But though naturally healthy and vigorous, his system carried in it the seeds of death, sown there by the hardships of captivity.

He had been one of the victims of the Rebels' vaccination; the virus injected into his blood had caused a large part of his right temple to slough off, and when it healed it left a ghastly cicatrix.
Two years ago he was taken suddenly ill, and died before his friends had any idea that his condition was serious..