You could dip them in vitriol and they wouldn't feel it." "So his heels recovered in spite of the Cure ?" said Sypher, grimly.
"Evidently," said Dr.Bourdillot.
* * * * * Sypher sat in his room for a couple of days, his leg on a chair, and looked at Mont Blanc, exquisite in its fairy splendor against the far, pale sky.
It brought him no consolation.

On the contrary it reminded him of Hannibal and other conquerors leading their footsore armies over the Alps.

When he allowed a despondent fancy to wander uncontrolled, he saw great multitudes of men staggering shoeless along with feet and ankles inflamed to the color of tomatoes.

Then he pulled himself together and set his teeth.

Dennymede came to visit him and heard with dismay the verdict of science, which crushed his hope of a high position in the new Army Contract Department.
But Sypher reassured him as to his material welfare by increasing his commission on foreign sales; whereupon he began to take a practical view of the situation.
"We can't expect a patent medicine, sir, to do everything." "I quite agree with you," said Sypher.