ace he started up the long road by the hill. He
paused a moment on the summit and looked back at the town of Greenwald,
then almost ran down the road to his home.

He whistled his old greeting whistle.

"Here, David, I'm on the porch," came his mother's voice.

"Mommie," he cried gaily as he took her into his arms, "I knew you'd be
looking for me."

Then for the first time since his father's death he heard his mother
sob. "Oh, mother," he asked, "is my going away as hard as all that? Or
are you only glad to see me?"

"Glad," she replied, restraining her emotion. "Sit down on the bench,
Davie."

"Why--I didn't notice it first--you're wearing dark glasses again! Are
your eyes worse?"

"Sit down, Davie, sit down," she said nervously. "That's right," she
added as he sat beside her and put one arm about her.

"Now tell me," he said imperiously. "Are you sure you're all right?
You're not worrying about me?"

"No, I'm not worrying about you; I quit worrying long ago. But I must
tell you--I wish I didn't have to--don't be scared--it's just about my
eyes."

"Tell me! Are they worse?"

She laid her hand on his knees. "Don't get excited--but--I can't see."

"Can't see!" He repeated the words as though he could not understand
them. Then he put his hands on her cheeks and peered into her face in
the semi-darkness of the porch. "Not blind? Oh, mommie, not blind?"

She nodded, her lips trembling. "Yes, it's come. I'm blind."

The words, fraught with so much sorrow, sounded like claps of thunder in
his ears. "Mother," he cried again, "you can't be blind!"

"But I am. I knew it was coming. The light was getting dimmer every day.
I could hardly see your face this morning when you went."

"And I went away and you stayed here and went blind!" He broke into sobs
and she allowed him to cry it out as they sat together in the darkness.

"Come," she said at length, "now you mustn't take on so. It's not as
awful as you think. I said to Phares to-day that I'm almost glad it's
here, for it was awful to know it's coming."

"But it's awful," he shuddered. "Come in to the light and let me see
you--but oh, you can't see me!"

"Yes I can." She reached a hand to his face. "This is the way I see you
now. The same mouth and chin, the same mole on your left cheek--that's
good luck, Davie--the same nose with its little turn-up."

"Mommie"--he grabbed her hands and kissed them--"there's not another
like you in the whole world! If I w