Middletown transcript., 1902-01-18

sne nad got 10 know Sne clasp OF II i lie
her to another part of the room.
"How well you know this room {
mine, y she said, as she sank down Int
q chair whose back she herself, had fir
gered in the quick, searching way (
the blind. "You have never been her
before"
"You forget Elmerdale answered
''that my boy had me by the other hand
He is guiding us both.'
''0h, little James," Myra said. g
didn't know he was here. ] didn't hea
his step. / heard Mrs. Wilson's but nc
his"
Just then Myra felt kiss on her fore
head. 'sIt's I, DEAR" said Mrs. Wilson
the winsome and motherly matron whom
everybody at Alderley loved. 81 think,
Mrs. Wilson whispered in her ear, "tha
you're going to have good news. Wal
and see."
| That word ''see" pierced Myra will
curious poignance. A little later sh
heard retreating steps. "Have the
gone2' she questioned excitedly, o
Mrs. Wilson. "Has he gone withou
telling me ?"
"You mean Doctor Abernethey, dear
Yes; but he is talking your case owe
with Mr.. Elmerdale."
"And-Mr. Elmerdale-"
"He will come back soon and tel
you the decision"
Elmerdale did. Doctor Abernethey
had concluded that the cure might b.
tried, with marked prospect of good re
suits. He felt confident that this wa!
a case in which the optic nerve, moi
organically deadened, might yield to hi'
unique electric applications. He would
come down from London every day
beginning with tomorrow.
Myra's hope, formerly bud, was now
a full blossom. The thought of getting
back her sight made those three weeks oi
seclusion inexpressibly momentous She
was not getting it back solely for herself,
| but for Elmerdale as well. To be his
help through future years! To live in
him and for him and beside him! The
anticipation became ecstasy.
Every day regularly Doctor Abernethey
paid his visit, and Elmerdale was always
near by. So was Mrs. Wilson, though
she seemed only sort of decorous, dig.
nifed background, from which an occa.
sional genial sentence issued. As fol
little James, he did not seem to be there
save now and then and only when she
had remembered to ask for him. And
she asked for him with dread of Elmer.
dale's safety. He must not forget that in
all his sweet anxiety and concern about
| herself.
For days the applications (lasting q
good half-hour each time) inflicted the
fercest pain. At moments Myra felt as
if red-hot pincers were tearing her eyes
from their sockets. More than this,
there was ravaging agony in what seemed
the very center of her brain. But she
scarcely once did more than murmur,
.'Oh, oh, l sufferI' Elmerdale's hand
would steal into her own at these worst
intervals and clasp it tightly. Fortitude
would seem to flow from the pressure OF
his fingers and the contact of his palm.
There were moments when she felt that
with him beside her thus the torture
might be doubled and yet she could sup
port it undismayed.
During the second week of trial all
distress vanished. The fluid began to
sooth where it had once tormented. At
the commencement of the third week a
thin ray of green light was thrown into
either eye. At first she had sensation
of luminous, green-tinted yapor, nothing
more She could distinguish no object
whatever. After seven or eight seconds
the rays were withdrawn. The next day
the same operation was repeated. She
saw Doctor Abernethey, short, black
bearded man, standing at her side. He
was like the vaguest of visions, but he
was nevertheless an actuality, presence.
"You will see; I promise it, she heard
him say, but she could not discern the
movement of his lips; he was like ghost
addressing her.
BY the end of that third week his pro-
mise was made good. Ina room where
twilight alone was permitted to reign, and
where it must reign for still another week,
she sat, palpitating with delicious joy.
Everything about her was quite plain.
Doctor Abernethey had shaken both her
hands over and over again with vehement
congratulations. Mrs. Wilson had kissed
her and knelt down beside her chair, and
laughed and cried at the same instant.
:. "All the patients are wild to come and
wish you years of happiness, my DEAR"
the matron said "But of course that
can't be yet. Only they are all SO glad,
for you have made them all love you.
There has never been such favorite at
Alderley IN the whole twenty years that
I've lived here"
''Poor things" Myra sighed; chow
good of theml It doesn't seem fair, Mrs.
Wilson, does it, that 1 alone should be
blessed like this? But where is he?'' the
girl went on. "Oh, Mrs. Wilson, 1 do SO
want to see himl IL thought his face
would be the first should really look
uponi'
"Mr. Elmerdale will join you shortly"
was the matron's answer.
Somehow Myrs detected an odd, con-
strained sound in it. Soon Mrs. Wilson
went away, and Doctor Abernethey fol-
lowed her, with his assistant. A sudden |
pang Of fear darted through Myra's |
heart. Could her lover be i'll? But, no,
came the quieting reflection: Mrs. Wilson |
had just said that he would join her
shortly.
And this proved true. Elmerdale soon
came slowly into the room. He walked
with the pages guidance. as usual. but /