The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-08-14


 "wen? Why am I imprisoned in the dark?'
 "I suppose it is because of some physical condition" began the girl. | Then she stopped confusedly. | "Go on,'' demanded the voice. "I | want to know what you think 'I have thought that there might | be something the matter with your | eyes, she said in a low tone. "You were not far wrong." said the voice. What else have you guessed ?'' | Nothing else" Would you like to hear my story?" | "It wouldn't be fair that I should | know your story when you cant | know mine" There seems to be a reason why I should not know yours. There's no reason in the world why you shouldn't know mine. I'm going to tell it to you, so that you shall understand exactly what your playing has been | to me. Go on playing now. little | friend.''
 | glided softly over the keys and she | listened for every syllable that fell | from the mans lips. l ''Nora,' the voice proceeded. I'm | blind"
 'Bhnd!'' The word repeated itself on her lips with unutterable pity. | "Yes. I haven't known what it is Ito see daylight for a whole year. Yet I twelve months ago I was at college, a l careless hearted boy, finishing my i schooling without a. shadow on my life.
 "If only I could tell you how sorry I amp said Nora weakly. Then she added in haste: "But you will re- cover your sight?"
 "I don't know. Many doctors say I cannot" answered the voice. s'but l one-a famous oculist from Germany who saw me six months ago says there is a hope"
 "Oh, there must bel" cried Nora. "It would be too terrible, if you could | never see again!"
 "I am always hoping said the voice. Before you came. though. it was not so easy to hope. When it first happened I did not care whether I liver Or died I suffered so greatly. For lost, not only my sight, but my best friend.'
 Your best friend"
 "Yes. He and I quarreled over e mere trif1e one day when we were in the laboratory, doing sone experr- ments. He had violent temper, ana it got beyond his control. and in his rage he took up a bottle of acid we
  broke across my forehead, and he acid rolled down into my eyes,
 How terrble!" exclaimed Nora, shutting her own eyes to the picture he had conjured forth.
 q fell instantly-the pain was pain was like nothing I could ever describe. When came to my senses I was in l a bed, but I could see nothing. A woman spoke to me. She told me I was in a hospital, and that she was my nurse. I asked her why it was all dark. She did not tell me the truth, but drew my hand to my face, so that I might feel the bandage across my eyes,
 How long was it before you knew that-that you were blind? ?' asked the girl.
 Some weeks. My mother was be- side me as often as the rules of the hospital perm tied, and when I was well enough she took me away"
 And the man who had done this awful thing to you-what became of him ?''
 'He had to leave college. He came to bid me good-by and to beg my for giveness He went to Europe. He has ruined his own life, poor fellow, for he will never forget! I think of him often. Nora. I pity him with all my hearth
 eff I had done thing like that,'' said Nora, "I believe I would have killed myse1f!''
 That would have done no good to any one," said the voice. "Did you come straight here when you left the hospital?" she asked.
 "Yes. My mother gave up ner house in New York City and bought this place so that I might live in re- tirement. My friend and I have a great many acquaintances in common. and I did not want them to know what had happened It would have made things harder for him, poor feI- low, and it couldn't do me any good to have people talking about it. So I gave out that I had gone away, and no one guessed the truth. You see, Nora, this makes it possible for him to come back some day. and that's what I want"
 How you must love that man!' said Nora. There are not many who would act as you did.''
 Then, you must rem member, I be- Iieved I was hopelessIy bfind,'' con tinued the voice. eft was not for some weeks that I was given nope. A great German doctor came to New York a month after we moved in here, and my mother brought him to see me, and it was ne wno promised that I might recover my sight if I carried out his directions faithfully And that is what you have been doing?"
 "Yes. I resigned myselef to live in absolute darkness until he should come again to New York to perform } an operation on my eyes. That is why | am in these rooms, Nora. I sleep Tn the inner room. and when I am in ] here my bedroom is left open to light and air. But no Eight is allowed 10 come near me. One ray permitted to flash across my eyes and I should never see again. That is what the doctor told me-
 ..when is the doctor coming again?"
 "At the beginning of next year-in about six weeks. think" , "Oh, you must be longing for his l coming.''
 .sYes,'' said the voice earnestly, sin- deed I ami And I have hopes = great, great hopesi'' (To Be Continued Tomorrow) : (Copyrisht. 1929. Thompson Feature