th in a precarious place and if the
little one was frightened and tried to wrench away from her, Janice
feared that they might both fall into the lake.

But the girl from Greensboro thought quickly; and this was an emergency
when quick thought was needed. She remembered having read that blind
people are very susceptible to any vibration or jar. She herself stamped
upon the old wharf-beam, and instantly the child turned toward her.

"Who is it?" asked the little girl, in a flat, keyless tone.

"You don't know me, my dear," Janice said, instinctively; then,
remembering the blind eyes as well as the deaf ears, she drew quite
close to the child and gently took her hand.

The child responded and touched Janice lightly, gropingly. The latter
could see her eyes now--deep, violet eyes, the appearance of which
belied the fact that the light had gone from them. They were neither
dull-looking nor with a film drawn over them. It was very hard indeed to
believe that the little girl was sightless.

She was flaxen-haired, pink-cheeked, and not too slender. Yet Janice
could not say that she was pretty. Indeed the impression the afflicted
child made upon one was quite the reverse.

The little hand crept up Janice's arm to her shoulder, touched her hair
and neck lightly, and then the slender fingers passed over the older
girl's face. She did this swiftly, while Janice took her other hand and
with a soft, urgent pressure tried to draw her along.

But although she seemed so sweet and amenable, Janice did not breathe
freely until they were both off the old wharf. Then she demanded,
quickly:

"Do they let you come here alone? Where do you live?"

The little girl did not answer; of course she did not hear. She was
still looking back toward the tall wall of spruce across the inlet, from
which the sharp echo was flung.

"He-a! he-a! he-a!" she wailed again, and the echo sent back the cry;
but the little girl shook her head.

"I have lost it! And I don't hear what _you_ say--do I? You can speak,
can't you?"

Janice squeezed her hand quickly, and the child seemed to accept it as
an affirmative reply.

"But, you see, I don't hear you," she continued, in that strange, flat
voice. Janice suddenly realized that hearing had much to do with the use
of the vocal cords. It is because we can hear ourselves speak that we
attune our voices to pleasant sounds. This unfortunate child had no
appreciation of the tones that issued from her lips.