally lonesome life was made trebly so by their departure. That he was sincerely and unselfishly glad of their great good fortune there could be no doubt; and that he was content with his own lot in life. Well, he had insisted to Jim that he was content, and he had even repeated it to himself a great many times after Jim had left, rather as if it required a good many assurances to convince even himself. But he was content; he said so a great many times, so he must be content. But however content he might be, Lester Conway certainly was not happy. Some one of those old philosophers, who fondly imagined that they knew the world long before the world began to really know itself, said: “Contentment is the basis of all true happiness.” Now, here was a direct refutation of this theory; for Lester Conway, with plenty of contentment, was miserably, piteously unhappy. Piteously, I say; for I know of no misery so well deserving of pity as the mental sufferings of a strong, patient, and self-reliant man, one who fights pluckily against the burdens that fate has laid upon him, and who strives, in the midst of his sufferings, to convince himself that he is strong enough to bear his load without complaining, and that, therefore, he must not complain, even to himself. So it was with Conway, and he plunged into his work with an effort to forget his mental misery by making himself as miserable bodily as possible. There was a great deal of sickness in that mountainous neighborhood that winter, and he had plenty to do, and was very thankful for it. He was always ready and willing to go, no matter where or from whom the call came; and he was just as tender, and his smile was just as kindly as ever. But his eyes were something too bright, and gray hairs began to be visible in his tawny mustache; and I am afraid that he could not forget. Jim proved himself an excellent correspondent, and kept his friend fully informed of all that occurred in their new home.