Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-07-05
CHAPTER XXXv.
Light.

I1dIOlQ ldQ Dccl III d StdtC vi AlCIcdS-
ing restlessness. The month of waiting
which Dr. Hilton had laid down for him
seemed to wear away with extraordinary
slowness; this was increased by the lack
of companionship. and further by the
cutting off of even the little episodes
usual to daily life.
That morning he was additionally dis
-urbed because the doctor had gone early
10 Port Lannoch. and as he was the only
person with whom he could talk, he
chung to him with sonnet hing of the help
less feeling of frightened child to its
nurse. Darkness has terrors of its own.
The day being full of sunshine the win
dow was open, and only the dark-green
blind. which cracked and rustled with
every passing breeze. made the darkness
of the room. Harold was dressed and
lay on a sofa placed back. where the
few rays of light thus entering could not
reach him. His eyes and forehead were
bandaged as ever. For some days the
doctor. who had his own reasons and his
own purpose. had not taken them OFF; so
the feeling OF blind helplessness was
dOubly upon him. He knew he was
blind. and he knew also that even if he
were not he could not in his present con-
dition see. The desire to tear off the
DdnudSeS anu TEST himself was dt LILIES
appalling. Only his deep desire to re-
cover his sight restrained his hands
At length the cool autumn wind soothed
him somewhat; it took his mind back to
the SHOWS and the strenuous life of the
north. where at least his spiritual pain
had been dormant And in not unhappy
day-dreaming his memory faded in light
sleep
All at once he started up awake. His
hearing had in the weeks of darkness
a nn nal l.
fling sound had recalled him to himself
1t might have been inspiration, but he
seemed to be conscious of some presence
in the room.
lent motion of a strong man startled into
unconscious activity he sent a shock of
fear to the eager child who had strayed
into the room through the open window.
Had he presented a normal appearance
she probably would not have been fright
ened. She would have recognized his
identity despite the changes. and have
sprung to him SO impulsively that she
would have been in his arms before she
had time to think. But now all she saw
was a great beard topped with mass
of linen and lint. which obscured all the
rest OF the face, and seemed in the gloom
like a gigantic and ominous turban.
In her fright she screamed out. He, in
turn. forgetful for the moment of his in
tention of silence. called aloud:
"Who is that?" Pearl. who had been
instinctively backing toward the window
by which she had entered. and whose
thoughts in her fright had gone back to
her mother-refuge in time OF danger
cried out:
Mother. mother. 1t is him. 1t is The
Mani" She would have run toward him
in spite of his forbidding appearance, but
the shock had been too much for her.
The little knees trembled and gave way,
the brain reeled. and with a moan she
sank down on the floor in a swoon.
Harold knew the voice the instant she
spoke: there was no need for the en-
Tightening words.
pearl! PEARL he cried. Come to
me. darling" But as he spoke he heard
her moan. and even the soft thud of her
little body on the thick carpet He
guessed the truth and CROPPED his way to-
ward where the sound had been. for he
feared lest he might trample upon her in
too great eagerneSs. Kneeling by her he
touched her little feet, and then felt his
action was required of him he felt in all
it's acuteness the helplessness of his
blindness. In his confusion of mind he
lost the direction of the door. and coming
to the window pushed forward the flap
ping blind and went out on the balcony.
He knew from the freshness of the air
and the distant sounds that he was in
the open. This disturbed him. he
wished to find some one who could at
tend to the fainting child. But as he had
lost the way back to the room now. he
CROPPED along the wall of the castle with
one hand. while he held Pearl securely
in the other. AS he went he called out
for help.
When he came opposite the window of
the mandarin room. Mrs. Stonehouse saw
him: she ran tC him and caught Pearl
in her arms She was so agitated. SO lost
in concern for the child that she never
even thought to speak to the man whom
she had come SO far to seek. She walled
over the child:
Pearl! PEARL What is it. darling?
1t is mother!' She laid the girl on the
sofa. and taking the flowers out of a
glass began to sprinkle water on the
child's face. Harold knew her voice and
waited in patience. Presently the child
sighed: the mother. relieved, thought of
other things at last and looked around
her.
There was yet another trouble. There
on the floor. where she had slipped down.
lay Lady de Lannoy in a swoon. She
called out instinctively, forgetting for the